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Youngkin amends Virginia 'skill games' legislation, takes other action on final batch of bills

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Youngkin amends Virginia 'skill games' legislation, takes other action on final batch of bills


RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has proposed a rewrite of legislation intended to legalize and tax skill games, adding stiff new restrictions that industry supporters argued would still amount to a de facto ban of the slots-like gambling machines hosted by small businesses.

The governor put forward amendments late Monday that overhaul a measure the General Assembly sent him in March, calling for a higher 35% tax rate on the receipts from the machines, and a provision allowing localities to prohibit them. The proposed changes also add placement restrictions on the arcade-style games, banning them within about a half-mile of churches, day cares and houses of worship, and seemingly excluding them in many metro areas that already host a gambling establishment such as a casino.

While skill-games supporters vowed to fight the proposed changes, Youngkin spokesman Christian Martinez said in a statement “the added protections” the governor is seeking address “serious concerns with the regulatory structure, tax rates, the number of machines, impact on the Virginia Lottery and broader public safety implications” of the legislation.

The skill-games bill was one of dozens Youngkin took action on late Monday, as he ran up against a deadline to act on measures sent to his desk during the regular session that ended March 9.

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The governor, a Republican, vetoed measures that would have set up a prescription drug affordability board and allowed all localities to hold a referendum on raising sales taxes to help fund school construction. He amended a Democratic priority measure that aimed to protect the right to access contraception. And he signed off on measures expanding the state’s revenge porn law and establishing 18 as the minimum age for marriage.

Of the 1,046 bills sent to him this year by the Democratic-controlled General Assembly, he signed a total of 777, amended 116 — including the state budget — and vetoed 153, his office said. Youngkin has vetoed more bills in this year alone than any of his seven immediate predecessors did over their entire four-year terms, according to an accounting by the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project.

Lawmakers will reconvene in Richmond next week to consider his amendments. They could also attempt to override his vetoes, though Democrats would need Republicans to join with them to reach the necessary 2/3 vote threshold.

The skill games debate is a rare issue that has not fallen along partisan lines. A coalition formed to push for legalization this year centered the voices of the small-business owners who hosted the machines in establishments like gas stations and restaurants and shared in their profits before a ban first passed in 2020 took effect.

Rich Kelly, a restaurant owner and the president of the coalition, said in a statement Monday that Youngkin’s amendments were “devastating” and would effectively ban the machines by prohibiting them within within 35 miles of any casino, racetrack or gambling “satellite facility.” Virginia has casinos in Bristol, Danville and Portsmouth, and allows wagers on live horse races and another form of slots-like betting in historical horse race wagering parlors around the state.

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Youngkin’s proposed 35% tax rate would also make skill games the highest taxed good in Virginia, Kelly said.

For years, policymakers in Virginia and around the country have been grappling with how to regulate the machines, which look similar to slot machines but involve an element of skill, their manufacturers say. Virginia lawmakers first voted to ban skill games in 2020 as they were opening the door to casinos.

Operators got a reprieve after then-Gov. Ralph Northam asked lawmakers to delay the ban by a year and instead tax the machines and use the revenue for COVID-19 relief. The ban took effect in July 2021 but was challenged in court and put on hold for a while amid that fight.

Bill sponsor Aaron Rouse, a Democratic senator from Virginia Beach, said in a statement that he would work to block Youngkin’s amendments and “do everything possible to make the interests of small businesses – not casinos or massive out-of-state corporations – a priority.”

A coalition opposing skill game legalization that counts the state’s casinos among its members said in a statement that it was still reviewing the amendments but it appreciated the governor’s “more thoughtful approach” to a measure that would have “led to an unprecedented expansion of gambling in Virginia.”

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If both legislative chambers agree to Youngkin’s entire set of amendments when they meet next week, the bill as amended would become law. If lawmakers only accept certain amendments, the bill would be returned to Youngkin, who could either sign or veto it.

In other action late Monday, Youngkin approved a pair of mental health reform bills that stemmed from the death of Irvo Otieno, a 28-year-old Black man whose death last year while in custody at a state mental hospital sparked outrage and led to both legal charges and a wrongful death settlement.

Youngkin also sought amendments to two pieces of legislation that touch on organizations related to the Confederacy in a way that means lawmakers would have to approve them again next year before they could take effect. One of the bills would would have ended a tax perk currently enjoyed by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and the other would have ended the issuance of special license plates honoring Robert E. Lee and the Sons of Confederate Veterans.



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Snow expected tonight across DC, Maryland, Virginia: Forecast, totals, winter weather alerts

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Snow expected tonight across DC, Maryland, Virginia: Forecast, totals, winter weather alerts


A quick-moving winter storm will likely bring the first meaningful snowfall of the season to the D.C. region tonight, with slippery travel expected overnight into early Sunday as temperatures stay cold enough for snow to stick.

What we know:

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The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Washington, D.C., central and northern Maryland and northern Virginia from 8 p.m. tonight through 7 a.m. Sunday.

Forecasts call for:

  • 1 to 3 inches of snow for much of the Washington–Baltimore region
  • 4 to 5 inches possible in parts of Baltimore County and northeastern Maryland
  • A brief period of rain at the start in some spots before quickly changing to snow

Meteorologists say a narrow band of heavier snow could set up late tonight, briefly dropping visibility to less than half a mile and allowing snow to pile up faster.

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Snow totals and impacts

Once the precipitation turns fully to snow, travel may become slippery across the region.

Expected snowfall amounts:

  • D.C. metro: 1–3 inches
  • Montgomery and Prince George’s counties: 1–3 inches
  • Howard and Anne Arundel counties: 1–3 inches
  • Baltimore region: 2–4 inches, with isolated 5-inch totals
  • Northern Virginia (Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria): 1–3 inches

Temperatures fall into the upper 20s and low 30s, helping the snow accumulate on untreated roads, sidewalks and bridges.

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Why this storm matters

This system marks the first snow of the season that will actually stick for the D.C. area. The storm arrives as yet another blast of Arctic air drops into the Mid-Atlantic.

According to the FOX Forecast Center, the weakening of the polar vortex is allowing cold air to spill south, setting the stage for any moisture tonight to fall as snow.

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What’s next

Snow is expected to taper off by mid to late Sunday morning. A Gale Warning is also in effect for the Chesapeake Bay and tidal Potomac starting Sunday morning, and wind chills near 0°F are possible late Sunday night into Monday.

Residents should monitor local forecasts and plan for slower travel overnight and early Sunday.

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The Source: This story is based on forecasts and advisories from the National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington and the FOX Forecast Center.

WeatherTop StoriesWashington, D.C.VirginiaMaryland



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Virginia mosque attacked, Muslim advocates call for hate crime charges

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Virginia mosque attacked, Muslim advocates call for hate crime charges


Community members are calling for the man accused of attacking a Muslim community center in Virginia to be charged with hate crimes after he was recently arrested. The mosque says the man has attacked its members multiple times.

Virginia mosque attack

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What we know:

The latest attack happened on Nov. 28, at the Dar Al Nur Community Center in Fairfax County. In security footage shared by the mosque, a man can be seen berating a group of women leaving prayer. When they see the man, they run back through the door and threaten to call the police.

The man is then seen swatting at the camera, while shouting, “F—ing Muslims! Get the f— out of here!”

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Police arrested Dr. Tony Hsiao shortly after the incident, charging him with assault, trespassing and destruction of property. Hsiao was arrested last year on similar charges. 

What they’re saying:

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Hsiao has not been charged with a hate crime, and advocates say that’s unacceptable.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called pubically Friday for state and federal officials to charge Hsiao with a hate crime.

“[F]ederal authorities must hold him fully accountable by filing hate crime charges,” CAIR attorney Ahmad Kaki said in a statement. “no one should be able to get away with repeatedly attacking the same house of worship. We must send a message that all faiths are welcome and safe in Fairfax County and throughout our nation.”

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The Source: Information in this story is from the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Fairfax County Police Department.

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Virginia Sports Hall of Fame announces Class of 2026

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Virginia Sports Hall of Fame announces Class of 2026


HENRICO, Va. (WWBT) – The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2026 on Wednesday.

This year’s group of athletes, coaches, administrators, and contributors whose influence spans generations, levels of competitions across the state. This includes one man from Richmond, who has also been named the 2026 Distinguished Virginian.

The Class of 2026 inductees are as follows:

  • Bobby Ukrop (Richmond): Robert S. “Bobby” Ukrop has been named the “2026 Distinguished Virginian” presented to an individual with a sports background who is a distinguished citizen of the Commonwealth based on outstanding life accomplishment”. A former basketball player at the University of Richmond, Ukrop has been a transformative community leader, leading initiatives throughout Central Virginia including the founding of Richmond Sports Backers, construction of the Diamond baseball stadium, efforts to “Drown-proof Virginia” learn to swim initiative.
  • Grant Hill (Reston): ACC Player of the Year; two-time consensus All American; two-time NCAA Champion; one of the ACC’s 50 Greatest Players; 19-year NBA career – 17,137 points -7-time NBA All-Star- 3-time NBA Sportsmanship Award; Olympic Gold Medalist; member of the College and Naismith Memorial Basketball Halls of Fame. National broadcaster for both NCAA and NBA games. Co-owner of the Atlanta Hawks (NBA) Orlando City SC (MLS), Orlando Pride (NWSL) and the Baltimore Orioles (MLB).
  • Marcellus “Boo” Williams (Hampton): Widely regarded as one of the most successful and influential youth basketball coaches in the nation, Williams has helped shape the careers of countless young men’s and women’s players. Walt Disney Wide World of Sports named Williams its 2001 Volunteer of the Year; The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame presented him with its 2013 Human Spirit Award. Williams currently operates his youth basketball programs from the 135,000 sq. ft. Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton.
  • Michael Vick (Newport News): The former Virginia Tech standout and NFL quarterback, Vick became one of the most dynamic players of his generation. At Virginia Tech, Vick led the Hokies to the 1999 National Championship game and was a 1st team All-American and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. The #1 overall pick in the 2001 NFL draft, Vick played in the NFL for 13 seasons, earning 4 Pro Bowl selections and the 2010 NFL Comeback Player of the Year. After his retirement, Vick was a commentator for Fox NFL Sunday. He is currently the head coach of the Norfolk State University Spartans.
  • Wally Walker (Charlottesville): Often credited with starting the prominence of UVA basketball, Walker led the Cavaliers to their first NCAA tournament berth in 1976 when he was the MVP of the ACC Tournament. Walker was the #5 overall pick of the 1976 NBA draft and played for 8 NBA seasons winning two NBA Championships. Following his playing career, Walker moved to the front office, to become the President of Seattle SuperSonics.
  • Kristi Toliver (Harrisonburg): One of the most accomplished basketball players in Virginia history. Toliver was the 2009 ACC Player of the Year, a 2-time All-American, NCAA National Champion, 1st round WNBA selection, 2-time WNBA Champion and a 3-time WNBA AllStar. Toliver is currently the associate head coach of the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA.
  • Terry Driscoll (Williamsburg): A visionary leader in collegiate athletics, Driscoll served with distinction as the Director of Athletics at William & Mary for 22 years, during which the Tribe won 114 Conference Championships, had 118 teams with 100% graduation rates and oversaw a dramatic increase in funding for new facilities and the College’s endowment. A true “Scholar-Athlete” himself, Driscoll was an Athletic and Academic All-American, the #4 overall pick in the 1969 NBA draft, and a championship professional coach in Europe.
  • Roland Lazenby (Wytheville): A former reporter with the Roanoke Times, Lazenby is best known for his award-winning author of over 60 sports books that has vaulted him to the top of his profession. Widely regarded as an “expert or authority” on NBA basketball, several of his most prominent books are “go to” references on Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
  • Tony Bennett: Former University of Virginia basketball coach, two-time Naismith Coach of the Year, and national championship coach as long stood among college basketball’s most respected leaders. Over an 18-season head coaching career, including stops at Washington State and the University of Virginia, he compiled a remarkable 433-and-169 overall record. He took over Virginia in 2009 and transformed the Cavaliers into a powerhouse, amassing a 364- 136 record while becoming the programs all-time wins leader. His crowning achievement came in 2019, when his team captured the NCAA national championship- a milestone that delivered Virginia its first ever national title in men’s basketball. Under Bennett’s stewardship, Virginia won six regular season conference titles, two conference championships, and made 10 NCAA Tournament appearances.

The 53rd induction events are set for Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the Hilton Richmond Hotel and Spa/Short Pump.

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