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Mills: Don’t cut farmers (like me) off at the knees
As a young farmer raising tobacco, small grains, cattle and chickens alongside my dad in rural Virginia, I’ve learned one lesson very clearly: To survive as a farmer in the Southeast, you’ve got to be creative. Commodity prices swing like a pendulum, and profit margins vanish overnight. For my family, flue-cured and dark tobacco are the stabilizers — the crops that help us weather the storm and stay on the land. That’s why I’m sounding the alarm about a little-noticed piece of the reconciliation bill making its way through Congress — one that proposes to carve tobacco out of the duty drawback program.
Radford Arsenal says new incinerator delayed eleven months; new completion date is 2026
The Radford Army Ammunition Plant is pushing back its completion date for a new incinerator that had been scheduled to be in operation by July. The Arsenal, as it’s commonly called, now expects to complete construction of the new facility by next June. The Radford Arsenal first announced plans to build a new energetic waste incinerator in 2018. Justine Barati is director of public affairs for the Army’s Joint Munitions Command, which oversees the Arsenal. She said they are delaying the completion date for the new incinerator until next summer, due to heavy rains and changes to the design of the new facility.
Warner gets an earful at event with Richmond seniors
Virginia Senator Mark Warner was in Richmond Thursday morning to meet with seniors and groups that aid them. Many of the residents gathered in the basement of the Randolph Place senior living facility were angry with what was happening in Washington. Kate Ruby is with the Birdhouse Farmers Market, a local food source for folks who can get their SNAP funds doubled thanks to federal grants. That is until July when, thanks to cuts in Washington, Ruby said the grant funds run out. And while she was angry at the loss of funding, she was also angry about something else: “I don’t feel like we’ve got a good opposition party. I’m seeing a lot of angry noises and chest pounding, but not any real opposition!”
Program cuts costs of health insurance in Va.
Virginia's innovative reinsurance program for health coverage is reducing the monthly bill for each person covered by an Obamacare policy by nearly $100 a month, the State Corporation Commission reports. The state program reimburses health insurers for some of the costs of relatively large claims for payment from the hospitals, physicians and other health care providers treating policyholders. By doing this, the SCC projects average monthly bills this year will be $519 for each covered individual, compared with $617 if the program were not in place.
New Averett president says school is ‘so far from closing’ despite year of financial challenges
Averett University’s new president says he has a plan for financial recovery that includes repaying the school’s vendors and endowment, and could include further limiting academic options and selling more real estate. But the school’s ongoing financial issues are “not fatal,” and Averett will not close, Thomas Powell said. “As I meet people in town, the first question they ask me is, ‘Are you closing?’” Powell said. “Well, we are so far from closing.” The Danville school has been consumed by financial issues since last spring, when it revealed that financial mismanagement had led to a budget deficit.
Trump undermines the rule of law with Culpeper sheriff’s pardon
It wasn’t long ago that a sheriff trading fake badges in exchange for cash would have earned universal condemnation. But that was before the age of Donald Trump, when a pledge of personal support for the president can be exchanged for a free pass from punishment. Nearly every chief executive, certainly every one in recent memory, has a few pardons or commutations that raise eyebrows, turn heads or shock the conscience. But Trump continues to excuse, and even praise, violent and corrupt individuals, rewarding his criminal supporters at the expense of public safety and common decency.
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.
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.