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How Hampton Roads sheriffs are working with ICE
As federal authorities ramp up immigration enforcement tactics across the country, data from local sheriffs’ offices shed light on how frequently Hampton Roads law enforcement have turned over inmates to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Immigration detainers are a key tool used by ICE to take custody of people arrested by local law enforcement. Detainers are requests to local law enforcement to hold a person in custody for up to 48 hours past their scheduled release to give federal authorities time to pick them up them for possible deportation proceedings. Most sheriff’s offices in the Hampton Roads region have policies in place that not only outline how to question an inmate’s immigration status, but also allow for 48-hour detainer holds.
From VPAP New Episode: The Virginia Press Room Podcast
In the latest episode of the podcast from VaNews and VPM, Michael Pope is joined by Kate Seltzer of The Virginian-Pilot, Andrew Kerley of The Commonwealth Times, and Dean Mirshahi of VPM News. They discuss the week's top headlines: Youngkin says Homeland Security Task Force has removed 2,500 violent criminals, Senate Democrats clash with Youngkin over university board appointments, and Richmond City Council vote delayed again for civilian police review board. Tune in for insights and analysis on Virginia politics. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.
Virginia Lottery continues to embrace its gaming oversight role
In just the past decade, Virginia has become one of the nation’s top states for gaming and most of the state’s oversight is handled through the Virginia Lottery — an agency that has grown 20% larger to accommodate those responsibilities. Today the lottery oversees its traditional lottery ticket sales and drawings, online iLottery play, the state’s three casinos — with another in Norfolk now under construction — and a robust sports betting program with 14 licensed operators.
Inside the Conservative Campaign That Took Down the U.Va. President
The Jefferson Council, a band of conservative-leaning University of Virginia alumni, was impatient and fed up. For years, the group had railed against the university’s president, James E. Ryan, for his robust promotion of campus diversity initiatives. They had counted on Glenn Youngkin, the state’s Republican governor who vocally opposed D.E.I., to force a new direction at one of the country’s most prestigious public universities. But as 2025, the final year of Mr. Youngkin’s term, began, the university’s diversity, equity and inclusion apparatus was still in place. And time was running out, with polls showing that the governor’s race would be an uphill battle for a Republican candidate.
Henrico’s housing trust fund wraps first year with homes sold, more on the way
One year in, Henrico’s multimillion-dollar investment to help improve housing affordability in the county is beginning to pay off. Henrico’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund program, launched last July with a $60 million cash contribution from the county, has finished out its initial year with its first homes sold and dozens more in the pipeline or under construction. . . . Henrico’s goal is to produce 750 new homes that are affordable to first-time buyers at as low as 60% AMI over the program’s first five years, using the $60 million in unbudgeted tax revenues that were generated specifically from data centers in the county.
Yancey: Nothern Virginia is ‘at a critical crossroads,’ which means rural Virginia is, too
An office complex in Fairfax County recently changed hands, and taxpayers across rural Virginia ought to be alarmed. Why should we care who owns Tysons International Plaza? We don’t. We should, though, care about what the new owners paid for it: 60% less than the previous owners had bought it for just eight years ago.
Virginia Intermont campus owners pay off Bristol taxes
The owners of the former Virginia Intermont College property, on Friday, paid off its current and delinquent Bristol, Virginia, tax bills — effectively negating a city lawsuit filed Thursday. John Kieffer, a local attorney representing U.S. Magis International Education Center, delivered cashier’s checks totaling $353,484 to city Treasurer Angel Britt’s office at noon Friday. ... The funds arrived at TACS on Thursday, the same day Bristol Virginia filed action in Circuit Court seeking control of the property due to non-payment of taxes under provisions of a new state law designed to address vacant, blighted properties.
Following shoplifting charge, bond revoked for ex-Middletown treasurer accused of embezzlement
Middletown’s former treasurer and town manager had her bond revoked Thursday after she was arrested last week for shoplifting from a Martin’s grocery store in Frederick County. Rebecca Louise Layman, 52, is set to stand trial in November on 12 felony counts of embezzling from Middletown. Authorities have not disclosed how much she allegedly took from the town, but Frederick County Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Heather Enloe said Thursday that the amount is “in the six figures.”
Spotsylvania approves water use agreement for data center
Data centers require heavy use of water to cool the equipment in the facilities that power the Internet, something Spotsylvania County leaders have addressed while approving numerous developments. Before approving numerous data center developments, the county established an agreement with developers, including Amazon, to construct a re-use water system to be used to cool the facilities.
Holbrook and Williams: Sentara should invest more to improve regional health
A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon you’re talking real money,” said the late Sen.Everett Dirksen. Now comes the shocking news that Sentara Health System lost $1.5 billion on health insurance ventures according to its 2024 publicly available audited financials. One of these was Sentara Holdings Florida, an HMO bought for $225 million in December 2022 which lost $290 million over the next two years. All that “real money” would have made a profound impact if it had been invested back into Hampton Roads where it came from. Yes, we are thankful for Sentara’s pledge to give $35 million annually for 10 years to the Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University, but it should have been much more and should have been given much earlier.