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By MATT BUSSE,
Cardinal News
A federal judge on Wednesday ordered that a $1 billion federal lawsuit filed by West Virginia’s governor, his family and their companies against a Martinsville-based bank and its board be transferred from a court in West Virginia to Virginia.
Gov. Jim Justice; his wife, Cathy; their son, Jay; and more than a dozen of their family companies filed the suit in November. They allege that Carter Bank & Trust and its directors have violated banking laws and prevented the Justices from working with other lenders so that the bank can continue collecting interest on the family’s loan portfolio.
VaNews April 25, 2024
By DAVE RESS,
Richmond Times-Dispatch
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Gov. Glenn Youngkin is headed to Europe next week on his third international trade mission. He is scheduled to meet with President Alexander Stubb of Finland as well as with business executives, trade associations and officials there and in Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Munich, Germany; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Zurich, Switzerland. … The aim is to further strengthen Virginia’s economic and cultural connections, which already include the 119 German firms operating here, 30 from Switzerland, 13 from Denmark, and eight from Finland.
VaNews April 25, 2024
By CAITLYN BURCHETT,
Virginian-Pilot
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More than half a billion dollars in construction is in the works at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth as the Navy modernizes the historic yard to repair current and future high-tech warships. Norfolk Naval Shipyard, with roots dating back to 1767, is about five years into a modernization process to better support the maintenance of Ford-class aircraft carriers and Ohio-, Virginia- and Columbia-class submarines. The modernization will allow the shipyard to get warships battle-ready at a quicker pace, Mark Edelson, program executive officer for industrial infrastructure, told the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance during a meeting last week.
VaNews April 25, 2024
By TAFT COGHILL JR.,
Fredericksburg Free Press
There weren’t any tense exchanges during the forum for Democratic candidates seeking the 7th Congressional District seat Wednesday night at the Fredericksburg Convention Center.
The seven candidates who took the stage at the event sponsored by the Fredericksburg Free Press largely expressed similar views when it came to issues such as supporting gun control, U.S. globalism, the federal legalization of marijuana and the potential banning of TikTok, among other concerns.
So, when providing closing remarks, candidates made their pitch explaining how they are best equipped to defeat a Republican challenger in November, keep the ultra-competitive 7th District in the hands of a Democrat and potentially turn the U.S. House of Representatives blue.
VaNews April 25, 2024
By GRAHAM MOOMAW,
Virginia Mercury
After a closed meeting that lasted more than an hour and a half, the Petersburg City Council abruptly voted Wednesday to pick Baltimore-based Cordish Companies as the developer that will have a chance to build a casino in the economically struggling city.
There was nothing on the council’s meeting agenda indicating such a monumental decision could be happening on Wednesday afternoon, and council members quickly left the mostly empty auditorium without explaining the move to the handful of reporters in attendance. Several members said “no comment” when approached.
VaNews April 25, 2024
By JEFF E. SCHAPIRO,
Richmond Times-Dispatch
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Virginia Democrats are falling in line and falling in love. With Levar Stoney’s strategic retreat — rather than risk a pasting for the 2025 gubernatorial nomination, he’s risking a pasting for the 2025 lieutenant governor’s nomination — Democrats are forgoing a contest for their top spot to rally behind Abigail Spanberger, whose politics and posturing seem to give almost everyone in a party still whining over Glenn Youngkin’s squeaker victory in 2021 something to cheer about.
VaNews April 25, 2024
By CHARLIE PAULLIN,
Virginia Mercury
Another attempt to impose tighter regulations on the menhaden fishery in Virginia was defeated Tuesday and interested parties again called for the state to study the menhaden population.
The Virginia Marine Resources Commission voted 5-3 to deny a petition from the Chesapeake Legal Alliance that sought to limit the catch of Omega Protein, the lone menhaden reduction fishery in the Chesapeake Bay.
Recreational fishing groups and other supporters of a cap have argued that overfishing menhaden, a tiny, yet nutrient rich fish, is causing the decline of the Bay’s striped bass population.
VaNews April 25, 2024
Virginian-Pilot
Editorial
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When the commonwealth enters into an agreement on a large-scale, multi-year economic development project, it’s essential any agreement be structured in a way that protects taxpayers. The nature of such initiatives means that plenty can change over time and Virginia shouldn’t be obligated to pay if things don’t pan out.
The Amazon headquarters in Northern Virginia is one such example. The online retailer has slowed hiring there amid an economic landscape roiled by the pandemic, and it’s a credit to lawmakers that the deal they struck didn’t commit the commonwealth to pay for empty offices if the company misses its job-creation targets.
VaNews April 25, 2024
By DWAYNE YANCEY,
Cardinal News
One-third of the localities that are rated the best able to pay for their own schools also have more than 50% of their students living in poverty.
That’s a fact, based on data from the Virginia Department of Education.
Now here’s an opinion: That doesn’t seem right.
The culprit here is the Local Composite Index, the funding formula that determines a locality’s ability (or inability) to pay for its own schools — and therefore determines how much the state will pay to make up the difference.
Bath County, Lancaster County and Surry County are among nine localities all scored at .8000 — the highest score possible, meaning they are more able to pay for their schools than anybody else.
VaNews April 25, 2024
By NATHANIEL CLINE,
Virginia Mercury
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Wednesday new rules that will put refunds quickly back into air travelers’ pockets for canceled or delayed flights.
The agency estimated that the new regulations will save consumers over a half billion dollars every year in airline fees.
Under the new rules, which will go into effect beginning in late October, airlines must issue full refunds including imposed taxes and fees within seven business days for credit card purchases, and within three weeks for other payment methods.
Virginia has nine major airports commonly used by consumers including Dulles International Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Richmond International Airport.
VaNews April 25, 2024
