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5 former Richmond Public Schools bus drivers say they were fired for advocating for overtime pay
Sonny Randolph said parents are still calling him to tell him their kids won’t get on the bus. Randolph began driving buses for Richmond Public Schools in 2014. Until recently, he was responsible for picking up children with intellectual disabilities and making sure they made it safely to their schools. . . . Randolph is among five former RPS bus drivers — alongside Cynthia Cole, Katina Hickman, Darryl Brinson-Williams and Kimya Williams — who allege they were fired last month in retaliation for attending a Richmond School Board meeting on April 8, where Williams, Brinson-Williams and some of their colleagues spoke in defense of their overtime pay.
Misjuns asks about waste, fraud in survey sent to Lynchburg city employees
Lynchburg At-large Councilman Martin Misjuns sent an online survey to city employees Monday morning asking them to identify any waste and fraud they may have seen in the operations of city government. In the email, Misjuns said the survey is part of his “commitment to collaborate with the City Manager on effective governance” and the survey results will help “enhance our financial oversight.” . . . Misjuns said the survey was not coordinated with the city manager’s office, which did not know it was going to be sent out Monday morning.
Mecklenburg solar project neighbors get fake letter dangling cash
Property owners near a proposed solar project in Chase City have reportedly received a fake “good neighbor agreement” that was made to look as if it was issued by solar developer Longroad Energy Holdings, LLC for its 7 Bridges Solar facility. The document in question contains an offer, purportedly from Longroad Energy Holdings, LLC and 7 Bridges Solar LLC, to pay homeowners an initial sum of $10,000 for signing the agreement. . . . Longroad Energy officials say the letter is a fabrication. . . . At least twice, public allegations have been made claiming that Longroad Energy has reached out to nearby landowners, offering money to them, in exchange for the promise of the landowner to withhold any objection to development of 7 Bridges Solar.
Hawkins: Virginia’s voting rights restoration system must be fair
I’m a 33-year-old Virginian, born and raised in Richmond. I am CEO of my own successful delivery and courier business, Right & Exact Transport, LLC. I create jobs, pay taxes and spend hours volunteering for nonprofit organizations. But despite everything I do for my community, I am not allowed to exercise my fundamental right to vote. In fact, I have never been able to vote. At 17, I was convicted of a felony in connection with a shooting incident.
Yancey: Republican House primary in Danville draws more opening day voters than any other GOP races in the state
Republican voters in Danville are showing more interest in the House of Delegates primary in their area than voters in any of the other eight Republican primaries in the state. That’s based on the numbers from the first day totals on Friday. While just one day, those first-day totals are often a good indicator of overall interest in a race. There are 17 primaries — eight Republican, nine Democratic — to settle House of Delegates nominations this year.
Data center could be coming to Charles City County
For years, business leaders in the Hampton Roads and Richmond regions have been leading efforts to become a technology-focused “megaregion” known as the Interstate 64 Innovation Corridor. Now, a massive data center being proposed for Charles City County could, if approved, further position those areas as the next Global Internet Hub.
Connolly will back former aide to succeed him in Congress
Next year’s Democratic primary election contest to replace Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Virginia) in Congress kicked off Tuesday when Fairfax County Supervisor James R. Walkinshaw became the first candidate to announce a bid — with Connolly himself seeking to clear a path for his former chief of staff with an early endorsement. “This is not a moment for on-the-job training. We need a strong representative, experienced in addressing national issues that affect our community, who can stand up to Trump and lead from day one,” Connolly said in an open letter to be sent to constituents Wednesday that was obtained by The Washington Post.
Virginia saw 73% voter turnout in 2024
About 73% of voting-age Virginians cast a ballot last November, per new U.S. Census Bureau estimates. That's the fourth-highest voter turnout share in the nation — and a much higher percentage than the country at large, which saw 65% of voting-age Americans voting last year.
Jay Jones is going on TV with the first ad of the attorney general race
Former Del. Jay Jones is launching the first television ad of the Democratic primary for attorney general on Tuesday. “As a lawmaker, I protected abortion rights, and as an Assistant Attorney General, I took on big corporations, and I sued Glenn Youngkin to defend voting rights,” Jones says in the ad. The spot highlights Jones’ work from 2023, when he represented the Virginia NAACP in a lawsuit seeking access to a database used by Gov. Glenn Youngkin to decide whether to restore voting rights to individuals with felony convictions.
Earle-Sears wants Va. to boost power with fossil fuels
Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the Republican candidate for governor, said Virginia needs more energy— including from carbon-based fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas — during a Manassas fundraiser over the weekend that was partly funded by local data center developers. During her speech at the Prince William County Republican Committee’s annual Lincoln-Reagan dinner, Earle-Sears, 61, emphasized her desire for Virginia to look to more fossil fuels and nuclear power to generate electricity for businesses both large and small.