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Caps, Wizards will stay in D.C. under deal announced by Bowser, Leonsis

By JONATHAN O'CONNELL, TEO ARMUS, GREGORY S. SCHNEIDER, MICHAEL BRICE-SADDLER AND MEAGAN FLYNN, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser and Ted Leonsis, owner of the Wizards and Capitals, signed a deal Wednesday that — if approved by the D.C. Council — would keep the teams in downtown D.C. until 2050, abruptly ending the owner’s planned move to Virginia. Under the terms of the deal, D.C. will spend $515 million over three years to help Leonsis modernize the arena, and Leonsis will sign a new lease keeping the teams in D.C. for 25 more years.

VaNews March 28, 2024


Lawmakers tour the state, offering contrasting budget visions

By JAHD KHALIL, VPM

Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly wrapped up a tour across the state Wednesday, as they promote the budget proposal Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin has been campaigning against. State Sen. Louise Lucas (D–Portsmouth) and Del. Luke Torian (D–Prince William) made a final stop at a hospital in Southwest Virginia. It comes after events in Hampton Roads, Richmond and Northern Virginia. The tours mark opposing sides taking their arguments to stops around the commonwealth — rather than expressing their views during press conferences at the Capitol and in letters to one another.

VaNews March 28, 2024


Chesapeake Public Schools’ new security includes scannable IDs, weapon detectors

By CONOR HOLLINGSWORTH, WTKR-TV

... Last week, the Chesapeake Public Schools Security Task Force outlined security changes they are making. One of them is a weapon detector pilot program. “It uses propriety sensors in an AI system to look at anything that carries the level of alloy, shape, that would construe a weapon so then we’re not having the whole historical metal detectors where you’re dumping everything in a basket to go through,” said [Penny Schultz, Assistant Director of School Safety and Security at Chesapeake Public Schools].

VaNews March 28, 2024


Lawmakers Pass Bill Allowing Digital News Sites to Post Public Notices

By OLIVIA DILEO, VCU Capital News Service

Lawmakers passed bills during the 2024 General Assembly session that impact the press, including online public notices, FOIA costs and government transparency. The session was more promising for the press than some past sessions, according to Mechelle Hankerson, president of the Society of Professional Journalists Virginia Pro Chapter. ... Local governments are currently required by state law to advertise certain public notices in newspapers. ... Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, introduced House Bill 264 to allow online-only publications to also post the public notices – and generate revenue from them ...

VaNews March 28, 2024


Hampton Roads regional landfill is filling up fast

By IAN MUNRO, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

The South Hampton Roads regional landfill is filling up faster than previous planning scheduled, leaving questions about how residents will dispose of their waste in the future and what it will cost. The challenge is twofold. The landfill is facing an uphill regulatory challenge to expand its capacity, according to Dennis Bagley, executive director of the Southeastern Public Service Authority. Meanwhile, a facility that burns up to 70% of waste destined for the landfill and converts it into energy is closing in June and has already dialed back how much waste it’s burning.

VaNews March 28, 2024


Spotsylvania officials speak out against regional approach to transportation

By TAFT COGHILL JR., Fredericksburg Free Press

Most of the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors made it clear during a meeting Tuesday night they have no interest in joining a Regional Transportation Authority with Fredericksburg as well as Stafford, King George and Caroline counties. While Battlefield District representative Chris Yakabouski and Deborah Frazier of the Salem District left open the possibility if more information demonstrates that it will be beneficial to the county, others stated explicitly they do not support the idea.

VaNews March 28, 2024


Governor honors former state Sen. Frank Ruff

By CHARLES WILBORN, Danville Register & Bee

Gov. Glenn Youngkin paid tribute Tuesday to former state Sen. Frank Ruff by signing a bill to rename the Center for Rural Virginia in his honor. Ruff announced his retirement from the General Assembly in December citing health concerns after a recent cancer diagnosis.

VaNews March 28, 2024


A look at who Youngkin pardoned in 2023

By RYAN NADEAU, WRIC-TV

Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) pardoned nearly 100 people between Jan. 16, 2023 and Jan. 16 of this year. This is Youngkin’s second year issuing pardons as the Governor of Virginia. In his first year, Youngkin granted substantially fewer pardons — 30 in total. In his four years serving as Governor of Virginia, former governor Ralph Northam (D) granted over 1,200 pardons. Of Youngkin’s total 98 pardons, the vast majority of them were simple pardons — which the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Virginia describes as a “statement of official forgiveness.”

VaNews March 28, 2024


How the equity fund could help more people cultivate and sell cannabis—if Youngkin signs the bill

By MICHAEL CHUN, VCU Capital News Service

Virginia’s plan for a recreational cannabis market includes a way to help micro businesses, formerly known as the social equity license, get involved with what is anticipated to be a multimillion dollar business — if the plan survives the governor’s desk. The Virginia Cannabis Equity Loan Fund will provide grants, low-interest and zero-interest loans to qualified micro business licensees, according to legislation passed by the General Assembly.

VaNews March 28, 2024


Schapiro: Apparently, third time wasn’t the charm

By JEFF E. SCHAPIRO, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

Glenn Youngkin said his proposed $2 billion sportsplex for Alexandria — now dead — would produce 30,000 jobs and pump $12 billion into the local economy over 40 years. In other words, he argued, the arena was a game changer. The Republican governor, fast running out of time to fashion a legacy founded on compromise with Democrats, rather than combat, had already changed two other games — to the dismay of communities on opposite ends of the state.

VaNews March 28, 2024