Youngkin calls for severing of state ties to Russia and more Va. headlines

• In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Gov. Glenn Youngkin is asking the state government and Virginia universities to sever any financial ties to Russia. He also urged Norfolk and Roanoke to end sister city partnerships with Russian cities.—Richmond Times-Dispatch

• A sister cities organization in Roanoke is declining the governor’s request, saying it wants to preserve “people-to-people relationships” and avoid politics.—Roanoke Times

• Virginia’s ABC stores are taking Russian-made vodka off their shelves.—Washington Post

• A federal judge ruled a new admissions system that boosted Black and Hispanic enrollment at an elite Northern Virginia high school illegally discriminates against Asian-Americans.—Associated Press

• A member of the Virginia Beach School Board is under fire for a Facebook post that said: “Continuing to educate South Americans is not sustainable.”—WAVY

• Youngkin’s efforts to ban critical race theory or “divisive concepts” have failed in the General Assembly.—Washington Post

• The governor is requesting emergency funding to bolster security at historically Black colleges and universities after several bomb threats.—Washington Post

• Internal documents show the Washington Commanders are considering sites in Sterling, Woodbridge and Dumfries for the team’s potential stadium project.—WUSA9

• Inspectors identified a faulty alarm panel last year at the Richmond elementary school that caught fire this month. Due to communications breakdowns, it wasn’t fixed before the blaze.—WTVR

• Instead of going to jail for drug addictions, some defendants in Giles County are doing workouts with a judge.—Roanoke Times