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Petersburg-based nurse worked for years with fake credentials before Virginia suspended license
A Petersburg-based nurse who never earned a legitimate nursing degree or completed the clinical hours required by Virginia law worked in hospitals and care facilities for more than two years before the state took action to suspend his license. Michael Sim Turay — also known as Mohamed Ishmael Turay — applied for his Virginia license in October 2020, claiming he had completed a registered nursing program at Jay College of Health Sciences in Florida. But according to documents from the Virginia Department of Health, Turay never graduated from the school and instead purchased a fraudulent diploma and transcript from Jay College’s owner, Ejike Asiegbunam.
Virginia House Speaker Scott joins national Democratic campaign board
Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, is joining the board of directors of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), the national party’s state-level strategy arm, just as Virginia enters one of its most consequential election years in recent memory. The DLCC will draw on Scott’s experience — alongside that of six other new board members from around the country — to help shape its plans to support state legislative races this year and beyond.
Alexandria police officer awarded full compensatory damages in racial discrimination lawsuit against city
An Alexandria Police Department officer has been awarded full compensatory damages in his racial discrimination lawsuit against the city. Delton Goodrum and his family erupted in tears of joy after the verdict was read. After a four-day-long trial before U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles, the jury deliberated for less than three hours to find that then-Police Chief Don Hayes, who is Black, racially discriminated against Goodrum, who is also Black, in his years-long bid to be promoted to Captain.
Facing backlash, School Board shelves editorial oversight changes to Alexandria high school’s student publications
What started as a simple policy change has erupted into a full-blown fight over the First Amendment in Alexandria City Public Schools. Facing backlash from city leaders, the Alexandria School Board officially went back to the drawing board Thursday night (May 8), by announcing that its intended policy changes on the oversight of Alexandria City High School’s student publications have been put on hold.
Study: Coal, natural gas retain roles in Southwest Virginia’s economy
Despite its decline in recent decades, Southwest Virginia’s coal industry still accounted for a $1.8 billion total economic impact in 2024, supporting over 5,000 area jobs, according to a new study by Chmura Economics & Analytics. Additionally, the economic impact of the natural gas industry accounted for over $480 million and supported over 1,100 Southwest Virginia jobs, the study shows. Commissioned by the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority, the study breaks down how the energy sector continues playing a role in the region’s economy.
More resignations at Virginia’s embattled Birth Injury Fund
A total of five employees have resigned from the Virginia Birth Injury Fund in the past month — an exodus that has gutted the small agency’s finance team as it tries to rebuild after an insider embezzled millions of dollars meant for the families of disabled children. The latest resignation is that of Kan Cheung, who was hired earlier this year to work as the fund’s director of finance and investments. Cheung was only hired in April, according to a former employee at the fund who asked to speak on the condition of anonymity.
Virginia Lt. Gov. race: Republican John Curran announces write-in campaign
John Curran, a business consultant from James City County, announced Monday that he intends to reenter Virginia’s lieutenant governor race as a write-in candidate. Curran initially ran for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor but did not turn in enough signatures to qualify for the ballot ahead of the April deadline. He alleges he had gathered 10,000 signatures but many of them were stolen by a former campaign staffer, a matter he says Virginia State Police are investigating. “I know that write-ins are historically a long shot,” he said.
Curran announces write-in bid for lieutenant governor
John Curran, who did not qualify for the GOP primary for lieutenant governor, announced Monday that he is launching a write-in campaign for the general election in November. "My decision is not to split the ticket but to save it," Curran said in a statement, apparently referring to the controversy over John Reid, the party's nominee for lieutenant governor. He added: "This decision is not about my opponent being gay."
Legislature narrows use of noncompetes
In recent years, federal and state governments have embraced a push toward restricting the use of noncompete agreements by employers, most notably with the ultimately unsuccessful 2024 Federal Trade Commission rule that attempted to ban noncompetes nationwide. While noncompetes are still enforceable in Virginia, recent legislation passed by the General Assembly will further narrow which employees can be subject to noncompetes. During the Legislature’s regular session earlier this year, the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 1218, which expands the definition of “low-wage employee” to an employee who is entitled to overtime compensation under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
Manassas GOP Calls for Action on Jail’s Immigration Policy Ahead of Meeting
The Manassas City Republican Committee is calling on residents to fill the room at the next Prince William-Manassas Regional Jail Board meeting, pushing for the jail to renew its 287(g) immigration enforcement partnership with federal authorities. . . . The city’s Republican committee says the jail’s decision to end the 287(g) program in 2020 amounts to a “sanctuary” policy, a claim they say was confirmed by Governor Glenn Youngkin’s office. The group is calling for full cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to process all undocumented immigrants charged with crimes.