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Williams: Asians beware. MAGA doesn’t care about racial justice
The prestigious Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology — a Northern Virginia magnet school not to be confused with Richmond’s TJ — has become yet another Trump administration battleground in its war on diversity, equity and inclusion. At issue is an admissions process, adopted by the Fairfax County School Board in 2020, that a parents group argued was biased against Asian applicants. A lower court agreed, but the Richmond-based U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that ruling in May 2023. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the matter.
Martinsville’s ‘sanctuary’ status disputed
On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defined Martinsville as a city that is “deliberately and shamefully obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws endangering American communities.” Martinsville Police Chief Rob Fincher says DHS got it all wrong. “The Department of Homeland Security incorrectly reports that Martinsville, Virginia, is a sanctuary city. The City of Martinsville has never made such a declaration,” Fincher said in a release.
Newport News Shipbuilding furloughs 471 salaried employees
Newport News Shipbuilding has furloughed more than 400 employees. In a Friday statement provided to The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press by Todd Corillo, a Huntington Ingalls Industries spokesperson, the company said that after careful review of its salaried workforce and business needs, it furloughed 471 salaried shipbuilders across HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division. ... The unpaid furloughs are not expected to last longer than five months, Corillo said, but the company will reevaluate during that time. The furloughs are temporary and don’t terminate the workers’ employment.
Funding cuts tearing holes in region’s health care safety net, officials say
Federal and state funding cuts, freezes and delayed payments are hammering Richmond’s free clinics, the region’s health care safety net, officials from the groups told a community town hall at Health Brigade’s clinic near Scott’s Addition. The cuts, some of which date back to last year, have been particularly deep for services for prevention and treatment of HIV, the virus than can cause AIDS. It also leaves people vulnerable to difficult-to-treat tuberculosis and other contagious disease.
Hampton Roads cities accused by Homeland Security of obstructing federal immigration officials
The Department of Homeland Security released a list of localities around the country that it alleges are obstructing enforcement of federal immigration law, including several in Hampton Roads. The list, which DHS says will be updated regularly, was compiled after an executive order from President Trump. Hampton Roads cities on the list: Virginia Beach, Hampton, Portsmouth, and Newport News — along with Gloucester County. In all, the list targets 33 Virginia localities — including Richmond and Fairfax County ...
Richmond slapped with ‘sanctuary jurisdiction’ label and familiar threat of funding cuts
Richmond and its surrounding counties have been dubbed “sanctuary jurisdictions” by the Department of Homeland Security. In a news release Thursday evening, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said that city policies are “endangering Americans and our law enforcement in order to protect violent criminal illegal aliens.” The department published a list with hundreds of qualifying cities and counties nationwide. “Sanctuary” status is a catch-all for local governments whose policies shield undocumented immigrants from agencies like DHS and its enforcement agency, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The release said Richmond, Henrico, Hanover, Chesterfield and Dinwiddie obstruct the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
Virginia businesses hope for clarity on tariffs after Trump’s court defeat
Anh Vu had repositioned her shipping company to bring goods from Vietnam into the United States instead of sending exports to the Southeast Asian country. Her business, SAM Cargo Express, planned to develop a warehouse in Northern Virginia to handle the imported handicrafts and other goods from Vietnam. ... The planned warehouse "has been put on hold because not a lot of companies want to do that because of tariffs," Vu said after a meeting between Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., and small business owners in the Vietnamese community here on Wednesday.
Newport News Shipbuilding to furlough 471 workers
Newport News Shipbuilding announced on Friday that it will furlough 471 shipbuilders for up to five months. All impacted employees, which include salaried engineers and other workers, were notified Friday. For those impacted, Friday is their last day of work for the time being, and the furlough will be effective starting Monday. Although it is not a job termination, furloughed employees will not be paid for the time they’re out of work.
Warner discusses affordable housing in Williamsburg
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner said housing needs “more fresh ideas” during a Thursday community roundtable focused on affordable housing. More than 40 people, including Williamsburg and James City County civic, community and faith leaders, filled the Williamsburg Community Building to listen to Warner’s ideas on increasing the housing supply and helping homeowners. Among the initiatives he discussed was the historic tax credit, which provides state tax credit to property owners helping to rehabilitate historic buildings.
Vienna energy expert launches bid for 11th Congressional District seat
A special election to fill the late Rep. Gerry Connolly’s now-open seat in Congress still hasn’t been officially ordered, but the number of Democrats seeking to stake a claim is now up to six. Amy Roma, a Vienna resident and lawyer who specializes in energy policy, officially launched a campaign for the 11th Congressional District yesterday (Thursday) — the same day that Leopoldo Martínez, who’s also a lawyer, announced his own bid to become the Democratic nominee.