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Chesley: Virginia sheriff’s stance on illegal immigration colors landscape on searches of Latino motorists
Traffic stops and searches of Latino motorists in Loudoun County have increased dramatically the first three months of this year compared to the same period in 2024, sparking complaints from activists and some residents. The Sheriff’s Office asserts that deputies are simply patrolling more vigorously where serious crimes, historically, have occurred in the county. “We are not stopping vehicles nor doing searches on the basis of ethnicity,” Tom Julia, spokesman for the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, said flatly, rejecting allegations of racial profiling. “We completely disagree that it’s targeting of any group.” Julia made convincing arguments.
White: U.S. security at sea depends on NOAA
A recent executive order, “Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance,” seeks to “promote national security and economic prosperity” by revamping U.S. shipbuilding capacity and rebuilding domestic maritime industries. It’s worthwhile indeed to have modern vessels and efficient maritime supply chains. But I cannot reconcile this push for robust ocean commerce with the Trump administration’s gutting of our ocean expertise. The U.S. has long had an exceptional understanding of the world ocean — operating on, under and above it with impunity. What is happening at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is devastating.
Feds list localities in Southwest, Southside as ‘sanctuary jurisdictions.’ These Trump-voting places are baffled.
Nearly one dozen Southwest and Southside localities were included on a list published Thursday by the Department of Homeland Security deemed to be “sanctuary jurisdictions.” Many of those localities are considered Republican strongholds that voted for President Donald Trump in the 2024 election. That list included Amherst, Augusta, Brunswick, Charlotte, Halifax and Tazewell counties, along with the cities of Lynchburg and Martinsville — which was erroneously listed twice, as a county and a city — and the towns of Abingdon, Duffield and Tazewell. Abingdon, Tazewell and Duffield — a town with a population of 73 people — were also erroneously identified as “cities.” About 33 localities from across Virginia were included in that list. Update: As of Sunday morning, the list had been removed from the DHS site.
‘No MAGA left behind’: The trouble with Trump’s pardons
A jury convicted Scott Jenkins, the disgraced ex-sheriff of Culpeper County in Virginia, of taking more than $75,000 in bribes in exchange for deputizing rich businessmen so they could get out of speeding tickets and carry guns without permits. Two undercover FBI agents who gave him envelopes of cash after he gave them badges testified at his trial. Luckily for Jenkins, he has long been an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump. On Monday, the day before he was due to report for his 10-year prison sentence, Trump pardoned him.
Corneliussen: Fort Monroe is a world landmark, not merely a ‘regional’ one
Even more than Monticello, Fort Monroe on Point Comfort (look right when nearing Hampton on the bridge tunnel) inherently commemorates the world’s first freedom nation’s founding. Thankfully, overdevelopment can’t threaten Monticello. But leaving aside sensible, recently reported plans to repurpose two existing buildings, outright new development — harming spirit of place — has often threatened Fort Monroe since the 2005 announcement of the Army’s 2011 departure. Like Monticello, Point Comfort with Fort Monroe could become a World Heritage Site.
Homeland Security removes ‘sanctuary jurisdiction’ list as Virginia cities and counties push back
The Department of Homeland Security's list of so-called "sanctuary jurisdictions" has disappeared from the agency's website. The list included several localities from Central Virginia. The removal comes as communities pushed back, saying they were incorrectly included on the list. Visitors to the DHS Sanctuary Jurisdictions web page now see an error message stating the page may have been "moved, deleted, or is otherwise unavailable." The site published Thursday listed more than 500 localities as sanctuary jurisdictions, including the City of Richmond, Chesterfield, Henrico and Hanover counties. DHS defined these as places "obstructing immigration enforcement."
In Hopewell, Youngkin signs bill banning cellphone use in schools
The week began with Memorial Day, but if Gov. Glenn Youngkin had his way, it would have ended with an “independence day” of sorts. “Freedom has been unleashed in the classrooms,” Youngkin proclaimed prior to signing legislation codifying his 2024 executive order prohibiting cellphone usage in public schools. He repeated the word “freedom” several times, noting that without the devices in their hands, students now have the freedom to learn from their teachers and interact with their peers while not being tethered to their phones.
Va. House Republicans choose Kilgore as their new leader
House Republicans elected Del. Terry Kilgore, R-Scott, as their new caucus leader Sunday, following Del. Todd Gilbert’s offer to step down amid his pursuit of a federal appointment. The leadership shake-up drew interest from multiple House Republicans. Delegates Joe McNamara, R-Roanoke County; Kilgore; and Michael Webert, R-Fauquier, were all lobbying for support. McNamara never officially threw his name into the race, however. Only Kilgore and Webert made their case in speeches to the caucus before the vote took place. House Republicans ultimately selected Kilgore.
Wall Street Is All In on A.I. Data Centers. But Are They the Next Bubble?
Artificial intelligence still seemed the stuff of science fiction when a real estate developer named Chad Williams bought a plot of land, roughly half the size of a football field, in Overland Park, Kan. Mr. Williams, who had taken over his family’s business of car lots and office furniture suppliers, used the land in 2003 to build his first data center, a big, boxy warehouse housing powerful computers. More than two decades later, the company Mr. Williams built, Quality Technology Services, is at the heart of one of Wall Street’s biggest gambits: the race to profit from artificial intelligence.
From VPAP Now Live: PACs’ Pre-Primary Campaign Finance Reports
VPAP has posted pre-primary disclosures from Virginia PACs. See which state PACs have raised the most money and have the most cash on hand for the covered time period. If you are interested in a specific committee, you can drill down for a sortable list of donations reported from April 1 to May 25.