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Do we want to enable fossil fuel amateurs?
By Beth Kreydatus State agencies have good reasons to uphold regulatory standards when fossil fuel developers propose big new projects in Virginia. First of all, it’s the law. But after watching the destructive chaos unfold in Texas this February, we know that regulations protect citizens from significant economic risks and ensure steady access to affordable […]
Make the survival of Black mothers a priority
By Tyran Green Today in Virginia, Black mothers like me still struggle to survive having children. Virginia’s maternal mortality rate for Black mothers is more than twice what it ought to be (compared with White mothers). That’s the statistic, but people need to know what it’s like to be a young, pregnant, Black person in […]
Dominion should provide transparency on lobbying expenditures
By Freeda Cathcart Dominion Energy shareholders today have an opportunity to vote on a shareholder resolution calling for a full disclosure of the company’s lobbying activities and expenditures. “We believe in full disclosure of Dominion’s direct and indirect lobbying activities and expenditures to assess whether Dominion’s lobbying is consistent with its expressed goals and in […]
What the United States can learn from Canada’s cannabis clarity
By Michael J. Armstrong and Paul Seaborn The inherent contradictions of American cannabis laws seem to appear in the news almost every week. At the state level, for example, Virginia recently became the latest jurisdiction to allow adult cannabis use, effective this July 1. But just days later, a court upheld United States federal tax laws that […]
Virginia’s GOP gambles on creative ranked-choice voting for 2021 nominees
By Mark J. Rozell The Republican Party of Virginia has a chance this year to reestablish itself as a competitive force in statewide elections. After a dozen years without a statewide victory, the GOP leadership needed to take a careful look within to understand why voters have turned their backs on the once dominant political party […]
A battle of borrowed status
By Makya Renée Little A few years back, I visited upstate New York with a friend to celebrate the medical school graduation of another friend. We both forgot to pack lotion and decided to grab some on our way to the celebration. Unfortunately, the pump on the bottle was defective. Sensing my frustration, my friend […]
Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine: A doctor explains why benefits far outweigh risks
Q & A with William Petri, University of Virginia Editor’s Note: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration lifted the pause on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine on April 23, 2021, but the labels and fact sheets given to patients will carry a warning about the exceedingly low […]
A focus on equity this Earth Day
By Mark Hoggard and Aliya Farooq As we move toward Earth Day 2021, we do so in the shadow of Derek Chauvin’s trial in the murder of George Floyd and remembering countless victims of police violence who sparked last summer’s protests. Last week, a police officer right here in Virginia has been fired after pointing […]
Taking steps to cut maternal mortality in Virginia
By Cheryl Harris Sutton Uncertainty. Fear. Worry. These are just a few of the thoughts and emotions that run through the minds of almost every expecting mother. For many expecting Black moms, those feelings can be more acute. That’s because for many, having a child is ultimately a life and death struggle. Last week was […]
No, vaccine side effects don’t tell you how well your immune system will protect you from COVID-19
Via The Conversation If someone gets a headache or feels a bit under the weather after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, it’s become common to hear them say something like “Oh, it just means my immune system is really working hard.” On the flip side, when people don’t notice any side effects, they sometimes worry the […]
Worsening Earth Days require a carbon price
By Kate Leftin, Rose Hendricks and Mark Reynolds The amount of heat-trapping emissions humans have spewed into our atmosphere since last Earth Day was 10 percent less than a typical year. This reduction came at a tremendous loss of life and livelihood and will be short lived as the global economy rebounds, so this is […]
Johnson & Johnson vaccine suspension: What this means for you
By Dr. William Petri, University of Virginia The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration on April 13, 2021, halted use of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine that has been given to 6.8 million people in the U.S. The pause is due to reports of blood clotting in […]