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Va. mail delivery no longer the worst, but still pretty bad
Virginia’s postal service is no longer the worst in the country, according to the agency’s main watchdog. From October to December in 2023, Virginia’s on-time delivery of first-class mail was at its lowest level in years, with a 66% on-time delivery rate. January to March of this year saw the state jump to 77%, shedding last place to Georgia. Despite the improvement, the state is still in the bottom ten of nationwide U.S. Postal Service regions for on-time delivery. Only Georgia and Wisconsin are worse.
The Post’s choices in Northern Virginia’s U.S. House primaries
Two Democratic congresswomen in Virginia who defeated Republican incumbents in 2018 have opted not to seek reelection this year: Rep. Jennifer Wexton of the 10th Congressional District suffers from a rare neurological disorder; Rep. Abigail Spanberger of the 7th District is running for governor in 2025. Nineteen Democrats are vying to succeed them in the state’s June 18 primaries. Ten Republican contenders are also running for their party’s nominations that day.
Earned sentence credit expansions, new parole board operations to take effect this year
Eligible incarcerated people in Virginia will be able to further reduce their sentences through an earned sentence credit program beginning this July. While expansions to the program stemmed from a 2020 law, it had a delayed start date in 2022 that was later blocked by Gov. Glenn Youngkin through language in a previous state budget. A renewed attempt by the Youngkin administration to block the expansions this year did not make it through final negotiations in the budget that the governor and lawmakers agreed on this week.
Hanover County School Board members discuss possible policy change on student cell phone usage
Hanover County Public School leaders are grappling with what to do when it comes to cell phones usage at schools across the district. At a meeting on Tuesday, May 14, board members had to weigh in on whether to change the district’s current policy to further limit students’ use of the devices in school buildings. The discussion at the May 14 meeting centered around whether to change the policy at elementary and middle schools in the county. The decision to revisit the policy comes as several surrounding districts have recently made changes to their cell phone policies that limit student usage.
GOP senators push to use skill games to help pay for schools
A pair of Republican senators are looking ways to legalize electronic skill games and use the state revenues they generate to pay for school construction. Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County, and Sen. Bryce Reeves, R-Spotsylvania, want to take advantage of the General Assembly remaining in session to act on potential revenue bills as a way to overcome a political roadblock from Gov. Glenn Youngkin. (The legislature did not adjourn after it passed the budget on Monday.)
Craigsville granted $3.8 million by newly passed state budget
Craigsville’s infrastructure debt and incorporation woes are over. Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed Virginia’s 2024-2026 biennial budget just hours after it was passed by the General Assembly Monday. Craigsville has waited through the entire process, with residents and Mayor Richard Fox nervous about the town's incorporation and debt payments.
Congress clears major aviation policy bill adding flights to Reagan airport
The House voted Wednesday to send the biggest aviation bill in five years to President Joe Biden’s desk. The bill, H.R. 3935, cleared on a 387-26 vote, would inject $105 billion into the Federal Aviation Administration over five years and guide policy for everything from drones and air taxis to technology intended to help planes avoid runway collisions. It will also add five long-haul, round-trip flights a day to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, despite objections from D.C.-area lawmakers.
Schapiro: A Wilder ride for Rao and Youngkin
Doug Wilder always says the loud part louder. In a little-noticed speech this past weekend, the former governor and ex-Richmond mayor artfully laid into the president of Virginia Commonwealth University, Michael Rao, and Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who appoints the overseers of VCU and more than a dozen other taxpayer-financed colleges and universities. Wilder has attacked both men before. His speech wasn’t necessarily more of the same, though, because Wilder had a different audience. He spoke to newly minted, politically focused university graduates who, he implied, should not follow Rao’s and Youngkin’s examples.
Complaints spark second review of Prince William Digital Gateway area property values
After weeks of complaints, criticism and landowner appeals, the Prince William County assessor’s office on Monday revised its sky-high assessments of properties inside the planned Prince William Digital Gateway data center corridor. Roughly half the property valuations dropped, but half went up — the result of the county eliminating one discount but replacing it with a new one. But even for those whose assessments are now lower, there is no joy in Mudville. That’s because Digital Gateway-area landowners’ assessments remain in the millions, and their tax bills will be in the tens, or even hundreds, of thousands.
Speakers show up to debate solar in Mecklenburg
Speakers for and against solar development showed up for the monthly meeting of the Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors Monday in Boydton despite there being no public discussion of any solar projects. The agenda for the meeting included a closed session discussion on a siting agreement for 7 Bridges, a proposed 80-MW facility that Longroad Energy wants to build on 499 acres northeast of Chase City near Scotts Crossroads, Courthouse Road and the Meherrin River. ... On Monday, company officials asked neighbors of the project to share their views with the supervisors.