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The Army looks at ways to downsize at Ft. Eustis under merger with Austin
Roughly 1,000 soldiers and civilian jobs at the headquarters unit for Training Doctrine and Command at Fort Eustis are under scrutiny as the Army looks to relocate the headquarters to Austin, Tx. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered that TRADOC merge with Army Futures Command and Austin, Tx. An Army planning team was created just outside the Pentagon last week to look at how the merged command will operate. They have a deadline of June 15 to create a report, said Brig. Gen. Jennifer Walkawicz, TRADOC Deputy Chief of Staff in a press briefing.
Virginia leaders on Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’: Wittman says Medicaid protected, Dems raise concerns
Two members of Congress from Hampton Roads voted in favor of President Donald Trump's "One, Big, Beautiful Bill," while some Democratic legislators raised concerns about the legislation. Congressman Rob Wittman, R-Va., said the bill will "strengthen Medicaid for Americans who need it most" while delivering tax relief. “Throughout the reconciliation process, I’ve fought to protect and preserve Medicaid for Virginia’s most vulnerable, and this bill does just that," Wittman wrote in a statement. "It secures protection for pregnant women, single mothers, children, seniors and individuals with disabilities." ... Congresswoman Jen Kiggans, R-Va., said she voted for the bill because it reduces the size of government, cuts wasteful spending, and protects tax relief for working families.
Wittman, Kiggans among Republicans who backed Trump’s big bill
Two Virginia Republicans in congressional seats Democrats are targeting joined their GOP colleagues in voting for President Donald Trump’s big domestic policy package, saying it will protect Medicaid for the most vulnerable while providing tax relief. Reps. Rob Wittman, R-1st, and Jen Kiggans, R-2nd, had joined 10 other Republican representatives in an April letter to House GOP leadership that declared their opposition to potentially deep cuts in the federal-state program that provides health care to elderly, disabled and poor Virginians.
Virginia unemployment rate rises slightly in April to 3.3%
Virginia’s unemployment rates continue to see an incremental rise, according to April data from the state’s Department of Workforce Development and Advancement, also known as Virginia Works. In April, the state’s unemployment rate rose a tenth of a percentage point to 3.3% compared to 3.2% in March and half a percentage point from April 2024’s unemployment rate of 2.8%. The state’s joblessness rate is below the national rate of 4.2%, Virginia Works reported Wednesday. However, Virginia could see the unemployment rate climb in May, as weekly reports have shown major increases in the state’s unemployment insurance claims this month.
Records from Red Onion say investigation found ‘no staff misconduct’
Records show Virginia Department of Corrections staff were tasked with investigating claims of “brutality,” “racism” and “retaliation” at Red Onion State Prison in Wise County — and they quickly reported they found “no staff misconduct.” VPM News made a Freedom of Information Act request for text messages and emails from prison officials and Red Onion’s warden, David Anderson, most of which were withheld or redacted. The ones that were shared reveal that Anderson formed a task force to probe alleged misconduct at the prison he runs. They also show details about additional self-burning incidents at other Virginia state prisons and how Red Onion staff responded to them.
Facing special ed teacher shortage, Va. education board votes to expand educator pipeline
The number of Virginia preschoolers with disabilities has increased by 24% over the past two years, prompting the Virginia Board of Education’s decision Thursday to have the state find new ways to get more special education teachers into classrooms. The board’s unanimous 7-0 vote directs the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to open the state’s compliance pathways in its state administrative code governing special education by removing the requirement for graduate-level coursework earned towards an Early Childhood Special Education (ECSPED) endorsement.
Prince William School Board chair talks lieutenant governor campaign
At its core, Prince William School Board Chair Babur Lateef’s decision to run for lieutenant governor has everything to do with his experience in Prince William County. It’s the local successes Dr. Lateef has seen — and helped spur — that he hopes to deliver to other parts of the commonwealth. An ophthalmologist by trade, Lateef has spent the last seven years as chair of the School Board for the second largest school system in Virginia, one that includes over 90,000 students and nearly 13,000 employees. Now he’s one of six Democrats running in the June 17 Democratic primary.
6 Democratic candidates for Lt. Gov. attempt to distinguish themselves from their peers in debate
There’s not much daylight between the six Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor, that much was apparent as they faced off in a forum in Prince William County on Thursday night. Former union leader and attorney Alex Bastani, Prince William School Board Chairman Babur Lateef, Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Richmond, Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach, former federal prosecutor Victor Salgado and former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney took part in the hourlong forum hosted by 7News and the Northern Virginia Democratic Black Caucus. The moderator, 7News anchor Kellye Lynn, asked the candidates a myriad of questions, from how to protect Virginia from economic hardship brought on by cuts to federal funding and workforce to education issues and how to overcome COVID-19-related learning loss.
Many undecided as Spanberger leads new Roanoke College Poll
Virginians will elect a new governor in November, but more than one in four voters are undecided about who they will pick, according to newly released polling data from Roanoke College. Out of 658 voters surveyed, Democrat Abigail Spanberger polled at 43%, compared to 26% who said they would vote for Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, results show. Still, 28% of respondents said they were undecided, and 3% said they would vote for someone else, with the survey’s margin of error at 5.25%, according to a press release.
Spanberger holds significant lead over Earle-Sears, but it’s still early
Democrat Abigail Spanberger leads Republican Winsome Earle-Sears by 17 points in new polling from Roanoke College; 28% of those who responded to the survey are still undecided in the race, however. Harry Wilson conducted the survey, and he says that while that number seems high, he’s not too surprised considering the candidates in the race.