IN FLUVANNA, NORTHAM LAUDS EFFORT TO EXPAND BROADBAND

Mike Sheridan’s family have been members of Lyles Baptist Church in Fluvanna County for decades. They decided to wire the church for electricity in 1939; now they want internet so sermons and services can be livestreamed. After years of waiting, the church, along with hundreds of rural homes, businesses and buildings in Central Virginia counties, will soon receive fiber internet access thanks to a combination of local, state and federal grants.

GOV. NORTHAM COMMENDS COUNTY’S BROADBAND EFFORTS

Gov. Ralph Northam visited Botetourt County last Tuesday to commend the county’s efforts to bring broadband coverage to underserved and unserved areas throughout the county. Northam spoke at a ceremony that was held at the Greenfield Education and Training Center in Daleville. He described Botetourt County as being “God’s country.”

GOV. NORTHAM ANNOUNCES NEW SOLAR FACILITY AT VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY

Governor Ralph Northam was in Albemarle County on Thursday to commission a new solar project. It's all part of his ‘Lead by Example’ initiative to increase renewable energy across the commonwealth. The Virginia Department of Forestry headquartered in the county is now being powered with the help of solar panels. The 120-kilowatt rooftop panels will help offset energy needs by 16%.

REPUBLICANS' QUICK END TO SPECIAL SESSION ON GUNS DRAWS IRE OF PRINCE WILLIAM DEMOCRATS

Some Prince William County lawmakers were riled after Tuesday’s special session to address gun control legislation ended abruptly with Republicans delaying the session until Nov. 18 -- nearly two weeks after Virginia’s statewide elections. Republicans in the General Assembly were able to use their slim majority to postpone the vote on over 50 gun bills filed by state legislators. Instead, they referred the bills to the Virginia State Crime Commission for review and requested an investigation into the May 31 mass shooting at a Virginia Beach municipal building that killed 12 people and wounded four more.

ATTORNEY TO CHALLENGE DEEDS IN 25TH DISTRICT

Attorney Elliott Harding has been certified by the Virginia Board of Elections to appear on the November ballot in Virginia's 25th Senate District as an independent against Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath. Harding submitted his signatures at the June 11 deadline, but some were contested by the Charlottesville Registrar’s Office. He appealed to the state board, which approved all signatures on Thursday.

SOCIAL MEDIA: GUNS, RAPE AND MARIJUANA: CANDIDATES CRITICIZED FOR FB POSTS

Social media posts seem to have taken on added importance for political candidates. This was signified by a couple of local state Senate candidates who were criticized last week for controversial posts. Sen. Amanda Chase, a Republican from Senate District 11, and independent Waylin K. Ross, who is challenging Democrat Joe Morrissey in Senate District 16, made posts on Facebook that resulted in criticism.

STATE ELECTIONS BOARD DEFERS BALLOT CERTIFICATION FOR FREITAS

Virginia Del. Nick Freitas, R-Culpeper, will have to wait a little longer to find out if he’ll be on the ballot in November after the State Board of Elections said it needs more time to get legal advice on how to handle multiple Freitas candidacy forms that were filed late. The elections board met Thursday to clear up ballot access issues for three House of Delegates candidates — two Republicans and one Democrat — who were missing forms filed by their respective parties certifying them as nominees. The board had already decided to allow Del. Terry Kilgore, R-Scott, onto the ballot despite his party certification form coming in late.

FREITAS BALLOT CASE DEFERRED AGAIN

Del. Nick Freitas (R-Culpeper) is still waiting to hear whether his name will be on the ballot in the 30th District on November 5. This afternoon in Richmond, the Virginia State Board of Elections deferred the Freitas matter to a later date, just as it had at its June 28 meeting, and said it would seek guidance from the state attorney general's office.

HOW DEM CONSULTANTS ARE PAYING TO SHAPE NEWS COVERAGE IN VIRGINIA

A major Democratic consultancy is pouring money into a new digital news venture in Virginia, which will now be in the ethically tricky position of covering many of the same people its top investor is working to elect—or defeat. Acronym, a dark money group that owns and operates a major Democratic digital firm, is investing seven figures in a Virginia-centric news site called The Dogwood, Axios reported on Tuesday

FAITH LEADERS NOW MANDATORY REPORTERS OF ABUSE UNDER NEW LAW

Faith leaders in Virginia are now required to report suspected child abuse. Legislation that went into effect July 1 adds ministers, priests, rabbis, and imams to the list of mandated reporters. But victim advocates say they want the law to go further. Becky Ianni with the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said she hopes the law will increase reporting of child abuse, but is concerned about what she identifies as a loophole.

12 YEARS AFTER VIRGINIA TECH SHOOTINGS, SEN. TIM KAINE CRITICIZES REPUBLICANS FOR 'ABSENCE OF COURAGE' TO DEAL WITH GUN VIOLENCE

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine pushed back against Republicans in the Virginia General Assembly who say their plan to have the state crime commission review gun control legislation is similar to what he did as governor following the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings. Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, called lawmakers back to Richmond on Tuesday to take up gun legislation in the wake of the May 31 shooting at a municipal building in Virginia Beach that left 12 dead.

VIRGINIA BEACH MAN ADMITS THREATENING TO SHOOT SEN. MARK WARNER

Anthony Butkiewicz III didn't like U.S. Sen. Mark Warner and his stances on abortion, the border wall, funding for the U.S. military or U.S. involvement in overseas conflicts. He responded by leaving at least 10 voicemails at the Democratic senator’s office in Richmond threatening to punch him in the jaw and shoot him in the head, according to court documents.

FORMER U.K. PARENT OF CHESTERFIELD-BASED SUBOXONE MAKER TO PAY $1.4 BILLION TO AVOID PROSECUTION

The makers of the addiction treatment drug Suboxone will pay $1.4 billion to resolve potential criminal and civil liability in a federal investigation of the marketing of the drug, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. It’s the largest amount ever paid in an opioid-related settlement.

$1.4 BILLION SETTLEMENT REACHED WITH SUBOXONE MARKETER

Federal authorities on Thursday announced a $1.4 billion settlement with the former marketers of Suboxone, a powerful opioid treatment drug. Reckitt Benckiser Group, also known as RB Group, agreed to pay $1.4 billion to resolve its potential criminal and civil liability related to a federal investigation into the marketing of the opioid addiction treatment drug, according to a news release.

VDOT INITIATES I-81 FRONTAGE ROAD STUDY

he Virginia Department of Transportation established an online survey Thursday to gain feedback for its Interstate 81 frontage road study. The agency is looking into the feasibility of connecting segments of existing roadways adjacent to the interstate between the Bristol city limits and the town of Abingdon, to give local traffic an alternative to short trips on the busy interstate.

STUDY: VIRGINIA HAS LESS STUDENT DEBT THAN MOST STATES

Students in Virginia are struggling less with post-graduation debt than in most other states, according to a study conducted by the financial website WalletHub. "Virginia is the 13th state with the least student debt,” WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez told The Center Square via email. The study ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

GW PRESIDENT SEEKS 20% CUT IN UNDERGRADUATE NUMBERS

George Washington University plans to reduce its undergraduate enrollment by 2,400 students — 20% — in the next five years, school President Thomas LeBlanc revealed this week, saying the school needed to “right-size” after a significant expansion in the past few years....The move comes at a time when many U.S. private universities are scrambling to increase enrollment and keep tuition low. The amount of private colleges shutting down each year is expected to continue to increase, according to data collected by Inside Higher Ed.

REGULATORS ASK MOUNTAIN VALLEY PIPELINE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF PIPE'S COATING

A federal agency is asking Mountain Valley Pipeline officials about the safety of a protective coating on the 42-inch diameter steel pipe being buried through West Virginia and Southwest Virginia. Delays in construction of the natural gas pipeline have led to some sections of pipe being stored above ground for more than a year, generating concerns that the coating could degrade over time and contaminate nearby air, soil and water.

ARLINGTON SCALES UP COMMUNITY ENERGY PLAN AMBITIONS DESPITE FEASIBILITY CONCERNS

Arlington County is working on plans to be “carbon neutral” by 2050. The new goal comes is part of an ambitious update to the county’s current Community Energy Plan (CEP). It’s the result of community feedback that the earlier plan didn’t go far enough in addressing energy efficiency concerns, according to a staff report on the plan.

DESPITE COST CONCERNS, FAIRFAX PRESSES ON WITH POLICE BODY CAMERAS

It would cost nearly $30 million to outfit all 1,210 sworn Fairfax County police officers with body-worn cameras and pay for data storage and prosecutor reviews, but most county supervisors said July 9 the expense was necessary to maintain public confidence in the police department. Following a briefing at the Board of Supervisors’ Public-Safety Committee meeting, supervisors said they would consider an action item – not hold a public hearing – on Sept. 24 to consider approving the program.

WARRENTON TO STUDY LETTING GOLF CARTS USE SOME STREETS

Warrenton officials will evaluate a proposal that would allow golf carts to travel some town streets. Councilman Sean Polster (At-large) this week formally proposed that Warrenton join other communities in Virginia that permit the small vehicles to share designated byways with cars, trucks and buses.

HENRICO PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF REDEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR REGENCY MALL

The Henrico County Planning Commission voted unanimously Thursday to recommend approval of plans that the owners of Regency mall hope will revive the aging shopping center. The commission voted on a rezoning request that will allow residential development and a broad array of commercial uses after a public hearing in which a majority of speakers endorsed the project.

FEDERAL PANEL INTERVENES IN LOUISA COUNTY WATER DESPUTE

Negotiations over a permit to allow water from the James River to feed Louisa County’s growth have stalled, and a federal panel has intervened to try to break the logjam. The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s entry into the talks between the James River Water Authority and the Monacan Nation shows “this is an issue of high public interest and tribal rights are significantly affected,” according to Marion Werkheiser, an attorney who represents the Monacans.

VIRGINIA BEACH EMPLOYEE FIRED, CHARGED AFTER CONFRONTATION WITH SUPERVISOR FOLLOWING MASS SHOOTING

irginia Beach officials have charged a city employee with disturbing the peace after she told a manager the gunman from the mass shooting probably snapped because of supervisors like her. Four city employees, including the manager, also took out protective orders against Elizabeth Mann, 48, who was fired a week later from her role in the Human Services Department, where she helped investigate reports of adult abuse or neglect. She said she worked for the city since 2003.

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: WEEKS OF TERSE EMAILS BETWEEN SUPERVISOR AND NOW-FIRED KW FIRE CHIEF

In the weeks before former King William County Fire Chief Andy Aigner was shown the door, tense and terse emails between Aigner and Supervisor Bob Ehrhart show there was conflict over fire department operations. The email exchanges resulted in a complaint of retaliation and harassment against Ehrhart, according to more than a dozen records provided to the Tidewater Review by King William County under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.

AMHERST COUNCIL VOTES TO EXPEL MEMBER; WHEATON SAYS SHE WAS 'SHUT DOWN' IN DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

In a highly unusual move, Amherst Town Council voted 4-1 to expel one of its newest members, Janice Wheaton, following a closed session Wednesday night and several tense moments in recent meetings. Wheaton, an Amherst native, was elected to a four-year term in November 2018 and began serving in January. A newcomer to Amherst town government, she has voiced frustrations with her role in the town’s decision-making in recent meetings, claiming she felt cut down and rendered ineffective. At one point during a June 12 meeting, she was in tears as she spoke and walked out of the meeting before it concluded.

OFFICIAL ON IKEA INCENTIVES: 'AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE GOT MORE MONEY THAN WE GAVE'

While officials from Danville and Pittsylvania County are disappointed Ikea will shut down its operation — leaving 300 unemployed in the process — they also are satisfied with the results of the 11-year partnership. Ikea employed hundreds, paid more than $4 million in taxes split between the city and county, and developed a highly marketable building leaders hope will be filled in early 2020.

L. DOUGLAS WILDER SHOULD SPEAK UP OR RESIGN FROM VCU

Former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder is an institution in our state. His military and public service résumés are unparalleled. His record in those posts is worthy of the honor of a school holding his name. But Virginia Commonwealth University is a public institution, and with great power comes great responsibility. The findings of an investigation, which show Wilder kissed a 20-year-old student without her consent, are the antithesis of the school’s mission. Wilder’s conduct fails to match the mandate of being a university leader.

GUN-BILL SESSION SHOCKS MANY, DEEPENS DIVISION

Political games-playing was on display again this week when state senators and delegates gave the governor’s special session on gun control an hour and a half of their time — and then abruptly adjourned. That decision may well backfire.

VIRGINIANS ILL-SERVED IN ASSEMBLY

On May 31, near the end of the business day, a disgruntled, former employee of the City of Virginia Beach walked into a government office building and started indiscriminately shooting city workers. Within a matter of minutes, 12 people either were dead or fatally wounded, including a private citizen the gunman shot in the parking lot as he was marching toward the office building. The gunman, whose name we won’t use, died in a gunfight with police officers who arrived within minutes of receiving word of the attack. In response, Gov. Ralph Northam called a special session of the General Assembly to discuss enhancing and strengthening gun safety laws in the commonwealth.

DEMOCRATS SHOULD ACCEPT UMW INVITE TO TOUR A COAL MINE

Sometimes there is nothing so dangerous — or exciting — in politics as the unexpected. For the 24 Democrats seeking their party’s nomination for president, the unexpected has just happened.

DVORAK: THE MOMS WENT TO RICHMOND TO DEMAND ACTION ON GUN VIOLENCE. INSTEAD, THEY WERE IGNORED.

They packed like moms pack — healthy snacks, water, comfortable shoes, tissues in their purses — and wore matching red shirts. They got babysitters, took the day off from work or swapped car pool duties so they could be up at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday for the long drive to Richmond, where the state legislature was finally — finally — going to debate Virginia’s lax gun laws.

NORTHAM: I EXPECTED BETTER OF VIRGINIA’S LEGISLATORS

After decades of working in emergency rooms and intensive care units, I’ve learned how to keep my emotions in check and get the job done. We all have experiences that fundamentally shape who we are, that change the way we look at the world and what we work toward every day.

Ralph Northam, a Democrat, is the governor of Virginia.

A MURDER ON THE RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER

The sun was just beginning to fade when David Riley pulled up to the little house off Route 354. The Virginia State Police detective got out of his unmarked Ford Fairmont and took in the setting of the mystery that had brought him here—a low-slung home shrouded in trees and underbrush. Across the street, a cemetery. It was Friday, August 23, 1985, and earlier that day, the local sheriff’s office in Lancaster County had gotten a disturbing call: Mary Keyser Harding was missing.