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New polling shows a small dip in support for Harris in Virginia
The VCU Wilder School released the results of its most recent Commonwealth Poll, conducted from Sept. 16 to Sept. 25.
Democratic nominee Kamala Harris leads Republican nominee Donald Trump 43% to 37%.
Miyares saves Wrinkles the giraffe from Natural Bridge Zoo; the zoo owners fight back on social media
Attorney General Jason Miyares announced victory in an animal cruelty case with a Rockbridge County Circuit Court ruling that four giraffes, including two pregnant females, will be immediately relocated from the Natural Bridge Zoo. The giraffes were among 71 animals awarded to Rockbridge County after a March jury verdict found evidence of neglect at the zoo.
The new zoo owner is pushing back and sharing videos of the investigative unit working with their animals and promising “more content to come.”
According to the court, four giraffes—Wrinkles, Valentine, Jeffrey, and Little Girl—are among the neglected animals.
Virginia colleges change protest rules, mirroring ‘unprecedented’ U.S. trend, advocate says
By Summer DeCiucis, Capital News Service
RICHMOND, Va. -- Students, lawmakers and free-speech activists question if updated university policies that regulate student demonstrations violate First Amendment rights.
After campus protests that led to some clashes with police, institutions such as Virginia Commonwealth University, James Madison University, University of Virginia and Virginia Tech adopted similar policies.
The new rules ban encampments, require masked individuals to show identification if asked, limit where students can hold events and implement stricter rules on chalking, a popular form of peaceful protest.
College students across Virginia have protested in response to the Israel-Hamas war, through marches and gatherings in solidarity with Palestine. The movement peaked before the end of spring semester, when Virginia students erected encampments on campuses that led to police response and 125 arrests, according to the Virginia Mercury.
After some controversy over whether she would be allowed to join the Appomattox Republican Party, the committee members voted Tuesday night to let former state Sen. Amanda Chase join the team.
Chase praised the decision, saying it “put an end to the Republican circular firing squad I had experienced for over a decade in Chesterfield.”
Chase hopes to earn the Republican nomination in Senate District 10 if state Sen. John McGuire wins his VA-05 congressional election next month.
Chase moved from Chesterfield to Appomattox last year, which made her eligible to run in SD-10.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney called to discuss his campaign for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. He talked about why he is running, what his experience as mayor has taught him, dropping down from the gubernatorial race, his relationship with one of his opponents — Aaron Rouse, the current lieutenant governor and more.
State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield, is running for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor.
I talked to her Monday about her priorities, why she believes she is the best Democrat for the job, what she has learned during her time in the General Assembly, how her life experiences have helped her become the legislator she is today, what she thinks of the current lieutenant governor Winsome Sears and more.
Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-VA02, released a new ad in her reelection campaign against her Democratic opponent, Missy Cotter Smasal. The ad will be on broadcast and online.
More on the VA-02 race
Kiggans was first elected to this office in 2022 when she defeated the Democratic incumbent, Rep. Elaine Luria.
Kiggans is a former Navy helicopter pilot and geriatric nurse. She was elected to the state Senate in 2019 to represent part of Virginia Beach.
On the other side of the aisle, Smasal also served in the Navy and says she is the only pro-choice veteran in the race.
Smasal ran for the state Senate in 2019 against Sen. Bill DeSteph (R). She raised over $2 million but lost to DeSteph by five points.
Ahead of the strike between the United States Maritime Alliance and the International Longshoreman’s Association, Gov. Glenn Youngkin sent a letter obtained by Virginia Scope to President Joe Biden urging him to help the groups reach an agreement. The strike at the Port of Virginia began at midnight Tuesday.
“I urge you to take all actions under your authority to bring the U.S. Maritime Alliance and the International Longshoremen’s Association to reach an agreement and avert a coastwide strike,” Youngkin wrote in the letter.
After the negotiations failed and the strike began, Youngkin released a statement.
“Every day this strike of Port Workers along the East and Gulf Coasts continues, the economic impacts intensify, affecting livelihoods, supply chains and prices. The economic fallout from the work stoppage at The Port of Virginia extends well beyond the Commonwealth, as the Port manages approximately $66 billion in essential imports, with nearly 60 percent destined for locations outside of Virginia. As a cornerstone of Virginia's economy, the Port supports 10 percent of the gross state product and supports employment for over half a million jobs in Virginia,” Youngkin said.
“The time for leadership is now,” he continued. “President Biden has the tools to remedy this situation for the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation, including utilizing provisions of the Taft-Hartley Act. The well-being of Virginia and American workers, as well as the health of our economy, depends on a swift resolution to this strike. A failure to lead will only drive-up prices, disrupt trade, and exacerbate the challenges already faced by Virginians and Americans.”
