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Federal government cuts fuel rise in joblessness across Fairfax and D.C. region
The ranks of unemployed Fairfax County residents ticked up nearly 8% month-over-month and 37% year-over-year in March, according to new state data, as Northern Virginia’s economy takes a hit from the federal government’s downsizing and collateral economic impacts. A total of 20,836 Fairfax residents were counted as unemployed for March, according to figures reported this week by the Virginia Employment Commission. That compares to 19,315 in February and 15,171 in March 2024.
Dominion confident Virginia wind farm will get done, despite Trump
Construction on the country’s largest offshore wind project is more than half complete, Dominion Energy reported during its first quarter earnings call Thursday. Company executives said they expect the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project to begin delivering electricity to customers in early 2026 and be fully built out by the end of next year. The progress on the 176-turbine project is notable because it comes at a time when President Donald Trump has attacked offshore wind, halting work at a project off New York and pausing all new permits and leases.
Senate blocks Kaine-sponsored bid to stop Trump’s tariffs
Senate Republicans narrowly voted down a resolution co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine on Wednesday that would have blocked global tariffs announced by President Donald Trump earlier this month, giving the president a modest win as lawmakers in both parties have remained skeptical of his trade agenda. The 49-49 vote came weeks after the Senate approved a resolution that would have thwarted Trump’s ability to impose tariffs on Canada.
Kaine says Democrats to force vote on resolution for transparency on deportations
Senate Democrats plan to force a vote in the coming weeks on a resolution to require more transparency from President Donald Trump’s administration about deportations to El Salvador. The resolution announced by Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine on Thursday comes after two votes on Democratic resolutions challenging Trump’s tariffs. It is part of a larger strategy by Democrats to continue using mechanisms under the law to take floor time from majority Republicans and vote on reversing parts of Trump’s agenda.
Virginia Democrats Think They Have a New Rallying Cry: Government Job Cuts
Democrats in Virginia are counting on cuts to the federal workforce playing a key role in helping them win them back the governor’s seat. As President Donald Trump’s administration takes steps to reduce the federal workforce, Virginia, which neighbors Washington and has among the highest number of federal workers of any state in the country, is poised to be hit especially hard. And its off-year gubernatorial race is set to be an early indicator of how much the cuts resonate with voters.
Amherst, Nelson County GOP committees sign on as co-plaintiffs in suit challenging primary law
Amherst County Republicans voted to join a lawsuit that Virginia’s 6th District Republican Committee is planning to file in federal court challenging the constitutionality of a state law that has been interpreted to require political parties to nominate candidates through primaries. The Amherst Republicans’ decision on Monday to join the lawsuit followed a vote by Nelson County Republicans on April 24 to sign on as co-plaintiffs to the lawsuit.
Virginia gas plant progresses despite opposition
In response to increasing energy demand because of extreme weather and the rapid growth of data centers, Dominion Energy plans to build a natural gas plant in Chesterfield, Va. But the nearby community, which was home to a coal plant for almost 80 years and currently lives near two existing gas plants, has resisted the project for months, citing concerns about air quality. Still, Dominion Energy is one step closer to building the new plant after applying in early March for a Certificate of Public Convenience from the State Corporation Commission, which evaluates utility projects’ costs and rationales for increasing rates. Dominion expects to go before the commission in November.
Yancey: Is it over? 8 more things to know about the John Reid controversy.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin blinked. Then Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears blinked. That’s my read on the past 48 hours in Virginia politics as the controversy over Republican lieutenant governor candidate John Reid may now have reached its end point with Reid still very much on the party’s ticket. In case you’ve been blissfully out in the woods without Wi-Fi for the past week, here’s the briefest of recaps: Last Thursday, Youngkin became aware of a social media account with Reid’s longtime screen name that since at least 2014 has been posting photos of nude male models. On Friday, Youngkin told Reid he should drop out of the race.
Youngkin aide defends against Reid extortion claim
Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s top political aide said Wednesday that the campaign manager for GOP lieutenant governor nominee John Reid privately acknowledged he was aware of a social media account containing racy images that led Youngkin to urge Reid to leave the race — but which Reid has said he knew nothing about. Youngkin political adviser Matthew Moran included the statement in an affidavit responding to Reid’s accusation that Moran’s actions amounted to extortion, the latest escalation in the unusual spat between the state’s leading Republican and one of his party’s major nominees in an election year.
Charlottesville City Schools to acquire Federal Executive Institute property
Charlottesville City Schools announced Wednesday that the US Department of Education has approved its application to acquire the former Federal Executive Institute property. The property transfer comes at no cost to the division through the Department of Education’s Federal Real Property Assistance Program because it would be used for educational purposes.