Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 2h

"Virginia is one of the leading states in student loan debt, according to federal data. In Virginia, 55% of college graduates have student loan debt, and the average debt exceeds $40,000."

Virginia is No. 4 in student loan debt • Virginia Mercury

Debt-burdened Virginians in limbo with new payment plans, government shutdown

virginiamercury.com

Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 2h

"A Virginia Beach grand jury indicted two police officers on charges of obtaining money under false pretenses, following an internal investigation prompted by an anonymous tip."

Grand jury indicts 2 Virginia Beach police officers for obtaining money under false pretenses

Virginia Beach officers Sgt. Rebecca Peyer and Officer Brian O’Connell indicted for fraud; both suspended pending review. Police stress accountability.

www.13newsnow.com

Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 2h

"I realize that many have called for Jay Jones to step aside...But, as a Republican officeholder, I have long held to the belief that it is not my place to tell the Democratic Party what candidates they should nominate or ask to step aside.”

Griffith is only Republican in Virginia delegation not to call for Jones to quit race

Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, said “as a Republican officeholder, I have long held to the belief that it is not my place to tell the Democratic Party what candidates they should nominate or …

cardinalnews.org

Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 4h

"Wise pointed out that the issue isn’t just the number of licenses, it’s the structure itself...

“It locks everyone else out,” she said. “They can control everything from seed to sale, and they already do.”"

Who Benefits From Virginia’s Cannabis Chaos? Small Businesses Want Answers

Virginia’s hemp and cannabis industries are caught between safety enforcement and market consolidation. As state regulators ramp up raids and restrict hemp flower sales, small businesses say complianc...

rvamag.com

Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 5h

"The federal investigation into the death of convicted sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein was marred by significant lapses... including the failure by investigators to interview potential witnesses, properly preserve certain evidence and run basic...tests..."

In cell where Jeffrey Epstein died, a scene of disarray that never underwent thorough inspection, experts said

Photos of Jeffrey Epstein's cell show a scene of disarray that never underwent a proper inspection, according to experts.

www.cbsnews.com

Reposted by Activate Virginia

Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 6h

Clients of a Trump-connected lobbying firm keep landing no-bid ICE contracts

Ballard Partners is helping companies cash in on the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

www.motherjones.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 6h

“Rising fees and executive salaries contribute to the cost burden on students,” Jegeles stated. “Capping fees and salaries helps redirect sources towards student support and reinforces the idea of education as a public service not a profit-driven enterprise.”

Virginia faculty, students prepare legislative push to regain power at universities The Commonwealth Times

A coalition of faculty and human rights organizations are preparing a push to amend Virginia law to make universities more democratic and protect free speech in response to actions by Republicans and ...

commonwealthtimes.org

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 6h

"Jefferson and Vega fervently objected to the directive, with the former calling it “cowardly” to have a representative of the Prince William Chamber of Commerce in the audience without an advisory group presence."

'A gut punch:' Prince William supervisors disband resident-led data center advisory group

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors on Tuesday opted to disband the county’s resident-led Data Center Ordinance Advisory Group after months of restructuring and recent controversy, directin...

www.insidenova.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 7h

"She said she was shocked by the board’s move and said it felt like “payback” for the committee’s pushback against the data center interests.

“This is so dirty,” Kulick said. “Now the public’s voice has been silenced.”"

Supervisors dissolve county committee working on new rules for data centers

A special Prince William County committee working on new rules to deal with noise and other impacts of the exploding data center industry is no more.

www.princewilliamtimes.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 7h

"Each data center is equipped with sometimes dozens, sometimes hundreds of tractor trailer-sized generators largely running on diesel or natural gas. Burning these fossil fuels for power emits pollutants such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides..."

How could artificial intelligence impact air quality?

This series explores the impacts of data centers on water supply, energy use and air quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Data centers house the computer systems that enable internet

www.bayjournal.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 7h

"The faux outrage surrounding these 3-year-old text messages is political theater, meant to distract us from the horror of the here and now."

Williams: GOP hysteria over Jay Jones' texts is the epitome of hypocrisy

The party of MAGA does not get to lecture anyone about lawlessness, ethics or disqualifying behavior as it abides the destruction of the rule of law, the shredding of the Constitution, the siccing of ...

richmond.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 7h

"But the ongoing government shutdown has put the National Flood Insurance Program on hold, preventing it from issuing new policies or renewing existing ones."

Federal flood insurance is shut down. That could impact home sales in Hampton Roads.

The National Flood Insurance Program is on hold because of the government shutdown and cannot renew or issue new policies.

www.whro.org

Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 7h

"Culbertson, whose family is likely to make millions on the sale, declined to comment on how much he has been offered for the farm."

Daron Culbertson on why he's selling his family farm for a data center

Fauquier farmers face a changing landscape with shrinking margins.

www.fauquier.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 1d

"The athlete and VCU agree to keep the agreement confidential unless required otherwise by the law or NCAA rules. Speaking publicly about the deal could cause “irreparable harm.”"

VCU is paying its athletes now, but how much is a secret

The only financial information VCU has revealed about paying athletes is that the athletics department will budget between $4 million and $5 million for the initiative this year.

richmond.com

Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 1d

“That’s what I was expected to do as the FOIA officer, to hide evidence that was unfavorable to the city. So while I’m disappointed that they’re still doing it, I am not surprised at all.”

Officials won’t answer questions about Petula Burks’ missing cellphone

During a Sep. 24 hearing, Jimmy Robinson — an attorney representing the city — abruptly announced that Burks had lost her city-issued cellphone while traveling through a New York airport.

richmond.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 1d

"Cannabis operator-turned-analyst Max Jackson warned that giving medical incumbents an automatic head start is a policy choice with predictable outcomes: concentrated ownership, higher prices and a stubborn illicit market."

Virginia cannabis panel weighs retail roadmap against safety, access and equity concerns • Virginia Mercury

Virginia’s bipartisan Joint Commission to Oversee Transition of the Commonwealth into a Retail Cannabis Market spent Monday afternoon plowing through several dense presentations that, taken together, ...

virginiamercury.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 1d

"The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) did not use millions of federal dollars meant for healthcare facility oversight in recent years, according to the federal government."

Federal government says Virginia didn’t use millions meant for nursing home oversight: 'Really troubling'

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) did not use millions of federal dollars meant for healthcare facility oversight in recent years, according to the federal government.

www.wtvr.com

Reposted by Activate Virginia

Norfölkology @norfolkology.bsky.social · 1d

They keep doing the Eddie Murphy ‘wasn’t me’ move LOLOL

The memo comes after OMB edited its government shutdown guidance document this week to remove references to the 2019 law,
according to reporting from Government
Executive.

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 1d

"One agency hit hard by the shutdown is the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton. The facility has been reduced from a 1,756-person workforce during regular operations to 34 people, according to a Sept. 29 memo..."

At NASA Langley in Hampton, nearly all workers furloughed as Trump administration threatens no back pay

A NASA government shutdown plan indicates almost all of NASA Langley Research Center federal workers are furloughed, leaving just 34 employees on the job.

www.pilotonline.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 1d

"Faculty members in the university’s College of Arts and Sciences on Monday overwhelmingly voted in favor of supporting a statement...which called the compact’s existence “a threat to the values of academic freedom to which we are all committed."

U.Va. faculty call for no deal with Trump administration - Virginia Business

University of Virginia faculty members largely oppose the deal offered by President Donald Trump in exchange for improved access to federal money.

virginiabusiness.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 1d

""If you're here in opposition to this rezoning request, opposition for a potential data center, please stand," Cline said.

Nearly everyone in the audience stood."

Campbell County Supervisors say no rezoning request for three data centers

The Campbell County Board of Supervisors voted against a request that would have brought three data centers to the county.

wset.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 1d

"The Virginia Capitol Police elaborated on active criminal investigation(s) in the General Assembly while new invoices were produced in the Portsmouth Commonwealth's Attorney's FOIA case."

Updates: General Assembly Criminal Investigation(s), Over $250,000 Invoiced in Portsmouth FOIA Case

The Virginia Capitol Police elaborated on active criminal investigation(s) in the General Assembly while new invoices were produced in the Portsmouth Commonwealth's Attorney's FOIA case.

joshstanfield.substack.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 1d

"On Sept. 17, federal prosecutors accused Brown of stealing at least $1.5 million from the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign, a not-for-profit fundraising program for Virginia state employees."

Portsmouth woman admits to stealing more than $1.5 million from state government’s charity drive

Federal prosecutors say Linda Natelle Brown stole over $1.5 million from Virginia’s state employee charity campaign, using the funds for luxury expenses. She pleaded guilty and faces sentencing in Feb...

richmond.com

Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 2d

"Jones didn’t comment on potential environmental concerns of having a data center in Newport News, but added the city is in the “very initial steps” toward making that possibility a reality."

Newport News opens the door to add data center near Fort Eustis

The potential data center is one of 12 priority projects unveiled at the city’s EDGE Summit.

www.pilotonline.com

Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 2d

"At the Board of Visitors meeting in September, interim UVA President Paul Mahoney revealed that two components of the Department of Justice investigation into UVA have been closed."

Two parts of DOJ investigation closed, Mahoney says

At the Board of Visitors meeting in September, interim UVA President Paul Mahoney revealed that two components of the Department of Justice investigation into UVA have been closed.

uvamagazine.org