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Biden-Harris campaign responds to Youngkin’s veto of contraceptive rights measure
On Friday, May 17, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin took final action on a last set of bills from 2024’s regular legislative session; Youngkin signed seven of the measures and vetoed 48. The Biden-Harris campaign released a statement Saturday in response to Youngkin’s veto of a bill that would have protected contraceptive rights in the Commonwealth.
Youngkin vetoes bills that would safeguard right to birth control, end tax exemptions for Confederate groups
Gov. Glenn Youngkin took action Friday on the last remaining legislation from the recent session, signing seven bills and vetoing 48 others, including high-profile measures related to birth control, skill games and tax exemptions for organizations with Confederate ties. “While I look forward to working with the General Assembly to see if we can reach agreement on language in the future, today I must act on the language before me, and there are several bills which are not ready to become law,” Youngkin said in a statement. Del. Cia Price and Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Richmond, carried the birth control bill in their respective chambers. “This is such a popular issue,” said Price, D-Newport News. “It was the one thing that I was holding out hope for, but the governor has his allegiances to the most extreme part of his party.”
In a GOP stronghold, two Democrats seek chance to take on Wittman
Two Democrats — the former legal director of the ACLU of Virginia, and New Kent County’s former treasurer — are vying for the nomination to challenge a long-serving GOP incumbent in a strongly Republican district. New Kent’s Herb Jones, a retired Army colonel who tried but failed to unseat Rep. Rob Wittman, R-1st in 2022, is facing Leslie Mehta, currently on leave as counsel and chief of staff of the Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority, in the June 18 Democratic primary.
Leesburg eliminates by-right data center zoning
The Leesburg Town Council voted 6-1 on May 14 to require a special exception for all data centers and substations where they were previously allowed without any legislative approvals. The move gives the council more oversight on data centers, ensuring that every project comes before the Planning Commission and Town Council for approval.
Excavation at University of Richmond does not find graves as expected
When workers found discolored soil in neatly arranged blocks at the University of Richmond, they believed they had found graves. And they had good reason — they were just a few feet from a known grave site. Immediately, the university stopped what the workers were doing and applied for a state permit to excavate graves. After it was approved, excavation began last month. Then, archaeologists made a surprising discovery — the ground they were digging did not contain graves, the university announced this week.
Future Educators Academy will train new teachers while they're still in high school
A new teacher preparation program could soon send Fauquier County students back into the classroom just years after high school graduation, only this time as teachers. The Future Educators Academy is a dual enrollment program that will allow high school juniors and seniors to complete coursework to earn their high school diploma while earning an associate’s degree in education at the same time. If they go straight to a four-year institution and immediately earn a bachelor’s degree, they could be teachers by age 20 or 21.
Wilder faults Biden for apparent cancellation of VSU debate
Former Gov. Doug Wilder on Thursday criticized President Joe Biden over his role in the apparent cancellation of the Oct. 1 presidential debate at Virginia State University. On Wednesday, Biden’s campaign notified the Commission on Presidential Debates that he would not participate in its three scheduled fall forums at universities, including the debate at VSU. Instead, Biden and former President Donald Trump quickly agreed to two debates, a June 27 faceoff to be hosted by CNN and a Sept. 10 debate hosted by ABC.
70 years after landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling, the echoes continue in Prince Edward County
In the 70 years since the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case banned racial segregation in U.S. schools, the pursuit of quality and equitable education in Prince Edward County has taken many forms and faced many challenges, and continues strong today in its legacy and impact. As one of the five civil rights cases that were combined in Brown, Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County brought together the lion’s share of individual plaintiffs decrying the “separate but equal” doctrine as a farce — about three-quarters of more than 200 people named in Brown.
They don’t like abortion, but Kaine’s GOP challengers say they won’t seek a federal ban
It’s obvious where Democratic U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine stands on abortion access. And that’s not just for the fact that his party has been outspoken in support of access and other reproductive rights. Kaine has also co-sponsored the bipartisan Reproductive Freedom For All Act — an attempt to codify abortion protections into federal law. What has been less obvious is whether his Republican challengers would support federal abortion bans or restrictions.
Yancey: Brown decision was preceded by years of legal preparation. Its implementation in Virginia took years, too.
Seventy years ago, on May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that would change American life: It declared that school segregation was unconstitutional. The first reaction from Virginia Gov. Thomas Stanley, a son of Henry County, was serene and understated: “This news today calls for cool heads, calm study and sound judgment. I’m sure the people of Virginia and our elected representatives can find the right solution.” That sure turned out to be wrong.