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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.”
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.
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.
Filler-Corn pushes back on attacks from Democratic PAC, accuses them of using antisemitic tropes
With unknown funding, Virginia Democratic Action PAC is attacking former Speaker of the House Eileen Filler-Corn as she seeks the Democratic nomination in Virginia’s 10th congressional district. Filler-Corn is responding to the attacks, calling them lies and baseless accusations. Connor Farrell, the PAC’s executive director, says she “is a good lobbyist for them, but a bad Democrat for us.” … Farrell founded Left Rising, a Democratic fundraising firm. The firm’s website says its mission is to bring “exceptional fundraising to a new generation of organizations and candidates—younger, more diverse, more progressive.” His social media feed shows support for candidates who are pro-Palestine. Filler-Corn, who is Jewish, says the attacks rely on antisemitic messaging.
In Stafford, Youngkin signs three bills to protect child sex-crime victims
When Spotsylvania County Commonwealth’s Attorney Ryan Mehaffey stepped to the podium Wednesday at the Stafford County Public Safety Center, he began citing a recent Washington Post report that disturbed him. The article was about a Wisconsin man who allegedly used Artificial Intelligence to create more than 13,000 images of children engaging in sexual acts. … Mehaffey was concerned because, in Virginia, no existing law addressed the creation of AI-generated child pornography images.
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 ...
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.”
D.C., Virginia, Maryland join DOJ suit against Ticketmaster, Live Nation
D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb announced Thursday that he’s joining the Department of Justice in a sweeping lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment for monopolizing the live entertainment industry illegally, increasing ticket prices for concertgoers in the District and nationwide. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in New York, is being brought by 30 state and district attorneys general, including Schwalb, Jason Miyares of Virginia, and Anthony Brown of Maryland. The suit alleges Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation, is conducting itself in a way that thwarts competition in markets across the industry.
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.
Bills to help kids avoid foster care, improve social media safety signed by Youngkin
Gov. Glenn Youngkin ceremonially signed legislation Tuesday intended to help children avoid foster care. “By establishing a robust statutory framework centered on kinship care, we pave a pathway towards permanency for Virginia’s children, ensuring consistent practice across all local social services,” Youngkin said in a Tuesday news release. ... Legislation relating to online protections for children’s data and a merger between two educational institutions in Norfolk are among the other final bills that recently received Youngkin’s signature.