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VPAP Visual Record Vetoes in 2024
With the final vetoes complete as of last Friday, Governor Glenn Youngkin has set a new record for bills vetoed in a single year, axing a total of 201 bills. This year alone, Youngkin has killed more legislation than any recent governor of Virginia has in their full four-year term.
Danville taking inventory of water service lines under EPA mandate
Danville Utilities is taking an inventory of public and private water service lines as part of an EPA mandate to remove lead from water systems across the country. All water service lines, public and private, that are found to have lead will have to be replaced in 10 years, according to the EPA mandate, said Danville Utilities Director Jason Grey. Danville Utilities is currently compiling an inventory for public lines — those leading from the water main to a property’s water meter — by going through its records, Grey said.
Yancey: Roanoke city manager’s departure comes as city council faces an unusual amount of turnover
The job of the next Roanoke City Council just got more interesting. But first, so does the job before city voters this summer and fall. City Manager Bob Cowell announced his resignation Monday night, at the tail end of the council meeting. Cardinal’s Tad Dickens has more details, such as they are. I’ll focus on the politics — and the future. Cowell’s departure comes as the Roanoke City Council is about to undergo an unusual amount of turnover. At least three, and maybe four, members of the seven-member council won’t be there next year. Mayor Sherman Lea and council member Trish White-Boyd are retiring. Council member Luke Priddy is resigning to take a job out of town. That guarantees three new members on the dais.
DOD contract fuels $41.2M expansion of Orange County rocket factory
Defense contractor L3Harris Technologies has entered into an agreement with Orange County to fund a $41.2 million expansion and modernization of the company’s Aerojet Rocketdyne facility there. The effort is intended to increase solid rocket motor production while growing the company’s presence in the commonwealth, according to a joint statement from Orange County, Gov. Glenn Youngkin and L3Harris.
VIPC launches $100M fund partnership for Va. startups
The Virginia Innovation Partnership Corp. is partnering with seven venture capital fund managers to invest $100 million in 100 Virginia-based startups. Through the partnership, announced Monday by Gov. Glenn Youngkin and named Virginia Invests, VIPC will commit $40 million to the seven funds using previously awarded funding from the U.S. Treasury Department’s State Small Business Credit Initiative.
Amazon data center arm buys Manassas site
Amazon.com Inc. has acquired another Manassas-area site approved for data center development, this one for $218 million. The e-commerce giant’s data center arm, Amazon Data Services Inc., bought the 91-acre assemblage at 14237 and 14209 Dumfries Road from Parsons Business Park LLC on April 25, according to Prince William County property records. The sale price works out to about $2.4 million per acre.
Backed by rival GOP factions, veterans in Virginia’s 7th District primary look similar on paper
Save for the facial hair, it would have been hard to tell Derrick Anderson and Cameron Hamilton apart. Sitting side by side at a candidate forum here earlier this month, the front-runners in one of Virginia’s most competitive GOP primaries both highlighted their time serving in elite military units and then in the federal government. Both pledged to go hard on China and campus protesters while pitching themselves as Republicans’ best chance to flip this battleground seat.
Va. Sen. Mark Warner meets with students, university staffs over FAFSA glitches
Monday afternoon U.S. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia met with Northern Virginia students and both high school and college administrators to hear concerns over the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly shortened to FAFSA. Months behind schedule, the U.S. Department of Education rolled out what was supposed to be a new, shorter, easier process for filling out FAFSA around New Year’s. But in addition to being late, the rollout of the new application has been plagued by glitches and other difficulties that are blamed for a large drop in students both filling out and completing the form.
In the face of a lawsuit and veto, Virginia Beach’s election system still up in the air
A Circuit Court judge Monday denied a request that would have prevented district-based elections of Virginia Beach City Council members this fall and will issue an opinion soon on whether a lawsuit against the city’s voting system can move forward. The 2024 election will continue as planned under the current ward-based system, said Deputy City Attorney Chris Boynton. Former Norfolk Judge Charles Poston presided over a hearing Monday on a lawsuit brought by former Councilman Linwood Branch and several other residents who contend that the city “illegally manipulated the Virginia Beach electoral system by eliminating three at-large seats that are expressly established under the City Charter,” and deprived the rights of voters. On Friday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed a bill that would have aligned Virginia Beach’s city charter with its district-based election system, citing the pending lawsuit.
Roanoke City Manager Bob Cowell to resign
Roanoke City Manager Bob Cowell announced his resignation Monday night at the end of a city council meeting. Without comment, the council unanimously accepted his resignation, effective June 7, and appointed Mayor Sherman Lea to serve as temporary interim manager. “We as a city council will do what we need to do to keep the city going,” Lea said after the meeting adjourned. Cowell has served as city manager since 2017. He declined questions on Monday night ...