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Funding cuts tearing holes in region’s health care safety net, officials say
Federal and state funding cuts, freezes and delayed payments are hammering Richmond’s free clinics, the region’s health care safety net, officials from the groups told a community town hall at Health Brigade’s clinic near Scott’s Addition. The cuts, some of which date back to last year, have been particularly deep for services for prevention and treatment of HIV, the virus than can cause AIDS. It also leaves people vulnerable to difficult-to-treat tuberculosis and other contagious disease.
Virginia businesses hope for clarity on tariffs after Trump’s court defeat
Anh Vu had repositioned her shipping company to bring goods from Vietnam into the United States instead of sending exports to the Southeast Asian country. Her business, SAM Cargo Express, planned to develop a warehouse in Northern Virginia to handle the imported handicrafts and other goods from Vietnam. ... The planned warehouse "has been put on hold because not a lot of companies want to do that because of tariffs," Vu said after a meeting between Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., and small business owners in the Vietnamese community here on Wednesday.
Newport News Shipbuilding to furlough 471 workers
Newport News Shipbuilding announced on Friday that it will furlough 471 shipbuilders for up to five months. All impacted employees, which include salaried engineers and other workers, were notified Friday. For those impacted, Friday is their last day of work for the time being, and the furlough will be effective starting Monday. Although it is not a job termination, furloughed employees will not be paid for the time they’re out of work.
Warner discusses affordable housing in Williamsburg
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner said housing needs “more fresh ideas” during a Thursday community roundtable focused on affordable housing. More than 40 people, including Williamsburg and James City County civic, community and faith leaders, filled the Williamsburg Community Building to listen to Warner’s ideas on increasing the housing supply and helping homeowners. Among the initiatives he discussed was the historic tax credit, which provides state tax credit to property owners helping to rehabilitate historic buildings.
Vienna energy expert launches bid for 11th Congressional District seat
A special election to fill the late Rep. Gerry Connolly’s now-open seat in Congress still hasn’t been officially ordered, but the number of Democrats seeking to stake a claim is now up to six. Amy Roma, a Vienna resident and lawyer who specializes in energy policy, officially launched a campaign for the 11th Congressional District yesterday (Thursday) — the same day that Leopoldo Martínez, who’s also a lawyer, announced his own bid to become the Democratic nominee.
Women’s rights group launches ad campaign against Spanberger in Virginia: ‘She’s an extremist’
Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Virginia, is portraying herself as a centrist ahead of a competitive race to replace Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) in November. But one women’s rights group believes the former representative’s voting record during her time in Congress reflects an “extreme, anti-woman” agenda. Independent Women’s Voice launched a campaign [last] week to educate Virginia voters on Spanberger’s Democratic record.
Legislators suggest Virginia needs to take more active role in food safety
Virginia may need to enact more food safety requirements at the state level in response to cutbacks and deregulation efforts by the Trump administration, two legislators and several advocates said at a recent forum. “We have historically, in my opinion, not done the kind of oversight we need to do. We’ve let the federal government do most of it,” Del. Mark Sickles (D-17) said during the press event on May 28. Sickles, who chairs the Virginia General Assembly’s House Committee on Health and Human Services and represents the Franconia and Huntington areas in Fairfax County, was joined by state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D-15), chair of the Senate Committee on Education and Health.
Youngkin signs Dem-backed school cellphone ban
Governor Glenn Youngkin spent Friday in Hopewell where he ceremonially signed a bill authored by state Democrats that will ban cellphones in the state’s public schools. ... Youngkin started pushing cellphone-free schools years ago, but only after an effort was approved by Democrats in the legislature earlier this year did it become a reality. “We know that a cell phone free classroom is good for instruction, it's good for classroom dynamics and it's good for the overall school day and school environment,” Henrico Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg, one of the authors of the bill signed by Youngkin Friday, told Radio IQ.
From VPAP New Episode: The Virginia Press Room Podcast
In the latest episode of the podcast from VaNews and VPM, Michael Pope is joined by Elizabeth Beyer of Cardinal News, Tyler Englander of WRIC ABC 8, and Chris Suarez of VPM. They discuss the week's top headlines: Virginia's western congressional delegation forming a search committee for a U.S. attorney position, new campaign ads, and Richmond's second water crisis. Tune in for insights and analysis on Virginia politics. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.
Newport News Shipbuilding furloughs 471 salaried employees
Newport News Shipbuilding has furloughed more than 400 employees. In a Friday statement provided to The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press by Todd Corillo, a Huntington Ingalls Industries spokesperson, the company said that after careful review of its salaried workforce and business needs, it furloughed 471 salaried shipbuilders across HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division. ... The unpaid furloughs are not expected to last longer than five months, Corillo said, but the company will reevaluate during that time. The furloughs are temporary and don’t terminate the workers’ employment.