Search
Public vents frustration with state regulators crafting permit for factory discharge into James River
At a hearing designed to hear public comment regarding a new permit for Hopewell’s largest chemical factory, city residents and environmental groups criticized state regulators tasked with ensuring the health of the James River. The hearing — held Tuesday evening at Hopewell’s Carter G. Woodson Middle School — focused on the renewal of a water discharge permit for AdvanSix Resins and Chemicals. AdvanSix is based in New Jersey and inherited a sprawling chemical plant from Honeywell International.
Data center construction damages 2 Black cemeteries in Prince William County
The Prince William County Historical Commission is sounding the alarm after two historic African American cemeteries in Brentsville were damaged by the construction of a new data center and a related electrical substation. Both cemeteries are the final resting places for members of the Gaskins family, whose lineage can be traced back to slaves freed in the 1790s by plantation owner Robert Carter III. They are located about 2 miles apart on Wellington Road outside Manassas, where historians say a vibrant community of free African Americans thrived in Prince William County both before and after the Civil War.
GOP actions in the states, including Virginia, put contraceptive access in the 2024 spotlight
Republican lawmakers in states across the U.S. have been rejecting Democrats’ efforts to protect or expand access to birth control, an issue Democrats are promoting as a major issue in this year’s elections along with abortion and other reproductive rights concerns. Former President Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee, pushed the issue into the political spotlight this week when he said in an interview that he was open to supporting restrictions on contraception before he reversed course and said he “has never and never will” advocate to restrict access to birth control.
Virginia weighs regulations on hound hunting, citing tensions with landowners
Virginians have hunted deer and bears using hounds for centuries. The tradition has benefits for wildlife management and recreation, state officials say. But they also say they’re seeing rising conflict between hunters and landowners who don’t want dogs encroaching on their property. “This is the most common complaint that the department receives,” Cale Godfrey with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources told a state board earlier this year. “Frequent, repeated instances of unwanted dog presence are the source of many of those complaints.” State officials are now weighing new regulations on hound hunting. This week the department launched a public comment period on two proposals.
Panel Asks Loudoun School Board for Guidance on Renaming Initiative
A School Board committee voted unanimously Tuesday to seek guidance from the full board on the renaming of division schools affiliated with people, places or ideals linked to slavery or the confederacy. The panel was reviewing a recommendation to potentially rename nine schools. The decision came after staff members asked the Finance & Operations Committee on May 7 for direction on how it should proceed with nine school names that had been identified by the Black History Committee of the Friends of the Thomas Balch Library as needing a closer look.
Youngkin signs CODI alert bill in honor of Codi Bigsby
On Tuesday afternoon, Governor Glenn Youngkin signed a bill to create the CODI alert in honor of Codi Bigsby, the little boy from Hampton who is presumed dead after his father, Cory Bigsby, was found guilty of his murder. The alert similar to an Amber Alert, but it removes the criteria of the suspicion of abduction.
Spotsylvania School Board considering drug testing all employees after teacher’s arrest
Two recent, alarming incidents in Spotsylvania County Public Schools prompted the school board to act during a Monday meeting that stretched into the early hours of Tuesday morning. The board voted 7-0 to instruct Interim Superintendent Kelly Guempel to bring back information to the next meeting on June 10 to examine the feasibility of implementing drug and alcohol testing for all employees. The testing would occur at the onset of hiring and randomly as well.
Orange County School Board Exits Virginia School Boards Association
During a scheduled work session Monday evening members of the Orange County School Board moved to discontinue membership in the Virginia School Boards Association. In a split 3-2 decision with strong opposition from District 5 Representative Sandy Harrington, the group opted out of the non-partisan organization which cites promoting excellence in public education through leadership, advocacy and services as their mission statement. The board majority supported joining Warren County as the second non-member (of 132 districts) of VSBA.
Dominion installs first post for offshore wind project
Dominion Energy plunged the first monopile — after the two existing pilot turbines — into the sea floor Wednesday, kicking off construction of the $9.8 billion Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project that will bring 176 turbines 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach. Installation of the post started mid-morning and was finished by the afternoon. The installation was delayed two weeks because a support vessel’s arrival was late ...
Despite concerns, Washington County Planning Commission approves solar rules
Washington County Virginia’s Planning Commission this week proposed updates to its solar energy guidelines in anticipation of large-scale solar farms locating there. Texas-based Catalyst Energy has proposed putting solar panels on as much as 1,800 acres of land in Washington County, largely in agricultural areas around Wyndale near the Washington County Industrial Park, said Washington County Zoning Administrator Stephen Richardson.