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Williams: Stoney's ambitions ran aground in Richmond
Richmond was going to be a problem for former mayor Levar Stoney even before the city’s water system ran dry in early January. Stoney, a former secretary of the commonwealth and protege of former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, once appeared destined for big things as an energetic millennial mayor riding the wave of a resurgent capital city. He seldom bothered to camouflage his ambition.
Vital sites in Williamsburg’s Black history take steps forward on Juneteenth
Two important sites in Williamsburg’s Black history took the spotlight on Thursday as the region observed the holiday celebrating the end of slavery in the United States. Dozens of people gathered on Nassau Street on Juneteenth for a groundbreaking ceremony that will kick off the rebuilding of one of the nation’s oldest Black churches. Nearby, visitors were welcomed inside the Bray School, one of the oldest surviving schools for Black children that has been recreated to look as it did in the 18th century.
Virginia Beach police to launch drones as first responders at the Oceanfront
Before the first police officer sets foot on the ground of a possible crime scene, officials may already have gathered critical information with the help of a self-flying drone. Drones as first responders is a growing program in police departments across the country, and Virginia Beach will soon be the first Hampton Roads city to use the technology.
Bray: Federal ‘choice’ bill would harm local public schools
There’s nothing wrong with a family choosing to send their child to a private school; that’s their right and choice. However, a component of the federal budget reconciliation bill called the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) brings Virginia Beach to a crossroads in educational reform. This legislation would have serious consequences for our neighborhood public schools and threatens our community.
Experts warn of the economic and environmental impacts of federal cuts on Hampton Roads
During a committee meeting Friday at Norfolk State University, Virginia lawmakers heard from experts from a variety of sectors about how the volatility of federal cuts is having a profound impact on Hampton Roads. The Emergency Committee on the Impacts of Federal Workforce and Funding Reductions convened for the fourth time, having heard presentations at the General Assembly Building in Richmond as well as in Alexandria and Wytheville. In Norfolk, speakers highlighted significant federal workforce populations and reliance on federal funding for climate resiliency and other initiatives.
Judge approves settlements for 5 babies hurt at Henrico Doctors’ NICU
A judge in Salem approved settlements Friday that resolved likely lawsuits from the families of five toddlers, who as newborn babies suffered broken bones and other injuries while being cared for at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital. Circuit Judge David Carson said he was keeping confidential the amounts of money to be placed in trust accounts structured to provide payments to the victims, once they come of age, “over quite a long period of time.” The civil settlements are related to the criminal case of Erin Strotman, a former nurse at the Richmond-area hospital, who is facing 20 felony counts of child abuse and malicious wounding of the patients under her care.
Richmond’s 4th Circuit upholds federal ban on handgun sales to young adults
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday upheld a federal law barring gun shops from selling handguns to individuals under the age of 21. The ruling is another flashpoint in a yearslong saga by Second Amendment advocates to allow young adults to buy handguns — an issue that has divided Virginia’s federal judiciary since 2018, when a young Republican political organizer first alleged an infringement of his rights. ... Wednesday’s ruling came in response to a lawsuit brought in June 2022 by Palmyra resident John Corey Fraser.
Smithfield Foods relocating 115 corporate jobs to Hampton Roads
Smithfield Foods is relocating about 115 of its U.S. corporate jobs to Hampton Roads. Two regional Midwest offices — in Illinois and Missouri — will close and associated positions will move to the Smithfield headquarters by the end of next year, said Ray Atkinson, Smithfield Foods spokesperson. Since the process has just begun, the company hasn’t yet determined how many employees will move and how many positions will be open for hire, Atkinson said. The positions include finance, procurement, human resources, information technology and other support functions.
After Va. elections, governor’s race begins a new phase
Virginia’s election season kicked into high gear Saturday as the newly formed Democratic lineup for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general launched a statewide bus tour on a blistering hot afternoon while their Republican rivals kept to a far more low-key campaign approach. “Everywhere we travel, people get to hear from us about the things we are for,” gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger said at an afternoon rally at Richmond’s Abner Clay Park with her ticket mates, state Sen. Ghazala F. Hashmi (Richmond) for lieutenant governor, and former Norfolk delegate Jerrauld C. “Jay” Jones for attorney general.
Virginia’s cellphone ban will return students’ focus to education
Mark July 1 on your calendar (which is probably in your cellphone). That’s the day a state law goes into effect mandating that public school students not use cellphones during the school day. When the new 2025-26 school year starts toward summer’s end, that new reality may take a little getting used to, but before long it should promote learning and student engagement. It should make teachers’ jobs a bit easier. The ban also should reduce the emotional and mental stress that constant attention to the world as presented by mobile phones can inflict on adolescents.