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Virginia District 7 Republican candidate for Congress pledges to join House Freedom Caucus
One of the top Republican candidates for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District has pledged his fealty to the House Freedom Caucus if elected to office in November. Cameron Hamilton made his pledge to join the U.S. House Republicans' far-right wing during a podcast interview and on X, formerly Twitter, in March.
Kaine wants to help immigrant health care workers in U.S.
In Uzbekistan, Dora was a well-respected oncologist with more than 25 years of experience taking care of cancer patients. In the United States, she was told that her medical license would not be accepted, that her English was too poor to work with patients. She was encouraged to get a job in a cafeteria or as a housekeeper. “That was a big humiliation for me because nobody had ever said those bad words to me. After that, I was depressed, I cried a lot,” Dora told The Daily Progress. Dora, who asked to use a different name to conceal her identity, found employment at a large-scale, chain grocery store in Charlottesville. Yet, as a former physician once in charge of an entire medical department, the job is “horrible for me.”
Report shows Va. teachers make less than national average
Educators have long called for higher salaries, and while efforts to achieve that were successful in some parts of the country in the last year, it isn’t enough to keep up with inflation, according to a new report. The National Education Association, the largest teachers’ union in the U.S., released its newest data on teacher salaries on Tuesday. On average, teachers in the U.S. are making $69,544.
Virginia offshore wind project hits whale trouble
A federal judge has ordered the Biden administration to clarify its plans for protecting endangered whales during construction of one of the nation’s largest offshore wind farms. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has until Friday to file a report on whether NOAA Fisheries approved mitigation plans to protect the North Atlantic right whale. The order from Judge Loren AliKhan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia comes as Dominion Energy prepares to lay the foundation for wind turbines off Virginia’s coast.
Solar project proposed on Bent Mountain; Blacksburg’s ESS to expand
A Massachusetts renewable energy company has proposed placing solar panels on Bent Mountain. New Leaf Energy Inc. proposed construction of an energy facility at 9150 Reed Road that would begin generating electricity in 2027. The site is a former apple orchard — now mostly cleared for pasture — that belongs to Glenn Reed. The facility, which is described as small, will generate 3 megawatts or 4 megawatts of energy, the proposal said.
Protest continues at Virginia Tech after encampment clearing
Three days after an encampment at Virginia Tech’s Graduate Life Center was broken up by police resulting in more than 80 arrests, pro-Palestinian protesters continue to gather near the area. Everyone arrested has since been released, with court summons for the coming weeks. Some of the people who were arrested have stopped to sit with the current protesters. The newer gathering is much smaller. On Wednesday morning, there were six people sitting outside the Squires Student Center, though Zachary Weiss, a computer science student at Virginia Tech, said the numbers fluctuate throughout the day. “It all depends on when people have classes,” Weiss said. “People come and go.”
Virginia should raise its cap on film and TV tax incentives
The artists who make film and television often find themselves attracted to pursue their vision in Virginia, particularly when the subject matter springs from events that took place here. But too often the commonwealth misses out on these opportunities because other states offer more robust incentives to attract productions. Even a modest increase in those benefits would help boost Virginia’s competitiveness, and the return on investment, though not guaranteed in the fickle world of entertainment, can be substantial, making it an attractive area of opportunity that state officials should pursue.
Metro budget includes ‘modest’ service cuts, fare increases
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority last week passed its $4.8 billion Metro budget for the upcoming fiscal year with “modest changes” in service and fare increases, avoiding the drastic cuts previously proposed as the transit agency faced a $750 million shortfall. Beginning July 1, a 12.5% fare increase across all modes of transit will take effect to “keep fares in line with inflation,” a Metro press release said. ... This means bus and base rail fares will increase from $2 to $2.25, and maximum rail fares — those that apply to most trips from Loudoun County — will increase from $6 to $6.75.
Virginia Beach denies collective bargaining of city employees
The City Council denied collective bargaining of city employees in a 5-5 vote with one abstention Tuesday, and instead decided to establish employee relations committees for full-time city workers. Police officers, firefighters, emergency medical services and public works personnel wanted to negotiate better wages and enhanced employment conditions. But Mayor Bobby Dyer said the timing wasn’t right yet “given the budget constraints we have now.”
Virginia lawmakers want postmaster general to deliver on promises
U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy may have bought time with an apology to a bipartisan Virginia congressional delegation that is irate over delays in mail deliveries — including essential medications — to people in the Richmond area. But U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, both Virginia Democrats, and Rep. Rob Wittman, R-1st, and Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-4th, say they will not relax scrutiny of the Postal Service and its regional mail distribution center in Richmond.