Virginia
How Kamala Harris’ new policy plan could impact housing in Virginia – WTOP News
Virginia Democratic lawmakers praised Vice President Kamala Harris’ housing policy plans in a virtual call Wednesday afternoon. The gathering came…
This article was reprinted with permission from Virginia Mercury.
Virginia Democratic lawmakers praised Vice President Kamala Harris’ housing policy plans in a virtual call Wednesday afternoon. The gathering came on the heels of a new campaign ad highlighting Harris’ plan to build three million new homes and rental units if elected president.
The plan is part of a proposal she unveiled ahead of the Democratic National Convention, which includes providing $25,000 in down payment assistance for some first-time homebuyers and tax incentives for builders.
A 2021 Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission study found that most Virginains affected by affordable housing issues are renters. It also found that a declining number of Virginians can afford to purchase a home, while the state has an estimated shortage of at least 200,000 affordable rental units.
U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, D-Alexandria, said that Harris’ plans will help local governments handle affordable housing issues.
“She can do this by deploying tax incentives to build starter homes to alleviate the shortage of houses on the market for aspiring homeowners,” Beyer said.
He pointed to Harris’ support of increasing low income housing tax credits that local governments could utilize for construction of new homes and apartments. These tax breaks to developers help incentivize development of homes to various percentages of area median income.
But many localities in Virginia lack the authority to utilize LIHTC credits when negotiating developments and redevelopments with companies and a bill that would have expanded those abilities was vetoed this year by the governor. This is where state and federal levels of government can be helpful to local governments.
Alexandria councilman John Chapman stressed how increasing affordable housing options is “not a hyper-local issue.”
“We want to hear that at the state level, and we love to hear that at the federal level, that there’s a need for supply, and there are also going to be some additional tools,” he said.
Housing is a personal issue for him, Chapman said, as someone benefiting from living in the home that his mother was able to purchase, in part, from down payment assistance.
“I know personally of the effect of the generational wealth that has passed along from family to family,” Chapman said.
Some of Harris’ policy platforms will hinge on who controls the U.S. House and Senate next year if she is elected. In Virginia, Sen. Tim Kaine is running for re-election and all 11 congressional seats are in play.
Beyer said that he thinks the fact that both Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, have previously served in Congress can bode well for them.
He said that he thinks both candidates “struck a bipartisan and post-partisan tone in the convention.”
Bolstering housing supply is also something former president Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, wants to address if re-elected.
Trump’s housing plans include opening portions of federal lands to allow for new home construction while addressing inflation overall, as well as building on previous efforts to reduce regulatory barriers to construction.
During his first term in office he created Opportunity Zones meant to attract investors to underinvested neighborhoods, but there’s not enough evidence to determine if poverty declined more in these zones than elsewhere.
Agenda 47 from his campaign also alleges that illegal immigrants have driven up the cost of housing. While limited legal immigrants qualify for federal housing assistance, undocumented people could lose their anonymity if they tried to purchase a home or lease an apartment.
Jeff Ryer, a spokesman for the Trump campaign in Virginia said that “Trump will defeat inflation, lower mortgage rates and make homeownership an achievable dream again for Virginia families.”
Virginia
Five Key Takeaways From Virginia’s 80-72 Win Over Maryland
Virginia picked up another key win on Saturday evening after a 56 point explosion in the second-half marked by stellar shooting from the perimeter. Virginia pulled away to a double-digit lead and hit its free throws late to put the game away. Let’s take a deeper look at some key takeaways in the victory for the Cavaliers.
1. Virginia shoots the lights out in the second half
After struggling in the first half and only making nine of its 33 field goals, Virginia found its groove in the second half. The Cavaliers went 21-33 and were scorching hot from three-point range. The Hoos went 6-11 from beyond the arc, and their best perimeter shooter Jacari White went 3-3 from the three-point line in the second half. How was Virginia able to find its groove? They were sharing the basketball and continuing to find the open man. Virginia had 13 assists on 21 made field goals. Maryland had no answers for the Virginia offense and struggled to slow them down after an impressive showing in the first half. The Hoos had two players who scored double figures in the second half.
2. Chance Mallory gets it done on defense
The young guard didn’t have a great game shooting the basketball, going just 2-9 from the field, but what makes him special is his ability to affect the game in other ways especially defensively. Mallory was a pest on the defensive side of the ball and came up with five steals in the game, which led the team. He also added a block on Saturday evening. To be a small guard, he guards the perimeter extremely well. In days like Saturday when your offense is not hitting on all cylinders and struggling to score, it is a luxury to have a defense you can lean on to get you going. The Hoos have a perimeter player who can lead the charge and help the offense get back in a rhythm.
3. Dallin Hall Ignites
Hall was a go-to player in the second half of the game for the Cavaliers. He finished with 20 points on 8-8 shooting. In the second half alone, he scored 18 points. Hall scored in multitude of ways by driving to the rim, hitting perimeter shots, catch and shoots, and creating offense for himself. He did a little bit of everything and was the main engine on offense for the Cavaliers, especially when their best players struggled to get it going. That is what makes Virginia so good; they have true depth on their roster, and anybody can get theirs. Tonight happened to be Hall’s night.
4. Virginia defense is a problem
As we mentioned earlier, a main part of the defensive effort was Mallory, but he didn’t do it alone. Virginia continued to apply ball pressure and make it tough for the Terrapins to bring the ball up the floor. That led to 19 turnovers by Maryland on Saturday evening. The Hoos turned those turnovers into 22 points. A stat that further brings home their performance is their 15 steals on the evening. Yes, you read that right: 15 steals. Virginia had three different players with at least three steals on Saturday. Mallory, Hall, and Jacari White. Their first-half defense was exceptionally good as they held Maryland to just five made field goals and 21% from the field. They also only made two threes and forced 10 turnovers. When Virginia is playing at that level defensively, they are tough to beat.
5. Virginia is a scary basketball team
They are ranked No.24 in the country for a reason, but the Cavaliers are one of the best teams in the country, and they continue to prove it each night on the floor. After a long break, the first half was rough for the Hoos, but they hung their hat on their defense, which came through in a major way. Then their offense came alive, and the game wasn’t even close. Virginia has one of the better offenses in the ACC, and they have hit 80+ points in 10 of the 11 games played this season. What makes that stat even better is that the scoring isn’t predicted on their best players like Thijs De Ridder, Johann Grunloh, or Chance Mallory. Anybody can be the leading scorer on any given night. In their win over Maryland Eastern, Sam Lewis was the leading scorer with 15 points. Tonight it was Dallin Hall with 20 points on a perfect 8-8 shooting. When you have the depth, defense, scoring prowess, and unselfishness that Virginia has, it makes the team a tough one to play against and stop. Virginia continues to send warning signs to college basketball about how legit they are. Don’t just look at the 10-1 record, but what they are doing in each game and how they play basketball together. This team is legit.
More Virginia Basketball News:
•How to Watch Virginia Basketball vs Butler: Tipoff Time and TV Channel
•Virginia Men’s Basketball Ascends In Latest KenPom Rankings After Win vs Northwestern
•Will Virginia Land a Spot on the AP Top 25 After Win Over Northwestern?
•Virginia Finishes Strong, Downs Northwestern
•Three Key Takeaways from Virginia’s Tight 83-78 Win Over Northwestern
Virginia
Colorado, Deion Sanders to hire former highly-touted DC as defensive assistant
Colorado is expected to hire former Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Chris Marve as its next linebackers coach, according to CBS Sports. Marve served as the Hokies DC from 2022-2024.
Marve has previous experience on defensive staffs at Vanderbilt, his alma mater, Mississippi State, Florida State and Virginia Tech. He’s been in the coaching industry since 2014 when he was brought on as a defensive assistant with the Commodores.
By the time he left his alma mater in 2018, he had worked his way up to inside linebackers coach. He was brought on at Mississippi State in 2019 as the Bulldogs’ defensive run game coordinator and linebackers coach. His run there lasted one year before moving on to coach at Florida State for two seasons as the Seminoles’ linebackers coach.
ACC foe Virginia Tech would poach him away ahead of the 2022 season, where he stayed until he was fired following the 2024 season. He spent the 2025 season away from college football, and will now get another shot by joining Deion Sanders’ staff in 2026.
His playing days spanned from 2007-2011, where he has a three-time All-SEC linebacker for the Vanderbilt Commodores. Marve also earned Freshman All-American honors in 2008.
He’ll join a Buffaloes program that finished the 2025 season with a 3-9 record, which included a 1-8 record vs. conference opponents. This came in the fallout of their 9-win season led by current Cleveland Browns QB Sheduer Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.
Colorado wide receiver Dre’lon Miller plans to enter NCAA Transfer Portal
Colorado wide receiver Dre’lon Miller plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, per On3’s Pete Nakos. He caught 20 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown this past season.
His 2024 season was a bit better. Miller caught 32 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns prior. He’s shown he can get the job done when there’s some solid quarterback play on offense.
Miller played high school football at Silsbee (Silsbee, TX), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 141 overall recruit in the 2024 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted algorithm that complies all major recruiting media services.
Time will tell where he ends up next. There will certainly be plenty of interest in his services when the time comes.
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
Virginia
Virginia Democratic operative arrested on child pornography charges
WARNING: This story contains material some readers may find disturbing due to its graphic content. Reader discretion is advised.
RICHMOND, Va. — A Virginia Democratic operative is accused of distributing child pornography.
Randon Alexander Sprinkle, 30, allegedly engaged in conversations with an undercover FBI agent in May of this year through the Jack’d app under the name “Randy.”
The 9-page affidavit states that Sprinkle asked the agent to move their conversation to Telegram, where he allegedly wrote “mostly into young, rape, incest – you?”
The arrest has prompted swift condemnation from elected officals who worked with Sprinkle in various capacities.
Richmond City Council Vice President Katherine Jordan said Sprinkle served as her 2024 campaign treasurer, handling campaign forms, events and financial reporting.
“What has been alleged is disgusting and abhorrent,” Jordan said in a statement. “I’m shocked and sickened.”
1st District Council member Andrew Breton also used Sprinkle’s services for campaign finance reports and event logistics.
“The allegations are shocking and disturbing. I am grateful that law enforcement is involved, and that justice is taking its course,” Breton said.
Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, who has appeared in several photos with Sprinkle that he posted on X, also responded through spokesman Jared Leopold.
“Congresswoman McClellan is shocked by these appalling accusations which should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Leopold stated.
Sprinkle previously served as a leader in the Young Democrats of Virginia and held a financial director position with the Democratic Part of Virginia.
He has also been photographed with Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger. Spanberger’s representatives have not responded to requests for comment.
The FBI affidavit confirms that 68 files were extracted during a forensic sweep of Sprinkle’s electronic devices, some with disturbing titles. Legal expert Ed Riley said the investigation may have uncovered evidence of distribution through peer-to-peer networks where individuals exchange illegal video files and images.
If convicted on the single charge of distribution of child pornography, Sprinkle faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison, with potential sentencing up to 20 years.
“If they find the images and they can connect you to the images, you’re not dealing with the merits of the case anymore. You’re dealing with the resolution that it’s going to be,” Riley said.
Sprinkle is currently being held at the Northern Neck Regional Jail in Warsaw.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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