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Why is teacher pay at one Richmond-area school $17,100 higher than another?
Good teachers are critical to student success. Meanwhile, schools say strong salaries attract and retain strong educators. Yet teacher salaries can vary considerably across the Richmond area. For example, the average salary at Richmond’s Fairfield Court Elementary is $17,100 higher than the average teacher salary at Falling Creek Elementary in Chesterfield County. Why? A Virginia Department of Education salary survey published in March compiled average pay at schools across the state in 2024.
Jones: As gaming options grow, Virginia supports responsibility
Casinos, online sports betting, the Virginia Lottery, charitable gaming, live horse racing and historical horse racing (HHR) … all these forms of gaming are thriving. Gaming-related revenues have set record highs in the commonwealth each year for the past five years. All that has translated into increased revenues for the commonwealth, individual localities and K-12 public education. With this increase in activity, we are seeing a corresponding rise in the number of people seeking help for problem gambling and gambling addiction.
Trump shut out refugees but is making exception for White South Africans; Va. will help with welcome, sources say
Months after the Trump administration ground U.S. refugee admissions to a halt, suspending a program that lets in thousands of people fleeing war or political persecution, it is preparing to restart that effort — but only for one group: White South Africans. Plans are underway to fly approximately 60 Afrikaners to Dulles International Airport on a State Department-chartered plane Monday, with federal and Virginia officials preparing to receive them in a ceremonial news conference, according to documents and emails obtained by The Washington Post, as well as three government officials familiar with the preparations.
ACLU seeks injunction to block book bans in military schools, including in Virginia
The American Civil Liberties Union on Thursday asked a federal judge in Virginia to immediately halt what it calls a sweeping campaign of classroom censorship in military-run schools — including at Crossroads Elementary in Quantico — stemming from executive orders issued by former President Donald J. Trump earlier this year. The motion for preliminary injunction, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, follows a lawsuit brought last month on behalf of 12 students enrolled in Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools. The students, from pre-K to 11th grade, are children of active-duty service members stationed in Virginia, Kentucky, Italy and Japan.
Audit: Richmond Retirement System lost $415K from payments to dead people
The Richmond Retirement System made at least $555,000 in erroneous payments to dozens of former city employees after they had died, according to a new audit report, and the city has been unable to recoup most of the money. The overpayments to deceased retirees occurred over nine years, and about $415,000 of the total has not been recovered by the city, according to the report released Friday by the office of City Auditor Riad Ali.
Youngkin to UVA Wise grads: Find purpose
Almost 300 UVA Wise students marched Saturday to receive bachelor’s and master’s degrees and Army commissions. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin avoided mentioning policy or national politics as he gave the commencement keynote address to the college’s class of 2025. Saturday’s graduates included approximately 270 bachelor’s candidates, 24 master’s recipients and nine Army ROTC cadets receiving commissions as second lieutenants Saturday or later in the summer.
Bonds and Newby: Data centers, nondisclosure agreements and democracy
Data centers evoke strong and conflicting opinions. Advocates point to the truly significant revenue they can generate for local governments. Opponents point to data centers’ enormous energy needs, climate impacts, water use and their capacity to diminish the quality of life for residents living nearby. To weigh the costs and benefits of data centers and to set the ground rules for any potential data-center development, local governments should empower members of the public with all relevant information to foster a meaningful debate. We fear, however, that the widespread use of nondisclosure agreements and a larger ethic of secrecy regarding data center development curtails this discussion and, in so doing, impairs local democracy.
Drug overdoses continue to show marked decline
The latest numbers compiled by the Virginia Department of Health show fatal drug overdoses are down over 34% for 2024, compared to 2023. The main takeaways in the quarterly report for the fourth quarter of 2024 from the Virginia Department of Health show fatal drug overdoses have been the leading method of unnatural death in Virginia since 2013, the number of illicit opioid deaths surpassed prescription opioid deaths in 2015 and the trend is continuing, and although fatal drug overdoses peaked in 2021, they began to decline slightly in 2022 and 2023 with a substantial decrease last year.
Gilbreath: I’ve spent over $100K on child care. I’d do it again
On Monday, May 12th, families across the country are participating in a national “Day Without Child Care” — a coordinated day of action to call attention to a crisis that too many parents, especially in Virginia, know all too well. Imagine what our lives, our communities and our economy would look like if there was no child care. For too many families, this isn’t just a thought exercise — it’s their daily reality. Seven years ago, when I told my boss I was pregnant, she gave me a piece of advice I’ll never forget: “Get on a waitlist for day care — now.” I was only eight weeks along, but I immediately put my son on a waitlist to secure a spot three months after giving birth. I thought she was exaggerating. She wasn’t.
Storm preparations are key as weather forecasting succumbs to Trump cuts
Hampton Roads residents hear every year about the importance of preparedness in advance of the Atlantic hurricane season, which begins on June 1. The region hasn’t suffered a direct hit in decades, however, so many people likely shrug off those warnings, figuring they’ll be ready when it matters. This year, with meteorologists predicting a busier-than-average season, it’s more important than ever to be storm-ready. Cuts to the National Weather Service and climate research could compromise the quality and accuracy of forecasting, putting more Americans at risk during extreme weather events. That’s a worrisome proposition as our region turns toward the tropics and awaits what may come.