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Va. governors make board appointments; legislators confirm them. How’s the process work?
Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Virginia Democrats have brokered many deals during his soon-ending four-year term, but have also frequently been at odds on policy issues, reflected most recently in the legislature’s rejection of several of the governor’s appointments to Virginia’s governing boards and commissions. Virginia law gives governors the power to appoint and remove people to these groups. Like his predecessors, Youngkin has appointed hundreds of people to serve on roughly 300 public commissions and boards. Over the past year, Senate Democrats have rejected 30 of Youngkin’s appointments to boards and commissions . . .
Loudoun Panel Supports Replacing Flex-Warehouses with Data Centers
A proposal that would replace flex-warehouse buildings near Sterling with data centers and a utility substation received a recommendation of approval from the county Planning Commission this week. The application would rezone 17 acres from Planned Development – General Industrial to Industrial Park and permit the redevelopment of 268,700 square feet of existing flex-warehouse space into nearly 600,000 square feet of data center uses and a five-acre substation. ... Project Manager Erin Fisher said this is the first application of an influx of proposals to convert warehouse space to data center and industrial uses along the Rt. 28 corridor.
Senate Democrats consider blocking more Youngkin university board appointments as he exerts influence
Gov. Glenn Youngkin made his latest round of university board appointments on June 20, giving him complete control over the bodies that govern Virginia’s institutes of higher education. Democrats are making moves to block Youngkin — who ran on education issues and has focused on removing race and gender-related concepts from K-12 — as they fear he may try to further his legacy of reforming higher education during the last year of his term. The new appointments come as Senate Democrats wage a legal battle over the confirmation status of eight previous appointees they rejected in a Senate panel on June 9. Democratic lawmakers are considering blocking more appointees as they say Youngkin is wielding them like proxies and exerting more influence on universities than previous governors.
How Hampton Roads sheriffs are working with ICE
As federal authorities ramp up immigration enforcement tactics across the country, data from local sheriffs’ offices shed light on how frequently Hampton Roads law enforcement have turned over inmates to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Immigration detainers are a key tool used by ICE to take custody of people arrested by local law enforcement. Detainers are requests to local law enforcement to hold a person in custody for up to 48 hours past their scheduled release to give federal authorities time to pick them up them for possible deportation proceedings. Most sheriff’s offices in the Hampton Roads region have policies in place that not only outline how to question an inmate’s immigration status, but also allow for 48-hour detainer holds.
'Old name, new legacy': Fort Lee's renaming celebrated in ceremony on post
Fort Lee has ceremoniously rechristened itself after two years under the name “Gregg-Adams,” but speakers at the July 11 event that unveiled new signs say that while the page might be turned on the post’s name, the book will never close on the legacies of its former namesakes. “Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams represented the very best of our Army,” post commander Maj. Gen. Michelle Donahue said.
From VPAP New Episode: The Virginia Press Room Podcast
In the latest episode of the podcast from VaNews and VPM, Michael Pope is joined by Kate Seltzer of The Virginian-Pilot, Andrew Kerley of The Commonwealth Times, and Dean Mirshahi of VPM News. They discuss the week's top headlines: Youngkin says Homeland Security Task Force has removed 2,500 violent criminals, Senate Democrats clash with Youngkin over university board appointments, and Richmond City Council vote delayed again for civilian police review board. Tune in for insights and analysis on Virginia politics. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.
Virginia Lottery continues to embrace its gaming oversight role
In just the past decade, Virginia has become one of the nation’s top states for gaming and most of the state’s oversight is handled through the Virginia Lottery — an agency that has grown 20% larger to accommodate those responsibilities. Today the lottery oversees its traditional lottery ticket sales and drawings, online iLottery play, the state’s three casinos — with another in Norfolk now under construction — and a robust sports betting program with 14 licensed operators.
Henrico’s housing trust fund wraps first year with homes sold, more on the way
One year in, Henrico’s multimillion-dollar investment to help improve housing affordability in the county is beginning to pay off. Henrico’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund program, launched last July with a $60 million cash contribution from the county, has finished out its initial year with its first homes sold and dozens more in the pipeline or under construction. . . . Henrico’s goal is to produce 750 new homes that are affordable to first-time buyers at as low as 60% AMI over the program’s first five years, using the $60 million in unbudgeted tax revenues that were generated specifically from data centers in the county.
Federal funding pause threatens Virginia after-school programs
The Boys and Girls Club of Southwest Virginia is facing a financial crisis after a $6 billion pause in Department of Education funds, initially set for release on July 1. This funding, which includes $108 million earmarked for Virginia schools, is crucial for the club, which relies on federal support for 60% of its budget. Rebekah Meadows, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Southwest Virginia, said, "It's complicated, we have 8 sites that use this funding, and so we are working through scenarios for each of those."
George Mason’s president appears to be the Trump administration’s next target
Another Virginia university president appears to be in the crosshairs of Donald Trump’s administration — just weeks after pressure from Trump’s Department of Justice pressured University of Virginia President Jim Ryan until he resigned. The federal Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights notified George Mason on July 1 that they are opening an investigation into the university after receiving a complaint about antisemitism on campus.