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Staff Report

Staff Report

Virginia Mercury staff report. For questions, comments or concerns, contact [email protected]

Seven Henrico deputies turn themselves in and more Va. headlines

By: - March 15, 2023

• Seven Henrico County sheriff’s deputies turned themselves in on second-degree murder charges in connection with the death of a 28-year-old inmate who died in their custody while being admitted to Central State Hospital in Dinwiddie County.—Richmond Times-Dispatch • Gov. Glenn Youngkin is continuing to stoke talk of presidential ambitions by heading to Dallas next month for […]

Isle of Wight schools ban teaching about systemic racism and more Va. headlines

By: - March 14, 2023

• “Virginia regulators and banks sent a message of reassurance on Monday that the state’s banks are stable and don’t face the risks that caused regional banks to fail in California and New York over a long, stressful weekend.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch • The Isle of Wight County School Board officially banned teaching about “systemic racism,” adopting a policy […]

State firefighter dies battling Buchanan wildfire and more Va. headlines

By: - March 13, 2023

• General Assembly budget negotiators are hoping to meet this week to work toward ending a partisan impasse that led the legislature to adjourn this year without a new spending plan.—Washington Post • A Virginia firefighter died in an ATV accident while battling a wildfire in Buchanan County.—Associated Press • Virginia’s expansion of passenger rail service is translating […]

Youngkin defends education policies at CNN town hall and more Va. headlines

By: - March 10, 2023

• Youngkin defended his transgender student policies, the state’s new draft history standards and his executive order forbidding the teaching of “inherently divisive concepts” in a town hall hosted by CNN.—Washington Post, Richmond Times-Dispatch • Newport News authorities have officially ruled out charges against the 6-year-old boy who shot his teacher in January. It remains unclear whether the […]

Thirteen grants for lab schools and more Va. headlines

By: - March 9, 2023

• Three Virginia school systems say they’re planning to offer a pilot AP African American studies course that’s drawn scrutiny from Republican leaders like Gov. Glenn Youngkin, whose administration is reviewing the course curriculum.—Washington Post • The Youngkin administration announced 13 grants for K-12 lab schools that will be set up in coordination with colleges and universities […]

A quail comeback campaign, delegate’s felony hit and run and more Va. headlines

By: - March 8, 2023

Virginia Del. Matt Fariss, R-Campbell, was arrested and charged with two felonies after allegedly hitting a woman with his car last week and leaving the scene. The woman later took out a protective order against the delegate. Farris called the charges “false’ and claimed he’ll be cleared in court.—Cardinal News A grand jury indicted a  […]

Execution tapes returned to Dept. of Corrections and more Va. headlines

By: - March 7, 2023

After a news story revealed the existence of execution recordings at the Library of Virginia, the state Department of Corrections asked for the tapes back. The library granted the request, returning materials donated in 2006 by a former prison employee.—Associated Press Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., will play a key role in an upcoming congressional debate […]

Amazon pauses building HQ2 in NoVa and more Va. headlines

By: - March 6, 2023

Amazon is pausing construction on its HQ2 office campus in Northern Virginia, but local officials say they still expect the project to pay off in the long run.—Washington Post University of Virginia board member Bert Ellis apologized for disparaging comments he made that became public through a Freedom of Information Act request. “Those were private […]

Youngkin’s approval rating hits highest point and more Va. headlines

By: - March 3, 2023

• A new Roanoke College poll shows Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s approval rating moving up to 57%, the highest support the survey has found since he took office.—Cardinal News • Former GOP congresswoman Liz Cheney, who lost a primary after sharply criticizing former President Donald Trump, is taking a teaching job at the University of Virginia’s Center for […]

One-time tax rebates could be on the budget table and more Va. headlines

By: - March 2, 2023

• One-time tax rebates, as opposed to cutting Virginia’s tax rates, now appear to be part of the budget negotiations that are still going after the General Assembly’s regular session ended with no deal.—Richmond Times-Dispatch • Gov. Glenn Youngkin is participating in an education-themed town hall on CNN. The March 9 event will be hosted by Jake […]

More allegations against Dan Snyder and more Va. headlines

By: - March 1, 2023

• Federal prosecutors in Virginia are reportedly looking into a $55 million bank loan the Washington Commanders received without the approval of owner Dan Snyder’s minority partners in the franchise. Arbitration documents obtained by ESPN also show Snyder “arranged for the franchise to pay him a total of $4.5 million for having the team logo emblazoned […]

Bagby wins firehouse primary for Richmond seat and more Va. headlines

By: - February 28, 2023

• Del. Lamont Bagby, D-Henrico, won Sunday’s firehouse primary for a Richmond-area state Senate seat by a wide margin. But he could face another primary in the new version of the district in just a few months.—Richmond Times-Dispatch • Gov. Glenn Youngkin said President Joe Biden should be going to Ohio to visit the community impacted by […]