Virginia
Virginia Dept. of Health plans to test small, disadvantaged communities for PFAS • Virginia Mercury
The Virginia Department of Health is continuing its forever hunt to find the amount of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, present in the state by testing for them in water systems serving small and disadvantaged communities.
“We suspect they haven’t done PFAS monitoring yet, and so they don’t know what they’re up against,” said Robert Edlemen, director of technical services at the office of drinking water at VDH, in an interview. “And certainly we don’t either.”
PFAS are the thousands of different chemicals used in several household products ranging from winter jackets to cookware to firefighting foam because of the tight chemical bond they possess to repel water and heat.
Because of that tight bond, the chemicals are nearly impossible to break down, meaning they end up in landfills, can leak into groundwater, and then get soaked up by clouds that send them back into the environment and food sources through rainfall.
The new testing comes as part of the federal government passing final PFAS rules in April to enforce a 4 or 10 parts per trillion maximum contaminant levels, or MCL, for a limited number of types of PFAS. One part per trillion is the equivalent of 1 drop of water in 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
The new standards will reduce PFAS exposure for roughly 100 million people, prevent thousands of deaths, EPA Administrator Michael Regan said when announcing the new rules this spring.
The chemicals have been linked to serious health problems including cancers and reproductive and fetal development issues.
When issuing the rules, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency created a grace-period for public water systems to monitor levels of PFAS chemicals until 2027 before needing to treat any exceedances of the MCLs in drinking water starting in 2029.
Types of systems
Nationwide and in Virginia, public water systems, or waterworks, are defined as those serving 25 people or more a day for 60 days or more a year.
In Virginia, there are 1,072 community systems that serve towns, cities and counties and about 500 non-transient, non-community systems that serve schools or an office building where people return day-after-day but don’t live.
There’s also 1,245 transient non-community systems, which serve restaurants, a campground or a highway rest-stop that sees groups of people coming and going rather than live in or repeatedly return to the same area.
The community systems and non-transient, non-community systems are subject to the new rules. The transient, non-community systems do not need to follow the rules, with the thinking that the same people aren’t exposed to the potential contaminants from the same system over and over again.
Private wells, which are unregulated in Virginia and primarily serve individuals’ homes in rural, mountainous areas, are not subject to the rules either.
Previous testing
In addition to some sampling the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has done, the Virginia Department of Health conducted two phases of testing across Virginia’s publicly regulated water systems.
The first of those happened in 2021 with 45 of 50 systems that VDH reached out to agreeing to participate. The effort targeted larger systems serving about 5.25 million of the state’s about 7 million population, Elemen said.
Phase II, in 2022 and 2023, sampled 274 systems which were smaller community systems, and a handful of non-transient, non-community systems that were near areas that included known sources of PFAS, such as large airports that may use firefighting foam with the chemicals, and unlined landfills.
As a result of that sampling, PFAS was found to be present in the Roanoke, Newport News and Potomac River areas.
New testing
Now, in Phase III, VDH is sampling small and disadvantaged communities, which include the “vast majority” of systems in Virginia, Edelman said. These systems include those serving populations of less than 10,000 and are deemed burdened under the EPA’s Environmental Justice screening tool.
The effort is expected to collect about 400 samples in all areas of the state over the next two or three months, Edelman said.
“If you consider that we have over a thousand community water systems, 400 samples isn’t enough to get the job done,” said Edlemen. “But it’s the next step in making progress identifying the PFAS levels across the state…it’s a doable step.”
Some of the about $27 million the state received from the federal government for 2022 and 2023, and $13.5 million this year can be tapped into to offset the costs of testing, Edelman said at a recent waterworks advisory committee meeting.
More testing
The testing is all seen as a way to get a handle on understanding where PFAS are in Virginia before beginning to figure out where the substances are coming from.
Chris Pomeory, attorney for the Virginia Municipal Drinking Water Association that represents waterworks that serve about 3 in every 4 Virginians, said in a statement that the “VMDWA is pleased to know that VDH intends to assist small disadvantaged communities with PFAS testing, which will be helpful for determining where PFAS testing is needed.”
The testing of the smaller systems “absolutely needs to be done,” added Betsy Nichols, vice president of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network, a local environmental group, since those might be in rural areas that are more likely to use biosolids from wastewater treatment plants as fertilizer.
The level of exposure in private wells also needs to be understood, Nichols added. She suggested the state could set up a grant program to help users of those systems conduct the testing.
It costs her group about $90 to $100 to conduct small tests, which require strict protocols for handling and storage because of the ease of outside particles contaminating the test subjects, Nichols said.
“Maybe [the wells] are all fine, but you don’t really know until you test,” Nichols said.
Also of importance is knowing where PFAS is coming from, such as carpet manufacturers, metal finishers and pesticides that use them, in order to “shut off the tap” and begin using alternatives, Nichols said.
“If we don’t start moving more quickly, we won’t have made all the changes that are needed to be implemented when that deadline hits,” Nichols said.
This past session Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bill setting up a process for the Department of Environmental Quality to identify “significant” sources of PFAS. The bill passed despite some advocates initially wanting a more direct report from those using the chemicals to identify how they were introduced into the environment in the first place.
VDH will also be embarking on a $500,000 study, due to the General Assembly by Dec. 1, to determine how much it may cost to have waterworks make upgrades to treat PFAS, which could cost millions.
Virginia
Cops desperately search for Virginia girl who went missing with convicted sex offender — after he got sweetheart plea deal
Police are desperately hunting for a missing teenage girl who is believed to be travelling with a convicted sex offender more than 20 years her senior, according to reports.
Autumn Van Zandt, 17, hasn’t been seen since Tuesday when she was spotted in Fredericksburg with 39-year-old Ronnie Keene Reel, and police suspect they may try to travel out of state.
Van Zandt is believed to be “missing under voluntary circumstances,” police said, but her young age and suspected company have left family terrified.
The age of consent in Virginia is 18.
Reel has a terrifying history of sexual violence — he confessed to sexually abusing an 11-year-old boy in 2021.
But he was cut loose on a plea deal after prosecutors with Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano’s office failed to meet crucial evidence deadlines in his case, ABC 7 reported.
“Please help us find Autumn,” the Fredericksburg Police Department said in a statement posted to Facebook.
Van Zandt is five-foot, seven-inches, about 135 pounds and has brown eyes and hair.
She also has a heart tattoo on her hip, and was last seen in jean shorts and a black top.
The family of Reed’s 2021 victim said they were “heartbroken” by reports that he might be preying on another child.
“I am praying for the family, and I hope to God she comes home,” the mother said. “I just pray to God you find your little girl because she deserves nothing more than a home in her family’s arms.”
She also accused prosecutors who handled her family’s case in 2021 of being to blame for the current situation with Reel.
“We had everything in line,” she said. “He was looking at life in prison for what he did to him, and with one simple mistake of failing to file paperwork, he was let go.”
“He only got an assault battery charge, that’s it, nothing more. He didn’t have to register as a sex offender. He doesn’t have to do anything. And look what’s happening now. He walks free, and my child did not get any justice whatsoever,” she said.
The judge handling Reel’s case at the time agreed, court documents obtained by ABC 7 showed.
“It’s very frustrating to the Court,” Fairfax County Chief Judge Penney Azcarate said at the time, adding that evidence deadlines were “woefully, woefully missed in this case.”
The Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office could not be reached for comment at the time of publication.
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) launched a new measles dashboard amid an uptick in measles cases and an outbreak in Buckingham County.
The dashboard shows key information to help Virginians see measles trends, understand the impact and know their risk of exposure as measles cases increase nationally and across the commonwealth, VDH said in a press release.
“It’s important for Virginians to know what is happening in their communities in real time,” said State Health Commissioner Dr. Cameron Webb. “This dashboard is our commitment to being as transparent as possible about the impact of measles across the Commonwealth. When people have clear, accessible information, they can make informed decisions to protect themselves and their families.”
How many measles cases are there in Virginia?
The dashboard shows how many measles cases, hospitalizations and deaths have been reported. You can also see case numbers by age, health district and other key factors. Updates will be posted Tuesdays and Thursdays around noon, said VDH.
To date in 2026, VDH has reported 40 cases of measles, with 13% of the cases requiring hospitalization. As of May 21, there are no reported deaths, according to the measles dashboard. Eighty-three percent of the cases are unvaccinated individuals.
Of those cases, 17 are related to an outbreak in Buckingham County. A measles outbreak is defined as three or more related cases among members of different households. The number of cases this year has quickly outpaced the five reported cases from last year.
Measles activity in the U.S., including Virginia, is rising due to increased travel-related exposures, both international and domestic, and declining national vaccination rates. Children younger than 12 months of age and others who are not vaccinated are very susceptible to infection if they are exposed to someone with measles, said VDH.
Protection against the measles, outbreak recommendations
The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is the best protection against measles, advised VDH. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles; one dose is about 93% effective. If you or a loved one are not up-to-date with routine MMR vaccines, contact your healthcare provider or call your local health department to schedule a vaccine appointment today.
People who live in or visit the Buckingham County area should talk with their healthcare provider about outbreak vaccine recommendations. This includes considering an early MMR dose for infants older than six months to provide protection while measles is circulating in the community.
Measles is highly contagious and can spread to others through coughing and sneezing. Most people in Virginia have immunity to measles through vaccination or previous infection with measles. Approximately 95% of kindergarteners in Virginia are fully vaccinated against measles. However, some communities within Virginia could have lower vaccination rates, making them more at risk to measles outbreaks. Fortunately, VDH said, an increasing number of people are seeking to confirm their MMR vaccine status following Virginia measles exposure events.
For more information about measles, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/measles. For additional questions, contact VDH’s Call Center at 877-829-4682 (option 2, then option 3 “other”), The VDH Call Center is available Monday–Friday (except holidays) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monique Calello is a reporter at The News Leader in Staunton covering health in the Shenandoah Valley and in Virginia. Connect with her at mcalello@newsleader.com.
Eight months ago, Virginia Tech football hit its lowest point in recent memory. Not a close loss, not a bad beat. The Hokies got handled at home by Old Dominion, 45-26, and the head coach was fired three games into the season. They finished 3-9. Their recruiting class sat in the 120s nationally. The program felt stuck.
Then James Franklin walked through the door, and things started moving fast.
The former Penn State coach went 104-45 in 12 seasons in State College, cracked 10 wins in six of them, and took the Nittany Lions to the College Football Playoff in 2024. He signed a five-year, $41.75 million deal in November, pulled the recruiting class from the 120s to a top-30 class by signing day, and built what ESPN ranked as the 15th-best transfer portal class in the country.
So what does the ceiling look like if everything actually clicks?
There is no ceiling conversation without Ethan Grunkemeyer. The redshirt sophomore transferred from Penn State in January, and his story is worth understanding. When Drew Allar went down with an ankle injury last fall, Penn State handed the keys to a 20-year-old backup who had never started a college game. Grunkemeyer did not blink. He completed 69.1 percent of his passes for 1,339 yards, eight touchdowns, and four interceptions, posting a 75.0 QBR. Over the final four games, he threw six touchdowns and zero interceptions and closed the year with a 22-10 win over Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl.
He is not walking into a new offense. He reunited in Blacksburg with offensive coordinator Ty Howle and quarterbacks coach Danny O’Brien, the same staff he had at Penn State.CBS Sports ranked him sixth among ACC quarterbacks in March. What makes Grunkemeyer interesting is not the stat line. It is the end of his 2025 season, when the moment got big, and he got better. Virginia Tech needs that guy.
The piece that could make this offense genuinely hard to defend is tight end Luke Reynolds. The Penn State transfer was the No. 4 tight end in the portal per 247Sports. At 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, with a 4.5 40-yard dash and a 38-inch vertical, he is a seam-stretching mismatch at a position Virginia Tech has not had much of. He led all receivers in the spring game with five catches for 69 yards. Howle spent years developing tight ends in the Penn State system, most recently coaching Tyler Warren, who went No. 14 overall to the Indianapolis Colts in the 2025 NFL Draft. Reynolds has the tools to become the best player on this offense by October.
The other thing worth knowing is that despite going 3-9 last year, the Hokies averaged 182.4 rushing yards per game and ranked third in the ACC on the ground. The running game was already there. The problem was everything else. If the passing game catches up, this offense has teeth.
Then there is the strange but logical decision to bring back Brent Pry, the same coach who was fired in September, now as defensive coordinator. Pry held that same role under Franklin at Penn State from 2016 to 2021. He knows the system, knows what Franklin wants from a defense and knows how to build one inside this staff structure. The roster needed work and got some, with additions at edge rusher, linebacker and in the secondary. None of them are household names yet, but Pry has the pedigree to turn them into quality college football players.
The schedule sets up the Hokies for a strong start. Virginia Tech opens with VMI and Old Dominion at home, then travels to Maryland in a non-conference road test before opening ACC play at Boston College on Sept. 26.
What is the ceiling for Virginia Tech?
Nine wins and a major bowl game is the realistic ceiling for year one. It requires Grunkemeyer to take command of the offense, Reynolds to be what the spring game suggested and Pry to piece together a defense faster than most rebuilds allow. None of that is guaranteed. But none of it is far-fetched, either.
Franklin took Vanderbilt from back-to-back 2-10 seasons to nine wins in his second year. He went from 7-6 in his first two seasons at Penn State to 11-3 in his third. He is not a guy who needs forever to make something work.
Blacksburg has not had a reason to believe in a while. It has one now.
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