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60th anniversary of Danville’s Bloody Monday and more Va. headlines
• Pat Robertson, the Virginia-based founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network and former presidential candidate, died Thursday at 93.—Associated Press • “This weekend marks the 60th anniversary of Bloody Monday, the day Danville’s civil rights protesters were most violently confronted by the police during a long summer of peaceful protests.”—Cardinal News • The Virginia Department of Education released […]
FOIA Friday: What Virginia officials withheld or disclosed, June 2–9, 2023
One of the less noticed features of the Virginia Way is the long-running tendency of the commonwealth’s leaders to conduct their decision-making behind closed doors. While the Virginia Freedom of Information Act presumes all government business is by default public and requires officials to justify why exceptions should be made, too many Virginia leaders in practice take […]
More details on Richmond mass shooting and more Va. headlines
• Richmond police said the alleged gunman who opened fire at a high school graduation in the heart of Virginia’s capital targeted the 18-year-old graduate who was killed as part of a long-running dispute between the two young men.—Associated Press • Democrats blasted Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears, a strong gun rights supporter, for appearing at the […]
A mass shooting in Richmond after graduation ceremony and more Va. headlines
• A mass shooting outside the Altria Theater in Richmond following a high school graduation ceremony left two people dead and five others with gunshot wounds Tuesday evening. Police said they have detained a man and intend to pursue second-degree murder charges against him.—Axios Richmond • The plane that crashed into a Southwest Virginia mountainside had lost contact with […]
Youngkin calls on legislature to finish budget negotiations and more Va. headlines
• An F-16 pilot who intercepted a small plane that crashed in Virginia said the pilot appeared to be slumped over prior to the crash.The head of a Florida-based company that owns the plane said his daughter, his 2-year-old granddaughter and a nanny were also onboard and did not survive.—Washington Post, New York Times • “In primary between […]
VMI’s chief diversity officer quits and more Virginia headlines
• Members of the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors floated the idea of gathering data on the political viewpoints and religious affiliations of faculty and students.—Daily Progress • Dinwiddie County Commonwealth’s Attorney Ann Baskervill, who is leading the prosecution against several sheriff’s deputies and hospital workers involved in the death of Irvo Otieno, is resigning from […]
Hopewell’s ‘five-alarm fire’ financial situation and more Va. headlines
• Virginia Secretary of Finance Stephen Cummings said Hopewell’s financial situation is “a five-alarm fire” that “cannot continue.” A consulting firm told the city, which has lost its credit rating and is unable to issue bonds, that it’s unlikely to get a clean audit this year.—Richmond Times-Dispatch • The Republican-dominated Lynchburg Electoral Board has ousted its registrar […]
FOIA Friday: What Virginia officials withheld or disclosed, May 26–June 2, 2023
One of the less noticed features of the Virginia Way is the long-running tendency of the commonwealth’s leaders to conduct their decision-making behind closed doors. While the Virginia Freedom of Information Act presumes all government business is by default public and requires officials to justify why exceptions should be made, too many Virginia leaders in […]
Virginia Press Association investigating VMI student paper award and more headlines
• The Virginia Press Association says it’s investigating whether a student newspaper at VMI should’ve been given a prestigious journalism award for its coverage of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives amid allegations the paper is partially controlled by alumni who oppose DEI.—Washington Post • “Virginia Democrats Tim Kaine and Jennifer McClellan aren’t happy with the White House for not alerting them of […]
Judge orders release of Loudoun sexual assault report and more Va. headlines
• A judge ordered Loudoun County Public Schools to release a report it commissioned on its own handling of a pair of high-profile sexual assaults that became an issue in the 2021 gubernatorial campaign. Attorney General Jason Miyares was seeking the document, arguing it was not protected by attorney-client privilege as Loudoun school officials have claimed.—WUSA9 […]
Debt ceiling deal would complete Mountain Valley Pipeline and more Va. headlines
• The federal debt ceiling deal includes surprise approval of the controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline project that would cross through Virginia.—POLITICO • Six Virginia newspapers owned by Lee Enterprises announced they’re cutting print publication to three days a week and sending readers their papers through the regular mail.—Cardinal News • The legal battle over admissions at Virginia’s Thomas […]
‘Catfish cop’ presented himself as detective in California and more Va. headlines
• Former Virginia law enforcement officer Austin Lee Edwards presented himself as a “detective” to trick a California family into cooperating with him before he killed three people and tried to abduct a 15-year-old girl, according to a relative who spoke to him on the day of the killings.—Los Angeles Times • The Washington County Board of […]