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'The law is the law': Va. senator rejects Trump move to rebrand Army posts to former names
Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine is rejecting what he calls the Trump Administration’s "whim" to change the names of Fort Gregg-Adams and two other Virginia Army posts back to their original branding, saying he will continue to refer to the installations with their current names because "the law is the law." In a Zoom session June 11 with Virginia reporters, Kaine said he does not believe President Donald Trump has the authority to overturn congressional litigation that changed the names of Forts Lee, A.P. Hill and Pickett to Fort Gregg-Adams, Fort Walker and Fort Barfoot, respectively. The legislation, part of the unanimously passed 2020 Defense Authorization Bill, was vetoed by Trump in 2020 because of the removal of the names of Civil War Confederate heroes. Congress, however, overrode the veto, and the Biden Administration moved forward with the initiative.
Army’s 250th birthday commemoration held in Yorktown ahead of Fort Eustis event Friday
Virginia’s governor and the secretary of the Army visited Yorktown on Thursday afternoon as part of several days of celebrations for the service’s 250th birthday. “Together, these links through the last 250 years demonstrate the proud patriots that form the most magnificent band of brothers,” Gov. Glenn Youngkin told the crowd of roughly 200. “That’s the legacy of service and sacrifice.” The event marked the second in a three-part national series, and the speakers included Youngkin and Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll.
Loudoun activists say immigration crackdown feeds climate of fear
The Trump administration's national immigration crackdown has created a climate of fear in Loudoun County, immigration advocates said at a June 12 news conference. "Our communities are under attack," said Sofia Saiyed, campaign coordinator for New Virginia Majority, a nonprofit immigration reform group. "Our (immigration) systems have long been broken, but today they are reaching a new level of crisis at the federal, state, and local levels."
Parker: Martinsville is no county, and hardly a sanctuary
Apparently, I now live in “Martinsville County, Virginia.” That’s news to me — and to anyone with a functioning map. Martinsville is an independent city surrounded by Henry County, where I actually live. There is no such place as “Martinsville County.” But that didn’t stop the Trump regime and its Department of Homeland Security from naming it a so-called “sanctuary jurisdiction” for undocumented immigrants. ... It’s not just wrong. It’s fiction.
Toalson: Yes, Virginia, we can build our way out of the housing crisis
Virginia’s housing production is not keeping pace with overwhelming demand for it. Our population increased by 0.9% (nearly 77,000 people) from July 2023 to July 2024. Last year, and consistent with recent years, Virginia issued just 34,000 single-family and multifamily permits — roughly half the annual pace from the mid-2000s, and we trail our neighboring states in permits. The result is that more families, workers and young people are struggling to find Virginia homes they can afford. Housing competition is intensifying across Virginia because the supply is falling short.
‘Restore a sense of discipline’: Virginia GOP Lt. Gov. candidate floats school uniforms
With five months to go before the general election, Republican Lieutenant Governor nominee John Reid is already laying out policy goals and staking out ground on several hot-button issues that could shape Virginia’s political landscape in November. In a sit-down interview hosted by 7News, Reid — unopposed in the GOP primary — said he’s already spent time “working behind the scenes, talking to people about where we can cut and where we can recalibrate.”
Lieutenant governor candidate Alex Bastani says Democrats are ‘trying to out-Republican Republicans’
Alex Bastani is a labor and employment attorney who describes himself as a “lifelong union member.” The Northern Virginia Democrat is a member of the American Federation of Government Employees and fought for workers’ rights as the leader of his local union for more than a decade. Now, he’s hoping to use his experience to become Virginia’s next lieutenant governor. He is one of six candidates vying for the Democratic nomination in the June 17 primary. The winner will face Republican John Reid for the office currently occupied by Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears.
Kilgore, Va. House GOP members slam Spanberger’s newly unveiled energy plan
After Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger released her energy plan for the state this week, Virginia House GOP members wasted no time bashing it. Her plan emphasizes fair cost share, efficiency projects, and supporting a pilot program to handle peak energy consumption times. “Her plan leans heavily on demand-side management: programmable thermostats, weatherization programs, utility subsidies, and incentives to reduce consumption during peak hours. That might sound reasonable in theory, but here’s the problem: managing scarcity isn’t a solution — it’s a symptom of failure,” an op-ed penned by House GOP leaders and members read.
Strategy or slow start? Some in Virginia GOP question Earle-Sears campaign.
Democrat Abigail Spanberger reported a massive fundraising lead over Republican gubernatorial rival Winsome Earle-Sears this week, with her $14.3 million in campaign cash more than quadruple the $3 million on hand for Earle-Sears — aggravating concerns among some in the GOP that the campaign is off to a troubled start. Republican critics cited another number to explain their fears: zero, the number of times Earle-Sears has campaigned in public with the full GOP ticket of John Reid for lieutenant governor and Attorney General Jason S. Miyares seeking reelection. With Democrats awaiting June 17 primary elections to determine the rest of their ticket beyond Spanberger, Republicans had a clear opportunity for a head start.
Miyares files lawsuit against 23andMe’s plan to sell personal data following bankruptcy
Attorney General Jason Miyares is taking legal action against 23andMe’s plan to sell people’s data, with the aim of protecting Virginians, just a couple of months after the company filed for bankruptcy. Miyares has filed a lawsuit and separate objection to 23andMe’s plan to sell 15 million customers’ data without their consent or knowledge, according to a release from June 10. This news comes two months after 23andMe, a genetic testing company that collects and analyzes customers’ genetic information, announced that it filed for bankruptcy on March 23.