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Trump, Youngkin meet for first time as GOP eyes winning Virginia in November

By EMMA COLTON, PAUL STEINHAUSER AND MATTHEW REIDY, Fox News

Former President Donald Trump and Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin met this week. They discussed efforts to flip Virginia red in the 2024 presidential election, Fox News Digital has learned. Two sources with knowledge of the meeting told Fox News Digital on Thursday that Trump and Youngkin had discussed recent polling showing Trump neck-and-neck with President Biden in the Old Dominion State, after Biden won the state by 10 points in 2020. The meeting included discussions on how Trump can pull ahead of Biden as the election cycle further intensifies.

VaNews June 14, 2024


Trump dings Bob Good in person and on Truth Social ahead of Virginia primary

By CAMI MONDEAUX, Washington Examiner

Donald Trump on Thursday took aim at House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good (R-VA) as the former president actively campaigns against the Republican incumbent in his primary election next week. In a closed-door meeting on Thursday, Trump addressed GOP lawmakers to strategize ahead of the 2024 election and how the party can remain unified heading into November. But the former president also wasted no time to get in a handful of subtle jabs at other prominent Republicans, including some who were in the room, according to members present.

VaNews June 14, 2024


DuVal: Leaving California EV mandate is best for Virginia’s business climate

By BARRY DUVAL, published in Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

Last week, following Attorney General Jason Miyares’ opinion, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced that Virginia would no longer be subject to California’s onerous electric vehicle mandates when its current regulation expires at the end of 2024. If the second iteration of these costly and burdensome mandates passed by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) were to have taken effect in Virginia, all new vehicle purchases by 2035 would have been required to be EVs and 35% of model year 2026 vehicle purchases would as well.

DuVal is president and CEO of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

VaNews June 14, 2024


What is in Potomac Yard’s future after dead arena deal?

By MIMI MONTGOMERY, Axios

Months after Virginia’s Wizards and Capitals arena deal died, a big question remains: What’s next for Potomac Yard? It’s a large, valuable chunk of land with close proximity to D.C. and a new $370 million Metro stop that sits in what Alexandria and Arlington are trying to establish as an innovation corridor, thanks to nearby Amazon HQ2 and Virginia Tech’s forthcoming Innovation Campus. Plus, Alexandria needs more commercial growth to diversify its tax base and alleviate the burden placed on homeowners.

VaNews June 14, 2024


Virginia Senate to convene Tuesday to discuss military tuition program

By NOUR HABIB, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

The Virginia Senate will reconvene Tuesday to address recent changes to a state program that covers higher education costs for some military families, Senate Democrats announced in a release. In the recently approved budget, lawmakers scaled back the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program to lighten the cost burden on state colleges and universities after program participation increased exponentially over the last four years.

VaNews June 14, 2024


Richmond registrar violated city policies on nepotism, internal investigation finds

By SAMUEL B. PARKER, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

Richmond Registrar Keith Balmer and Deputy Registrar Jerry Richardson violated city policies on ethics and employing family members, an internal investigation by the city’s Department of Human Resources has concluded. The violations require “immediate departmental restructuring” within the Richmond Office of Elections, investigators said in the probe’s findings, which were submitted Tuesday to the Richmond Electoral Board and the Virginia Department of Elections.

VaNews June 14, 2024


Chesterfield County backs secrecy in police records case

By LUCA POWELL, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

“Undercover.” The meaning of the word strikes at the heart of a public records fight regarding public access to basic police payroll information: the names and salaries of law enforcement employees. To Freedom of Information Act lawyer Andrew Bodoh, the word pertains to the type of police work seen on prime-time TV: disguised officers with assumed identities, names and cover stories. To Chesterfield County Attorney Jeffrey Mincks, the word includes every lay officer on the Chesterfield Police Department’s payroll: from the most grizzled detectives down to newly sworn-in cadets.

VaNews June 14, 2024


Cannabist Co. opening 11th Va. dispensary in eastern Henrico

By ERIC KOLENICH, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

The Cannabist Company will open its 11th Virginia dispensary in eastern Henrico County, the group announced this week. The store will be called Cannabist Richmond and will be available to medically approved patients. Cannabist Richmond will open at 4320 S. Laburnum Ave. in the Laburnum Park shopping center near Interstate 64. “The company’s commitment to patient access, education and community engagement remains at the forefront of its expansion efforts,” said Jesse Channon, its president.

VaNews June 14, 2024


$12 million agricultural campus set to rise between Bristol and Abingdon

By SUSAN CAMERON, Cardinal News

Rolling green pastures between Bristol and Abingdon are set to evolve over the next few years into an expansive $12 million agriculture campus for Appalachian Sustainable Development. On Thursday afternoon, officials with the nonprofit unveiled their plans for the more than 17 acres of land, which they plan to use as a regional hub that will champion agriculture by teaching people how to grow in more innovative, efficient and profitable ways. The goal is to create new agriculture and food businesses, more efficient and successful farms, a stronger regional workforce, and better access to nutritious food and positive health outcomes, according to ASD officials.

VaNews June 14, 2024


Washington County supervisors approve solar framework regulations

By JOE TENNIS, Bristol Herald Courier (Metered Paywall - 15 articles a month)

Washington County, Virginia officials on Tuesday approved a revised ordinance governing any future solar operations there. ... The ordinance incorporates state law language which provides “any locality may grant a special exception permit” and include in its zoning ordinance “reasonable regulations and provisions for a special exception for any solar photovoltaic (electric energy) project or energy storage project ... Expanding the solar ordinance comes as a Texas-based company, Catalyst Energy Partners, is seeking a special exception permit from the Washington County Planning Commission.

VaNews June 14, 2024