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State lawmakers chew on possible food safety updates for Virginia in wake of federal cuts
Since taking his post in President Donald Trump’s cabinet, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has spearheaded a national movement to “make America healthy again,” including a plan to phase out synthetic dyes from foods, which have been linked to adverse effects in children. Virginia lawmakers also worked on a law to ban synthetic dyes from foods in public schools that Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed this spring. But cuts to the federal agencies responsible for food regulation are alarming, state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield, and Del. Mark Sickles, D-Fairfax, said on a call Wednesday, and work against the food safety and the public health goals Kennedy has professed.
Williams: Children at risk: Transforming Virginia’s child welfare system
As Commissioner of Social Services and inspired by Gov. Youngkin’s unwavering commitment to Virginia’s families, I want to speak directly to the challenges and opportunities before us in protecting our commonwealth’s children. Virginia is at a crossroads. Gov. Youngkin has made it clear: the well-being of our children is not just a priority, it is a moral imperative and a measure of our success as a commonwealth. Yet, the data tells us we are falling short. In 2024, the Department of Social Services received nearly 95,000 reports of alleged child abuse and neglect — a 27% increase since 2020. Even more troubling, in 2023, 38 children died as a direct result of abuse or neglect, and in 71% of those cases, there was active or prior child welfare involvement. This is unacceptable and demands urgent, collective action.
UVA student-led groups urging General Assembly to reject BOV appointee Cuccinelli
Eighteen different student groups at UVA sent a joint letter to every member of the General Assembly on Wednesday, calling for them to block the confirmation of an appointed Board of Visitors member, Ken Cuccinelli. After Gov. Glenn Youngkin fired Bert Ellis from the board, he appointed Cuccinelli, a former Virginia attorney general, to take that spot. Many UVA students were frustrated with the governor's decision, claiming Cuccinelli has previously undermined the safety and security of students across the commonwealth.
Debate grows over when to roll out higher academic standards in Virginia
As Virginia prepares to revise its academic benchmarks for students, a select group will consider how quickly the state should implement its proficiency ratings. The committees could recommend either a single-year transition or a more gradual approach over several years. However, any decision could significantly impact how schools, students, and communities respond. Implementing the changes over a year could have immediate effects but might also lead to rushed decisions. A phased approach over several years could help reduce anomalies, but may delay schools from receiving timely interventions.
Dem lawmakers urge state action after U.S. food safety cuts
It’s time to take a hard look at what have been some obscure parts of state government now that the Trump administration has been cutting food safety oversight, the two chairs of the General Assembly’s health committees said Wednesday. The state’s agriculture and health departments each have food safety branches, but the federal government has taken the lead for decades. Now, though, staff cuts last month led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to suspend its quality control program for Grade A Milk.
Virginia Beach schools, special education leaders reexamining student seclusion policies
Amid concerns about the treatment of an 11-year-old autistic boy in a special education program, a top administrator said the type of makeshift seclusion area where the child was placed should not have been in classrooms. Laura Armstrong, executive director of Southeastern Cooperative Educational Programs, told members of the Virginia Beach Special Education Advisory Committee during a May 12 meeting that special education classrooms “can’t have an impromptu seclusion area” like the one reported in a VCIJ at WHRO investigation. A Virginia Beach City Public Schools administrator told the panel that the division is re-examining its policy on using restraint and seclusion to calm students during a behavior crisis.
Youngkin to set special election for Connolly’s seat amid primary season juggle
As Fairfax County laid to rest longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly Tuesday, attention shifted to the fast-moving process of replacing him in Congress — a decision that rests with Gov. Glenn Youngkin and could reshape the calendar for both parties in the politically vital 11th District. ... A spokesperson for Youngkin on Tuesday declined to say whether the governor has made a decision on when to schedule a special election. Under Virginia law, the governor is required to issue a writ of election to fill a vacancy in the U.S. House of Representatives. However, there is no mandated timeline for doing so.
Va. Democrats on track to break primary early voting record
Ever since Virginia expanded early voting in 2021, more people have been using absentee mail-in and early in-person voting options. But if current numbers hold, Virginia Democrats could blow previous primary early voting records out of the water. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, by the end of the June primary in 2021, with five gubernatorial candidates on the ballot, Virginia Democrats had cast about 125,000 primary votes. In June 2023, with all House of Delegates and state Senate seats on the line, it hit 129,000. But as of last week, according to the Virginia Board of Elections, that number is over 80,000 votes so far this year. And there’s still three more weeks of early voting left to go.
‘Here we go again’: Richmond hit with second boil water advisory in five months
For months, Richmond officials have said January's water problem should never happen again. On Tuesday, it happened again. “Here we go again,” said Melanie Horner, one of several city residents who took to their nearest grocery store on Tuesday morning to stock up on bottled water after learning tap water in some parts of Richmond had been deemed unsafe to drink without boiling it first. The routine felt all-too-familiar for many city residents and businesses as Richmond officials announced Tuesday that clogged filters at the water treatment plant had led to a loss of pressure.
How some local police agencies are using license plate reader surveillance cameras
“I’m not good,” the man behind the wheel of the black Toyota Corolla repeatedly told Radford city police officer J.K. Caudell during a traffic stop last July. Caudell found two empty vodka bottles under the passenger’s seat of the car and a mixed drink in the cupholder. The man’s parents had called police after receiving texts from him saying he was planning on crashing his car. Flock Safety cameras identified and located his vehicle based on information from the parents. Caudell pulled him over before he could harm himself or anyone else.