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D.C. AG sues five Maryland and Virginia drivers for ‘dangerous and illegal conduct’
Washington, D.C., Attorney General Brian Schwalb announced lawsuits against five drivers from Maryland and Virginia for $425,000 in unpaid fines, penalties, and fees owed to the district for “dangerous and illegal conduct on DC streets.” Schwalb announced the lawsuits, using the Strengthening Traffic Enforcement, Education, and Responsibility, or STEER, Act, on Tuesday after he previously invoked the law to sue three Maryland drivers for their unpaid fines for unlawful driving activities. The legal action comes as Washington officials have aimed to crack down on drivers from outside the district breaking traffic laws and avoiding penalties.
GOP officials demand action as Youngkin’s political adviser under fire amid extortion allegations
In a stunning escalation of Virginia’s Republican infighting, Matt Moran — head of Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Spirit of Virginia PAC — has emerged as the central figure blamed for the widening rift between the governor and John Reid, the GOP nominee for lieutenant governor. ... Meanwhile, pressure is building inside the party for accountability. Several GOP officials are urging the Republican Party of Virginia’s Executive Committee to confidentially review the explicit images that Moran allegedly showed Youngkin — images that reportedly convinced the governor to personally ask Reid to drop out of the race.
Casino employees uniting to campaign for smoke-free workplaces
Virginia’s Indoor Clean Air Act was put into law in 2009. But that was before gaming venues such as Rosie’s opened, and well before the concept of full-scale casinos in Virginia were even on the radar. Juana Wilson, who lives in Virginia Beach and who previously worked in Las Vegas, was thrilled when she learned casinos were coming to Virginia. She was hired by Rivers Casino in Portsmouth. Wilson recalls her dismay on the eve of the casino's debut, “The day before we opened, cases of ashtrays ended up coming onto the floor. And we were all kind of surprised – we were like, what’s going on? And they were like, Oh! It’s a smoking casino!”
Trump administration restores Virginia student visa records
President Donald Trump’s administration is reinstating international student visa records that it previously revoked. The announcement was made Friday, amid a slew of court cases filed by impacted students in recent weeks. Attorneys for the students argued that the cancellations were unlawful since many students weren’t given a clear reason for the terminations. Others were told they had criminal records, which consisted of parking tickets or other low-level violations with civil penalties — and even some cases where students were the victims, not the perpetrators. VPM News previously reported that at least 40 Virginia college students and recent graduates had been impacted.
Judge urges attorneys in Richmond whistleblower case to resolve discovery disputes
As lawyers in the whistleblower case brought by former Richmond public records official Connie Clay against the city and its former top spokesperson continue to clash over records and depositions, a judge is ordering them to make more of an effort to get along as the discovery process continues. “I understand strong advocacy,” Richmond Circuit Court Judge Claire Cardwell told attorneys in a Tuesday morning hearing. “But without pointing fingers in either direction, I would like counsel to start anew.”
D.C. targets Maryland, Virginia drivers with hundreds of violations in new lawsuits
D.C. continues to crack down on dangerous drivers with a second batch of lawsuits against Maryland and Virginia individuals who've racked up tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid fines. The city struggled to hold out-of-jurisdiction drivers accountable for decades. But under the new STEER Act, the District is finally able to go after repeat offenders.
UVa to bid on Federal Executive Institute despite public pushback
Disregarding the protests of Charlottesville residents and city officials, the University of Virginia is moving forward with plans to acquire the shuttered Federal Executive Institute in the city. The property served as the country’s leading training center for federal employees for 57 years before it was shuttered by President Donald Trump in February. Now it is at the center of a bidding war between a university with a $14 billion endowment and the city's school division with a budget of just $106.8 million.
Attorneys argue whether Norfolk Electoral Board member failed job duties
Lawyers debated whether or not a Norfolk Electoral Board member’s actions were grounds for removal during a Circuit Court trial Tuesday. A prosecutor attempted to convince a judge that Marianne McKay, the vice chair of the Norfolk Electoral Board, had failed her job duties, while her attorneys said her actions were legal and permissible as an electoral board member.
Flint Hill fire company lawsuit heads to Virginia Supreme Court
A three-judge panel of the Virginia Supreme Court ruled Friday that the full court will consider appeals made by the Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors and former Flint Hill Volunteer Fire and Rescue leader Karen Williams in a case regarding the fire company’s ousted leadership. This case began in 2023 when local attorney David Konick represented former leaders of the Flint Hill fire company in filing a lawsuit against the county after the Board of Supervisors voted to remove their leadership.
Youngkin: Virginia leads nation with greatest reduction of fentanyl overdose deaths
Governor Glenn Youngkin announced at a press conference Tuesday that Virginia is now seeing a 44% drop in fentanyl overdose deaths. The Virginia Department of Health Office of the Chief Medical Examiner released this data. “I am very pleased the CDC acknowledged that Virginia over the course of the last year has led the nation with the greatest reduction of overdoses in the entire country,” Youngkin said.