Today's Sponsor:
Todd Haymore
In recognition of Economic Development Week May 11-17 and the investment, jobs, and tax revenue generated from the great work of Virginia's economic development community.
Virginia House Speaker Scott joins national Democratic campaign board
Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, is joining the board of directors of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), the national party’s state-level strategy arm, just as Virginia enters one of its most consequential election years in recent memory. The DLCC will draw on Scott’s experience — alongside that of six other new board members from around the country — to help shape its plans to support state legislative races this year and beyond.
Youngkin ripped over voting restoration process for felons
Since his release from prison in 2023, George Hawkins has integrated himself into his community in nearly every way. He runs a bread vendor business, pays taxes and coaches youth basketball. "I impact my community," Hawkins said on the steps of the Fourth Circuit courthouse. "I'm a productive member of my society." Yet despite two applications, Hawkins — convicted of attempted murder and aggravated malicious wounding in 2010 — remains ineligible to vote. On Friday, he argued to a three-judge panel that Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin's system, or lack thereof, for restoring felons' voting rights is arbitrary.
Youngkin Vetoes Clean Energy Bills That Garnered Support From Dominion, Environmental Groups
Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed two bills for the development of small solar projects and energy storage that had won bipartisan votes and support from Dominion Energy, environmental groups and farm and forestry representatives. The bills would have encouraged private homes and companies to initiate solar projects and bolstered the existing utility’s efforts to capture electricity from renewable sources for later use. Dominion said in April, in an application to purchase electricity from third-party suppliers, that enhanced solar production and its own plans to store electricity would result in billions of dollars of fuel savings through 2035.
VCU withholding degrees of three pro-Palestine student protesters
Virginia Commonwealth University is withholding the degrees of three students who helped organize a gathering in support of Palestine on campus last month that ended in a student’s arrest. The three students [were] able to participate in graduation events [this past] weekend, but the university will not officially confer their degrees until it has resolved the disciplinary process.
Feds renege on deal to give Federal Executive Institute to Charlottesville Schools
Less than two weeks after the deal was struck, the U.S. Department of Education has reneged on its promise to bequeath the Trump-shuttered Federal Executive Institute to the Charlottesville school division. Instead, the agency has recommended the property be given to the University of Virginia. Both Charlottesville City Schools and UVa expressed shock Friday over the “completely unexpected” development. “The rescinding of this opportunity is an enormous setback to our City and to our students,” Charlottesville City Manager Sam Sanders and Schools Superintendent Royal Gurley said in a statement announcing the news of the reversal at 4:30 p.m. Friday.
Virginia overhauls SOL testing to boost student achievement
In a rare moment of bipartisan agreement on education policy, Virginia leaders have enacted sweeping changes to the state’s K-12 testing system, aiming to raise student performance and make the Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments more meaningful. Despite ongoing political clashes over broader education policy, Gov. Glenn Youngkin and state lawmakers united earlier this month behind a plan they hope will strengthen student outcomes.
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, Greg Schneider of The Washington Post, and Dean Mirshahi of VPM News. They discuss the week's top headlines: Virginia Beach Republican Party Chair ousted amidst turmoil, state officials and the Nansemond Indian Nation trade accusations of Medicaid fraud, and cuts to AmeriCorps end community service grants. Tune in for insights and analysis on Virginia politics. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.
From Red Oak to Greenville, Bluefield to Orange, and Goldvein to Silver Beach, VaNews delivers headlines from every corner of Virginia that would be hard to find on your own. This free, nonprofit resource relies entirely on voluntary contributions from readers like you. Please donate now! |
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Virginia governor’s rights restoration authority debated at federal appeals court
Virginia’s system of voting rights restoration gives the governor sole discretion to choose when to restore a former felon’s rights… or not. An effort to nix that authority was shot down in a Richmond federal court last year, but voting rights advocates returned to Richmond Friday to appeal. Critics point to Governor Glenn Youngkin replacing an automatic rights restoration system embraced by previous Democratic governors with a more rigid “responsible citizen” test which has led to a decrease in re-enfranchisement.
Dems criticize Youngkin for removing child care program from state budget
Democrats are criticizing Governor Glenn Youngkin for axing an item in the state budget that they say would have helped more Virginia families afford child care. “Families don’t have the luxury of waiting for political perfection. This was needed yesterday,” Delegate Adele McClure (D-Arlington) told 8News. Youngkin used his line-item veto power to remove a $25 million child care pilot program.
Youngkin signs bill into law creating grants for large animal veterinarians
Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bill into law creating a grant program for large animal veterinarians. Youngkin said on Friday that he signed House Bill 2303 and Senate Bill 921 into law, establishing the Virginia Large Animal Veterinary Grant Program. “[It is] an important step to address critical shortages in large animal veterinary care in communities across the Commonwealth,” Youngkin said in a post on X.
Gov. Youngkin tells Liberty graduates to ‘emphatically respond to God’s call’
Gov. Glenn Youngkin told Liberty University graduates gathered at Williams Stadium on Friday evening to “emphatically respond” to God’s call at the university’s 52nd commencement, the largest event ever held in Central Virginia. “While there will be a time to look to the future, today is a day to congratulate you, the proud accomplishments of the largest ever Liberty University class of 2025,” Youngkin told graduates.
Youngkin to UVA Wise grads: Find purpose
Almost 300 UVA Wise students marched Saturday to receive bachelor’s and master’s degrees and Army commissions. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin avoided mentioning policy or national politics as he gave the commencement keynote address to the college’s class of 2025. Saturday’s graduates included approximately 270 bachelor’s candidates, 24 master’s recipients and nine Army ROTC cadets receiving commissions as second lieutenants Saturday or later in the summer.
STATE ELECTIONS
Meet the six Democrats running for Va. lieutenant governor
Six Democrats are competing for the party's nomination for lieutenant governor to join gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger on the Democratic ticket this fall. The crowded field in the June 17 primary features two state senators, a school board chairman, a former mayor, a former federal prosecutor and a longtime labor leader. Virginia's lieutenant governor has two constitutionally mandated duties — presiding over the state Senate and being first in the line of succession to governor. The lieutenant governor breaks ties on most issues in the Senate, where Democrats hold a 21-19 edge.
FEDERAL ELECTIONS
State Democrats start to pick sides early in race to choose Rep. Connolly’s successor
Voters won’t cast their ballots in the Democratic primary election for Virginia’s 11th Congressional District for another year, but that hasn’t stopped early candidates from sprinting out of the gates. Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw, who was the first Democrat to enter the race to replace retiring Rep. Gerry Connolly, has already garnered support from the incumbent congressman and former 10th Congressional District representative Jennifer Wexton. But three new endorsements come from the Virginia General Assembly — the “backyard” of rival state Sen. Stella Pekarsky, who also announced her candidacy this week.
STATE GOVERNMENT
Virginia’s development efforts get a new brand name
Virginia government’s all-hands-on-deck approach to wooing big economic development projects now has a brand name, in a bid to make sure businesses think about the state when considering new or expanded facilities. The “Made in Virginia Investment Accelerator” is a pitch to firms thinking about facilities that employ 500 or more people and represent at least a $250 million investment.
Petersburg-based nurse worked for years with fake credentials before Virginia suspended license
A Petersburg-based nurse who never earned a legitimate nursing degree or completed the clinical hours required by Virginia law worked in hospitals and care facilities for more than two years before the state took action to suspend his license. Michael Sim Turay — also known as Mohamed Ishmael Turay — applied for his Virginia license in October 2020, claiming he had completed a registered nursing program at Jay College of Health Sciences in Florida. But according to documents from the Virginia Department of Health, Turay never graduated from the school and instead purchased a fraudulent diploma and transcript from Jay College’s owner, Ejike Asiegbunam.
Fight at Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center spotlights requests for independent review
On May 7 — one day after the Office of the State Inspector General announced the launch of a special review into Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center — a fight broke out among youth inside the facility, resulting in two teachers being transported to a local hospital. “Two teachers fell while trying to break up a fight among students in a classroom,” Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice spokesperson Melodie Martin said in an email to VPM News. “DJJ is investigating [Wednesday’s] altercation, which involved a small number of individuals and is suspected of being gang related.”
Virginia and East coast fishery managers remain vigilant over status of Atlantic striped bass
Virginia fishery managers and others from Maine to North Carolina, as well as members of the public, convened on Tuesday to decide the next steps to protect the future of Atlantic striped bass, a valued and remarkable animal facing consecutive years of low spawning success and an overfished stock. Atlantic striped bass have been referred to as “everyman’s fish” because they are caught by such a wide population of anglers up and down the coast, said Alex McCrickard, the aquatic education coordinator for the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.
Why is teacher pay at one Richmond-area school $17,100 higher than another?
Good teachers are critical to student success. Meanwhile, schools say strong salaries attract and retain strong educators. Yet teacher salaries can vary considerably across the Richmond area. For example, the average salary at Richmond’s Fairfield Court Elementary is $17,100 higher than the average teacher salary at Falling Creek Elementary in Chesterfield County. Why? A Virginia Department of Education salary survey published in March compiled average pay at schools across the state in 2024.
Drug overdoses continue to show marked decline
The latest numbers compiled by the Virginia Department of Health show fatal drug overdoses are down over 34% for 2024, compared to 2023. The main takeaways in the quarterly report for the fourth quarter of 2024 from the Virginia Department of Health show fatal drug overdoses have been the leading method of unnatural death in Virginia since 2013, the number of illicit opioid deaths surpassed prescription opioid deaths in 2015 and the trend is continuing, and although fatal drug overdoses peaked in 2021, they began to decline slightly in 2022 and 2023 with a substantial decrease last year.
Virginia Health Department: Increased levels of ‘forever chemicals’ found in Chickahominy fish
The Virginia Department of Health on Friday issued a fish consumption advisory for the Chickahominy watershed because of elevated levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate detected in certain fish species. The affected species include largemouth bass, sunfish, chain pickerel and creek chubsucker. State health officials tested samples taken from the Chickahominy River and White Oak Swamp in Eastern Henrico and Hanover counties between 2021 and 2023, according to a news release from the VDH. The presence of PFOS in the samples exceeded the amount considered safe for long-term human consumption.
CONGRESS
Hampton Roads leaders, businesses fear loss of clean energy tax credits
About a decade ago, retired Navy doctor Doug McNeill started getting online advertisements from residential solar companies and decided to do some research. After weighing the costs and benefits of installing a solar system, he chose to put up a 28-panel array on a detached garage at his home in Chesapeake. One big financial factor in McNeill’s calculation was the Solar Investment Tax Credit, which saved him almost $8,000 in upfront costs. “That brought it down by at least a quarter, which made it an easy decision,” he said.
ECONOMY/BUSINESS
Citizens Warn of Data Center Impacts in Rural Virginia
What started as a community conversation quickly turned into a passionate call to action. On Saturday afternoon, May 10th, Warren County residents met at the Warren County Community Center to hear firsthand how data centers—the massive, windowless facilities that power cloud computing and artificial intelligence—are reshaping rural Virginia. For many in the room, it was the first time they had heard the full scope of the issue.
Virginia unemployment claims rise amid federal layoffs
A recent spike in Virginia unemployment claims can likely be traced to sweeping federal layoffs under the second Trump administration. For the week ending May 3, the number of individuals filing initial claims for unemployment was 2,720, according to a Thursday news release from the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement, which is also known as Virginia Works. That’s an 8.1% increase in claims over the previous week and an 8.9% increase over a comparable week in 2024.
HIGHER EDUCATION
U.S. Department of Education reverses course, awards Federal Executive Institute to U.Va.
The U.S. Department of Education reversed course, passing off the now-shuttered Federal Executive Institute to the University Friday. The Department previously awarded the institute to Charlottesville City Schools. In a statement to The Cavalier Daily, University Spokesperson Bethanie Glover said that the decision was “completely unexpected,” and that they received the notice Friday. “We are currently reviewing it and seeking additional information,” Glover said.
Feds undo Federal Executive Institute decision in Charlottesville
Just over a week after it awarded the former Federal Executive Institute campus to Charlottesville City Schools, the US Department of Education has reversed course and announced that it will instead transfer the property to the University of Virginia. In a letter sent Friday to CCS Superintendent Royal Gurley, USED management analyst Barbara L. Shawyer wrote the department believes “that UVA will meet Presidential Executive Orders and that the University best meets the Secretary’s priorities for property reuse.” It was not immediately clear what US Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s “priorities for property reuse” are.
VCU withholds degrees of several students over Pro-Palestinian gathering
Several Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) students [participated] in commencement ceremonies but with degrees currently withheld pending an investigation. “I think these policy violations shouldn’t have happened in the first place, they shouldn’t have been given out to us,” said Sereen Haddad, a senior at VCU. According to VCU officials, the matter pertains to a gathering on the lawn of the Cabell Library on April 29, 2025 where about 40 students were gathered.
VCU reassigns DEI staffers, rewrites policies to follow directive
Virginia Commonwealth University is scrutinizing its employees’ duties, student scholarship and hiring practices in an effort to follow a federal mandate that universities erase all forms of DEI and eliminate discrimination. The university has eliminated 13 positions, revised a small number of scholarship requirements and discontinued a practice requiring prospective employees to write a diversity statement before they are hired.
VIRGINIA OTHER
ACLU seeks injunction to block book bans in military schools, including in Virginia
The American Civil Liberties Union on Thursday asked a federal judge in Virginia to immediately halt what it calls a sweeping campaign of classroom censorship in military-run schools — including at Crossroads Elementary in Quantico — stemming from executive orders issued by former President Donald J. Trump earlier this year. The motion for preliminary injunction, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, follows a lawsuit brought last month on behalf of 12 students enrolled in Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools. The students, from pre-K to 11th grade, are children of active-duty service members stationed in Virginia, Kentucky, Italy and Japan.
Trump shut out refugees but is making exception for White South Africans; Va. will help with welcome, sources say
Months after the Trump administration ground U.S. refugee admissions to a halt, suspending a program that lets in thousands of people fleeing war or political persecution, it is preparing to restart that effort — but only for one group: White South Africans. Plans are underway to fly approximately 60 Afrikaners to Dulles International Airport on a State Department-chartered plane Monday, with federal and Virginia officials preparing to receive them in a ceremonial news conference, according to documents and emails obtained by The Washington Post, as well as three government officials familiar with the preparations.
Third prison employee sentenced for FCI Petersburg death in custody
A third employee with the Bureau of Prisons was sentenced Thursday for making false statements to federal investigators who were reviewing the death in custody of Wade Walters. Walters was a federal prisoner at FCI Petersburg who died in a suicide watch cell in 2021. He was serving a 25-year sentence stemming from a child porn and sexual exploitation case. Tonya Farley was a nurse at the prison. She was on duty the day before Walters died.
VPM school initiative ’on pause’ as Trump targets public media
A hands-on initiative for Richmond and Petersburg public preschool students is on the local front line of President Donald Trump's multiple-front national assault on public broadcasting. VPM Media Corp., a Richmond-based nonprofit that provides public television and radio for two million people in a wide swath of Virginia, recently learned that the U.S. Department of Education had terminated a $23 million national grant to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for "Ready to Learn," a 30-year-old initiative that produces a variety of educational programming for PBS Kids.
Behind the scenes of Vice President and Mrs. Vance’s surprise visit to Little Washington
When innkeeper Amanda Huff answered the phone at the Foster Harris House bed and breakfast last Friday morning to take a lodging reservation for the next night, she never could have imagined to whom she would be serving her fresh-baked ginger scones less than 48 hours later. She wasn’t given a guest’s name for the room reservation. The person on the other end of the line only said that the guest was a “protectee” of the U.S. Secret Service.
LOCAL
Alexandria police officer awarded full compensatory damages in racial discrimination lawsuit against city
An Alexandria Police Department officer has been awarded full compensatory damages in his racial discrimination lawsuit against the city. Delton Goodrum and his family erupted in tears of joy after the verdict was read. After a four-day-long trial before U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles, the jury deliberated for less than three hours to find that then-Police Chief Don Hayes, who is Black, racially discriminated against Goodrum, who is also Black, in his years-long bid to be promoted to Captain.
Facing backlash, School Board shelves editorial oversight changes to Alexandria high school’s student publications
What started as a simple policy change has erupted into a full-blown fight over the First Amendment in Alexandria City Public Schools. Facing backlash from city leaders, the Alexandria School Board officially went back to the drawing board Thursday night (May 8), by announcing that its intended policy changes on the oversight of Alexandria City High School’s student publications have been put on hold.
Their school can censor the student press. These Alexandria teens are trying to change that.
It was past midnight and James Libresco, 17, had not yet started his homework. Instead, the Alexandria City High School senior spent his evening fielding questions about a campaign to give student journalists such as himself more independence to do their work. “Please continue putting the pressure on,” Libresco said on a call with more than 40 attendees. “It’s great, but we need to keep building. We can’t let up.” Libresco is co-editor of Theogony, the high school’s newspaper, where he and fellow student journalists have been lobbying the school board to change a policy that allows their principal to review and edit stories before publication.
When Trump visits, the Loudoun sheriff’s office assists with security. But who pays?
When President Donald Trump visits Loudoun County the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office assists in providing protective services to the president but isn't being reimbursed for the cost. On May 5, Trump was transported from Leesburg Executive Airport to the Trump International Golf Course in Lowes Island, in the Sterling area, halting traffic starting at about 6:55 p.m. . . . Sawyer said the LCSO's overtime budget is not designed to support Trump's visits.
Audit: Richmond Retirement System lost $415K from payments to dead people
The Richmond Retirement System made at least $555,000 in erroneous payments to dozens of former city employees after they had died, according to a new audit report, and the city has been unable to recoup most of the money. The overpayments to deceased retirees occurred over nine years, and about $415,000 of the total has not been recovered by the city, according to the report released Friday by the office of City Auditor Riad Ali.
City audit finds Richmond Retirement System paid $550K to dead people
The City of Richmond’s retirement system paid out more than $550,000 to 44 deceased retirees over nine years, a new audit found. Most of the money has not been recovered. City Auditor Riad Ali on Friday released an audit of the Richmond Retirement System, which administers the benefits and pensions of former city employees. The new city audit found, among other issues, inadequate oversight of the retirement system, outdated operating procedures and incomplete death audit reports.
Audit: City officials paid $550K to deceased retirees
The Richmond Retirement System since 2015 has paid more than half a million dollars to deceased former City Hall employees, according to a report from the Office of the City Auditor. Nearly 75% of those funds have not been recovered, city auditors found. RRS, which is governed by a seven-member board, administers retirement and survivor benefits for more than 4,000 former city employees
Martinsville council member questions legality of city manager pay raise, signals court challenge
A 15 percent raise awarded to City Manager Aretha Ferrell-Benavides has ignited public controversy and deepened divisions among Martinsville City Council members, with at least one council member indicating he will pursue a legal challenge. Following a May 6 community budget meeting, council member Aaron Rawls said that to his knowledge, there had not been a vote on the city manager’s salary increase, but he believes there should be.
Today's Sponsor:
Todd Haymore
In recognition of Economic Development Week May 11-17 and the investment, jobs, and tax revenue generated from the great work of Virginia's economic development community.
EDITORIALS
Storm preparations are key as weather forecasting succumbs to Trump cuts
Hampton Roads residents hear every year about the importance of preparedness in advance of the Atlantic hurricane season, which begins on June 1. The region hasn’t suffered a direct hit in decades, however, so many people likely shrug off those warnings, figuring they’ll be ready when it matters. This year, with meteorologists predicting a busier-than-average season, it’s more important than ever to be storm-ready. Cuts to the National Weather Service and climate research could compromise the quality and accuracy of forecasting, putting more Americans at risk during extreme weather events. That’s a worrisome proposition as our region turns toward the tropics and awaits what may come.
COLUMNISTS
Yancey: How George Washington paved the way for the first American pope
When Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago was announced as Pope Leo XIV, people went racing to find some connection to the first American pope. Chicago White Sox supporters found a fellow fan; photos have turned up showing the future pope at a World Series game in 2005. Villanova grads found one of the most impressive alumni notes of all time; some students in the 1970s shared classes with the math major who went on to become pope. There’s no clear Virginia connection that we know of, except for a philosophical and constitutional one: It was Virginians in the 1700s who embraced what was then the radical concept of religious liberty, which allowed the Catholic faith to flourish in a place that once banned its practice.
OP-ED
Wittman: Time for a more thoughtful approach to cost-cutting
As the representative for Virginia’s 1st District in Congress, I take seriously the legislative branch’s responsibility to ensure the federal government operates efficiently, effectively and in the best interests of the American people. Across party lines, there’s growing agreement: Washington must get its fiscal house in order by spending taxpayer dollars wisely while focusing on results that matter to everyday Americans. . . . To address this, we need to pursue targeted savings — not reckless cuts. That means using a scalpel, not a sledgehammer, when it comes to rightsizing the federal workforce or realigning federal spending. We must always remember the real people behind the numbers — families depending on paychecks, seniors relying on benefits, and communities counting on services.
Jones: As gaming options grow, Virginia supports responsibility
Casinos, online sports betting, the Virginia Lottery, charitable gaming, live horse racing and historical horse racing (HHR) … all these forms of gaming are thriving. Gaming-related revenues have set record highs in the commonwealth each year for the past five years. All that has translated into increased revenues for the commonwealth, individual localities and K-12 public education. With this increase in activity, we are seeing a corresponding rise in the number of people seeking help for problem gambling and gambling addiction.
Gilbreath: I’ve spent over $100K on child care. I’d do it again
On Monday, May 12th, families across the country are participating in a national “Day Without Child Care” — a coordinated day of action to call attention to a crisis that too many parents, especially in Virginia, know all too well. Imagine what our lives, our communities and our economy would look like if there was no child care. For too many families, this isn’t just a thought exercise — it’s their daily reality. Seven years ago, when I told my boss I was pregnant, she gave me a piece of advice I’ll never forget: “Get on a waitlist for day care — now.” I was only eight weeks along, but I immediately put my son on a waitlist to secure a spot three months after giving birth. I thought she was exaggerating. She wasn’t.
Bonds and Newby: Data centers, nondisclosure agreements and democracy
Data centers evoke strong and conflicting opinions. Advocates point to the truly significant revenue they can generate for local governments. Opponents point to data centers’ enormous energy needs, climate impacts, water use and their capacity to diminish the quality of life for residents living nearby. To weigh the costs and benefits of data centers and to set the ground rules for any potential data-center development, local governments should empower members of the public with all relevant information to foster a meaningful debate. We fear, however, that the widespread use of nondisclosure agreements and a larger ethic of secrecy regarding data center development curtails this discussion and, in so doing, impairs local democracy.