Northam calls FEMA denial ‘a slap in the face’
In a tweet Tuesday, Gov. Ralph Northam decried the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s denial of federal funding for the Virginia National Guard presence at the U.S. Capitol as a “slap in the face” by President Donald Trump. “Virginia was there to defend the U.S. Capitol on January 6 — and we are committed to ensuring […]
Northam warns extremists with “ill intent” to avoid Richmond
Speaking at a news conference Thursday, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam issued a warning to anyone “with ill intent in your heart” to abandon their plans to come to Richmond as part of an armed protest of the state legislature. The governor said the state government is prepared for security concerns around the General Assembly’s annual […]
State opens COVID-19 vaccinations for Virginians 65 and older
Updated Jan. 18: A vaccine dose shortfall in the federal stockpile will likely lower the weekly number of doses Virginia receives, but state officials say they will continue with expansion of group 1b. Earlier: As part of a federal push to speed up the pace of vaccinations, Gov. Ralph Northam said Thursday that the state […]
Va. General Fund revenue increased 15.1% in December 2020
Virginia’s General Fund revenue for December 2020 increased 15.1% compared with December 2019, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday. Total revenue collections rose 7.8% through December on a fiscal year-to-date basis, which was well ahead of the 1.2% growth forecast. The increase was driven by growth in payroll withholding, corporate income tax, sales and use taxes, […]
Liberty University sues state over tuition assistance cut for online students
Liberty University, the large, private nonprofit Christian school in Lynchburg, has filed a lawsuit against Gov. Ralph Northam and the director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), alleging that amendments to the 2020 state budget “wrongly exclude Virginia students who access higher education through online content” from receiving the Virginia Tuition […]
Va. National Guard to be deployed in D.C. through at least Jan. 20
The Virginia National Guard and Virginia State Police troopers will be deployed in Washington, D.C., at least through Jan. 20, inauguration day for President-elect Joe Biden, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday afternoon. In a tweet, Northam said, “I’m extending Virginia’s National Guard deployment at least through Jan. 20, based on conversations this morning with our […[...]
Va. National Guard dispatched to U.S. Capitol, under siege
Updated, 8:45 a.m. Jan. 7 Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency in Virginia Wednesday evening and ordered a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew for Alexandria and Arlington County at the localities’ request, after crowds of supporters of President Donald Trump breached and took over the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate chambers […]
Northam sets accelerated goals for vaccinations
In his first COVID-19 news conference of the year, Gov. Ralph Northam said the state is aiming to administer 25,000 COVID vaccine shots per day to Virginians, up from the current 14,000 shots per day. He hopes to get to 50,000 daily vaccinations as soon as possible, although the state is waiting for more doses […]
Northam commits additional $20M to economic recovery fund
Gov. Ralph Northam has allocated an additional $20 million in federal CARES Act funding to assist more than 300 small businesses and nonprofits through the Rebuild VA economic recovery fund. The new funding will meet demand for the Rebuild VA program and fulfill pending grant applications for small businesses and nonprofits that applied before the […]
Northam orders companies held temporarily harmless for pandemic layoffs
Gov. Ralph Northam issued an executive order Tuesday that will hold Virginia businesses harmless for any layoffs made during three months of the pandemic. The end-of-year order protects businesses from having to pay an additional $200 million in payroll taxes to replenish the Virginia Employment Commission’s Unemployment Insurance Trust. Due to the COVID-19 economic fallout, […]
Northam proposes $240M for pandemic response
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise and frontline medical workers receive the first vaccine doses, Gov. Ralph Northam called on the General Assembly to allocate $240 million toward pandemic response in his proposed budget amendments released Wednesday. “The budget I present today preserves our focus on flexibility, targeted investments and help for Virginians. While we […]
State announces new secretary of administration
At the end of a press conference about new public restrictions related to the pandemic, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday that Virginia Secretary of Administration Keyanna Conner is leaving for a job in the private sector and will be replaced by Grindly Johnson, the current deputy secretary of administration. The secretary oversees Virginia’s Compensation Board, […]