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The curious campaign of Levar Stoney

By BOB STUART, News Virginian

There are many ways for a political candidate to garner the glowing press he desires while on the campaign trail. He can host rallies and town halls, attend forums and speaking engagements, visit community colleges and housing developments. This is what industry insiders call “earned media,” that is publicity that a candidate neither owns (like a website) nor pays for (like an advertisement). Earned, owned and paid media are considered the three pillars of publicity. But there is a fourth, and uncelebrated, pillar: simply cold calling a newspaper. Which is what Levar Stoney’s campaign did.

VaNews June 17, 2025


Warner: Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ could make it more expensive to fly in and out of DC area

By JOHN DOMEN, WTOP

The Senate continues to work on what’s been dubbed the president’s “big, beautiful bill” this week. It’s a massive tax and spending plan hitting several parts of the federal government. And in recent weeks, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has landed on the GOP’s radar. It’s all of 17 lines out of 33 pages from the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, but it orders the federal government to renegotiate the lease it has with MWAA — leases that were just signed last year and run through the year 2100.

VaNews June 17, 2025


Virginia's trailblazing candidates for governor prepare to battle over the economy, abortion and Trump

By ADAM EDELMAN AND BRIDGET BOWMAN, NBCNews

Tuesday is primary day in Virginia — but the general election matchup for the commonwealth’s highest office is already set. Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former U.S. representative, and Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, the state’s lieutenant governor, have known for months that they would face off against each other in the race to succeed Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, since they were the only major-party candidates to qualify for the ballot. One of them is guaranteed to make history by being elected Virginia's first female governor. And they’ve already been running general election-focused campaigns for months, providing an early jump-start to one of just two governor’s races this year (the other is in New Jersey).

VaNews June 17, 2025


In Virginia’s primary election, voters to decide statewide Democratic nominees

By GREGORY S. SCHNEIDER AND LAURA VOZZELLA, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

Polling places opened at 6 a.m. across Virginia on Tuesday for this year’s primary races to pick Democratic nominees for lieutenant governor and attorney general, with a handful of localities also selecting a House of Delegates nominee from one or both major parties and some choosing candidates for local offices. Democrats have a nominee for governor — former congresswoman Abigail Spanberger — and Republicans are set with their full ticket: Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears for governor, talk-radio host John Reid for lieutenant governor and Attorney General Jason S. Miyares seeking reelection.

VaNews June 17, 2025


Spanberger looks to unite party after primary day

By BRANDON JARVIS, Virginia Scope

On the eve of Virginia’s down-ballot primaries, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger announced a statewide bus tour and criticized her Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, during a campaign rally Monday. The event, held just hours before Democrats select nominees for other statewide races, signaled her intent to steer the party clear of the internal conflicts currently dogging the Republican ticket. Hundreds of supporters packed a hallway at the new J.R. Tucker High School, the school Spanberger attended growing up.

VaNews June 17, 2025


Pokharel and Tanyu: In race to develop AI, colleges overlook cybersecurity

By SANSKAR POKHAREL AND YASEMIN TANYU, published in Richmond Times-Dispatch (Subscription Required)

Tomorrow’s data breaches are being written in today's classrooms. If we continue treating security as an afterthought, we risk graduating students who are ready to build the future — but unprepared to secure it. In an era where cyber threats evolve faster than textbooks, a staggering 43% of cyberattacks now target small- to medium-sized enterprises, many of which employ graduates unequipped with real-world cybersecurity skills. Arguably, our academic approach to cybersecurity is long overdue for a transformation.

Pokharel recently graduated from George Mason University with a bachelor’s degree in information technology. Tanyu is an incoming junior at Virginia Tech studying computer science.

VaNews June 17, 2025


Southern Poverty Law Center report: Militia movement is ‘reformatting’

By DAVE CANTOR, WVTF-FM

The Southern Poverty Law Center issues an annual report tracking far-right movements across the country. Its most recent findings, which were released at the end of May, include information on the militia movement and its connections to the Commonwealth. Since 2020, at least 20 localities in Virginia have had active militia groups, according to media reports, though SPLC researcher Rachel Goldwasser says that number’s a bit higher.

VaNews June 17, 2025


A look back at the first 6 months of Caesars Virginia in Danville: More revenue, more visitors, more jobs

By GRACE MAMON, Cardinal News

It’s been half a year since Caesars Virginia opened its doors in Danville, becoming one of the first casino resorts in the state. The grand opening on Dec. 17 took the city from having a temporary casino to having a full-scale resort — and everything that comes along with it. Running the resort is a whole different ballgame than operating the semi-permanent tent that housed the temporary casino, said Caesars Virginia General Manager Chris Albrecht. “It’s a much larger operation,” Albrecht said. “[The temporary facility] was a very focused gaming experience. Now you’re dealing with the complexity of hotel guests, higher-end restaurants and concerts.”

VaNews June 17, 2025


Sentara, Virginia Wesleyan partner on new college of health sciences

By RYAN MURPHY, WHRO

Sentara Health will develop a new College of Health Sciences at Virginia Wesleyan University, the two institutions announced Monday. The details of the partnership haven’t been hammered out yet, but a statement from the health system and university said they’re aiming to minimize disruption and ensure continuity for students, faculty and staff. The move comes two months after Sentara College of Health Sciences, an arm of the state’s largest healthcare system, announced it would stop offering degree programs for nurses and other health professions after 130 years.

VaNews June 17, 2025


Virginia helps lead $7.4 billion national settlement with Sacklers, Purdue Pharma over opioid crisis

By MARKUS SCHMIDT, Virginia Mercury

Virginia played a key role in brokering a sweeping $7.4 billion settlement that will permanently sever the Sackler family from pharmaceutical manufacturer Purdue Pharma and ban them from ever marketing opioids in the United States again. It’s the culmination of a long and bitter legal battle over the company’s role in fueling the nation’s opioid epidemic. Attorney General Jason Miyares announced Monday that Virginia is one of 55 states and territories backing the historic agreement, which would resolve all outstanding litigation against Purdue and its once-powerful owners, the Sacklers. The deal is now headed to bankruptcy court for final approval.

VaNews June 17, 2025