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Williams: Don’t be fooled: Youngkin, et al., are mocking Black history
Barbara Rose Johns, who led a 1951 student boycott that changed the course of American education, did not graduate from her Prince Edward County high school. Johns, in the aftermath of the student strike at Robert Russa Moton High School, was chased out of Prince Edward County by death threats. She was sent to Montgomery, Alabama, to live with her uncle, the Rev. Vernon Johns, a legendary civil rights activist in his own right who preceded the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as the pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church.
How proposed federal cuts to Medicaid could impact Virginians
The massive tax cut and immigration bill narrowly advanced by House Republicans this week would have sweeping impacts to Medicaid users, including Virginians. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates at least 8.6 million people could become newly uninsured by 2034 as a result of Medicaid spending cuts proposed under President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill.” In Virginia, experts say most people would likely lose Medicaid access by failing to comply with new administrative regulations on enrolling in and maintaining coverage. Virginia Medicaid, called Cardinal Care, and Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, together cover nearly 1 in 4 Virginians.
Access to mental health, addiction recovery services at risk if Congress reduces Medicaid funding
Robyn Hantelman, director of treatment and recovery at Encompass Community Supports in Culpepper, gets a lump in her throat whenever she thinks about the possible cuts to Medicaid that have been floated at the federal level. “Ten years ago, when I first started thinking about getting into recovery and getting sober and trying to change my life, I would have had to travel 45 minutes to an hour — maybe even an hour and a half — to get medication for substance use,” Hantelman said. Today, however, many clinics have opened and other services expanded, with Medicaid being partially responsible for the improvements, especially in more remote areas. Medicaid can even help with transportation when patients need to travel further for better care, Hantelman explained.
Senators including Virginia’s Warner push Trump to release broadband deployment funding
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., has joined a call for the Trump administration to release broadband deployment funds and refrain from changing guidelines about what to do with the money. Warner, a co-author and negotiator of the 2021 law that created the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, says that President Donald Trump has been blocking the so-called BEAD dollars for months. Late last week, he co-signed a letter to Trump, calling on him to follow the law. “This unprecedented move by the NTIA [National Telecommunications and Information Administration] will further delay our communities from having the connectivity they need to grow and thrive,” read the letter, which Warner and 11 other Democratic senators signed and sent on Friday.
Lucas endorses Spanberger after initial skepticism
Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, one of Virginia’s most powerful Democratic lawmakers, has endorsed Rep. Abigail Spanberger’s campaign for governor, signaling peace in the valley for Democrats moving forward. Lucas had previously expressed skepticism about Spanberger’s candidacy. She was among those encouraging Rep. Bobby Scott (D-3rd) to launch a campaign for governor, arguing that Spanberger had not done enough to connect with Black communities across the state. Scott ultimately decided against entering the race, and Spanberger became the Democratic nominee.
Virginia lawmakers prepare for new restrictions on campaign funds
Candidates for state office are about to get some new restrictions about how they can use campaign cash. Paying your home mortgage with a campaign account? That would be prohibited under a new law signed by Governor Glenn Youngkin. So would using campaign cash for clothing, automobiles, vacations, tuition, sporting events, concert tickets or even country club memberships. Senator Jennifer Boysko is a Democrat from Herndon who says she would have liked to have seen an exemption for candidates to use political contributions to buy a wardrobe.
Virginia poll shows public against tariffs, DOGE cuts
A business-sponsored poll of likely Virginia voters shows majorities opposed to President Donald Trump‘s tariffs on imports from foreign countries and the Department of Government Efficiency‘s unilateral cuts to federal government jobs and spending. The Virginia FREE poll, surveying 1,000 likely voters between May 9 and May 13, showed 61% opposed to Trump’s tariff policies on imports from China and other U.S. trading partners, with opposition highest among women and Black voters. Smaller majorities of men and white voters said they oppose the president’s tariffs.
Richmond’s interim chief administrative officer initially said erroneous real estate tax bills were sent on purpose
As confused Richmond residents received real estate tax bills last week that the city usually sends to mortgage lenders who handle the payments, Interim Chief Administrative Officer Sabrina Joy-Hogg initially told the City Council it was a deliberate move to promote transparency. “Finance has provided real estate tax bills to all residents, which adds transparency to taxes being paid,” Joy-Hogg told the council in a text message Friday night. “These bills are not wrong.” Joy-Hogg — who served in a top City Hall finance position before becoming interim CAO early this year — then indicated the bills had been sent to both mortgage companies and homeowners.
Virginians Are Restoring a Forest Economy Built on Herbs and Tradition
The forest behind Ryan Huish’s home doesn’t look like a traditional farm, but beneath the bright green canopy in southwest Virginia, he’s nurturing a thriving garden of medicinal herbs. On a warm afternoon in April, Dr. Huish, a biology professor at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, led a troop of students along a footpath that wove through part of his family’s 60-acre property near Duffield. He encouraged students to pick edible plants like ramps (hints of garlic, they reported), pluck the leaves of trout lilies (sort of like kiwi) and dig up roots like Appalachian wasabi (yes, spicy). For centuries, these forest plants have been a part of Appalachian cultural heritage, used by local people for food, traditional medicine and extra income. But the market has long been poorly regulated, which has led to low prices and overharvesting.
Arlington Officials Offer Sobering Economic Outlook Amid Federal Cuts; Del. Says Va. Doesn’t Have Funds to Help
Arlington County officials have asked state legislators for financial assistance in the face of federal workforce reductions and funding cuts, but Virginia leaders say the state doesn’t have the funds to give. During a May 19 briefing with members of the Virginia General Assembly, county leaders reported that Arlington is already feeling the effects of slashed federal funding, rising unemployment and a reduction in tourism dollars. One in five adult Arlington residents is employed by the federal government, Ryan Touhill, director of Arlington Economic Development (AED), noted during the briefing, and the federal government leases 12% of the county’s office space. Officials are now bracing for potential fallout from continued job losses and declining tax revenue.