TRACKING BROADCAST TV BUYS IN STATE SENATE ELECTIONS

VPAP has a new tool that provides allows the public to keep track of what messages State Senate candidates are beaming across the TV airwaves. You can see which races have spent the most on broadcast TV and tracking spending by candidate. There's an archive that allows you to watch all of the spots that have aired. VPAP will update the information each week until Election Day.

RIFT GROWS BETWEEN SHERIFF, SENATOR

It’s less than two months before Election Day and two of Chesterfield’s most prominent Republican officials are throwing verbal haymakers – not at their respective opponents, but at each other. In a back-and-forth ignited by a Facebook post, Sheriff Karl Leonard chastised state Sen. Amanda Chase last week, suggesting she is “desperate” to claim support for her reelection bid from anyone in law enforcement following her highly publicized run-in with a Capitol Police officer in March.

HASHMI PUSHES BACK AGAINST FALSE STURTEVANT CLAIM ON SCHOOL REZONING ENDORSEMENT

In a recent flier sent to Richmond parents, Republican State Senator Glen Sturtevant alleges that Democratic opponent Ghazala Hashmi supports the district’s rezoning proposals to pair Munford, Fox and Holton Elementary with other schools. The flier states that Hashmi “opposes giving a voice to parents and members of the community” and that she “supports a rezoning plan written by out-of-state consultants who don’t understand our community.”

COLE, MILDE CLASH OVER ISSUES IN HOUSE DEBATE

Republican Paul Milde and Democrat Josh Cole met face–to–face in a debate on Wednesday night at the University of Mary Washington’s Lee Hall. Supporters from both sides filled the room to standing–room–only capacity to observe the 60–minute debate between the candidates for the 28th District House seat in November’s election. The district covers parts of Stafford County and Fredericksburg.

ILLINOIS BILLIONAIRE DONATES $500K TO FREITAS CAMPAIGN

A Chicago area Republican mega-donor has donated $500,000 to the write-in reelection campaign of Del. Nick Freitas, R-Culpeper. Billionaire businessman Richard Uihlein made the contribution on July 12, according to recently released campaign finance reports for July and August. Democratic nominee for the 30th District House of Delegates seat, Anne Ridgeway, of Madison, reported $18,444 in cash donations

RENEWABLE ENERGY PROVIDERS CLEARED TO OPERATE IN VIRGINIA

Two renewable energy providers will be allowed to operate in Virginia after the State Corporation Commission ruled Wednesday that they meet state standards for selling renewable energy and don’t need to measure up to more stringent benchmarks proposed by Dominion Energy, the commonwealth’s largest utility.

FEMALE INMATES MOVING TO CENTRAL VIRGINIA

All women incarcerated in Virginia prisons will soon be located in the central region of the state, part of what officials are calling a “gender responsivity plan." The move comes after several women died in state prisons this year, including three this summer at the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women.

TWO RURAL COMMUNITIES TO RECEIVE BROADBAND SERVICE

Two rural Tazewell County communities will get broadband service soon. Interim County Attorney Chase Collins told the Industrial Development Authority at its Sept. 11 meeting that the county’s wireless authority has received a $150,000 grant from the Tobacco Commission to offer broadband to the Thompson Valley and Cove communities.

'TREASURE HUNT' YIELDS MORE THAN $25K IN UNCLAIMED ASSETS

Representatives from the Virginia Department of the Treasury held a treasure hunt late last week. They weren’t looking for the Beale Treasure. Two representatives from the Treasury Department’s Unclaimed Assets Division set up computers in the County Administration Building’s ground floor training room to give people the chance to find out if the Treasury Department has money for them.

VIRGINIA SENATORS REOPEN SEARCH FOR ROANOKE-BASED FEDERAL JUDGE

Virginia’s senators have renewed their search for a federal judge based in Roanoke, less than two weeks after the White House publicly spurned their recommended nominees. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced Wednesday that they would reopen applications for a position of U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Virginia, which has been effectively vacant since December 2017.

REP. LURIA INTRODUCES BILL TO PROTECT FORT MONROE NATIONAL MONUMENT

Congresswoman Elaine Luria introduces the Fort Monroe National Monument Land Acquisition Act on Tuesday. If passed, it will allow the Commonwealth of Virginia to transfer about 40 acres of coastal land to the Fort Monroe National Monument. It would unify the two divided sections of Fort Monroe, creating an unbroken and federally managed coastline along the Chesapeake Bay.

FIRMS THAT STAFF HOSPITALS AROUND VIRGINIA BEHIND MYSTERIOUS PUSH TO DEFEND SURPRISE MEDICAL BILLS

For months, a mysterious group called “Doctor Patient Unity” has targeted U.S. Rep. Ben Cline, R-Rockbridge, in a steady barrage of social media ads encouraging him to oppose bipartisan legislation to end surprise medical bills. At the end of last week, The New York Times reported that two private equity-backed doctor staffing companies that work in hospitals around the country, including Virginia, are behind the $28 million ad campaign aimed at influencing the constituents of Cline and about 50 other members of Congress.

VIRGINIA GOV ANNOUNCES $8.5M FIRM EXPANSION, 105 NEW JOBS

A company that makes piping systems is expanding in Virginia and plans to create 105 new manufacturing jobs. Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday that High Purity Systems plans to spend $8.5 million to build a 30,000-square-foot facility for piping fabrication.

METRO HAS ORDERED SILVER LINE BUILDER TO STOP RUNNING TEST TRAINS BECAUSE OF CONSTRUCTION FLAWS

Metro officials are so concerned about the quality of the tracks being built for the Silver Line rail extension that they have ordered the builder to stop running test trains, officials said Wednesday. The news came on the same day that board members of the agency overseeing construction of the multibillion-dollar rail project sought to play down reports of problems

RANDOLPH COLLEGE TO SLASH TUITION, ROOM AND BOARD BY 35%, JOINS TREND TO RESET 'STICKER PRICE'

As rising tuition costs cause concern for college-bound high school students and their families, Randolph College has announced a reduction of about 35% in tuition, room and board in 2020 in an effort to bring more clarity and transparency to its pricing. Tuition will drop from $40,521 to $25,000, and room and board will decrease from $13,580 to $11,000.

POPULATION EXPECTED TO SHRINK IN RURAL VIRGINIA

“More and more people are relocating to Highland County, Virginia, everyday!” the county’s website says.... But Highland County faces an uphill battle in attracting new residents. Demographers at the University of Virginia predict that the county’s population, now about 2,260, will drop 17% over the next two decades.

STONEY FIRES RICHMOND'S TOP ADMINISTRATOR AFTER SCATHING INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT FINDS CITY HIRED 5 OF HER RELATIVES

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney fired his top administrator Wednesday on the heels of a scathing report laying out how five of her relatives secured jobs with city departments she oversaw.

AFTER PUBLIC OUTCRY, ARMADA HOFFLER ENDS TALKS TO DEVELOP PORTSMOUTH’S WATERFRONT

Citing “controversy and division,” a Virginia Beach-based developer has killed its proposal to develop Portsmouth’s waterfront. In a letter sent Tuesday to Economic Development Director Robert Moore, Armada Hoffler Executive Vice President Bernard Shumate said the company is withdrawing plans to move city buildings inland and make room for private construction along the river.

WHITE SUPREMACIST’S THREATS LED BLACK CHARLOTTESVILLE CANDIDATE TO DROP OUT OF RACE, FEDS SAY

The campaign signs had been printed. The launch party was scheduled. And the African American activist was ready to join the race for Charlottesville City Council. He had sent out a news release announcing his intention to run the night before the party, on Jan. 7. But just 24 hours later, the campaign was over. Standing before his supporters, the black candidate said he would not be kicking off his campaign after all. Now, federal prosecutors say they know why: A white supremacist sent him a slew of violent threats the night he announced his candidacy.

FLORIDA MAN ACCUSED OF THREATENING PROSPECTIVE CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE

A Florida man was arrested Wednesday and charged with making racially motivated threats against a prospective Charlottesville City Council candidate that interfered with the electoral process. Daniel McMahon, 31, of Brandon, Florida, was indicted by a grand jury in U.S. District Court on Monday on four counts

STAFFORD SCHOOL OFFICIALS REVIEW $2.2 MILLION PLAN TO REMOVE MENS URINALS

The plan calls for the demolition of all men’s urinals in every county school. Stafford County Public Schools Finance and Budget Committee (FABC) reviewed the plan.

CHESAPEAKE WILL SPEND $40,400 TO INCREASE VOTER PARTICIPATION IN ELECTIONS

In the last two years, Chesapeake City Council members have twice discussed moving local elections from May to November. But they could never agree on switching the dates. Instead, they decided to spend $40,400 on promoting the elections.

FIVE YEARS AFTER COMPLAINT, AMHERST SCHOOLS HAVE FULFILLED OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS

Five years after a complaint was filed through the Office of Civil Rights against Amherst County Public Schools, the division has fulfilled requirements and the federal government no longer is monitoring its compliance.

TIME TO AUTOMATE VOTER REGISTRATION

Twenty states and the District of Columbia use Automated Verification and Registration to update their voter rolls. Virginia should consider doing likewise. Under AVR, whenever residents interact with a state government agency, such as the Department of Motor Vehicles, the information they provide is automatically transmitted to the state’s election agency, which then uses it to register them to vote if applicable, update the registered voter list, and discard outdated or duplicate information.

THE GOVERNOR'S AMBITIOUS ENERGY PLANS

Absent any realistic federal direction on climate policy, states are coming up with their own plans. On Monday, Gov. Ralph Northam signed Executive Order 43 to address the commonwealth’s energy goals. The order lays out an ambitious agenda

NEWSPAPERS TAKE ABUSE OF TRUST SERIOUSLY

The contretemps over a ghost-written op-ed in a sister newspaper has turned out to “have legs,” as we say in the business. That is, the story has shown stamina and has been of continuing interest to many people, especially those of us concerned with ethics in the news business.

PUTTING THE CITIZEN IN VIRGINIA'S CITIZEN-LEGISLATURE

The 140 members of the Virginia General Assembly pride themselves on being citizen-legislators. The assembly, the oldest continuous lawmaking body in the Western Hemisphere, is a bedrock of American representational government. The citizen component of that expression is equally important.

POQUOSON LEARNS ANOTHER LESSON ON RACE

Some vital lessons about hate were taught this past week at Poquoson High School. School administrators announced the football team would forfeit its Sept. 13 game against York High School after players posted a pair of videos - in which one repeatedly uses racist language - on social media just a few days prior. The Snapchat videos then spread quickly to other online platforms.

LESSONS FROM DANVILLE

President Trump’s recent disparagement of Baltimore has a precedent. In last year’s U.S. Senate race in Virginia, Republican Corey Stewart spent much of his campaign talking about how bad things supposedly were in Danville. Stewart’s reward: Not only did he lose the election, but he posted the lowest share of the vote for any Republican statewide candidate in a decade

SCHAPIRO: LOOMING SHAKE-UP IN REPUBLICAN LINE-UP

For a few Virginia Republicans, the legislative election isn’t just about preserving the party’s last redoubt of power. It’s about job security, influence and prestige. Should he lose to Sheila Bynum-Coleman, Kirk Cox of Colonial Heights — with three decades in the House of Delegates — would become the Tom Foley of Virginia politics: a House speaker stunningly defeated for re-election.

REYNOLDS: VIRGINIA'S HUGE OPPORTUNITY COST ON RENEWABLE ENERGY EXPOSED

Timing is crucial in the energy business. Timing helps create both winners and losers. Fifteen years ago fracked-gas was the winner. Renewables were a loser. Today that role has reversed, with renewables being the winner, and fracked gas being the loser.

Reynolds is retired from a global engineering and technology company. He has worked in the Roanoke City Schools for the last eight years as a volunteer and substitute Teacher.