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White: U.S. security at sea depends on NOAA
A recent executive order, “Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance,” seeks to “promote national security and economic prosperity” by revamping U.S. shipbuilding capacity and rebuilding domestic maritime industries. It’s worthwhile indeed to have modern vessels and efficient maritime supply chains. But I cannot reconcile this push for robust ocean commerce with the Trump administration’s gutting of our ocean expertise. The U.S. has long had an exceptional understanding of the world ocean — operating on, under and above it with impunity. What is happening at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is devastating.
Feds list localities in Southwest, Southside as ‘sanctuary jurisdictions.’ These Trump-voting places are baffled.
Nearly one dozen Southwest and Southside localities were included on a list published Thursday by the Department of Homeland Security deemed to be “sanctuary jurisdictions.” Many of those localities are considered Republican strongholds that voted for President Donald Trump in the 2024 election. That list included Amherst, Augusta, Brunswick, Charlotte, Halifax and Tazewell counties, along with the cities of Lynchburg and Martinsville — which was erroneously listed twice, as a county and a city — and the towns of Abingdon, Duffield and Tazewell. Abingdon, Tazewell and Duffield — a town with a population of 73 people — were also erroneously identified as “cities.” About 33 localities from across Virginia were included in that list. Update: As of Sunday morning, the list had been removed from the DHS site.
‘No MAGA left behind’: The trouble with Trump’s pardons
A jury convicted Scott Jenkins, the disgraced ex-sheriff of Culpeper County in Virginia, of taking more than $75,000 in bribes in exchange for deputizing rich businessmen so they could get out of speeding tickets and carry guns without permits. Two undercover FBI agents who gave him envelopes of cash after he gave them badges testified at his trial. Luckily for Jenkins, he has long been an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump. On Monday, the day before he was due to report for his 10-year prison sentence, Trump pardoned him.
Corneliussen: Fort Monroe is a world landmark, not merely a ‘regional’ one
Even more than Monticello, Fort Monroe on Point Comfort (look right when nearing Hampton on the bridge tunnel) inherently commemorates the world’s first freedom nation’s founding. Thankfully, overdevelopment can’t threaten Monticello. But leaving aside sensible, recently reported plans to repurpose two existing buildings, outright new development — harming spirit of place — has often threatened Fort Monroe since the 2005 announcement of the Army’s 2011 departure. Like Monticello, Point Comfort with Fort Monroe could become a World Heritage Site.
Homeland Security removes ‘sanctuary jurisdiction’ list as Virginia cities and counties push back
The Department of Homeland Security's list of so-called "sanctuary jurisdictions" has disappeared from the agency's website. The list included several localities from Central Virginia. The removal comes as communities pushed back, saying they were incorrectly included on the list. Visitors to the DHS Sanctuary Jurisdictions web page now see an error message stating the page may have been "moved, deleted, or is otherwise unavailable." The site published Thursday listed more than 500 localities as sanctuary jurisdictions, including the City of Richmond, Chesterfield, Henrico and Hanover counties. DHS defined these as places "obstructing immigration enforcement."
In Hopewell, Youngkin signs bill banning cellphone use in schools
The week began with Memorial Day, but if Gov. Glenn Youngkin had his way, it would have ended with an “independence day” of sorts. “Freedom has been unleashed in the classrooms,” Youngkin proclaimed prior to signing legislation codifying his 2024 executive order prohibiting cellphone usage in public schools. He repeated the word “freedom” several times, noting that without the devices in their hands, students now have the freedom to learn from their teachers and interact with their peers while not being tethered to their phones.
Va. House Republicans choose Kilgore as their new leader
House Republicans elected Del. Terry Kilgore, R-Scott, as their new caucus leader Sunday, following Del. Todd Gilbert’s offer to step down amid his pursuit of a federal appointment. The leadership shake-up drew interest from multiple House Republicans. Delegates Joe McNamara, R-Roanoke County; Kilgore; and Michael Webert, R-Fauquier, were all lobbying for support. McNamara never officially threw his name into the race, however. Only Kilgore and Webert made their case in speeches to the caucus before the vote took place. House Republicans ultimately selected Kilgore.
Trump student visa halt could hurt regional economy
About 5% of the approximately 1.1 million international college students studying abroad in the U.S. are doing so in D.C., Maryland or Virginia. The Trump administration is halting student visa interviews and revoking visas for Chinese students amid a political pressure campaign against colleges and universities and a broader immigration crackdown. A big drop in international students could hurt college town economies, some of which are already struggling due to lower enrollment.
Warren County Sheriff Rejects DHS ‘Sanctuary’ Label
A recent report by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has sparked sharp criticism from local law enforcement after erroneously labeling Warren County, Virginia, as a “sanctuary jurisdiction”—a classification typically reserved for local governments that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Sheriff Crystal Cline is at the center of the response, demanding an immediate correction and public retraction of what she calls a “baseless mischaracterization” of her county and her office’s policies. ... Responding to Sheriff Cline’s objections, Russell Hott, Field Office Director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, issued a written apology, clarifying that the local ICE field office was not responsible for the inaccurate designation.
FBI shows up at Charlottesville public defender’s home unannounced after ICE raid
It was before 7 a.m. on the Friday before Memorial Day weekend when the wife of Charlottesville public defender Donald Bellah, asleep inside the couple's rural Albemarle County residence, was awakened by two FBI agents. They told her they wanted to speak with her husband. Around that same time, other agents were arriving at other lawyers' homes. "There was no attempt to contact any one of us other than just showing up at our houses at the same time," Bellah told The Daily Progress. "I'm angry; it was intending to intimidate us."