VISUALIZATION: VOTER REGISTRATION TRENDS UP

Nearly 32,000 Virginians registered to vote in September, a 62% increase compared to the same month in 2015, the last time all General Assembly seats were on the November ballot. Four days before the voter registration deadline, VPAP looks at monthly statewide totals for the year.

IN VIRGINIA SENATE DEBATE, STURTEVANT GOES ON THE ATTACK OVER NORTHAM’S DONATION TO HASHMI

It took less than 10 minutes for Gov. Ralph Northam’s blackface scandal to come up Wednesday night in a debate between Republican state Sen. Glen Sturtevant and Democrat Ghazala Hashmi. Sturtevant, one of the most imperiled Republicans in the Virginia Senate whose suburban Richmond seat is seen as a prime pickup opportunity for Democrats, repeatedly attacked Hashmi for accepting $25,000 from Northam’s PAC after calling for the governor’s resignation.

STATE SEN. AMANDA CHASE SAYS SHE’S RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR IN 2025

The sun has almost set on a mild early fall evening as Amanda Chase exits Swift Creek Middle School, flanked by an entourage that includes her husband, her campaign manager and about a dozen supporters. A few hours earlier, the state senator learned she had been exiled from the Chesterfield County Republican Committee for allegedly violating the state party’s prohibition against supporting the opponent of a GOP nominee. True to form, she decides not to go quietly.

FOY FACES CHALLENGER IN 2ND DISTRICT HOUSE RACE

First-term Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy is being challenged in Virginia’s 2nd District by a political newcomer. However, Heather Mitchell, 49, is just a step away from a political office, serving as the senior aide to Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart.

HOUSE DELEGATE RACE PULLS NO PUNCHES

Candidates for Virginia’s 15th House District clashed on Wednesday, coming from opposite ends of the political spectrum and employing divergent strategies to get the upper hand on their opponent. ... Beverly Harrison, a Democrat from Woodstock and a former teacher, went on the offensive from the outset, attacking Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Mount Jackson, on everything from his voting record to campaign donors.

CANDIDATES ADDRESS CROWD AT GOP PIG ROAST

Fall arrived in time for the 40th Greene County Republican Committee’s GOP Pig Roast last Saturday. In addition to pork roasted on site at October Hill in Stanardsville, candidates were there to offer insights and meet and greet area residents. Virgil Goode, who represented the 5th District for the House of Representatives until 2009, told the audience that voter turnout is what matters in the election on Nov. 5.

VIRGINIA HOUSE AND SENATE CANDIDATES SPAR AT CBES FORUM

Candidates seeking Virginia’s 100th District in the House of Delegates and 6th District in the Senate participated in a forum Wednesday night hosted by Citizens For a Better Eastern Shore (CBES).

LARGE-DOLLAR DONATIONS PROPEL CANDIDATES

Certain local and all statewide candidates who will appear on the Floyd ballot in November are required to file periodic campaign finance reports with the Virginia Department of Elections. The latest disclosures were due Sept. 16, and the reports show the two Republican candidates in statewide races far outraising their Democratic challengers.

DEMOCRATS PROMISE NEW VIRGINIA IF THEY TAKE OVER LEGISLATURE

Former governor Terry McAuliffe whipped up fellow Democrats at a recent fundraiser by outlining what’s at stake in next month’s state election: control of the General Assembly and the power to enact a long list of Democratic priorities such as gun control, the Equal Rights Amendment and a higher minimum wage. “Do not rest! Do not sleep!” McAuliffe exhorted. “Stop everybody you see — if they don’t stop, tackle ’em! Explain to them why this is so important. . . . We are going to make Virginia a new state.”

DEMOCRATIC PARTY ACCEPTS $200K FROM CLEAN ENERGY DONOR AFTER FORGOING DOMINION

Charlottesville mega-donor and clean energy advocate Michael Bills donated $200,000 to the Democratic Party of Virginia on Tuesday, weeks after the party announced it would no longer accept contributions from Dominion Energy. Bills and other Dominion critics say the energy monopoly's largesse, combined with Virginia’s lax campaign finance laws, allow it to write its own regulations.

TUESDAY IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS

Voters in Virginia have until Tuesday to register to vote or update their registration if they want to participate in the Nov. 5 elections. While there aren’t any presidential, congressional or statewide races on the ballot, all 140 General Assembly seats are up for election, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

VA. REGULATORS THREATEN TO SHUT DOWN COMPANY ACCUSED OF PREYING ON UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS

Virginia regulators are threatening to shut down an Augusta County-based company accused of preying on detained undocumented immigrants. In documents filed last week, the state’s Bureau of Insurance claimed that Libre by Nexus and its parent company, Nexus Services, have been acting as unlicensed insurance agents.

STATE THREATENS TO SHUT DOWN NEXUS IMMIGRATION BONDS BUSINESS, CEO RESPONDS

The state of Virginia is threatening to shut down Nexus Services Inc. by early next year and is accusing the company of running an unlicensed insurance business, according to court papers filed last week in Richmond. The Bureau of Insurance of the State Corporation Commission claims Nexus is selling surety insurance in the form of immigration bonds.

PEW: VIRGINIA’S PAYDAY AND TITLE LOAN LAWS AMONG LAXEST IN THE NATION

People in Virginia who take out payday and title loans face interest rates as much as three times higher than borrowers in other states with stronger consumer protections, an analysis by Pew Research released this week concluded.

SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES RECEIVE FUNDING

Hundreds of thousands of dollars is being pumped into Southwest Virginia to help fund a variety of law enforcement programs. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced the award of $8.79 million in grants to support enforcement agencies and community-based criminal justice programs. The grants were approved by the Criminal Justice Services Board, the policy board for the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services at its Thursday meeting in Richmond.

WEXTON SWINGS THROUGH AREA, TALKS POLITICS, IMPEACHMENT

In an effort to get to know her constituents over the mountain better, U.S. Rep. Jennifer Wexton, D-10th, swung through Frederick County on Thursday, visiting Thermo Fisher Scientific and Sherando High School.

AT AMHERST GOP MEETING, CLINE DEFENDS TRUMP, BLASTS 'UNFAIR' HANDLING OF IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

As roughly a dozen people blew whistles, held signs and stood by a banner stating 'Impeach' in supporting removing President Donald Trump from office, across the street in Amherst County's heart of government U.S. Rep. Ben Cline blasted how Democrats are handling the impeachment inquiry process.

REP. CLINE MEETS WITH BCPS OFFICIALS

Rep. Ben Cline (R-6th) visited with officials from Botetourt County Public Schools Monday morning at the Central Administration Office in Fincastle.

VDOT UNVEILS POTENTIAL FIXES FOR CONGESTION ON I–95

Potential solutions to improve travel time and safety on Interstate 95 were unveiled this week during a public meeting at James Monroe High School and the best options may surprise some commuters. The plan favors a variety of approaches, such as increased transit or ride-sharing opportunities and interchange improvements, over simply building more lanes on I–95,

VET SCHOOL FUNDING SHOWS TOBACCO PANEL'S DIVIDE OVER HOW TO HELP RURAL REGIONS

A decision to provide a $2 million grant to a veterinary school in far Southwest Virginia highlighted the ongoing division within the tobacco commission about how best to invest in economically struggling regions. The Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission approved the grant Thursday following two days of discussion about whether the larger-than-usual allocation to the Lincoln Memorial University-College of Veterinary Medicine was a smart use of funds.

REPORTS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, DATING VIOLENCE INCREASED IN 2018

Reported incidents of on-Grounds burglary, rape, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking increased from 2017 to 2018, according to an annual safety report released by the University last week. The report, which is required each year under the federal Jeanne Clery Act, includes all crimes reported to the University Police Department, other law enforcement and University officials, including the Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights.

FCC AWARDS $24 MILLION IN VIRGINIA BROADBAND GRANTS

About 7,000 homes and businesses across seven Southwest Virginia counties can expect broadband service access in the years ahead, thanks to nearly $24 million in federal grants. On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission announced grants totaling $23.97 million to Sunset Digital Communications — now Point Broadband — to expand rural broadband service at 1 gigabit speed.

IN FINAL DEBATE, CANDIDATES CLASH ON METRO, JEFF DAVIS HIGHWAY, ICE AGREEMENT, RURAL CRESCENT

Extending Metro to Prince William, renaming Jefferson Davis Highway, preserving the rural crescent and the county’s agreement with federal immigration officials were among the hot-button issues four candidates for the county’s top elected post discussed Tuesday during their last debate before Nov. 5 election. The topics revealed divisions among the four vying to be the next chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors

STONEY ANNOUNCES THAT RICHMOND WILL MARK INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' DAY, JOINING SHIFT AWAY FROM COLUMBUS DAY

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney announced Thursday that the city will recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day this coming Monday, a day traditionally reserved for honoring Christopher Columbus.

CHANGE IN FOIA PROCESS QUESTIONED

City Attorney Sandra R. Robinson has told Hopewell’s constitutional officers that the city will no longer assist them with Freedom of Information Act requests, claiming that the city staff workload has increased too much and that most of them already had appointed themselves as their own FOIA officers, anyway.

ROANOKE CONSIDERING MOVING COUNCIL ELECTIONS FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER

The Roanoke City Council pondered moving its own elections from May to November on Thursday, but is months away from any action on the idea. There does not seem to be a consensus yet on the current council about whether to do it.

MARION WINS $85,000 GRANT TO IMPLEMENT 39-CAMERA TRAFFIC MONITORING SYSTEM

In the near future, Marion will be equipped with a 39-camera traffic monitoring and event management system that the police chief describes as “beyond state-of-the-art.” The system will be paid for by a $85,000 grant announced Thursday by Gov. Ralph Northam.

RED-LIGHT CAMERAS ARE NOT THE ANSWER

Spotsylvania Supervisor Chris Yakabouski recently suggested that the Board of Supervisors look into the use of red-light cameras to improve traffic safety at problem intersections. Here we go again.

TODAY IS THE DEADLINE FOR VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOLS TO FIELD ESPORTS TEAMS

William Byrd High School and Grayson County High School are about to do something no other schools in this part of the state have ever done. They’re about to field esports teams.

IN WEST VIRGINIA, WAITING ON AN APOCALYPSE

Drew Miller, who heads a survivalist camp here, sometimes talks as if time is divided into two periods. There are the good days, which are generally now. And there are the bad days, which could come anytime through deadly epidemics, economic collapse, nuclear war or political upheaval. In good times, the treehouse at Fortitude Ranch is a place for children to play. In bad times, Miller said, it would become a guard tower.