Virginia Candidate Who Fought COVID Rules Fundraises Off Raid of His Restaurant

The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority raided a Fredericksburg restaurant in relation to COVID-19 rule violations, but the owner who is running for a state Senate office is using the raid as a fundraising opportunity.

“I’ve seen first-hand what it means to lay it all on the line – first in the United States Army and now as a small business owner fighting off self-serving bureaucrats who love strangling small businesses and punishing entrepreneurs,” read a fundraising email sent out by Gourmeltz owner and 27th Senate District candidate Matt Strickland.

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Loudoun Schools Grand Jury Finds Administration Mishandled 2021 Sexual Assaults, Failed to Prevent Second October Assault

A final report on the grand jury investigation into the Loudoun County Public School district’s handling of two sexual assaults on campuses says senior LCPS administration “were looking out for their own interests instead of the best interests of LCPS,” kept school board (LCSB) members in the dark about critical facts, and also described breakdowns in communication between LCPS, the Sheriff’s Office (LCSO), and the Commonwealth’s attorney’s office that contributed to a failure to prevent the second assault.

“There were several decision points for senior LCPS administrators, up to and including the superintendent, to be transparent and step in and alter the sequence of events leading up to the October 6, 2021 BRHS [Broad Run High School] sexual assault. They failed at every juncture,” the report states. “We concluded there was not a coordinated cover-up between LCPS administrators and members of the LCSB. Indeed, except for the May, 28, 2021 email from the superintendent, the LCSB, both as a body and its individual members, were deliberately deprived of information regarding these incidents until after the October 6, 2021 sexual assault — and even then they learned not from the superintendent’s office but instead from public reporting that the assailant was the same one from the May 28 incident.”

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After School Satan Club Launching in Chesapeake Schools

The Satanic Temple is launching an After School Satan Club (ASSC) in Chesapeake, a reaction to a Good News Club launched on school property earlier this year. That’s led to concerns from some community members and prompted the Chesapeake Public School Board to schedule a discussion on the club, but the district said in a statement that while it doesn’t sanction the club, neither can it discriminate against it on the basis of belief.

“The Satanic Temple is a non-theistic religion that views Satan as a literary figure who represents a metaphorical construct of rejecting tyranny and championing the human mind and spirit. After School Satan Club does not attempt to convert children to any religious ideology. Instead, The Satanic Temple supports children to think for themselves,” a flyer for the club states.

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Virginia Student Loan Holders Wait as Biden Relief Plan Stuck in Courts

As President Joe Biden’s student debt relief plan remains tied up in the courts, many Virginia student loan holders are still unsure whether they will have some of their debt forgiven.

About 12.5 percent of Virginians, which is more than 1.08 million people, owe some money on student loans. The average amount of debt per borrower is the fourth highest in the country at more than $39,000 per person, according to the Education Data Initiative. More than 85 percent of borrowers currently owe more than $5,000 in loans and the total amount of money owed on student loans in the commonwealth is about $42.4 billion.

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Youngkin Says Budget Proposal Will Include $350 Million More for Site Readiness, Priority on Dual-Enrollment Programs for High School Students

Governor Glenn Youngkin said Friday his upcoming budget amendment proposal would include $350 million in additional funds for site readiness to add to the $150 million already allocated in the biennial budget. Youngkin told attendees at the Virginia Economic Summit and Forum on International Trade that despite Virginia’s pro-business advantages like the port, the Commonwealth’s workforce, and right-to-work, Virginia needs to do more to attract businesses.

“Virginia often is not selected by businesses, particularly by manufacturing projects, because megasites aren’t ready. Simply put, it’s not that we don’t have enough inventory, we don’t really have any. Since 2016, a lack of project-ready sites has cost Virginia more than 55,000 jobs and $124 billion in capital investment,” he said.

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Data Analytics Company to Create 150 Jobs in Arlington

A cost engineering and data analytics company is investing $1.7 million to expand by adding 150 new jobs in Arlington, Virginia and will receive state-funded assistance for job training and recruitment.

Technomics, Inc, which is based in the Crystal City neighborhood in Arlington, will lease another 10,000 square feet of office space to expand. The company is employee-owned and has more than 220 employees. According to the governor’s office, the company began with cost estimating and analysis, but has grown to provide additional analytic services.

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VoterGA Reports Proof of Herschel Walker’s 20,000 Vote Loss in the General Election

VoterGA reported further evidence Friday that the organization said substantiates the more than 20,000-vote decline in Herschel Walker’s U.S. Senate election vote count at 10 p.m. on the night of Election Day last month.

According to a press release from the nonprofit coalition of citizens working to restore election integrity in Georgia, “before and after” screenshots of interim election results reported by Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) for the 2022 General Election “show the inexplicable decrease for Herschel Walker.”

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Drug Manufacturer Announces $12.5 Million Packaging Center in Virginia

Pharmaceutical manufacturer Granules India, Ltd., announced a $12.5 million investment to create a drug packaging and shipping center in Prince William County. The India-based company manufactures off-patent drugs like ibuprofen and acetaminophen and said the center would help them be more vertically integrated, starting with the initial pharmaceutical component and going to final steps in the process.

“The addition of a U.S. packaging facility will result in Granules being among the few pharmaceutical companies to be vertically integrated from API [active pharmaceutical ingredient] to packaging, which will bolster the robustness of Granules’ supply chain while also enabling the company to react even faster to consumers’ growing needs for pharmaceutical products,” company Founder Dr. Krishna Prasad Chigurupati said in a press release from the governor’s office

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U.S. Department of Education Finds Fairfax Schools Didn’t Provide Necessary Services to Students with Disabilities During Remote Learning

The U.S. Department of Education found that Fairfax County Public Schools didn’t take needed steps to ensure that students with disabilities received a legally-guaranteed free appropriate public education (FAPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Based on the evidence obtained through the Division’s documents and data, as well as interviews of administrators, OCR [Office for Civil Rights] found that the Division failed or was unable to provide a FAPE to thousands of qualified students with disabilities in violation of Section 504,” OCR District of Columbia Regional Director Emily Frangos wrote in a Wednesday letter to FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid.

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Virginia Department of Education Delays Implementation of New Transgender Policies While Trying to Review 71,298 Public Comments

A required minimum 30-day period for the Youngkin administration to review public comment on new draft transgender model policies ended, but the Virginia Department of Education is taking more time to review the 71,298 comments, according to Director of Communications and Constituent Services Charles Pyle.

“The model policies and guidance document has not been finalized and will not be – as stated by Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow – until the department has reviewed all of the comments received during the public comment period,” Pyle told The Virginia Star.

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John Fredericks Analysis: RNC Incompetence in Georgia Run-Off Fuels Huge Warnock Lead

ROME, Georgia – Recent polls for the December 6th runoff election between incumbent Raphael Warnock (D) and Trump-endorsed former Georgia Heisman-Trophy-winner Herschel Walker (R) show a very close race. Early voter turnout is unusually high on both sides with over 468,000 in-person votes by early Tuesday, and leaders of the…

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Pamunkey, Mattaponi Tribes Present Tribute in 345th Ceremony Since 1677 Treaty

Representatives of the Pamunkey and Mattaponi tribes presented Governor Glenn Youngkin with a tribute of deer and tribal gifts, the 345th time tribes have presented tribute to the Virginia governor since the 1677 signing of the Articles of Peace, later known as the Treaty of Middle Plantation.

“At this time we’re here honoring our treaty obligations that I am so proud that the Pamunkey and the Mattaponi have been able to continue for over three centuries doing this. It’s a great honor,” Pamunkey Chief Robert Gray said in the Wednesday ceremony. “And we also thank the Commonwealth of Virginia for what they’ve done for us over the years.”

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2A Groups Caution Against Gun Control Measures in Virginia after Shootings

After three football players were killed in a shooting at the University of Virginia and six people were killed in a shooting at a Walmart in Chesapeake, gun groups are cautioning against efforts to impose stricter gun control measures.

On November 13, three UVA football players were killed after a man allegedly opened fire in a bus after returning to the university from a class trip. A little more than a week later, six people were killed in a Walmart in Chesapeake after a man allegedly opened fire because of grievances against some Walmart employees.

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Virginia Companies, Research Universities Get $1.5 Million in Tech Grants

Rotunda at University of Virginia

Virginia companies and research universities will receive more than $1.5 million to fund 24 technology-related projects in the commonwealth.

The technology funding will be awarded through the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation’s Commonwealth Commercialization Fund. The program was launched in 2020 to promote technologies that could yield more economic development and job creation in the state, according to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office.

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Virginia’s Outdoor Recreation Economy Grew Almost 21 Percent in 2021

Virginia’s outdoor recreation economy grew 20.9 percent in 2021, adding $9.4 billion and making up 1.6 percent of Virginia’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to a November report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).

“I’m thrilled to see this level of economic growth of Virginia’s outdoor recreation. I’m looking forward to continuing my work in Washington to ensure that our outdoorsmen and women have the opportunities and resources they need to continue enjoying their time in our great outdoors for generations to come,” Representative Rob Wittman (R-VA-01) said in a newsletter Friday.

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In Rambling Note, Virginia Walmart Shooter Complained of Harassment, ‘Betrayal’

A rambling note left by the Chesapeake, Va., Walmart killer claims that he suffered from harassment and “betrayal” prior to his rampage and that he carried out the killing as if he was “led by Satan.” 

The note, released by Chesapeake police this week was discovered on Andre Bing’s phone after the Tuesday killing, where he shot and killed at least six people before turning the gun on himself. 

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Virginia Rep. Good Commits to ‘No’ Vote on Kevin McCarthy for Speaker

Congressman Bob Good (R-VA-05) said he won’t vote for Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-21) for Speaker of the House when Republicans take the majority in the upcoming congressional session.

“Is there anything that Kevin McCarthy or the folks around him could do to persuade you to flip your vote to a yes,” Steve Bannon asked Good in a Friday interview on War Room.

“No, sir, because there’s a lot of good quality candidates, and again, there’s  half a dozen of us or so who have come out in public, I believe there’s man more that will come out public and will stand strong and vote with us on January 3,” Good said.

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Survey: Virginia Job Openings Increased by 40,000 in September

man in yellow hardhat and work jacket

The number of job openings in Virginia increased by 40,000 in September, according to the recently released Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Job openings increased from 317,000 in August to 357,000 in September. In addition to job openings, the number of hires also went up. According to the Virginia Employment Commission, there was one unemployed person for every three job openings in the commonwealth.

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Walmart Shooter Who Killed Seven, Including Himself, Was An Employee, Police Say

A Chesapeake, Virginia, Walmart store employee shot seven people fatally, including himself, and injured several others Tuesday night, according to authorities.

Six victims died and four were hospitalized, with the suspect dying of what police believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Chesapeake Police Chief Mark Solesky explained at a Wednesday morning press conference streamed by ABC News. The shooter was a Walmart employee and used a pistol, Solesky said.

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Former Rep. Tom Garrett Announces Campaign for GOP Nomination in House District 56

Former U.S. Representative Tom Garrett has announced his campaign for the GOP nomination in Virginia’s House of Delegates district 56, where he’ll face Jennie Wood, a marketing director and fundraising consultant with experience in the Goochland GOP unit and Senator Mark Peake’s (R-Lynchburg) legislative office.

In 2018, Garrett announced he wouldn’t seek reelection to Congress, citing problems with alcoholism, according to Politico, which reported the congressman and his wife had used official staff for personal errands and chores. At the time, Garrett partially denied the allegations, but said, “there’s one area where I haven’t been honest. The tragedy is that any person Republican, Democrat or independent who’s known me for period of time and has any integrity knows two things: I am a good man and I am an alcoholic.”

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Miyares Launches ‘One Pill Can Kill’ Campaign Warning of Dangers of Counterfeit Drugs

Attorney General Jason Miyares announced a “One Pill Can Kill” awareness campaign over the risks of fentanyl and counterfeit drugs to try to launch conversations among families ahead of the holidays.

The opioid epidemic has had a devastating effect on our Commonwealth. There isn’t a corner of our state that hasn’t been touched by its pain and destruction. Tragically, overdose deaths are now not limited to addiction, but to counterfeit pills laced with a highly potent, deadly substance – fentanyl,” Miyares said in a press release Tuesday. “Unfortunately, we’ve seen too many young people overdose and die after experimenting with these powerful drugs. As a father, this new threat terrifies me. That’s why I launched ‘One Pill Can Kill,’ a public awareness initiative aimed at generating conversations around the dangers of counterfeit drugs and fentanyl.”

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Obama to Campaign with Warnock Urging Georgians to Cast Early Ballots in Runoff

Former President Barack Obama will rally with Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock (D) on December 1, and urge Georgians to cast early ballots for Warnock in his runoff U.S. Senate race against Republican Herschel Walker.

According to a report at NBC News, Obama’s team said, following the former president’s rally for Warnock at the end of October, attendees “signed up to complete hundreds of door knocking shifts.”

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Sen. Warner: Trump Right About Threat from TikTok

Senate Intelligence Chair Mark Warner (D-VA) told Fox News that former President Donald Trump “was right” in his warnings about social media platform TikTok.

“TikTok is a enormous threat,” Warner said. “It’s a threat on two levels.  One, it is a massive collector of information, oftentimes of our children. They can visualize even down to your keystrokes. So if you’re a parent and you’ve got a kid on TikTok, I would be very, very concerned. All of that data that your child is inputting and receiving is being stored somewhere in Beijing.”

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First Lady Youngkin Presents Spirit of Virginia Award to William King Museum of Art

First Lady Suzanne Youngkin and Governor Glenn Youngkin presented a Spirit of Virginia award to the William King Museum of Art located in Abingdon. An announcement from the First Lady highlighted women leaders at the museum, which aims to provide arts education and preserve the culture of the southwest Virginia and northeast Tennessee region.

“William King Museum of Art serves as a shining example of the positive intersection of art, history, culture, education, rehabilitation, workforce readiness and community engagement,” the First Lady said in a Thursday press release. “I am so proud of the women who shepherd this organization and brighten the lives of Virginians living in Southwest Virginia and beyond.”

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Del. Hudson Announces Primary Challenge Against Sen. Deeds

Delegate Sally Hudson (D-Charlottesville) announced her campaign for Senate District 11 on Monday, pitting her against Senator Creigh Deeds (D-Bath). That sets up a dynamic of a progressive challenger against a more moderate Democrat incumbent that is likely to typify the 2023 Virginia State Senate Democratic primaries, according to CNalysis Executive Director Chaz Nuttycombe.

“The Dems aren’t as united as they were back in the Trump era or even in 2021. So I think the left sees the opportunities they can make this year, especially with redistricting, because if not now, when,” Nuttycombe told The Virginia Star.

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Virginia Second in Nation in Leapfrog Hospital Safety Ranking

Virginia scored second in the Fall 2022 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade rankings, after scoring second in the Spring 2022 ranking and first in the Fall 2021 ranking.

“Hospitals across Virginia are unique in many ways including where they are located, the communities and patients they serve, and the types of medical care they most commonly provide. But what each hospital has in common is an unparalleled commitment to giving each patient high-quality care in a safe environment,” Chair of the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association (VHHA) Board of Directors Peter Mulkey said in a press release. “It is an honor to be part of a hospital community that prides itself on achieving exceptional patient care and safety.”

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U.S. Western District Attorney Announces Sentences in Three Cases, Including One Prosecuted by Attorney from Miyares’ Office

U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia Christopher Kavanaugh announced sentences in three separate drug dealing cases on Friday, including a case prosecuted by an attorney cross-designated between the Office of the Attorney General and the U.S. Attorney’s office.

Special Assistant United States Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen prosecuted the case against Pedro Loza, who was sentenced to 72 months after he was convicted on charges related to the distribution of methamphetamine as part of an organization that trafficked drugs from Texas and Indiana into Southwest Virginia, according to a joint press release from Miyares and the U.S. Attorney’s office.

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Youngkin Announces Make Virginia Home Plan to Address Housing Shortages

Governor Glenn Youngkin announced a plan to address Virginia housing shortages, including encouraging local cooperation on zoning, simplifying regulations, and placing housing at the center of economic development plans. He told attendees at the Governor’s Housing Conference that the plan is the result of concerns expressed by individual Virginians and roundtable sessions with developers, local leaders, and advocates.

He said, “What we’ve heard from Virginians over and over again is this sense of frustration. They’re tired of searching far and wide for that ‘For Sale’ sign, only to see that it’s out of their reach. They’re deterred by the cost. Virginians are also seriously worried that ongoing inflation and rising interest rates will make the American dream of owning a home not something they can’t have today, but something they may never have.”

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Virginia to Get $10.7 Million in Settlement over Google Location Tracking

Virginia is set to receive $10.7 million as part of a $391.5 million multistate settlement with Google over allegations that the tech company misled users about location tracking related to their Google account settings. “It is imperative that companies take customers’ personal data protection seriously and are transparent and direct…

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Virginia Board of Education Asks Youngkin Administration to Combine History and Social Sciences Draft with Previous Draft Begun Under Northam

RICHMOND, Virginia – The Virginia Board of Education voted unanimously to delay advancing a November draft of the History and Social Science Standards of Learning until January, and instructed Superintendent of Public Education Jillian Balow to change the draft to include content from an August draft presented to the BOE.…

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Virginia Expects $60 Million in Tentative Opioid Crisis Settlement with Walmart

Virginia is expected to receive $60 million as part of a tentative $3.1 billion settlement agreement with Walmart after allegations of insufficient oversight of opioid dispensing at the chain’s pharmacies.

“Companies who facilitated the dispensing of opioids contributed to the opioid epidemic that has devastated millions of lives. This significant settlement will help us fight back against the epidemic and provide abatement and rehabilitation resources to suffering Virginians,” Attorney General Jason Miyares said in a press release.

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Special Election to Replace Sen. Kiggans Expected to Be Close

Governor Glenn Youngkin and Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth) have called a January 10 special election for Virginia’s seventh state senate district, filling a vacancy that will be left by Senator Jen Kiggans (R-Virginia Beach) after she takes office as representative of Virginia’s second congressional district.

Local nominations for the race will be made this weekend, with a Republican canvass and a Democratic caucus scheduled for Saturday. Two Democrats have filed for the nomination: former NFL player Aaron Rouse who is a Virginia Beach City Council member, and former Delegate Cheryl Turpin who was the first Virginia Democrat to flip a Trump district in 2017, according to her city council campaign website.  So far, only one Republican has filed for the nomination, Navy veteran Kevin Adams, but candidates can file by 4 p.m. Thursday.

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Adjusted for Tax Relief, Virginia Revenue Up 8.3 Percent Year-to-Date

Virginia’s tax revenues four months into Fiscal Year 2023 are down 3.1 percent compared to Fiscal Year 2022, although when adjusted for timing and $250 tax rebates sent to Virginians, revenues are up 8.3 percent compared to the previous year, according to a presentation Secretary of Finance Stephen Cummings prepared to share with legislators.

Adjusted for $88 million paid out in October as part of the rebates, Virginia’s October revenues hit a 10.3 percent year-over-year increase, ahead of forecasts.

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Amid Lawsuit, Judge Voices Criticism of Virginia Tech Policies That Limit Student Speech

A case winding its way through the court system appears to have gained strong support from at least one judge on a three-judge panel.

When the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, heard oral arguments Oct. 25 in a case challenging Virginia Tech’s speech policies, Reagan-appointed U.S. Circuit Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III heavily criticized the university’s procedures and found the complaint raised several “First Amendment red flags,” Courthouse News Service reported.

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Kentucky Derby Owner Acquires Colonial Downs, Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums

Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI), the owner of the Kentucky Derby, acquired the Colonial Downs horse racing venue and Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums as part of a $2.75 billion purchase of most of Peninsula Pacific Entertainment LLC (P2E).

With most of Virginia’s casinos not yet open, the P2E properties are one of the top options for gambling in Virginia. There are six Rosie’s locations in Virginia, with about 2,700 historical horse racing machines (HRM) that provide a slots-like game. As part of the purchase finalized at the beginning of November, CDI acquired rights to open two more HRM facilities: one in Dumfries, and one in Emporia, both scheduled to open in 2023. Virginia law potentially allows for three additional HRM locations.

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Virginia Land Conservation Awards $14.9 Million for 40 Projects

The Virginia Land Conservation Foundation (VCLF) is awarding a record $14.9 million in grants to help protect 13,955 acres in 40 projects across Virginia, according to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

“The board of the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation is excited to make the most of this record funding and focus on significant land conservation efforts that will protect our natural resources,” acting secretary of Natural and Historic Resources Travis Voyles said. “Through these new local parks and recreation areas, Virginians will have more opportunities for outdoor recreation such as public access to waterways, fishing – and even elk viewing or hunting.”

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Pending SCOTUS Affirmative Action Ruling Could Affect Virginia College Admissions

As the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to rule on the constitutionality of certain affirmative action policies in college and university admissions, a change to current precedent could affect admissions in Virginia.

Current Supreme Court precedent allows higher education institutions to give some weight to an applicant’s race, but that consideration cannot be the determinative factor in the student’s admission or non-admission. Although the commonwealth’s colleges and universities abide by this standard, many analysts expect that the Court, which now has a 6-3 conservative majority, could overturn or scale back that affirmative action precedent.

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VDOE Releases New Draft of History and Social Science Standards

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has published an updated draft of the History and Social Science Standards ahead of a Thursday Board of Education meeting. Beginning in the summer, Governor Glenn Youngkin’s administration called for multiple delays to address technical concerns and to get input from voices that may not have contributed to the document under the previous Democratic administration.

“Every graduate from Virginia’s K-12 schools will possess a robust understanding of the places, people, events and ideas that comprise the history of Virginia, the United States and world civilizations. Our students will learn from the rise and fall of civilizations across time, so that we may pursue and maintain government and economic systems that have led to human achievement. The Virginia standards are grounded in the foundational principles and actions of great individuals who preceded us so that we may learn from them as we strive to maintain our political liberties and personal freedoms and thrive as a nation,” states an introduction to the standards.

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George Mason University Will Use Virtual Reality Simulations to Train Faculty on Implicit Bias

A new virtual reality program at George Mason University will help faculty learn how to fight racism and their “implicit bias.”

The university’s College of Health and Human Services announced plans for “training [that] will educate faculty to recognize and react to implicit bias and microaggressions through a [virtual reality] simulation.”

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Virginia Passenger Rail Ridership Exceeded Pre-Pandemic Levels in September

Virginia’s Amtrak service ridership hit 105,689 in September, up from the pre-pandemic 76,793 riders in September 2019, for 37.6 percent growth. That’s also an improvement from September 2021 ridership at 50,776.

In a Thursday press release, the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority said “the numbers show the strong rebound in post-pandemic travel with every route seeing an increase.”

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Pacific Legal Foundation Argues Against Thomas Jefferson High School’s Admissions Policy in Video

The Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) released a new video supporting its legal efforts to fight new admissions policies at Thomas Jefferson (TJ) High School for Science and Technology; the video argues that efforts to change the policy amount to a racist effort to reduce the number of Asian students at the school.

School officials instituted a merit lottery in 2020 to expand the student base to under-represented groups. In response, the Coalition protested the decision, and the PLF began representing the coalition in a drawn-out legal battle aimed at blocking the new policy. A district court agreed with the PLF and said the process was discriminatory, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit stayed the lower court’s order, allowing the school to use its new admissions policy for the 2022-2023 school year.

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Youngkin Responds to Trump Dig: ‘That’s Not the Way I Roll’

Virginia GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Friday brushed off former President Trump’s criticism of him – which followed his lieutenant governor, Winsome Sears, saying Trump should remove himself from GOP electoral politics. 

“Listen, you all know me,” Youngkin told reporters. “I do not call people names. I really work hard to bring people together … . That’s not the way I roll and not the way I behave.”

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Virginia Department of Education Announces $12 Million in School Security Equipment Grants

Virginia’s schools will get $12 million from the commonwealth’s School Security Equipment Grant program; the money will go to schools in 90 divisions to help purchase security systems including surveillance cameras, two-way radios, visitor ID badges, security card access systems, and radios for buses.

“The systems and equipment purchased through these grants will help school divisions control access to school buildings, respond quickly to emergencies and maintain orderly learning environments for students,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow said in a Thursday Virginia Department of Education announcement. “Every student and every teacher should feel safe in their classrooms, during school activities and when traveling to and from school. In many cases, the equipment purchased addresses vulnerabilities identified in annual school security audits.”

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After Virginia Lieutenant Governor’s Remarks, Trump Takes Dig at Youngkin: ‘Couldn’t Have Won without Me’

Former President Donald Trump on Friday took a sly but pointed dig at Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, one day after Youngkin’s running mate suggested the Republican party should move on from Trump himself. 

The former president took to Truth Social on Friday morning and claimed in his usual freewheeling style that Youngkin’s historic upset in the Virginia gubernatorial race last year was thanks to Trump’s support.

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Report: Virginia Financial Aid Insufficient and Hard to Apply For

Virginia students who graduated from public four-year schools in the 2020-2021 academic year had on average $30,000 in debt, for a total of $357 million in the Commonwealth, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission found in a review of financial aid.

“We found that financial aid has not kept pace with rising costs and students’ declining ability to pay, causing substantial unmet need for students,” JLARC Principal Legislative Analyst Lauren Axselle told commission legislators on Monday.

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Pro-Life Policies a Big Winner for Re-Elected State Lawmakers

A focus on the legislative campaigns that are more local to American voters served the cause of protecting unborn life, says Students for Life Action (SFLAction), which reports that while radical anti-life Democrats ran on demonizing the Supreme Court’s ruling that returned abortion issues to the states, still “every state legislator who championed SFLAction-inspired pro-life bills was reelected.”

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Lieutenant Gov. Earle-Sears Won’t Support Trump If He Runs

Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears said Thursday that she won’t support Donald Trump in another presidential campaign. She credited Trump for low Black unemployment, funds to historically black colleges and universities, and pressure on NATO members to increase their financial participation in the alliance, but she called for Trump to step aside amid a lack of voter support.

“As a Marine, we’re looking at the mission, and you know, the voters have spoken, and they have said that they want a different leader, and a true leader understands when they have become a liability. A true leader understands that it’s time to step off the stage and the voters have given us that very clear message,” Earle-Sears said in an appearance on Fox Business.

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Delegate Tim Anderson: Trump Presidential Campaign Would Be ‘Absolute Worst’ for Virginia Republicans

Delegate Tim Anderson (R-Virginia Beach) is calling for his fellow Virginia Republicans to break with Donald Trump after Republicans only flipped one of three competitive Democrat-held congressional districts in Virginia.

“While it appears likely Trump will announce he is running for President – I will not be supporting him,” Anderson said in a Facebook post on Wednesday morning. “While Trump was President, we lost a supermajority in the House of Delegates, a majority in the Senate and in 2019 Democrats controlled all state government for two years — radically changing Virginia. After Trump lost, the GOP gained Delegate seats back and won all three statewide offices. I call this the Trump effect. One thing Trump does very well in Virginia is mobilizing the left to vote against him and anyone who supports him.”

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