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From VPAP New Episode: The Virginia Press Room Podcast
In the latest episode of the podcast from VaNews and VPM, Michael Pope is joined by Kate Seltzer of The Virginian-Pilot, Greg Schneider of The Washington Post, and Dean Mirshahi of VPM News. They discuss the week's top headlines: Virginia Beach Republican Party Chair ousted amidst turmoil, state officials and the Nansemond Indian Nation trade accusations of Medicaid fraud, and cuts to AmeriCorps end community service grants. Tune in for insights and analysis on Virginia politics. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.
Feds renege on deal to give Federal Executive Institute to Charlottesville Schools
Less than two weeks after the deal was struck, the U.S. Department of Education has reneged on its promise to bequeath the Trump-shuttered Federal Executive Institute to the Charlottesville school division. Instead, the agency has recommended the property be given to the University of Virginia. Both Charlottesville City Schools and UVa expressed shock Friday over the “completely unexpected” development. “The rescinding of this opportunity is an enormous setback to our City and to our students,” Charlottesville City Manager Sam Sanders and Schools Superintendent Royal Gurley said in a statement announcing the news of the reversal at 4:30 p.m. Friday.
Meet the six Democrats running for Va. lieutenant governor
Six Democrats are competing for the party's nomination for lieutenant governor to join gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger on the Democratic ticket this fall. The crowded field in the June 17 primary features two state senators, a school board chairman, a former mayor, a former federal prosecutor and a longtime labor leader. Virginia's lieutenant governor has two constitutionally mandated duties — presiding over the state Senate and being first in the line of succession to governor. The lieutenant governor breaks ties on most issues in the Senate, where Democrats hold a 21-19 edge.
Gov. Youngkin tells Liberty graduates to ‘emphatically respond to God’s call’
Gov. Glenn Youngkin told Liberty University graduates gathered at Williams Stadium on Friday evening to “emphatically respond” to God’s call at the university’s 52nd commencement, the largest event ever held in Central Virginia. “While there will be a time to look to the future, today is a day to congratulate you, the proud accomplishments of the largest ever Liberty University class of 2025,” Youngkin told graduates.
VPM school initiative ’on pause’ as Trump targets public media
A hands-on initiative for Richmond and Petersburg public preschool students is on the local front line of President Donald Trump's multiple-front national assault on public broadcasting. VPM Media Corp., a Richmond-based nonprofit that provides public television and radio for two million people in a wide swath of Virginia, recently learned that the U.S. Department of Education had terminated a $23 million national grant to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for "Ready to Learn," a 30-year-old initiative that produces a variety of educational programming for PBS Kids.
Wittman: Time for a more thoughtful approach to cost-cutting
As the representative for Virginia’s 1st District in Congress, I take seriously the legislative branch’s responsibility to ensure the federal government operates efficiently, effectively and in the best interests of the American people. Across party lines, there’s growing agreement: Washington must get its fiscal house in order by spending taxpayer dollars wisely while focusing on results that matter to everyday Americans. . . . To address this, we need to pursue targeted savings — not reckless cuts. That means using a scalpel, not a sledgehammer, when it comes to rightsizing the federal workforce or realigning federal spending. We must always remember the real people behind the numbers — families depending on paychecks, seniors relying on benefits, and communities counting on services.
Audit: City officials paid $550K to deceased retirees
The Richmond Retirement System since 2015 has paid more than half a million dollars to deceased former City Hall employees, according to a report from the Office of the City Auditor. Nearly 75% of those funds have not been recovered, city auditors found. RRS, which is governed by a seven-member board, administers retirement and survivor benefits for more than 4,000 former city employees
VCU reassigns DEI staffers, rewrites policies to follow directive
Virginia Commonwealth University is scrutinizing its employees’ duties, student scholarship and hiring practices in an effort to follow a federal mandate that universities erase all forms of DEI and eliminate discrimination. The university has eliminated 13 positions, revised a small number of scholarship requirements and discontinued a practice requiring prospective employees to write a diversity statement before they are hired.
VCU withholding degrees of three pro-Palestine student protesters
Virginia Commonwealth University is withholding the degrees of three students who helped organize a gathering in support of Palestine on campus last month that ended in a student’s arrest. The three students [were] able to participate in graduation events [this past] weekend, but the university will not officially confer their degrees until it has resolved the disciplinary process.
Third prison employee sentenced for FCI Petersburg death in custody
A third employee with the Bureau of Prisons was sentenced Thursday for making false statements to federal investigators who were reviewing the death in custody of Wade Walters. Walters was a federal prisoner at FCI Petersburg who died in a suicide watch cell in 2021. He was serving a 25-year sentence stemming from a child porn and sexual exploitation case. Tonya Farley was a nurse at the prison. She was on duty the day before Walters died.