Out of office

Virginia’s General Assembly session ended its regularly scheduled 60-day run on Saturday. The work of the legislature is far from over, however—the divided assembly has not yet agreed on a state budget and has left a number of bills on the table. Once the budget is complete, a special session can be held later in […]

In brief: Preview local bills, COVID surges

But today I am still just a bill Virginia’s 2022 legislative session kicks off Wednesday, January 12, in Richmond. Each legislative session, lawmakers are allowed to prefile a number of proposed bills before the session starts. Legislative tracker LegiScan shows that 268 bills had been prefiled as of January 10. Republicans, who control the legislature […]

Spending money

Virginia received $4.3 billion in federal relief funds as part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan package Congress passed earlier this year. That sounds like lot of dough, but this spring, state agencies had a chance to submit requests for how the money might be spent. Those agencies’ requests totaled $18 billion. The General […]

Back at it: Hudson, Deeds eye pandemic relief for General Assembly session

By Geremia di Maro Amid a surging number of COVID-19 cases in the state, and political turmoil at the national level, the Democrat-controlled Virginia General Assembly will convene Wednesday (remotely in the House) for the 2021 legislative session. Charlottesville’s local lawmakers have an ambitious agenda planned for the marathon 46-day session. Delegate Sally Hudson and […]

In brief: Carter joins race, Dewberry gets sued, and more

Jump in The 2021 race for the governor’s mansion in Virginia got a little more complicated last week, when northern Virginia Delegate Lee Carter declared his candidacy for the office. In his campaign announcement, Carter emphasized economic stratification as the driving force of discontent in the commonwealth. “[Virginia] is not divided between red and blue. […]

In brief: 1619 Project comes to town, Chase announces governor bid, and more

Get serious: Talking reparations, monuments, and more What does it mean to confront the truth? To not be complacent in an unjust system? To seek justice for those who’ve been oppressed by that system for over 400 years? Acclaimed New York Times Magazine writer Nikole Hannah-Jones grappled with these questions­—and more—during a discussion with Times […]

A change is gonna come: New Democratic government has big plans, big challenges ahead

“No pipeline.” “Climate action now.” “That awkward moment when you burn your own planet.” On December 6, a crowd of about 70 sign-carrying protesters gathered at Charlottesville’s Free Speech wall to demand the city and state government take immediate action against climate change. Carrying their handmade posters, musical instruments, and reusable water bottles, the activists […]

Blue wave: Dems take General Assembly—but GOP keeps local legislators

Governor Ralph Northam declared Virginia “officially blue” following Tuesday’s election that gave Democrats control of both houses in the General Assembly for the first time in 26 years. And Dems swept Albemarle County, taking the Board of Supervisors, commonwealth’s attorney, and sheriff races. Yet the local House of Delegates races resulted in no upsets and […]