Curated News from The Virginia Council 6/28/26

Legislative updates:

Virginia Democrats Reach Final Agreement on New Budget By Rich Tucker

Virginia Democrats Push DEI Agenda With Anti-White Tourism By Virginia Grace McKinnon

Campaign finance audits survive House-Senate budget By David M. Poole

Va. legislature grants emergency funds to help close leaking, bankrupt landfill in Chesterfield • Virginia Mercury By Shannon Heckt

Virginia Democrats Earmark $100,000 for Statue Honoring Late Judge Accused of Trading Sex With Convicted Killer's Mother for Legal Advice By Jessica Schwalb

Virginia’s ‘clean slate law’ to begin in July, allowing some criminal charges to be sealed from the public | WRIC ABC 8News By Ben Walls

Virginia judge blocks assault weapons ban six days before implementation | Courthouse News Service By Joe Dodson

(2) Virginia News Vanguard on X: "🚨2A DETAILS: "CARRYING FIREARMS IN PUBLIC AREAS" law: The governor's amendments to Virginia's unconstitutional "assault firearms" law may be pending, but we have not seen them as of early today. Yet Gov. Spanberger HAS offered an amendment to the "Possession of Firearms in https://t.co/jB4S1cSANH" / X

The budget agreement includes possible criminal penalties for public marijuana use | WVTF By Michael Pope

A new tax in Data Center Alley - POLITICO By Adam Aton

Virginia budget funds Richmond water, Coliseum demolition - Axios Richmond By Sabrina Moreno

Virginia Government updates:

(2) VA-TF1 / USA-01 - Urban Search and Rescue on X: "When disaster strikes, we answer the call. USA-01 is enroute to #Venezuela following the devastating earthquakes, w/ 79 personnel, six K9s, and 70k lbs of equipment. We are honored to represent the US, bringing our expertise, compassion, & unwavering dedication to those affected. https://t.co/8snA89Qwae" / X

State levies $106K civil charge on Halifax County solar facility - Cardinal News By Matt Busse

Spanberger Admin Proposes Extending Virginia’s Lowest-in-Nation English and Math State Standards for 2 More Years | Bacon's Rebellion - By Todd Truitt

(5) First Lady Melania Trump on X: "Foster children are in all 50 states, but only 23 Governors have pledged to create Fostering the Future Accounts. These accounts help foster youth save and invest, paving the way for financial independence. It's crucial that our Governors protect these vulnerable children, https://t.co/220DLHnlnU" / X

Google wants 2 million gallons of water per day. The Roanoke Valley loses nearly three times that much every day through leaks. - Cardinal News By Dwayne Yancey

Spanberger says VADOC reforms have led to decrease in overdoses, assaults on staff and more | WRIC ABC 8News By Tyler Englander

Installation of Flock Raven audio devices paused in Roanoke after 30 installed in wrong locations - Cardinal News By Samantha Verrelli

Virginia localities raise $119M for school construction through targeted sales tax • Virginia Mercury By Nathaniel Cline

Federal government weighs seabed mineral mining off Virginia coast By Katherine Hafner

Virginia joins challenge to Trump’s controversial IRS settlement • Virginia Mercury By Markus Schmidt

Articles, News, & Quotes:

House Republicans prepare ad blitz to lock in Florida and Virginia redistricting wins By Bridget Bowman

(2) Samuel B. Parker on X: "https://t.co/VZLIZtNDSA" / X A Georgia man has been charged with money laundering in connection with an alleged Richmond City Hall embezzlement scheme that's now approaching $3 million.

The Richmonder wins FOIA lawsuit against School Board over redacted documents By Michael Phillips

Spanberger Turns Virginia Into Giant Weed Dispensary By Kristen A. Ullman

Virginia’s Return to RGGI: Another Ratepayer Rip-Off in the Making | Bacon's Rebellion - By Jeff Reynolds

Virginia and the Color Purple By Joe Thomas

World Cup vs. Democratic Socialism - by Shaun Kenney

Georgia, Texas, Virginia: New Data Centers Mean Cheaper Electricity – RedState By Ward Clark

NTSB report: Bus continued for nearly half a mile after first colliding with traffic in work zone - Fredericksburg Free Press By FFP staff

Bird flu is devastating peregrine falcons in coastal Virginia By Katherine Hafner

History, Tradition, & the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence:

Herbert Hoover and the Declaration of Independence | The American Spectator | USA News and Politics By John Hendrickson

15 sites added to Virginia Landmarks Register - Cardinal News By Cardinal Staff

In Richmond, churches retrace the path of the enslaved to confront their own history | AP News By Fiona Andre

Chamber Urges Governor to Support Oak Hill State Park | General Assembly | loudounnow.com By Norman K. Styer

Historians Set Record Straight on 5 Events That Shaped America | The Epoch Times By Janice Hisle

I Went in Search of 'The Bedford Boys' ... and Found This – RedState By

(3) Echoes of War on X: "George Washington bred his own pack of hunting dogs and named them like a man with zero supervision. We're talking Sweet Lips, Tipsy, Tipler, Drunkard, and one named Vulcan who was so big a kid could ride him like a pony. Vulcan once stole an entire ham straight off the dinner https://t.co/bdXOln8Ioi" / X

(4) American History Central on X: "JUNE 26, 1775 — WASHINGTON ANNOUNCES THAT HE INTENDS TO GIVE UP HIS SWORD New York City — General George Washington, en route to Boston, declared his intention to resign from the military and live as a private citizen after hostilities ended. The Pennsylvania Journal reported: https://t.co/NZiUUPSIgS" / X

The Constitution, Bill of Rights, & Liberty:

Going “All In”: The Supreme Court Delivers Major Wins for the Administration on Immigration Enforcement – JONATHAN TURLEY

Supreme Court Gets the Second Amendment Right By Cully Stimson

Thomas, Alito Chide Rogue Judges For Ignoring SCOTUS By Shawn Fleetwood

Judge blocks USPS plan to refuse to deliver mail-in ballots - UPI.com By Lisa Hornung

Trump order limiting voting by mail halted by federal court • Virginia Mercury By Jonathan Shorman

JONATHAN TURLEY: Supreme Court reins in judges who rewrote the asylum law | Fox News

'They Should Remove It': Migrants In Mexico Want Democrats To Defund DHS And ICE By Julio Rosas

Blöthar: "GWAR Didn't Change. The World Freakin Changed." - RVA Mag By R. Anthony Harris