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Funding from the Virginia Lottery a drop in the bucket for school divisions
As funding troubles put some schools in our region on the chopping block, some may wonder why lottery funds aren’t coming to the rescue. After all, since the year 2000, all lottery profits have gone to education by law. The big jackpots bring in big money for the Virginia lottery, with dreamers hoping to cash in on prizes like April’s $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot.
Workforce and child development hub on track to open in Abingdon this summer
Travis Staton donned a hard hat Thursday and proudly showed off some of the features — from exploration labs to a cafe — of the first-of-its-kind Regional Workforce and Child Development Hub taking shape in Abingdon. Construction of the $25.5 million project started last July, and it is on schedule and about 85% complete, according to Staton, who is president and CEO of EO, formerly the program arm of United Way of Southwest Virginia.
Virginia Guard, Finland in formal partnership
The connection was forged nearly 25 years ago when soldiers from the Virginia National Guard‘s 29th Infantry Division served alongside soldiers from Finland on a peacekeeping rotation in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Now, Virginia’s Guard is the official state partner of Finland’s Defense Forces. Gov. Glenn Youngkin made it formal during a visit to Helsinki on his four-nation trade mission, signing a partnership agreement with Finnish Minister of Defense Antti Häkkänen.
After suing parent for $600K, Bedford School Board reduces case to $1
The Bedford County School Board is deescalating its efforts to sue a parent with a history of hostile interactions with school staffers about accommodations for his special needs son. But an attorney for the father involved blasted the statement the board issued this week and suggested the case may not be over yet. The board announced Wednesday that its earlier request for at least $600,000 in damages has been reduced to just $1 after the parent, David Rife, agreed to new ground rules on how he and school personnel would communicate.
Hashmi enters lieutenant governor contest as ‘progressive champion’
Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield, formally entered the Democratic nomination contest for lieutenant governor on Thursday, calling herself a “progressive champion.” The 2025 Democratic contest already features four candidates — Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney; Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach; Dr. Babur Lateef, an eye surgeon and chairman of the Prince William County School Board; and Hashmi.
Three Democrats seeking 5th District nomination agree to agree in campaign forum
Three Democrats are vying for their party’s nomination in the June 18 primary elections in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District to take on Rep. Bob Good, R-Campbell County, the incumbent, who faces his own primary challenge by state Sen. John McGuire, R-Goochland. The three Democratic candidates, Paul Riley, Gary Terry, and Gloria Witt, met at a candidate forum in Danville on Thursday evening to discuss their backgrounds and legislative priorities and generally agreed on the issues. They also talked about how they’d run in November against a GOP candidate in a heavily Republican district.
Lower fuel prices mean a break for Dominion customers
Dominion Energy‘s monthly bills are headed lower — about 3% for a benchmark residential customer bill — as prices of the fuel it burns to spin its electricity generators declines. The electric monopoly is asking the State Corporation Commission to approve a drop in its pass-along for fuel costs, with that savings partly offset by an increase to cover higher costs for its transmission lines.
Crisis averted, fares hiked: What Metro’s new budget means for riders
After months of financial challenges and threats to shutter rail stations and bus lines, Metro has a new budget that avoids catastrophic service cuts. But it still comes at a cost to riders. The transit agency’s board passed a $4.8 billion budget last week for the coming fiscal year that will maintain rail and bus service levels but raise fares by 12.5 percent.
Pro-Palestinian protesters at Virginia Tech challenge university’s account of events
Students and faculty held a press conference at Virginia Tech on Thursday evening to challenge the university’s account of a pro-Palestinian encampment that was dismantled late Sunday night, resulting in 82 trespassing arrests. After the encampment was broken down by Virginia Tech police late Sunday night with assistance from Virginia State Police and local police departments, the university has continued to suppress student-led protests by “heavily policing, intimidating, and threatening retaliation against its own students and faculty who want to continue exercising their constitutional rights,” said Desiree Poets, an assistant professor in the political science department at Virginia Tech.
UVa student protest diminishes in size as it enters third day
A student-led protest at the University of Virginia remained peaceful but had noticeably diminished in size as it entered its third day Thursday. UVa’s demonstration stands in stark contrast to how larger anti-Israel protests have unfolded across the country and the commonwealth. As of Thursday evening, there were roughly 40 protesters on UVa Grounds, mostly concentrated near the chapel adjacent to the university’s landmark Rotunda.