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Arlington unemployment claims spiked in March, adding to region-wide pessimism
Hundreds more Arlington County residents began seeking work in March as federal layoffs continue to drive a region-wide surge in unemployment, new data shows. A total of 4,929 Arlington residents were counted as without jobs and seeking work in March, the Virginia Employment Commission reported yesterday (Tuesday). That’s up 16% from the 4,249 recorded in February, and up a hefty 60% from 3,116 in March 2024.
Kaine meets with Ukrainians in Roanoke Valley, shares insights from recent visit
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine met with Roanoke-area Ukrainians and their supporters last week to share what he'd learned on a visit to the war-torn country and other European nations last month. Kaine visited Finland in February, and Poland, Ukraine and Germany during the Senate's Easter recess. During his mid-April visit to Ukraine, he placed flowers at the Bucha Memorial, which remembers the more than 400 civilians and prisoners of war executed in 2022 by members of the 234th Air Assault Regiment, a Russian paratrooper unit based in Pskov, a city with which Roanoke paused a sister city arrangement in 2023.
Residents, council members express frustration over Purcellville budget discussion impasse
In response to Purcellville Mayor Chris Bertaut’s last-minute cancellation of a special town council budget meeting on April 29, a group of residents gathered outside the town hall Tuesday night to express their frustration over recent events. The group, called “Purcellville Deserves Better,” submitted recall petitions on April 28 for three town council members — Susan Khalil, Ben Nett and Carol Luke — and Bertaut, which are currently being reviewed by the Loudoun County General Registrar’s office.
Altria sees little impact from tariff increases
Rising import duties – even if paused – worry many U.S. manufacturers, but the firm with the biggest factory in Richmond, Altria Group, says it expects the impact on its cigarette-making business will be immaterial. Altria told investors Tuesday that while it is monitoring the impact of President Donald Trump‘s tariffs, it’s still expecting profits this year will rise.
Fredericksburg region’s United Way closing on June 30
After 85 years of raising millions of dollars for programs that helped people struggling in various aspects of life, the Rappahannock United Way will cease its operations on June 30. “This is not a decision we made lightly,” said Janel Donohue, president and CEO. “For more than eight decades, RUW has been honored to serve this community. We are proud of the impact we’ve made and grateful to all who have supported us along the way.”
Gibson: For the Virginia GOP, ‘sextortion’ is nothing new
In a democracy, elections should be decided by ideas — not by cruelty, humiliation or personal destruction. Unfortunately, that principle is under threat in Virginia. For the second state campaign cycle in a row, Gov. Glenn Youngkin and the executive director of his Spirit of Virginia PAC, Matt Moran, have used personal attacks to try to destroy political candidates — not by debating policy, but by targeting their private lives.