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General Assembly, Youngkin still have ‘work to do’ on budget compromise
... The commonwealth’s budget planners will soon have data to answer a key question: Can everyone get what they asked for? On Tuesday, lawmakers involved in the budget writing process met with Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who was briefed by Finance Secretary Steve Cummings earlier in the day. “We still have an aspiration to present a budget that meets the multiple objectives of the General Assembly and the governor’s office by next week. And that’s what we’re working towards this week,” said Youngkin. “As I said, we still got work to do. But I’m optimistic.”
Virginia Beach mayor wants a collective bargaining referendum on November ballot
Residents could influence a future decision on collective bargaining for city employees by casting a vote on Election Day. Mayor Bobby Dyer said Tuesday he wants an advisory referendum on collective bargaining on the November ballot. The outcome of such a referendum would be non-binding. The City Council denied collective bargaining of city employees in a 5-5 vote with one abstention April 30. Dyer was among those who voted against it.
UVa president: ’Necessary to rely on assistance from the Virginia State Police’ to clear encampment
The organizers of an encampment in support of Palestine at the University of Virginia knew that pitching tents could trigger action against their protest. University officials made that clear when they first gathered Tuesday afternoon. What they and the faculty members who were helping them communicate with police and administrators did not anticipate was the force with which that action would come. Instead of citations and facilities management taking down the tents, they were met with a multi-agency, coordinated police action with officers wearing riot gear and military-grade equipment.
In 8-1 vote, Danville City Council revises agreement with Caesars Virginia
In an 8-1 vote, Danville City Council on Tuesday evening approved changes to the agreement with Caesars Virginia that solidifies an investment nearly double what was originally planned in 2020, but dials back jobs and moves a planned stand-alone entertainment center into a multipurpose space. ... Danville City Manager Ken Larking said the changes to the agreement — in the works between casino leaders, city officials, attorneys and consultants — were mostly routine.
UVa. president, other leaders defend steps that led to arrests at protest
University of Virginia and police officials defended actions that led to the arrests of more than 25 pro-Palestinian protesters on campus grounds over the weekend, even as faculty members and others criticized what they saw as an overly aggressive response. In a virtual town hall Tuesday, Tim Longo, chief of police at U-Va., said that officials offered to let demonstrators stay if they took down their tents and that authorities moved in Saturday only when they refused. James E. Ryan, the university’s president, said that police were met with “physical confrontation and attempted assault” and that officials then called in Virginia State Police.
UVa leaders address protest response, ‘fully and painfully aware’ of loss of trust from students
University of Virginia (UVA) President Jim Ryan hosted a virtual ‘Town Hall’ Tuesday afternoon to address concerns and backlash from students, alumni and community members in response to events that unfolded at the school on Saturday. Riot police were called to clear a Pro-Palestinian protest, which led to 27 people – including 12 students – being arrested.
Hemp market collapses, frustrating network of Southwest Virginia growers
Since its height in 2020, the “green rush” to grow hemp in Southwest Virginia has slowed to a standstill as falling prices eventually made harvesting pointless, but that hasn’t stopped local growers from seeking to stake their claim in what they hope will eventually be Virginia’s new legal cash crop: cannabis. With bipartisan efforts in the state legislature making to the governor’s desk, it looked possible that the 100-plus members of the farming and small business network Purely Appalachia might be growing and selling cannabis in Southwest Virginia very soon. But Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s recent veto of HB 698 and SB 448 means the group’s hopes will be stalled, at least until his term ends.
Yancey: Salem is losing population. Here’s how demography drives the proposed HopeTree development
Today we tell a tale of two cities. Charles Dickens told his through London and Paris. I shall tell this one through Salem and Roanoke, although the issues involved here are universal so you don’t need to live in either of those places to find some relevance to the issues they’re dealing with. The Salem City Council faces an upcoming decision: whether to allow mixed-use development of part of the HopeTree Family Services property, often known as the Virginia Baptist Home. It would be the largest residential development in the city’s history. This is broadly similar to a decision that the Roanoke City Council recently made — in that case, on whether to allow development of the Evans Spring property, the largest undeveloped piece of land in the city.
Del. Rasoul seeks cease-fire for Gaza
Roanoke citizens and a state lawmaker responded to heightened conflict in Gaza this week, urging people to speak out against Israeli-Palestinian violence. Israeli troops seized control of a border crossing in Rafah, a city in the southern Gaza Strip, according to news reports on Tuesday. The latest military action follows months of Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip, retaliating for a terrorist attack conducted by Hamas last October. As reports about an incursion into Rafah spread, state Del. Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, on Monday sent an email asking people to call their congressperson and demand President Joe Biden enact a cease-fire.
Youngkin holds event in Richmond on National Fentanyl Awareness Day
Preliminary data from the Virginia Department of Health shows more than 1,900 Virginians died from fentanyl overdoses in 2023. That’s why Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne Youngkin held an event at City Stadium in Richmond on May 7, which is National Fentanyl Awareness Day.