Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, April 16. Also, here’s a fun bit of video from last night’s Arlington Young Democrats County Board debate…more later.
*Congress Has Made Undermining Energy And Environmental Laws The Focus Of Its First 100 Days
*Vatican Announces Major Summit On Climate Change
*Iran bill unlikely to scuttle deal
*Obama’s pivot on trade could mean war with his base
*Indisputable proof that Republicans are warriors for the aristocracy (“GOP contenders are pretending to care about inequality. But it’s all for show – and Congress is about to prove it”)
*Chris Christie’s dangerous Social Security demagoguery: Cloaking the plutocrats’ agenda in populist rhetoric
*Jeb Bush to speak at Liberty University’s May 9 commencement (So much for “JEB” being a “moderate,” not that that was ever true.)
*Governor perfect on vetoes, but splits with assembly on drones and electronic surveillance
*Watchdog group’s report critical of General Assembly on transparency
*Governor McAuliffe: Climate change, rising sea levels also endanger economy
*Lawmakers reject many of McAuliffe’s amendments, but his vetoes survive (“Privacy rights vs. public safety issues prompt debate, and an ethics measure hits a snag.”)
*Reconvene update: House in recess, ethics pending, day care and surveillance votes
*Ethics reform delays Virginia General Assembly again
*State kills 460 contract, wants money back from contractor
*E-mails: Long tried to block Fairfax activist from police commission (“E-mails obtained by community group show resistance to a citizen review board and anxiety over Geer case.”)
*Portsmouth dysfunction on display once again
*State ready to commit more money to Virginia Beach for light rail
*Area Senate candidates off to brisk start in fundraising (“Former Del. Bill Janis, who hopes to succeed retiring Sen. Walter A. Stosch, R-Henrico, reported $123,000 in contributions in the year’s first quarter, and an ending balance of $107,584.”)
*Fairfax County police spokesman charged with possessing child porn (Ugh.)
*Why are Portsmouth officials out? It depends on who’s talking
*Capitals start playoffs badly with a 4-1 defeat in Game 1 vs. Islanders
*Breezy and mild today, but showers are possible tonight
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