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Richmond enters formal agreement with VDH to fix its water system
Richmond is further dedicating to fixing what’s broken at its water treatment plant after the regional water crisis exposed those weaknesses. The city announced that it has entered into an Order of Consent with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) to address the alleged violations the agency found when investigating January’s water crisis, according to a June 12 press release.
16 months after Richmond pulled city staff directory from its website, newspaper publishes it
In February 2024, The Times-Dispatch reported that, amid public outcry over issues with utility bills and meals tax collection, officials under then-Mayor Levar Stoney removed the city’s staff directory from the city website. The directory contained the names, phone numbers and email addresses of City Hall’s many department directors. Without it, Richmond residents were unable to directly contact their highest-paid, most visible and most responsible public servants. . . . Now, The Times-Dispatch is publishing its own database of department directors' desk and cellphone numbers.
Lynchburg vice mayor apologizes to Peacemakers leader for past defamatory comments
Some Lynchburg City Council members are apologizing for something that happened during a meeting a few years ago. During Tuesday's Lynchburg City Council work session, Vice Mayor Curt Diemer spoke out against personal attacks in their meetings. It happened during a 2023 meeting. During public comment, a speaker said something defamatory about Shawn Hunter, the leader of the Peacemakers in Lynchburg. Hunter sued her and won. Hunter was just awarded $50,000 in damages in a Lynchburg Circuit Court on June 6.
Advocates fear FCPD policy change could lead to more contact with ICE
Facing funding threats at both the state and federal levels, Fairfax County leaders have publicly maintained confidence in their policies banning voluntary cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). As President Donald Trump’s administration began ramping up ICE activities to support his campaign threats of mass deportations, however, the Fairfax County Police Department quietly revised its policy governing officer interactions with immigrants. As of Feb. 21, the department’s General Order 604 no longer explicitly prohibits employees from assisting and sharing information with ICE, directing them instead to comply with the broader Trust Policy adopted by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in 2021. Removing those guardrails could open the door for police officers to essentially serve as informants for federal immigration authorities, immigrant rights advocates say.
Female athletes, including one from UVa, appeal NCAA settlement, saying it violates federal antidiscrimination law
Eight female athletes filed an appeal Wednesday of a landmark NCAA antitrust settlement, arguing that women would not receive their fair share of $2.7 billion in back pay for athletes who were barred from making money off their name, image and likeness. U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken approved the settlement last week, clearing the way for direct payments from universities to athletes and the end of the NCAA’s amateurism model. The athletes who appealed the settlement competed in soccer, volleyball and track. They [include] Kate Johnson of Virginia. They have standing to appeal because they previously filed objections to the proposed settlement.
Virginia Beach’s newest economic development director has resigned
Christian Green, the city’s newest economic development director, resigned after less than five months on the job. “Christian Green put in his notice of resignation on June 11; specific details are not available to the public as this is a personnel matter in accordance with HR policy,” a city statement said. “We can confirm, in collaboration with Mr. Green, that he elected to resign from his position due to pressing family matters. Christian is leaving on good terms with the City, and we wish him well in his future endeavors.”
New dashboard brings near real-time info about crime around the region
Police departments around the region are increasingly offering updates on crime data, but depending on how big the department is, the speed of those updates might vary. . . . But to track it all, you usually have to go to each individual department’s webpage and search around for the information you want, if you’re trying to compare one area to another. That will no longer be the case. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments has unveiled a new dashboard that lets you track crime around the region, from the District to the biggest suburban counties in Maryland to the smaller municipalities that also work with COG. You can break it down by jurisdiction or group the D.C. area together.
Martinsville City Council members remain mostly mum on lawsuit controversy
Members of the Martinsville City Council are remaining largely quiet about the federal lawsuit filed by council member Aaron Rawls against the city manager and city sheriff’s deputy. Council members each cited the pending litigation as their reason for not commenting on the suit that Rawls filed against City Manager Aretha Ferrell-Benavides and Deputy Reva Keen. . . . Rawls filed the case June 2 in U.S. District Court in Danville. The suit alleges that the pair acted in violation of Rawls’ First, Fourth and 14th amendment rights. The alleged violations are concerned with Rawls’ right to speech, freedom from unlawful seizure and deprivation of liberty.
D.C. region launches dashboard to deliver more detailed, timely crime data
A new initiative reporting crime data from across the D.C. region in “near-real time” has won praise from local leaders and will provide new tools for policymakers, public safety agencies and the public. “It’s the only one we’re aware of in the nation,” said Eli Russ, a senior public safety planner for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), who serves as project manager for the effort. Officially launched before the group’s monthly meeting Wednesday, the new COG Regional Crime Dashboard will draw from daily reports issued by public safety agencies in 24 jurisdictions spread across D.C., Virginia and Maryland.
Killing a Biden-era submarine deal would be a 'lost opportunity' for Hampton Roads, local leader says
When Australia and the United Kingdom signed a deal to buy nuclear submarines from the United States and have U.S. experts teach them to build their own, Hampton Roads officials saw doors opening. The deal, which would see Australia buy as many as five Virginia-class subs from the U.S. to help curb China’s expanding influence in the Pacific, could ultimately be worth more than $200 billion over the next couple of decades. But President Donald Trump announced Wednesday his administration will review the Biden-era deal to ensure it aligns with Trump’s “America First” agenda.