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.
Politics
Youngkin’s approval rating up by 5 points, new Roanoke College poll finds
The poll says 57% of Virginians approve of the job he’s doing, his highest ranking ever in the survey.
Sen. John Edwards is retiring
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.
General Assembly adjourns without a budget deal
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.
House Republicans block attempt to force a vote on abortion-rights measure
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.
House Republicans didn’t want to vote on abortion. A Democrat is forcing them to anyway.
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.
Roanoke ‘pauses’ Sister City relationship with Russian city; will take down Russian flag
The statue to Pskov, Russia will remain in Century Plaza but the city will affix a statement about the relationship.
New head of Henry County’s victim-witness program looks to spread the word about her office’s work
An almost 40-year tradition has been passed down to Shannon Barker, who has been named director of Henry County’s Victim-Witness Assistance Program. First mandated in 1984 and established in 1985 by the General Assembly, the program has become an integral part of criminal justice proceedings for localities throughout the state. Its purpose is to provide […]
Senate panel votes to exclude nuclear research from new Virginia Power Innovation Fund
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.
Roanoke officials disagree on how permanently to cut ties with Russian sister city
While Mayor Sherman Lea maintains that Roanoke should end its sister city relationship with Pskov, Russia, the city’s vice mayor says Tuesday’s vote is about pausing, not ending, the program.