Kaine to be special guest at Bobby Scott’s cookout
USFWS and NFWF announce $8.9 Million to Restore and Conserve Habitats in Chesapeake Bay Watershed
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Story coming later today for paid subscribers only: A local Democratic committee is voting on whether or not they should remove a committee member who posted a reel appearing to support an Independent candidate running against the only declared Democratic candidate in the whole locality. The locality is mainly Democratic, whereas all of the candidates running this year appear to be Democrats, throwing into question whether the committee member should be removed, even if she technically broke the rules. The member says the infraction was unintentional, but the committee is still moving forward with a vote to remove her. This will be the first year this locality is holding partisan elections for city council.
Kaine to be special guest at Bobby Scott’s cookout
Rep. Bobby Scott, D-VA03, announced Tuesday that he will host several special guests at his Annual Labor Day Cookout, including Sen. Tim Kaine and several Virginia elected officials. The Cookout will be held this Monday, September 2, 2024, at 914 Shore Drive, Newport News, Virginia, from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.
“The Annual Labor Day Cookout allows us an opportunity to celebrate the significant contributions made by our Labor Community,” Scott said.. “The Cookout also gives me an opportunity to personally thank the community and volunteers for their continued support,” Scott said. “As we all know, the stakes could not be higher for the election this November. My Annual Labor Day Cookout provides a platform for voters to engage with political candidates seeking office in Hampton Roads and throughout the Commonwealth before casting a ballot this fall,
Scott is inviting the public to attend his annual political kickoff for the general election season. It promises to be a fun-filled afternoon with food, conversation and live entertainment.
USFWS and NFWF announce $8.9 Million to Restore and Conserve Habitats in Chesapeake Bay Watershed
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced 30 grants totaling $8.9 million to support wildlife habitat, climate resilience, community conservation partnerships and equitable access to nature in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
"These funds help support partner-driven, locally led projects to improve water quality, enhance climate resilience, support conservation needs in vulnerable communities, and benefit residents and wildlife across the watershed now and well into the future,” said Service Director Martha Williams. “These investments help support a future for the Chesapeake Watershed where people and nature thrive in an interconnected way and where every community benefits from being part of a healthy watershed."
This year’s slate of grants will advance the goals of the Chesapeake Watershed Investments in Landscape Defense (Chesapeake WILD) Program and leverage more than $13.7 million in grantee matching funds for a total conservation impact of $22.6 million. The awards announced today will conserve more than 10,000 acres of fish and wildlife habitat, increase recreational access to 2,000 acres, restore nearly 100 miles of streamside forest habitat, and reconnect more than 1,500 miles of aquatic habitat for migratory fish species.
$75,000 will advance land protection on Virginia’s Northern Neck Peninsula and increase regional and organizational capacity to sustain land stewardship in the future by planning targeted outreach events and upgrading prioritization maps to identify opportunities to work with willing landowners on habitat conservation.
New Sweet Briar Policy Bars Transgender Students - Inside Higher Ed
by Josh Moody
In a move that has upset students, alumnae and faculty, Sweet Briar College announced earlier this month that it was changing its admissions policy and will no longer accept transgender applicants.
The small women’s college in rural Virginia has never had an admissions policy specifically for transgender students but has evaluated and admitted trans applicants on a case-by-case basis. The new policy holds that an applicant must confirm “that her sex assigned at birth is female and that she consistently lives and identifies as a woman,” according to Sweet Briar’s website.
State Sen. Chris Head: 'Deeply troubled' by some Botetourt County library books - Roanoke Times
by Lily Kincaid
The appropriateness of certain books found within Botetourt County Libraries is being called into question once again — this time by state Sen. Chris Head.
Standing before the county board of supervisors at its meeting on Tuesday, Head, a Republican, said that he’s bringing up his concerns not only as a state representative, but also as a county resident. Constituents have reached out to him expressing “grave concern” over certain books found in the county’s public libraries, he said.
Local news
Chesterfield announces new new director of Community Engagement and Resources
Following a nationwide search, Chesterfield County today announced Kimberly D. Conley as its new director of Community Engagement and Resources (CER). Conley, a Chesterfield resident who has spent more than three decades with the organization, currently serves as the department’s assistant director and will assume the duties of her new position on Aug. 31.
CER assists residents, businesses, and visitors through a variety of engagement-focused offices, including Aging and Disability Resources, Mobility Services, Multicultural Engagement, Volunteer Engagement, and Youth Engagement. CER also assists residents in connecting to the community and accessing needed resources throughout their lives.
Conley has been a full-time employee in Chesterfield County since 1991, working in a variety of roles throughout her long tenure.