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VCU, Rao should further separate from health system, state watchdog says
Virginia Commonwealth University and its health system should further separate from one another, the state legislature’s investigative body said Wednesday. In response to the health system’s failed deal to redevelop the Public Safety Building in downtown Richmond, the Joint Legislative Audit & Review Commission, or JLARC, determined VCU and its president, Michael Rao, have too much influence over the health system. The review suggested changing Rao’s role with the health system, hiring new staffers focused on real estate and reimagining the board of directors that governs the health system.
Virginia legislators express concern over medical school’s treatment of baboons
A group of three state legislators sent leadership at Eastern Virginia Medical School a letter expressing concerns over the treatment of pregnant olive baboons used for experiments. “We are especially troubled by the school’s history of repeated noncompliance with federal animal welfare regulations,” the lawmakers wrote. The letter comes after People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals filed a complaint with the city of Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi, calling for a criminal probe on May 14. PETA obtained extensive records showing that school researchers subjected mother baboons to traumatic, invasive procedures without legally required adequate care.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol pushes back grand opening to later in year
Leaders with the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Bristol announced on Wednesday that the grand opening of the permanent casino and resort space, initially intended for July, has been pushed back to later this year. A news release from the casino said a new timeline for the permanent casino and resort’s completion was rolled out, which involves a late-year grand opening.
Stephens City zoning board upholds decision denying permits to hemp dispensary owners
The Stephens City Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) voted Monday evening to uphold town Zoning Administrator David Griffin's decision to deny permits to the owners of a Winchester hemp dispensary who want to open businesses at 4919 Main St. The decision comes after nearly a month of protests by the permit applicants, Tiauntia Green and Marcus Shelton, who are the owners of Celebrity's Hemp Dispensary on Braddock Street in Winchester. They have accused Griffin of prejudice in dealing with their applications to open a takeaway hoagie stop and smoker's night lodge and have called for his removal, along with town Mayor Mike Diaz.
Lynchburg City School Board votes to adopt Gov. Youngkin’s transgender policy
The Lynchburg City School Board voted Tuesday evening to adopt Governor Glenn Youngkin’s transgender policy. According to the policy, Lynchburg City Schools will refer to each student using the name and pronouns associated with the appropriate sex appearing on the student’s official record — male pronouns for a student whose sex is male and female pronouns for a student whose sex is female.
Out-of-state money funds Virginia’s GOP Senate candidates
Out-of-state dollars are funding Virginia's U.S. Senate primary campaigns. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions are flowing into the five commonwealth candidate's coffers from all corners of the country. That includes at least $265,631 from Florida, $206,270 from Texas and $167,709 from California, to name a few of the states where contributors live.
Youngkin joins 19 other Republican governors in bashing Biden on energy policy
Republican governors banded together Monday to pound away at the Biden administration’s energy policy. In a letter to the White House, 20 GOP state leaders call on the president “to pursue an all-of-the-above energy approach that will promote homegrown energy that benefits all Americans.” With a diesel refinery outside New Orleans as their backdrop, eight governors [including Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin] held a news conference to discuss their strategy to “unleash American energy,” largely based on talking points from the letter.
Virginia moves closer to extending passenger rail to the New River Valley
The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority on Tuesday announced that it is in preliminary discussions with Norfolk Southern about an alternative way to extend passenger rail to the New River Valley that would avoid a costly tunnel upgrade and make it easier to eventually bring service to Bristol. After receiving information earlier this year regarding the cost and timeframe for a previous plan that would use about 28 miles of the Virginian Line, which the commonwealth purchased from Norfolk Southern in 2022, the authority revisited negotiations with the railroad operator to find a more cost-effective and timelier alternative.
Virginia officials tout preparedness as ‘active’ hurricane season begins
In September 2003, Hurricane Isabel slammed the East Coast and thrashed Virginia and North Carolina most severely, prompting widespread power outages, 4 to 6 foot storm surges, flooding, and billions in damage; the storm caused at least 50 direct and indirect deaths. Lasting memories of that disaster now loom large, as the federal government forecasts this year’s hurricane season, June 1 to Nov. 30, will be a tumultuous one. “We can have 27 storms in a year,” said Shawn Talmadge, state coordinator at the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. “Only one storm can cause devastation across the commonwealth.” Ahead of the active hurricane season, state leaders are urging Virginians to prepare as environmental groups call for stronger policy addressing storms that are increasing in frequency and intensity.
Warrenton zoning board to seek legal advice on appeal of Amazon data center site plan
The Citizens for Fauquier County’s effort to block a planned Amazon data center through the Warrenton Board of Zoning Appeals might not be dead yet. Last week, the town of Warrenton rejected the group’s appeal of Amazon’s site plan for the data center, which was approved by town council in 2023. The citizen’s group immediately objected that town officials could not reject the appeal on their own because that zoning appeal’s board is independent of the town.