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Kiggans: Federal spending bill reflects Coastal Virginia’s values
In Washington, it’s easy to get distracted by the noise. But behind the headlines, real work is getting done. That’s why I voted for this year’s reconciliation bill — because it delivers measurable results for working families, seniors, small businesses and our servicemembers in Coastal Virginia. This bill is about putting money back in the pockets of everyday Americans. It stops the largest tax hike in American history before it can hit our middle class. By making the 2017 tax cuts permanent, it gives families and small businesses the certainty they need to plan for the future.
Without ‘cause’ but not without ‘justification’: Hopewell mayor comments on firings’ firestorm
Saying they “deserve their privacy,” Hopewell Mayor Johnny Partin Jr. said the firings earlier this month of the city manager and city clerk were without “cause” but not without "justification," and because it is a personnel matter, those reasons will not be publicly divulged. “It is true that we did vote for termination without cause, meaning only to award these employees their contractual severance payment instead of accusing them of any misconduct and withholding severance,” Partin said in a statement from the dais during the May 27 City Council meeting.
Earle-Sears campaign ad stresses American dream
Republican Virginia gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears debuted a campaign ad [in early May] that stressed her family’s humble origins and her successful pursuit of the American dream. Titled “Seven Quarters,” the ad begins by mentioning how much money, $1.75, her father had when he came to the United States from Jamaica to build a better life for himself and his family.
Frederick County Republicans joining Sixth District GOP Committee lawsuit
The Frederick County Republican Committee (FCRC) on Tuesday night agreed to join a lawsuit that will be filed by the GOP Committee of Virginia's Sixth Congressional District seeking to overturn a new state law which denies political parties the right to choose their nomination processes. It was decided on March 1 by the Sixth District Republican Committee on a 22-1 vote that the group would file a lawsuit seeking to overturn Helmer's Law, which went into effect in January 2024. The law, which was originally sponsored by Del. Dan Helmer (D-Fairfax), requires political parties to use state-run primaries instead of their own nomination methods. Local elections are excluded.
Virginia Natural Gas breaks ground on $50M operations headquarters in Chesapeake
Virginia Natural Gas is building a new $50 million operations headquarters in Chesapeake. The project features 39,000 square feet of office space and a 30,000-square-foot warehouse. Roughly 150 employees — from the company’s Virginia Beach and Chesapeake locations — will work at the new facility on almost 30 acres on Clearfield Avenue. ... One of four natural gas distribution companies operating under Southern Company Gas, Virginia Natural Gas maintains its corporate headquarters on South Independence Boulevard in Virginia Beach.
VPAP Visual 2025 Legislators’ Most Common Stock Holdings
Virginia legislators are required to file conflict of interest forms each year disclosing their ownership of securities, including stock in publicly traded companies. See the companies that were reported in the stock portfolios of at least five members of the 2025 General Assembly.
From VPAP New Episode of Policy Matters: Your Window Into Virginia Politics with VPAP on VPM
Join VPAP’s Chris Piper and VPM’s Ben Dolle as they break down what’s ahead for Virginia’s June 17 primaries and how voters can get election-ready. They spotlight VPAP’s Early Voting Dashboard, Early Voting by House District visualization, and the “Zoom into Your Neighborhood” tool that shows voters their polling place, sample ballot, and more. Plus, they cover top VaNews stories, from an unusual budget veto showdown to behind-the-scenes dynamics in the Virginia GOP.
State lawmakers chew on possible food safety updates for Virginia in wake of federal cuts
Since taking his post in President Donald Trump’s cabinet, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has spearheaded a national movement to “make America healthy again,” including a plan to phase out synthetic dyes from foods, which have been linked to adverse effects in children. Virginia lawmakers also worked on a law to ban synthetic dyes from foods in public schools that Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed this spring. But cuts to the federal agencies responsible for food regulation are alarming, state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield, and Del. Mark Sickles, D-Fairfax, said on a call Wednesday, and work against the food safety and the public health goals Kennedy has professed.
Williams: Children at risk: Transforming Virginia’s child welfare system
As Commissioner of Social Services and inspired by Gov. Youngkin’s unwavering commitment to Virginia’s families, I want to speak directly to the challenges and opportunities before us in protecting our commonwealth’s children. Virginia is at a crossroads. Gov. Youngkin has made it clear: the well-being of our children is not just a priority, it is a moral imperative and a measure of our success as a commonwealth. Yet, the data tells us we are falling short. In 2024, the Department of Social Services received nearly 95,000 reports of alleged child abuse and neglect — a 27% increase since 2020. Even more troubling, in 2023, 38 children died as a direct result of abuse or neglect, and in 71% of those cases, there was active or prior child welfare involvement. This is unacceptable and demands urgent, collective action.
UVA student-led groups urging General Assembly to reject BOV appointee Cuccinelli
Eighteen different student groups at UVA sent a joint letter to every member of the General Assembly on Wednesday, calling for them to block the confirmation of an appointed Board of Visitors member, Ken Cuccinelli. After Gov. Glenn Youngkin fired Bert Ellis from the board, he appointed Cuccinelli, a former Virginia attorney general, to take that spot. Many UVA students were frustrated with the governor's decision, claiming Cuccinelli has previously undermined the safety and security of students across the commonwealth.