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Chesterfield official doesn’t expect local impact from Dupont’s split
The top economic official for Chesterfield County said Thursday that he does not expect plans by DuPont de Nemours to split into three separate entities will have an impact on the factory in North Chesterfield. “What goes on (in Chesterfield) is part of their industrial sector and will remain part of the industrial company,” said county Director of Economic Development Garrett Hart. ... About 2,000 are employed on the 525-acre site just south of the Richmond city border.
Yancey: An art show at an Augusta County school prompts an emergency school board meeting
In the spring of 2023, the theater departments at Lynchburg’s two public high schools joined together to produce the popular, but often controversial, musical “The Prom,” which is loosely based on the true story of a gay couple banned from attending their high school prom. Lynchburg City Council member Marty Misjuns blasted the choice: “It’s absolutely appalling to me that the publicly funded Lynchburg City Schools would put on a production with children that openly mocks the vast Judeo-Christian majority in our city … Lynchburg City Schools should immediately cancel the rest of these productions out of respect for those that believe in, prescribe to, and practice the Christian faith.”
Friday Read A fan hit by a foul ball stayed through the 9th. Now she’s on a baseball card.
Topps Now trading cards have celebrated some of baseball’s biggest achievements in recent years. One marked Shohei Ohtani cranking his 40th home run last season. Another commemorated Framber Valdez throwing a no-hitter with the fewest pitches in more than two decades. And a third memorialized the Chicago Cubs blasting seven home runs in a single game, the most by a team in nearly a half century. The newest addition to the Topps Now pantheon: Liz McGuire, a 40-year-old project manager from Toronto. Her achievement: getting drilled with a 110 mph foul ball during Friday night’s Toronto Blue Jays game and, despite a baseball-sized knot on her forehead, staying until the last pitch.
Youngkin: Education is the bedrock of attaining the American dream
The American Dream is essentially rooted in attaining a quality education, Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin told attendees at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute’s RISE summit on Thursday. Youngkin said he has made education similarly a bedrock of his tenure in Richmond, in that he is dedicated to improving the lives of Virginians and helping to offer the next generation a chance to live to their fullest potential. “I wake up every morning, and I start a quiet time, because I need to first thank the Lord for putting me here… and I thank Him and say, ‘Please, Lord, what should I do today; how should I do it?’ – and education is always top of the agenda.”
U.S. Park Service reverses course, will allow Mass at Petersburg cemetery
Facing a lawsuit and pressure from Virginia officials, the National Park Service on Thursday agreed to allow the Petersburg council of the Knights of Columbus to hold a Memorial Day Mass at Poplar Grove National Cemetery — a reversal from the NPS’ earlier decision to bar the group from observing religious ceremonies on the grounds of the cemetery. Attorneys for the Petersburg chapter of the Catholic fraternal organization on Tuesday filed a motion seeking a restraining order against the NPS, alleging that the service was violating the organization’s First Amendment rights by blocking the Mass, court records show.
Gov. Youngkin lauds new initiative as a collaborative approach to solving Southwest Virginia’s problems
A new initiative called Accelerate Southwest Virginia was announced in Wise on Thursday by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who said the collaborative effort will take a holistic approach to solving the region’s problems by focusing on infrastructure, economic development, health care, housing and lowering the cost of living. The governor said those are the issues that were most talked about during a “listening tour” he held across the region on March 20. “I believe we need to go faster and accomplish more,” he said.
Bubbosh and Hicks: In fight against climate change, rural localities need help. Here’s the plan
The amount of federal funding through the Inflation Reduction Act and other laws that is available to local governments is staggering. There are billions of dollars in federal assistance for buildings, vehicles, electricity and more that target local governments. This funding can help Virginians lower home electricity bills and vehicle fuel costs, protect and enhance property values, ensure energy security and independence, and improve overall quality of life. However, without more direct state government support and assistance, Virginia’s small and rural areas will struggle to access these funds ...
Wheaton: At Richneck, 6-year-old shooter exposes a broken system
When I returned last year to work in the Virginia special education world, a decade after my daughter’s high school graduation, I anticipated that I would see substantial progress in how the Virginia Department of Education and local school districts implement the legal and ethical rules that should guide how public schools educate students with disabilities. Instead, I’ve spent the last year witnessing the continued failures of a broken system.
Virginia agriculture thrives despite mounting challenges
For the fifth consecutive year, Memorial Day weekend will pass without the Pungo Strawberry Festival, once a mainstay on the region’s calendar that put a welcome spotlight on agriculture in Hampton Roads. It’s especially disappointing this year when, by all accounts, it was a banner year for the crop. While the event is missed, it’s worthwhile for residents here to show some appreciation for our area’s farmers, whose toil, skill and dedication annually produce a tremendous bounty for our dinner tables. Their hard work deserves acclaim and support as they face a future made more challenging by a changing climate.
Youngkin signs legislation aimed at protecting children
Governor Glenn Youngkin signed legislation on Wednesday that protects children from exploitation, missing child alerts and sentencing guidelines. “As a father of four children, I know that protecting our children is a parent’s highest priority. By signing these pieces of legislation today we continue to make progress to ensure the safety and well-being of our children. I am proud to sign these bills that protect our children and hold those who commit atrocities against children accountable,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin.