Tag: Richmond

Virginia Election Official Wasted $500,000 on Alcohol, Private Security, and Remodel of Leased Office Space: Report

Tom Pappert
Keith Balmer

The top election worker in Richmond, Virginia allegedly wasted nearly $500,000 on a combination of alcohol, private security and efforts to create his own security staff, and the remodel and purchase of new furniture for leased office space, a report from the city’s watchdog agency claims.

The Richmond Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report Monday revealing Richmond General Registrar Keith Balmer is accused of wasting nearly $500,000 in taxpayer resources through a pattern of behavior that apparently began in 2023.

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Cuban Intelligence Exploited Sister Cities Partnerships in an Attempt to Influence Public Officials

ADN America
Cuba

The Cuban regime could be trying to exploit sister city partnerships to influence U.S. policy throughout the United States and advance its agenda, an ADN investigation cross-referencing documents and public records shows. Sister Cities International is registered as a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956 and serves as the national membership organization for individual sister cities, counties, and states across the United States.

The organization facilitates agreements based on cultural, educational, information, and trade exchanges between two geographically and politically distinct localities, but the concept of sister cities has been used by other organizations as well, and has long been scrutinized by Congress due to concerns about how China might exploit sister-city partnerships in the U.S. for espionage or to gain influence.

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Trump Holds Rally in Richmond, Looks Ahead to November

The Center Square
Donald Trump VA Rally

Former President Donald Trump made a campaign stop in Richmond ahead of Virginia’s presidential primary, taking his aim at the November election and President Joe Biden.

The rally marked Trump’s second stop after speaking in North Carolina earlier in the day. The former president vowed to “make a big play for Virginia” come November.

Despite the Super Tuesday matchup only days away, Trump appeared to have moved past the primaries, failing to mention former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley by name.

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Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney Asks Virginia General Assembly to Approve $100 Million for Sewer Upgrades

Tom Pappert

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney reportedly wants the Virginia General Assembly to approve $100 million for the city’s sewer upgrades, plus additional revenue for new speeding cameras, and warned Virginians could see their utility rates “skyrocket” without additional state funding.

“We’re asking for more because we know if we are unable to find the needed amount, a lot of this burden will fall on the ratepayers,” Stoney claimed, according to 12 On Your Side. The outlet reported that Stoney warned “utility bills could skyrocket” without additional funding approved by Virginia lawmakers and Governor Glenn Youngkin (R).

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Governor Youngkin Kicks Off ‘Parents Matter’ Town Halls Across Virginia

The Center Square

Gov. Glenn Youngkin is leading a ‘Parents Matter’ town hall tour across the commonwealth to engage Virginia parents on crucial issues impacting youth.

The tour began over a month ago in Salem, and since then, the governor has spoken at Bristow, Richmond and Fredericksburg – areas that lean heavily Democratic.

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Commentary: Can Virginia Republicans Find 500,000 Votes?

Virginia Star Staff
Capitol of the Commonwealth of Virginia

Back in November 2019, the Commonwealth of Kentucky was well on its way to being a blue state.

That is, until the state’s Republican leadership saw the trend and decided to do something about it.

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Lawsuit Against Virginia Tech Bias Response Team May Land Before Supreme Court

Admin

A recent federal court ruling siding with Virginia Tech’s bias response team has prompted center-right watchdogs to call for the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case to protect free speech in higher education.

The controversy centers on a 2021 complaint from Speech First, a nonprofit committed to safeguarding freedom of speech on college campuses, which argued Virginia Tech’s Bias Intervention and Response Team policies and procedures infringe on students’ ability to speak freely about controversial issues.

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Dozens of Virginia Housing Projects to be Supported by $93 Million in Loans

The Center Square

The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development is distributing more than $93 million in housing loans to support housing projects across the commonwealth that are estimated to create nearly 4,000 units for low-income and extremely low-income households, according to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office. 

The $93 million in Affordable and Special Needs Housing loans administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development will support 57 projects in various parts of the state. In total, the projects are estimated to create 3,936 units for low-income and extremely low-income households, including 298 permanent supportive housing units, 3,825 rental units and 111 units for homeownership opportunities, according to the governor’s office. 

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Bernie Sanders Rallies with Starbucks Workers After Richmond Stores Unionize

Peter D'Abrosca

As Starbucks stores around the country continue to unionize, a prominent U.S. Senator received a rockstar’s welcome in Richmond, where he went to galvanize employees of the coffee retail giant. 

“It is an honor for me to be here,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) told the crowd, “because you are extraordinary American heroes and heroines.

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Bernie Sanders Rallies with Starbucks Workers After Richmond Stores Unionize

Peter D'Abrosca

As Starbucks stores around the country continue to unionize, a prominent U.S. Senator received a rockstar’s welcome in Richmond, where he went to galvanize employees of the coffee retail giant. 

“It is an honor for me to be here,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) told the crowd, “because you are extraordinary American heroes and heroines.

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Taylor Keeney Starts Campaign for Virginia’s 7th District Republican Nomination

Matthew Hall

Taylor Thornley Keeney, a Richmond area PR executive and former appointee of  Virginia Governor Bob McDonell’s administration, announced her campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives in July. The Goochland County resident sat down with The Virginia Star to discuss key federal issues and her campaign for Congress.  Keeney is seeking the Republican nomination to take on Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07) in the 2022 election cycle.

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Liberal Activists Hold Anti-Israel Rally in Richmond

Cooper Moran

Liberal activist group “Activate Virginia” held a march and rally on Wednesday in opposition to Israel.

“America’s cries on behalf of human rights sound increasingly tinny, given our enabling and defense of what’s happening in places like Gaza,” Richmond Times-Dispatch columnist Michael Paul Williams wrote Tuesday in a piece promoting the event that was published by the paper. “Our ability to navigate a path to social justice here is doubtful if we don’t walk the walk abroad.”

He added,” As long as Palestinians can’t breathe, neither can we.”

By mid-day, hundreds of Richmonders heeded the call and gathered to show their “solidarity with Palestine.”

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Joe Morrissey Commentary: Electoral Incompetence in Richmond Should Alarm Both Parties

Virginia Star Staff

Election Day 2020 has come and gone. Voters in the United States found out last week that President Donald Trump was defeated by former Vice President Joe Biden. Counts in numerous states took longer than what many expected, but results were eventually provided nonetheless. Overall, the election occurred without a hitch. The same cannot be said for the City of Richmond. Issues that arose included precincts reporting the wrong vote counts, City Council candidates allocated the wrong vote totals, individual voters receiving numerous ballots – the list goes on!

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All Republicans, Conservatives of Virginia Invited to ‘March for Trump’ Washington Rally

Corinne Murdock

Virginia’s Republicans and conservatives are invited to join the March for Trump in Washington, D.C. this Saturday. A bus will depart from Richmond on Saturday morning for the event, also called “Million MAGA March.”

City of Richmond Republican Committee member Jennifer Anderson came up with the idea to bus Virginians to the rally. In an interview with The Virginia Star, Anderson shared that the widespread mistrust in election integrity inspired her to take action.

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Citizens Concerned About Election Integrity to March for Trump in Every State Capitol, Washington on Saturday

Jason M. Reynolds

A series of marches supporting President Donald Trump and to demand election integrity are being held throughout the country at noon local time on Saturday.

The March for Trump will be held in every state capitol as well as at Freedom Plaza, 1301 Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington, D.C., according to the event website. The website links to America First Projects.

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Six Virginia Counties Vote to Keep Confederate Monuments

Eric Burk

Residents of six rural Virginia counties voted to keep local Confederate monuments in place on Tuesday. The referenda are non-binding, but demonstrate voter preference to the local boards of supervisors. In four of the counties, over 70 percent of voters chose to keep the monuments, according to the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP). Two counties were closer; Charles City County voted against removing its monument by 55.11 percent, while Halifax County voted against relocating its monument by 59.69 percent.

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Richmond City Council Candidate Mike Dickinson Mobilizes Big Trump Train Turnout

Eric Burk

About 350 people joined a Sunday afternoon Trump Train procession that departed from the Henrico County courthouse and meandered through Richmond’s West End and parts of neighboring Henrico County. Participants drove cars and trucks displaying American flags and Trump regalia, honking and waving at spectators. “God Bless America” blasted from the radio of several cars.

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Coalition of Churches Opposes Bristol Casino

Eric Burk

Eight churches in Bristol, Virginia are fighting against a proposed $400 million Hard Rock casino; residents will vote on the referendum this November. The coalition cites studies claiming that casinos prey on gambling addicts and questions whether a casino would draw high numbers of tourists as claimed by supporters of the referendum. Proponents say the casino would bring Bristol $15-$20 million a year in taxes and over 2,000 jobs averaging salaries of $46,500.

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Trial to Decide Fate of Robert E. Lee Statue Underway in Richmond

Jacob Taylor

The trial over a lawsuit aiming to stop Governor Ralph Northam from removing the statue of former Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee began Monday morning in Richmond.

After the death of George Floyd, the Lee monument and other Confederate statues throughout the city became a focal point of the summer protests over racial inequality and police brutality in Richmond.

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With Another Monument Vandalized, Richmond Residents Ask if Graffiti Will Ever Be Cleaned

Jacob Taylor

One of the last remaining city-owned Confederate statues in Richmond was vandalized recently, raising questions about how long the graffiti littered throughout downtown and other prominent areas will remain.

After a summer of civil unrest, graffiti on monuments, buildings, sidewalks and even some houses has become a normal sight for those who visit or live in the city of Richmond.

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Sparks Fly at Richmond Mayoral Debate Between Stoney and Gray

Eric Burk

The top four candidates for Richmond’s mayor debated in a forum on Tuesday night that saw incumbent Mayor Levar Stoney again defending his record from attacks on all sides. Councilmember Kim Gray and candidate Justin Griffin took turns attacking Stoney for corruption and mismanagement while candidate Alexsis Rodgers suggested that many of Stoney’s best ideas for the future are cribbed from her own platform.

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Jill Biden Pays Homage to Levar Stoney While Richmond Crumbles

Eric Burk

Jill Biden spent Thursday in Virginia, starting her day meeting with educators and military leaders in Hampton Roads, then heading to Richmond where she met Mayor Levar Stoney in front of the Voter Registrar’s Office, and then going to Henrico with Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn (D- Fairfax) for a round-table with working mothers.

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Mayoral Candidate Kim Gray: RVA is My Home, not a Stepping Stone

Eric Burk

In a virtual town hall, candidate Kim Gray said her experience as a council member and commitment to connected, honest government make her the best choice to be Richmond’s next mayor. The Youtube livestream had been watched by around 175 people by Sunday evening.

“I’ve spent the last 12 years of my life as a public servant, as an elected official, and the past four years have been very challenging. I want to overcome the corruption and cronyism and lack of common sense approaches,” Gray said.

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Justin Griffin Wants To Be Mayor: Richmond’s Broke

Eric Burk

Justin Griffin thinks Richmond needs a financial consultant. In 2018 and 2019, he drew attention by criticizing a plan to build a new coliseum in Richmond. Now, he’s trying to convert that momentum into votes for his mayoral campaign by highlighting financial inefficiencies in Richmond.

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It’s About the Incumbent: Five Richmond Mayor Candidates Debate in Zoom Forum

Eric Burk

Candidates for the Richmond mayor’s race took turns establishing their policy priorities and attacking the incumbent in the Southside Mayoral Forum held on Tuesday via Zoom. The candidates answered questions focused on economic and political priorities and better road and parks infrastructure.

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Windows at Virginia GOP Headquarters Smashed Overnight

Jacob Taylor

Multiple street facing windows were shattered overnight at the Republican Party of Virginia headquarters in downtown Richmond.

This is the second time in three months the office windows in the Richard D. Obenshain Center have been smashed by someone.

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Judge Kicks Kanye off Virginia Ballot

Eric Burk

Saying 11 of Kanye West’s 13 electors were “obtained by improper, fraudulent, or misleading means,” Richmond City Circuit Court Judge Joi Jeter-Taylor ordered West’s name removed from Virginia ballots.

The Thursday decision came days after a group of leading Virginia Democrats and one of West’s electors sued the State Board of Elections.

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Governor Northam, Richmond Political and Business Elite Line-up Behind Mayor Levar Stoney

Jacob Taylor

At a campaign kick-off event in Church Hill Tuesday, Governor Northam announced that he is endorsing Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney for re-election.

On Monday, Stoney announced via his Twitter that the Virginia legislative Black Caucus Chair Del. Lamont Bagby (D-Henrico County) endorsed him for re-election.

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Fatal Overdoses and Emergency Calls Rise in Virginia, Highlighting Impact of COVID-19 on Substance Abuse

Jacob Taylor

Fatal drug overdoses and non-alcohol overdose calls have increased in Virginia since the beginning of the COVID-19 shutdown, highlighting a troubling trend and fallout from the deadly virus.

“[COVID-19] has undoubtedly increased the overdoses as well as overdose death as well as relapse for those who were in recovery from addictions,” John Shinholser, president and co-founder of the McShin Foundation, said in an interview with The Virgina Star. 

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The Art and History of the Lee Monument

Eric Burk

Standing 21 feet tall on top of a 40 foot base and weighing 12 tons, the statue of Robert E. Lee and his horse is literally larger than life as the General presides over Richmond.

French Beaux-Arts sculptor Marius Jean Antonin Mercié cast the bronze statue in nine pieces – seven for the horse, and two for the rider, according to the monument’s National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) registration form.

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Bill to End Qualified Immunity for Law Enforcement Officers Defeated in House Appropriations Committee

Jacob Taylor

Delegates in the House Committee on Appropriations voted against a bill Monday that removed qualified immunity for law enforcement officers, making them liable to lawsuits. 

The Bill, HB 5013, sponsored by Del. Bourne (D-Richmond City), was defeated in Committee after failing to get enough votes to advance to the House floor.

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The Senate Continues to Pass New Legislation During the Special Session as Timing of Crossover with House Unclear

Jacob Taylor

As the Senate wraps up its second week of the 2020 special session and continues to pass new legislation, the timing of crossover with the House of Delegates, a requirement for a bill to become law, remains unknown.

Since the Senate began considering bills in Committee and advancing legislation during sessions almost a week before the House, the two bodies are currently not in sync with their lawmaking procedures.

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Confederate Monuments Coming Down Across State, Triggering Legal Battles

Eric Burk

Monuments dominate Virginia’s headlines this week.

On Wednesday, Portsmouth City began removing its controversial Confederate monument. Last week, an anonymous plaintiff petitioned the Virginia Supreme Court to order confederate statues removed by the city of Richmond to go back up. The Richmond Circuit Court has scheduled a trial for October 19 to begin determining whether Richmond’s Robert E. Lee statue can be removed.

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Henrico County Officials Shut Down State Senator’s Fundraiser for COVID-19 Relief and Black Lives Matter

Jacob Taylor

Henrico County officials and the Henrico County Manager shut down a fundraiser to support COVID-19 relief and Black Lives Matter on Tuesday.

State Senator Joe Morrissey (D-16) was hosting and sponsoring the event alongside local Richmond promoters Avantae Jones and Keron Dixon with their company True Society Events, LLC.

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Wednesday Is the COVID-19 Emergency Standard Compliance Deadline for Virginia Businesses

Eric Burk

Virginia employers face a deadline today to implement new COVID-19 safety standards.

On July 15, the Safety and Health Codes Board adopted the COVID-19 Emergency Standard. The new mandate includes precautions like requiring employers to classify each job for exposure risk, develop policies for employees who have been exposed to COVID-19, and enforce social distancing.

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Richmond Census Response Rate Lower than State and National Average as Count Deadline Looms

Jacob Taylor

The city of Richmond’s 2020 census response rate is 59.3 percent, lower than the Virginia and national average, which could result in lost federal funding at state and local levels. 

The deadline for census counting is September 30th, moved up a month by President Trump, and Richmond is falling behind not just nationally, but also compared to the surrounding central-Virginia counties. 

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Commentary: Two Miles from North America’s Oldest Elected Body, a Richmond Neighborhood Cowers in Fear

Virginia Star Staff

It’s two miles or so down Monument Avenue from the Virginia State Capitol building in Richmond to the Robert E. Lee Memorial.

The capitol houses the oldest legislative body in North America – the Virginia General Assembly, which dates to 1619 when the Virginia Company, the private firm that controlled the state, appointed a governor and Council of State to rule along with 22 elected burgesses.

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COVID-19 Vaccine Will Be Mandated in Virginia, State Health Commissioner Says

Jacob Taylor

Virginia State Health Commissioner Dr. Norman Oliver said on Friday that he would mandate a COVID-19 vaccine if publicly available, according to 8News, but a bill under consideration in the Virginia General Assembly would provide a religious exemption.

Under Virginia state law, the commissioner of health has the authority to mandate immediate immunizations during a public health crisis like COVID-19 if a vaccine is available to the public.

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Two Arrested as Richmond and State Police Clash with Locals Outside Jackson Ward Bar

Jacob Taylor

Richmond and Virginia State Police got into a confrontation with a group of people and arrested four individuals Thursday night for obstructing justice by not showing identification, according to Richmond resident Jimmie Lee Jarvis who witnessed the event firsthand.

Yet another incident between police and citizens has taken place in Richmond, this time outside of GWARbar, a local heavy-metal themed bar in the Jackson Ward neighborhood.

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Richmond Area Trump Supporters Feel Optimistic About Upcoming Election

Jacob Taylor

Local Virginia Trump supporters have high hopes for the presidential election in November and believe that Trump will secure another four years in office. 

At a gathering set up by the Trump Virginia campaign, people from various towns and counties surrounding Richmond came to show their support for the campaign and form a collective focus on the highly important last stretch before the election. 

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Kim Gray Interview: Mayor Stoney Dodges Procurement Rules Awarding $1.8M to Donor Shell Company While Richmond Students Go Without Technology For School

Julie Carr

Wednesday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host Fredericks talked to Richmond mayoral candidate Kim Gray about Mayor Levar Stoney’s recent $1.8 million bid to remove statutes and how that money could have been better allocated to students in need.

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No Immediate Ruling on Motion to Dismiss Lee Statue Lawsuit

The Associated Press

A judge heard arguments Tuesday but did not immediately rule on whether to dismiss a lawsuit challenging Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s plans to remove an enormous statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee along Richmond’s famed Monument Avenue.

An injunction issued in the lawsuit currently prevents Northam’s administration from moving forward with plans announced after the death of George Floyd to take down the bronze equestrian statue of Lee. The figure erected in 1890 is now one of the country’s most prominent tributes to the Confederacy.

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The Virginia General Assembly Special Session Began Tuesday; Here Is What Happened

Jacob Taylor

The Senate and House of Delegates met separately in Richmond on Tuesday, officially kicking off the special session of the General Assembly.

Despite a bevy of bills and promises of swift action, the House and Senate primarily discussed operation and procedural resolutions for the Special Session going forward.

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Heavy Weekend Rain Floods Chesterfield, Prince George Counties

Eric Burk

Over ten inches of rain fell in the western part of the Richmond metro area last weekend, surprising residents and triggering evacuations near two local dams. Northern Prince George County also received rainfall from eight to ten inches.

One volunteer weather spotter reported 11.19 inches of rain at a spot in western Chesterfield from Friday night through Sunday morning. Meanwhile, about 15 miles away, the Richmond International Airport received less than four inches of rain.

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Application That Alerts Virginia Users of Possible COVID-19 Exposure Downloaded More Than 300,000 Times

Jacob Taylor

COVIDWISE, an app that alerts users of possible COVID-19 exposure, has been downloaded 356,777 times in Virginia, according to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH).

The application was launched by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on August 5.

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Richmond City General Registrar Stresses Early Action from Voters as USPS Warns Mail-in Ballots May be Delayed

Jacob Taylor

In an effort to combat possible ballot delays from USPS, the Richmond City General Registrar J. Kirk Showalter is asking voters to apply for and submit mail-in voting forms sooner rather than later.

“If you are getting your ballot through the mail and you apply early on, there should be adequate time for you to get your ballot and return it,” Showalter said in an interview with The Virginia Star.

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