Markus Schmidt

Fariss was charged following a traffic incident that injured a pedestrian, according to Virginia State Police.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin has pushed for a small nuclear reactor to be built in Southwest Virginia. The legislature passed two bills to back nuclear energy but defeated two others.

The poll says 57% of Virginians approve of the job he’s doing, his highest ranking ever in the survey.

He’s served for 28 years. His retirement avoids a reelection campaign against state Sen. David Suetterlein, R-Roanoke County, who had been drawn into the same district.

The state already has a two-year budget but attempts to amend it have stalled. Instead, the legislature adopted some stopgap amendments and adjourned for now.

The effort to force a floor vote was a strategic move by Democrats to get their colleagues from across the aisle on the record in an election year when all 140 seats of the legislature are on the ballot.

Republican leaders say they didn’t bring their measures up for a vote because they knew Democrats would kill them. A political scientist said it’s more likely Republicans didn’t want a controversial vote on the record during an election year.

The vote is a blow to Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who has pushed for state research into small modular reactors with a goal of locating one in Southwest Virginia. A Democrat on the panel said he would rather put money towards more environmentally friendly options.

Also Tuesday in Richmond: House panel advances Suetterlein’s bill on special elections. Senate committee rejects O’Quinn bill to create nuclear reactor revenue-sharing agreement, advances Morefield effort to add coal mine methane to alternative energy list.

Also from this week at the capital: Senate panel backs O’Quinn bill to create energy innovation fund. House committee kills Edwards’ measure to study whether to make the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke a state agency.