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As Va. Democrats head into crowded primary Tuesday, fractures remain for Republicans
Tuesday is primary day in Virginia, and Democrats are facing a crowded field. While Abigail Spanberger is already the party’s nominee for governor, six Democrats are competing for lieutenant governor and two for attorney general. Republicans, meanwhile, do not have any statewide primaries this year. Their nominees have already been set: Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears for governor, John Reid for lieutenant governor and Jason Miyares for attorney general. But even during a time when Republicans could be unified without competition, they’re not talking to each other. They also haven’t been seen standing together as a united ticket.
Robinson: Selling federal lands would betray future generations
In early May, Congress slipped a provision deep into its budget resolution that should alarm every American. Buried in the text was language authorizing the sale of nearly half a million acres of our federally managed public lands — mostly in Utah and Nevada. It would set a precedent that threatens every corner of this country. This isn’t simply a Western issue. What happens in the deserts outside Salt Lake City today could be replicated tomorrow in the forests of Virginia or the marshes of Delaware.
Morris: To meet energy demand, don't miss the trees for the forest
Recent coverage in the Richmond Times-Dispatch has highlighted Virginia’s “all-in” strategy to meet growing electricity demand, citing a diverse mix of solar, wind, gas, nuclear, coal and oil. Yet one proven, renewable resource is notably missing from that list: biomass from Virginia’s forests. Biomass — primarily in the form of wood chips and sawdust — is a natural byproduct of Virginia’s robust forest products industry. These materials are already used efficiently to power industrial boilers and pulp mills across the state. With minimal modifications, those same materials can fuel steam turbines to generate electricity ...
Can this tiny Appalachian town be a blueprint for the region’s rebirth?
Lou Wallace couldn’t bear to watch her hometown on the Wise-Russell county line continue to crumble. On a whim in the late 1990s, she called The Nature Conservancy’s Abingdon office, lamenting, “Our little town is dying. Can you help?” Instead of shunning her, a now-retired employee of the nonprofit tossed out a lifeline. He helped her secure a $10,000 grant. That was enough to hire a company that fashioned a strategic plan revolving around the Clinch River—the hiding-in-plain-sight biological jewel bisecting St. Paul that residents had long dismissed as a dirty and forlorn nuisance.
Louisa County landowner caught up in solar farm regulation debate
A landowner in Louisa County is tangled up in disputes over how her land should be developed, reflecting an ongoing debate over the state’s role in solar energy development in rural areas. She wants a solar project to be built on her property, but local authorities want her land to stay agricultural use-only. Two years into the process she’s still waiting for a resolution, as legislation addressing solar ordinances, which could help mitigate the situation, failed again in the General Assembly this year.
Charlottesville City Council primary is city’s first to use ranked choice voting
In Tuesday’s City Council primary, Charlottesville is about to become the second locality in Virginia — after Arlington County — to use ranked choice voting, after a century of using a winner-take-all block system. In block voting, voters choose as many candidates as there are open seats for a certain office. With ranked choice voting, voters don’t just select their favorite candidates; instead, they rank as many of the candidates as they would like, in order of their preference.
Federal cuts could raise Va. food stamp costs $540 million
Virginia lawmakers are getting a new lesson in national politics: when President Donald Trump and his allies in Congress talk about cutting federal spending, they also mean shifting the cost of safety net programs to states. The “One Big Beautiful Bill” that the U.S. House of Representatives passed could cost Virginia up to $540 million a year to administer food assistance for low-income residents and pay up to 25% of benefits, the state commissioner of social services told a General Assembly budget committee on Monday.
Virginia helps lead $7.4 billion national settlement with Sacklers, Purdue Pharma over opioid crisis
Virginia played a key role in brokering a sweeping $7.4 billion settlement that will permanently sever the Sackler family from pharmaceutical manufacturer Purdue Pharma and ban them from ever marketing opioids in the United States again. It’s the culmination of a long and bitter legal battle over the company’s role in fueling the nation’s opioid epidemic. Attorney General Jason Miyares announced Monday that Virginia is one of 55 states and territories backing the historic agreement, which would resolve all outstanding litigation against Purdue and its once-powerful owners, the Sacklers. The deal is now headed to bankruptcy court for final approval.
Democrats look to Virginia’s Abigail Spanberger for a win after rough patch
Democrats are touting former Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger, who they hope will be a bright spot for the party in the state’s gubernatorial election later this year, after months of internal drama and political bruisings from the GOP. Spanberger has already clinched the Democratic nomination in the race to succeed Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA), who is term-limited, ahead of Tuesday’s primary.
Sentara, Virginia Wesleyan partner on new college of health sciences
Sentara Health will develop a new College of Health Sciences at Virginia Wesleyan University, the two institutions announced Monday. The details of the partnership haven’t been hammered out yet, but a statement from the health system and university said they’re aiming to minimize disruption and ensure continuity for students, faculty and staff. The move comes two months after Sentara College of Health Sciences, an arm of the state’s largest healthcare system, announced it would stop offering degree programs for nurses and other health professions after 130 years.