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Youngkin’s plan to vacate James Monroe Building on hold
Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s plan to move state employees out of the aging James Monroe Building and into various existing offices across the city has been put on hold. The state will consider erecting a new office building — which Youngkin’s administration has said is not needed, as downtown office space remains available and employees work hybrid schedules. But state lawmakers disagreed, and ultimately won, saying the state government should invest in the city of Richmond and study the situation more.
Supreme Court ruling ensures veterans will receive education benefits
An Army veteran from Virginia recently won a nearly nine-year battle with the Department of Veterans Affairs over access to education benefits accrued through his service, a 7-2 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that favors those who volunteer to fight for this country. The VA sought to deny the vet, a 43-year-old from Richmond named Jim Rudisill, the totality for education access earned under two versions of the GI Bill. While the decision came too late for Rudisill, who now serves as an FBI agent, it could help plenty of veterans pursue their dreams following their service.
Cowell resigns as Roanoke city manager
Roanoke City Manager Bob Cowell has resigned, effective June 7, following several recent high-profile personnel issues at city hall, and in the midst of an election season that promises changes to multiple city council seats. Mayor Sherman Lea, who plans to retire at the end of his term, will serve as acting city manager as the city seeks an interim and then a permanent top executive.
U.S. Supreme Court won’t hear Mountain Valley Pipeline eminent domain case
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday said it will not revisit a case involving six Southwest Virginia landowners who claim that the developers of the Mountain Valley Pipeline were unconstitutionally given authority to seize their land. Since 2020, the six have argued that Congress erred in giving the legislative power of eminent domain to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, an agency that oversees interstate pipeline construction. The commission allowed pipeline developers to take private property for the 303-mile natural gas project from West Virginia into southern Virginia, deeming it to be in the public interest.
Virginia, venture capital firms in new economic development thrust
Virginia is launching a new multimillion-dollar economic development initiative that aims to use a federal grant with matching funds from venture capital firms to fund small businesses, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Monday. With the launch of its “Virginia Invests” program, the nonprofit Virginia Innovation Partnership Corp., which the General Assembly set up in 2020, will direct some $40 million of a $176 million grant it won from the U.S. Treasury’s State Small Business Credit Initiative to seven venture capital funds.
Warner, Norment talk politics at Williamsburg chamber event
U.S. Senator Mark Warner discussed his foray into politics during Friday’s final installment of a chamber of commerce speaker series with prominent leaders. More than 100 people attended Commonwealth Conversations, held Friday at the Williamsburg Lodge and hosted by the Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce. Warner answered questions from former Sen. Tommy Norment about his life and political endeavors. Warner’s appearance marked the final installment of a five-part series of Commonwealth Conversations ...
Newport News emphasizes focus on youth with more than $1 billion investment
Government, civic and business leaders Monday held a news conference to highlight the city’s investment in youth initiatives, including two revitalized programs focused on opportunities for safe recreation and career exploration. The city has allocated more than $1 billion toward youth engagement in its operating and capital improvement budgets for 2024 and 2025. Mayor Phillip Jones said this includes money for recreation centers, schools and services such as mental health resources. “The center of gravity of Newport News is our youth and I believe strongly in the importance and power of youth engagement,” Jones said during the conference ...
Advocates: Youngkin’s veto won’t deter fight for right to contraception legislation
The sponsors of Virginia’s Right to Contraception Act are vowing to continue to fight for the legislation even after Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s veto Friday. “I’m here to say that the fight isn’t over,” said state Sen. Ghazala F. Hashmi (D-Chesterfield). Hashmi was joined by House sponsor Del. Marcia Price (D-Newport News), Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), [and] Lara Bury and Penny Blue — both from Red, Wine and Blue, a women’s rights advocacy group. “This bill would have simply protected the rights of contraception in Virginia if the Supreme Court were to take away that right like they did with the Dobbs’ decision and abortion,” explained Price.
Westbrook and Allen: Our boys were found innocent. So why are they still in prison?
Another year has come and gone and we’re approaching another presidential election season without our sons. They were found not guilty by a federal jury of their peers, but still sentenced to life in prison. It has been nearly 23 years since we’ve last had our boys, Terence Richardson and Ferrone Claiborne, at our dinner table. We’ve since had four presidential administrations, countless promises of criminal justice reform, and still no end in sight for the injustice they are experiencing. We are calling on the Biden Administration to grant them clemency — and asking that you do, too.
Measure expanding Virginia localities’ speed-limiting authority takes effect July 1
Gov. Glenn Youngkin took his final actions on bills from Virginia’s 2024 legislative session on Friday, signing seven more measures into law. One of those was legislation that will expand all localities’ speed-reducing authority to include roadways within a business or residential district and state-owned highways. Lawmakers passed a measure a few years ago allowing localities to decrease roadway speed limits in their jurisdictions to as low as 15 mph. However, lawmakers found that the Virginia Department of Transportation denied seven of eight speed limit decrease requests because, by state law, only the Commissioner of Highways could authorize changes on state-maintained roads.