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Protesters clash with Marjorie Taylor Greene, McGuire at campaign rally in Albemarle
Sen. John McGuire, R-Goochland County, Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and their supporters faced an unruly crowd of protesters at a campaign event in deep-blue Albemarle County on Wednesday that left the congresswoman saying she feared for her life. “The crowd was … I’d call them insane. They were just out of control, screaming, shouting, coming extremely close to me,” Greene said in a phone interview after the event’s conclusion. “One woman actually came around back and grabbed me, I had to push her off. These people were very aggressive.”
Youngkin Pledges to Decouple Virginia from California Vehicle Emissions Standards by End of 2024
Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin has pledged to return Virginia to federal vehicle emissions standards, three years after the state’s Democratic-led legislature passed a law committing the state to follow more stringent emissions rules set by California. “The idea that government should be telling Virginians what kind of car they must drive is just simply wrong,” said Youngkin Wednesday afternoon at a press conference held at a Toyota dealership south of Richmond. … But environmental groups say the governor’s move is an illegal overreach of his powers, one that attempts to circumvent a law he finds distasteful but that his party has so far failed to undo in the legislature.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, John McGuire shouted down by protesters, cut short Albemarle County campaign rally
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s visit to Albemarle County started late and ended early Wednesday afternoon, after loud chants from protesters overwhelmed her megaphone and cut short her campaign rally for fellow Republican John McGuire. The Georgia congresswoman dropped into Virginia’s 5th Congressional District Wednesday, where McGuire, a state senator, is challenging incumbent Rep. Bob Good in the upcoming GOP primary. While the 5th is a deep-red district in the heart of Virginia, Albemarle County is a longtime Democratic stronghold — and that much was clear Wednesday.
Dominion customers to get cheaper electric bills after state’s exit from Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
A surcharge on Dominion Energy bills to cover costs incurred from Virginia’s now-abandoned participation in a multi-state greenhouse gas reduction program is going away next month, the State Corporation Commission decided. The decision, requested by Dominion, translates to a $4.43 savings on a benchmark monthly bill for 1,000 kilowatt hours – a bill that now costs $138. The electric monopoly said that Virginia’s withdrawal at the end of last year from what’s now the 11-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative means it no longer has to pay the body for the carbon gas it emits.
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.
Chesapeake-based Dollar Tree looking at options for Family Dollar, including possible sale of segment
Discount retailer Dollar Tree says it’s looking at strategic options for the Family Dollar stores that it owns, including a possible sale of the segment. Dollar Tree said Wednesday that alternatives also include a spinoff or other disposition of the business. Dollar Tree acquired Family Dollar nearly a decade ago for more than $8 billion after a bidding war with rival Dollar General. But the company has had difficulty incorporating Family Dollar into its business and recently announced that it would close nearly 1,000 stores, with most of them being Family Dollar locations.
After botched real estate deal, state watchdog recommends changes to VCU Health’s board
Virginia’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, or JLARC, recommended changes to Virginia Commonwealth University’s hospital system leadership Wednesday. The review came after a botched real estate deal between the city of Richmond and the hospital’s board. The more than $600 million plan seemed like a good idea back in early 2021. It would’ve brought a large office park, retail space and parking to downtown Richmond. But after the pandemic hit, the idea was scrapped – leaving VCU Health owing about $80 million dollars to the city and another $2.5 million annually as a “payment in lieu of taxes”
Marjorie Taylor Greene calls Bob Good a ‘liar’ and John McGuire a ‘loyalist’ at rally
Sen. John McGuire, R-Goochland, and U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., stepped off a bus emblazoned with former President Donald Trump’s name and image in Louisa County on Wednesday, smiling like longtime friends. The state and federal politicians have only interacted in recent months, but Greene said she trusts McGuire and hopes he’ll become her future colleague in the U.S. House of Representatives. McGuire, a state senator and former state delegate, is challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Bob Good, R-Campbell, in a Republican primary for Virginia’s 5th congressional district.
State review of failed Richmond development calls for changes at VCU Health
A year after a Richmond BizSense report revealed that backing out of an ill-fated downtown development cost VCU Health $80 million and counting, a state review is calling for significant changes to the health system’s leadership structure. At a meeting Wednesday of the Joint Legislative Audit & Review Commission, the oversight agency of the Virginia General Assembly, JLARC staff presented the findings and recommendations from a monthslong study of VCU Health aimed at improving the health system’s governance and process for reviewing and approving capital projects.
Youngkin moves to lift Virginia’s strict auto emissions standards
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) said Wednesday that he will withdraw the state from participation in California’s tough auto emissions standards at the end of this year, citing an opinion from Virginia Attorney General Jason S. Miyares (R) as justification for undoing an action taken by the General Assembly but causing Democrats to accuse him of overreach.