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Owners of Dollywood and Ripley’s express interest in taking over operations of Virginia Aquarium

By BRETT HALL, WAVY-TV

City management will begin negotiating with the companies that own Dollywood and Ripley’s Believe It or Not attractions after both expressed interest in either purchasing or operating the Virginia Aquarium. In a briefing in front of Virginia Beach City Council Tuesday, Monica Croskey, an assistant city manager, revealed leadership from both Herschend Family Entertainment, which owns Dollywood, and Ripley’s Entertainment, have come to tour Virginia Beach’s aquarium after responding to a request for information from the city last year.

VaNews March 27, 2024


Frederick County School Board chair aims to remove ‘sexually explicit’ books from libraries

By MOLLY WILLIAMS, Winchester Star (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Frederick County’s School Board Chairman Edward “Scott” Sturdivant said at last week’s board meeting that he is still taking aim at certain books in the division’s libraries, which was one of his campaign promises. “[L]et me assure you now. I will get those sexually explicit adult content books removed from our libraries if it’s the last thing that I ever do, and you can bank on that,” he said.

VaNews March 27, 2024


Prince William police chief disappointed by Youngkin’s veto of bill allowing DACA recipients to become police officers

By CHER MUZYK, Prince William Times

Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s veto of a bill that would have allowed young immigrants brought to the U.S. as children to become police officers was met with disappointment from Prince William County Police Chief Peter Newsham, who pushed for the measure and went to Richmond to support it. “We are very disappointed that a county resident and county employee who considers the United States her home will not be able to pursue her lifelong dream of serving her community as a Prince William County police officer,” Newsham said in a statement.

VaNews March 27, 2024


Bond hearing delayed again for Fariss

By MARK D. ROBERTSON, Cardinal News

Former Del. Matt Fariss remains in jail following a Saturday night arrest on gun and drug charges and a twice-delayed bond hearing. A bond hearing scheduled for Tuesday for the former Republican lawmaker from Campbell County was continued after the special prosecutor assigned to the case, Nelson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Daniel Rutherford, was unavailable. The hearing was rescheduled for Thursday morning, defense attorney Chuck Felmlee said ...

VaNews March 27, 2024


Patriot Front leader indicted in 2017 torch-wielding mob at UVa

By HAWES SPENCER, Daily Progress (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)

The leader of a White nationalist group that aggressively sows racial discord around the country has been named as the 12th man indicted for sowing such discord in Albemarle County seven years ago. Thomas Ryan Rousseau, a 25-year-old resident of Grapevine, Texas, and the founder of the group known as Patriot Front, was indicted on Aug. 7 for participating in the 2017 torch-lit march across University of Virginia Grounds that preceded the deadly Unite the Right rally-turned-riot in Charlottesville. Ryan has been charged with using fire to racially intimidate, a felony in Virginia dating back to the Jim Crow era. That's according to records that were unsealed March 5.

VaNews March 27, 2024


Youngkin assesses Hampton Roads bridge risks after Baltimore collapse

By BRENDAN PONTON, WTKR-TV

Video of the Key Bridge collapsing in Baltimore has led to concerns about bridges across the country and here in Hampton Roads, but on Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-Virginia) downplayed comparisons to Hampton Roads. “I think it’s really important to emphasize the fact that our Hampton Roads Port infrastructure is accessed over the ocean over a series of tunnels, so this kind of span bridge is not something that has to be navigated through our Hampton Roads Port infrastructure from the ocean,” he told reporters.

VaNews March 27, 2024


Baltimore Carnival cruise ship to operate out of Norfolk following bridge collapse

By GAVIN STONE, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

The Baltimore-based cruise line Carnival Legend will operate temporarily out of Norfolk in the wake of the Francis Scott Key Bridge’s collapse early Tuesday morning, Carnival Cruise Line announced. The Legend’s current voyage is scheduled to end on March 31 and will dock in Norfolk. Following the cruise’s return, passengers will be given free bus rides back to Baltimore, Carnival said in a news release. The ship can carry as many as 2,124 guests, according to Carnival’s website.

VaNews March 27, 2024


Baltimore bridge collapse will drive ships to Port of Va.

By KATE ANDREWS AND ROBYN SIDERSKY, Virginia Business

After a container ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, causing the bridge to collapse and possibly claiming multiple lives, ships bound for the Port of Baltimore will be diverted to other ports, primarily the Port of Virginia and the Port of New York and New Jersey.

VaNews March 27, 2024


Port of Virginia expects to receive some Baltimore ship traffic after bridge collapse, official says

By TREVOR METCALFE, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

The Port of Virginia is ready to help receive diverted cargo traffic after a bridge collapse shut down ship operations at the Port of Baltimore early Tuesday morning. “Our operating team is already working with ocean carriers whose vessels were due to call Baltimore and offering the capability of our port to discharge cargoes as requested,” Joe Harris, Virginia Port Authority spokesperson, said Tuesday in an emailed statement.

VaNews March 27, 2024


Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center plans expansion

By LUKE WEIR, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Expansion is due at the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center, where a unique use of state law can fund construction bonds worth up to $14 million, officials said. The facility is planning to expand by 10%, which will be around 9,600 square feet.

VaNews March 27, 2024