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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.
VPAP Visual Value of 2025 Legislators’ Stock Portfolios
Each year, General Assembly members are required to disclose stocks, mutual funds, and other financial securities they own. Legislators assign a range of values for each asset instead of an exact dollar amount, so the only accurate way to measure a legislator’s total wealth is by adding up the minimum value of all the securities listed. Because of this, some legislators' portfolios may be worth substantially more than the amounts shown.
A casino proposal in Northern Virginia is a hot topic on the campaign trail this year
Special interests are hoping to strike it rich next year in Richmond. It's a shifting political landscape for a proposed Tysons Corner casino. The closer you live to a proposed casino site in Fairfax County, the more likely you are to oppose it. That’s how Delegate Holly Seibold of Vienna explains her opposition to the proposed entertainment district in Tysons Corner featuring a casino. “The constituents in my district would like their voices heard loud and clear," Seibold says. "They didn’t ask for this casino, nor do they want one.”
How work requirements for Medicaid could affect Virginians
The U.S. Senate is considering a massive budget bill, passed by House Republicans, that seeks to save money by adding work requirements to Medicaid. When Virginia tried adding similar work requirements years ago, the Department of Medical Assistance Services, which oversees the state's Medicaid program, said about 50,000 people would lose coverage. But that number would likely to be higher now since more Virginians are enrolled than in 2018. Rough estimates from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, for example, show nearly 200,000 Virginians losing coverage, including those who work or qualify for an exemption.
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.
Debate grows over when to roll out higher academic standards in Virginia
As Virginia prepares to revise its academic benchmarks for students, a select group will consider how quickly the state should implement its proficiency ratings. The committees could recommend either a single-year transition or a more gradual approach over several years. However, any decision could significantly impact how schools, students, and communities respond. Implementing the changes over a year could have immediate effects but might also lead to rushed decisions. A phased approach over several years could help reduce anomalies, but may delay schools from receiving timely interventions.