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As part of FEMA Review Council, Youngkin to assess state, federal disaster coordination
In the wake of deadly flooding in central Texas and New Mexico that claimed over 100 lives with nearly 200 still missing, scrutiny of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which provides disaster recovery services and funding, has mounted. Before the floods, the federal government had announced plans to eliminate or remake the agency and is now reviewing its procedures, funding, and execution of agency missions, a process in which Virginia’s governor is taking an active role.
Richmond hospital settles with last two families in infant abuse case
Henrico Doctors’ has agreed to pay two more babies who were injured in the hospital’s neonatal intensive-care unit, bringing the total number of settlements to 11. On Wednesday, Judge David Carson approved the agreements in Salem Circuit Court. The financial value of all 11 have been kept private. The Richmond Times-Dispatch is not identifying the victims or their families. Under the agreement, the money will be placed in trusts for the children to access when they are older.
City planner, wife ran permitless Airbnb in violation of city code
A city official and his wife for over a year operated an unpermitted Airbnb in violation of city code governing short-term rentals, according to records reviewed by The Times-Dispatch. The property in question is located on West Marshall Street in Jackson Ward. City assessment records show the rowhouse is owned by 17 W Marshall, LLC. State Corporation Commission records show that company is registered to Alexandra Mercer, wife of city planner Brian Mercer.
State budget change will deliver bigger gaming tax payday for Dumfries
The Town of Dumfries is expecting a bigger payoff next year as a result of a change in the way Virginia allocates gaming tax revenues to communities that host facilities such as The Rose and Rosies, which feature off-track betting and slots-like betting machines. . . . The amendment, which goes into effect in July 2026, will boost Dumfries budget by at least $1 million a year. Torian says he led the tax change to help Dumfries and other localities with Rosie’s gaming facilities grow their economies.
Richmond’s top election official sits down for one-on-one interview
Richmond’s Office of Elections is entering a new chapter with the appointment of David Levine as the city’s new general registrar. After a tumultuous period marked by scandal and leadership change, Levine said he’s committed to restoring public trust and ensuring transparency. Levine is no stranger to Richmond. He served as deputy registrar from 2012 to 2014 under former general registrar Kurt Showalter. Levine also brings years of election experience from Idaho, Maryland and Washington D.C. to the role. Now returning as the city’s top election official, he’s focused on reform and accountability.
Inside the Univ. of Virginia gun incident that drew DOJ's ire
University of Virginia President James Ryan resigned last month amid a Justice Department investigation into allegations the school failed to wipe out its diversity programs. But a letter the agency sent U.Va., released last week as part of a public records request, reveals another reason the Justice Department targeted the university. In it, the department zeroed in on allegations that a fourth-year Jewish student had endured antisemitic bullying and that U.Va. had mishandled the case.
These Younger Democrats Are Sick of Their Party’s Status Quo
A number of prominent younger Democrats with records of winning tough races are forming a new group with big ambitions to remake their party’s image, recruit a new wave of candidates and challenge political orthodoxies they say are holding the party back. Members of the initiative, Majority Democrats, have different theories about how the national party has blundered. . . . According to Ms. Smith, members include: former Representative Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee for governor of Virginia; Representative Mikie Sherrill, the party’s candidate for governor of New Jersey; Senators Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan; members of Congress from highly competitive districts including Representatives Jared Golden of Maine, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico and Kristen McDonald Rivet of Michigan; and the mayors of Cincinnati, Denver, Scranton, Pa., Newport News, Va., and Kansas City, Mo.
Threatened by rising waters, Norfolk museum fights back
When Erik Neil moved to Norfolk to become president of the Chrysler Museum of Art, he’d experienced the threat posed by the climate crisis to museum collections. Six months prior to Hurricane Katrina, he led an effort to find safe storage for the Newcomb Art Gallery collection at Tulane University in New Orleans. Just in time. The Chrysler Museum sits at the culmination of The Hague, an inlet of the Elizabeth River, a postcard-perfect location for decades. But that beauty belies an increasingly sinister reality. In recent years, rising tides and intensifying rainstorms repeatedly submerged streets, threatening the museum and its decade-old addition, the Perry Glass Studio. . . . Fast forward two decades from his days in Louisiana and Neil has overseen an evolving master plan to protect the museum and its collection in a city that is second behind New Orleans as most threatened by the effects of a warming world.
As partisan disputes boil, it’s still unclear how new federal law will impact Medicaid in Virginia
The “big beautiful bill” was passed by both chambers of Congress and last week. President Donald Trump signed it into law, triggering a countdown until sweeping changes to Medicaid take effect, including potential coverage loss for millions nationwide, financial strain to hospitals and new work requirements for Medicaid recipients. While the changes won’t kick in for more than a year, Virginia lawmakers are already preparing for the transformation of the state’s health care landscape. It’s still unclear exactly how many Virginians could lose Medicaid coverage because final analyses from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) haven’t dropped yet. The uncertainty has left many wondering if they or loved ones will be impacted — and set the stage for partisan bickering.
Northern Va. state senator seeks answers from Walmart concerning sexual health products
As Virginia customers of Walmart shop on the company’s website, shoppers are receiving a message telling them they need to provide consent for data collection to search for items including pregnancy tests, birth control items and even a baby registry. State Sen. Barbara Favola, a Democrat representing Arlington, said the new message is coming in response to a law designed to protect people’s privacy when it comes to sexual health and reproductive information. Favola wrote the law aimed at providing enhanced privacy concerning this sensitive matter. She said she is surprised by the pop-up . . .