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Arlington Co. lawmakers to assess damage, develop plan to deal with federal workforce cuts
One in five residents in Arlington County is directly employed by the federal government. County board members and the local delegation in the Virginia General Assembly are working together to assess the damage of recent federal cuts and develop strategies to weather the storm. “This is going to be a long-haul commitment for all of us,” said Arlington County Board member Maureen Coffey during a Monday work session with several local state senators and delegates.
Virginia reports first mammal with bird flu
Virginia has reported its first case of bird flu in a mammal, as the disease continues to ravage the U.S. poultry industry sending the price of eggs skyrocketing. The Blue Ridge Wildlife Center in Clarke County recently admitted an adult female red fox found in Loudoun County that tested positive for H5N1, highly pathogenic avian influenza. ... Though a first for Virginia, other states have reported many bird flu cases in mammals, especially dairy cows and free-roaming domestic cats
Liberty University pays $15 million to former president Falwell Jr. in settlement
Liberty University has agreed to pay former President Jerry Falwell Jr. $15 million as part of recent settlements tied to lawsuits following his resignation. According to a copy of Liberty University's 2023-2024 tax form, Falwell will receive $5.5 million to settle the lawsuits. This amount is in addition to nearly $10 million he received as part of his retirement package.
Accused of making Metro less safe, watchdog relents on self-driving trains
After a two-month standoff with its safety watchdog, Metro received approval Tuesday to use self-driving trains on three of its six subway lines. Automation will expand beyond the Red Line to the Green and Yellow lines Friday. But a broader conflict between the two agencies continues, and multiple elected leaders say the commission created in 2018 to address Metro’s dysfunctional safety culture is now creating problems that add risk instead of reducing it. They are pushing back on a commission plan to start fining Metro for failing to follow orders — and backing Metro’s calls for an outsider to resolve future conflicts instead.
Lucas endorses Spanberger after initial skepticism
Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, one of Virginia’s most powerful Democratic lawmakers, has endorsed Rep. Abigail Spanberger’s campaign for governor, signaling peace in the valley for Democrats moving forward. Lucas had previously expressed skepticism about Spanberger’s candidacy. She was among those encouraging Rep. Bobby Scott (D-3rd) to launch a campaign for governor, arguing that Spanberger had not done enough to connect with Black communities across the state. Scott ultimately decided against entering the race, and Spanberger became the Democratic nominee.
Earle-Sears declines to say if she’ll sign a bill limiting abortion access if elected governor
The Republican nominee for governor, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, is declining to say if she’ll sign a bill limiting a woman’s access to abortion, if she’s elected governor. The question was hypothetical, as no bills were introduced in this year’s General Assembly session to limit a woman’s access to abortion at 15 weeks or less.
Why Democrats Don’t Love Glenn Youngkin’s Latest Efforts to Shield Virginia From Trump’s Cuts
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican Trump ally, is at once publicly supporting the president’s agenda and taking steps to inoculate his state from it. Those actions include Youngkin’s recent use of his line-item veto power to cut $900 million in projects and programs from the state budget in order to put those funds in the state’s rainy day fund. The rainy day fund, according to Youngkin, needs bolstering as President Donald Trump tries to shrink the federal workforce and pursues a disruptive economic agenda. Democrats say Youngkin’s cuts to shield the state from the effects of the administration have quickly become a point of frustration.
Brighter future? Solar apprenticeships add renewable energy skills to local jobs
... A regional partnership working to add solar panels to commercial buildings in the region aims to train young people as they go, developing workforce skills in anticipation of increasing demand for renewable energy-focused jobs in the heart of coal country, where skill sets and energy options are both changing. Virginia ranks eighth in the nation for installed solar capacity, according to the Solar Energies Industry Association, but so far, major renewable energy projects have been clustered in the eastern and southern regions of the state. Increasing the popularity of solar power in the far southwestern corner of the state depends in part on the availability of trained workers ...
Youngkin urges vigilance to combat antisemitism
A new executive order will expand Virginia's fight against antisemitism, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Monday night at the Combat Antisemitism Movement's Faith, Freedom, and Legacy: Honoring Virginia’s Jewish Heritage dinner in Richmond. "Antisemitism exists, and we must acknowledge it, we must educate people to it, and we must go to work to eradicate it," Youngkin said at the dinner, held at The Commonwealth Club.
‘It’s going to be tough’: Virginia Republicans brace for a grim November
Virginia Republicans are bracing for November with a growing sense of doom. The GOP already faced a tough climate in this year’s elections thanks to tech billionaire Elon Musk’s war on the state’s robust federal workforce. Then came a bitter, intraparty feud over Republicans’ lieutenant governor candidate. Now, some Republicans are privately expressing concerns about the viability of their gubernatorial nominee, Winsome Earle-Sears. “With the demographics of Richmond, in an off year with the Republican White House, it’s going to be tough,” said longtime Virginia Republican strategist Jimmy Keady. “To be a Republican to win in Virginia, you have to run a very good campaign. You’ve got to have [tailwinds] and the Democratic candidate’s got to make a mistake.”