Virginia

Virginia airports and trails win federal funding bids • Virginia Mercury

Published

2 years ago

August 12, 2024

Virginia airports and trails win federal funding bids • Virginia Mercury

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) just keeps on giving and giving.

Passed in the fall of 2021, the law laid out a walloping $660 billion to be spread over five years for a smorgasbord of infrastructure upgrades. From the air to the sea to rail to roads, and even down to local multi-use trails, Virginia is included in the list of states and localities getting long overdue infrastructure fixes and funds to connect communities.

In order to receive the funds, localities with the ability to apply for grants must apply for a new round of funding each year until the program ends.

Last month, the United States Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration awarded $427 million to help modernize 245 airports in 39 states for fiscal year 2024, according to their press release.

Through BIL’s Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG) program, airports are slated to get $25 billion this year to expand terminals and runways, help with air traffic upgrades or other initiatives.

In Virginia, that translates to 45 airports getting more than $76 million for fixes. These include big airports like Washington Dulles International (which obtained $22 million) and Richmond International Airport ($6.8 million), to smaller airports like Tangier Island ($113,000) and Chesterfield’s Executive ($294,000).

“We’re going to use the current allocation for a taxiway project,” said John Rutledge, Chief Operating Officer with the Richmond International Airport. “It’s Taxiway E and Taxiway C. They’re two connecting taxiways from the air carrier apron to a runway.”

An apron is basically the parking spot for airplanes and many times it’s also where passengers embark. Rutledge said this infrastructure upgrade isn’t just a cosmetic fix, it’s actually a safety issue.

“The FAA says you can’t have a direct connection from an apron to a runway because a pilot might go directly from the apron onto the runway and cause an incursion,” he explained. “This project will just relocate those two intersections.”

Rutledge said the project will go under construction within the next 60 to 90 days.

For the smaller Chesterfield County executive airport, the almost $300,000 in grants are going toward a runway expansion.

“So, it’s a 500 foot-long extension that takes us from a 5,800 foot-long runway to a 6,300 foot long runway,” said John Neal, Director of General Services for Chesterfield County’s airport. “The primary benefit is that the aircraft that fly out, they’ll be able to depart with a full tank of fuel. Where now they’re not able to because of the weight factor in taking off. So it gives them a little more flexibility to have a longer range of flight.”

John Neal, Director of General Services for Chesterfield County’s airport points out where the new expansion at Chesterfield’s airport will go. (Ian Stewart/For The Virginia Mercury)

Neal said that expansion is still far from being completed, so the current AIG funds are being used to help with easement acquisition from an adjacent property that’s currently filled with brush and trees and natural gas pipelines. After that, they’ll apply for more funding to help complete the project.

Virginia and D.C. trails get some funding, too

In another round of grants generated through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the East Coast Greenway just received a $70-plus million shot of funding through a U.S. DOT program called Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity or RAISE.

“The East Coast Greenway is a 3,000-mile multi-use trail connected from Maine to Florida that is in the process of being developed and built as we speak,” said Elliott Caldwell, manager for the sections that run through Virginia and Washington D.C. “We’re about a third or so done with it.”

The Greenway is an alliance, Caldwell relayed, that helps localities apply for grants like RAISE by writing letters of support and working with local officials on design. It’s all done with a goal of helping these trails connect to the Greenway.

“I think jurisdictions like to be a part of the network because it brings visitors to their trails,” Caldwell said, who added the current Fall Line Trail project is a good example of jurisdictions working together.

For D.C. and surrounding areas, this means construction can begin on a project called the New York Avenue Bridge and Lincoln Connector Trail Project, which runs 1.8 miles at a cost of $25 million. The connection is part of an even bigger project, according to Caldwell.

“The East Coast Greenway is a 3,000-mile multi-use trail connected from Maine to Florida that is in the process of being developed and built as we speak,” said Elliott Caldwell, manager for the sections that run through Virginia and Washington D.C.” (Photo courtesy East Coast Greenway Alliance)

“The Anacostia River Trail, which goes through Maryland and D.C., Prince George County and into D.C., goes under New York Avenue, which turns into U.S. Route 50,” he said. “And D.C.’s Department of Transportation is going to rehabilitate that bridge, over the Anacostia River.”

The project features a new shared-use path in Washtington’s Fort Lincoln neighborhood to the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail.

“We’re talking about tens of thousands of people that will have better access to the Anacostia River,” said Caldwell.

Down south in Virginia, more than $5 million will be used to construct more than two miles of the Suffolk Seaboard Coastline Trail.

“So the city of Suffolk has been working for years now on a rail trail,” Caldwell said. “The money they got for this particular segment is crucial because it goes through some wetland areas. And so there will be some boardwalking of this.”

When finished, the Seaboard Coastline Trail will cover 20 miles of former railroad passes and connect parts of Portsmouth and Chesapeake to the Isle of Wight County. It’s also part of a broader trail network that will connect to the South Hampton Roads Trail, which will connect Suffolk to Norfolk and then to Virginia Beach, Caldwell said.

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Virginia

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly from Virginia Tech’s 95-89 Loss to Wake Forest

Published

11 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly from Virginia Tech’s 95-89 Loss to Wake Forest

Virginia Tech’s ACC Tournament run ended in heartbreaking fashion Tuesday night in Charlotte, as the Hokies fell to Wake Forest 95-89 in overtime. It was a game full of swings. Virginia Tech erased deficits, battled back repeatedly and forced overtime, but couldn’t make enough plays in the extra period.

Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly from the game.

The Good: Rebounding dominance and a resilient fight

Virginia Tech did plenty of things well in this game, especially on the boards.

The Hokies outrebounded Wake Forest 45-28, including 21 offensive rebounds, which created 20 second-chance points and repeatedly extended possessions. That advantage helped Virginia Tech stay within striking distance even when the offense stalled.

Head coach Mike Young pointed to the rebounding margin as one of the more frustrating parts of the loss.

“You outrebound somebody 45 to 26 or whatever that is,” Young said. “You’re supposed to win the game. Unfortunately, we did not.”

Several Hokies contributed to that effort. Forward Tobi Lawal led the team with nine rebounds. Centers Christian Gurdak and Antonio Dorn combined for 15 rebounds, with Dorn seeing extended minutes after Amani Hansberry was sidelined with an injury he suffered against Virginia.

Virginia Tech showed its usual resilience. The Hokies erased multiple deficits throughout the game and were able to force overtime in a game where Wake Forest led for almost 36 minutes.

Young praised the fight his team showed throughout the night.

“It’s been a characteristic of this team throughout,” said Young. “They’ve got a lot to them, and great kids to coach.”

The Bad: A quiet night for Neoklis Avdalas

Virginia Tech needed contributions across the lineup in a tight postseason game, but Neoklis Avdalas struggled to make an impact.

Avdalas finished with five points, shooting 2-for-8 from the field. The Hokies’ assist leader was unable to record an assist against the Demon Deacons. He played 31 minutes before spending the final 7:37 of the second half and all of overtime on the bench.

Young confirmed the decision was performance-based.

“I just thought [Jaden Schutt and Jailen Bedford] were playing better than Neo, so that is how it went,” said Young.

Schutt played his most minutes in a game (29) since late January. He shot 3-for-7 from three and made all six of his free throws, ending the night with 15 points.

This game stands in stark contrast to Avdalas’ previous showing against Wake Forest. In that game from Feb. 21, Avdalas scored 17 points, shooting 6-for-14 from the field. He also recorded eight assists and three rebounds that game.

The Ugly: Turnovers early and execution in overtime

THe biggest issue for Virginia Tech came in two stretches: the early turnovers and in overtime.

The Hokies committed 10 turnovers in the first half, allowing Wake Forest to control the pace despite Virginia Tech’s 25-11 first-half rebounding advantage. Off those 10 first-half turnovers, Wake Forest scored 11 points.

“We had some terrible, terrible turnovers,” said Young.

Although Virginia Tech cleaned that up in the second half, only committing three turnovers for the remainder of the game, the early miscues forced the Hokies to play from behind most of the night.

After battling abck all night, overtime is where the Hokies ran out of answers.

Wake Forest quickly seized momentum in the extra period. Guard Myles Colvin gave the Demon Deacons a five-point advantage less than a minute into overtime, making a floater and a three.

The Hokies struggled to generate offense in overtime while Wake Forest capitalized repeatedly at the free-throw line. When Virginia Tech was forced to foul down late, Wake Forest did not allow any chance of a comeback, making all nine of its free throws in overtime.

“They were hitting shots,” Ben Hammond said. “Their point guard had the game of his life today.”

In the end, Wake Forest made the plays Virginia Tech could not.

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Virginia lawmakers criticize anti-redistricting mailer with Jim Crow-era images – WTOP News

Published

23 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Virginia lawmakers criticize anti-redistricting mailer with Jim Crow-era images – WTOP News

The flyers encourage people to vote against the redistricting effort and feature pictures of the Ku Klux Klan and from the Civil Rights Movement.

Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones condemned flyers with Jim Crow-era images discouraging voters from supporting redistricting in the state.

The mailers, which Jones told WTOP he first learned about last weekend, featured pictures of the Ku Klux Klan and from the Civil Rights Movement. One such mailer said, “Our ancestors fought to represent us. Now Richmond politicians are trying to take our districts away.”

The flyers encourage people to vote against the redistricting effort.

A group, Justice for Democracy, has been sending out mailers and texts with some clear dog whistles, using varying disclaimers in Virginia (“Democracy and Justice PAC” and “Justice for Democracy PAC”).
Its treasurer is listed as Christopher Woodfin and its address is the same … pic.twitter.com/JvetyKGnbw
— Matt Royer (@royermattw) March 7, 2026

Early voting is underway, as Democrats in the state push for changes to congressional districts that are expected to give them more of an advantage in Congress. They said it’s in response to President Donald Trump encouraging redistricting in Republican-led states such as Texas. Republicans, though, have been critical.

In an interview with WTOP, Jones, Virginia’s first Black attorney general, said the mailers are disturbing, shocking, offensive and deceptive.

“It’s very clear a MAGA-linked group that opposes the referendum is sending these mailers to Black voters, and they’re misusing very, very hurtful imagery from the Civil Rights Movement, even invoking Jim Crow, to weaponize one of the darkest chapters in our history, to scare people into voting no and help Republicans maintain a rigged map for 2026 so they can keep control of Congress,” Jones said.

In a statement, the NAACP Virginia State Conference said the flyers falsely compare redistricting to Jim Crow.

“While the NAACP is nonpartisan, we are deeply engaged in political advocacy to safeguard our communities,” said Rev. Cozy Bailey, president of NAACP Virginia.

The purpose of the mailers, Jones said, is to “suppress the vote. It’s to make sure that people don’t go make their voices heard during this election.”

The flyers said they’re paid for by a group called Democracy and Justice PAC. Former Virginia Del. A.C. Cordoza, a Republican, is listed as the chairman, according to Virginia Board of Elections documents.

“I couldn’t see why they say it’s insulting,” Cordoza told WTOP. “I’m a Black man. I don’t want my Black vote to be taken away.”

The proposed new map, Cordoza said, “ripped apart majority-minority districts in order to increase the number of white representatives from Northern Virginia.”

Cordoza said he didn’t know how many homes the mailers had been sent to or how much the PAC spent on them.

“I want people to do their research and see exactly what’s happening,” Cordoza said. “We, as Virginians, voted for a bipartisan redistricting commission for a reason.”

Jones, though, said he sits “across the dinner table from people who have had their right to vote denied because of the color of their skin. It’s 2026. I would hope that we’d be past tactics like this, but clearly we aren’t.”

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Gov. Spanberger leads Virginia public safety readiness briefing

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Gov. Spanberger leads Virginia public safety readiness briefing

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger met with public safety leaders from across the commonwealth Monday as part of a “unified readiness” coordination effort.

The governor met with police and fire chiefs, sheriffs, emergency managers and private sector members — including Dominion Energy — to discuss Virginia’s commitment to public safety, intelligence sharing and interagency collaboration.

“As global tensions continue to evolve, I want to be very clear: there are no known threats specific to Virginia at this time,” Spanberger said. “Today’s briefing was about making sure that information can be shared quickly and we remain at the ready.”

The meeting relates to Spanberger’s Executive Order 12, which she says reaffirms Virginia’s commitment to public safety, community trust, and readiness.

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