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VaNews Dec. 12, 2019
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Today's Sponsor:


** Dominion Energy
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** FROM VPAP
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** VISUALIZATION: EACH PARTY'S TOP 10 DONORS ([link removed])
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The Virginia Public Access Project

Legislative candidates for the two major parties have very different lists of top donors. The Democrats' top donors included single-interest groups intent on flipping control of the Republican-controlled General Assembly. The Republicans' list included a number of companies and trade groups that have been mainstays in legislative fundraising.


** EXECUTIVE BRANCH
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** NORTHAM PROPOSES $733 MILLION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SPENDING, WITH BIG CHUNK FOR BAY CLEANUP ([link removed])
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By GREGORY S. SCHNEIDER, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

Gov. Ralph Northam on Wednesday proposed a $733 million package of environmental spending, including programs to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, encourage wind energy and preserve open spaces. The proposals, most of which involve bond-financed capital spending, will be part of the two-year budget plan Northam (D) presents next Tuesday to legislators in the General Assembly’s money committees.


** NORTHAM PROPOSES $733 MILLION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, RENEWABLE ENERGY ([link removed])
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By MEL LEONOR, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Gov. Ralph Northam is calling for $733 million in spending on environmental quality and renewable energy, including heavy investments in Chesapeake Bay cleanup efforts. The funding request is part of Northam’s two-year budget proposal, which so far includes investments in maternal health and early education.


** VIRGINIA GOV. RALPH NORTHAM PROPOSES $200 MILLION BOOST IN SCHOOL SPENDING ([link removed])
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By DAVE RESS AND MARIE ALBIGES, Daily Press (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Gov. Ralph Northam’s next proposed budget will include $268.7 million in additional school funding, including money to boost teachers’ pay. Unveiling his proposal Tuesday in Richmond, the governor said higher-than-expected state revenues mean Virginia can afford to raise teacher salaries by 5 percent next year, up from an already approved 3 percent increase.


** VALENTINE URGES VIRGINIA GAS-TAX HIKE; TALKS TRACKING, TAXING DRIVERS ([link removed])
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By URIAH KISER, Potomac Local (Subscription Required)

Virginia crossed a threshold in 2018: It was the first time people drove more miles on state roads and highways but gas tax revenues collected at the pump fell. They were down $48 million, down from about $700 million collected annual gas tax revenues. “That was the canary in the coal mine for what we’ll be facing,” said Virginia Transportation Secretary Shannon Valentine.


** POLICE ARREST NEWPORT NEWS MAN ACCUSED OF THREATENING NORTHAM ([link removed])
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By JESSICA NOLTE, Daily Press (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

A Newport News man was arrested Monday after a family member reported he’d made threats against Gov. Ralph Northam, according to court documents. Cody Lee Lahocki, 34, of the first block of Meadow Creek Drive, was charged with one count of threatening to burn a building — a class five felony.


** IN SIGN OF CHANGING ATTITUDES, VA. ATTORNEY GENERAL HOSTS 'CANNABIS SUMMIT' ([link removed])
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By PATRICK WILSON, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

This would not have happened a few years ago, but on Wednesday the Virginia attorney general hosted a “cannabis summit” in Richmond as Virginia moves closer toward joining other states in liberalizing marijuana law. Herring, who announced a year ago that he plans to run for governor in 2021, said he called experts to Richmond so lawmakers could hear from other states about how they’ve handled reform of marijuana prohibition laws.


** NEW CANNABIS CAUCUS ALL IN FOR MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION IN VIRGINIA ([link removed])
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By MARIE ALBIGES, Daily Press (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

If the first marijuana summit isn’t enough to convince you Virginia is on track to decriminalize the drug, perhaps a new “cannabis caucus” will do the trick. State lawmakers gathered Wednesday in Richmond to tout their proposed legislation and hear from officials from states where marijuana laws have already changed.


** GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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** GUN CONTROL, GENDER EQUALITY: SOME OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA’S WISH LIST FOR THE 2020 GENERAL ASSEMBLY ([link removed])
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By KRISTI KING, WTOP

When Virginia lawmakers get to work next month in Richmond, they’re likely to look favorably upon priorities important to local lawmakers in Northern Virginia, now that both chambers are controlled by Democrats. Three of the area’s wish-list items are gun control, equal rights related to gender and an opportunity for undocumented residents to apply for driver’s licenses.


** SENATOR HANGER CONTINUING PUSH FOR REDISTRICTING COMMISSION ([link removed])
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By HANNAH HALL, WHSV

State senator Emmett Hanger has been working for a while on a proposal that he thinks will help end gerrymandering in Virginia. Ahead of next month's General Assembly session, he's working to make sure the legislation is passed again. When Republicans controlled the Senate last year, his proposal passed. With Democrats now controlling the entire general Assembly, the Republican is hoping for the same bipartisanship again.


** HUDSON, SUPERVISORS DISCUSS PRIORITIES FOR UPCOMING SESSION ([link removed])
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By ALLISON WRABEL, Daily Progress (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Democratic delegate-elect Sally Hudson met with the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday to discuss county legislative priorities for the 2020 session. Both Hudson and the board want local governments to have more authority and control on specific issues, such as monuments.


** STATE GOVERNMENT
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** BUILDINGS PLENTIFUL AT CVTC, BUT QUESTIONS ABOUND ON THEIR FATE POST-CLOSURE ([link removed])
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By JUSTIN FAULCONER, News & Advance (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)

If you build it, they will come. But what happens when they leave and a roughly 380-acre campus with nearly 100 buildings is left behind? That’s a pressing question for Amherst County and Lynchburg-area officials to answer before the Central Virginia Training Center closes its doors in the summer of 2020.


** CONGRESS
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** VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS FLOAT PROSECUTION FOR POLICE WHO FAIL TO ENFORCE GUN LAWS ([link removed])
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By KERRY PICKET, Washington Examiner

Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill say local police who do not enforce gun control measures likely to pass in Virginia should face prosecution and even threats of the National Guard. After November's Virginia Legislature elections that led to Democrats taking control of both chambers, the gun control legislation proposed by some Democrats moved forward, including universal background checks, an “assault weapons” ban, and a red flag law.


** MILITARY HOUSING REFORMS INCLUDED IN NEW DEFENSE BLUEPRINT ([link removed])
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By HUGH LESSIG, Daily Press (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Congressional negotiators have agreed on a defense spending blueprint for 2020 that includes reforms aimed at improving privatized military housing. A legislative summary describes it as “the most substantial overhaul of the Privatized Military Housing Initiative since its creation in 1996.”


** ECONOMY/BUSINESS
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** STRONGER THAN STEEL, THINNER THAN PAPER, CAN GRAPHENE HELP BUILD A NEW ECONOMY IN SWVA? ([link removed])
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By ROBBIE HARRIS, WVTF

In Wise County, where coal has been king, its sleeker cousin recently came to town sporting a whole new look. Graphene, the recently discovered a relative of carbon, thinner than paper and stronger than steel, it’s being called a miracle substance that could revolutionize the future of technology. And as Robbie Harris reports, southwestern Virginia is looking to become the ‘graphene hub” of the country.


** INDOOR FARM TO CREATE 92 JOBS IN DANVILLE-PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY ([link removed])
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By RICHARD FOSTER, Virginia Business

New Jersey-based AeroFarms is investing $42 million to construct a 150,000 indoor vertical farm in Cane Creek Centre, a joint industrial park for Danville and Pittsylvania County. The facility will create 92 jobs. AeroFarms employs a proprietary growing technology to produce leafy greens through aeroponics, a process in which plants are grown outside soil on vertical towers and watered with a nutrient-infused mist.


** DOMINION ENERGY PARTNERSHIP TO CONVERT MANURE TO NATURAL GAS ([link removed])
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Associated Press

One of the nation’s largest energy producers is launching a $200 million effort to convert methane from cow manure into natural gas. Richmond-based Dominion Energy announced Wednesday that it is partnering with Vanguard Renewables to develop and operate conversion facilities at dairy farms across the U.S.


** TRANSPORTATION
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** FIGHTING WAZE AND GOOGLE, FAIRFAX CO. FINDS ITSELF GRIDLOCKED OVER CUT-THROUGHS ([link removed])
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By DICK ULIANO, WTOP

There are a number of rush-hour turn restrictions in Fairfax County to thwart GPS navigation apps like Waze that are routing drivers through neighborhoods, and more are planned. At the same time, there’s an effort underway to provide residents with special cut-through permits. These permits would allow drivers to turn into their own neighborhoods during restricted hours. Earlier this year, the Virginia General Assembly cleared the way for Fairfax to create a residential cut-through permit program.


** WAZE LAUNCHING FEATURE FOR YOU TO MARK UNPLOWED ROADS ([link removed])
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By ELIZABETH TYREE, WSET

Waze, the app that lets you track traffic, preview driving directions, and find shortcuts, has added a new feature for the winter. You will be able to report, in real-time, when a road has not been plowed and will be kept informed when you're approaching a road that has already been identified as unplowed.


** FEDS REVIEW FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ISSUES AT VALLEY METRO ([link removed])
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By JEFF STURGEON, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)

Valley Metro is under review for spending capital money on operating expenses this year in an apparent violation of grant restrictions. The review by the Federal Transit Administration is likely to conclude that Valley Metro used up to $2.2 million in capital funds for routine operating expenses such as paychecks and fuel over several months around mid-2019


** VIRGINIA OTHER
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** THIS VIRGINIA REPUBLICAN URGES PEOPLE TO GIVE THEIR FRIENDS GUNS FOR CHRISTMAS ([link removed])
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By BRUCE LESHAN, WUSA

If Virginia politician Corey Stewart has his way, many Virginians will find guns under the Christmas tree this year. The second amendment supporter is urging people to gift their loved ones a firearm this holiday season. The urge comes in response to Democratic promises to pass new gun laws when they take power in Richmond in January.


** VIRGINIA NATURAL GAS RECEIVED DRAFT AGENDA ITEM ON ATLANTIC COAST PIPELINE BEFORE IT WAS PUBLIC, EMAILS SHOW ([link removed])
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By PETER COUTU, Daily Press (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Before an influential planning commission was set to publicly debate throwing its support behind the 600-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline, the group’s executive director went back and forth with an employee of one of the pipeline’s chief proponents, according to emails obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. Robert Crum, the director, eventually provided Virginia Natural Gas a draft agenda item that requested the commission endorse the project.


** LOCAL
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** ALEXANDRIA ENDS CURBSIDE GLASS RECYCLING, JOINS OTHER VIRGINIA JURISDICTIONS ([link removed])
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By JACOB FENSTON, WTOP

When cities all over the county switched to single-stream recycling — one big blue bin for everything — it seemed to make recycling so easy, so simple. Now, the trend is reversing: The city of Alexandria is the fifth jurisdiction in Northern Virginia to stop accepting glass in the blue curbside bins. Instead, residents are asked to cart their bottles and jars to one of five drop-off locations around the city.


** HENRICO COUNTY SWEARING-IN CEREMONY FILLED WITH HISTORY, ROMANCE ([link removed])
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By JUSTIN MATTINGLY, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

For the first time, the Henrico County School Board includes a black woman. Alicia Atkins was sworn in Wednesday as the Varina District representative to the county School Board, making history in a county where 17% of public school students are black girls, according to state data. Her swearing-in was part of a larger ceremony held at The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen where 15 newly elected county officials took the oath of office.


** CHESTERFIELD'S STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESS HIGHLIGHTS JOB GROWTH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S ROLE ([link removed])
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By IAN M. STEWART, WCVE

Chesterfield County’s Administrator focused on things to look forward to in the coming year for his State of the County address on Wednesday. He also gave a room of business leaders a short lesson in local government as well. County Administrator Joe Casey ticked off a list of wins for the area that includes almost $250 Million in economic growth and 2000 new jobs. Some of those employers are the paper company Cartograf, two solar farms in the county and the used car company Carvana, which could add 400 jobs to the area.


** STATE TO SCHOOLS: EXPECT $4 MILLION LESS IN FY2021 ([link removed])
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By JIM MCCONNELL, Chesterfield Observer

Chesterfield County Public Schools’ student population has never been larger or more diverse. Now its slice of the state funding pie is getting smaller. The Virginia Department of Education recently informed the local school system that its allocation from the state will be reduced by $4 million in fiscal year 2021 as a result of changes to a funding formula known as the local composite index.


** MARK WHITAKER’S CONVICTIONS UPHELD ON APPEAL — BUT THE EX-PORTSMOUTH COUNCILMAN WILL KEEP FIGHTING ([link removed])
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By SCOTT DAUGHERTY, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

Even if a special grand jury improperly investigated the dealings of then-Portsmouth City Councilman Mark Whitaker and his church, it didn’t matter, a state appeals court ruled Tuesday. A jury of Whitaker’s peers heard all of the evidence at trial and found him guilty, three judges of the Virginia Court of Appeals noted in a 16-page opinion upholding Whitaker’s felony forgery convictions.


** ORANGE COUNTY COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY DIANA O'CONNELL PREVAILS IN RECOUNT ([link removed])
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By HILARY HOLLADAY, Orange County Review

The results of the recount in the Orange County Commonwealth's Attorney race are in, and 16-year incumbent Diana Wheeler O'Connell has hung on to her victory. She bested Orange defense attorney S. Page Higginbotham III by 28 votes, the same margin announced on election night.


** WINCHESTER SCHOOL BOARD OKS RESOLUTION TO PAY MEMBERS ([link removed])
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By ANNA MEROD, Winchester Star (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Winchester is one of just five school boards in Virginia that does not pay its members, but that may change. On Monday night, the Winchester School Board unanimously passed a resolution asking that its members each receive annual pay of no more than $4,500. Of the 133 school boards in Virginia, 128 receive some form of compensation.


** COUNCIL INCREASES WAGES FOR ITS MEMBERS AND MAYOR ([link removed])
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By OLIVIA JOHNSON, News & Advance (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)

Lynchburg City Council voted to raise salaries for the mayor and city council members during Tuesday’s work session meeting. Council voted to change the Lynchburg City Code to include a $4,000 increase in compensation for both city council members and the mayor — a change that wouldn’t go live until July 1, 2020.


** MARTINSVILLE'S REVERSION-FOCUSED LAW FIRM OFFERS PICTURE OF ISSUES CITY, HENRY COUNTY FACE ([link removed])
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By BILL WYATT, Martinsville Bulletin

The city of Martinsville has retained the services of Troutman Sanders law firm for potential litigation involved in the process of reverting from a city to a town and in its dispute with Henry County about reimbursement of capital expenditures the city made in a multimillion-dollar repair of a sewer line the county uses.


** SIMMERING DISPUTE IN SOUTH HILL DRAWS NOTICE ([link removed])
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By SUSAN KYTE, Mecklenburg Sun

An undercurrent of discord that has been simmering in South Hill for months has begun to spill out into the public, heightening the attendance of business owners, citizens and lawyers at monthly meetings of South Hill Town Council. While largely operating at a mute level, the clash has drawn in Town Manager Kim Callis, Mayor Dean Marion, Chamber director Frank Malone, members of Town Council and leading town merchants, and it may have figured into the departures of two management-level town employees in recent months.


** AMID PUSH FOR GUN ‘SANCTUARIES,’ HANOVER AND HENRICO ADOPT RESOLUTIONS BUT CHESTERFIELD DECLINES ([link removed])
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By C. SUAREZ ROJAS AND SEAN GORMAN, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Leaders in two Richmond suburbs have voted this week on resolutions in response to a growing demand across Virginia for local governments to declare they are “sanctuaries” that will not infringe on residents’ gun rights under the Second Amendment. The Hanover County Board of Supervisors’ adoption Wednesday of a modified “sanctuary” resolution was loudly cheered by many of the several hundred people in attendance, but a resolution passed a day earlier by Henrico County’s supervisors made no mention of gun rights, disappointing dozens of people


** CHESTERFIELD LEADERS: COUNTY WILL FOLLOW LAW IN GUN RIGHTS DEBATE ([link removed])
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By JIM MCCONNELL, Chesterfield Observer

In anticipation of new gun control legislation in the General Assembly early next year, more than 40 Virginia localities have already declared themselves to be “Second Amendment sanctuaries.” Chesterfield County’s governing body, however, is resisting pressure from constituents to follow suit. Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Leslie Haley acknowledged last week that she and her four colleagues have been contacted by “tons of people” who want them to pass a resolution that declares Chesterfield is opposed to (and refuses to enforce) any new gun laws passed next year. But Haley insisted the board had no plans to introduce such a resolution


** HENRICO BOARD PUNTS ON ‘SANCTUARY’ STATUS, ADOPTS RESOLUTION SUPPORTING CONSTITUTIONS ([link removed])
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By TOM LAPPAS, Henrico Citizen

Dozens of Second Amendment supporters urged Henrico’s Board of Supervisors last night to make Henrico a so-called Second Amendment sanctuary locality, but supervisors instead passed a resolution indicating simply that they would uphold the state and United States constitutions. The 3-2 vote was split along party lines, with all three Republicans – including Tuckahoe Supervisor Pat O’Bannon, who introduced it – voting in favor of it and the board’s two Democrats voting against it.


** 2 MORE STICK BY THEIR GUNS ([link removed])
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By CHAI GALLAHUN AND LOGAN BARRY, Progress Index (Metered paywall - 5 free articles a month)

CH, PG join growing list of passing firearms-rights resolutions, but Heights stops short of declaring a ‘sanctuary’ Add two more Tri-City localities to the list of Virginia localities lining up behind a statewide effort to shield Virginia citizens’ rights to bear arms. Packed houses in Prince George County and Colonial Heights Tuesday night saw their Board of Supervisors and City Council adopt resolutions supporting their citizens’ Second Amendment rights.


** WARREN COUNTY BECOMES A GUN SANCTUARY ([link removed])
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By JOSH GULLY, Northern Virginia Daily

More than 1,000 citizens, many donning orange stickers reading “Guns SAVE Lives,” packed Warren County High School’s auditorium to support a resolution declaring the locality a Second Amendment sanctuary. After hearing from 47 citizens over three hours, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution naming the county a Second Amendment sanctuary. The resolution states “the Federal government has no authority to enforce state laws and States cannot be compelled to enforce Federal laws.”


** PACKED CITY HALL CALLS FOR NEWPORT NEWS TO BE SECOND AMENDMENT SANCTUARY ([link removed])
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By JOSH REYES, Daily Press (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Newport News City Council chambers were overflowing Tuesday night with people sporting “guns save lives" stickers and pushing for the council to declare the city a Second Amendment sanctuary, part of the movement that’s swept across Virginia in recent weeks. There wasn’t a vote at the meeting, but council members shared their stances on the issue.


** CAROLINE COUNTY SUPERVISORS DECLARE COUNTY SECOND AMENDMENT 'SANCTUARY' ([link removed])
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By DAWN HAUN, Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)

The Caroline County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday adopted a resolution declaring the county a Second Amendment sanctuary. Supervisors decided in a 5–1 vote to pass an amended resolution standing with numerous other localities in Virginia.

Today's Sponsor:


** Dominion Energy
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The EnergyShare® program has helped more than 840,000 customers in need pay their energy bills and weatherize their homes to reduce future bills. Learn more ([link removed])


** EDITORIALS
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** RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL SAYS YES TO SAFETY ([link removed])
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Richmond Times-Dispatch Editorial (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Richmond City Council made the right move Monday night when it unanimously passed a measure banning the use of handheld devices while driving. Starting in June, using a cellphone or similar device while driving in the state’s capital will be punishable by a $125 fine on the first offense and a $250 fine for each subsequent offense.


** STRIP SEARCH OF CHILD REPREHENSIBLE ([link removed])
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Daily Progress Editorial (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

It is appalling to know that a vulnerable 8-year-old girl was strip-searched before being allowed to visit her father in prison. It is doubly revolting to know that the incident happened practically in our backyard.


** DON’T COUNT ON MORE ROAD FUNDING ([link removed])
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Free Lance-Star Editorial (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)

One striking thing about the new Democratic leadership of the General Assembly: it’s top-heavy with Northern Virginians, specifically those representing Fairfax County. Del. Eileen Filler-Corn, the first woman to be nominated by her caucus as Speaker of the House, is from Fairfax County. Del. Charniele Herring, who represents parts of Alexandria and eastern Fairfax County, is the House Majority Leader designee.


** TUITION-FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE WOULD HELP RURAL AREAS MOST ([link removed])
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Roanoke Times Editorial (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)

When Gov. Ralph Northam presents his proposed two-year budget on Tuesday, he’s widely expected to include a provision for some form of tuition-free community college. This was something Northam campaigned on 2017, so for all those cynical about politicians and their promises, here’s one that’s apparently being kept.


** VIRGINIA’S DOOR IS OPEN ([link removed])
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Daily Press Editorial (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Gov. Ralph Northam wants Virginia to live up to the high ideals he expressed eloquently in his speech in July commemorating the 400th anniversary of Virginia’s General Assembly, the first elected assembly in America. Too often, politicians say all the right things for the cameras and the crowds, and then proceed to act a loss less honorably. Northam, though, has let the administration of President Donald Trump know that he meant exactly what he said that day in Jamestown about diversity and refugees and what America is all about.


** COLUMNISTS
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** SCHAPIRO: ON REDISTRICTING, DEMOCRATS TURNING A WIN INTO A LOSS? ([link removed])
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By JEFF E. SCHAPIRO, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

When it comes to depoliticizing redistricting, legislative Democrats in Richmond sound like congressional Republicans in Washington complaining about the impeachment of President Donald Trump: Recognizing that the facts may be unfavorable, they yowl that the process is flawed. And except with those who already agree with it, this argument may not be getting much traction.


** OP-ED
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** MUNLEY: PAST TIME FOR WATER BOARD TO STOP PIPELINE ([link removed])
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By CYNTHIA MUNLEY, Published in the Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)

Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) is engineered, constructed and fatally-flawed because of its contractor’s gross underestimate of stormwater runoff. Mounting evidence of engineering failure started with a landslide on Cahas Mountain Road in May 2018. The State Water Control Board (SWCB) is the citizenry’s ultimate defense against schemes by government leaders under the influence of campaign contributions and an industry colluding with the predatory Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Munley is an organizer of Preserve Salem.
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