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Tangier Island’s shrinking landscape sparks action from officials
Federal, state and local officials met together on Tangier Island last Thursday to discuss possible solutions for the shrinking fishing village. Alongside Tangier community leaders and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), officials visited sites on the island where land is disappearing due to sea level rise and erosion, followed by a meeting to discuss challenges and solutions for the island.
Out-of-state money funds Virginia’s GOP Senate candidates
Out-of-state dollars are funding Virginia's U.S. Senate primary campaigns. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions are flowing into the five commonwealth candidate's coffers from all corners of the country. That includes at least $265,631 from Florida, $206,270 from Texas and $167,709 from California, to name a few of the states where contributors live.
Stephens City zoning board upholds decision denying permits to hemp dispensary owners
The Stephens City Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) voted Monday evening to uphold town Zoning Administrator David Griffin's decision to deny permits to the owners of a Winchester hemp dispensary who want to open businesses at 4919 Main St. The decision comes after nearly a month of protests by the permit applicants, Tiauntia Green and Marcus Shelton, who are the owners of Celebrity's Hemp Dispensary on Braddock Street in Winchester. They have accused Griffin of prejudice in dealing with their applications to open a takeaway hoagie stop and smoker's night lodge and have called for his removal, along with town Mayor Mike Diaz.
Lynchburg City School Board votes to adopt Gov. Youngkin’s transgender policy
The Lynchburg City School Board voted Tuesday evening to adopt Governor Glenn Youngkin’s transgender policy. According to the policy, Lynchburg City Schools will refer to each student using the name and pronouns associated with the appropriate sex appearing on the student’s official record — male pronouns for a student whose sex is male and female pronouns for a student whose sex is female.
Education benefits for military families caught in political crossfire
Gov. Glenn Youngkin and General Assembly leaders agree that they need to take another hard look at changes that all of them had advocated to a program providing higher education benefits for the families of military veterans either killed or almost completely disabled while on active duty. The question is how and when. The Republican governor and Democratic legislative leaders don’t agree on whether the assembly needs to meet this month to repeal the budget provisions that it passed and he signed to narrow eligibility for free tuition and other benefits under the Virginia Military Survivors & Dependents Education Program.
Prince William supervisors approve 2nd mid-county data center project
Prince William County’s data center alley is likely to stretch into Prince William County’s mid-section in the coming years as a result of the board of supervisors’ vote Tuesday to approve the controversial Mid-County Industrial Park. In a 5-3 vote, the supervisors voted to approve a rezoning that would allow three 90- and 95-foot-tall data centers on about 64 acres just north of the intersection of Va. 234 and Minnieville Road. It will be the second planned data center complex in the mid-county area. The first, on land formerly owned by Parson’s Farm, recently sold to Amazon for $218 million or $2.4 million an acre.
Marjorie Taylor Greene and John McGuire plan 5th District event in Albemarle
Charlottesville’s city government was caught off guard Monday afternoon when it first learned that U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and fellow Republican and congressional candidate Virginia state Sen. John McGuire were planning to visit City Hall. So too was Albemarle County when, hours later, the McGuire campaign suddenly decided to move its planned “Early Vote Rally to Save America” from City Hall to a county polling location.
One Missing Middle lawsuit dismissed, but Arlington County’s legal fees still mounting
The first Missing Middle case to be heard in Arlington Circuit Court was dismissed last week, but legal fees in another lawsuit against the county continue to balloon. The dismissed lawsuit related to a pair of planned six-plexes in Alcova Heights, approved after the Expanded Housing Option changes. A judge struck the suit down on Friday “due to technical defects,” Zachary Williams, an attorney for developer Classic Cottages, told ARLnow. … This news comes as attorney fees from a more expansive lawsuit against EHO have mushroomed in recent months.
Richmond restaurants struggle with city meals tax woes
Richmond restaurants continue to grapple with issues related to the city's meals tax bills. While the city is working toward a July 1 deadline to review all delinquent accounts, some restaurants are receiving letters of compromise and settlement from the city, while others are signing non-disclosure agreements to come to an agreement. Either way, it’s not a fair system, Michael Byrne, director of the Virginia Restaurant Association, said.
Danville council members to consider giving themselves hefty raise
Danville City Council will vote whether to give themselves a hefty raise. If council members increase their pay, it will be the second time in about a year they will have voted to increase their salaries. However, the first pay hike they approved for themselves in May 2023 still hasn't gone into effect. Councilmen are considering this new boost to their compensation because of a state law passed in April that increases the population-based, maximum-allowed pay for city councils across the commonwealth.