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Styrofoam containers will soon be banned in Virginia
Your food and drink orders in Virginia may start to look a little different. Starting July 1, large food vendors across the state will no longer be allowed to use single-use expanded polystyrene, a plastic foam material commonly referred to by the brand name Styrofoam. That includes plates, cups, bowls, trays and hinged containers. State lawmakers passed the ban four years ago, following the lead of others such as Maryland, New York and Washington, D.C. Implementation was delayed. Gov. Glenn Youngkin tried unsuccessfully to push it further through a proposed budget amendment earlier this year.
Democrats, including Va. senators, raise war powers concerns as Trump mulls Iran strike
Senate Democrats are increasingly concerned that President Donald Trump is considering striking Iran without seeking authorization from Congress — or even filling them in on his plans. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) is mounting a last-ditch push to force a vote as soon as next week to restrain Trump from attacking Iran without Congress’s approval. Other Senate Democrats say the White House has not briefed them on its plans for a potential strike. And some are warning that the situation reminds them of President George W. Bush’s push to invade Iraq more than two decades ago. “If this president wants to completely ignore the intelligence community, we are playing [on] dangerous ground,” Sen. Mark R. Warner (Virginia), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told reporters. “This is exactly the way we got ourselves into Iraq.”
Youngkin administration touts Virginia economy as Senate Democrats, GOP spar over ‘Big, Beautiful’ budget cuts
Members of Governor Glenn Youngkin’s administration offered an optimistic view of the commonwealth’s finances Wednesday morning, but senators from both parties disputed what future cuts could lead to next year. Youngkin’s Secretary of Finance Stephen Cummings told the Senate Finance Committee Wednesday [that] Virginia collected over $1.5 billion in additional revenues last month, a sign that the Commonwealth’s economy remains healthy. ... But Democratic Senator Barbara Favola expressed concerns about how state revenues could be impacted once President Donald Trump’s budget bill gets passed and cuts to assistance programs kick in.
Democrats to launch ‘Worst of Winsome’ tour in Charlottesville
If being behind in the polls and fundraising weren't bad enough for Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears' campaign for governor, a new "Worst of Winsome" tour launches this Friday and will be criss-crossing the commonwealth for days. The Virginia Democratic Party will be launching the tour Friday in Charlottesville. A coinciding website, www.worstofwinsome.com, has already gone live. ... The tour is not directly connected to the campaign of Earle-Sears' Democratic opponent, former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th. Amjad said the project is a product of the state Democratic Party.
Virginia Rep. Griffith on deportations: ‘I’m fine with people who want to share the American dream’
Debate has been tense about which undocumented immigrants should be prioritized for deportation, even within Republican circles. News Channel 11 spoke with Virginia Congressman Morgan Griffith in Bristol on Wednesday, and while the discussion centered around the federal spending bill, the “Big Beautiful Bill,” the Ninth District Republican said he believes broad-based raids on farms, clothing factories and hotels could take a back seat, at least for now. After a directive to back off raids on farms and hotels late last week, Homeland Security is reported to have reverted to the previous order early this week.
UVa alumni clash over President Jim Ryan's record
Over the past month, a conservative alumni group has called for the resignation of University of Virginia President Jim Ryan, saying his “politicized and feckless leadership” has “severely damaged UVa's core values and reputation.” As it stands, Ryan, who arrived in Charlottesville in August 2018, has a contract that does not expire until July 31, 2028. The Jefferson Council, however, believes the state’s flagship university is in crisis now due to "seven critical leadership failures," ...
Kaine confronts Defense secretary over post names
Saying the names "should never have been changed in the first place," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the Trump Administration's decision to restore the original names of Army posts, mostly in the South, that were changed from memorializing Confederate heroes to reflect diversity in the military. During a Senate Armed Services Committee meeting Wednesday, June 18, Hegseth and Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, had a tense exchange as Kaine – an opponent of the reversion – accused Hegseth of not caring about erasing the legacies of the people whose names were on Forts Gregg-Adams, Barfoot and Walker from the history annals.
State Sen. Tara Durant announces her intention to run for Congress
State Sen. Tara Durant wants to trade Richmond for Washington. Durant, a Republican from Stafford County, on Wednesday announced her intention to run for Congress. If she were to get the GOP nomination, that would likely set up a contest next year versus Democratic Rep. Eugene Vindman in Virginia’s 7th District, which includes the Fredericksburg area. Vindman, who lives in Dale City, won the seat in November in a close — and closely watched — race against Republican Derrick Anderson, who grew up in Spotsylvania County.
They fell in love on WhatsApp. The travel ban means their wedding is off.
They had sent out invitations, bought their rings, and arranged travel logistics: Mohamed Abdo, the groom-to-be, would fly from Virginia to Egypt, where he would marry his fiancée, Hana Abdalaziz, in a traditional Sudanese wedding. The ceremony in Cairo scheduled for next month was supposed to be a festive, in-person introduction for the couple, who had fallen in love over WhatsApp after each of them fled armed conflict in Sudan and landed on opposites sides of the Atlantic Ocean. For months, they talked every day over video calls about building a life together in the D.C. suburb where Abdo, 44, had made a home and started a career.
Part 3: He saw his dad ostracized for reporting on civil rights. She grew up to be the Register’s first Black reporter.
David Womack was told to avoid downtown Danville during the summer of 1963. His parents instructed him to stay away, he recalls, though countless other kids his age were there daily — and the only difference between them and David was the color of their skin. He knew they were participating in civil rights demonstrations, but he was 14 years old and it was summertime. “I knew there were things going on that were impactful, but at first, I had other priorities in my life at the time,” David said, looking back on that summer 62 years ago. But the demonstrations began to feel very real to David when he saw how much his father cared about them — and how their family was treated as a result.