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Some Virginia schools incorrectly using state law to remove library books, study reveals
A new study from a nonpartisan government agency revealed that while most Virginia school divisions are not removing any books from their libraries, some are incorrectly citing a 2022 state law to justify removals. The study, released Monday by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), found that 344 books (243 titles were removed, with some being removed in multiple school divisions) have been removed from school libraries by about one-third of the divisions that responded to survey.
Number of unemployed Fairfax residents reaches a level not seen since mid-2021
Federal workforce cuts implemented by the Trump administration and, as of July 8, enabled by the U.S. Supreme Court have helped drive the number of unemployed Fairfax County residents to heights not seen in nearly four years. A total of 21,705 county residents were counted as unemployed in May, according to new data reported by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement. That’s up 35% from a year before.
Arlington unemployment rate reaches highest point since the pandemic
Arlington’s unemployment rate has risen to its highest point in nearly four years. A total of 5,061 Arlington residents were counted as seeking jobs in May, according to new figures from the Virginia Employment Commission. That’s the highest total since the 5,523 recorded in July 2021, when the nation was still in the grip of Covid.
Free Narcan, fentanyl testing available through new Richmond vending machines
Richmond is installing new harm reduction vending machines across the city, equipped with free Narcan, fentanyl testing strips and personal hygiene products. “This life-saving program is about meeting people where they are, with compassion and dignity,” Mayor Danny Avula said. The machines are part of the city’s Office of Opioid and Substance Use Response. Officials say the goal is to prevent overdoses and support Richmonders living with substance abuse disorders.
Sites slated for mystery data center projects in Chesterfield sell for nearly $60M
Entities involved in plans to build proposed data center campuses in western Chesterfield have dropped tens of millions of dollars in recent days to secure the project sites. More than 1,200 acres between the two sites, one near Moseley and the one near Westchester Commons, have changed hands for a combined total of about $60 million in multiple transactions that closed in late June, according to Chesterfield courthouse records.
Former speaker Gilbert sworn in as U.S. Attorney for Western Virginia
On his first day as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, Todd Gilbert said it’s a job he has long desired. Although Gilbert has held other high-profile positions as a Virginia lawmaker and Speaker of the House of Delegates, he still remembers fondly his previous tenure as an assistant commonwealth’s attorney in several jurisdictions. “I bring to this job truly the heart of a prosecutor,” he said in an interview Monday at the U.S. Attorney’s Roanoke office, several hours after he was sworn in by District Judge Thomas Cullen.
Professor responds to new GMU federal investigation over alleged discriminatory hiring practices
George Mason University (GMU), Virginia’s largest public university, is under federal investigation over its hiring practices, marking the second time in a month the institution has come under scrutiny by the U.S. Department of Education. The Trump administration's latest inquiry accuses GMU of racial bias in its hiring practices, alleging the university prioritized diversity over credentials. The probe continues a broader nationwide campaign targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at universities that uses funding from the federal government. ... Faculty concern grew louder Monday after VA-AAUP released a sharply worded letter condemning the federal probe as a politically motivated “hit job.”
JLARC says some school districts are incorrectly citing a 2022 law when removing books from libraries
The Joint Legislative and Audit Review Commission (JLARC) presented a report to members of the General Assembly on Monday about books that are being removed from school libraries across Virginia. The report found that school divisions have the authority to select and remove books from libraries, but some are misinterpreting a 2022 law to justify removing titles. The state has no authority over which books school libraries carry, and current law offers no guidance to divisions on how to manage library collections, according to JLARC. The Board of Education requires each school to maintain a library with materials that support instruction, research, inquiry and general student interest.
Greene County staff permitted to speak to press after pushback from First Amendment groups
Greene County leaders now say staff are free to talk to the press after multiple county employees said they were previously gagged under county "policy." Those leaders, who have denied there ever was such a policy, were prompted to speak after First Amendment lawyers and advocates sent a letter to the county supervisors last month demanding they rescind the policy. "It remains a mystery how Greene County employees came to believe they were strictly prohibited from speaking to the press if no such thing was ever communicated to them,” Seth Stern, director of advocacy for the New York-based Freedom of the Press Foundation and one of the letter's signatories, told The Daily Progress in an email.
Youngkin: Global firm to open headquarters in Sterling
Gov. Glenn Youngkin has announced that ORBCOMM Inc., a global firm producing internet-connected devices, will establish its global headquarters in Sterling, according to a news release. ORBCOMM will invest up to $3 million in job creation and will expand into 22,000 square feet of office space. The project, pending Loudoun County Board of Supervisors approval on July 15, is estimated to create as many as 51 jobs or more.