GOVERNMENT + POLITICS
ACLU of Virginia sues Department of Corrections over earned sentence credits
The ACLU of Virginia is suing the director of the Virginia Department of Corrections and a state prison warden to try to force the release of an inmate, arguing the agency incorrectly blocked him from being let out early for good behavior in response to a last-minute change in the state budget that rolled back […]
OneVirginia2021 relaunches as UpVote Virginia with new focus on ranked-choice voting
The nonpartisan group that led the charge to reform Virginia’s redistricting process is relaunching with a broader “democracy reform” focus and a push for more ranked-choice voting. The next iteration of OneVirginia2021, which spent years advocating to take redistricting power away from the General Assembly and give it to a more politically neutral map-drawing commission, […]
Prince William could steal Loudoun’s title of Data Center Alley. But land use battles are raging.
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 […]
Abortion is just the latest dividing line between the twin cities of Bristol and Bristol
BRISTOL, Tenn. and BRISTOL, Va. — The community of Bristol is proud to straddle the border between two states. Tennessee flags fly on the south side of State Street, Virginia flags on the north. A series of plaques down the middle of the main downtown thoroughfare mark the twin cities’ divide. A large sign at […]
Demand for mental health services outpaces expectations
At the start of December, Virginia significantly expanded its mental health coverage under Medicaid, adding six new services and boosting payments for providers as part of a multi-year effort to reduce the state’s reliance on its own struggling psychiatric hospitals. Six months into the rollout, the demand for at least one treatment option already vastly […]
Farm bill season arrives: What’s the outlook for 2023?
WASHINGTON — Over the course of the next year, lawmakers on the U.S. House and Senate agriculture committees will draft a new federal farm bill that will shape food, farm, conservation and nutrition programs across the country for the next five years. The omnibus law that began 90 years ago as crop support legislation now […]
U.S. House Democrats send sweeping climate, health and tax legislation to Biden
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House on Friday cleared Democrats’ long-sought climate, health care and tax package, sending it to President Joe Biden for his signature. The roughly $750 billion measure is much smaller than the $2 trillion reconciliation package the House originally sent to the Senate in November. The final product left out dozens of […]
U.S. attorney general says DOJ asked for public release of search warrant for Trump estate
WASHINGTON — U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday that the U.S. Department of Justice has moved to release the search warrant a federal judge issued earlier this week that allowed federal agents to enter former President Donald Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. DOJ, Garland said, filed a motion in the Southern District of Florida […]
Virginia investigator linked to Parole Board leaks can sue over her firing, judge rules
A former Virginia employee who investigated claims of misconduct at the Virginia Parole Board can continue pursuing a federal lawsuit against current and former state officials over her politically contentious firing last year, a judge ruled Thursday. Ruling on a motion by defense attorneys to dismiss the civil suit brought by former Office of the […]
Virginians are getting tax rebates of up to $250 per person. Here’s how it works
If you owed income taxes to the state of Virginia for 2021, some of that money might be coming back this fall. As part of a bipartisan tax rebate plan approved this year, the state government is preparing to send out payments of up to $250 per tax filer (or up to $500 for couples who […]
Elections need civic-minded workers – and fewer lies by politicians
If you’ve ever wanted to work the polls on Election Day in Virginia, you’re in luck. Several localities around the state need help, especially from newly trained aides. Some cities and counties have boosted pay, appealed to residents’ sense of civic duty and emphasized the role everyday Virginians play in ensuring elections run smoothly. “It’s […]
Youngkin calls raid on Trump club a ‘stunning move’ by feds
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin called the federal raid on former President Donald Trump’s home at Mar-a-Lago a “stunning move by the DOJ and FBI” and implied it could be politically motivated. In a tweet posted Tuesday morning, Youngkin drew a connection between the news of the search in Florida and prior events in Virginia. “This […]