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Spanberger fires Rocovich from Virginia Tech Board of Visitors; Rocovich says he won’t step down
In a letter notifying John Rocovich of his firing, the governor accused him of conduct that violated the board’s code of ethics and governing statutes “requiring board members to act in accordance with the best interest of Virginia Tech.” Rocovich pushed back, saying the governor’s actions are “legally unsupportable.”
Politics
Notes from the Square: Tobacco Commission launches nonprofit to aid in grant applications
Plus: New board appointments from the governor, and a state budget update.
Local
Lynchburg City Council approves 2027 budget with no cuts or tax hikes
Water rates remain undecided and will come back to council for a public hearing and vote in June.
Culture
American Aquarium, Rhonda Vincent among headliners for this year’s Floyd Small Town Summer series
Local acts Hoppie Vaughan & the Ministers of Soul and JStop Latin Soul also will be featured, along with family-friendly movies on some nights.
education
Roanoke school division reconsidering online platform after recent data breach
A cyberattack left the platform offline for days and thousands of students’ information exposed.
eCONOMY
Tech Briefs: A Blacksburg with no Hokie stone? AI imagined it.
Plus: Virginia Tech researchers modify “Call of Duty” to train Marines.
OPinion
Mahoney and Cronkhite: The co-investing, pro-bono partnership that won millions in grants for Appalachian communities
Through this novel program based in the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia, students from UVA are paired with local governments, economic development offices and nonprofits across Southwest Virginia and Appalachia. Over the course of these internships and fellowships, the students provide hours of hands-on assistance and expertise…
Health Care
The Pulse: Carilion announces plan for new rehab hospital
Plus: New laws strengthen addiction recovery services, state launches maternal mental health awareness campaign
news briefs
Headlines from across the state: Virginia headed for small recession, Weldon Cooper forecast says; more …
From elsewhere: Kiggans maintains support for Iran war while warning of pain at the pump. Richmond joins movement to end pet rent. Virginia State Police implementing speed cameras in highway work zones.
Sports
‘Martinsville Missile’ sets a new land speed record for a stock car
With a Henry County driver behind the wheel, the car designed and built in Martinsville broke the record of 244.9 mph with a top speed of 253 mph.
WEATHER
Why this might be a relatively cool summer in Virginia
Past summers show that a developing El Niño could be a factor in at least somewhat suppressing this summer’s heat.
Cardinal 250
One of Virginia’s most eccentric patriots was John Sinclair, a government-sanctioned pirate
Privateers were an important component of the American war effort. They were something akin to government-sanctioned pirates — armed vessels that chased down and confiscated the cargo of civilian enemy merchant ships. The techniques privateers employed wouldn’t pass muster today. They’d often approach a ship under a false flag and captain and crew would get…
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