Author

Nathaniel is an award-winning journalist who's been covering news across the country since 2007, including politics at The Loudoun Times-Mirror and The Northern Neck News in Virginia as well as sports for The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio. He has also hosted podcasts, worked as a television analyst for Spectrum Sports, and appeared as a panelist for conferences and educational programs. A graduate of Bowie State University, Nathaniel grew up in Hawaii and the United Kingdom as a military brat. Five things he must have before leaving home: his cellphone, Black Panther water bottle, hand sanitizer, wedding ring and Philadelphia Eagles keychain.
D.C. region leaders want to halve transportation emissions by 2030 despite road widening plans
By: Nathaniel Cline - August 24, 2022
The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board has pledged to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks despite also pursuing projects that could hinder those reductions. Earlier this summer, the board, made up of representatives from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region, including those from Northern Virginia, passed a resolution to reduce road emissions […]
Virginia’s education test results remain low compared to pre-pandemic rates
By: Nathaniel Cline - August 19, 2022
Virginia’s pass rates from the Standards of Learning tests and other assessments released on Thursday continue to remain lower than results before the pandemic. Pass rate data show that all students performed better over the past year, when students returned to in-person learning, compared to the prior year. However, education officials said the results are […]
Virginia Board of Education delays public hearings for history standards review
By: Nathaniel Cline - August 17, 2022
The Virginia Board of Education is delaying its public hearings on the state’s new history and social science standards by a month to address concerns with timing and a number of errors and content issues Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration said were in the proposal. The board’s schedule called for the mandated public hearings to occur […]
Prince William could steal Loudoun’s title of Data Center Alley. But land use battles are raging.
By: Nathaniel Cline - August 16, 2022
PRINCE WILLIAM — Prince William County may be on its way to taking the “Data Center Alley” title from neighboring Loudoun County after initiating a plan to allow the development of data centers across 800 acres previously intended for agricultural use. The idea originated from dozens of property owners along Pageland Lane in Gainesville who […]
Ridership drops could mean less funding for Virginia transit agencies
By: Nathaniel Cline - August 10, 2022
A handful of Virginia transit agencies are projected to see a drop-off in state funding support following back-to-back years of federal and state relief due to the pandemic. Virginia Railway Express, RADAR in Roanoke, the Greater Lynchburg Transit Company and transit services in Loudoun County are some of the systems expected to be impacted by […]
Most state employees dissatisfied with new telework policy, VGEA survey shows
By: Nathaniel Cline - August 1, 2022
Seventy-seven percent of government employees in Virginia aren’t satisfied with a telework policy recently implemented by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration, according to a survey conducted by the Virginia Government Employees Association last week. In May, Youngkin announced a new telework policy, which impacts those under the executive branch, to bring back employees to the […]
Virginia school district leaders ask court to uphold teacher firing in transgender student case
By: Nathaniel Cline - July 29, 2022
School board members from five Virginia localities and Richmond’s schools superintendent have signed onto an amicus brief to the Supreme Court of Virginia opposing a former teacher’s claim that he was unlawfully fired for violating his district’s anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies. The brief, which was submitted by LGBTQ+ advocacy group Equality Virginia and more than […]
Hanover NAACP asks county leaders to reconsider school board appointments
By: Nathaniel Cline - July 26, 2022
The Hanover NAACP is asking the county board of supervisors to reconsider the appointment of school board members who the organization says have made comments and taken actions opposed to the school division’s goals and mission. In a Monday open letter, the chapter also asked the supervisors, along with the school board, to participate in […]
VDOT preparing to use artificial intelligence to predict traffic
By: Nathaniel Cline - July 21, 2022
State transportation officials are gearing up to use an artificial intelligence system that will monitor emerging conditions to predict the impacts of traffic disruptions in Northern Virginia and the Fredericksburg metropolitan area. The rollout will mark the first time that artificial intelligence will be used to predict traffic disruptions in Virginia. “If the system performs […]