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Youngkin urges vigilance to combat antisemitism
A new executive order will expand Virginia's fight against antisemitism, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Monday night at the Combat Antisemitism Movement's Faith, Freedom, and Legacy: Honoring Virginia’s Jewish Heritage dinner in Richmond. "Antisemitism exists, and we must acknowledge it, we must educate people to it, and we must go to work to eradicate it," Youngkin said at the dinner, held at The Commonwealth Club.
Virginia lawmakers react to proposed federal moratorium on AI regulation
Congress is considering a bill that could leave Virginia, and every other state, powerless to regulate artificial intelligence. You probably know the plot of the 1984 movie The Terminator – a cyborg hitman from the future arrives in the present, sent because of a future war between humans and A-I powered machines. Virginia might be encountering its own unwanted plot twist says State Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, if Congress approves a 10-year moratorium on state regulation of artificial intelligence.
It’s past time to prohibit personal enrichment by office holders
So many Americans seem to reflexively believe their elected officials are corrupt — at least two-thirds of adults, according to a recent poll by YouGov — it sometimes seems as if such suspicions are a requirement of citizenship. It certainly doesn’t help, though, when the president and lawmakers do less and less to avoid the appearance of wrongdoing or commit acts that, by any reasonable standard, defy the responsibilities of holding elected office. One of the most egregious examples of potential corruption lately is President Donald Trump’s direct involvement in peddling a meme coin called $Trump.
Former governors pay tribute to Brown v. Board but disagree on how to continue its legacy
It was more than 70 years ago when 16-year-old Barbara Rose Johns and other students went on a strike to protest the poor conditions of their school – Robert Russa Moton High School – a segregated, tar paper shack high school located in Farmville. The walkout initiated a civil rights case – Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County – which later became one of the five cases consolidated into Brown v. Board of Education, where Supreme Court justices unanimously decided that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. Saturday, seven Virginia governors gathered at Virginia Commonwealth University to commemorate the landmark ruling, discuss racial and educational progress and emphasize the need to do more work to address disparities in the state.
Va. sees nation’s second-largest drop in overdose deaths
Virginia had the second-largest drop in overdose deaths in the country last year, according to preliminary CDC data released last week. For over a decade, fatal drug overdoses have been the leading cause of unnatural deaths statewide. And Richmond has consistently had one of the highest overdose death rates in the state. But for the past few years, Virginia's fatal drug overdose rates have fallen faster than the U.S. average. Over 1,500 Virginians died from drug overdoses in 2024, per CDC estimates. That's a nearly 39% drop from 2023. The only state with a greater decline in overdose deaths was West Virginia (-44%).
Richmond real estate tax bills were sent to residents with mortgages; city is working on next steps
The city of Richmond sent real estate tax bills to "several thousand" homeowners with mortgages, even though those bills are traditionally paid by the lending company, officials announced Saturday. The Richmonder contacted the city on Friday night regarding the issue, and on Saturday morning, Mayor Danny Avula posted a message to social media. "I am now aware that this is a system error in terms of getting the right data into the right place," he said.
Educators push back after Youngkin vetoed bill that let African American history courses count toward graduation
A bill that could have made African American history count as a required social studies credit in Virginia high schools was vetoed last month by Governor Glenn Youngkin. The decision drew sharp criticism from educators, lawmakers and scholars who say the move perpetuates the marginalization of Black history in public education. House Bill 18-24, introduced by Democratic Delegate David Reid, aimed to let students substitute either African American History or Advanced Placement African American Studies, for World History I or World Geography.
Del. Phillips cites family, faith, and economic vision in reelection bid
Eric Phillips, 49, is seeking re-election to the Virginia House of Delegates representing District 48 as the Republican nominee. He will face Melody Cartwright, the Democratic nominee and an opponent he previously defeated in the 2023 special election. If re-elected, Phillips said he plans to continue prioritizing the interests of the Martinsville-Henry County area. Phillips said he will maintain his focus on pro-life policies, economic development, and protecting Second Amendment rights.
State regulators approve Columbia Gas increase
State regulators have approved an increase for Columbia Gas of Virginia’s non-gas rates and charges that would add about $6 to the average residential customer’s monthly bill. The average customer using 5.1 dekatherms of gas monthly will see their bill increase from $76.26 to $82.47, up 8%, according to terms filed with regulators in December and approved on Thursday.
‘Resilience Amid Resistance’: New marker reveals Virginia’s fraught journey to school integration
A state historical marker titled “Resilience Amid Resistance” now stands on the Western District U.S. Courthouse grounds in Harrisonburg, where a Virginia judge twice upheld the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to desegregate schools in America, allowing local Black students to attend white schools and access an equal education. Betty Kilby was the lead plaintiff in one of the Virginia cases stemming from localities’ failure to comply with the high court’s Brown v. Board of Education ruling, part of the state’s Massive Resistance policy to buck desegregation, history referenced in the marker unveiled on Saturday.