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By MELISSA GOLDIN,
Associated Press
CLAIM: A video shows Virginia Governor Ralph Northam during a 2019 radio interview speaking in support of infanticide, or “after-birth abortions.”
AP’s ASSESSMENT: False. Northam was giving a hypothetical example of what could happen if a mother whose fetus had severe deformities, or wasn’t otherwise viable, requested an abortion while in labor. His comments came in response to a question about whether he supported state legislation that would have loosened restrictions on abortions later in pregnancy. Experts told The Associated Press that abortions in the third trimester are extremely rare.
VaNews April 12, 2024
New York Times
(Metered Paywall - 1 to 2 articles a month)
A special grand jury found that the shooting of an elementary teacher by a 6-year-old student in Newport News, Va., last year was preceded by a “shocking” series of lapses by the school’s assistant principal at the time. Read the special grand jury report here.
VaNews April 11, 2024
By BEN PETERS,
Inside NOVA
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors chair is applying pressure on members to back substantial raises in data centers taxes as the board barrels toward approval of next year’s budget and faces growing pushback on the plan.
At Tuesday’s board meeting, Chair Deshundra Jefferson, a newly elected Democrat who campaigned on raising taxes on data centers, appeared to speak directly to members of her party who may be skittish to impose on the industry an elevated tax rate in a one fell swoop.
VaNews April 11, 2024
By LUKE WEIR,
Roanoke Times
(Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)
One-time state funds will go a long way for the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, its director said, as staff and lawmakers continue down a winding track toward recurring support. A $500,000 allocation is earmarked in the state budget for the transportation museum downtown. That money would fund several more items on the expansive to-do list of museum Director Mendy Flynn, she said.
VaNews April 11, 2024
By COY FERRELL,
Loudoun Times
(Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)
“This is not a data center application. This is not a data center application,” Chuck Kuhn said as he turned to a largely hostile group of about three-dozen people gathered at Leesburg Town Hall April 4. Many in the room responded with quiet grumbling.
At the Leesburg Planning Commission meeting, Kuhn repeatedly insisted that his real estate development company, JK Land Holdings, has every intention of constructing a flex industrial building — not a data center — on the 7.6-acre site currently occupied by what remains of the former Westpark Golf Club hotel and conference center.
VaNews April 11, 2024
By DAVID KLEPPER,
Associated Press
Don Beyer’s car dealerships were among the first in the U.S. to set up a website. As a representative, the Virginia Democrat leads a bipartisan group focused on promoting fusion energy. He reads books about geometry for fun.
So when questions about regulating artificial intelligence emerged, the 73-year-old Beyer took what for him seemed like an obvious step, enrolling at George Mason University to get a master’s degree in machine learning.
VaNews April 11, 2024
By BRITTANY SLAUGHTER,
WSET-TV
Lynchburg City Council is in a battle with school leaders over the district’s budget and in the middle of it all is the future of two schools. School leaders told council without more money those schools could close in a matter of weeks.
School leaders say $4.3 million is needed to round out next year’s budget, and if they don’t get it, T.C. Miller and Sandusky elementary schools could close earlier than expected.
The two elementary schools are slated to close in 2025, following a school board vote from last September.
VaNews April 11, 2024
By STEPHEN FALESKI,
Smithfield Times
(Paywall)
Slots-style betting machines would likely remain illegal throughout Isle of Wight and Surry counties under Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s requested amendments to a General Assembly bill seeking to overturn Virginia’s so-called “skill game” ban. State Senate Bill 212, sponsored by Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach, proposes to repeal a 2020 law that had reclassified the pay-to-play machines as illegal gambling, and instead tax them. Rouse’s bill passed the Senate in a 32-8 supermajority in February and cleared the House of Delegates in March in a narrower 51-45 vote.
VaNews April 11, 2024
By SUSAN CAMERON,
Cardinal News
Come June, a giant dirt-covered site in Cedar Bluff near the Tazewell County-Russell County line is expected to again buzz with heavy equipment as work resumes on the long-awaited salmon farm project that is now expected to open in mid-2028.
The news was announced Wednesday by Karim Ghannam, co-founder and chief investment officer for 8F Asset Management, a Singapore-based private equity manager. 8F created Pure Salmon, the company building the salmon farm in Southwest Virginia.
VaNews April 11, 2024
By KATIE KING,
Virginian-Pilot
(Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
A substitute amendment from Gov. Glenn Youngkin would overhaul a bill intended to protect access to birth control in Virginia. “It gutted it in all senses with enforcement and in actual protections,” said Del. Cia Price, a Newport News Democrat who introduced the legislation in the House. The original bill states that health care providers have the right to prescribe contraceptives, and individuals have the right to obtain and use them. The measure did not pertain to abortion and defined contraceptives as any drug or device legally marketed and intended for use in the “prevention of pregnancy.”
VaNews April 11, 2024
