Curated News Reports from The Virginia Council 1/18/26

Virginia Government updates:

Abigail Spanberger sworn in as Virginia's 1st female governor in historic inauguration - CBS News

After more than 600 days, Va. lawmakers adjourn 2024 special session • Virginia Mercury By Nathaniel Cline

Youngkin looks back on four years as governor and sees transformation, not regret • Virginia Mercury By Markus Schmidt

Gov. Glenn Youngkin: Virginia is stronger 'by every single metric' By Jahd Khalil

Virginia opts in to federal Education Freedom Tax Credit program, VEA condemns move | WRIC ABC 8News By Jessie Nguyen

Don Scott re-elected as Speaker of Virginia House of Delegates | WRIC ABC 8News By Julia Broberg

Virginia Democrats Jockey for 2029 Governor’s Race: Don Scott Signals Early Ambitions | National Review By Audrey Fahlberg

Both parties trumpet ‘affordability’ ahead of the General Assembly session, but plans to achieve that goal may differ - Cardinal News By Elizabeth Beyer

Spanberger defines herself as a 'Law-and-Order Democrat' — but says fear is not the same as safety | wusa9.com By Simone De Alba

Virginia Democrats look to rein in ICE enforcement | WVTF By Brad Kutner

‘Right to work’ unlikely to change much in Va. this year, union and business leaders agree | ARLnow.com By Scott McCaffrey

Attorney General-elect Jones announces new Public Advocacy Division, senior leaders | WRIC ABC 8News By Julia Broberg

Spanberger Appears on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ By Maggie Roth

Abortion access amendment clears General Assembly, is expected to go to Virginia voters | ARLnow.com By Emily Leayman

(5) VA Senate GOP on X: "🚨Senate Democrats BLOCK amendment requiring victims to be made whole before voting rights are restored. An amendment offered by @RyanMcDougle would require the victims of violent felons to be made whole before the voting rights of the perpetrator are restored. Democrats just https://t.co/DJA1OO8gBX" / X

Virginia Dems revive paid sick leave push after stalling it before - Axios Richmond By Sabrina Moreno

Virginia Democrats prepare plans to rejoin RGGI - E&E News by POLITICO  By Adam Anton

Virginia begins disbursing Hurricane Helene recovery funds to farmers, forest landowners | 13newsnow.com By Patriceia Beckford

2026 General Assembly Committee Assignments VPAP.ORG

Virginia Congressman Wittman among just 17 Republicans nationally to back ACA credits extension • Virginia Mercury By Charlotte Rene Woods

In his final address, Youngkin urges lawmakers to work with Trump - Cardinal News By Elizabeth Beyer

The Jefferson Council on X: "🚨The NYTimes is reporting that Governor-elect Spanberger has asked for the resignation of at least 5 BOV members at UVA, including Rector Rachel Sheridan and Paul Manning. It is unknown at this time if there are more than five. There are currently 12 members on the Board. If a https://t.co/dQNSdSUhdp" / X

Articles, News, & Quotes: 

(12) John Reid - The Reid Revolution on X: "Tim Anderson (@AssocAnderson): Dems' Redistricting Dilemma https://t.co/IW0rijoosK" / X

JFMN: GOP VA Chairman Debate 2026

VA Dems Seek Limitless Abortion, Gun Bans, And Gerrymandering By Breccan H. Thies

DOGE cuts wiped out years of growth in Virginia’s federal civilian jobs By Kunle Falayi

Debate over social studies testing delays Virginia accountability decision • Virginia Mercury By Nathaniel Cline

S.W., et al. v. Loudoun County School Board - America First Legal

Allegations Fairfax Co. social worker arranged, paid for student abortions are untrue, investigation finds - WTOP News By Scott Gelman

Mamdani-style Socialism Comes to VA+Can Supreme Ct Protect Girls' Sports? By Candi Cushman & Victoria Cobb

Justice Department accuses judge of abusing power in questioning prosecutor's authority | AP News By Michael Kunzelman

Apprenticeship programs are growing in Virginia, but some say not fast enough to meet demand By Toby Cox

Here's what's happening with the federal pause on Dominion Energy's offshore wind farm in Virginia Beach By Katherine Hafner

Virginia colleges resist disclosing athletic revenue-sharing - Cardinal News By David M. Poole

With new batch of invoices, city’s costs for FOIA officer lawsuit rise to $633K By Graham Moomaw

BREAKING: Amazon Web Services acquires more than 1,900 acres in central Louisa County for $72.45 million By Tammy Purcell

Trump DOJ fires prosecutor who declined to pursue James Comey case By Carol Loennig & Ken Dilanian

Virginia Tech, James Franklin are paying 6-figure fee to duck James Madison game next season | Sporting News By Billy Heyen

What UVA Leadership Knew—and When: A FOIA-Based Account of Governance Failure at UVA — The Jefferson Council

UVA Board Members Blast Lawmakers, Faculty in Texts By Josh Moody

ICE conducts operation in downtown Petersburg By Wayne Covil

Federal judge allows Virginia offshore wind project to resume | AP News By Jennifer McDermott

SomaliScan One place to see where taxpayer money goes. Government spending data is public but scattered across hundreds of websites, PDFs, and FOIA responses. We aggregate it into one searchable database so anyone can follow the money. We link entities across datasets - the same organization receiving state contracts, federal grants, and PPP loans appears as one profile, not three separate records.

History, Tradition & the 250th Anniversary of Independence

Samuel Adams By The White House “For no people will tamely surrender their Liberties, nor can any be easily subdued, when knowledge is diffused and Virtue is preserved.” — Samuel Adams

The Rarest Act in Human History - EKO LOVES YOU George Washington By Eko

Fortifying American Greatness - America's Future Ordered Liberty: America's Founding Idea by Lee Smith with Peter Berkowitz

Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, but George Wythe was 'the man behind the man' - Cardinal News By Randy Walker

Monument to Black Civil War troops to be dedicated Sunday in Rocky Mount - Cardinal News By Lindsey Hull

Dukes, delegates and duels: How a charcoal ‘warming machine’ witnessed centuries of Virginia history By Daniel Payne

America250 - Jack Miller Center The Jack Miller Center is a Philadelphia-based educational nonprofit committed to solving the national crisis of uninformed citizenship by teaching America’s founding principles and history.

The Valentine: The Museum Built By Meat Juice and Lovingly Preserved By Generations of Richmonders – JONATHAN TURLEY

The Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Liberty

Assault weapons ban could have new path forward under Gov. Spanberger, lawmakers say | ARLnow.com By Jared Serre

DOJ Declares Longstanding Gun Restriction Is Unconstitutional and Cannot Be Enforced | The Gateway Pundit | by Bryan Chai, The Western Journal By Bryan Chai

Election Activists Push Indiana To Ban Ranked-Choice Voting By Shawn Fleetwood

Democrats Fight to Keep the Insurrection Myth Alive in the New J6 Committee – JONATHAN TURLEY

(4) Kyle Cheney on X: "JUST IN: DOJ concludes that a federal ban on mailing concealable firearms is unconstitutional, saying the ban cannot be enforced and the Postal Service should remove its restrictions. https://t.co/WfDRc0Dbgg https://t.co/Y1nWg1C6MS" / X

(5) John Reid - The Reid Revolution on X: "Censorship in Plain Sight https://t.co/sZLdZp3Gfv" / X