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Norfolk floodwall delayed 4 years as costs rise, city considers alignment changes
Norfolk’s downtown floodwall project will take an additional four years to finish, Army Corps of Engineers officials told Norfolk City Council on Tuesday. The update comes as city and elected officials push for several changes to the project, which also faces an uncertain financial future. “Just know that this is being watched very closely,” said City Council member Courtney Doyle. Complications such as rising costs after the pandemic and issues with the real estate certification process have pushed the end of construction for the entire $2.6 billion floodwall and coastal resiliency project until 2037, said Keith Lockwood, Norfolk district chief, Water Resources Division, of the Army Corps.
Appalachian Power requests bill increases to recover costs
Appalachian Power is asking Virginia regulators for permission to charge customers to recover money it has spent on renewable energy projects and on complying with environmental laws. The average residential customer’s monthly bill would go up by $6.63, or about 3.8%, if the State Corporation Commission approves Appalachian’s requests, according to documents recently filed with the SCC. The increase would not occur before March 1, 2026.
In Virginia’s 100th House District, Democrats choose their fighter
Democrats in part of Virginia Beach and the Eastern Shore were preparing for a firehouse primary this month to select a nominee to challenge Del. Rob Bloxom in November. But now, one candidate says he’s dropping out of the House District 100 race and endorsing the other, eliminating the need for the planned caucus vote on May 31. Rocco DeBellis, a New York native who serves as personal chef to Judge Judy, announced Tuesday he was stepping down from the race. If no other Democrats throw a hat in the ring by 5 p.m. Saturday, that would make Liz Richardson, of the Eastern Shore, the Democratic nominee.
Candidates for lieutenant governor, AG speak at Nelson Democrat forum
Five of the six Democratic candidates vying to become Virginia’s next lieutenant governor and the party’s two contenders running for attorney general addressed Nelson County voters at a May 12 forum in Lovingston. Babur Lateef, Victor Salgado, Ghazala Hashmi, Alex Bastani and Levar Stoney, all running for lieutenant governor, each spoke during the Nelson Democratic Forum at the Nelson Center. Candidate Aaron Rouse did not attend.
Spanberger: Time to crack down on insurer practices that keep drug costs up
Democratic candidate for governor Abigail Spanberger wants to crack down on a range of insurer practices she says are keeping drug costs up, and hitting Virginians with abusive billing practices and scam coverage. Stopping Wednesday at a community pharmacy in Mechanicsville, Spanberger said holding down the cost of medication is a priority but she stopped short of backing the a prescription drug board to cap drug prices. Democratic legislators have pushed the concept for two years and Gov. Glenn Youngkin has vetoed the measures.
Spanberger faces opposition, open minds while pitching healthcare cost plans
Near the Hanover County line sits the locally owned Mechanicsville Drug Store. It’s the kind of place that still has a breakfast counter alongside greeting cards, a pharmacy and other odds-and-ends. And Wednesday morning, in between its narrow aisles, it hosted Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger. The former congresswoman was there to talk about her plans to address healthcare costs. But she touched on why she first ran for Congress back in 2017, specifically when then-Congressman Dave Brat, who she later unseated, voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
More access, less cost: Spanberger lays out health care plans if she wins Virginia governorship
While Abigail Spanberger’s former congressional colleagues stayed up late Tuesday night debating proposed cuts to Medicaid in a jumbo GOP bill to reduce federal spending, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee outlined her health care-focused plans if she becomes Virginia’s next governor Wednesday morning at a local independent pharmacy in Mechanicsville. Standing in Mechanicsville Drug Store, a family-owned business that’s nearly 70 years old, Spanberger drove home her legislative priorities to lower prescription drug costs and close rural health care gaps in the state.
Spanberger holds 4-point lead over Earle-Sears in Virginia FREE poll
Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, holds a four-percentage-point lead over Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in the race for governor in a new poll commissioned by Virginia FREE, a statewide business advocacy organization. Spanberger, who stepped down in January after three terms representing a formerly Republican swing district in Congress, holds a 52-48% lead over Earle-Sears, according to a poll of 1,000 likely Virginia voters that two firms, Pantheon Insight and HarrisX, conducted for Virginia FREE. The margin of error in the poll is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
Local PBS, NPR stations may endure Trump’s cuts. Others won’t be as lucky.
As the Trump administration pursues a policy of selective federal austerity, defunding public media represents a drop in a very large bucket. But that drop makes a big difference in the health of our democracy, the early development of our children and the civic awareness of the public. According to recent reporting, Hampton Roads’ National Public Radio and Public Broadcasting Service stations are confident they can endure a loss of federal support, even if they shouldn’t have to. Other communities, including many in Virginia, won’t be as lucky as these actions needlessly rob them of public media programming that challenges, entertains, informs and educates.
Virginia renters make modest gains from lawmakers in the General Assembly
As rental housing costs continue to rise, Virginia lawmakers passed a few modest measures this year to reduce fees, offer tenants more protections and boost housing for Navy sailors. More ambitious proposals, including potential rent controls, failed to win broad approval. Several members expressed frustration about the state’s inability to address what is typically a tenant’s largest monthly expense: rent. “We are at a point where, if we do not make significant changes, it will get exponentially worse, and I don’t think everyone is clued in on that enough,” said Del. Marcia Price, D-Newport News.