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VPAP Visual Statewide Democratic Primary Turnout
Preliminary turnout numbers from the June 17 Democratic primary show the highest turnout since the 1990s for a Democratic primary without a gubernatorial nomination. This excludes presidential primaries, which are held separately in March and generally have a much higher turnout than state primaries.
Chesapeake Bay is on a rebound, but Trump’s proposed budget could set it back
The sun is barely up when Bill Scerbo unties the lines on his aging crabber and turns its bow toward open water. He and his deckhand are heading out to check crab traps in the shallows where the Rhode and West rivers flow into the Chesapeake Bay. It's something that Scerbo, who is 65, has been doing since the 1980s. It was then, just out of high school and attending community college, that he had an epiphany about his future. "It was a beautiful day and I was sitting in an economics class and I just said, 'To hell with this. I'm done.'"
Can AI identify safety threats in schools? Loudoun County wants to try.
Loudoun County schools will use an artificial intelligence system to help identity fights, bullying or other potential safety threats on campuses. The system, from local tech company VOLT AI, will use AI to monitor video footage from the school district’s existing security cameras to spot incidents that might require staff intervention, such as the presence of weapons or other safety threats or medical emergencies. The cameras are used only in common areas, not bathrooms or locker rooms.
Child care costs squeeze Virginia families
The cost of child care in Virginia and around the nation is skyrocketing, with a new report finding that it's outpacing overall inflation. Rising child care costs put a huge financial strain on families, Axios' Emily Peck reports. They can force some parents — typically women — to either ratchet back their working hours or leave the labor force entirely. For single parents, the calculus can be even more painful. The average annual cost of daycare tuition in Virginia for two children — one toddler and one infant — rose to $30,680 last year, according to data from Child Care Aware, an advocacy group.
Sentara, Virginia Wesleyan partner on new college of health sciences
Sentara Health will develop a new College of Health Sciences at Virginia Wesleyan University, the two institutions announced Monday. The details of the partnership haven’t been hammered out yet, but a statement from the health system and university said they’re aiming to minimize disruption and ensure continuity for students, faculty and staff. The move comes two months after Sentara College of Health Sciences, an arm of the state’s largest healthcare system, announced it would stop offering degree programs for nurses and other health professions after 130 years.
Officials Investigate More Threats of Violence Against U.S. Politicians
Officials in at least three states said on Monday that they were investigating or prosecuting people for making threats against politicians, a day after the police in Minnesota arrested and charged a man over the assassination of a state lawmaker. In Texas, the authorities said that an armed man who threatened to harm lawmakers at the State Capitol had been detained. In Georgia, a man was arraigned after prosecutors said he threatened sexual violence against two United States senators. And in Virginia, a former Coast Guard officer was arrested and accused of making threats against President Trump online.
Virginia's trailblazing candidates for governor prepare to battle over the economy, abortion and Trump
Tuesday is primary day in Virginia — but the general election matchup for the commonwealth’s highest office is already set. Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former U.S. representative, and Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, the state’s lieutenant governor, have known for months that they would face off against each other in the race to succeed Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, since they were the only major-party candidates to qualify for the ballot. One of them is guaranteed to make history by being elected Virginia's first female governor. And they’ve already been running general election-focused campaigns for months, providing an early jump-start to one of just two governor’s races this year (the other is in New Jersey).
Spanberger looks to unite party after primary day
On the eve of Virginia’s down-ballot primaries, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger announced a statewide bus tour and criticized her Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, during a campaign rally Monday. The event, held just hours before Democrats select nominees for other statewide races, signaled her intent to steer the party clear of the internal conflicts currently dogging the Republican ticket. Hundreds of supporters packed a hallway at the new J.R. Tucker High School, the school Spanberger attended growing up.
As Va. Democrats head into crowded primary Tuesday, fractures remain for Republicans
Tuesday is primary day in Virginia, and Democrats are facing a crowded field. While Abigail Spanberger is already the party’s nominee for governor, six Democrats are competing for lieutenant governor and two for attorney general. Republicans, meanwhile, do not have any statewide primaries this year. Their nominees have already been set: Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears for governor, John Reid for lieutenant governor and Jason Miyares for attorney general. But even during a time when Republicans could be unified without competition, they’re not talking to each other. They also haven’t been seen standing together as a united ticket.
Robinson: Selling federal lands would betray future generations
In early May, Congress slipped a provision deep into its budget resolution that should alarm every American. Buried in the text was language authorizing the sale of nearly half a million acres of our federally managed public lands — mostly in Utah and Nevada. It would set a precedent that threatens every corner of this country. This isn’t simply a Western issue. What happens in the deserts outside Salt Lake City today could be replicated tomorrow in the forests of Virginia or the marshes of Delaware.