Search
Brighter future? Solar apprenticeships add renewable energy skills to local jobs
... A regional partnership working to add solar panels to commercial buildings in the region aims to train young people as they go, developing workforce skills in anticipation of increasing demand for renewable energy-focused jobs in the heart of coal country, where skill sets and energy options are both changing. Virginia ranks eighth in the nation for installed solar capacity, according to the Solar Energies Industry Association, but so far, major renewable energy projects have been clustered in the eastern and southern regions of the state. Increasing the popularity of solar power in the far southwestern corner of the state depends in part on the availability of trained workers ...
Youngkin urges vigilance to combat antisemitism
A new executive order will expand Virginia's fight against antisemitism, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Monday night at the Combat Antisemitism Movement's Faith, Freedom, and Legacy: Honoring Virginia’s Jewish Heritage dinner in Richmond. "Antisemitism exists, and we must acknowledge it, we must educate people to it, and we must go to work to eradicate it," Youngkin said at the dinner, held at The Commonwealth Club.
Logistics company laying off more than 50 people at Richmond warehouse
A logistics company is cutting dozens of jobs at one of its two local warehouses. Saddle Creek Logistics Services is planning to lay off 54 employees at its facility at 4701 Commerce Road, according to state records. The Florida-based firm, which offers fulfillment, warehousing and transportation services, operates two local sites – one is the 460,000-square-foot warehouse on Commerce Road in South Richmond and the other is a 43,000-square-foot facility at 540 HP Way in Chester.
Former governors pay tribute to Brown v. Board but disagree on how to continue its legacy
It was more than 70 years ago when 16-year-old Barbara Rose Johns and other students went on a strike to protest the poor conditions of their school – Robert Russa Moton High School – a segregated, tar paper shack high school located in Farmville. The walkout initiated a civil rights case – Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County – which later became one of the five cases consolidated into Brown v. Board of Education, where Supreme Court justices unanimously decided that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. Saturday, seven Virginia governors gathered at Virginia Commonwealth University to commemorate the landmark ruling, discuss racial and educational progress and emphasize the need to do more work to address disparities in the state.
Va. sees nation’s second-largest drop in overdose deaths
Virginia had the second-largest drop in overdose deaths in the country last year, according to preliminary CDC data released last week. For over a decade, fatal drug overdoses have been the leading cause of unnatural deaths statewide. And Richmond has consistently had one of the highest overdose death rates in the state. But for the past few years, Virginia's fatal drug overdose rates have fallen faster than the U.S. average. Over 1,500 Virginians died from drug overdoses in 2024, per CDC estimates. That's a nearly 39% drop from 2023. The only state with a greater decline in overdose deaths was West Virginia (-44%).
Richmond real estate tax bills were sent to residents with mortgages; city is working on next steps
The city of Richmond sent real estate tax bills to "several thousand" homeowners with mortgages, even though those bills are traditionally paid by the lending company, officials announced Saturday. The Richmonder contacted the city on Friday night regarding the issue, and on Saturday morning, Mayor Danny Avula posted a message to social media. "I am now aware that this is a system error in terms of getting the right data into the right place," he said.
Educators push back after Youngkin vetoed bill that let African American history courses count toward graduation
A bill that could have made African American history count as a required social studies credit in Virginia high schools was vetoed last month by Governor Glenn Youngkin. The decision drew sharp criticism from educators, lawmakers and scholars who say the move perpetuates the marginalization of Black history in public education. House Bill 18-24, introduced by Democratic Delegate David Reid, aimed to let students substitute either African American History or Advanced Placement African American Studies, for World History I or World Geography.
Del. Phillips cites family, faith, and economic vision in reelection bid
Eric Phillips, 49, is seeking re-election to the Virginia House of Delegates representing District 48 as the Republican nominee. He will face Melody Cartwright, the Democratic nominee and an opponent he previously defeated in the 2023 special election. If re-elected, Phillips said he plans to continue prioritizing the interests of the Martinsville-Henry County area. Phillips said he will maintain his focus on pro-life policies, economic development, and protecting Second Amendment rights.
State regulators approve Columbia Gas increase
State regulators have approved an increase for Columbia Gas of Virginia’s non-gas rates and charges that would add about $6 to the average residential customer’s monthly bill. The average customer using 5.1 dekatherms of gas monthly will see their bill increase from $76.26 to $82.47, up 8%, according to terms filed with regulators in December and approved on Thursday.
‘Resilience Amid Resistance’: New marker reveals Virginia’s fraught journey to school integration
A state historical marker titled “Resilience Amid Resistance” now stands on the Western District U.S. Courthouse grounds in Harrisonburg, where a Virginia judge twice upheld the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to desegregate schools in America, allowing local Black students to attend white schools and access an equal education. Betty Kilby was the lead plaintiff in one of the Virginia cases stemming from localities’ failure to comply with the high court’s Brown v. Board of Education ruling, part of the state’s Massive Resistance policy to buck desegregation, history referenced in the marker unveiled on Saturday.