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By Daniel Fisher | Legal Newsline

New Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger faces a test as the Democrat-controlled legislature has teed up two plaintiff-friendly bills that her Republican predecessor Glenn Youngkin vetoed as dangerous to the state’s business climate.

One bill would establish the class action procedure in Virginia state courts for the first time, while another would hike the bonds defendants must post to appeal civil judgments. Combined, they would reshape Virginia’s litigation landscape by dramatically increasing the pressure on businesses to settle cases rather than fighting them out in court – leading the Wall Street Journal to wonder about the future of the state.

“We are concerned,” said Tiger Joyce, president of the American Tort Reform Association, who testified against the bond bill when it was before the Virginia legislature last year. “It undermines the ability of defendants to look for justice. If a bond is unavailable or beyond financial reach, that becomes the deciding factor.”

House Bill 1111, pending in committee, would raise the appeal bond from $25 million to $200 million, adjusted for inflation after 2029. The sponsor is Rep. Phil M. Hernandez, a lawyer and former Obama administration official. He sponsored a similar bill last year, initially featuring an unlimited cap, which Youngkin vetoed in 2025.

Senate Bill 229, sponsored by Majority Leader Scott Surovell, would establish class actions and allow lawyers to seek statutory damages under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. Youngkin vetoed a similar bill in 2024 amid concerns plaintiff lawyers could leverage statutory damages of $500 per violation to force businesses into huge settlements to avoid bankruptcy.

The bill must be amended to eliminate statutory damages or Virginia’s business climate could deteriorate, said Thomas Waskom, co-head of product liability and mass tort  litigation at Hunton. If it remains in some form, the state could become like New York, where federal courts have interpreted New York class action law to allow statutory damages even though state courts themselves do not.

“Class actions in Virginia state courts today are totally unnecessary,” Waskom said.

Gov. Spanberger, a Democrat and former Central Intelligence Agency officer, won the governor’s race last year with a broad base of support including some prominent business executives. She received $14 million from Democratic Party organizations, but also drew $205,000 from Thomas J. McInerney, president of Genworth, an insurance company; $200,000 from real estate developer Christopher Clemente; and $143,000 from cigarette manufacturer Altria, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

“The real question will be ‘how does new Gov. Spanberger approach this?’” said Joyce. “Does she seek compromise on these measures, or go along with Democratic Party priorities?”

Unlike some “hellhole” jurisdictions like South Carolina, where trial lawyers from both parties dominate the legislature and elected judiciary, Virginia has a reputation for a more balanced court system. Increasing the appeal bond would change that dramatically, forcing businesses to balance the cost of paying a large judgment with the risk of bankruptcy if they appeal. 

Virginia Speaker of the House Don Scott controls the flow of legislation and may have his own interest in seeing the bond increase. Scott also is a partner with Breit Biniazan Trial Lawyers, which won a $360 million sex-abuse lawsuit against Cumberland Hospital, a unit of Universal Health Services.

That verdict is on appeal, and UHS acknowledges in its most recent financial report it faces suits by at least 40 more plaintiffs and if it is forced to post higher appeal bonds its finances “would be materially adversely impacted.”

The class action bill has what looks like a partial concession to business, allowing defendants to appeal class certification to the Court of Appeals, although plaintiffs could also appeal denial of certification. Bill sponsor Sen. Scott Surovell is a founding partner of a 10-lawyer firm in Fairfax.

When the appeal bond bill came to a vote last year, ATRA provided statistics suggesting appeal bonds are generally capped at $25-50 million. 

“To go to $200 million would place it way on the outside of the mainstream,” Joyce said. Gov. Spanberger, who may have higher political aspirations than governor, would also be putting a major precedent on her resume, he said: While states have placed caps on appeal bonds in recent years, none has gone the other way.

This report was produced by Legal Newsline and distributed by The Center Square as part of a content-sharing agreement. Reach editor John O’Brien at [email protected]. Reach editor John O’Brien at [email protected].

Original post.

MIDDLETOWN — The Town of Middletown has received a $3,200 grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation to support its annual July 4 Celebration, town officials announced.

The funding comes through the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Special Events & Festivals Sponsorship Program, which awarded nearly $886,000 to 88 special events and festivals across the Commonwealth for 2026. The grants are intended to encourage overnight visitation and increased traveler spending.

Middletown’s July 4 Celebration was among the events selected statewide.

Town officials said the grant will help enhance the celebration as Middletown prepares for upcoming milestone anniversaries, including the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.

“We are proud to receive this grant for the second time in our celebration’s history, and it comes at the perfect moment,” Mayor Charles Harbaugh IV and the July 4 Celebration director said in a joint statement. “This support will not only help us enhance the festivities, but also promote our town and the wonderful local businesses that make Middletown special.”

According to the Virginia Tourism Corporation, local partners across the state will contribute more than $4.8 million in matching public-private funds alongside the grants, generating more than $5.6 million in new marketing and event production activity focused on tourism in 2026.

The program uses a “hub-and-spoke” model that encourages visitors to attend a featured event while also exploring nearby Main Streets, restaurants, shops, historic sites, and attractions.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin said the funding helps strengthen Virginia’s visitor economy while supporting local communities.

“Special events and festivals play a vital role in Virginia’s long-term growth by strengthening our visitor economy, celebrating our communities, and bringing people together across the Commonwealth,” Youngkin said in a statement.

Virginia Tourism Corporation President and CEO Rita McClenny said the program helps inspire travel and extend visitor stays throughout the state.

A full list of grant recipients is available through the Virginia Tourism Corporation.

Edited by Dan McDermott. Information from a release.

RICHMOND — Virginians greatly assisted the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) during last weekend’s major winter storm by remaining at home, allowing snow removal crews to make significant progress on plowing and treating major roads. VDOT needs your help again ahead of another forecasted winter storm this weekend and predicted low temperatures again next week.

A snowstorm expected to arrive Friday and continue into Sunday could bring moderate snow in areas southwest to more significant snowfall in Hampton Roads. Residents will not see pretreatment on most roads ahead of this storm due to residual salt remaining from last week’s storm.

Those traveling in Virginia should be weather aware and check the forecast along their entire route. Stay off the roads in regions expecting substantial snow during and after the storm as much as possible. If you need to be somewhere, reach your destination before the snowfall begins or delay travel. Visit 511.vdot.virginia.gov, check the 511 Virginia mobile app or call 511 in Virginia for road condition updates.

As with every winter weather event, crews focus on plowing and treating interstates and major primary roads carrying the most traffic first before moving to secondary roads and subdivisions. Work begins as soon as there is enough snow on the roads to plow, which means plow drivers are focused on making multiple passes throughout the storm. When those major routes have been adequately addressed, they are then able to move onto the less traveled routes.

Crews can work more effectively when they have room on the roadways, so VDOT reminds motorists not to crowd the snowplows. Don’t pass a snowplow or spreader unless it is absolutely necessary, and do not tailgate them.

VDOT crews continue to work in 12-hour shifts across most of the commonwealth battling persistent ice on roads from last weekend’s winter storm. Consistent freezing temperatures all week caused refreezing and created thick layers of ice on the roads, posing an obstacle for crews as they worked to plow and treat roads. Virginia’s interstate and primary roads are clear, but some secondary and subdivision roads still have snow and ice packed on them.

This week, heavy equipment is being used to help break apart ice pack on those less traveled roads. Sand has also been used in many of those areas to provide traction for drivers to navigate the remaining icy roads. Because crews will shift into tackling the impacts of the upcoming storm, they will need to pause efforts and then return to work on those lingering patches.

Contact VDOT’s Customer Service Center 24 hours a day with questions or to report hazardous road conditions by visiting my.vdot.virginia.gov or calling 800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623). The Customer Service Center has been experiencing historically high call volumes and online requests. If you have an emergency, call 911. 

Information from a release. Posted by Dan McDermott.

RICHMOND, VA – Due to recent statewide inclement weather, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) has extended the submission deadline for the Restore the Wild Artwork Competition. All artwork must be physically received by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 9 or postmarked by Saturday, Feb. 7.
 
The DWR annual Restore the Wild Artwork Competition is open for submissions. This year artists are asked to create original pieces depicting the Rafinesque’s big-eared bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii), a medium-sized bat that lives in Virginia’s Coastal Plain and is designated as a state endangered species. The Rafinesque’s big-eared bat, as per its name, has enormous ears and large, protruding facial glands that give them an oddly charming face and roosts in hollow trees and abandoned buildings.
 
Artists may submit their work in two different categories including Artistic Expression and Natural History Illustration. There are also two age-based youth categories, Ages 11-17 and Ages 10 and under. A submission form must accompany every piece. For rules and submission details, visit the DWR webpage.
 
Artwork will be displayed in The Gallery at Main Street Station in Richmond, Va. beginning March 6 and continuing through March 29. There will be an opening reception on March 6 where the category winners as well as the art selected for the Restore the Wild fine art print and sticker will be announced.
 
This is the sixth year of the competition and previous species include the Atlantic sturgeon, spotted skunk, eastern hellbender, loggerhead shrike, and wood turtle.
 
To view the winning artwork from previous contests, follow the links below.
2025 – Atlantic sturgeon
2024 – Spotted skunk
2023 – Eastern hellbender
2022 – Loggerhead shrike
2021 – Wood turtle

Information from a release. Posted by Dan McDermott.

Hey Stewart,

What’s going on with the Tree Stewards in 2026?

David

2026 looks like it will be a TREE-mendous year for the Warren County/Front Royal Tree Stewards! 

Work sessions happen every month (Log on to the Tree Stewards web site). April has Arbor Day and Lone Pine festivities.  And, mark your calendar, the All About Trees class will be conducted again this year starting the first week in September.

If you have trees on your property, the All About Trees class with teach you how to care for them.

If you don’t have trees on your property, you can enjoy planting and pruning trees around Warren County.

If you are new to the area, you can meet people who are interested in making Front Royal a better place to live and work.

If you are a long-time resident, you can give your time and talents to sustaining the natural beauty of Warren County for future generations.

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, The second best time is now.

Make 2026 the year that you plant a tree in Warren County.

Your Pal in the Trees,

Stewart 

The Front Royal/Warren County Tree Steward program began in 1997 with volunteers dedicated to improving the health of trees by providing educational programs, tree planting and care demonstrations, and tree maintenance throughout the community. The group now consists of over 30 active members with several interns working toward becoming certified tree stewards from our annual “All About Trees Class”. Each month Stewart will answer a question from our readers. Please forward it to “Stewart” in care of: [email protected] and we may publish it in a future issue. Please visit our website at: www.treesfrontroyal.org

Winchester, V.A. January 28, 2026 – Valley Health announces the addition of cardiothoracic surgeon Lindsey M. Prescher, DO, who will lead the health system’s Cardiovascular Surgery team as its new medical director.

Dr. Prescher, who joined Valley Health this week, will help advance Valley Health’s heart surgery program by providing clinical leadership and expertise in the full scope of cardiovascular surgical care for our community.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Lindsey Prescher to Valley Health,” said Iyad Sabbagh, MD, Valley Health Chief Physician Executive. “Dr. Prescher brings a wealth of clinical and academic leadership experience, as well as deep expertise in advanced minimally invasive surgical techniques for treating conditions of the heart.”

A board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Prescher is a retired Commander in the United States Navy and former Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. She completed her Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship at the Yale University School of Medicine, followed by an additional year of advanced training as a Fellow in Structural Heart Disease at Yale.

Dr. Prescher specializes in the full spectrum of adult cardiac disease, with particular expertise in complex and minimally invasive heart valve repair and replacement procedures (aortic, mitral tricuspid valve), transcatheter therapies (including TAVR and TMVR) and aortic pathology. She also performs advanced procedures for aortic aneurysm and dissection management, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for patients with coronary artery disease, and offers treatments for cardiac tumors and adult congenital cardiac conditions.

“I’m honored to join the team and look forward to providing high-quality, compassionate cardiac care for the community,” said Dr. Prescher.

Dr. Prescher will serve patients at Valley Health Cardiothoracic Surgery, within the Clyde A. Smith Heart & Vascular Center at Winchester Medical Center. The Heart & Vascular Center serves as a regional referral center for advanced cardiac care across an 18-county service area.

“Dr. Prescher’s arrival at Valley Health marks a pivotal moment for the heart health of our community,” said Tonya Smith, Valley Health Chief Operating Officer and President of Winchester Medical Center. “By bringing a cardiothoracic surgeon and clinical leader of this caliber to our region, we are ensuring that patients can receive the most advanced cardiac care close to home. Dr. Prescher is deeply committed to clinical excellence, patient-centered care and improving quality of life for patients in our community.”

A dual fellow of the American College of Surgeons and American College of Cardiology, Dr. Prescher is a passionate educator and researcher with multiple national and international speaking engagements as well as peer-reviewed publications. She has served as a Clinical Instructor in Surgery (cardiac surgery) at Yale University School of Medicine and Assistant Professor in Surgery at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. 

About Valley Health

Valley Health is a nationally recognized not-for-profit health system serving a population of more than 500,000 in the Northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. As a healthcare provider, employer, and community partner, Valley Health is committed to improving the health of the region. The system includes six hospitals, more than 75 medical practices and Urgent Care centers, outpatient rehabilitation, medical transport, long-term care, and home health. www.valleyhealthlink.com.

Information from a release. Posted by Dan McDermott.

By Christopher Elliott

Imagine this: You buy a new dishwasher, but two days later, your kitchen fills with smoke. The stench of burnt plastic hangs thick in the air, and water pools across your floor. Turns out the heating element failed on the new dishwasher and burned a hole straight through the machine.

For Sharon Hornbaker and her husband, Raymond, they didn’t have to imagine. It happened with the brand-new GE dishwasher they’d purchased from Home Depot. 

Their quest for a simple resolution – feeling safe in their own home again – spiraled into a maddening odyssey of corporate buck-passing, broken promises, and a baffling argument over $160. The case raises critical questions every consumer should know the answers to before they plug in their new appliance:

• Who is responsible when a new appliance fails catastrophically within days – the retailer or the manufacturer?
• What recourse do consumers have when a defective product poses a significant safety hazard?
• How should companies handle requests for product replacements when the original model is discontinued?

We’ll have all the answers in a moment. But first, let’s return to that combustible dishwasher.

“I felt insulted and unheard”

Hornbaker paid $418 plus installation for her GE dishwasher. It seemed like a good deal from two brands they trusted for her and her husband, who are on a fixed income. 

Maybe too good of a deal. Two days later, during only its second use, the nightmare began. 

“My home became filled with smoke and a burned metal and plastic smell permeated the air,” Hornbaker recounted. “We also found our kitchen floor flooded with water.” 

They immediately turned off the power and contacted Home Depot.

Home Depot sent the same technicians who had installed the appliance. Their verdict was troubling: The dishwasher had malfunctioned and the heating element burned a hole through the interior shell. Water had gushed out, and the plastic shell had melted and ignited. 

The installers contacted their supervisor, and the Hornbakers were assured Home Depot would contact them directly with a resolution. 

But that assurance evaporated quickly. 

“Shortly thereafter, Home Depot contacted us and said that since it had been more than 48 hours since the installation, it was no longer Home Depot’s responsibility and that we would need to contact GE Appliances to get the matter resolved,” Hornbaker says.

She was shunted to GE and the frustration ratcheted up.

“I spent hours and hours trying to make contact with the proper person at GE,” she recalls. “I honestly got the runaround. I felt insulted and unheard.” 

As far as Hornbaker was concerned, this was not just a simple broken appliance. It was a matter of life and death. The faulty appliance could have burned down the house and even killed them. 

Initially, GE seemed responsive. An agent agreed to replace the faulty unit, even though the original model was discontinued. Crucially, the agent verbally agreed Hornbaker could choose a replacement model that made them feel safe, stipulating only that it shouldn’t cost “like twice as much” as the original $418 unit. 

GE: Talk to our lawyers!

Relieved, the Hornbakers chose a slightly upgraded model priced at $578 – a $160 increase, but well within the implied limit. They sent GE the details.

“GE would not replace our defective dishwasher,” Hornbaker says. 

Why? The model they’d selected was too expensive.

This contradicted the agent’s clear phone instructions. Their follow-up email stressed their frustration and the reasonableness of their request: “We were not asking for an excessively priced model. We were feeling very frustrated, agitated and irritated by the whole process.”

Instead of resolution, they were handed off to the legal department.

“After six days, GE then responded, stating that all of our future correspondence should be directed to their legal team.” 

Faced with a dangerous defective product, a broken promise, and a legal blockade, the Hornbakers felt “completely at a loss.” That’s when they turned to our team for help.

Who is responsible when a new appliance fails catastrophically within days – the retailer or the manufacturer?

The moment smoke poured from Hornbaker’s new dishwasher, a fundamental question arose: Who should clean up this mess? 

Home Depot took the money and arranged the installation. GE built the machine. 

But Home Depot’s rigid “48-hour responsibility” claim after a catastrophic failure is problematic. When you buy a product from a retailer, especially if you also buy installation, the retailer is your primary point of contact.

The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which governs product warranties, doesn’t let retailers off the hook simply because of a store policy. They sold the product; they have a responsibility to the customer, especially when the product fails immediately and dangerously.

Retailers often have direct relationships with manufacturers and processes for handling defective goods. Dumping the customer onto the manufacturer, particularly after confirming the defect was a life-threatening manufacturing flaw (as Home Depot’s installers did), is a failure of customer service and, arguably, of responsibility. 

GE, as the manufacturer, undeniably bears core responsibility under its warranty for a product that catastrophically failed within days. 

Still, the retailer can’t simply wash its hands of the situation. The strongest consumer position is to hold the retailer accountable first. It took your money. It facilitated the installation. It should take the lead on the resolution. 

So Hornbaker’s initial instinct to contact Home Depot was correct. Its refusal, based on an arbitrary time window and ignoring the severity of the defect, was where the process derailed. 

What recourse do consumers have when a defective product poses a significant safety hazard?

Not all product failures are created equal. A leaking door seal is annoying. But a heating element burning through the tub and spewing water while melting plastic is a potential house fire and severe safety hazard. 

Hornbaker wasn’t dealing with more than a lemon. This product failure was downright dangerous. And this elevates the situation beyond standard warranty replacement.

Consumers have significant leverage in these situations, though they often don’t realize it. 

Document everything immediately. Keep photos, videos, and technician reports (like the installer’s confirmation of the defect). Report the incident to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Manufacturers take CPSC reports seriously because they can trigger recalls. Mentioning you have filed, or intend to file, a report with the CPSC can dramatically shift a manufacturer’s posture from dismissive to cooperative.

Make a reasonable request for a replacement. When a specific model line demonstrates a catastrophic failure pattern (the installers noted this model was discontinued, suggesting there may be a known issue), expecting a consumer to accept a direct a similar appliance from the same suspect line is unreasonable. Asking for a different, perhaps slightly upgraded model within the same brand is a minimal concession for the trauma and risk endured. GE’s initial agent understood this, agreeing verbally to the $578 model. The subsequent reversal over $160 felt like a betrayal.

Remind companies of the potential legal liability. Had the Hornbakers not been home, the result could have been a total loss of their home. While pursuing major damages without significant actual loss (like a fire) is complex, the risk created by the defect is a powerful point. No wonder GE referred this to its legal department. Communicating this liability is essential. Companies have a legal duty to provide products that are not unreasonably dangerous. A heating element burning through the unit on its second use strongly suggests a breach of that duty.

How should companies handle requests for product replacements when the original model is discontinued?

GE’s handling of the replacement request showcases a critical failure, not only to replace the defective unit, but to understand the consumer mindset after a traumatic appliance failure. 

The Hornbakers needed reassurance that there wouldn’t be an exploding dishwasher sequel in their kitchen. The original unit, a budget model, had proven to be dangerously defective. The agent’s verbal promise that they could choose a model that restored their feeling of safety, capped at roughly double the price (around $836), seemed like a reasonable resolution. Selecting a $578 model – just $160 over the original price, nowhere near the implied cap – was an act of good faith on the part of the Hornbakers.

GE’s abrupt rejection, claiming a $500 limit, felt petty. It signaled that GE valued minimizing its immediate cost over restoring customer trust and addressing the genuine safety fear its product created. 

Eventually, GE offered Hornbaker a lesser unit, but by then her trust in GE had been shattered. Knowing that its predecessor, which she had just purchased, had gone up in flames made her reluctant to accept GE’s new downgraded offer.

Here’s where corporate policy clashes with human experience. Strict adherence to internal price-matching formulas ignores the context: a terrifying, near-catastrophic failure caused by a manufacturing defect. 

Drawing the line over $160 after such an event, then directing the customers to its legal department, is a textbook case of how not to handle a serious product safety failure. It also turns a manageable warranty claim into a PR disaster.

Advocacy cuts through the smoke

Facing GE’s legal department brick wall, the Hornbakers found us. My advocacy team contacted Home Depot’s executive office, presenting the facts: a life-threatening defect confirmed by their own installers, a rejected reasonable replacement request over $160, and GE’s unhelpful escalation to legal. 

The response from Home Depot was swift and decisive.

“We’re taking care of Mrs. Hornbaker,” a Home Depot representative told me. “She is receiving a new dishwasher at no cost, plus our extended warranty. We apologize for the inconvenience and are grateful for the opportunity to make this right for her.”

Home Depot stepped up, rectifying its initial mistake of hiding behind the arbitrary 48-hour rule. It provided the Hornbakers the specific $578 model they had requested – the one that finally offered them a measure of safety and peace of mind. And it added an extended warranty, a tangible acknowledgment of the trauma endured and an investment in rebuilding trust. The Hornbakers were relieved and grateful. 

“They were very cooperative at Home Depot and remedied the situation with quickness and certainty,” Hornbaker reported. “We truly appreciate the solution provided and believe you played an integral part in it.”

P.S.: You don’t negotiate safety

This case screams a warning: When an appliance fails in a way that threatens property and lives, the response must prioritize safety and restoring trust, not minimizing costs or hiding behind rigid policies. Companies that forget this, like GE did here, risk far more than losing a single customer. They risk their reputation and invite the very legal actions they try to avoid. 

For consumers, the lesson is threefold: Document meticulously, negotiate, and don’t be afraid to escalate when a company fails to recognize that a smoking appliance isn’t just a broken product – it’s a potential tragedy narrowly avoided. 

And sometimes, you need an advocate to cut through the smoke and make them see the fire.Christopher Elliott is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes Elliott Confidential, a travel newsletter, and the Elliott Report, a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you can reach him here or email him at [email protected].

STAUNTON – The Commonwealth Transportation Board at its Jan. 6 meeting in Richmond awarded a $218.9 million contract to Triton Construction Inc. of St. Albans, W.Va., to widen about six miles of Interstate 81 in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. Construction is expected to begin this spring and take about six years to complete.

The project adds a third lane northbound and southbound from about one mile south of exit 243 (Route 11/South Main Street) to about one mile north of exit 247 (Route 33/East Market Street). Eight bridges along the interstate main line will be replaced, as will the Pleasant Valley Road overpass bridge.

The Harrisonburg-area widening has a contract completion date of June 2032, but the new travel lanes are expected to open to traffic by late 2031. The project is funded by the I-81 Corridor Improvement Program (CIP) which enhances safety, reduces congestion and unlocks the region for further economic growth.

“This is one of the largest and most ambitious projects along the corridor,” said Dave Covington, I-81 Program Delivery Director for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). “Triton Construction is in the final stages of exit 247 improvements, and will be able to move seamlessly into the widening project.”

The first several months of construction will include strengthening of right shoulders and installation of temporary concrete barrier walls to protect the work zone. Both of these operations will take place during nighttime and overnight hours.

I-81 widening will take place toward the median, within the existing VDOT right of way. A concrete barrier will separate northbound and southbound traffic. The project also constructs about four miles of noise-barrier wall, upgrades stormwater management systems, and replaces the signalized intersection of Early Road and Pleasant Valley Road with a roundabout.

“This is a long-awaited project for I-81 drivers and for Harrisonburg,” said Joel DeNunzio, VDOT Staunton District Engineer. “We will engage with the community every step of the way so they know what’s happening and how it will affect them.”

VDOT plans extensive public outreach before the start of construction and at various stages of the project. This will include in-person meetings, news releases, and online updates through the VDOT project page and social media channels.

Other major I-81 CIP projects in the VDOT Staunton District include:

• Staunton-area widening (scheduled for completion in summer 2027)
• Weyers Cave truck-climbing lanes (scheduled for completion in late 2027)
• Strasburg-area southbound widening (scheduled for completion in fall 2028)
• Winchester-area widening (construction starts in 2028)

The nearly $4 billion CIP includes 65 construction projects plus operational improvements along I-81 in Virginia. Find out more at Improve81.org. The website includes interactive maps, videos and podcasts, and details about upcoming and current projects.

The VDOT Customer Service Center operates 24/7 to help roadway users report potential hazards, make service requests or get information related to Virginia’s transportation network. Use its mobile friendly website or call 800-367-7623.

Find the VDOT Staunton District on Facebook and X and follow VDOT statewide social media accounts. News releases, travel tips and project updates are on the VDOT website.

The VDOT Staunton District serves Frederick, Shenandoah, Clarke, Warren, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rockbridge, Alleghany and Bath counties.

FRONT ROYAL, Va. — The Town of Front Royal is warning residents and businesses about a fraudulent email scam that falsely claims to originate from the town’s Planning & Zoning Department.

According to town officials, emails sent from the address [email protected], which uses the usa.comdomain, are attempting to impersonate the Town of Front Royal Planning & Zoning Department. The town has reported the email address to the domain registrar for abuse.

Officials emphasized that the emails are not legitimate. The Town of Front Royal does not send invoices by email, and the messages did not originate from the Planning & Zoning Department.

Recipients are advised not to open attachments, make payments, or provide any personal, financial, or sensitive information in response to the emails.

Anyone who has received one of the fraudulent messages is encouraged to contact the Front Royal Police Department at 540-635-2111.

Questions about legitimate invoices should be directed to the Town of Front Royal Finance Department at 540-635-7799.

Jordan James Hall

The Warren County Va. Circuit Court Grand Jury charges that: on or about August 29, 2025, in theCounty of Warren, Jordan James Hall, 21, of the 500 block of Virginia Ave., Front Royal, VA 22630, did unlawfully, feloniously, and maliciously shoot, stab, cut, orwound Devin Owens with the intent to maim, disfigure, disable or kill, and thereby caused the said victim to be severely injured and to suffer permanent and significant physical impairment.

Dwight Eric Maynard II

The Warren County Va. Circuit Court Grand Jury charges that: on or about May 27, 2025, in the County of Warren, Dwight Eric Maynard II, 42, of the 600 block of S. Royal Ave., Front Royal, VA 22630,did unlawfully, and feloniously, knowingly or intentionally possess a controlled substance listed in Schedule I or Schedule II of the Drug Control Act.

Jay Daniel Vanduser

The Warren County Va. Circuit Court Grand Jury charges that: on or about August 15, 2025, in the County of Warren, Jay Daniel Vanduser, 52, of the 3400 block of Blue Mountain Rd., Front Royal, VA 22630, did unlawfully and feloniously, knowingly or intentionally possess a controlled substance listed in Schedule I or Schedule II of the Drug Control Act.

Tonya Michon James

The Warren County Va. Circuit Court Grand Jury charges that: on or about August 10, 2025, in the County of Warren, Tonya Michon James, 49, of the 100 block of W. Jackson St., Front Royal, VA 22630,did unlawfully and feloniously, knowingly or intentionally possess a controlled substance listed in Schedule I orSchedule II of the Drug Control Act.

Aurelio Louis Lopez

The Warren County Va. Circuit Court Grand Jury charges Aurelio Louis Lopez, 43, of the 300 block of W. 9th St., Front Royal, VA 22630, with three counts. COUNT ONE: In the County of Warren, Aurelio Louis Lopez did unlawfully and feloniously, knowingly or intentionally possess a controlled substance listed in Schedule I or Schedule II of the Drug Control Act. COUNT TWO:did unlawfully and feloniously commit an assault or an assault and battery against Mary Feuerborn, knowing or having reason to know that such person was a law enforcement officer engaged in the performance of her public duties. COUNT THREE: did unlawfully and feloniously, commit an assault or an assault and battery against, David Miller knowing or having reason to know that such person was a law enforcement officer engaged in the performance of his public duties. Dates of the offenses were on or about September 30, and October 15, 2025.

Joshua George Leslie Grady 

The Warren County Va. Circuit Court Grand Jury charges Joshua George Leslie Grady, 20, of the 100 block of N. Kent St., Winchester VA 22601, with two counts. COUNT ONE: In the County of Warren, Joshua George Leslie Grady did unlawfully and feloniously steal merchandise, having a value of $1,000 or more, belonging to Target. COUNT TWO: did unlawfully and feloniously, conspire with another to steal merchandise, having a value of $1,000 or more, belonging to Target. Date of the offenses was on or about November 4, 2024.   

Amanda Christine Knave

The Warren County Va. Circuit Court Grand Jury charges that: on or about September 19, 2025, in the County of Warren, Amanda Christine Knave, 30, address unknown, did unlawfully and feloniously, knowingly or intentionally possess a controlled substance listed in Schedule I or Schedule II of the Drug Control Act.

Da’shawn Lee Edwards

The Warren County Va. Circuit Court Grand Jury charges that: on or about August 19, 2025, in the County of Warren, Da’shawn Lee Edwards, 30, of the 1400 block of Cedar Dr., Front Royal, VA 22630, did unlawfully and feloniously, having received a visible or audible signal from a law-enforcement officer to bring his/her motor vehicle to a stop, drive such motor vehicle in a willful or wanton disregard of such signal, so as to interfere with or endanger the operation of the law-enforcement vehicle or endanger a person, and the speed of the accused exceeded the maximum allowed by twenty miles per hour.

Julian Matthew Flint

The Warren County Va. Circuit Court Grand Jury charges that: on or about October 11, 2025, in the County of Warren, Julian Matthew Flint, 23, of the 100 block of Pacific St., Paw Paw WV 25434,did unlawfully and feloniously, knowingly or intentionally possess a controlled substance listed in Schedule I or Schedule II of the Drug Control Act.

Rebecca Ann Ellifritz

The Warren County Va. Circuit Court Grand Jury charges that: on or about May 22, 2025, in the County of Warren, Rebecca Ann Ellifritz, 52, of the 300 block of Amherst St., Front Royal, VA 22630, did unlawfully and feloniously, knowingly or intentionally possess a controlled substance listed in Schedule I or Schedule II of the Drug Control Act.

Tabitha Dawn Maxey

The Warren County Va. Circuit Court Grand Jury charges that: on or about March 27, 2025, in the County of Warren, Tabitha Dawn Maxey, 35, of the 16000 block of Old Valley Pike, Edinburg VA 22824,did unlawfully and feloniously, possess 28 grams or more of methamphetamine, its salts, isomers, or salts of its isomers with intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute it.

Jenna Michelle Kees

The Warren County Va. Circuit Court Grand Jury charges that: on or about May 13, 2022, in the County of Warren, Jenna Michelle Kees, 37, of the 1700 block of Henry St. Winchester VA 22601,did unlawfully and feloniously, being a parent of, guardian for, or person responsible for the care of a child under the age of eighteen years, who by willful act or omission or by a refusal to provide any care necessary for the life or health of said child, caused or permitted serious injury to the life or health of such child.   

Kristine Nicole Keene

The Warren County Va. Circuit Court Grand Jury charges Kristine Nicole Keene, age and address unknown, with THREE counts. COUNT ONE: In the County of Warren, Kristine Nicole Keene did unlawfully and feloniously, knowingly or intentionally possess a controlled substance to wit: Cocaine as listed in Schedule I or Schedule II of the Drug Control Act. COUNT TWO: did unlawfully and feloniously knowingly or intentionally possess a controlled substance to wit: Methamphetamine Hydrochloride listed in Schedule I or Schedule II of the Drug Control Act. COUNT THREE: did unlawfully, and knowingly or intentionally possess a controlled substance listed in Schedule III of the Drug Control Act. Date of the offenses was on or about August 28, 2025.

Takita Ines-Rycine Johnson

The Warren County Va. Circuit Court Grand Jury charges Takita Ines-Rycine Johnson, 33, of the 100 block of Division Ave., NE Washington DC 20019, with TWO counts. COUNT ONE: In the County of Warren, Takita Ines-Rycine Johnsondid unlawfully and feloniously, manufacture, sell, give, distribute or possess with the intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute, a controlled substance classified in Schedule I or Schedule II of the Drug Control Act, namely, Cocaine. COUNT TWO: did unlawfully and feloniously, while being a prisoner in a state, local, or community correctional facility or in the custody of an employee thereof, procure, sell secrete or possess a chemical compound which the accused had not lawfully received. Dates of the offenses were on or about October 25 and 26, 2025.

Robert Anthony Wooddell

The Warren County Va. Circuit Court Grand Jury charges Robert Anthony Wooddell, 53, of the 100 block of Heishman’s Park, Toms Brook VA 22660, with THREE counts. COUNT ONE: In the County of Warren, Robert Anthony Wooddell did unlawfully and feloniously, maliciously wound or by any means cause bodily injury to Elizabeth Rogers, with the intent to maim, disfigure, disable, or kill. COUNT TWO: did unlawfully and feloniously impede the blood circulation or respiration of Elizabeth Rogers without such person’s consent by knowingly, intentionally, and unlawfully applying pressure to the neck of such person resulting in wounding or bodily injury. COUNT THREE: did unlawfully and feloniously, assault and batter Elizabeth Rogers, who is a family or household member. The accused has been convicted twice previously of a combination of assault and battery, malicious or unlawful wounding, aggravated malicious wounding, malicious bodily injury by means of substance, or an offense under the law of another jurisdiction which has the same elements of preceding offenses. The accused committed prior offenses against a family or household member within the past 20 years, with the offenses having occurred on different dates. Date of the offenses was on or about April 19, 2025.

Devin Cenard Samuel 

The Warren County Va. Circuit Court Grand Jury charges that: on or about February 24, 2025, in the County of Warren, Devin Cenard Samuel, 45, of the 100 block of S. Royal Ave., Front Royal, VA 22630, did unlawfully and feloniously, knowingly or intentionally possess a controlled substance listed in Schedule I or Schedule II of the Drug Control Act.

Anthony Wade Ritenour II

The Warren County Va. Circuit Court Grand Jury charges Anthony Wade Ritenour II, of the 100 block of Spicewood Lane, Front Royal, VA 22630, with TWO counts. COUNTS ONE and TWO: In the County of Warren, Anthony Wade Ritenour II did unlawfully and feloniously, being a person 18 years of age or older, use a communications system, or other electronic means, for the purpose of soliciting, with lascivious intent, a person the accused knew or had reason to believe was a child less than 15 years of age to knowingly and intentionally expose his sexual or genital parts to a child to whom he was not legally married or propose that the child expose her sexual or genital parts to the accused. The accused is seven or more years older than the child the accused knew or had reason to believe was a child less than 15 years of age who was the subject of solicitation. The accused previously has committed one or more offenses in violation of the Code of Virginia. Date of the offenses was from September 6 to September 12, 2025.

Staff report.

By Shirleen Guerra
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Virginia lawmakers are considering two artificial intelligence bills during the General Assembly session that would set new limits on how AI tools are used in schools and establish broader oversight standards for certain chatbot technologies.

The proposals, House Bill 1186 and House Bill 635, build on AI-related laws Virginia has passed in recent years. Those laws already cover areas such as AI-generated child sexual abuse material, the creation of nonconsensual AI-altered intimate images, limits on how automated systems can be used in parts of the criminal justice system, and consumer data protections enforced under the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act.

House Bill 1186 would require every local school board in Virginia to adopt a policy restricting how artificial intelligence chatbots may be used for certain instructional purposes. Under the bill, students could not be required, encouraged, or permitted to use AI chatbots for schoolwork.

A fiscal impact statement prepared by the Department of Planning and Budget states that the bill is not expected to have a state fiscal impact. The analysis notes, however, that the measure places new requirements on local school boards and that any costs at the local level are unknown at this time.

House Bill 635 takes a broader approach. The bill would create the Artificial Intelligence Chatbots Act and set statewide rules for companies that operate AI chatbots in Virginia. Among other requirements, the proposal would require chatbots to clearly disclose that they are not human, set standards for how they interact with users, and establish penalties for prohibited practices.

The legislation is being considered as federal officials continue to shape a national approach to artificial intelligence policy.

In a December executive order, President Donald Trump directed agencies to work toward a more uniform federal approach to artificial intelligence and warned that differing state regulations could create burdens for companies and users. The order also instructs federal agencies to review state AI laws to identify those that could conflict with federal priorities, including how they relate to programs such as broadband deployment.

Virginia lawmakers debated similar issues last year, when then-Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed a broader artificial intelligence bill that would have created a regulatory framework for high-risk AI systems enforced by the attorney general’s office.

In his veto message, Youngkin said the role of government in safeguarding AI practices “should be one that enables and empowers innovators to create and grow, not one that stifles progress and places onerous burdens on our Commonwealth’s many business owners.”

Posted by Dan McDermott

By Shirleen Guerra
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Virginia lawmakers are considering legislation that would change how in-state tuition is set at public colleges.

House Bill 502, introduced by Del. John McAuliff, would require public colleges to set fixed in-state tuition rates for incoming first-year and transfer students. Under the bill, a first-year student’s in-state tuition rate would remain unchanged for four academic years, while a transfer student’s rate would be locked in for the remainder of the student’s degree program, provided the student maintains continuous enrollment.

The measure allows limited exceptions, including for students whose enrollment is substantially disrupted or for degree programs that require more than four years to complete.

The proposal comes as tuition costs continue to rise statewide. According to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia’s most recent Tuition and Fees Report, tuition and mandatory education and general fees for in-state undergraduate students increased 2.6% this academic year, an average increase of $243 per student.

The council’s data shows average tuition and mandatory fees for in-state undergraduates now total $14,460 per year. When room and board are included, average total charges reach $28,640, a 3.4% increase from the prior year.

The report also shows students pay about 42% of the cost of their education, while the remaining 58% is covered through state funding, which is largely supported by taxpayer dollars. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia estimates tuition could be as much as $1,900 lower per student if the state met its long-standing cost-share policy level of 67%.

Lawmakers are also considering House Bill 287 to expand eligibility for in-state tuition. The bill would allow non-Virginia students who are members or citizens of federally recognized Virginia tribes to qualify for in-state tuition if enrolled in an undergraduate degree program.

A preliminary fiscal impact statement from the Department of Planning and Budget says HB287 could reduce tuition revenue for public colleges, though the total impact cannot yet be calculated. Colleges would be expected to absorb the impact.

The tuition measures come as Attorney General Jay Jones moves to defend Virginia’s existing in-state tuition law in federal court. Jones said he filed a motion earlier this month to withdraw the commonwealth’s prior consent to a consent decree that could invalidate the law.

“On Day 1, I promised Virginians I would fight back against the Trump administration’s attacks on our commonwealth, our institutions of higher education, and most importantly, our students,” Jones said in a statement.

By Shirleen Guerra
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s decision to rescind former Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Executive Order 47 does not immediately end state or local law enforcement cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to law enforcement officials and the order itself.

Executive Order 47, issued by Youngkin in February 2025, required the Virginia State Police and the Virginia Department of Corrections to enter into 287(g) agreements with ICE. The order also encouraged local law enforcement agencies to participate in the federal immigration enforcement program.

Spanberger rescinded the order as part of her first round of executive actions after taking office.

The rescission removes the directive for state agencies to participate going forward, but it does not automatically terminate existing 287(g) agreements. Under federal law, those agreements remain in effect unless they are suspended or ended by the participating agency or ICE.

ICE also maintains a physical detention presence in Virginia. The agency operates two detention facilities in the commonwealth, the Caroline Detention Facility in Bowling Green and the Farmville Detention Center, according to ICE records. Those facilities operate independently of whether state or local law enforcement agencies participate in 287(g) agreements.

Several Virginia sheriffs contacted by The Center Square said the change has not altered their current practices.

The Hanover County Sheriff’s Office said it has not conducted operations with ICE and has not signed a 287(g) agreement, either before or after the rescission.

“To date, the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office has not conducted any operations with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, nor have we altered our policies as a result of Executive Order 47 or its rescission,” the department told The Center Square.

“During the normal course of our law enforcement duties, if we encounter an individual who has committed a crime and is determined to be unlawfully present in the United States, we may notify the appropriate federal authorities, including ICE. Any decision regarding response or assumption of custody rests solely with those federal agencies.”

Virginia State Police acknowledged a request for comment and said a response would be provided later in the week.

According to ICE data, there are currently 32 active 287(g) agreements in Virginia, involving local governments, state agencies, and correctional facilities.

Spanberger has said the policy change is intended to refocus state and local law enforcement resources on core public safety responsibilities. In a television interview this month, she criticized federal immigration enforcement tactics, saying they undermine trust between law enforcement and communities.

Republican leaders have criticized the decision. House Republican Leader Terry Kilgore has previously said ending the state’s participation in 287(g) agreements would make Virginia less safe. Former Attorney General Jason Miyares called the move “a disaster for public safety” in a post on X.

The policy shift comes as immigration enforcement has returned to the national spotlight. President Donald Trump has threatened to withhold federal funding from states and localities that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, though courts have previously blocked similar efforts.

By Charlotte Rene Woods
Virginia Mercury

A class action lawsuit alleging that the Virginia Department of Corrections has violated its “Step Down” program by arbitrarily keeping people confined solitarily for long periods of time will be allowed to move forward, a federal district judge ruled this week. 

While Virginia does not have what is colloquially referred to as “solitary confinement,” Virginia law does have “restorative housing.” This is when incarcerated people are placed in restrictive or isolated housing, typically for safety or punishment reasons due to behavior issues. 

The Step Down program is a special type of programming for people placed in solitary housing, meant as an incentive to help them transition back into general population quarters. ACLU’s Thorpe v. VADOC case alleges that in practice, the program lacks transparency.

“Because the committee of prison staff that reviews their conduct meets in secret and does not document the rationale for its decisions, people in the program are not given the opportunity to know why they are kept in the Step-Down Program, much less respond or adjust their behavior,” an ACLU press release explained. 

After Del. Holly Seibold, D- Fairfax, and Sen. Mike Jones, D-Chesterfield, each visited Red Onion last year, they said they saw people in restorative housing unable to participate in legally-required out-of-cell time. Seibold worried that this sort of treatment could further exacerbate someone’s behavioral issues or lead to poor mental health. 

“Solitary confinement will damage even the most resilient of minds,” Seibold said in 2025.  “I can’t even imagine myself being in there for more than a few days and being able to remain stable.” 

With the recent ruling, the  litigation that was filed in 2019 can finally proceed to trial.

In recent years, incarcerated people and their families have been outspoken about concerns of racism, abuse, retaliation and misuse of restorative housing.

A state watchdog report found several of the claims “unsubstantiated,” but did not rule out racism or retaliation from among inmates’ experiences. The probe, however, was narrow in scope, as it focused on allegations stemming from a handful of inmates who’d burned themselves in late 2024. 

The investigation, conducted by Virignia’s Corrections Ombudsman, was made possible after state lawmakers created the position in 2024 to focus on oversight of prisons. The reports of inmates burning themselves either in protest or seeking transfer to another facility prompted the ombudsman to prioritize the investigation shortly after taking the job. She then spent a few months hiring additional staff before the team could conduct it. 

Published this month, the probe was “limited to relevant circumstances as specified in the complaints,” the report stated. 

But due to the information ACLU has gathered in its seven-year case against VADOC, attorney Vishal Agraharkar said that the ombudsman “will have to conduct a thorough, transparent, and far more sweeping investigation than this.”

In the meantime, with their case deemed merited, its details could emerge through the trial process before judgement is made. 

New lawsuit alleges withholding of earned sentence-trimming credits for inmates

Virginia has not had parole since the mid-1990’s, and a relatively new law called Enhanced Earned Sentence Credits is a way that people who meet certain good behavior benchmarks can trim time behind bars off their sentences. In two new lawsuits ACLU Virginia filed in federal court, the group alleges that VADOC has unlawfully withheld credits that people have earned. 

It’s not the first time VADOC has been taken to court over the matter. The Virginia Supreme Court previously found the department kept people behind bars unlawfully. 

“Just because VDOC doesn’t like the law as it’s written doesn’t mean it can go rogue and make its own,” Agraharkar said. 

State statute dictates that people can begin earning the credits as soon as they start their incarceration and have a final conviction order. However, the suit points to a VADOC policy wherein people do not begin earning the credits until the department calculates their projected release date. 

This process can take months, meaning a person’s incarceration can take longer, and the ACLU argues it is “wasting taxpayer dollars” when people are incarcerated when they should not be. 

Despite becoming law in 2020 under previous Gov. Ralph Northam, Enhanced Earned Sentence Credits had a delayed enactment that later was stalled for another few years by former Gov. Glenn Youngkin. 

The credits were not fully implemented until 2024, before facing fresh scrutiny from both Youngkin and former Attorney General Jason Miyares. 

VDOC has faced  three previous, successful challenges concerning its application of the credits.

Posted by Dan McDermott

By Nathaniel Cline
Virginia Mercury

As Virginians prepare for this weekend’s winter storm that is forecast to blanket the region with inches of snow, freezing rain and sleet, consumers are asked to report suspected cases of price gouging to state authorities.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s Thursday afternoon declaration of a state of emergency due to the anticipated severe winter weather triggered Virginia’s anti-gouging statutes, which protect consumers from paying “outrageously high prices” for essential goods during an emergency.

Protected items and services include water, ice, food, generators, batteries, home repair materials and services, and tree removal services.

The office of Attorney General Jay Jones said shoppers who suspect they are victims of price gouging can call the Consumer Protection Hotline at (800)-552-9963, email [email protected], or download a complaint form. 

Federal agencies have warned that price gouging increases in the wake of natural disasters and Jones’ office gave guidance on spotting unfairly inflated costs.

“The basic test for determining if a price is unconscionable is whether the post-disaster price grossly exceeds the price charged for the same good or services during the 10 days immediately prior to the disaster,” the office stated in a release.

The Attorney General will investigate complaints, except those concerning gasoline or motor fuel prices. Those are handled by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Virginia officials are projecting snowfall to begin Saturday evening and end Monday morning, with freezing temperatures expected to continue through Thursday.

Posted by Dan McDermott

FRONT ROYAL, VA— Misunderstandings increase when people hide behind keyboards instead of gathering and talking face-to-face. The market has introduced toys with AI (artificial intelligence) toys that seek to provide children with emotional connections that should be coming from other human beings. Social media continues to feed us with divisive feeds, using algorithms that don’t care about truth, but only how long you stay on the platform.  Teens on social media excessively are exposed to more bullying and experience higher levels of anxiety and depression.  

Technology itself isn’t the enemy, but our dependence upon it and how it is used certainly can be. Warren County Unplugged, organized by Warren Coalition as part of the Global Day of Unplugging, is a chance for us all to take stock of where we are in relation to social media, AI, and screens in general. Now in its third year, Warren County Unplugged will take place from Friday, March 6th through Saturday, March 7th, sundown to sundown. Participants are encouraged to sign up to pledge a reduction in social media and/or screen use during the 24-hour period, in exchange for being entered into prize drawings. This year’s prizes already include gift cards from Downriver Canoe Company and Hibachi Fresh, the latter of which were donated by Our Community Co-op Marketing.  

“Our dependence on screens, social media, and AI has a negative impact on our ability to relate to each other, our mental health, and overall wellbeing,” explained organizer Celeste Brooks, Community Outreach Coordinator of the Warren Coalition. “We encourage folks to completely unplug for the 24 hours of Warren County Unplugged, but each person sets their own goal, which can include a smaller timeframe or partial unplugging. For example, you might choose to turn off your phone and focus on your family during meals or get off of Facebook for the day.”

From Friday evening to Saturday evening, local organizations and businesses are offering in-person activities, sales, and workshops to provide a distraction from the screens and make it easy to spend time with family, friends, and neighbors.  Warren Coalition, Warren County Parks & Recreation, Scouting America, and Young Life will host the “Youth Unplugged Party” for youth of all ages at the Health and Human Services Complex at 465 W 15th St on Friday evening, March 6th. There will be a 3-on-3 volleyball tournament, backyard games, crafts, bingo, archery, and more! Additional information will be released in the coming weeks. That same evening, Samuels Public Library is hosting a Scottish Céilidh, which is a Scottish dance fundraiser that would make a great “phone-free” date night.

Various activities are already lined up for Saturday, March 7th. For the third year, Phoenix Project will encourage students to submit artwork during the week leading up to Warren County Unplugged, with an art show scheduled on the 7th. Jig ‘n’ Jive Dance Studio will kick off their annual Pot o’ Gold Scavenger Hunt that weekend. Habitat for Humanity plans to host a block party at the gazebo, weather permitting. Shenandoah River State Park will provide day passes that will be given away randomly at events throughout the weekend and also host two vernal pool explorations. Play Favorites, Explore Art & Clay, C & C Frozen Treats, and Down Home Comfort Bakery have all committed to hosting activities or sales, with details to be released soon. New to the events this year is On Cue’s Viva Unplugged, a fun, casino-style raffle fundraiser that will help support Warren County Unplugged!

Additional activities are being added every week. An online schedule will be released in mid-February.

Warren Coalition is thankful to the businesses that have stepped up to sponsor this event: On Cue, Downriver Canoe Company, Angels Korner Daycare and Learning Center, Mountain Laurel Montessori School, and Bret Hrbek of Edward Jones. A few additional sponsors are still needed, to help offset the costs of promoting the 24-hour challenge, printing educational materials, and providing prizes for various contests and games. Sponsorships levels are $500, $250, or $100. Gift cards of $10 to $25 and kid-friendly prize items are also welcome!

Businesses and organizations that would like to be a part of this effort in any way can contact Celeste Brooks at [email protected] or 540-660-3367.

Warren Coalition is a nonprofit agency established in 1994 to help fill the gaps in health care and substance abuse awareness to the community. The Coalition began under the guidance of Warren Memorial Hospital as an outreach project, but it has since grown and was incorporated in 2001.  The office is currently located in the Warren County Community Center.  Their mission is to make Warren County a safe, healthy, and drug free community through many programs and in collaboration with 15+ member agencies.

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, Va. — A Virginia State Police trooper and her K9 were taken for medical evaluation after a crash early Wednesday morning on Interstate 81 in Rockingham County.

Police said the crash occurred at about 5:47 a.m. Jan. 21 near the 250-mile marker on northbound I-81. The trooper was checking on two tractor-trailers parked on the right shoulder when her patrol vehicle was struck by a third tractor-trailer traveling northbound.

The trooper suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to an area hospital to be checked out, police said. The trooper’s K9 was also transported to an area veterinarian for examination.

The driver of the tractor-trailer that struck the trooper’s vehicle was charged with reckless driving.

Update 12:48pm: The tractor trailer driver charged has been identified as Nakia J. Bedward, 51, of Charlotte, N.C.

The crash remains under investigation.

Information from a release. Edited by Dan McDermott.

By Shirleen Guerra | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – With Democrats now controlling Virginia state government, several bills introduced early in the legislative session are drawing Republican criticism over taxes, firearms policy and criminal justice changes tied to affordability.

The proposals touch on taxes, firearms, and criminal justice policy, areas House Democrats are addressing early in the session as the General Assembly begins work under unified Democratic control.

One measure drawing attention is House Bill 900, which deals with sales taxes and transportation funding. According to the Virginia Legislative Information System, the bill would expand the sales and use tax to some services and digital products beginning Jan. 1, 2027. It also includes new regional transportation-related taxes and a retail delivery fee that would apply in parts of Northern Virginia and the Potomac and Rappahannock region.

Another tax proposal, House Bill 979, would increase Virginia’s standard deduction beginning in tax year 2027 and adjust it over time to keep pace with inflation. The bill would also establish two new higher-income tax brackets, applying an 8% rate on income over $600,000 and a 10% rate on income over $1 million. Bill language states that 50% of the revenue generated by the new brackets would be distributed to localities to support public school costs.

A separate measure, House Bill 978, would expand the application of sales and use taxes to certain services and digital personal property. The bill would also exempt food for human consumption and essential personal hygiene products from state, local and regional sales taxes beginning July 1, 2026, according to the Legislative Information System.

Firearm legislation has also emerged as an early focus this session. House Bill 1359 would require individuals purchasing a firearm from a dealer to obtain a firearm purchaser license issued by the Department of State Police.

Under the bill, applicants would be required to complete an approved firearms safety or training course and receive verification from state police that they are not prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm under state or federal law. The license would be valid for five years, according to bill language.

In a statement to The Center Square, House Republican Leader Terry Kilgore criticized the proposal, saying the existing background check system already works.

“The system we have now works well. The State Police can do instant checks using a computer system that in most cases only takes moments,” Kilgore said. “The only reason to make the changes in this bill would be to create a registry of firearm owners. State government has no business keeping lists of people who are exercising their constitutional rights.”

Another firearms-related proposal, House Bill 1094, would impose an additional sales and use tax on firearms and ammunition manufacturers, with proceeds directed to the Virginia Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund, according to bill language.

Criminal justice legislation has also drawn attention early in the session. House Bill 863 would eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for certain offenses, expanding judicial discretion during sentencing.

In her address to a joint session of the General Assembly, Gov. Abigail Spanberger said her administration is prioritizing affordability for Virginia families as lawmakers consider legislation during the session.

By Markus Schmidt and Charlotte Rene Woods
The Virginia Mercury

Standing just outside the iron fencing surrounding Virginia’s Capitol in downtown Richmond on Monday, Alexandria resident Gerald Vandendries hoisted a semi-automatic rifle and scanned the crowd gathering for Lobby Day — an annual ritual for gun rights supporters that carried renewed urgency this year.

“We’re hoping to just kind of give Democrats a friendly reminder that this is our right,” Vandendries said. “Our Constitution very specifically says our rights shall not be infringed. They do not have the right in any way, shape or form to dictate to us, the civilian population, what we can or cannot own.”

Monday’s pro-Second Amendment rally, organized by the Virginia Citizens Defense League, drew nearly 1,000 people to the Bell Tower in Capitol Square. 

Attendance was noticeably higher than in recent years, reflecting concerns among gun owners as Democrats once again control both chambers of the General Assembly and the governor’s office — a political alignment many supporters said felt familiar.

In early 2020, when Democrats  gained unified control of state government for the first time in more than two decades, lawmakers enacted sweeping changes to Virginia’s gun laws, including universal background checks, a one-handgun-a-month purchasing limit and a red-flag law allowing courts to temporarily remove firearms from people deemed a danger. 

The legislation, signed into law by then-Gov. Ralph Northam, triggered fierce opposition and drew tens of thousands of gun rights supporters to Capitol Square for Lobby Day that January, though the demonstration remained peaceful.

That history framed much of the message Monday, as speakers and attendees warned that a similar legislative push is again taking shape — and urged supporters to respond not only through rallies but by engaging in elections, local government and the courts.

Several speakers emphasized that even if new restrictions are enacted, gun rights advocates still have avenues to fight back.

Longtime VCDL coordinator Brendan Mooney, who now lives in Idaho, returned to Richmond to address the crowd. He urged attendees to run for or seek appointment to local offices, including school boards and planning commissions.

“There’s a lot of offices in your county that are probably filled with people that got there because they showed up,” Mooney said.

U.S. Rep. John McGuire, R-Goochland, also took the stage, urging supporters to mobilize ahead of this year’s congressional elections.

“We need all hands on deck. We’ve got the midterms coming up,” McGuire said. “I need 10 people to get 10 people to get 10 people to vote. We need your prayers. We need your dollars. We need you out there knocking on the doors now.”

Later Monday afternoon, a counter-protest gathered at the Bell Tower for an annual gun violence prevention rally that doubles as a day of remembrance for Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Friends and family members of gun violence victims joined advocates from the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, forming a crowd of a few hundred. 

About 100 attendees wore blue Superman-themed beanie hats honoring Adam Turck, a Richmond-based actor who was shot and killed last summer after intervening in a domestic dispute while walking his dog.

“While we understand and even admire what Adam did, we’re also angry it wasn’t Adam’s job to protect the vulnerable from an act of violence,” said CJ Bergen, a friend of Turck’s who spoke at the rally. “That was the commonwealth’s job.”

The contrast between the two events was stark. While the VCDL rally centered on frustration and resistance to anticipated legislation, the gun safety gathering emphasized remembrance, gratitude and persistence.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1,237 Virginians died from gun violence in 2023. Nationwide, the agency reported roughly 48,000 firearm-related deaths in the same period.

Del. Nadarius Clark, D-Suffolk, who chairs a House Public Safety subcommittee, said at the later rally that addressing gun violence is personal for him after losing a family member. 

Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, also attended the afternoon rally and expressed hope that legislation previously vetoed under Youngkin — including a safe storage proposal — could now advance under Gov. Abigail Spanberger.

Virginia lawmakers set to debate these gun bills this session

Democrats have already filed a broad package of firearm-related legislation this session, signaling that gun policy will again dominate debate.

One proposal would impose an 11% excise tax on retail firearm and ammunition sales, directing the revenue to a state gun violence intervention and prevention fund. 

Other measures would establish standards of responsible conduct for gun manufacturers and dealers, allowing enforcement actions by the attorney general, local prosecutors or individuals harmed by violations.

Several bills focus on domestic violence, tightening firearm relinquishment requirements for people convicted of assault or subject to protective orders by adding age, residency and reporting standards designed to ensure guns are surrendered.

Lawmakers are also revisiting so-called ghost gun legislation, strengthening penalties for manufacturing, selling or possessing undetectable plastic firearms, unserialized guns and unfinished frames or receivers, with updated language reflecting modern security screening technology and delayed effective dates beginning in 2027.

Another proposal would narrow exemptions allowing firearms in Capitol Square and other government buildings, particularly on public college campuses, limiting them to approved academic or institutional activities.

Democrats have also revived an assault weapons ban, introduced by Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax, a measure supporters argue would reduce mass shootings but which gun rights advocates say would outlaw commonly owned firearms.

Republicans have countered with more limited proposals, including a bill that would exempt women with active protective orders from restrictions on carrying firearms in certain locations and another that would lower fees charged by local law enforcement for processing concealed handgun permit applications.

But their prospects may be limited after losing all three statewide offices and seeing Democrats expand their majority in the House.

WINCHESTER, Va. — Valley Health has released the findings of its 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment and announced the launch of its 2026 Community Partnership Grant Program, a $200,000 initiative designed to help community organizations address the most pressing health challenges identified across the region the health system serves.

The nonprofit health system completes a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) every three years. The assessment serves as a comprehensive review of the health status of the community, identifying both key health challenges and the resources available to address them. Valley Health said the 2025 assessment was conducted in partnership with the Virginia Department of Health’s Lord Fairfax Health District and community stakeholders throughout the region.

Based on survey data and community input collected through the CHNA process, Valley Health identified four priority health needs that will guide strategy and community investment for the current three-year assessment period:

• Access to health and wellness services
• Nutrition and physical well-being
• Mental health
• Housing

Valley Health said the health system will work collaboratively with the health department and regional partners to develop strategies intended to make progress in each priority area.

“Working collaboratively with community partners, the health system and health department will develop strategies to address these priorities for the current three-year CHNA period,” Valley Health said in its announcement.

Community partnership grants open through Feb. 27

As part of its efforts to respond to the CHNA findings, Valley Health announced it is opening the 2026 Community Partnership Grant program, which provides direct funding to local organizations working on projects tied to the assessment’s priority areas.

Valley Health is inviting eligible local organizations to apply for one of 13 one-year grants. Applicants must submit proposals describing how they plan to collaborate with Valley Health to advance solutions related to the identified health priorities.

The 2026 grant application period is open now through Feb. 27, Valley Health said.

The total funding available through the program is $200,000, structured across several award levels:

• One grant of $50,000
• Four grants of $25,000 each
• Four grants of $10,000 each
• Four mini-grants of $2,500 each

Valley Health said grant recipients will be announced in April 2026.

Focus on partnerships to strengthen community health

Jason Craig, senior director of community health for Valley Health, said the grant program is intended to strengthen community partnerships and extend the health system’s mission by supporting organizations addressing urgent needs.

“We are proud to support and partner with community agencies to address the area’s critical needs,” Craig said. “Through this program, our hope is that our community partners can collaborate with the health system to alleviate the challenges many individuals face when it comes to accessing health care, housing, mental health care and more.”

Valley Health said it “proudly supports community impact partners” whose work aligns with efforts to improve health outcomes locally, particularly in areas where barriers such as cost, transportation, housing instability, and limited services can prevent residents from obtaining needed care.

How to apply

Organizations interested in applying can find grant information, eligibility requirements, and application materials at valleyhealthlink.com/grants. Questions may also be directed to Craig by email at [email protected].

Valley Health said the Community Partnership Grant program will serve as one of the strategies used to address the CHNA priorities over the next three years, while additional planning and collaborative work continues with public health and regional community partners.

About Valley Health

Valley Health is a not-for-profit health system serving a population of more than 500,000 in the Northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, the Eastern Panhandle and Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, and western Maryland. As a healthcare provider, employer, and community partner, Valley Health is committed to improving the health of the region. The system includes six hospitals, more than 70 medical practices and Urgent Care centers, outpatient rehabilitation, medical transport, long-term care, and home health. www.valleyhealthlink.com.

Edited by Dan McDermott

Front Royal, Va. — Warren County Fire and Rescue crews responded to two major incidents Tuesday evening within minutes of each other — first, a fatal vehicle accident in the Guard Hill area, followed by a working structure fire at Royal Cinemas on East Main Street — pushing the county’s fire-rescue system into a “no units available” status for roughly three hours as responders managed both scenes simultaneously.

According to Warren County Fire and Rescue, units were dispatched at 7:10 p.m. to the 3900 block of Guard Hill Road for a report of a male trapped underneath a pickup truck.

When crews arrived, they found the vehicle had rolled approximately 30 feet down a steep embankment, leaving one male pinned underneath. A paramedic from Medic 10 assessed the patient, who was pronounced deceased at the scene, WCFR said.

As the incident transitioned from a rescue response to a recovery operation, personnel determined specialized equipment would be required due to the terrain and position of the vehicle. Crews established that a technical rope system and specialized towing resources were necessary to safely recover the individual and stabilize the vehicle. Shenandoah Towing assisted with the stabilization and recovery work.

Units responding to the Guard Hill Road incident included:

• Medic 10 (North Warren)
• Rescue Squad 1 (Front Royal)
• Battalion Chief 1

While that operation was still underway, WCFR received a second call — this time in the Town of Front Royal.

At 7:23 p.m., Warren County Fire and Rescue was dispatched to Royal Cinemas on East Main Street for a reported structure fire.

At that moment, Medic 4, which had been responding to assist at the Guard Hill Road incident, was redirected. WCFR said the unit diverted to Fire Station 1 in Front Royal to obtain suppression apparatus and assist with firefighting operations.

The first arriving unit at Royal Cinemas reported visible smoke coming from the roof system, and a Front Royal Police Department officer confirmed a working fire inside the building, WCFR said.

Given the conditions on arrival — including the structural complexity of the building and the presence of adjoining occupancies — command immediately requested a second alarm to bring additional resources to the scene.

As incident command operations expanded, Battalion Chief 1 transferred command of the Guard Hill Road incident and responded into town to oversee operations at the theater fire. Additional command officers responded, and the department established the incident command system at Royal Cinemas.

Firefighters ultimately contained the fire to the second-floor projection room, with only minimal extension beyond that area.

WCFR said there was minimal extension into wall spaces and the roof system, and that extension also affected an adjoining building. An adjacent restaurant sustained minor damage, according to the department.

The fire response required essentially all remaining on-duty resources.

“This incident required all of the remaining on-duty career personnel in Warren County,” WCFR reported, triggering automatic aid and mutual aid responses from surrounding jurisdictions.

With crews operating at both the fatal crash recovery and the Main Street fire at the same time, personnel remained committed for approximately three hours, during which WCFR reported the county fire-rescue system entered a “no units available” status, meaning no staffed county units were immediately available to respond to additional emergencies without outside assistance.

First alarm units responding to Royal Cinemas included:

• Rescue Engine 2 (Rivermont)
• Rescue Engine 3 (South Warren)
• Rescue Engine 5 (Shenandoah Shores)
• Rescue Engine 9 (Chester Gap)
• Engine 6 (Shenandoah Farms)
• Truck 1 (Front Royal)
• Ambulance 2 (Rivermont)
• Medic 8 (Fortsmouth)
• Battalion Chief 1
• Chief 101

Second alarm resources included:

• Engine 9B (Chester Gap)
• Wagon 11 (Stephens City)
• Rescue Engine 12 (Middletown)
• Wagon 1103 (Marshall)
• Engine 1401 (Washington)
• Engine 1404 (Flint Hill)
• Truck 51 (Strasburg)
• Medic 9 (Chester Gap)

No additional injuries were reported in connection with the structure fire.

Warren County Fire and Rescue has not released the name of the deceased male from the Guard Hill Road incident. The cause of the vehicle crash and the cause of the fire at Royal Cinemas were not immediately available in the department’s summary.

Both incidents remained active into the late evening as crews completed overhaul, ensured stabilization of the affected structures, and completed recovery operations on Guard Hill Road.

More photos on WCFR’s facebook post.

Edited by Dan McDermott

Edited by Dan McDermott

FRONT ROYAL — Royal Cinemas in Front Royal will be closed until further notice following a fire at the theater late last night.

In a statement posted to the community, the theater said the building was not destroyed, but the facility will remain closed while management assesses the situation and determines next steps.

The theater also thanked multiple public safety agencies for their response, including the Front Royal Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, Warren County Fire and Rescue, the Front Royal Police Department, and supporting crews.

Officials and theater staff safely evacuated the building, and no injuries were reported, according to the statement.

“We want to extend our sincere thanks … for their bravery, professionalism, and quick response in containing the fire,” the theater said. “Most importantly, everyone was safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported.”

Royal Cinemas also thanked local patrons and the community for their support, saying it “means more than we can put into words,” and promised updates as they become available.

The cause of the fire and estimated reopening timeline have not yet been announced.

RICHMOND, VA – Governor Abigail Spanberger delivered the following address at the Virginia State Capitol following her swearing-in as the 75th Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia Jan. 17, 2026.

REMARKS AS PREPARED

—

Mr. Speaker; Madam President Pro Tempore; Madam Lieutenant Governor; Mr. Attorney General; Members of the General Assembly; Justices of the Supreme Court; honored guests; 

To my parents Martin and Eileen Davis, my sisters Hilary and Meredith, my husband Adam and my daughters, Claire, Charlotte, Catherine; neighbors, friends, and our fellow Virginians: it is my honor to be with all of you today. 

An inauguration ceremony like this one — with all its tradition and pageantry — represents something profound, and in its origins, something uniquely American… the peaceful transfer of power. It is a cornerstone of our American democratic experiment, a tradition and precedent begun by a Virginian, George Washington, and carried forth every time we celebrate an election and the inauguration of new leaders who will be entrusted to govern and serve — for a time. 

Every four years, Virginians have the unique responsibility of choosing those leaders, as we all write the next chapter of our Commonwealth’s story. And today, that tradition continues.

Adam and I extend our appreciation to you, Governor Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne Youngkin, for the time you have both spent with us during this transition. I thank you for your service, and we wish you and your family the best as you exit this role and begin a new chapter.

And to Lieutenant Governor Earle-Sears — herself a trailblazer, to Attorney General Miyares, and to those who served in the Youngkin Administration, thank you for your service to the Commonwealth we all love.

To the former Governors in attendance today, I am grateful that you are here. I thank you for your outreach, your offers of support and help, and for your continued commitment to Virginia.

As I begin my service as Governor, I want to thank the men and women of our armed forces — the Virginians serving overseas and those who serve at military installations across our Commonwealth. Thank you for your defense of our freedom.

I thank the members of the Virginia National Guard — those serving far from home or right here today. I thank our Commonwealth’s law enforcement officers, firefighters, and first responders — for your tireless commitment to our fellow Virginians. 

75 times. 75 times in Virginia’s storied history, we have witnessed this transfer from one Governor to the next. 75 times, a Governor has taken this oath, and so many of those times, it’s been right here, on these steps that those words have been spoken.  

It is the honor of my life to stand before you and take the oath today. The history and the gravity of this moment are not lost on me — I maintain an abiding sense of gratitude to those who worked generation after generation to ensure women could be among those casting ballots, but who could only dream of a day like today.

I stand before those who made it possible for a woman to also participate in that peaceful transfer of power and take that oath…  

And it is with a profound sense of duty to all Virginians that I assume the Governorship and pledge myself to work tirelessly on behalf of our Commonwealth.

This year marks the 250th anniversary of two milestones in American democracy: the first is the signing of our Declaration of Independence — drafted by Thomas Jefferson — Virginia’s second Governor and the man who designed the very building behind us today. And the second milestone we remember this year is the inauguration of Patrick Henry as Virginia’s first Governor. 

Governor Henry is best known for his call against tyranny at St. John’s Church, just up the road — words that helped launch the American Revolution. But in his final public speech, delivered in Virginia years later in 1799, he made an appeal to his fellow citizens, warning against the divisions that were threatening our young country.

His appeal remains timeless. He said:

“United we stand, divided we fall. Let us not split into factions which must destroy that union upon which our existence hangs.”

I’ll say that again. “Let us not split into factions…” which would “destroy that union upon which our existence hangs.” 

That was the challenge Governor Henry put to Virginia at the close of the 18th Century. And it is the charge we must answer again today. I know that the work of perfecting our democracy has never been finished. 

But I am heartened by the fact that so much of that work has been done right here, on these very steps and across this city — where Virginia’s history, and America’s history, has so often been written.

This square has been the scene of remarkable dramas of equality and justice. It has been the site of great struggles and hard-won triumphs, whose consequences have been heard across America.

On these steps, Virginia’s suffragists brought their cause to the General Assembly session after session, decade after decade. And though these brave women were voted down, time and time again, they refused to give up. 

And while the 19th amendment gave women the right to vote in 1920, it would not be until 1952 that Virginia finally ratified it. And yet for so many women, the right to vote was not truly secured until the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. 

And in 1960, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addressed a crowd of more than 2,500 here in Richmond. He implored the then-Governor to comply with the Brown v. Board of Education ruling. 

Building upon a message he had issued one year prior when he wrote: “Today is a day for great men, great ideas, great movements…” and in his urgent appeals for progress, he wrote, “As Virginia goes, so goes the South, perhaps America, and the world.”

In 1960, following his impassioned words at the Pilgrimage of Prayer, they marched here to these steps.

In the generations since Governor Henry’s plea, as rights have been won and progress has been made, our Commonwealth and our country have faced hurdles, hardships, divisions, and bitterness.

And yet, along the way, what has been necessary is leaders who clearly see and willingly confront challenges. And even more importantly, what has always been essential is for people, everyday people — we Virginians — to do the same.

And so it was in 1970, as our Commonwealth once again faced deep divisions, that Virginia’s 61st Governor didn’t shy away from the challenges before him. Governor Linwood Holton stared them down. 

On these steps, he proclaimed — and I’m quoting again: 

“No longer can we be divided into opposing camps of political philosophy.”

He said, “The time for partisan politics is over. It is time now for leadership, for action, for progress through unity.”

He went on to issue a challenge: “I turn today to all Virginians, whatever their political persuasion, and say: Let us act together.”

And just 20 years later, on these steps, Virginia inaugurated our 66th Governor and our nation’s first elected African American Governor.

Governor L. Douglas Wilder changed what so many of our fellow citizens believed was even possible. And today, on your 95th Birthday, I thank you Governor, for being here to celebrate this Virginia tradition as we continue to write our Commonwealth’s story.

It was by design that we are a Commonwealth. In Virginia’s first constitution, written 250 years ago, they designated us as such. Virginia — no longer a colony, and not simply a state in our fledgling nation, but a Commonwealth.

What’s the difference? Kids, pay attention, because eventually someone may ask you! 

There’s no difference in how we operate or function as a state. The difference lies in the intention of our forefathers and the choice to indicate that here our government should serve the common good — that the voices of everyday Virginians — not kings or aristocrats or oligarchs — should drive us forward, and that our prosperity depends upon that union. 

That our leaders and our fellow Virginians should join in common cause, find common ground, and pursue common purpose — this is the concept at the heart of what it means to be a Commonwealth. 

This is what it means to be united for Virginia’s future.

And while I have spoken at length about our history, today must be about our future and the story we will write together. 

I know many of you are worried about the recklessness coming out of Washington. You are worried about policies that are hurting our communities — cutting healthcare access, imperiling rural hospitals, and driving up costs. You are worried about Washington policies that are closing off markets, hurting innovation and private industry, and attacking those who have devoted their lives to public service. 

You are worried about an administration that is gilding buildings while schools crumble, breaking the social safety net, and sowing fear across our communities — betraying the values of who we are as Americans, the very values we celebrate here on these steps.

And across the Commonwealth, everything keeps getting more expensive — groceries, medicine, daycare, the electricity bill, rent, and the mortgage. Families are strained, kids are stressed, and so much just seems to be getting harder and harder.

Growing up, my parents always taught me that when faced with something unacceptable, you must speak up. You must take action, right what you believe is wrong, and fix what isn’t working.

I know that some who are here today or watching from home may disagree with the litany of challenges and hardships I laid out. Your perspective may differ from mine, but that does not preclude us working together where we may find common cause. My priorities for the people of Virginia are drawn from my own background and experience.

I grew up in a family where my parents modeled a commitment to service and community — my father in law enforcement and my mother in nursing. 

My middle class upbringing was a result of their struggle, their hard work, and programs like the GI Bill that sent my dad to college and strong community colleges that allowed my mom to put herself through nursing school as she worked more than fulltime. 

I followed my father’s footsteps into law enforcement. At my academy graduation, he handed me my badge and credentials, and I entered a world where I had to get it right every time and do right by everyone I encountered — victims, witnesses, fellow agents, and even the person whose name was on an arrest warrant. 

Then, as a CIA officer, I worked to combat the greatest threats facing America. I worked to keep our nation safe at home and abroad, and I saw firsthand that the world is safer when the United States shows our mighty strength through the lives we save, the diseases we eradicate, the technologies we create, and the leadership we show on a global stage.

Today, I am a mother to three daughters who are my everything. There is nothing more important to me than their safety, their health, their education, and their future. And I know that far too many parents work hard to make ends meet, but still worry how they’ll put food on the table, take their sick child to the doctor, or keep the lights on. When today is so uncertain, it’s hard to dream big for tomorrow.

Today, I stand before you on these steps not only as Virginia’s 75th Governor, but as someone who believes it is our duty to write the next chapter of our Commonwealth’s story. It is our duty to demonstrate for the generations to come that when faced with hardships, challenges, divisions, and even bitterness, we too forged a path forward and pursued progress.

And as we write this next chapter, we will work relentlessly to make life more affordable for our fellow Virginians.

We will tackle the high cost of housing — whether you’re renting, buying, or trying to stay in your home. We’ll work to cut red tape, increase housing supply, and help communities keep housing affordable.

We will work to lower energy costs by producing more energy and by ensuring that high energy users pay their fair share. 

And we will contend with an impending healthcare crisis by protecting healthcare access, cracking down on the middlemen who are driving up drug prices, and making sure Virginians aren’t going into spiraling medical debt because of a single emergency.

And as we write this next chapter, we will make Virginia’s public schools the best in the nation. 

We will work to ensure every child in the Commonwealth receives a world-class education at every level — providing them a solid foundation in reading and math, and preparing our kids for a prosperous future. 

And we will invest in the schools and educators that are essential to this goal.

And as we write this next chapter, we will grow Virginia’s economy in every corner of the Commonwealth.

We will invest in the apprenticeships and job training of the future. We will bring capital investment into every region of our Commonwealth. We will stand up for Virginia’s workers — including our federal workforce. And we will expand opportunities for Virginia agriculture — our farmers, producers, agribusinesses, and farm families. 

And as we write this next chapter, we will focus on the security and safety of all of our neighbors. 

And we will take action to prevent gun violence, to support Virginians struggling with addiction, and to address the mental health crisis impacting our kids and neighbors. And in Virginia, our hardworking, law-abiding immigrant neighbors will know that when we say — we’ll focus on the security and safety of all of our neighbors, we mean them too. 

We will write this next chapter together, because throughout our history, no leader has ever made progress alone. 

To my friends in the General Assembly — on both sides of the aisle — I look forward to working with you. I know what it means to represent your constituents, to work hard for your district, and to pursue policies you believe in.

We will not agree on everything, but I speak from personal experience when I say that we do not have to see eye-to-eye on every issue in order to stand shoulder-to-shoulder on others. 

Because Virginia has always been a place where we confront challenges, where we build coalitions, and where we prove that democracy still works.

To Lieutenant Governor Hashmi and Attorney General Jones, I look forward to working together with you both as we serve our fellow Virginians over the next four years.

And most importantly, to the people of Virginia: we are beginning a new chapter in our Commonwealth’s story. We need you to help us write it. 

As we mark 250 years since the dawn of American freedom: What will our children, grandchildren, and their descendants write about this time in our Commonwealth’s history — this chapter — 50, 100, and 250 years from now?

Will they say that we let divisions fester or challenges overwhelm us? Or will they say that we stood up for what is right, fixed what is broken, and served the common good here in Virginia?

Today, we’re hearing the call to connect more deeply to our American Experiment — to understand our shared history, not as a single point in time, but as a lesson for how we create our more prosperous future. And so I ask — what will you do to help us author this next chapter? 

As your Governor, I pledge to you that I will work tirelessly for you and for our Commonwealth.

Today, I find myself thinking about Dr. King’s Pilgrimage of Prayer… Such a powerful phrase. 

And it gives me cause to reflect on what our path forward must be… not a Pilgrimage of Politics, certainly not a Pilgrimage of Partisanship… but rather a Pilgrimage of Promise, Progress, and Prosperity. 

My fellow Virginians, as we set an example for the country, the world, and most importantly, our children, let us:

Choose to stand united. Choose to serve one another. Choose to act together.

As we continue forward, let us be united for Virginia’s future.

Thank you all very much! May God Bless the Commonwealth of Virginia. And may God Bless the United States of America.

RICHMOND, VA – Governor Glenn Youngkin delivered the 2026 State of the Commonwealth Address Jan. 14, 2026.

The State of the Commonwealth

As Prepared for Delivery

Mister Speaker, Lieutenant Governor Earle-Sears, Madame President, Attorney General Miyares, Members of the General Assembly, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Powell, Justices of the Virginia Supreme Court and judges of the State Corporation Commission, our Clerks, Members of my Cabinet, and my fellow Virginians:

It is an honor to join you once again in Mr. Jefferson’s Capitol for my report on the state of our beloved Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth is soaring.

The Commonwealth is alive with opportunity.

The Commonwealth is competing, and winning.

The Commonwealth is stronger today than she has ever been.

This is the state of the Commonwealth that I have had the immense honor of serving these past four years.

Fortunately, this service journey has not been a solitary one.

And as I prepare to hand the key to the Governor’s Mansion over to Governor-elect Spanberger, I look around this room and I am filled with gratitude.

Filled with gratitude because I see so many men and women who have been involved in Virginia’s incredible transformation. A transformation we have witnessed, and we have led – together.

And so to Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears and Attorney General Jason Miyares, to members of my Cabinet and my Administration: “thank you.”

To our General Assembly partners:

Most times I have agreed with many of you, and sometimes I have disagreed with some of you.

Frequently, you’ve been in my prayers.

And always, I have considered you to be devoted public servants. “Thank you.”

The absolute best part of this season of service has been traveling every step of the way with the love of my life.

She has brought grace and joy to the lives of so many Virginians. Thank you to our most extraordinary First Lady, Suzanne Youngkin!

And finally, “thank you” to my fellow Virginians.

To say “thank you” comes nowhere close to conveying the profound sense of gratitude I feel.

Gratitude that this homegrown Virginian was hired and given the chance to go to work for the now 8.8 million Virginians.

I feel like I’ve met almost all 8.8 million of you. From Loudoun County to Danville, from the Eastern Shore to Lee County, and everywhere in between.

I’ve met incredible Virginians, like the small business owner who courageously started his first shop and then expanded to two, and then three.

Virginians like our teachers, who are exciting our students about learning, and helping them discover their passion in life.

Like the nurse who is empowering a fellow Virginian to leave behind a life of addiction, and start leading a life of hope.

Like the farmer who, rain or shine, makes sure the animals get fed and the fields get ploughed.

Like the shipbuilders who arrive at the docks when it is dark each morning, and who are building the most powerful Navy anywhere in the world.

Brave Virginians like our law enforcement heroes who put on a bullet proof vest every day to go to work to keep us safe.

Our amazing men and women who wear the cloth and serve our country, from the 150,000 active duty servicemembers, to the reservists, to the Virginia National Guard who has served Virginia since 1607.

Remarkable Virginians like the families of the fallen. No moments over these last four years have impacted me more than standing with families as we hear the End of Watch and say good-bye to these quiet heroes.

And our newest Virginians who didn’t grow up here, but found opportunity here, and now call Virginia home.

So to all of you and more: “thank you.”

It is you who have been the driving force for all we’ve accomplished over these past four years.

Thank you for believing we could change the trajectory of a Commonwealth that was stalled and make her soar.

Thank you for showing we can strengthen the Spirit of Virginia…together.

Four years ago, Virginia was in a very different place.

I was humbled recently when someone described what has taken place over these past four years as “The Great Virginia Renaissance.”

A Renaissance that reflects the real and widespread challenges we faced.

Our schools were 46th in the nation to reopen. Parents were being sidelined. And students were falling behind.

Virginia had the largest learning loss in the nation in fourth grade reading and math.

Twenty-five thousand small businesses had closed their doors in 2021. Job recovery lagged behind nearly every other state.

Violent crime had surged, with a 20-year high in the murder rate.

And for nine straight years, more people moved away than moved to Virginia from the other 49 states.

This was Virginia in January 2022. A Virginia that was lagging, not leading.

But amid these challenges we – all of us – saw a Virginia bursting with boundless potential just waiting to be unleashed.

And so, four years ago we, collectively, set out on a journey.

A journey to unleash opportunity. To transform government. To make Virginia the very best place to live, work, and raise a family.

We could reduce tax burdens, lowering the cost of living for Virginians, and generate record state revenue.

We could restore educational excellence, and see our students perform even better.

We could enforce the laws and have the lowest recidivism rate in the nation.

We could overhaul our behavioral health system, and transform foster care so our kids are safe and our families are strong.

We could provide historic tax relief to our veterans, and honor them and their families with award-winning care and support.

We could lead the nation in connecting Virginians to high-speed broadband, and invest record amounts in our roads, bridges, and tunnels.

We could transform the great City of Petersburg through a historic partnership, and accelerate economic activity in Southwest.

We could deliver hundreds of millions of dollars in procurement savings, and serve all Virginians with best-in-class constituent services.

We could protect free speech, and keep our campuses safe.

We said we would measure outcomes not in terms of activity, but by accomplishments and actual results.

And we also said there are some things about which there can be no debate.

That we must grow, and we could grow like never before.

That we want Virginia to be a winning state – with more jobs, more opportunity, more people – not a losing state, shedding businesses and people.

That we must make Virginia the place companies want to build their futures… businesses like LEGO and Eli Lilly… like AstraZeneca and Hitachi… and not impose anti-business policies that chase jobs and opportunity away.

We committed that we would stop doing what doesn’t work, and start doing more of what does. And what we know works… is Commonsense!

And by putting commonsense into action, we’ve achieved the kind of transformation very few people thought was possible.

This transformation started with business investment and jobs, and declaring on Day One that Virginia was Open for Business.

Over and over again I heard the same refrain from Virginians: “We want jobs – good paying jobs.”

But, Virginia needed to start competing and Virginia needed to start winning…

We worked together to build an economic development machine. A machine that is unleashing opportunity like never before.

Virginia is now a leader in life sciences. A leader in advanced manufacturing. A leader powering some of America’s most critical industries and supply chains.

Where Made in America once again means Made in Virginia.

Where day after day Virginians from all walks of life are hearing those magical three words: “You. Are. Hired.”

On Day One we went to work to build that dynamic economy.

We streamlined regulations by 35 percent, saving Virginians $1.4 billion every year by cutting the cost of bureaucracy. Including by reducing the average cost to build a home by $24,000!

We invested a record amount in business-ready sites and drove Virginia government to move at the speed of business.

We transformed workforce development, consolidating a vast number of disparate programs into one new agency, Virginia Works, and created the nation’s leading customized talent development program – the Talent Accelerator.

We restructured the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, and most importantly we competed… we competed to win.

And win we have.

We’ve won record business investment – over $157 billion – more than the last six Administrations combined.

Growing over 20,000 new high-growth startups.

Record investment that has fueled enormous job growth.

Nearly 270,000 more Virginians are working today than when we started.

We have 255,000 open jobs, another 80,000 new jobs on the way from those investment commitments, along with 40,000 construction jobs. Virginia has jobs. Lots of jobs.

Virginia is a winning state, and the winning continues.

We announced in December AVIO’s $500 million dollar plant which will employ 1,500 people, and we finalized two more great manufacturing deals last Fall: a $300 million dollar plant that will employ over 1,000 people in Southside, and $1.2 billion dollar facility that will employ nearly 300 people in Virginia’s Piedmont region.

We are leaving the next Administration a robust pipeline of great projects that well exceeds $100 billion of capital investment and 32,000 jobs.

Virginia has been on a tear because we have protected Right to Work.

Please hear me loud and clear: change Right to Work and jobs will disappear. People will leave. And they will take their tax dollars with them.

Keeping Virginia soaring means keeping Right to Work right where it is…

No amendments. No reforms. No changes.

Keeping Virginia on a winning streak also means continuing to work and cooperate with our federal partners and the Trump Administration.

Constructively working with the Administration works for Virginians.

When a Governor picks up the phone and calls a Cabinet Secretary to work through issues, it’s good for Virginia.

Issues like:

Turning on $2.5 billion of paused grants. Attracting the Department of Housing and Urban Development Headquarters with more than 2,700 jobs to Virginia. Recruiting Fortune 50 businesses with billions of investment and thousands of jobs. Delivering hurricane relief faster than any other state…

…that is what is best for Virginians.

The record jobs and investments we’ve attracted have driven record revenues.

$10 billion in surplus revenue…8 percent compounded revenue growth for four straight years – 60 percent faster than the previous decade.

Record revenue that enabled $9 billion in tax relief, and still historic investment across every critical area.

And while throughout 2025 many predicted financial calamity… not only has financial calamity not happened, but once again Virginia is running a significant surplus.

Yesterday, we announced December revenue results: a 20 percent increase over last December, and year-to-date growth of $1.2 billion after just six months.

Revenues are growing at 8.6 percent, again…no COVID money, no one-time gifts…just historic revenue growth driven by historic business growth, job growth and strong consumer spending.

My introduced Budget included a reforecast adding $1.2 billion in resources to Fiscal Year 2026 alone. December just added another $395 million to that number.

Virginia has record resources.

I included $700 million more tax relief in my proposed budget AND huge investment increases in Medicaid, Education, Law Enforcement, and Capital Spending.

And yet, bills raising nearly every tax known to man have been introduced.

One thing we have clearly demonstrated is that lowering tax burdens brings people, businesses, and jobs. Increasing taxes drives them away. Just look at California and Illinois, New York and Maryland.

Indeed, in 2023, for the first time in 10 years, more people moved to Virginia than moved away to the other 49 states. Commonsense works!

A significant part of that investment went to Education – a record amount reflecting a $7 billion increase since the pandemic.

Empowering Virginians to seize unlimited opportunity all starts in the classroom.

The pandemic wreaked havoc on Virginia’s students and families.

Schools were closed too long unnecessarily. We were 46th in the nation to reopen our schools. The learning loss was devastating.

Standards were lowered. Parents were pushed out of their children’s lives. And we risked losing an entire generation if we didn’t act quickly.

Restoring excellence in education has been our collective North Star.

It started with putting parents back at the head of the table in their children’s lives because Parents Matter!

We passed historic bipartisan legislation to allow parents to choose if their child wore a mask, and to allow parents to remove sexually explicit material from their child’s curriculum.

We’re exciting students again by gaining the real-world skills they need to succeed after they graduate.

We’ve launched 15 new Lab Schools with space for 5,000 students, and we already have a long waiting list.

Innovative lab schools…from the maritime trades outside the shipyards of Hampton Roads…to space and aviation at Wallops Island…to data science and coding in the Shenandoah Valley and Richmond…healthcare in Southwest…and, teachers in the rural Piedmont region.

And with our huge focus on career and technical education, four out of five Virginia high school students now graduate with a credential or a certificate.

Great education outcomes require a great teacher. And we’ve supported teachers.

Teacher compensation is up nearly 20 percent. Teacher vacancies are down 36 percent. And Virginia was recently ranked the Number One state to be a teacher!

We also embraced transparency and accountability, and raised standards to drive better student outcomes.

Gone are the days of Virginia having the lowest proficiency baselines in the country, cheating our students by shuffling them along, or worse, lying about whether they could read or do math at grade level.

We made our standardized tests harder and our students did better, including a 20 percent surge in math proficiency.

Of course, students can’t learn if they aren’t in school in the first place.

We locked arms with the All-In Virginia plan. “Thank you” to Senators Locke and Lucas for your partnership. And now Virginia leads the nation in reducing chronic absenteeism and getting students back in the classroom!

Intensive tutoring works.

We’ve led all our peer states in math learning loss recovery. And the nationally leading Virginia Literacy Act is transforming the way students learn to read!

But in addition to learning loss, we know that behavioral health distress among teens has been surging since even before the pandemic.

Increased social media use and endless screentime are one of the main culprits. These devices and apps are profiting off our kids and stealing their childhood.

But we collectively acted to reclaim childhood and create a healthier and happier Virginia.

Bell-to-Bell Cell Phone-Free Education is now the law of the land across the Commonwealth!

Virginia is a model for the rest of the nation. Because in Virginia we don’t follow, we lead.

Academic performance is up. Mental health and discipline challenges are down. And school cafeterias are humming loud with noise because students are talking to each other again.

To all the parents who advocated for your children, you have shown once again that yes, Parents Matter!

To make Virginia the very best place to live, work, and raise a family, Virginia has to be safe.

From Day One of my Administration, we have backed the Blue, supporting, encouraging and celebrating these heroic men and women.

We have provided record funding. We’ve invested in equipment and training. Increased salaries.

I urge you to keep investing, to keep supporting, and to keep Backing the Blue.

We’ve taken on gangs, drugs, and human trafficking.

Our statewide efforts include gang task forces, extensive collaboration and cooperation with other states and with federal partners.

We’ve seized enough fentanyl that otherwise could have killed every Virginian ten times over.

We’ve arrested violent gang members, including the Number Three leader of MS-13.

We’ve brought down the most violent of crimes…especially in our most violent cities as part of Operation Ceasefire and Operation Bold Blue Line.

And thanks to our dedicated law enforcement professionals, we’ve seen a 30 percent decline in murders.

These courageous Virginians have more reinforcements on the way.

On Monday, I had the honor of visiting the Virginia State Police’s 144th Class as they complete their Basic Session Training.

In a few weeks, this Class will graduate 94 incredible men and women into the ranks of Virginia State Troopers – the second largest graduating class ever.

Virginians are once again proud and excited to enter this most noble profession. “Thank you” to our heroes who keep us safe. And “thank you” to Colonel Matt Hanley for your leadership.

We’ve tackled the scourge of drug addiction head on. Our fight against fentanyl has been extraordinary.

When we started this journey, fentanyl was claiming the lives of more than five Virginians a day.

Suzanne and I have met, prayed, and cried with families who have buried a child, a spouse, a sister or brother, or a parent because of this evil.

And so we came together and launched a comprehensive fight against fentanyl.

A fight we’ve taken to the frontlines by enhancing penalties and creating tougher new laws.

Now drug dealers are on notice: if you push this poison and kill someone in the process, you will be held accountable, and you will be charged with felony manslaughter.

We’ve educated parents, students, teachers, coaches and pastors through the First Lady’s It Only Takes One statewide campaign and the Attorney General’s One Pill Can Kill public awareness initiative.

We’ve equipped Virginians to stop an overdose in progress by delivering 400,000 life-saving naloxone doses, and training nearly 100,000 people to use them.

We locked arms with community partners, including our It Only Takes One College Ambassadors and heroic Fentanyl Family Ambassadors who continue to inspire us all with their courage.

Thanks to our comprehensive efforts, Virginia now leads the nation in reducing fatal fentanyl overdoses by 59 percent!

Our fight isn’t over. But where once there was heartbreak, now there is hope.

Empowering Virginians to lead the lives God intended has been the driving force behind our complete overhaul of our behavioral health system.

Virginians in crisis needed help and could not get it.

So four years ago we started a journey to transform behavioral health.

To expand capacity across the state. To deliver faster, more effective responses. To get law enforcement out of emergency rooms and back on the street. To expand the workforce.

Today, we’ve increased our care capacity in beds and chairs by 241 percent.

We’ve improved our responsiveness, with 988 crisis calls up by 456 percent to over 30,000 per month.

We’ve deployed nearly three times as many Mobile Crisis Teams across the Commonwealth – achieving a statewide average response time of just 42 minutes.

And we’ve substantially grown the work force, adding over 30,000 new health care workers.

The Commonwealth is setting the national standard for how to care for individuals in crisis. To get them the Right Help, Right Now.

Because when Virginians need help, Virginians show up.

There has been no better example of neighbor helping neighbor than when Hurricane Helene tore through Southwest.

In the face of devastating loss, the true character of our Commonwealth shone through.

Heroic rescues by law enforcement, first responders, and our Virginia National Guard.

Volunteers and donations rebuilt or repaired over 110 homes and assisted over 4,000 households.

Collaboration with state, local and federal resources has led to: Rebuilding Route 58 faster. Delivering Farm Recovery Block Grants before any other state and accelerating the reconstruction of the Creeper Trail at lightning pace so this huge economic contributor can be reopened by November of this year!

And the support coming from Virginia’s $50 million recovery fund is now flowing.

I visited Southwest Virginia 30 times in the 15 months following Helene.

I can tell you that today, Southwest Virginia has their collective foot on the accelerator. They’re not turning back. And all of us should make sure they soar with the rest of the Commonwealth.

Every corner of the Commonwealth is benefitting from tremendous job growth and business investment.

And because business is booming and our population is growing, it means our energy and power needs are rising as well.

For too long, Virginia’s policies and the Utilities planned for a stagnant Virginia. Well, we are not stagnant. We are growing. And we must execute a plan where power is reliable, affordable, and Made in Virginia.

Meeting this growing power need means continuing to support an All-of-the-Above power plan.

What it definitely doesn’t mean is rejoining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

It’s a bad deal. It doesn’t work. And it’s a regressive tax that drives up the cost of living for all Virginians.

It also doesn’t mean driving away data centers. The positive economic contribution from data centers is enormous.

The industry will pay their fair share of power costs, even bringing their own power behind the meter. The national security imperative will drive huge investment. Virginia should win. Don’t drive it away to other states.

What it does mean is that we must continue to build gas-powered generation and nuclear power.

We need to double our generating capacity in the next 10 years. Renewables alone – which will drive up costs and risk brownouts – just can’t get it done.

Just look at Maryland, where electricity rates have nearly doubled, and are 19 percent higher than the national average.

I urge you to undo the Virginia Clean Economy Act.. It simply does not work for Virginians.

The good news is we can both meet our energy needs and be great stewards of God’s natural resource blessings to Virginia.

With the huge efforts we have made to support our Chesapeake Bay 2025 goals, including record funding for Agriculture Best Management Practices, I am proud to report that the Chesapeake Bay is healthier than it has been in decades!

And Virginia led the way to set the new framework signed in December for the next phase of preserving our great Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Virginia’s transformation has been broad. From healthy rivers and streams to healthy moms and healthy babies.

Through our Healthy Moms, Healthy Families, and Healthy Communities initiative, we’ve seen a 68 percent reduction in maternal mortality!

Building Blocks for Virginia Families delivered the best Public-Private-Parent Choice model for Early Education and Childcare in America… not only maintaining full access for 74,000 children after the Biden Administration cut funding, but also with my recent introduced Budget providing 6,000 more subsidy slots. Our quality model leads the nation.

We’ve shown it is possible to make government work for Virginians.

The Virginia Employment Commission has cleared all its backlog of more than 700,000 work items coming out of COVID, and we’ve cleared 1.7 million in total.

Among peer states, we now make benefit decisions faster than anyone, and we rank top third at getting out the first payment to unemployed Virginians.

We’ve cut waiting times at the DMV from nearly 40 minutes to, in October, the shortest average wait in history – 5.9 minutes!

We’ve shown that with clear purpose and with commonsense, it is indeed possible to make government work for Virginians.

And it is possible to take a Commonwealth that was stalled and make her soar like never before.

By every single metric, today Virginia is stronger than she has ever been. Stronger:

Financially. Educationally. Environmentally. Stronger in terms of Public Safety. In terms of Behavioral Health. With better Infrastructure. And with more opportunity than ever before.

We have strengthened the spirit of Virginia, together.

A Spirit of courage and fortitude. Of compassion and love. Of resiliency in the face of challenges, and always rising to meet new ones.

And this same Spirit was beating in the hearts of our forebearers 250 years ago as well.

Throughout this year, all of America will take part in our semiquincentennial celebrations. But no state has as much to celebrate as we do here in Virginia.

Because 250 years ago it was Virginians who led the way to America’s Founding.

Washington. Jefferson. Madison and Monroe… Patrick Henry… and so many others along the way.

America was Made in Virginia!

This “new nation, conceived in liberty,” was born, and then built on those foundational values that have sustained us for two and a half centuries…. even when we didn’t live up to them.

The revolutionary belief that government is of the people.

That government exists to serve the people, not for people to serve the government.

Because our rights – those unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – come from God, not government.

The foundational pillars and values that must always define America were born right here in Virginia.

Pillars and values that have made America a beacon of hope to the world for 250 years.

And those values and that beacon must continue to guide Virginia’s future.

250 years ago, Virginia led. And I will humbly submit that over these past four years Virginia has led in so many ways that may have stunned others, but should surprise none of us.

And so as we prepare to write the next 250-year chapter of our nation’s history, Virginia should and Virginia must continue to lead.

It has been the honor of a lifetime for Suzanne and me to serve in this season alongside all of you.

So from the bottom of our incredibly grateful hearts: “thank you, Virginia.”

May God bless all of you. May He continue to bless our great Commonwealth. And may He always bless the United States of America.

FRONT ROYAL — Warren County Department of Social Services is partnering with Samuels Public Library to offer a free parenting course designed to help families build stronger relationships and practical skills for handling everyday challenges at home.

The program, titled “How-to approach to Parenting,” is based on the Love and Logic approach and will run for six weeks, with sessions held on Thursdays beginning Feb. 5, 2026, at Samuels Public Library.

According to organizers, the course is aimed at equipping parents and caregivers with tools for raising respectful, responsible, and confident children, while also reducing household conflict and power struggles.

Topics covered during the six-week series will include:

• Setting limits with empathy
• Reducing arguing, defiance, and power struggles
• Tools to help children learn from mistakes
• Building responsibility and resilience
• How to stay calm — even when children aren’t

Registration is required. Those interested can register by contacting Lillian Johns by phone at 540-635-3430, ext. 3386, or by email at [email protected].

The class is free to attend and will be held at Samuels Public Library in Front Royal.

Edited by Dan McDermott.

BENTONVILLE, Va. — The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation invites the community to participate in the Master Plan Public Comment Meeting for Raymond R. “Andy” Guest, Jr. Shenandoah River State Park. Master plans are updated every 10 years and help guide development and conservation for Virginia State Parks. 

The meeting will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 20, in White Meeting Room A at the Samuels Public Library from 6 to 8 p.m. (330 E Criser Rd, Front Royal, VA 22630). DCR representatives will present updates, discuss potential improvements and gather public input on park facilities, trails, visitor experiences and environmental stewardship. 

“We encourage everyone who enjoys Shenandoah River State Park to attend this meeting and share their thoughts,” said Park Manager Dustin Haymaker. “Public input is essential in ensuring the park remains a top destination for outdoor recreation while preserving its natural beauty for future generations.” 

Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, provide feedback and learn more about proposed enhancements to the park. The meeting is open to all, and registration is not required. 

Written feedback will also be accepted through Feb. 20. Comments may be emailed to [email protected]; faxed to 804-786-9240; or mailed to Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Attn: Salim Chishti, 600 E. Main St., 24th Floor, Richmond, Virginia 23219. 

For more information about the master plan process or the upcoming meeting, go to https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/recreational-planning/sh-masterplan.  

Virginia State Parks are managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. For more information about Virginia State Parks’ activities and amenities or to reserve one of the more than 1,800 campsites or 300 climate-controlled cabins, call the Virginia State Parks Reservation Center at 800-933-PARK or visit www.virginiastateparks.gov.  

From a release. Posted by Dan McDermott.

BROWNTOWN — The Browntown community will celebrate spring with the annual Browntown Redbud Festival on Friday, April 18, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The festival will be held at two nearby locations — the Browntown Community Center and the Browntown Baptist Church Fellowship Hall — with organizers noting it’s an easy walk between venues, with the Browntown Museum located in between.

The event will feature family-friendly activities and entertainment throughout the day, including a duck race (tickets available onsite), crafters and artisans, live music, face painting, a silent auction, and an antique car show. Food will also be available, and redbud seedlings will be offered for sale.

Admission and parking are free.

For more information, visit browntowncommunity.com. Vendor inquiries may be sent to [email protected].

FRONT ROYAL, VA — Warren County is proud to announce a series of signature events commemorating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution as part of the statewide VA250 initiative. These events will take place throughout 2026 and are designed to honor the region’s revolutionary-era heritage while inviting residents and visitors to experience history where it unfolded—along the Shenandoah River and throughout the Shenandoah Valley. 

Anchored by storytelling, community participation, and place-based history, Warren County’s VA250 programming reflects the area’s role as a crossroads of colonial settlement, Native American life, and early American independence. 

2026 Warren County VA250 Signature Events 

From Lanterns to Liberty Saturday, April 18, 2026 | Warren Heritage Society | 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

A full-day, immersive experience that brings the spirit of the American Revolution to life in Warren County. Throughout the day, visitors will enjoy engaging colonial-era demonstrations, living history experiences, hands-on activities, and a variety of vendors and educational programming designed to inform and inspire participants of all ages. As daylight fades, the event culminates in a powerful and symbolic glow walk from the Warren Heritage Society to the Town Gazebo, commemorating Paul Revere’s midnight ride and honoring the call to liberty that helped spark a revolution. 

Freedom Flows Festival Saturday, May 30, 2026 | Eastham Park | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

A family-friendly celebration that showcases the vital role the Shenandoah River has played in shaping the history, culture, and growth of Front Royal and Warren County. The day will be filled with children’s games and hands-on activities, engaging educational talks, and live demonstrations that bring river history to life. Festivalgoers can explore interactive exhibits, enjoy local food and artisan vendors, participate in demonstrations, and take part in games designed to educate, entertain, and connect the community to the river that continues to shape its story. 

Liberty Day: Heritage Celebration Saturday, October 3, 2026 | Rockland Park | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

An immersive, community-wide capstone event that brings the American Revolution to life while celebrating our shared commitment to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Designed for all ages and backgrounds, this dynamic, daylong event invites families, history enthusiasts, and first-time learners alike to step into the past through lively reenactments, hands-on demonstrations, and interactive experiences. With engaging activities for children and adults, plus educational programs developed in partnership with local historical organizations, Liberty Day creates welcoming, meaningful opportunities for everyone to explore, learn, and connect with the stories and ideals that continue to shape our nation and community. 

“These events are about more than remembering dates,” said Cheryl Cullers, Chair Warren County Board of Supervisors. “They’re about connecting people to place, honorin honoring the stories that shaped Warren County, and inviting the next generation to see themselves as part of our nation’s ongoing story.” 

Warren County’s VA250 events are being developed in collaboration with local organizations, volunteers, educators, and community partners to ensure historically grounded programming that is welcoming, inclusive, and engaging. 

Additional details—including schedules, volunteer opportunities, sponsorship information, and travel planning resources—will be released in the coming months. 

For updates and event information, visit www.WarrenCountyVA250.com and follow Warren County VA250 on social media. 

About Warren County VA:

250 The Warren County VA250 initiative is part of Virginia’s statewide commemoration of the 250th anniversary of American independence, recognizing Virginia’s central role in the founding of the nation while highlighting local stories, landscapes, and communities that shaped history. 

Information from a release. Posted by Dan McDermott.