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Persons: Honor promises to people with developmental disabilities

By GREY PERSONS, published in Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

Virginia stands at a pivotal moment in its history, poised to uphold its commitment to ensuring “A Life Like Yours” for all its citizens, including those with developmental disabilities. The recent allocation of $200 million in the state budget to eliminate the priority-one waitlist for Medicaid waivers marks an historic moment to be recognized and celebrated. At long last, this funding promises access to crucial services for thousands of individuals identified as needing support. However, it’s crucial to recognize that merely funneling funds into the existing system won’t suffice. Virginia must strive for a more integrated, individualized approach ...

Persons of Norfolk is president of The Arc of Virginia Board of Directors.

VaNews March 29, 2024


Lead Fairfax Co. prosecutor calls Gov. Youngkin’s gun vetoes ‘boneheaded’

By NICK IANNELLI, WTOP

The lead prosecutor in Fairfax County, Virginia, slammed Gov. Glenn Youngkin on guns, using the word “boneheaded” when describing the governor’s recent vetoes. It came after Youngkin announced earlier this week that he’d vetoed 30 pieces of gun-related legislation. While Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano, a Democrat, said he was pleased that the Republican governor did not veto a bill that would create new restrictions related to firearms that have a serial number that has been scratched off. He told WTOP that Youngkin “did make a lot of, in my opinion, boneheaded decisions when it comes to common-sense gun laws.”

VaNews March 29, 2024


Youngkin vetoes legal cannabis market, minimum wage hike

By ANDREW CAIN AND ERIC KOLENICH, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Thursday announced he has vetoed seven more bills, including measures to set up a legal market to sell cannabis and to increase the state's minimum wage. In 2021, Virginia made it legal for adults to possess and use small amounts of cannabis, but did not authorize buying or selling, and a black market has emerged in the void. Youngkin has long said he was not interested in setting up a legal market for sales.

VaNews March 29, 2024


Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel project behind by 18 months

By JOSH JANNEY, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

The completion of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel expansion project has been delayed by 18 months and isn’t expected until 2027, the Virginia Department of Transportation announced Thursday. The more than $3.9 billion project will widen Interstate 64 from two to four lanes in each direction and construct two two-lane tunnels, doubling the road segment’s capacity. The project was expected to be completed in 2025. But the Thursday announcement of the revised project schedule sets the substantial completion date for Feb. 26, 2027, and a final completion date for Aug. 27, 2027.

VaNews March 29, 2024


Millions in federal dollars announced to address Virginia’s abandoned coal mines

By BRAD KUTNER, WVTF-FM

A top official at the U.S. Department of the Interior was in Richmond Thursday to announce millions of dollars to help reclaim abandoned coal mines from Wise to Chesterfield Counties. Acting Deputy Secretary of the Interior Laura Daniel-Davis was joined by Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Director of the Department of Energy, former Delegate Glenn Davis, to announce the nearly $23 million in funds made available thanks to the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Davis said the money will go towards training and creating much needed jobs in the region.

VaNews March 29, 2024


$1M grant to expand wireless capability along 460 corridor

Bristol Herald Courier (Metered Paywall - 15 articles a month)

The Virginia Coalfield Coalition received a $1 million grant from the Virginia Department of Energy’s Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization grant to increase wireless network access along 20 miles of the Route 460 corridor. The new towers will serve two major industrial parks, at least 25 businesses, about 131 households and enable use of various mobile technology, according to a written statement.

VaNews March 29, 2024


Virginia adopts regulatory changes for special education amid federal review

By NATHANIEL CLINE, Virginia Mercury

The Virginia Board of Education on Thursday adopted changes to how the state handles compliance complaints regarding students with disabilities. Since 2019, Virginia has been under ongoing investigation by the U.S. Department of Education, which previously determined that the state repeatedly failed to resolve complaints filed by parents and did not have “reasonably designed” procedures and practices to ensure a timely resolution process for those complaints. The regulatory changes, which would align Virginia with federal regulations, replace standards that had not been updated since July 29, 2015.

VaNews March 29, 2024


What the arena deal demise means for toll relief in Hampton Roads

By EMILY HARRISON, WVEC-TV

It’s official: The Washington Capitals and Wizards will not be moving to Virginia. This means some of the negotiating between Virginia Republicans and Democrats has also come to an end. For months, Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin pushed legislators to make room in the budget to allow a $2 billion district that would house the new arena in Alexandria, Virginia. This includes several offers to work on other agendas that were important to Democrats, including more tunnel toll relief.

VaNews March 29, 2024


Youngkin vetoes bills that would legalize retail marijuana sales, increase minimum wage

By GAVIN STONE, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Thursday vetoed seven bills, including those with the potential to reshape life in Virginia. HB 698 and SB 448 aimed to establish a retail market for marijuana starting in May 2025. HB 1 and SB 1 would have increased the state’s minimum wage from $12 per hour to $13.50 at the start of the new year and $15 per hour starting in 2026. Both passed the House and Senate by tight margins. The marijuana bill would have “endanger[ed] Virginians’ health and safety,” Youngkin said in a release.

VaNews March 29, 2024


Loyalty test: Bob Good and his conservative allies want voters to know he’s Trump’s man

By JASON ARMESTO, Daily Progress (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)

Mike Johnson's grip on the speaker's gavel in the U.S. House of Representatives was already loose, but now two of the hard-right Republicans responsible for the coup that ousted his predecessor are not ruling out doing it again. Four members of the 42-strong conservative House Freedom Caucus were in Scottsville Wednesday as part of Rep. Bob Good's "Freedom Fighters Tour" reelection campaign.

VaNews March 29, 2024