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Federal government cuts fuel rise in joblessness across Fairfax and D.C. region
The ranks of unemployed Fairfax County residents ticked up nearly 8% month-over-month and 37% year-over-year in March, according to new state data, as Northern Virginia’s economy takes a hit from the federal government’s downsizing and collateral economic impacts. A total of 20,836 Fairfax residents were counted as unemployed for March, according to figures reported this week by the Virginia Employment Commission. That compares to 19,315 in February and 15,171 in March 2024.
Dominion confident Virginia wind farm will get done, despite Trump
Construction on the country’s largest offshore wind project is more than half complete, Dominion Energy reported during its first quarter earnings call Thursday. Company executives said they expect the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project to begin delivering electricity to customers in early 2026 and be fully built out by the end of next year. The progress on the 176-turbine project is notable because it comes at a time when President Donald Trump has attacked offshore wind, halting work at a project off New York and pausing all new permits and leases.
Senate blocks Kaine-sponsored bid to stop Trump’s tariffs
Senate Republicans narrowly voted down a resolution co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine on Wednesday that would have blocked global tariffs announced by President Donald Trump earlier this month, giving the president a modest win as lawmakers in both parties have remained skeptical of his trade agenda. The 49-49 vote came weeks after the Senate approved a resolution that would have thwarted Trump’s ability to impose tariffs on Canada.
Kaine says Democrats to force vote on resolution for transparency on deportations
Senate Democrats plan to force a vote in the coming weeks on a resolution to require more transparency from President Donald Trump’s administration about deportations to El Salvador. The resolution announced by Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine on Thursday comes after two votes on Democratic resolutions challenging Trump’s tariffs. It is part of a larger strategy by Democrats to continue using mechanisms under the law to take floor time from majority Republicans and vote on reversing parts of Trump’s agenda.
Vindman recognizes family as he calls on Congress to protect funding for Medicaid
Shannon almost didn’t attend the recent telephone town hall hosted by Congressman Eugene Vindman. “I was going to go to bed,” said the Fredericksburg area resident, who’s the mother of three boys and works part-time. She’d never reached out to her congressional representative before, either, but said she felt that Vindman “would hear me and care.” One of Shannon’s young sons, Luka, has Nonketotic Hyperglycinemia (NKH), a rare genetic disorder that necessitates 24/7 in-home nursing care and 18 medications. Shannon and her husband Chris rely on Medicaid to supplement their private insurance and enable them to provide Luka with the supports and medical equipment he needs.
Virginia gas plant progresses despite opposition
In response to increasing energy demand because of extreme weather and the rapid growth of data centers, Dominion Energy plans to build a natural gas plant in Chesterfield, Va. But the nearby community, which was home to a coal plant for almost 80 years and currently lives near two existing gas plants, has resisted the project for months, citing concerns about air quality. Still, Dominion Energy is one step closer to building the new plant after applying in early March for a Certificate of Public Convenience from the State Corporation Commission, which evaluates utility projects’ costs and rationales for increasing rates. Dominion expects to go before the commission in November.
Top Youngkin strategist breaks silence, denies Reid’s extortion claims as GOP feud continues
Matt Moran, Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s top political strategist and head of the Spirit of Virginia PAC, broke his silence Wednesday evening, rejecting accusations that he tried to pressure GOP lieutenant governor nominee John Reid out of the race and declaring that “facts matter.” Less than two hours before Reid was set to appear solo at a GOP rally in Henrico County after Youngkin canceled the event originally scheduled for the entire statewide Republican slate, Moran took to social media to push back on what he called “unfounded” claims and released a sworn affidavit along with a pointed legal letter from his attorney.
Virginia congressmen dispute future cuts to Medicaid
Two members of Virginia’s congressional delegation discussed future Medicaid cuts this week. As rumors of over $800 million in cuts swirl, Republican Morgan Griffith downplayed concerns, while Democrat Don Beyer warned of people losing their health care. Virginia’s 9th District Republican Congressman Griffith said rumors of big cuts to Medicaid were overblown. Instead, he told a crowd in Abingdon recently that upcoming changes to the program that serves nearly two million Virginians would target “increases on growth,” remove the undocumented from the rolls and block what he said was an expected $1.4 billion in future spending on “transgender surgeries for minors.”
Rappahannock Area United Way to Close
Shock. Remorse. Respect. Well wishes. These were just some of the responses from local community leaders to the Rappahannock United Way’s announcement on Wednesday that it would cease operations on June 30. Several local leaders said that they were stunned by the news and shared reactions similar to that of Brisben Center CEO David Cooper. “I was shocked by the news that the Rappahannock United Way was closing at the end of June,” Cooper told the Advance over the phone. The organization’s “impact on the Brisben Center has been significant over the years ..."
Reid rallies supporters amid controversy, calls for GOP unity
In a scene reminiscent of Glenn Youngkin’s 2021 gubernatorial campaign, Republican lieutenant governor nominee John Reid addressed hundreds of supporters in Western Henrico on Wednesday night, delivering a defiant, high-energy speech as he faces a swirl of controversy. Reid, the first openly gay statewide candidate in Virginia history, stood before a cheering crowd at Atlas 42 just days after being accused of operating a Tumblr account that shared nude images of men — an allegation that has roiled Republican politics across the commonwealth.