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Pamunkey Indian Reservation named among America’s most endangered historic places
Climate change is threatening the Pamunkey Indian Reservation, and now the National Trust for Historic Preservation has named the area as one of the most endangered historic sites in the country. Settled on a 1,600-acre peninsula in King William County, the reservation is surrounded by the Pamunkey River on three sides. Kendall Stevens, cultural resources director for the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, said like other coastal communities, the reservation is not spared from the struggle of erosion, rising sea levels, sinking land and more severe storms.
Helicopters were banned near National Airport. They are disrupting flights anyway.
Police, medical and military helicopters have continued to fly in close proximity to Reagan National Airport in the three months since an Army Black Hawk and regional jetliner collided and killed 67 people, requiring airline pilots to abort landings and sparking pointed disagreements between agencies responsible for flights. The continued need for passenger jet “go-arounds” — as the sudden avoidance maneuvers are called — and finger-pointing by transportation and military officials within the Trump administration reveal the extent to which officials continue to wrestle with coordination and safety around the congested airport.
Two Democrats join race to succeed Connolly in Congress
The race has begun in Northern Virginia for a successor to Rep. Gerry Connolly, who announced last week that he will not run for reelection after eight terms in Congress. Two Democrats — Fairfax County Supervisor James Walkinshaw and state Sen. Stella Pekarsky, D-Fairfax — both announced this week that they are running for the 11th District seat in midterm elections next year that will test public reaction to President Donald Trump and the effect of his policies on the Northern Virginia economy.
DOJ grants University of Va. extension on DEI response
The University of Virginia has until May 30 to respond to an April 28 letter from the U.S. Department of Justice demanding proof — including video and audio from the U.Va. Board of Visitors’ closed sessions — that the university is dismantling and dissolving its diversity, equity and inclusion apparatuses. According to U.Va. spokesperson Brian Coy, the university requested an extension of the previous May 2 deadline cited in the letter, which was sent to U.Va. President Jim Ryan, Rector Robert Hardie and university legal counsel Clifton M. Iler. The DOJ moved the deadline to May 30, Coy said Tuesday.
Virginia High School League executive committee approves updated transgender athlete participation policy
The Virginia High School League on Wednesday ratified legislation on its updated transgender athlete policy, which follows President Donald Trump's executive order, "Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports," during an executive committee meeting in Charlottesville. The policy was approved without any discussion from the executive committee.
Prison lieutenant gets 1-year sentence for Petersburg death in custody
Wade Scott Walters died in a suicide watch cell in a Petersburg federal prison. His death, in precisely the type of cell where a prisoner should be keenly observed, caused an inquest within the Bureau of Prisons. According to a video described by prosecutors, Walters, a vulnerable adult who could not speak for himself, banged his body against the walls of his cell at least 23 times. His cause of death was ultimately ruled to be a broken skull. Federal prosecutors pursued criminal charges against a handful of staff involved. On Wednesday, Shronda Covington, a 16-year-veteran of FCI Petersburg, was handed her punishment for her role in Walters' death.
New College Institute says business plan was submitted in February 2024, but funding was still vetoed
New College Institute says it submitted a requested business plan to Gov. Glenn Youngkin last year. On Friday, Youngkin vetoed $500,000 in supplemental funding for New College Institute claiming he has twice “recommended that NCI develop a meaningful business plan that best supports the educational and training needs of Southern Virginia, including exploring merging the Institute with existing regional education entities.” On Monday, a news release from NCI stated its board of directors was disappointed in the governor’s veto of funding that received broad bipartisan support by the General Assembly.
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.
VPAP Visual New Voter Registrations: April 2025
New registrations are slightly lower overall than in 2021 and 2017 but still follow the same trend as the previous two election cycles. Virginia has had 59,130 new registrations so far this year.
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.