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Virginia GOP embraced a diverse ticket in this year’s elections. Then things got complicated
Republicans engaged in scrubbing the federal government of diversity, equity and inclusion programs are fielding a historically diverse ticket in Virginia in one of the only states holding elections this year. Those two things aren’t inherently incompatible, and some experts say nominating diverse candidates could reinforce the argument that officeholders should be chosen on merit. But in the shadow of Washington, where President Donald Trump’s push to stamp out DEI programs has caused turmoil at colleges, businesses and throughout the federal government, things have gotten complicated.
Yancey: Is Fairfax County gaining population or losing population? Here’s why two estimates differ.
In the famous quantum mechanics thought experiment known as Schrödinger’s Cat, the question concerns the status of a feline in a box with a flask of poison and something radioactive: Under some quantum theories, the cat is both alive and dead at the same time. Fairfax County is Virginia’s Schrödinger’s Cat. In the annual population estimates from the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia, the state’s largest locality is losing population. In the latest population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, it’s gaining population. So which is it?
Yancey: Former Del. Barnie Day, known as ‘Virginia’s Mark Twain,’ dies
Sometimes on winter mornings, Barnie Day would wake up and find a freshly killed deer hanging in his barn in Patrick County. He often had no idea who had left it, but that’s not what mattered. What mattered is that the hunters who hauled their kill to Day’s barn knew that he’d know what to do with it. “They knew Barnie would know who didn’t have meat in his refrigerator, so Barnie would call around and see who needed venison,” says Jack Betts, Day’s friend and former neighbor. Day died Monday at age 72. Those who follow Virginia politics might remember Day from his brief stint in the House of Delegates more than a quarter-century ago, during which he made such a name for himself as an orator that he was mentioned as a possible candidate for lieutenant governor.
Chesapeake’s first proposed data center already faces opposition
A Chesapeake developer has filed plans to build the first large-scale data center in Hampton Roads. Longtime developer Doug Fuller said the project is designed to handle computing for artificial intelligence applications and is made possible by tens of millions of dollars of new ultrafast internet infrastructure built by the city and region to lure tech businesses. But before Fuller’s plans were submitted to the city, opposition to the data center was already fomenting online.
In sales, fast-food and some medical fields, 33% of Virginia workers struggle financially
One of every three workers in the Fredericksburg region and beyond — who hold down 20 of the most common occupations in the state — doesn’t earn enough money to make ends meet. That’s according to new research from United Ways across Virginia and their research partner, United for ALICE. . . . “The crux of the struggle,” as the United Way puts it, is the gap between wages and expenses. The report looked at costs in 2023 and noted that a family of four in Virginia needed, on average, more than $99,000 a year, just to cover the essentials.
Transco plans another natural gas pipeline project for Va.
The natural gas pipeline developer The Williams Companies plans another pipeline expansion in Virginia, this time to run from Pittsylvania County to parts north. The Transco Power Express would supply markets north of the Transco compressor station in Chatham with up to 950 million cubic feet of gas daily, serving “the power-hungry Virginia market,” Williams’ President and CEO Alan Armstrong said last week on a quarterly earnings call.
Rep. Vindman, state lawmakers decry federal environmental rollbacks at Prince William Forest Park event
Elected leaders representing Prince William County and nearby areas joined U.S. Rep. Eugene Vindman during a Friday news conference denouncing the Trump administration’s approach to environmental policy outside the Prince William Forest Park Visitor Center.
Virginia aims to boost progress in SOLs by making it part of students’ final grades
Starting in 2026-2027, the results of standardized testing will make up 10% of a student's final grade. The decision came as part of a bipartisan effort to increase test results across the Commonwealth. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, Virginia students have barely progressed in test scores since sharply falling after the COVID-19 pandemic. While Democrats and Republicans have traded blame for the outcome, both agreed an overhaul was necessary.
Richmond receives Notice of Alleged Violation from Virginia Department of Health for fluoride spike
The Virginia Department of Health has alleged that Richmond appears to have operated its Waterworks in violation of the Public Water Supplies law when the spike in fluoride levels occurred in April, which was caused by pump issues. According to an announcement by a city spokesperson, the city received a Notice of Alleged Violation from VDH on Monday, May 12, for an incident in April when a pump installation at the city’s water treatment plant caused fluoride levels to increase in city water temporarily.
GOP candidates for state House seat debate data centers
Data center sprawl — and their massive power demands and big-dollar political contributions — were the hot topic of a recent forum involving Republican candidates vying for their party’s nomination to run for the 21st District seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. Gregory Lee Gorham, 65, of Sudley Springs, and Sahar Smith, 57, of Catharpin, took part in the event, which was sponsored by the Bull Run Republican Women’s Club and held at Giuseppe’s Ristorante in Haymarket. The third candidate, Xanthe Larsen, did not attend.