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Elections officials appoint new Richmond registrar to replace Keith Balmer
Richmond’s Board of Elections has appointed a permanent registrar to replace Keith Balmer, who led the city’s elections office until he resigned last year following allegations of nepotism and fraud. Electoral Board Chair Starlet Stevens said David Levine will start in the role on July 1, less than two weeks after Virginia’s June 17 primary elections. Levine formerly worked in Richmond’s elections office as a deputy registrar from 2012 to 2014, Stevens said.
Is DEI done at the University of Virginia?
When she went through orientation at the start of the University of Virginia‘s 2024-25 academic year, first-year student Katherine Rattray felt welcomed. The university founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1817 as an “academical village” constructed in part by enslaved people seemed to acknowledge, “Yes, this institution was built on slavery, but at the same time we’re trying to do better,” says Rattray, who is Black. But after U.Va.’s board of visitors voted in March to dissolve the university’s Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Community Partnerships in response to an executive order from President Donald Trump, Rattray’s feelings have changed. “It’s already a big deterrent for students to see that there’s not a lot of diversity on campus,” Rattray says of the university’s 55% white student body.
Dominion to Resume Tree Clearing Along W&OD Trail
After pausing work to clear trees along the Washington and Old Dominion Trail in March following concern from public officials, Dominion Energy has announced they will begin clearing again. “We have met with arborists and forestry personnel from the impacted jurisdictions, as well as representatives from NOVA Parks, and toured the identified areas. The walkthrough was designed to provide clarity on the safety and reliability concerns driving this effort and outline our long-term vegetation management approach,” according to the announcement.
Old Dominion Job Corps to lay off 130 in Amherst
Amherst County-based Old Dominion Job Corps Center will lay off 130 workers by June 30, due to President Donald Trump‘s administration ordering the closures of contractor-run Job Corps centers across the nation. Old Dominion, in compliance with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, notified the state Tuesday of plans to lay off the employees due to the closure of the Job Corps site.
Small child diagnosed with measles confirmed as Virginia’s third case in 2025
A small child who spent several hours in Charlottesville across multiple days has been diagnosed with measles, creating an exposure risk for those in the area. This marks the third confirmed case of measles in Virginia this year. On Thursday, June 4, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced that a child 4 years old or younger was diagnosed with measles. This illness came after they were exposed to Virginia’s second measles case of the year, which involved a teenager. Both were in Charlottesville in late May.
Chesterfield Clerk launches bid for Wittman’s 1st Congressional District seat
Amanda Pohl, clerk of the Chesterfield Circuit Court, announced Thursday she is running for Congress in Virginia’s 1st Congressional District. Republican Rep. Rob Wittman currently holds the seat. ... Wittman, who has served in Congress since 2007, won reelection in 2023 by a 13-point margin. Still, Democrats are optimistic about their chances in the district, pointing to historical trends that show the party in the White House often struggles in midterm elections.
Virginia Republican plans to spend $2 million on special election bid for Connolly’s seat
Nathan Headrick is prepared to spend up to $2 million of his money to finance a congressional campaign to succeed the late Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) in Virginia, a source familiar with the topic confirmed to the Washington Examiner. Headrick, a banking executive and Republican, will begin his campaign on Monday for the solidly Democratic seat in deep-blue northern Virginia.
Shannon Taylor touts her experience in run for Virginia attorney general
Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor says Virginia voters should choose her to take on Republican incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares in the fall. She’s running for the Democratic nomination against former Norfolk Del. Jay Jones. Jahd Khalil of VPM News recently spoke to Taylor about her campaign. ... Like Jones, Taylor said that she was concerned that Miyares was not challenging executive actions coming from Washington — but she thinks nearly 15 years of experience as Henrico's top prosecutor make her the ideal candidate to replace him.
Earle-Sears’ record on social issues complicates bid to follow Youngkin’s path in Virginia governor’s race
Winsome Earle-Sears, the all-but-certain Republican nominee in the Virginia governor’s race this fall, has built the early stages of her campaign around being Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s partner. Earle-Sears, the state’s lieutenant governor, has largely attempted to frame her candidacy as an extension of the current administration, an attempt to replicate the term-limited governor’s path to victory in the blue-leaning state four years ago. ... But there has been notable daylight between Earle-Sears and Youngkin on several fronts, particularly on social issues, complicating her strategy to follow in the footsteps of her more popular governing partner.
Trump chooses former Youngkin chief of staff for trade post
President Donald Trump has nominated Jeff Goettman, Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s former chief of staff, to serve as a deputy U.S. trade representative. In the post, which requires U.S. Senate confirmation, Goettman’s areas of responsibility would include Africa, the Western Hemisphere, Europe, the Middle East, environment, labor and industrial competitiveness.