www.thecentersquare.com – By Shirleen Guerra | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-05-28 13:58:00
Over 75,000 Democratic voters have cast early ballots ahead of Virginia’s June 17 primary, with the highest turnout in competitive Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia districts. Republican turnout is much lower, with just over 7,000 ballots statewide, and no statewide Republican primaries this cycle. Both major party gubernatorial nominees run unopposed: Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Democrat Abigail Spanberger. The most competitive race is the six-way Democratic primary for lieutenant governor, led by former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney. Early voting continues through June 15, with mail ballot requests due by June 7.
(The Center Square) – Over 75,000 Democratic voters have cast early ballots ahead of Virginia’s June 17 primary, with turnout the highest in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia districts holding competitive races.
House Districts 81, 80 and 93 — covering parts of Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Newport News —eachreported over1,400 ballotsas of May 27, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. Republican turnout remains much lower, with just over 7,000 ballots returned statewide.
There are no statewide Republican primaries this cycle, and both major party nominees for governorare already set. Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears is running unopposed and recently released a 30-second ad focused on her military service and values.
“If you want another typical politician, look to Washington,” she says. “But if you want a United States Marine who will always fight for Virginia, I’m Winsome Earle-Sears.”
Democrat Abigail Spanberger is also unopposed and remains active on the trail. Sheis runningon a policy agenda focused on lowering drug prices, improving public education and addressing cost-of-living issues. Her campaign has raised over $16.3 million.
The most competitive statewide primary is the six-way Democratic race for lieutenant governor. Sen. Ghazala Hashmi is airing a new ad tying her platform to reproductive rights and her 2019 Senate flip.
“I ran in what was the heart of the Confederacy to take on Trump, and I flipped the State Senate,” she says.
Former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney leads in fundraising with over $1.4 million and was endorsed last week by actor and education advocate LeVar Burton.
Del. Aaron Rouse has raised $1.18 million and is highlighting his votes to defend abortion rights and cut taxes for seniors. He’s also positioned himself as a direct counter to Trump’s influence in Virginia.
Other Democrats in the race include Babur Lateef, Victor Salgado and Alex Bastani. Republican John Reid is unopposed on the ballot, though John Curran is mounting a write-in campaign after failing to qualify.
Early voting runsthrough June 15. The last day to request a mail ballot is June 7.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The content primarily reports factual information about early voting turnout, candidate profiles, campaign activities, and fundraising figures in Virginia’s upcoming primary elections. It highlights details about both Democratic and Republican candidates without using loaded or emotive language that favors one side. The article presents direct quotes from candidates on each side, maintaining a neutral tone and focusing on campaign facts rather than endorsing or criticizing any party or ideology. Overall, the piece adheres to straightforward, balanced reporting by covering relevant electoral details without promoting a specific ideological stance.
www.youtube.com – 13News Now – 2025-07-21 19:31:57
SUMMARY: As of July 21, the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season is about one-third complete, with only three named storms so far and overall quiet conditions in both the Atlantic and eastern Pacific basins. A new area of interest, Invest 94L, is located far east in the Atlantic but faces hostile conditions including dry Saharan dust and fast westward movement, limiting its development chances to about 10%. Historically, long gaps without named storms occur, with a notable 61-day lull in 1999. Tropical activity typically increases in August as conditions become more favorable. Tonight’s Hurricane Hub Live highlights ongoing monitoring and preparedness guidance.
13News Now chief meteorologist Tim Pandajis has the latest on the tropics. The National Hurricane Center is tracking an area of low pressure, known as Invest 94L, in the central Atlantic. Showers and thunderstorms have become less organized, and conditions are expected to become less favorable over the next day or so as the system moves west-northwest at 10–15 mph, according to hurricane forecasters.
Overall, things are quiet in the tropics, but we’re approaching a time when storm activity typically ramps up significantly.
Following two major water crises in six months, Richmond Mayor Danny Avula has launched two work groups to improve water system resilience and public trust. One group will focus on financial strategy and infrastructure upgrades, while the other will coordinate with regional water systems. Recent boil water advisories and operational failures, including those in January and May, exposed vulnerabilities and communication missteps. A state health report cited preventable failures and a “culture of complacency.” The city now faces state-mandated corrective actions and over $120 million in needed upgrades. Officials hope new collaborations mark a turning point for Richmond’s water system.
Facing renewed scrutiny after back-to-back water crises, Richmond Mayor Danny Avula has announced the creation of two new water-focused work groups aimed at building a more resilient regional system and restoring public trust.
“These two work groups mark a critical step forward in building a stronger, more resilient water system for the region,” Avula said in a statement. “Just today, we saw that spirit of collaboration in action as Richmond provided additional water to our neighboring locality during their planned maintenance. That’s what partnership looks like: clear communication, shared problem-solving, and mutual support.”
The announcement comes just weeks after a second major boil water advisory in less than six months rattled large portions of the city and surrounding counties. Though other central Virginia localities including Hopewell and Petersburg most recently experienced water-related emergencies, Richmond’s earlier water crises — and its recovery and resilience efforts — remain a top focus of public concern.
In January, a cascade of failures at Richmond’s aging Water Treatment Plant left thousands without safe water for nearly a week. And in late May, another operational issue forced the city to issue an emergency alert affecting dozens of neighborhoods across Richmond’s Northside, Southside and central districts.
Of the newly founded groups, one will focus internally on scenario planning and long-term financial strategy. Led by Chief Administrative Officer Odie Donald and Public Utilities Director Scott Morris, the team will evaluate capital investment needs, debt management strategies and ratepayer impacts. They will consult with external financial experts, including Davenport Financial Advisors and Raftelis.
The second group will be a regional collaboration, including water utility leaders and technical experts from Chesterfield, Hanover, and Henrico counties, whose water systems connect to Richmond’s. That team will coordinate operations, capital improvement plans, rate models, and joint funding requests. It will also formalize a routine communication structure to keep all partners updated.
“These work groups and real-time collaborations are exactly what it takes to meet the challenges of modern infrastructure,” Morris said. “The ability to assist Henrico in this way underscores our capacity, but more importantly, it shows how jurisdictional coordination helps us all move forward with confidence.”
But the mayor’s announcement lands in the shadow of Richmond’s troubled recent track record.
On May 27, just as the system was recovering from early-morning repairs, filters at the water plant re-clogged after running at full capacity. Pressure dropped in the Ginter Park tank, and by mid-morning, officials had issued a boil water advisory that later expanded across the city, covering areas from Carytown to Manchester and VCU to Ancarrow’s Landing.
Avula acknowledged that the city’s messaging to residents changed throughout the day, with the first public notice assuring the public that drinking water was unaffected, followed by a citywide boil alert a few hours later. He said the delay was due to the city’s efforts to first alert neighboring localities and reduce demand before informing the broader public.
The city had reached out to Chesterfield and Henrico counties to “try to figure out, ‘hey, what can we do to reduce demand on the system?’” Avula said at the time. “That allowed us to have more time to recover the facility and then make a plan of action to move forward.”
The flip-flop in messaging only added to public frustration following the January disaster, which state health officials have called “completely avoidable.”
In an April report, the Virginia Department of Health blamed the January failure on “a long chain of preventable failures,” including untested backup batteries, broken valves, and a failure to follow emergency protocols. The water plant flooded after a winter storm knocked out power and backup systems failed.
“The crisis could have been prevented with better operational decisions,” said State Health Commissioner Dr. Karen Shelton upon the report’s release. “Our goal now is to ensure corrective actions are taken swiftly and effectively, so Richmond-area families can trust their water supply.”
In response to the January incident, the city received a second formal violation notice and is now under state mandate to develop a corrective action plan. An independent engineering probe identified more than $63 million in urgent infrastructure upgrades on top of the $60 million already proposed in Richmond’s capital plan.
Those include automating emergency systems, modernizing electrical infrastructure, and redesigning critical flood-prone elements of the treatment plant.
While Avula praised the Department of Public Utilities’ recent work, the VDH report described a “culture of complacency” where makeshift fixes became standard and systemic risks went unaddressed.
Now, as summer heats up, the mayor hopes that formalizing collaboration and financial planning will signal a turning point. Both newly created work groups have already begun meeting to chart next steps, the city said in a statement.
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Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
This content primarily presents a factual and balanced report on Richmond’s recent water crises, focusing on government responses, infrastructure challenges, and public health implications. It includes official statements from the mayor and city officials, critiques from state health authorities, and details about corrective measures without overtly partisan language or editorializing. The article’s tone is neutral, emphasizing accountability and practical solutions rather than ideological perspectives, which positions it in the political center.
www.youtube.com – 13News Now – 2025-07-19 17:35:34
SUMMARY: Once declared dead nearly a century ago, the Elizabeth River is showing signs of revival thanks to ongoing restoration efforts. Long known as one of the most polluted waterways on the East Coast, it’s now a vital part of Norfolk’s waterfront and economy. Efforts led by the Elizabeth River Project, including rain gardens, tree plantings, oysters, and infiltration trenches, have improved water quality. The river now holds an overall C grade, with tributaries like the Lafayette Branch showing marked improvement. In areas like Muddy Point, fish species have increased from 4 to 26. Experts say continued work is still needed.
For decades, the Elizabeth River was seen as one of the most polluted waterways on the East Coast. But it’s seen as the heart of Norfolk’s waterfront. Work to restore, maintain, and improve the river includes partnerships across city, state, and federal lines — all contributing to a healthier, more resilient river system. The latest State of the River Report gives the river an overall C grade, but key areas like the Lafayette branch are now scoring higher.
