Category: The South

 

The South

Virginia (13), North Carolina (15), and Florida (29) add 57 electoral college votes to the total.

Forgiven Federal Student Loan Debt Is Not Virginia Taxable Income

Eric Burk

Virginians won’t have to pay income tax on forgiven federal student debt recently announced by the White House, thanks to efforts in previous years to make sure Virginians weren’t taxed on COVID-19 relief.

“[T]he amount of student loan debt that was forgiven will be left out of federal adjusted gross income, and, by extension, Virginia taxable income, without any further action by the General Assembly,” Virginia Division of Legislative Services Stephen Kindermann said in an email Delegate Vivian Watts (D-Fairfax) shared with The Virginia Star.

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Qualifying Families Need to Apply for Free School Meals After End of Pandemic-Era Student Meals Provided to All

Eric Burk

The Virginia Department of Education is reminding families qualifying for free meals for students to apply for the program after pandemic-era federal provisions for free meals for all students expired at the end of the 2021-2022 school year, meaning that otherwise qualifying families could face charges for meals starting on the first day of school.

“School meals are important sources of nutrition for students and help reduce food insecurity in the Commonwealth,” Superintendent of Public Education Jillian Balow said in a Monday VDOE newsletter. “I urge all families to apply to determine if they qualify. Filling out an application is simple and takes less than 15 minutes.”

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Attorneys Say Good Samaritan Virginia Resident Charged for Gun Possession After Breaking Up Fight in Baltimore

Peter D'Abrosca

Spokespeople for a Virginia man said in press release Tuesday that he has been hamstrung by police after stepping in to break up a fight between his friend and an armed aggressor. 

Lloyd Muldrow, Marine veteran and member of the Marine Corps Security Force went to visit a friend, Marshal Collins, in Baltimore last month. When he arrived, Collins was in a violent struggle with a man called Wesley Henderson, who had allegedly pistol whipped Collins, causing him to bleed from his head. 

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Election Integrity Event Organizer Says Fake Police Showed Up at Her Home, Detained Her

Peter D'Abrosca

A Gwinnett County woman who held an election integrity panel over the weekend to educate Georgians says men who she believes were impersonating police officers showed up at her home and detained her hours before the event began.

“The long and short of what occurred, is I had an encounter with the police right before I went to the event,” Surrea Ivey told The Georgia Star News. “Initially, I didn’t think anything about it. When somebody – I say somebody because I subsequently found out it was not the police – when these individuals knocked on my door, they were in police uniform and they said they had reason to believe I was in possession of government equipment.”

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Texas ‘Kid-Friendly’ Drag Queen Grooming Event Protected by Armed ANTIFA Guards

Susan Berry, PhD

A restaurant in Roanoke, Texas, held a controversial “kid-friendly” drag queen grooming event Sunday during which children of all ages were invited to participate in the show that featured vulgarity and partial nudity, while ANTIFA members, armed with AR-15s, protected the event.

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Judge Allows Antitrust Litigation Against Indivior to Go Forward

Eric Burk

A federal court in Pennsylvania ruled that an antitrust lawsuit from 42 states against the Chesterfield, Virginia-based manufacturer of Suboxone can go forward, a “major victory” according to an announcement from Attorney General Jason Miyares.

“The intentional implementation of an illegal ‘product hopping’ scheme to block or delay generic versions of a medication used to help individuals recover from opioid addiction is a despicable exploitation of the opioid epidemic. The decisions made by Indivior Inc. caused purchasers to pay artificially high prices for a leading opioid addiction treatment, making access to recovery more difficult for Virginians while putting more money into the pockets of the manufacturers amid a national opioid crisis,” Miyares’ release states.

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Republicans Say California’s 2035 Ban on Gasoline-Powered Cars Will Apply in Virginia

Eric Burk
Glenn Youngkin

California regulators moved forward with a plan to ban the sale of gasoline-powered cars by 2035, a policy that also impacts Virginia and other states that have chosen to link their emissions law to California’s. In the wake of the decision reported by The New York Times, Virginia Republicans are once again expressing frustration over the 2021 legislation that tied Virginia’s regulations to California’s zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) requirements.

“In an effort to turn Virginia into California, liberal politicians who previously ran our government sold Virginia out by subjecting Virginia drivers to California vehicle laws,” Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a Twitter statement Friday.

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Virginia Congress Members Return to Home Districts Ahead of Midterm Election

Eric Burk

With Congress in recess and midterm elections approaching, Virginia’s senators and representatives have been touring the Commonwealth, visiting local businesses and organizations while highlighting legislative goals and wins.

“The Democrat Party is an evil to be defeated,” Representative Bob Good (R-VA-05) told the Amherst County Republicans on Monday while describing his efforts to advance national pro-life legislation, according to video from The Danville Register and Bee.

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Virginia Board of Contractors Cuts Some Construction Trades Licensing Requirements

Eric Burk

The Virginia Board of Contractors voted to reduce licensing requirements in construction-related trades, a change meant to address a shortage of skilled labor and to comply with Governor Glenn Youngkin’s push for regulatory cuts. The cuts reduce the years of experience requirement for journey-level tradesman in in-demand construction fields from four to two years, create an extra pathway for skilled workers to become licenses, and eliminate a continuing education mandate.

“This is a major win for all Virginians,” Youngkin said in a press release. “Increasing opportunities for people to become licensed in high-demand, high-paying jobs while also helping businesses find the talent they desperately need will strengthen our Commonwealth. Since day one my administration has been working to reinvigorate job growth and make Virginia the best place to live, work and raise a family. I’m confident that these actions will move us closer to that goal.”

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Miyares Stops in Gilpin Court to Discuss School Safety, Hear Local Concerns

Eric Burk

RICHMOND, Virginia — Attorney General Jason Miyares stopped at the Calhoun community center in Gilpin Court, a low-income neighborhood with a local reputation for violence. Miyares met privately with local leaders and parents and handed out backpacks with school supplies to residents as part of a series of stops he is making around Virginia.

“I came here to the Calhoun Center to hear what was happening, and what people are saying is happening,” Miyares told reporters after the Thursday meeting. “A lot of it was about school safety, but also about larger issues in the community.”

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Norment Wants Youngkin to ‘Intensify Focus’ on Virginia Issues

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin is scheduled for another round of stops supporting GOP candidates across the U.S., fueling speculation that he is evaluating a possible presidential campaign, and earning skepticism from Virginia politicians, including Senate Minority Leader Thomas Norment (R-James City.)

“I am hopeful that maybe he will intensify his focus on the Commonwealth’s issues,” Norment told reporters on August 19, and referenced the ambitions of Virginia’s recent governors.

“Doug Wilder wanted to be president. George Allen wanted to be president. Bob McDonald wanted to be president. Tim Kaine wanted to be next to the throne,” he said.

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DroneUp Expands Virginia Beach Headquarters, Expects to Deliver Packages for Walmart by End of Year

Eric Burk

RICHMOND, Virginia — A drone delivered a small package to Virginia’s Executive Mansion on Wednesday morning as part of an announcement that Walmart partner DroneUp is expanding with 655 new jobs plus a drone pilot training facility at Richard Bland College. In May, DroneUp announced that it would deliver to 34 sites across the U.S. by the end of 2022. Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer said that would include customers near three Walmart drone delivery hubs in Chesapeake, Chesterfield County, and Chester.

“Our delivery capacity will be four million homes by the end of this year. Our goal is 30 million by the end of next year,” DroneUp CEO Tom Walker told the media. “Our partnership with Walmart is unique because there’s 4,700 Walmarts. 92 percent of the U.S. population lives within 10 miles of a Walmart. So as we work with the FAA and negotiate that broader range, we’re starting to go three, four, five, ten miles. It’s not long before 92 percent of the U.S. population can be receiving products.”

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Office of Attorney General Gets Restitution for Tenants in Settlement with Two Richmond Landlords

Eric Burk

Attorney General Jason Miyares announced a settlement with two landlords, culminating a lawsuit alleging that the Richmond-based landlords defrauded tenants by offering services for low-income tenants without providing the services. Jump Start U2, Inc, and Vasilios Education Center, Inc., and their operator Carl Vaughan must pay $10,000 in restitution to consumers who paid for services that weren’t provided; they’re also not allowed to collect on over 175 judgements against tenants, worth more than $200,000 in total.

“We will not tolerate landlords who take advantage of Virginians seeking affordable housing by violating and ignoring laws designed to protect Virginia consumers. My office is dedicated to protecting vulnerable Virginians from such abusive practices, and we will continue to hold bad actors accountable,” Miyares said in a press release Tuesday.

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Youngkin, Petersburg Officials, and Other Leaders Launch Partnership to Help the City

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin, Senator Joe Morrissey (D-Richmond), Delegate Kim Taylor (R-Dinwiddie), and Petersburg Mayor Samuel Parham announced the Partnership for Petersburg on Monday. The partnership is an effort to help poverty-stricken Petersburg by improving education, health care, public safety, transportation, economic growth, and relationships between the community and leaders.

“Today, we formally launch the Partnership for Petersburg, a holistic partnership bringing more than 40 initiatives under six separate pillars to make a significant difference in the lives and livelihoods of Petersburg’s great people as well as the economic health of the city itself,” Youngkin said in a press release. “It is my sincerest hope to be able to point to the Partnership as a model for our work with other cities across the Commonwealth.”

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University of Virginia Student Newspaper Demands Removal of Thomas Jefferson’s Name from Campus

Virginia Star Staff

At the University of Virginia, the student-run newspaper issued a public call to remove the name of the university’s founder, Thomas Jefferson, from campus.

According to Fox News, the op-ed in The Cavalier Daily claimed that Thomas Jefferson “glorifies racists, slaveholders and eugenicists,” while offering no evidence to support this assertion.

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Battle over Spotsylvania Superintendent Spills into Virginia Board of Education Meeting

Eric Burk

RICHMOND, Virginia – The Virginia Board of Education postponed certifying Greene County Administrator Mark Taylor for Spotsylvania County supervisor in its August 17 meeting after parents and school board members offered public comments criticizing Taylor’s qualifications and his ties to school board chair Kirk Twigg. School board member and former chair Dawn Shelley said Taylor hadn’t received a recommendation from the school board, which hadn’t voted in public meeting to select Taylor out of the two finalists.

“Whatever the Department of Education received from the chairman of the Spotsylvania school board was fraudulent. The application was incomplete,” Shelley told the BOE.

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VA-07, VA-10 Candidates Discuss Policy Problems Faced by People with Disabilities, All Support Increasing SSI Asset Limit

Eric Burk

The congressional candidates for Virginia’s seventh and tenth districts met in a virtual forum on Monday evening where they discussed policy problems faced by people with disabilities. At the beginning, moderator Connor Cummings said that the event was a sensory-friendly forum, not a debate, and instructed candidates to speak about themselves, not their opponents. As a result, the forum’s tone was professional and policy-focused, lacking the fireworks of traditional forums and debates driven by attacks and personality.

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Citing Technical Errors, Virginia Department of Education Delays Review of History Standards

Eric Burk

The Youngkin administration asked the Virginia Board of Education to delay reviewing new history and social science standards, a necessary first step that includes public hearings. On Wednesday, in the first meeting with a majority of Youngkin-appointed members, the board agreed to delay accepting the standards for first review until September, although board President Daniel Gecker expressed concern about falling behind on a timeline to approve the standards.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow asked for the delay, saying that would allow the five new Youngkin-appointed members more time to get up to speed and to address technical errors like the accidental omission of language that referred to George Washington as the “Father of Our Country.”

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Breaking: Fauci Announces Resignation from NIAID and Biden Administration

Peter D'Abrosca

The Chief Medical Advisor for President Joe Biden and head of the National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Disease (NIAID) who was also the face of the America’s COVID-19 response has announced that he will resign from those positions effective in December. 

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to have led the NIAID, an extraordinary institution, for so many years and through so many scientific and public health challenges. I am very proud of our many accomplishments,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said in his resignation announcement. “I have worked with – and learned from – countless talented and dedicated people in my own laboratory, at NIAID, at NIH and beyond. To them I express my abiding respect and gratitude.”

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Youngkin Highlights 100,000 Virginia Jobs-Added Milestone

Eric Burk

Nearly 100,000 more Virginians are employed than at the end of January, a key milestone highlighted by Governor Glenn Youngkin in a Friday press release.

“With 100,000 jobs added since January, we are well ahead of pace to reach our goal of 400,000 jobs during my term. However, the slowdown in monthly job creation and the lower level of job participation have my full attention. We will continue the critical work to return more Virginians to the workforce and will double-down on policies that make Virginia attractive for job growth and business investment,” Youngkin said. “We remain laser-focused on our mission to make Virginia the best place to live, work and raise a family.”

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Virginia Republicans Refute Rumor That Reconvened Session Will Include Anti-Abortion Legislation

Eric Burk

The General Assembly will reconvene September 7, which has triggered alarm from pro-choice groups who are worried that Republicans may try to introduce pro-life legislation. But a spokesperson for Governor Glenn Youngkin said that the session will be focused on appointing judges and that Youngkin’s pro-life legislation won’t be introduced until the 2023 session.

“Governor Glenn Youngkin is calling the legislature back to Richmond on September 7, and we have a feeling he will try to sneak an abortion ban through the House of Delegates,” REPRO Rising Virginia tweeted Thursday.

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New Chief of Staff for Customs and Border Protection is Son of Top Virginia Democrat

Virginia Star Staff

Nathaniel Kaine, son of Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), has been appointed chief of staff for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Tim Kaine, the Democrats’ 2016 vice presidential nominee, serves on the Senate Armed Services and Budget committees, both of which are involved in funding and oversight for the border enforcement agency.

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Gun Groups Caution against Richmond Gun Buyback Event

The Center Square

Richmond held a gun buyback program Saturday in an attempt to curb gun violence, but some critics have cautioned that such programs would not likely have that effect.

Individuals who seek to get rid of their firearms on a no-questions-asked policy were to do so at Liberation Church in Richmond. The city council approved the gun buyback event and bought the firearms using gift cards.

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John Fredericks Commentary: Godzilla Wins 2022 NFL Football Preview

John Fredericks

Well here we are again! Welcome to the first NFL 2022 edition of GodzillaWins.com, our NFL football preview! 

I don’t speak for Jack from Tunica and Nate from Reno, I’ll let them get crushed by me again this year – but as for Godzilla – I am poised for a record setting year! 

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Commentary: Virginia is Ground Zero for the ‘Latino Realignment’

Virginia Star Staff

The left denies it, but it’s truly happening – a massive realignment is underway in the American electorate as Latinos are leaning in with the GOP. This November, Republicans are running Hispanic nominees in key battleground districts, headlined by rising stars like Myra Flores, Cassy Garcia, and Monica De La Cruz in Texas, Michelle Garcia Holmes and Alexis Martinez Johnson in New Mexico, Lori Chavez-DeRemer in Oregon – and of course, Yesli Vega in Virginia. Over the past two years, the Old Dominion has been ground zero for this shift, providing a glimpse into what the future of the Republican Party might look like on a national scale.

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With $3.2 Billion in Excess Cash, Youngkin Setting Aside $397 Million for Tax Relief Proposal in 2023

Eric Burk

RICHMOND, Virginia — Governor Glenn Youngkin is directing $397 million in excess funds to be set aside for unspecified tax relief in 2023, as Virginia has $3.2 billion in excess cash — $2 billion in unplanned revenues plus Fiscal Year 2022 spending that was $1.2 billion less than planned.

“Today I formally report to the General Assembly that Virginia ended the fiscal year with a record general fund balance,” Youngkin said at a Friday morning joint meeting of the House of Delegates Finance and Appropriations Committees and the Senate Finance Committee.

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Virginia Student Assessments Show Improvement but Still Below Pre-COVID Levels

Eric Burk

Standards of learning tests (SOL) for the 2021-2022 school year show improvement across most subjects from the previous academic year, but the administration is warning that there’s still an achievement gap compared to pre-COVID-19 levels. In a virtual press conference Thursday, Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) officials said that gap shows the impact of virtual learning.

“The research is becoming clearer and clearer: students whose schools were closed for in-person instruction suffered the most. Being in person for school matters,”  Superintendent of Public Education Jillian Balow said.

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South Carolina Supreme Court Temporarily Halts Heartbeat Law

Susan Berry, PhD

The South Carolina Supreme Court has temporarily blocked continued enforcement of the state’s Heartbeat law, which bans abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected.

The court’s order Wednesday grants abortion providers an emergency motion that will halt enforcement of the law which has been in effect since June 27, several days after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

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Patients’ Average COVID-19 Average Hospital Stay Up During Omicron in Virginia

Eric Burk

The average length of stay for COVID-19 patients went up in the first quarter of 2022 according to the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association (VHHA).

“What we saw in the Omicron wave was that those coming into hospitals were staying longer for their COVID hospitalization with an average length of stay of ten-and-a-half days,” VHHA Vice President of Data Analytics, David Vaamonde said during a Monday presentation of hospital and emergency department visit trends.

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Virginia Gov. Youngkin to Deliver Keynote Address to Michigan GOP in Support of Tudor Dixon for Governor

Virginia Star Staff

Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin will deliver the keynote address at the Michigan state GOP convention to support the party’s gubernatorial nominee, Tudor Dixon, in her bid to unseat Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

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Youngkin Speaks at First Board of Education Meeting with Majority Youngkin-Appointed Members, Board Advances Lab Schools Planning

Eric Burk

RICHMOND, Virginia – Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne Youngkin made an unannounced appearance at the Virginia Board of Education meeting Wednesday, the first board meeting held with a majority of Youngkin-appointed members. The board is considering how to implement changes required by laws passed by the General Assembly while considering the administration’s priorities, including how to move forward with lab school expansion.

“We’ve accomplished a lot in the first seven months that I hope gives this group a great foundation. At the heart of it, the budget that I had the great privilege of signing this past June was exactly the budget that I think collectively, on a bipartisan basis, we hoped for in education. The largest education budget in the history of Virginia. An extraordinary investment in Virginia’s children. A ten percent raise for teachers. A thousand-dollar bonus. A $1.25 billion dollar capital foundation that supports well over $3 billion of investments into our schools, into the facilities themselves,” Youngkin said in remarks delivered to the board.

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7,190 Virginians to Receive Debt Forgiveness After Finding That ITT Technical Institute Misled Students

Eric Burk

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) granted federal loan forgiveness to former ITT Technical Institute students, including $141.6 million across 7,190 Virginians, after findings that the school falsely advertised the value of its degrees.

“Attending higher education is a big decision, and a sacrifice for many Virginians,” Attorney General Jason Miyares said in a press release.

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AG Miyares Says Congressional Budget Proposal Would Eliminate Virginia Army National Guard Counter Drug Analysts Positions

Eric Burk

Attorney General Jason Miyares is warning that the latest congressional budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2023 will cut funding for the Virginia Army National Guard (VANG) Counter Drug unit program by about ten percent, eliminating several positions.

“The current proposed budget reductions would result in the loss of five VNG Counter Drug Unit analysts across the Commonwealth, one of which would be lost in Southwest Virginia. The loss of this analyst in SWVA would leave only two VANG Counter Drug analysts to provide support for the 52 counties in the Western District of Virginia. As you are both aware, this region is already underserved, underfunded, and has long been nearest the epicenter of the opioid crisis in our country,” Miyares said in a letter sent to Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Mark Warner (D-VA) as well as Representatives Ben Cline (R-VA-06) and Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10).

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Virginia Education Dept. Says Proposal to Remove Washington, Madison Language from Curriculum Was ‘Error’

Admin

The Virginia Department of Education on Tuesday hastily issued a correction after reports circulated that the agency was planning on excising language identifying George Washington as the “Father of our Country” and James Madison as the “Father of the Constitution.”

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Report: Virginia Agencies Ignored Lessons from 2018 Snow Storm that Could Have Helped with January’s I-95 Traffic Jam

Eric Burk

A new report on the January 2022 I-95 snow incident says that Virginia agencies failed to apply lessons from a December 2018 snow incident on I-81.

“VDOT needs to improve on applying what is learned from prior events and ensure it is applied to future events,” the Office of the State Inspector General (OSIG) recommended in an August report. “Lessons learned from the 2018 I-81 Snow Incident, as well as those from the 2022 I-95 Snow Incident, should be analyzed and incorporated into each agency’s policies and procedures.”

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Virginia Democrats Praise ‘Historic’ Inflation Reduction Act, Republicans Say the Bill Will Increase Costs for Americans

Eric Burk

Virginia Democrats trumpeted the Inflation Reduction Act after the House of Representatives passed the legislation on Friday, putting President Joe Biden on the path to a key win on his goals ahead of the 2022 congressional midterms. At the same time, Republicans mocked the bill’s title and criticized its policies.

In a speech on the House Floor, Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA-08) compared the bill to landmark legislation from the U.S.’ past.

“This is our generation’s signature contribution to American history. Our Social Security Act. Our Civil Rights Act, even the Bill of Rights,” Beyer said.

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Youngkin Recognizes August as Hidden Heroes Month

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin signed a certificate Friday recognizing August as Hidden Heroes Month in Virginia to honor caregivers for wounded, ill, or injured military and veterans.

“Virginia is proud to partner with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and their Hidden Heroes program to support and acknowledge caregivers that receive little support or acknowledgment for their selfless sacrifices,” Youngkin said in a press release. “In fact, most of these Hidden Heroes simply consider the challenging work they do as unconditional love or carrying out their civic and patriotic duty, without realizing they should be categorized as caregivers. I call on all my fellow Virginians to join me in thanking and supporting them. They deserve nothing less.”

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Sen. Kaine Says Richmond Residents Owed an Explanation About the Alleged Mass Shooting

Eric Burk

Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) said that Richmond authorities need to provide an explanation after questions arose about the alleged July 4 mass shooting Richmond police said they prevented.

“If there are facts suggesting that this really was a potential mass tragedy, those need to be put on the table,” Kaine said Friday according to WTVR. “City officials didn’t have to put it on the table at the outset. They could have just said, ‘we’ve arrested some people.’ But they put it on the table that we’ve arrested them, and this was going to be a mass shooting incident.”

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Authorities Distributing Cold Case Playing Cards to Richmond Inmates

Eric Burk

Richmond law enforcement will distribute cold case decks of cards to inmates at the Richmond City Justice Center; the cards feature pictures and names of victims of unsolved homicides.

“The loss of a murdered loved one is devastating. Not receiving justice makes it even worse. I’m hopeful that this creative tool will help law enforcement provide answers and justice to these families,” Attorney General Jason Miyares said in an announcement.

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VCU Falls Prey to Alleged Nigerian Email Scam

Eric Burk

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) had $469,819.49 stolen in an alleged Nigerian email scam, according to a Department of Justice court document and an FBI Richmond press release that announced the extradition to the U.S. of three Nigerian nationals alleged to have participated in a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme that also targeted a North Carolina university, a Texas college, local Texas governments, and Texas construction companies.

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Feds at Virginia Port Seize More Counterfeit Socks

Eric Burk

Federal law enforcement has seized another load of counterfeit diabetic socks at the Area Port of Norfolk-Newport News. The 165,707 pairs of socks in the seizure would be worth more than $2.6 million in manufacturer suggested retail price if they were legitimate.

“Norfolk, VA CBP Officers Seize Second Significant Sham Socks Shipment destined to Loudoun County, VA,” the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Baltimore field office announced Tuesday.

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Hanover County Public Schools Introduces Restroom Policy Opposed by Transgender Advocates

Eric Burk

After refusing to pass a transgender policy required by Virginia law, the Hanover County Public School Board has introduced a proposed transgender policy that, if enacted, will require a written request from both the student and their parents if that student wants to use a restroom or locker room that doesn’t correspond with their biological sex. Under the proposed policy the school board would approve or deny the requests.

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Youngkin Announces New Fellows to Join Virginia Management Fellows Program

Eric Burk

Ten new fellows will join the Virginia Management Fellows program, a joint project between Virginia Tech and the Virginia Department of Human Resource Management aimed at preparing fellows for permanent roles in Virginia agencies.The 10 fellows will be part of the 2022-2024 cohort, the fifth cohort since the program was approved by the General Assembly in 2017.

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Virginia Poison Control Center Director Reports Rise in Delta-8 THC Calls, Including Among Children

Eric Burk

The Blue Ridge Poison Control Center is seeing a rise in calls related to THC, including Delta-8 THC exposures among children, Director Christopher Holstege told a taskforce on Tuesday, echoing concerns nationally from the CDC issued in 2021.

“Certainly my colleagues and I have been talking about this extensively and seeing these as they were doing surveillance, with some of the first reports, we also started to see these in the fall of 2020, especially Delta-8, but more edibles, which is why we’re seeing the toddlers get to these products,” Holstege said.

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Speaker of the House Gilbert Reappoints Retired Judge Hupp to Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission

Eric Burk

Speaker of the House of Delegates Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) reappointed retired judge Dennis Hupp to a two-year term on the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission (VCSC), a body that creates felony sentencing guidelines.

“As someone who has had the pleasure of practicing before Judge Hupp, I know what an exceptional jurist he has been, and I’m grateful to him for agreeing to return to the Criminal Sentencing Commission where we previously served together,” Gilbert said in a Monday announcement.

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Miyares Joins Amicus Brief Supporting Decision to Vacate Travel Mask Mandate

Eric Burk

Attorney General Jason Miyares joined an amicus brief opposing the Biden administration’s ongoing lawsuit over the CDC’s mask mandate for interstate travel. A district court vacated the requirement, but the CDC appealed, and the Health Freedom Defense Fund v. Biden case is now in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.

“Mask Mandates across the country have been lifted in virtually every aspect of daily life. For months, Americans have been traveling safely while making their own, autonomous decisions. The CDC mask mandate on public transportation, like air travel, is obsolete and no longer necessary – not to mention a clear example of federal overreach,” Miyares said in a press release.

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Virginia Mom Fights Woke Fairfax County Schools from the Inside

Virginia Star Staff

Monday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed concerned parent, author, and member of the Independent Women’s Network, Stephanie Lundquist-Arora to the newsmaker line to talk about how she is fighting the woke culture of Fairfax County Virginia’s school board from the inside.

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Biden and Fried Approve Tampa Christian School’s Lunch Money Application After Lawsuit

Virginia Star Staff

The Biden administration and Florida Democratic Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried approved the lunch money application for Grant Park Christian Academy in Tampa just days after the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Christian school.

The school was being denied children’s lunch funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National School Lunch Program, which Fried administers. The program benefitted 56 low-income children at the Christian school by providing them with free meals.

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Virginia Regulator Approves Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project

Eric Burk

The Virginia State Corporation Commission approved applications from Dominion Energy for its proposed Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project to feature 176 wind turbines 27 miles off Virginia’s coast, although the project still needs federal approvals.

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