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Veterans rally the troops, state leaders in support of education benefits
When this year’s high school seniors started applying for scholarships, Stuart McFaden told his son, Riley, he didn’t have to worry about finances. “I paid your bill with my body, my sacrifice, my mind,” said McFaden, a Spotsylvania County veteran who served 20 years in the Marine Corps. “I told him to save those scholarships for other kids who could use the leg up.” ... McFaden and other veterans statewide recently discovered language in the state budget bill that would lessen VMSDEP’s benefits. Instead of covering the full costs, the program would become a last payer, used only after students have exhausted other local, state and federal funding.
Dominion Energy delays construction for offshore wind farm, says lawsuit won’t affect timeline
Dominion Energy delayed installation of the first batch of offshore wind turbine bases for its Virginia Beach wind farm, but a spokesperson said an ongoing lawsuit will have no impact on the construction timeline. Installation of the wind turbine monopiles, expected to begin this week, could get underway as soon as next week, said Dominion spokesperson Jeremy Slayton. He said a slight delay in the arrival of an installation support vessel pushed back the start date. However, Slayton said the Orion, the large ship which will transport and install the monopiles, is ready to go after a bit of required maintenance.
Schapiro: UVa professor takes the long view on the law
Soon to be 91, Dick Howard has spent more than two-thirds of his life pondering constitutional principles. It’s a line of work that’s allowed him to travel the nation and the world. He’s dispensed advice to foreign countries such as Hungary, which — having escaped the orbit of the former Soviet Union — embraced democracy but is now re-embracing authoritarianism. These days, some of the thorniest questions about fundamental rights are unfolding a short distance from Howard’s home in a sylvan section of Charlottesville.
In rural Virginia, sea-level rise swamps septic systems. A local partnership is testing a solution.
On Virginia’s rural Middle Peninsula, Jamie Miller is the guy you call when something goes wrong with the least glamorous part of your home. “‘I can’t flush my toilet. I have sewage backing up in my house,’” Miller said, listing off some of the typical calls he receives. … A lifelong resident of Gloucester, Miller was born into the sewage business. He owns Miller’s Services, a plumbing company first started by his grandparents in the 1970s. But in recent years, the nature of the work has changed. Many homes in rural regions of Virginia rely on standalone septic tanks to handle wastewater because they aren’t connected to a municipal sewer system. When he took over in 2001, Miller said, the business was usually called to maintain working septic systems. Now, more and more septic systems are failing altogether, Miller said, flooding homes and yards with sewage that can threaten residents’ health and the local environment. The problem lies underground.
McGuire says he won’t participate in sole debate set for 5th District GOP primary
A spokesman for state Sen. John McGuire said Wednesday that the Republican from Goochland will not participate in what would have been the first and possibly only candidate debate in one of the most contentious GOP primary battles nationwide this year. McGuire’s response comes after the Amherst County Republican Committee announced that the senator would face his opponent, Rep. Bob Good, R-Campbell County, on a debate stage at Sweet Briar College at 7 p.m. May 20 for the first time after half a year of dealing each other blows on social media, during campaign speeches and in interviews.
Alexandria anti-‘Zoning for Housing’ case gets another day in court
Alexandria succeeded in its bid [Wednesday] to dismiss a case filed by residents furious with a citywide zoning overhaul that allows developers to build homes with up to four units on any property, but residents will get a chance to try again in a month. … The zoning reform package was unanimously approved last year by City Council after an extensive public engagement process. It includes citywide changes to single-family zoning, expansion of transit-oriented development, reducing parking requirements for single-family homes and analyzing office-to-residential conversions. The effort is meant to increase affordable housing options, as well as eliminate segregationist zoning practices of the past.
Shenandoah County Fair pig scramble called ‘unfair and unjust’
The Shenandoah County Fair pig scramble was scrutinized during Woodstock’s Town Council’s meeting Tuesday night after a Lorton resident made the 90-minute drive to speak against the popular event. The pig scramble is held annually, with over 300 local children participating in last summer’s rendition. Children from 3 to 8 years old, their hands covered in lard, are tasked to catch one of a group of running pigs. If a child manages to capture one of the 3-month-old pigs up for grabs, it is theirs to take home.
Louisa Co. supervisors reverse decision to cut Piedmont Virginia Community College funding over Jewish film
What exactly Piedmont Virginia Community College President Jean Runyon said to convince the Louisa County Board of Supervisors that a documentary called “Israelism” by two Jewish filmmakers wasn’t antisemitic remains unclear. Though it must have done the trick, as the board unanimously voted Monday night to overturn the resolution it had passed just one week prior that cut off the county’s funding to the school, a sum of $6,000 this year.
Yancey: Should Virginia abandon its one-term governor rule?
Today’s controversial opinion: Gov. Glenn Youngkin is making the case for why Virginia governors should be allowed to run for a second term. Mind you, I’m not saying Youngkin deserves a second term. I’m not saying he doesn’t, either. I’m not even saying Virginia should allow governors to seek reelection. However, I am saying that we should think about all this. Regular readers know that I like to explore ideas, so here’s the one for today: Should Virginia governors be allowed to run for a second term? Virginia is the only state that limits its governor to a single term. More technically, Virginia doesn’t allow consecutive terms.
Texas man gets a year for role in 2017 torch-wielding mob at UVa
A frequently convicted White supremacist who once dared adversaries to shoot him and launch a race war has pleaded guilty to a charge stemming from his participation in the torch-wielding mob that marched across University of Virginia Grounds in 2017. William Henry Fears IV of Pasadena, Texas, made his plea Tuesday in Albemarle County Circuit Court, where he received a one-year term, the longest of any of the men who have been charged for their involvement in the 2017 episode.