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Injured veterans call for state to preserve college funding
Jason Redman, a member of the U.S. Navy, was shot eight times during his deployment to Iraq in 2007. When he retired, the military gave him full disability benefits. Because of his injuries, his daughter attends Old Dominion University at no charge because of the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program, or VMSDEP. But he feels Virginia leaders no longer support him, because they planned to curtail the program after it ballooned in cost and size. ... At the first task force meeting on Monday, veterans and their families told their stories of service, injury and death and told how they lost trust in government leaders, because lawmakers made the change quickly in the state budget and without explanation.
Settlement reached in lawsuit filed by tenant of former Del. Marie March
A disabled woman’s lawsuit that claimed that she was mistreated while living in a Christiansburg apartment owned at the time by a state lawmaker was dismissed Friday pursuant to a settlement. Debra Long alleged that she was harassed and discriminated against by Marie March, a former member of the House of Delegates, and her company, Big Bear Properties. A judge in U.S. District Court in Roanoke dismissed the lawsuit after the parties “resolved this matter upon mutually agreeable terms” during a confidential mediation session, according to court records. Details of the settlement were not disclosed.
Man resisted being booked into the Virginia Beach city jail; now he’s dead
Virginia State Police are investigating the case of a 34-year-old man who died less than six days after clashing with police officers and sheriff’s deputies as they booked him into the Virginia Beach city jail last week. Rolin Gilbert Hill was arrested by the Virginia Beach Police Tuesday on three misdemeanor charges — trespassing, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Officers took him to the jail about 7:15 p.m. After a magistrate denied him bond, he was booked into the jail at about 8:20 p.m. “Hill was uncooperative and combative during the arrest and booking process, requiring response to resistance and for him to be restrained for his safety and the safety of the arresting officers and jail deputies,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Watson: With numbers rising, homeschooling in Virginia needs guardrails
Homeschooling in Virginia has grown over the years, but this year is a little different. Virginia homeschool participation hit nearly 60,000 students at the peak of the pandemic, dropping to around 51,000 last year. This decline was expected as families who switched to homeschooling during the pandemic returned to traditional schools as a post-pandemic new normal. However, homeschool participation is once again on the rise with the state reporting nearly 54,000 homeschooled students for the 2023-24 school year.
Russell County votes to end negotiations over controversial landfill plan
The Russell County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Monday night to end negotiations on a host agreement with a company that wants to put a private landfill on the former Moss No. 3 prep plant site in the Carbo area — a decision that drew an eruption of cheers and cries from residents who have urged the board to reject the plan for months. It was a big victory for the group, We Say No to Moss 3 landfill, which has worked for months to get county leaders to turn down the proposed landfill. Opponents feared that the project would harm the environment, negatively impact the health of residents and create odor issues and traffic.
Former Del. Anderson files federal lawsuit against Virginia speed cameras
A federal lawsuit filed Monday challenges the legality of Virginia’s speed camera law. The cameras are allowed to be placed around schools to try to address speeding. Attorney and former state delegate Tim Anderson is a known critic of the cameras. He filed the lawsuit on behalf of a man named Gerrod Seifert, who was fined for speeding by a camera in Chesapeake in Sept. 2022, the lawsuit says. The suit names the City of Chesapeake and the Chesapeake Police Department as defendants. Anderson has also filed lawsuits in state court against the cities of Chesapeake and Suffolk.
Charlotte supervisor indicted on new perjury charges
A Charlotte County grand jury issued criminal indictments Wednesday against longtime Charlotte County supervisor Gary Walker on eight new felony charges of perjury. The indictments are tied to concerns about the accuracy of information Walker provided on his annual Statement of Economic Interests (SEI) forms filed between Jan. 1, 2016, and Jan. 11, 2023. Walker was previously indicted in January on three felony charges of perjury and two misdemeanor charges of failure to submit a yearly SEI form.
Richmond fires several finance department employees amid meals tax review
Several people have been fired this spring from Richmond’s finance department, two sources told VPM News. The move comes following the city bringing on government management specialist Anne Seward to consult with the department on policy and to assist in a review of the meals tax. Seward is a subcontractor through Davenport & Co. LLC, according to a memo the city shared with VPM News.
Divisive new data center rules clear Fairfax County Planning Commission
New regulations on the construction of data centers in Fairfax County cleared their first major hurdle last week. The Fairfax County Planning Commission unanimously endorsed zoning amendments on Thursday (June 6) that aim to restrict the size, location, equipment screening and design standards of any new data centers in the county. Proposed by county staff, the new regulations come as data center construction in Northern Virginia intensifies, heightening unease among residents.
Radford University announces expected enrollment increase, tuition rebate
After several years of enrollment decline, Radford University is poised to see a significant increase in new students this fall. University officials announced a 26% increase in incoming freshmen making first tuition deposits for the upcoming school year, as well as a 52% increase in transfer student deposits, adding up to a total 35% increase overall. ... University President Bret Danilowicz attributed much of the enrollment growth to the school’s Tuition Promise, a program launched in 2023 that guarantees free tuition to incoming students with a household annual income under $100,000.