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Virginia’s anti-DEI governor sees the light. Do we?
When governors speak, give them the benefit of the doubt. Just this once. Seven of Virginia’s former chief executives (four Republicans, three Democrats) were sending a clear message on May 17 during a Brown v. Board of Education commemoration at Virginia Commonwealth University, an event marking the 71st anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court ruling. They were all in agreement that school segregation — the “separate but equal” doctrine overturned in 1954 — was wrong then as it is now.
Prosecutor dispute in Norfolk heating up
A feud between Norfolk city leaders and Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi was on display in court [last] week as attorneys argued who has authority to handle several cases. At least one case was delayed until July as City Attorney Bernard Pishko and Fatehi laid claim. [The prior] week, Fatehi forbid Pishko’s office from prosecuting all Norfolk Circuit Court misdemeanor cases. Fatehi made the decision after Norfolk City Council members — unhappy with how shoplifting cases were handled — authorized the City Attorney’s Office to prosecute misdemeanor shoplifting offenses.
Chaplick: Youngkin refuses to fight for disabled children like mine
In 2021, Glenn Youngkin seized a rare political opportunity in Virginia to persuade a bipartisan majority of Virginians to sweep him into office under the promise of education reform and parental rights. The watershed moment when everything changed occurred in his debate with former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who infamously said, “I don’t think parents should be telling schools what they should teach.” Youngkin wasted no time skewering McAuliffe with his own words and exploiting that gaffe to win over swing voters. Youngkin’s express promise was to fight for parents to achieve education reform for Virginia.
Jamestown loses federal grant for protection against rising waters
The Trump administration has canceled a $300,000 National Endowment for the Humanities grant awarded to the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation last year. The grant, from NEH’s Climate Smart Humanities Organizations program, was intended to support mitigation strategies at Historic Jamestowne, which continues to be under threat from rising sea levels. Since 2022, when Jamestown was listed as one of the 11 most endangered historic sites by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Save Jamestown campaign has been raising money to protect the site from climate change.
Langley: Virginia took an important step to regulate license plate readers
License plate reader (LPR) cameras, which capture images of license plates and other vehicle characteristics to solve crime, have been a longstanding tool for Virginia law enforcement agencies — helping police solve murder cases, locate and rescue missing persons and apprehend violent suspects attacking government workers. Virginia law enforcement have used best practices to implement these tools in a responsible way; however, LPR use remained unregulated. As the founder and CEO of a company that has deployed LPRs in communities across the commonwealth, I have supported codifying legislation that would ensure LPRs can be used for the substantial benefits they provide, while establishing guardrails so the technology is used responsibly.
Cobb and Peace: Cuts to anti-tobacco programs will cost lives
Virginia’s Tobacco Control Program, funded by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), has been effectively defunded and dismantled as a result of recent federal action to reduce government programs and workforce. A conglomerate of nicotine and tobacco research scientists and physicians in Virginia have grave concerns about the impact of these closures and are urging Congress and Virginia’s congressional delegation to continue supporting programs that eliminate and prevent tobacco use.
Reps. Kiggans and Wittman sold out their constituents
As the sweeping Republican spending bill lurched its way through the U.S. House in recent weeks, members of Virginia’s congressional delegation promised they would oppose those sections that made life more difficult for commonwealth residents or which imperiled our economic future. Yet when push came to shove — when residents of Hampton Roads really needed the elected representatives to defend their interests — U.S. Reps. Jen Kiggans and Rob Wittman folded. On Thursday morning, they voted with their party and with the president instead of with the people they swore to serve.
Protesters Line Up at Trump National as President Meets Crypto Buyers
The sidewalks and lawn at the entrance to Trump National Golf Course were filled with protesters Thursday night as the president attended a private dinner at the venue with buyers of his $TRUMP meme coin. Lawmakers and citizens booed gala attendees as they entered the golf course and while chanting “our democracy is not for sale” and “Trump must go.” The protesters specifically referenced the gift this week of plane from Qatar to President Donald J. Trump and the recently passed Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins or GENIUS Act, which establishes a regulatory framework for payment stablecoins.
Eddie Radden Jr., Richmond activist and longtime Capitol doorkeeper, dies at 96
From city streets to church sanctuaries to the corridors of the Virginia State Capitol, Eddie L. Radden Jr. spent his life serving and uplifting the Richmond community. A lifelong advocate for civil rights and community progress, he died peacefully last Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at 96, leaving behind a lasting impact on Richmond. “Through every trial, he remained a pillar of strength, faith, and unwavering love,” Radden’s family said in a statement. “His legacy of faith, kindness, and devotion will forever guide us.”
Navy wants to test drinking water for synthetic chemicals near Chesapeake’s Northwest Annex
The Navy is asking Chesapeake residents who live within a mile of the Northwest Annex to reach out and have their drinking water wells sampled for certain long-lasting synthetic chemicals. The testing is for for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS — a combination of thousands of different chemicals that have been commonly used in household and industrial products for decades, particularly due to stain- and water-repellent qualities.