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Trump administration’s cancellation of internet access grants will cost SW and Southside Virginia, officials say
An Abingdon nonprofit organization, looking to expand broadband access and literacy, put its blueprints in place. People Inc. of Virginia used $55,000 in federal money and worked with multiple Southwest Virginia nonprofits to create a plan that would help a variety of Southwest Virginia residents with digital literacy, coding and consumer protection, and would provide devices for doing schoolwork to children living below the poverty line, among other actions. People Inc. set up similar plans in Northern and Central Virginia locations with another $70,000.
Chesapeake’s Planning Commission says no to data center proposal
The Chesapeake Planning Commission recommended the City Council deny a rezoning request for a major data center project. Citing a lack of information on key questions like water usage and noise, the commission voted 6-1 against the project. The lone vote against denying approval was commissioner Michael Malone, who instead put a motion forward to delay the vote for 120 days to get answers to those questions.
Fairfax leaders angered at being left out of funding for future Va. transportation projects
Fairfax County leaders believe they and other Northern Virginia leaders are getting an unfair deal when it comes to state transportation funding. The Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday (May 13) to send a letter to Virginia Secretary of Transportation Sheppard Miller III, expressing concern about being passed over in the latest round of “Smart Scale” funding for transportation improvements. The state program allows localities to submit proposals, which are then scored to see how they meet designated criteria. Final approval is given by the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB).
Kroger building $40 million store on Mechanicsville Turnpike
Grocery store chain Kroger broke ground Thursday on a long-planned, $40 million store on Mechanicsville Turnpike. The 123,000-square-foot Kroger Marketplace will sell clothing and feature a Starbucks, pharmacy, 18-pump gas station and more than 500 parking spots. It will also feature almost 10,000 square feet for retail shops adjacent to the grocery store. The new location, at Mechanicsville Turnpike and Compass Point Lane, will replace a smaller store just up the road in the Creighton Crossing shopping center. . . . The new location will have 300 employees, about twice as many as the closing store.
Sparks fly during Hopewell City Council meeting over recent city terminations
Tensions flared at Tuesday evening’s Hopewell City Council meeting, as protesters were escorted out by sheriff’s deputies and one councilman voluntarily left. The contention stems from the terminations of former city clerk Brittani Williams and former city manager Dr. Concetta Manker, from a 4 to 3 council vote on May 1. Two rallies were held ahead of Wednesday night’s meeting featuring local and national activists.
Confrontation between Misjuns, Faraldi interrupts Lynchburg council meeting
The circus-like atmosphere surrounding Lynchburg City Council over the past two years was fully on display again Tuesday night as the council’s meeting had to go into recess to deal with a confrontation between Ward IV Councilman Chris Faraldi and At-large Councilman Martin Misjuns. Yelling could be heard coming from behind the dais in the Council Chamber during the public comment period, leading people in the audience to avert their attention from the speaker. Police were then directed to see what was going on.
With egg prices at a record high, backyard chickens get the OK in Frederick County
It's official, people who live in certain residential areas in Frederick County finally have the ability to make omelettes with the main ingredient coming from their own backyards. On Wednesday night, the Frederick County Board of Supervisors voted 5-1 to approve an ordinance amendment to county code allowing residents in two zoning districts to have backyard chickens. ... Even though chickens have always been allowed in the county's rural areas, efforts to make them permissible in residential areas failed to gain approval from the supervisors three times over the past seven years. But recent record-high egg prices revived interest in allowing backyard chickens, eliciting support from multiple supervisors.
Chesapeake Planning Commission recommends denial of data center proposal
Applause and cheers filled a packed Chesapeake City Hall at almost midnight Wednesday as dozens of residents celebrated successful pushback against the region’s first proposed industrial-size data center. Following hours of public comment from more than 50 residents, the Chesapeake Planning Commission denied a proposal from developer Doug Fuller to rezone 22.6 acres of agricultural land to light industrial and construct a 350,000-square-foot facility dubbed the Etheridge Lakes Data Center.
Norfolk attorneys in turf war over authority to prosecute shoplifting cases
A feud between Norfolk’s city attorney and the city’s top prosecutor over whose office should handle misdemeanor shoplifting cases quickly escalated into a political turf war with both sides claiming chief authority. The Norfolk City Council unanimously approved a code change Tuesday that will let the City Attorney’s Office prosecute misdemeanor shoplifting cases after Mayor Kenny Alexander complained Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi wasn’t bringing charges.
Richmond’s inspector general staff threaten resignations over personnel changes
Multiple investigators in Richmond’s Office of the Inspector General have threatened to resign over recent personnel changes in the department, 8th District Councilwoman Reva Trammell told the Richmond Times-Dispatch on Wednesday evening. The inspector general is tasked with investigating allegations of fraud, waste and abuse within city government. The office reports to City Council.