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$264.5M New River rail project gets underway
Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Sen. Tim Kaine and other officials on Thursday broke ground on the long-awaited New River Valley Rail Project in Christiansburg, which will return passenger service to the New River Valley for the first time since 1979.
Virginia’s future retail marijuana market likely depends on gubernatorial election
Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoes marijuana retail bill again. The outcome of this year’s gubernatorial race, between Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Democratic former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, could determine if marijuana retail sales are implemented.
Is slight rise in Virginia unemployment ‘calm before storm?’
Virginia’s unemployment rate numbers are on a slight rise, according to data from the state’s Department of Workforce Development and Advancement, also known as Virginia Works. The state agency reports that Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in March rose a tenth of a percentage point to 3.2 % compared to 3.1% in February and 2.8% […]
This 420, Virginians can possess marijuana but still can’t buy it
Rolling into a 420 weekend seems like a good time to do an overview of Virginia’s current marijuana landscape. In 2021, Virginia became the first state in the South to legalize marijuana. If you’re 21 years old or older, you can lawfully possess up to one ounce of weed and grow up to four marijuana […]
Lynchburg transformer manufacturer to add 300 jobs, invest $35M
Delta Star, a manufacturer of power transformers and mobile transformer substations for the electrical grid, is investing $35 million to expand its Lynchburg operation and expects to create 300 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Thursday. The Lynchburg facility is set to expand by 80,000 square feet. Most of the jobs created will be in manufacturing, […]
Out and About – April 2025
1. On March 10, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner rode the Metro with Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority CEO Randy Clarke to discuss the impact of government funding on the transit system and other topics. (Photo courtesy Sen. Warner’s office) 2. U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Virginia Tech President […]
Lawmakers grapple with Virginia’s increasing energy demand
Virginia faces a dilemma. Data center developers are clamoring to build in Virginia with the sort of zeal typically reserved for hipsters attempting to win admittance into secret speakeasies. Residents of some Virginia localities have fought mightily against data center growth, citing environmental concerns and increased demand for electricity, and county and state politicians have […]
Merrick leaving as state commerce secretary
Caren Merrick, Virginia’s commerce and trade secretary, said in a LinkedIn post that she is leaving Gov. Glenn Youngkin‘s administration. According to a Washington Post story Thursday, Merrick turned down the job of state secretary of natural resources. The Post reported that Youngkin offered Merrick the natural resources job in order to name her chief […]
Governor signs landlord sexual extortion bill
RICHMOND, Va. — Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently signed a bill that will charge landlords who threaten renters with sexual extortion with a Class 5 felony . Del. Wendell Walker, R-Lynchburg, introduced House Bill 1998 to offer renters more protection from landlords who make malicious threats such as housing or financial loss, and property damage, in […]
Lynchburg’s BWXT unveils Innovation Campus
On Wednesday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin, federal and state officials and executives, engineers and employees of Lynchburg-based BWX Technologies gathered to celebrate the official opening of the nuclear company’s new Innovation Campus. “The IQ level in this room is really high,” Youngkin joked. Set on 11 acres in Campbell County, BWXT’s Innovation Campus (which shares a […]
Trump administration cancels Jefferson Lab operator search
The U.S. Department of Energy has cancelled its search for a new operator and manager of Newport News’ Jefferson Lab, as the current operator’s contract is set to expire at the end of May — prompting speculation of what the federally funded lab’s future entails. The DOE said in a statement that it plans to […]
While Youngkin celebrates Virginia’s labor force gains, economists warn of future unemployment
Gov. Glenn Youngkin says he feels good about the state’s employment landscape. In an announcement Tuesday, the governor celebrated that Virginia added 7,100 more jobs in January 2025, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). “More Virginians are working than ever in the commonwealth as jobs and opportunity continue to expand […]
