| 4.) Speaking of violence, multiple whales, including an endangered right whale that had recently given birth, have been washing up on the Virginia coast in the area of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial Project which has led three public interest groups to file suit against Dominion and the Biden administration over the inadequacy of their plans to protect the endangered whales (here with a link to the full lawsuit). Judge Loren L Alikhan ordered a delay to any pile driving until Dominion and the Biden Administration can file a status report on the final approval of their efforts to protect the whales.
5.) In more violent news, Bedford County is paying cash prizes for each coyote killed in the county (here). Coyotes are a non-native species in Virginia and have become a nuisance. Maybe they should just call Gov. Kriti Noem (here)…I mean, dogs are just domesticated coyotes, right…?
6.) And in the most troubling story of violence, Thomas Jefferson Institute's former President Chris Braunlich wrote a chilling account of the Richneck Elementary School shooting of a teacher by a 6-year-old student (here - Because this is behind a paywall, email me for a copy). The number of ignored warnings, the troubling history of the student, the apparent cover-up, the inaction of staff, and the cruel decision to refuse the request of several students impacted by this shooting to change schools -- will make your blood boil. This is really a strong case for school choice…
7.) On Friday, Senate Finance Chair Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth), and House Appropriations Chairman Luke Torian (D-Prince William) confirmed that state tax collections appear to be high enough to meet spending priorities without expanding the sales tax to digital services, including the business to business component (here). This is in line with what Thomas Jefferson Institute's Steve Haner wrote multiple times (here and here). This is a win for taxpayers and the economy of the Commonwealth.
8.) Convenience store owners continue to argue that without the addition of skill games throughout the Commonwealth, convenience stores will have to close their doors (here). The truth is that convenience stores have flourished since COVID-19, have grown 1.5 percent in each of the last two years, and have had a 3.7 percent increase in sales (here and here). Skill games are predatory on the poor and are not a boon to state coffers as reported by ProPublica on gaming in Illinois (here).
9.) In a win for worker freedom, Virginia Beach rejected collective bargaining for city employees (here). Mayor Bobby Dyer rightly noted that collective bargaining would require $1 million in new spending, including a modified payroll system ($400k), two human resources officers, and two new lawyers ($500k). This is before any negotiations on higher pay and benefits. The mayor supported an enhanced "meet and confer" process, which won the day. The Thomas Jefferson Institute urged our members in Virginia Beach to testify and to be aware of the added costs and dangers to worker freedom.
10.) Sadly, Loudoun County Firefighters voted to approve their collective bargaining agreement (here). This contract will give firefighters a 12.4 percent raise and more time off.
11.) Virginia public school enrollment continues to decline (here). More parents are opting for alternative educational options for their children, including private schools and homeschooling. So, as the Governor and local school boards continue to throw more dollars at education, keep in mind, that this money is going to educate fewer students. Parents exiting public schools should be given an option to use a portion of their school allotment on alternative options and public schools should lose the revenue for students who opt not to attend their program -- without this, there is no incentive to improve!
12.) Attorney General Jason Miyares has joined seven other states in fighting against the Biden administration's new rules for Title IX to expand protections for LGBTQ+ students and to expand protections for victims of sexual assault (here). "The Biden Administration's unlawful rule would jeopardize half a century of landmark protections for women, forcing the administration's social agenda onto the states by holding federal funding hostage," Miyares said in a statement. The main objections are that these rules were not approved by Congress, they conflict with state laws, they negatively impact safe spaces for women, and they conflict with the purpose of Title IX (here). Interestingly, the new rules skirt the question of protecting women's sports.
13.) In a sign that safety continues to be an issue in our public schools, Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman has responded to the school division's Blue Ribbon Panel Report on school security by calling for School Resource Officers in every elementary school and at all after school activities (here). Again, something has gone wrong in our culture if our elementary schools need police officers roaming the halls…
14.) Dominion Energy is lowering residential bills by about 3 percent as the cost of the fuel they burn for their generators declined (here). This decrease will likely be somewhat offset by the added costs Dominion is seeking approval from the SCC to add for the coverage of new transmission lines. One wonders how much cheaper our energy bills would be if we hadn't mothballed so many existing energy sources and if Biden hadn't hampered the oil and gas industry with its green extremist policies.
15.) In a week of sad and troubling news, this story about a group of fraternity brothers protecting the American Flag brought me tears of joy...enjoy! | 
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