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Who are the governor’s marine commission picks there to serve?
By Stephen Atkinson In a news release late Friday evening, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced appointments to various state boards, including the nine member Virginia Marine Resources Commission, the body that manages the commonwealth’s fisheries. Of the governor’s four appointments to the VMRC, three represent commercial fishing interests from the Reedville area. For the hundreds of […]
As cases climb again, just how accurate are rapid antigen tests? Two testing experts explain.
By Nathaniel Hafer and Apurv Soni As of May 2022, the U.S. is experiencing another uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases. High rates of infection in Europe and Asia, along with the continued emergence of new sub-variants, such as omicron BA.4 and BA.5, raise concerns that another surge could be on the way. Even […]
The federal rescue plan helped rural Virginia. Why not make parts of it permanent?
By Anita Royston In early 2021, rural communities like Pittsylvania County were struggling. A full year of the pandemic had taken its toll on us — some schools were still closed, health care costs were still going up, many people couldn’t return to work, and even more were struggling to make ends meet. The American […]
What’s behind the U.S. baby formula shortage – and how to make sure it doesn’t happen again
By Dr. Steven Abrams A baby formula shortage has added to the woes of American parents already confronted with the pressures of raising an infant during a pandemic in a country ranked low for family-friendly policies. Media reports have highlighted the plight of mothers, fathers and caregivers across the U.S. who have scrambled to find scarce supplies, or driven long distances to buy […]
With help of a Petersburg factory, a nonprofit drugmaker is taking aim at high insulin prices
By Jing Luo, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences Doctors have been treating diabetes with insulin since 1922. A century later, about 1 in 5 of the 37 million Americans living with diabetes take this medication – a hormone that helps cells absorb sugar from the blood. This medication helps avert a host of medical problems […]
Are we doing all we can to help children in foster care?
By Cassie Baudeán As National Child Abuse Prevention Month comes to an end and we enter into National Foster Care Month, it’s important to remember the children directly affected by child abuse and foster care and then ask ourselves, are we really doing all that we can? Are we doing all that we can to […]
Gold mining comes with risks and rewards. But those aren’t equally shared.
By Erica Schoenberger Buckingham County faces the prospect of a gold mine within its borders. Many of the county’s residents are opposed to it. If it is permitted, there will no doubt be other companies looking to mine elsewhere in Virginia. The state has enlisted the help of the National Academies of Science and established […]
What is Paxlovid and how will it help the fight against coronavirus?
By Patrick Jackson The Biden administration announced plans on April 26, 2022, to increase the availability of the COVID-19 drug Paxlovid, vowing to get more of the treatment pills into the hands of Americans. An oral antiviral, Paxlovid has proved successful at reducing the chances of hospitalization among COVID-19 sufferers, but has suffered from a […]
To lower cost of living, legislature should override governor’s veto of energy efficiency bill
By Chris Meyer With Richmond’s focus on reducing Virginia’s energy costs, it was surprising to see Gov. Glenn Youngkin veto a bill designed to lower the electric bills of veterans, low-income, elderly and disabled ratepayers. The bill — Senate Bill 347 (Sen. John Bell, D-Loudoun) — not only passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, but also directly […]
When are book bans unconstitutional? A First Amendment scholar explains.
By Erica Goldberg, University of Dayton The United States has become a nation divided over important issues in K-12 education, including which books students should be able to read in public school. Efforts to ban books from school curricula, remove books from libraries and keep lists of books that some find inappropriate for students are […]
Local election reform: It’s time
By Scott Konopasek As the Virginia General Assembly continues to weigh HB 305, which adds non-partisan members to the State Board of Elections and changes the way the election commissioner is appointed, I urge the legislature to take up similar reforms at the local level. Election administration and processes in Virginia are out of sync […]
Tomorrow’s COVID safety guidelines will be different from today’s
By Dr. Michael Williams No one gave a second thought to the safety of dining out before the pandemic. Fast-forward to today, and it’s normal to wonder whether there is a city, state or federal policy around whether you need a mask or proof of vaccination to eat in a restaurant. The public policies around […]