Battle over new elections next year continues, pipeline protest and more headlines

• Virginia’s Office of the Attorney General filed a brief seeking to dismiss a lawsuit that calls for new elections in the state House of Delegates next year.—WVTF

• Federal and state officials are putting restrictions on aid to Afghan refugees as local resettlement groups struggle to keep up with an influx in demand.—Washington Post

• The state agency that oversees government-issued credit cards directed officials to omit the names of employees using the cards when responding to public records requests.—Richmond Times-Dispatch

• As the state removes the final remnants of the pedestal that formerly held Richmond’s Robert E. Lee statue, some protesters are mourning the loss of what had become a community gathering space.—Washington Post

• Hundreds of activists gathered in Richmond to protest the Mountain Valley Pipeline ahead of a key regulatory decision.—Richmond Times-Dispatch

• State Sen. Joe Morrissey, D-Richmond, is bringing back legislation that would end the use of solitary confinement in Virginia.—WVTF

• Gov. Ralph Northam expressed frustration with low vaccination rates in Southwest Virginia shortly before the state detected its first case of the omicron variant. “If people want to be safe and put this pandemic behind us, they’re going to have to roll up their sleeves.”—Cardinal News

• The University of Virginia is raising tuition, room and board over the next two school years, citing an expected increase in the cost of providing higher education.—Daily Progress

• A developer renovating five former public housing complexes in Richmond is accused of displacing families and violating fair housing law, according to a complaint filed with federal authorities.—Richmond Times-Dispatch

• Rapper and producer Pharrell Williams was presented with an honorary doctorate from Norfolk State University after delivering the commencement speech for its fall graduation ceremony.—Virginian-Pilot