“Virginia is the best place to live, work, raise a family, and soon watch a basketball or hockey game,” Governor Glenn Youngkin.

Governor Glenn Youngkin this week announced a $2 billion public-private partnership to create a world-class Entertainment District in the City of Alexandria at Potomac Yard. This new 9 million-square-foot district developed by JBG SMITH will feature the global corporate headquarters for Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), an industry-leading Arena for both the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards, a state-of-the-art Monumental Sports Network media studio, the Wizards practice facility, a performing arts venue, and an expanded esports facility, in addition to bringing new retail, residential, restaurants, hotels, conference, and community gathering spaces. The Commonwealth will now be home to two professional sports teams, a new corporate headquarters, and over 30,000 new jobs – this is monumental.

This week, Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin joined cabinet secretaries,  behavioral health leaders, community partners, and families who have struggled with behavioral health challenges in Richmond to mark the accomplishments of the first year of the Right Help, Right Now (RHRN) behavioral health transformation plan in Virginia. Governor Youngkin also outlined the next steps and funding for RHRN and announced his Youth Mental Health Strategy, which includes specific policies and initiatives to address mental health challenges for Virginia’s youth. 

As part of the Youth Mental Health Strategy, Governor Youngkin announced that he is supporting legislation to restrict access to TikTok for children under 18 in Virginia, protect the privacy of children online, and give parents more control over their children’s social media use.

This week, First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin attended a Girls with Pearls meeting in Petersburg.  The monthly gathering of female mentors paired with sixth-grade girls at Blandford Academy centered around prevalent topics like how to deliver a presentation, communicating on social media, and cyberbullying.  It was also an opportunity to share ways to build confidence and practice self-care –key goals in the First Lady’s Women+girls (W+g) initiative.  

In December, the First Lady and Governor host receptions as a way to celebrate, honor, and thank the many Virginians and Virginia organizations serving their communities.  Just this week, the 2023 Spirit of Virginia Award recipients and members of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, the James House, and Fear 2 Freedom gathered to be recognized.  One tree in the Executive Mansion is adorned with ornaments from nonprofits with a two-fold purpose of celebrating the works of goodwill happening throughout the Commonwealth and serving as a reminder of the Virginians in need this holiday season. 

The First Lady and Governor also hosted a Hanukkah reception -- guests included faith leaders and rabbis from across the Commonwealth, members of the Commission to Combat Antisemitism, members of the Virginia Holocaust Museum, a Holocaust survivor and her family, representatives from the Jewish Community Center, and members of the Virginia Israel Advisory Board. 

 Last week, Governor Youngkin was pleased to announce that the Commonwealth is building Virginia’s research network to support our higher education institutions. The increased research capacity will enhance life-saving research and development for generations to come.

Created by Executive Mansion Pastry Chef Scott Henderlite, this year’s gingerbread house is a model of the Governor’s Palace in Williamsburg. The Governor’s Palace was the official residence of the royal governors of the Colony of Virginia and was also home to two of Virginia’s post-colonial governors, Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson. Funded by the House of Burgesses, the Palace was built from 1706 onward. In a #homehistory defining move, the capitol was relocated to Richmond in 1780, and the Governor’s residence moved with it, now nestled in Capitol Square, providing a home to Virginia’s governors and first families since 1813.

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