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Va. panel approves Barbara Johns statue for U.S. Capitol
A state commission has given final approval to Virginia’s bronze statue of teenage civil rights heroine Barbara Johns that will become part of the National Statuary Hall Collection at the U.S. Capitol by the end of the year. The Johns statue will replace a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that the state removed from the U.S. Capitol in December 2020. Each state gets two statues in the collection. Virginia’s other statue depicts George Washington.
Democratic candidates for Connolly’s congressional seat debate fairness over Walkinshaw’s frontrunner status
A crowded field of Democrats is vying for the party’s nomination in the special election for Virginia’s 11th Congressional District. James Walkinshaw, [the late U.S. Rep. Gerry] Connolly’s chosen successor, appears to be the clear frontrunner, sparking concerns among rivals that the nomination process favors establishment candidates and also limits voter access. Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced the special election date for Sept. 9 after Connolly, 75, died in May due to esophageal cancer. It came weeks after Connolly announced he would not seek reelection and would step down as the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee. The 11th District Democratic committee announced a firehouse primary scheduled for June 28, giving candidates less than a month to make their case to voters.
State agencies begin moving out of James Monroe Building
The state government has begun moving out of the James Monroe Building. The Office of the State Inspector General recently relocated to a small office complex on Governor Street called Reid’s Row. By the spring of 2026, the state expects the 29-story Monroe building to be empty, Banci Tewolde, director of the Department of General Services, told the state’s Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. General Services handles real estate for the state government.
Senate draft of ‘big, beautiful bill’ could cut funds for Virginia hospitals, also affect Medicaid
Virginia’s hospitals are monitoring congressional budget proposals with concern. While the recently-passed U.S. House of Representatives’ version of the President Donald Trump-backed “big beautiful bill” retained federal mapping that preserves Medicaid access in Virginia, a new draft in the U.S. Senate could alter two critical funding mechanisms that support Virginia’s hospitals and their ability to bolster the state’s expanded Medicaid program. The Senate proposal could change provider assessment rates and state-directed payment programs. The two funding mechanisms are critical to hospital operation in Virginia and how they chip into the expansion of Virginia’s Medicaid program.
Virginia workers rally for heat stress protections
The last thing Jason Parker remembers after working a shift removing compressor bearings for NASA in 90-degree heat is a chill down his spine. "My friend's wife found me lying on the floor of my house, and I have no memory of getting there," the Virginia State Building & Construction Trades Council president said at a press conference Wednesday. "That's how insidious this thing is." Parker joined labor and climate change activists on a warm day in Virginia to urge the state to adopt standards for workers at risk of heat stress.
UVa alumni clash over President Jim Ryan's record
Over the past month, a conservative alumni group has called for the resignation of University of Virginia President Jim Ryan, saying his “politicized and feckless leadership” has “severely damaged UVa's core values and reputation.” As it stands, Ryan, who arrived in Charlottesville in August 2018, has a contract that does not expire until July 31, 2028. The Jefferson Council, however, believes the state’s flagship university is in crisis now due to "seven critical leadership failures," ...
Kaine confronts Defense secretary over post names
Saying the names "should never have been changed in the first place," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the Trump Administration's decision to restore the original names of Army posts, mostly in the South, that were changed from memorializing Confederate heroes to reflect diversity in the military. During a Senate Armed Services Committee meeting Wednesday, June 18, Hegseth and Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, had a tense exchange as Kaine – an opponent of the reversion – accused Hegseth of not caring about erasing the legacies of the people whose names were on Forts Gregg-Adams, Barfoot and Walker from the history annals.
Haro-Perez: Abortion access in Virginia depends on the coming months
Virginia may feel like a safe haven for abortion access — but let’s be clear: Safe doesn’t mean secure. In the almost three years since Roe v. Wade was overturned, Virginia has become a critical access point for people across the South seeking abortion care. We’ve seen the largest increase in abortions of any state post-Dobbs, not because people are suddenly having more abortions, but because we’re one of the last states in the region where it remains legal. But that reality is hanging by a thread.
Turner and Rosa: Energy investments are a win for Virginia and the nation
As Congress debates the federal budget, one issue should be a no-brainer for conservatives in Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District: energy investments. These commonsense initiatives — first advanced under President George W. Bush — have grown alongside America’s need for energy independence and innovation. They’re about more than clean energy: jobs, national security and economic strength.
Rozell: Drubbing in RVA doomed Levar Stoney
This can’t be the outcome former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney expected from his amply funded lieutenant governor bid in Tuesday’s Democratic primary, finishing just 3,816 votes, or 0.8 of a percentage point, behind state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, the complete but unofficial returns show. It is stunning because Stoney lost the city he had governed for two terms — eight years — by 10,509 votes, or 37 percentage points, to Hashmi, whose district includes portions of Richmond and Chesterfield County.