Author
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 […]
The biggest threat to American democracy comes from within
By Janice Ellis Ukraine’s desperate fight to avoid authoritarian rule is a stark reminder of how important our democracy is — how much we need to treasure it, protect it and continue to work to make it better. Ensuring that our democracy prevails must be done in every unit of government in this great republic. […]
A homespun stitch in time could save us
By Aaron Brown My wife and I recently enjoyed a rare evening out. Like with most parents, such occasions allow small joys that our busy lives often prevent. I picked the entertainment, so Christina got to go to the fabric store. She likes to loom knit and thought she might try her hand at crocheting. […]
The Emmett Till Antilynching Act doesn’t change the law very much. That’s OK.
By Cullen Seltzer After more than a century of trying, a federal anti-lynching act was signed into law yesterday. The good news is that the country, with passage of the Emmett Till Antilynching Act, is at long last on record opposing lynching. There have been thousands of lynching victims. There are countless thousands more who’ve […]
Clean energy, climate action not to blame for pain at the pump
By Debra Rodman The Russian invasion of Ukraine is being televised. While some choose or choose not to follow the deadly conflict via the news, one thing you can not ignore is the price of gas, which in Richmond remains around $4 per gallon, adding to the pain Virginians are already feeling in the wake […]
Energy security and climate change demand real action, not shaky promise of ‘low-emission gas’
By Dan Grossman Russia’s invasion of Ukraine underscores the extent to which energy security is national security, not only in the U.S. but across the globe. With the current roiling of global energy markets, we need strong action to keep these resources in the pipes, rather than our atmosphere. Alarmingly, U.S. oil and gas operators […]