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Dominion: Big development projects get electric bill discounts
Wooing Virginia development projects for the kind of growth that generates scores of jobs and millions of dollars of new investments can sometimes mean millions of dollars of breaks on electric bills. In Virginia, such projects received some $24 million worth of discounts on utility bills since Dominion Energy’s launch of an incentive program nine years ago, according to a Richmond Times-Dispatch analysis of State Corporation Commission filings.
Two Democrats seek to unseat Virginia Beach Rep. Jen Kiggans
Two Democrats are running in the June 18 primary to get the chance to challenge Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Virginia) in the fall. Early voting for the race kicked off Friday. Missy Cotter Smasal is a Navy veteran and former small business owner. She ran for State Senate in 2019, but lost. The establishment of the party has lined up behind her. … Jake Denton is a lawyer and first time political candidate. He says many of the endorsements came before he entered the race.
Virginia repackages past incentives for Micron expansion in Manassas
Virginia is repackaging a five-year-old economic development incentive package for Micron Technology Inc. to bring a new line of semiconductor chip manufacturing from Taiwan to its production plant in Manassas. The package, which a General Assembly oversight commission approved last month, includes about $46 million in unspent financial incentives from an agreement with the Idaho-based semiconductor chip company in 2018. It included $70 million in state money for a $3 billion expansion of the plant and creation of 1,106 jobs.
Nearly complete Mountain Valley Pipeline springs a leak during tests
A section of the Mountain Valley Pipeline atop Bent Mountain ruptured Wednesday during tests to determine the pipe’s integrity before it begins to carry natural gas under high pressure. The buried pipe failed as it was undergoing hydrostatic testing, which involves running highly pressurized water through it to ensure there are no leaks or flaws, a Mountain Valley spokeswoman said.
Dinwiddie prosecutor moves to drop charges against five more defendants in Irvo Otieno case
Dinwiddie County’s new commonwealth’s attorney has moved to drop murder charges against five defendants accused in the death of Irvo Otieno in 2023. Initially, 10 defendants were charged last year with second-degree murder of the 28-year-old in a case that rocked the nation after video surfaced of a shackled Otieno being held down by multiple officers and hospital personnel. ... Later, charges were dropped against two hospital employees who appeared to have the least amount of contact with Otieno in video showing his death. ... The latest move, first reported by television news station WTVR, would bring the number of defendants down to three.
Clean-energy funding in limbo in governor–assembly standoff
Virginia could be about to leave on the table $300 million of low-cost federal financing to tackle climate change because Gov. Glenn Youngkin and the General Assembly take different views on a proposal for how to access the money. At issue is a proposal from Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, to set up a Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank. He’s proposing the new entity to tap the Department of Energy’s offer of low-interest-rate loans to finance clean energy projects, investments in reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and similar efforts. The governor wanted to amend the measure, to require a second vote by the General Assembly next year.
Schapiro: Budget deal is work in progress
In their fight with short-timer Gov. Glenn Youngkin over Virginia’s new $188 billion budget, Democratic legislators appear to be going long, betting that they can get what they want — higher taxes and more spending — after the Republican drifts into history in 19 months. Ahead of their scheduled — but unannounced — meeting with Youngkin this coming Tuesday, General Assembly budget writers are floating a possible deal under which both sides, over the approaching two-year fiscal cycle, retreat on taxes: Democrats backing off on expanding the sales tax to digital services; Youngkin surrendering on income tax cuts.
Good and McGuire clash in 5th District GOP primary; loyalty to Trump a factor
Not far from where Rep. Bob Good, R-5th defeated his previous Republican challenger in a 2022 convention at Hampden-Sydney College, he recently spoke to a crowd of about 50 in an event room at Charley’s Waterfront Cafe. “I was ‘too conservative’ and now I’m ‘not conservative enough,’ ” Good said, speaking of how his opponents in both parties have classified him over the years. The two-term congressman now faces a challenge from state Sen. John McGuire, R-Goochland, in a June 18 primary in which the degree of loyalty to former President Donald Trump has become a litmus test.
General Assembly budget leaders might back off expanded sales tax
General Assembly budget leaders say they will back off expansion of Virginia’s sales tax if state revenues continue to be high enough to pay for legislative priorities. Those priorities include expanded state funding for public education and health care, as well as toll relief in Hampton Roads and additional money for the Washington Metro public transit system. Senate Finance Chair Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, and House Appropriations Chairman Luke Torian, D-Prince William, confirmed on Friday that state tax collections appear to be high enough to support spending priorities in the next two-year budget without expanding the sales tax to digital services ...
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.