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By SEAN JONES,
Richmond Times-Dispatch
(Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)
A developer’s plan to rezone 622 acres for an eastern Henrico County technology park was given its first stamp of approval by the county Planning Commission. Developer Hourigan is pushing the project as an extension to the nearby White Oak Technology Park, with a plan to have co-locating data centers. ... Co-location data center facilities include server space used by multiple companies, government agencies and other entities, as opposed to enterprise data centers like those for Meta and Amazon, which are entirely built and managed by one company. Environmentalists and local historians opposed the tech park extension.
VaNews April 15, 2024
By GAVIN STONE,
Virginian-Pilot
(Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
Attorneys representing the Newport News School Board and former superintendent George Parker asked the Virginia Supreme Court to overturn a ruling that allowed former Richneck Elementary School teacher Abigail Zwerner, who was shot during class by a 6-year-old student, to sue for damages. Additionally, the school board and Parker filed a motion asking the circuit court to dismiss the lawsuit, claiming they are immune from liability in the shooting. A Newport News Circuit Court judge ruled in November that Zwerner was not limited to filing a Worker’s Compensation claim and could instead sue for liability.
VaNews April 15, 2024
By BILL LEIGHTY,
published in
Richmond Times-Dispatch
(Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)
Time is a Virginia governor’s most valuable resource. From the moment a newly elected Virginia governor takes the oath of office, he or she has only 1,461 days remaining in office. As Gov. Glenn Youngkin finishes his second legislative session, he has now completed over 56% of his governorship and two-thirds of his opportunity to effectuate legislative initiatives. Virginia governors must learn quickly and “hit the ground running.” In my nearly five decades of serving the people of Virginia in various capacities in the executive branch, legislative branch and an independent agency, I had the privilege of observing Virginia’s governing processes closely, often from a front-row seat.
Leighty is the author of “Capitol Secrets: Leadership Wisdom from a Life of Public Service” and served as chief of staff to former Govs. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.
VaNews April 15, 2024
By MEGAN PAULY,
VPM
Language in the state budget proposal directs the Virginia State Crime Commission to inspect all the case files of former state forensic lab analyst Mary Jane Burton to determine the number of her cases that resulted in convictions, executions, exonerations and more. The commission’s then directed to report its findings back to lawmakers.
A VPM podcast led to the state-mandated review. “Admissible: Shreds of Evidence” questioned the accuracy of Burton’s lab analyses, which led to a state review of allegations made in the show and a recommendation to alert all parties in criminal cases Burton was involved with.
VaNews April 15, 2024
By STEPHANIE JOHNSON,
WVEC-TV
... Firefighters from Hampton Roads are suing 26 companies and manufacturers for a total of $1.8 billion for exposing them to polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their protective gear.
“It can cause, as testing has revealed, different types of cancer and other negative health effects, and some studies can have some effects on your own DNA,” said lawyer Kevin Binizan.
VaNews April 15, 2024
By TYLER ENGLANDER,
WRIC-TV
Governor Glenn Youngkin is defending his decision to make big changes to a bill meant to legalize skill games in Virginia.
Youngkin told 8News his changes include creating a more robust regulatory structure and more.
“Putting in a more protective set of arrangements for public safety and for consumer protection,” Youngkin said. Youngkin’s changes include prohibiting skill games within 35 miles of a casino, and within 2,500 feet of a school or place of worship.
VaNews April 15, 2024
By BILLY SHIELDS,
VPM
Amy Fleishman lives in Poolesville, Maryland — just across the Potomac River from Loudoun County.
She previously enjoyed shopping and grabbing a bite to eat in Leesburg, activities within reach by using White’s Ferry. But that ended about four years ago when the owners of the Virginia-side landing filed suit over use of the site.
“We were horrified because we used the ferry quite often,” she said.
She can still drive over the Point of Rocks Bridge to get to the commonwealth, but it takes about 45 minutes longer than the ferry.
“So, we just don’t go to Virginia,” Fleishman said.
VaNews April 12, 2024
By CHER MUZYK,
Prince William Times
Two former sheriff’s deputies are now facing felony homicide charges in connection with the April 2022 death of a 77-year-old Gainesville man who suffered a severe head injury during a traffic stop in Warren County during which the deputies allegedly slammed him into his pickup truck and then tackled him to the ground.
VaNews April 12, 2024
By SARAH HAMMOND,
WVEC-TV
One year after Abby Zwerner’s legal team revealed Richneck Elementary School administrators ignored multiple warnings that a 6-year-old student had a gun, a special grand jury’s report backs up their claims.
“It confirmed my initial account in what they called a ‘tragic and avoidable event,’'” said Diane Toscano, one of the former first-grade teacher’s attorneys.
VaNews April 12, 2024
By NOUR HABIB AND PETER DUJARDIN,
Virginian-Pilot
(Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
A special grand jury report about last year’s shooting at Richneck Elementary shows that first grade teacher Abigail Zwerner was not the only victim that fateful day, said Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney Howard Gwynn during a news conference Thursday morning.
Gwynn said the report — which he termed “incredibly thorough and brutally honest” — shows in detail the trauma that students, parents and other staff at Richneck have experienced since the shooting.
VaNews April 12, 2024
