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Judge dismisses Thoroughfare cemetery case against Prince William County, landowners
A U.S. District Court judge on Friday denied plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction and granted a motion to dismiss in the case of Frank Washington v. International Investments LLC. Washington, a trustee for Scott Cemetery in Thoroughfare, filed the suit against the county government and International Investments for alleged failure to protect and eventual desecration of the private, historically-recognized cemetery in Thoroughfare belonging to the families of freed slaves and indigenous Native Americans. The plaintiffs claimed the property owned by International Investments had been disturbed by development and gatherings at the site.
DNC pours large donation into Virginia’s high-stakes elections
The Democratic National Committee will contribute $1.5 million to help elect Democrats in Virginia this year, highlighting the national significance of the state’s contests for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and all 100 seats in the House of Delegates ahead of next year’s congressional midterms. The donation to Virginia’s combined campaign, announced Tuesday, comes on the heels of an even bigger political windfall from House Speaker Don L. Scott Jr. (D-Portsmouth), who last week made a total of $3 million in contributions for his party’s legislative candidates.
State cited Hopewell for inoperable equipment months before massive sewage spill into James River
Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to the City of Hopewell’s wastewater treatment plant for eight discharges of raw wastewater six months prior to Friday night’s massive discharge of raw sewage into the James River and Gravely Run Creek. DEQ said in the NOV it had reason to believe the plant was in violation of the State Water Control Law. The plant, called Hopewell Water Renewal, treats raw sewage from the City of Hopewell, but also industrial wastewater from nearby companies like AdvanSix-Hopewell, Ashland Specialty Ingredients, GP, Smurfit WestRock and Virginia American Water Company, according to DEQ records.
Leffel: When it comes to crypto, Virginia needs CLARITY
Virginia has been a quiet leader in the blockchain and cryptocurrency revolution. From Shenandoah Valley vineyards using blockchain for weather tracking to family owned farms in Highland County accepting crypto to coworking clubs like mine in downtown Richmond selling memberships via Bitcoin, there are many local innovative businesses using this multipurpose technology. However, the legal clarity that would allow these local businesses to thrive has not always been there. Despite legislative efforts in the past, there are still questions on how to classify or separate these businesses and use cases.
DOJ withdraws from Sentara investigation
The federal government is withdrawing from intervening in a whistleblower complaint against Sentara Health that alleges the Hampton Roads health care system improperly inflated local insurance rates in 2018 and 2019. On June 19, the federal government sent a notice of its decision to withdraw its prior notice of partial intervention, and that it is declining to intervene on the matter. The DOJ declined to comment when asked to elaborate on its reason for withdrawing.
Yancey: 223 book titles pulled from school library shelves in Virginia, but 75% were in just 5 places
Across Virginia over the past five years, 223 different books have been removed from school library shelves, many of them by more than one school system. However, those removals have been concentrated in a relative handful of communities. Hanover County has removed more books from its school library shelves than any other locality in the state — 125 in all. That one county accounts for more than one-third of the book removals in the state. Along with another four counties — Rockingham County, which removed 57 books, Goochland County with 34, Madison County with 23 and Spotsylvania County with 19 — those five counties alone accounted for 75% of the book removals in the state.
Norfolk cleared to start construction on first phase of floodwall
People passing through the eastern edge of downtown Norfolk will soon see construction for the first phase of the city’s massive floodwall project with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Norfolk Planning Commission recently approved designs for Phase 1A of the more than $2.6 billion project, which the city calls Resilient Norfolk. The effort aims to protect the city from catastrophic flooding during major storms and is part of the Army Corps’ wider Coastal Storm Risk Management program developed after 2012’s Hurricane Sandy. Virginia Beach and the Peninsula are working on CSRM projects but are still in the study phase.
Judge rules in favor of Norfolk city attorney in feud with commonwealth’s attorney
The Norfolk city attorney’s office earned a win in its ongoing feud with Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi over which office has the authority to prosecute misdemeanor cases. A Norfolk Circuit Judge Joseph Lindsey ruled last week the city attorney’s office could continue to prosecute a misdemeanor city code violation appeal. The case involves a man who was charged with being in a park after sunset, a Class 2 misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000.
Norfolk judge rules the city attorney can prosecute some misdemeanors in court
Last week, a Norfolk Circuit Court judge ruled the city’s charter allows the City Attorney’s office the authority to prosecute violations of local ordinances in that court. It’s the latest round in a turf spat between Norfolk City Attorney Bernard Pishko and Commonwealth's Attorney Ramin Fatehi. Fatehi has sought to prohibit such a decision. The legal ruling stems from an appeal of Virginia Beach resident Jared Fuller's conviction in the General District Court for being in Northside Park after dark at 7:06 p.m. on Nov. 6, a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000.
Free Narcan, fentanyl testing available through new Richmond vending machines
Richmond is installing new harm reduction vending machines across the city, equipped with free Narcan, fentanyl testing strips and personal hygiene products. “This life-saving program is about meeting people where they are, with compassion and dignity,” Mayor Danny Avula said. The machines are part of the city’s Office of Opioid and Substance Use Response. Officials say the goal is to prevent overdoses and support Richmonders living with substance abuse disorders.