Search
Virginia professors’ association calls for end to “politicization” of university leadership
A group of Virginia professors and academics is speaking out against Governor Glenn Youngkin’s appointments to university Boards of Visitors across the state and calling for an end to what they say is the “politicization” of university leadership. This comes after the Virginia Senate Privileges and Elections Committee voted 8-4 to reject Youngkin’s appointees, including former state Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. On June 11, the American Association of University Professors Virginia Chapter sent a letter to the General Assembly, expressing support for the Committee’s decision to block the appointees and calling on the legislature to “[w]ithhold confirmation of all future BOV appointments by Governor Youngkin until he demonstrates a sustained commitment to appointing individuals who uphold academic freedom, respect shared governance, and prioritize institutional integrity over politics.”
Yancey: No, Trump did not rename Virginia military bases after Confederate generals. Here’s what he did instead.
President Donald Trump traveled to a military base in North Carolina this week to announce that he’s changing the names of seven military bases that had been changed not long ago by then-President Joe Biden. Besides Fort Bragg, “we are also going to be restoring the names to Fort Pickett, Fort Hood, Fort Gordon, Fort Rucker, Fort Polk, Fort A.P. Hill and Fort Robert E. Lee,” Trump said. Not quite.
Alpha-gal syndrome is gaining recognition in Virginia
Just days before Christmas 2021, Nicole Cooper was struggling to breathe. Her husband called 911, and moments before the ambulance arrived, Cooper jabbed herself with an epinephrine shot. She could tell she was having an allergic reaction, but she didn’t know what she was reacting to. She remembers the panic, the medical questions and treatments in the emergency room. What she doesn’t remember is the tick bite that triggered it all. . . . A bill that passed unanimously during the 2024 General Assembly session added alpha-gal syndrome to Virginia’s list of reportable diseases. Starting July 1, health care professionals must report cases to the Virginia Department of Health.
Wittman: Voting for spending bill kept my word to Virginians
The Virginian-Pilot & Daily Press Editorial Board recently accused me of selling out my constituents by voting for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (“A predictable betrayal,” Our Views, May 23). That couldn’t be further from the truth. Let me set the record straight: I kept my word. I fought for Virginians, and I voted to protect working families, strengthen our safety net, and invest in national security and economic opportunity. Before this bill even came to a vote, I raised my voice publicly to demand protections for the vulnerable. In April, I wrote to House leadership making clear that balancing the budget must not come at the expense of pregnant women, children, seniors or individuals with disabilities.
Democratic field makes closing arguments in crowded Virginia LG race
With the June 17 Democratic primary days away, six candidates locked in a quiet-but-crowded race for lieutenant governor are making their final push to stand out — and to convince voters they’re the best bet to take on Republicans this fall. The contenders include state Sens. Ghazala Hashmi and Aaron Rouse, former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, Prince William County School Board Chair Babur Lateef, former federal prosecutor Victor Salgado, and attorney Alex Bastani. The six candidates have done little to differentiate themselves from one another and only a few personal attacks have been made.
Miyares, Surovell clash over university board appointments
In dueling letters to university rectors, Attorney General Jason Miyares and Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, each said the other doesn’t know what he’s talking about when it comes to the status of college board of visitors members who a state Senate panel refused to confirm. The lightning rod is Gov. Glenn Youngkin‘s appointment of former Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to the University of Virginia board. Cuccinelli was one of eight appointees the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee refused to confirm this week.
Democrats, Republicans fight after Cuccinelli’s UVa appointment blocked in committee vote
Ken Cuccinelli, class of 1991 alumnus and former Virginia Attorney General, will not be confirmed as a member of the University's Board of Visitors — at least according to a Virginia Senate committee, run by Democrats. The Virginia Senate Privileges and Elections Committee voted not to confirm Cuccinelli’s appointment Tuesday on a party line vote, eight to four, with three Republicans absent. The Committee also blocked appointees to the Board of Visitors at other Virginia schools. The Cavalier Daily reached out to Cuccinelli, but he declined to comment. Republicans say that this is not the end of the road for Cuccinelli’s appointment.
Henrico board OKs new rules to limit rapid data center growth
Henrico officially scrapped its plans for a technology overlay district around the White Oak Technology Park for new, stricter regulations. The decision was made at a Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday night. Any developer seeking to build a data center in Henrico will now have to get a stamp of approval from the board. The idea is that board members can reject any project that doesn’t have adequate protections for residents, such as the distance between a data center and residential homes, excess light pollution or noise in the evenings.
Youngkin says gubernatorial appointments rejected by the General Assembly can still serve
A fight is now brewing between Governor Glenn Youngkin and the Democratic-controlled Virginia General Assembly. That’s because Youngkin is arguing that eight of his picks to serve on the board of visitors at various universities can continue to serve, despite their nominations being rejected by the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee on June 9. In a statement, Youngkin’s offices said, “Make no mistake, these highly qualified appointees will continue to serve in their posts as the Constitution of Virginia affords.”
Winsome Earle-Sears, John Reid face GOP identity test in historic Virginia election
Virginia Republicans have made history with a groundbreaking statewide ticket, but now they face the challenge of selling it to their own base. Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, a Marine Corps veteran and the first Black woman elected to statewide office in Virginia, is the Republican nominee for governor. Running alongside her for lieutenant governor is John Reid, a conservative radio host and the first openly gay man nominated for statewide office by the GOP. Together, they represent one of the most diverse Republican tickets the Commonwealth has ever seen.