Brian White, who has been Florida Atlantic's athletic director since 2018, has been named the new athletic director at Virginia Tech.
Brian White, who has been Florida Atlantic's athletic director since 2018, has been named the new athletic director at Virginia Tech.
A Franklin County sheriff's deputy has been charged with involuntary manslaughter following a crash last year that killed a Rocky Mount man.
Wade
Charges for involuntary manslaughter and improper brakes were filed last week against Zion Wade, who was involved in a crash at 8:45 a.m. on July 8 that killed Joey Callaway, 55, of Rocky Mount.
According to the Virginia State Police investigating the incident, Wade was returning from the gym after working a shift earlier. He crossed the center line and struck a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Callaway.
Both vehicles were traveling below the posted speed limit of 55 mph. Wade may have fallen asleep at the wheel, according to state police.
Wade was driving his patrol car at the time of the crash. He was wearing a seatbelt. Callaway was not wearing a seatbelt.
Callaway was taken to Roanoke Memorial Hospital. He died a month later.
According to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Wade was not on duty at the time of the crash. The sheriff's office added that Wade has been on administrative leave since June 11 of this year.
Involuntary manslaughter is a Class 5 felony with a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Improper brakes is a Class 1 misdemeanor that could result in fines or up to 12 months in jail.
Wade was released on his own recognizance following the charges. His preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 12.
Jason Dunovant (540) 981-3324
Booker T. Washington National Monument park ranger Simeon Klepac leads a program on Friday describing the moments Washington and his family learned they were free following the end of the Civil War. It was part of a series of Juneteenth programs at the park this past weekend.
Booker T. Washington National Monument kicked off a three-day Juneteenth celebration Friday with a series of programs focused on the park's history as a plantation and the moments that led to the eventual freedom of its namesake.
Juneteenth recognizes the day Union soldiers dismantled one of the last bastions of slavery in the U.S. with their arrival in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865. Booker T. Washington's freedom came some weeks earlier while he was a young boy working on the Burroughs plantation.
The exact date Washington learned he was free was not marked in the history books. Only 9 at the time, he wrote in his autobiography "Up from Slavery" of a Union soldier arriving and reading the Emancipation Proclamation from the front porch of the plantation's main building.
The house and porch is no longer there, but the outline still remains marked in stones.
"It was 161 years ago in the spring of 1865, shortly after the United States victory at Appomattox Court House on April 9 that federal soldiers went all throughout South Central Virginia coming to plantations just like this one and enforcing the Emancipation Proclamation," said park ranger Abbi Smithmyer during one of Friday's programs, which recognized the moment Washington learned he was free with his family and other enslaved individuals living on the plantation.
Booker T. Washington National Monument park rangers Simeon Klepac and Abbi Smithmyer speak to guests during one of the many programs held at the park Friday for Juneteenth.
Friends of Booker T. Washington National Monument President Barbara Board read an excerpt from "Up from Slavery" while standing a few steps away from where that porch once stood. Afterward, visitors rang the park's dinner bell, which ranger Simeon Klepac said was likely what those enslaved did after learning they were free.
"A bell like this probably would have been rung on that day of emancipation to call the people of the plantation to hear that news," Klepac said.
The program concluded with park staff inviting guests to lay a wreath for each of the 10 enslaved people who lived at the plantation. John Mitchell, park facilities chief, sang the spiritual "Oh, Freedom" after the wreaths were placed one by one.
The program was one of eight held during Friday looking back at the life of Washington and other enslaved individuals living on the plantation. Smithmyer said the Juneteenth weekend is one of the year's busiest at the park, capped off with the gospel concert on Saturday.
"We really enjoyed it," said Peter Langston of Richmond, who visited with his wife. The couple was camping at nearby Smith Mountain Lake State Park.
Langston said they knew nothing about the park before their visit, but enjoyed learning about Washington's early history.
Clarresa Morton attended Friday's programs from Roanoke. She has visited the park for its Juneteenth events for the past few years.
"I was absolutely riveted by this incredible story," Morton said of learning about Washington's early life. "We all grew up knowing Booker T. Washington was an educator. This brings it to life so much more and makes it more personal and encouraging for the African-American community."
Morton said programs like the ones held at the park on Friday help to describe what freedom was like for other enslaved people as soldiers made their way to Galveston.
"It wasn't just the Emancipation Proclamation and then they were free," Morton said. "It was a process. It took some time."
Jason Dunovant (540) 981-3324
Del. Wendell Walker, R-Lynchburg, speaks during a Virginia House of Delegates session on Monday, June 22, 2026, at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, Va.
Del. J.J. Singh, D-Loudoun, claps during a Virginia House of Delegates session on Monday, June 22, 2026, at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, Va.
Del. Kimberly Pope Adams, D-Dinwiddie, reacts during a Virginia House of Delegates session on Monday, June 22, 2026, at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, Va.
Sen. Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover, speaks in the senate during a reconvened legislative session to vote on the budget, Monday, June 22, 2026, in Richmond, Va.
After months of impasse and firm lines drawn in the sand, a much-delayed state budget agreement sailed through the General Assembly with a compromise on data center taxation suggested months ago by Gov. Abigail Spanberger.
The budget passed with just nine days to go before the start of the next state fiscal year.
The state Senate voted 23-16, and the House of Delegates 71-22, to approve the two-year tax and spending plan.
“We have a budget that will be ready to go on July 1; that's the deadline. I mean, at any time I'm a lawyer, I'm a trial lawyer, so it's not unusual for us to reach a settlement right before the deadline, right before trial. And so that's kind of what we did,” said Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth.
"Where we ended up was where we started in the first place, the Senate, too. We were all in the same room, the Senate, the House, the administration ... we're in the same place we would have been in March with a lot of pain," said House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth.
“We got this thing done. And at the end of the day, there is something in the budget for everybody to love. … Think about healthcare, housing, making sure that we cover the supplemental nutrition — as a kid, I was … hungry sometimes, to know that these summer programs (mean) kids are gonna be able to eat and learn during the summer, that's beautiful,” Scott said.
The budget compromise increases the tax data centers pay for electricity, which had been a fraction of what residential customers pay, and will generate $1.2 billion over the next two years.
The higher data center tax will fund much of the higher spending the Senate had wanted compared to the House's budget proposal, and it ends an impasse that had stalled budget negotiations.
The four-month impasse was over the state Senate’s proposal to end a sales tax exemption for data centers, an idea opposed by Spanberger and House Democrats as a move that would break a state promise and tarnish the state’s image with businesses.
The electricity consumption tax is an alternative to that, said Senate Finance Committee chair Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth. But she said she'd keep pushing to end the sales tax exemption.
Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, speaks to reporters on Monday.
Overall, "We have a budget that is great for the citizens of Virginia," Lucas said.
"This conference report took longer than most ... and I spent a lot of time trying to find the right balance between compromising with the House and the governor and having something that made the data centers pay their fair shares," Lucas said.
Weeks before Lucas' sales tax proposal emerged, Spanberger and her staff had started asking about ways to link the exemption to environmental goals for the data center sector.
Their focus was on legislation that would eventually die in the Senate.
It said data centers would only get the exemption if they hit renewable energy and energy storage goals to help the state meet its clean energy goals.
After it died, Spanberger's staff outlined to the House Appropriations Committee staff how increasing the current tax rate for data centers' electricity use could boost state revenues.
Spanberger herself presented the idea to Senate budget conferees on March 11.
"Where we ended up was where we started in the first place, the Senate, too. We were all in the same room, the Senate, the House, the administration ... we're in the same place we would have been in March with a lot of pain," Scott said.
Spanberger's senior staff and the state's chief energy officer had four more meetings with Senate Finance staff on the consumption tax, and Spanberger urged the idea on Lucas and House Appropriations Committee chair Luke Torian, D-Prince William, in a June 5 meeting.
Spanberger has said her goal from the start has been to ensure that data centers pay their fair share and that the state encourages existing and future data centers to meet tough energy, water use and emissions standards.
“This principle is why my administration has proposed several options to the state Senate ... including three variations on a first-in-the-nation energy consumption tax for data centers," she said last week, shortly before the House and Senate negotiators agreed on the consumption tax and cleared the way for a compromise budget.
Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, left, is seen with Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, in the Senate on Monday. “Louise can speak for herself,” Surovell said. “I get the sense she was frustrated with the intransigence of the House and governor. As we all know, she has a style that is different than most legislators, which is very popular with a lot of her supporters.”
The budget also:
Del. Luke Torian, D-Prince William, speaks to reporters Monday.
The data center water question was the last sticking point, and meant release of the details of the compromise came hours after a hoped-for 5 p.m. deadline on Friday, said state Sen. Richard Stuart, R-King George, a first-time budget negotiator.
Data center's heavy use of water is a big issue in his rural district, where wells are running dry, he said.
"People hem and haw about a budget, and when people say they don't like stuff, and you can always fund stuff you don't like in a budget, but it usually means it's a good compromise when everybody's not happy," Stuart said.
Spanberger said passing the budget means Virginia's government will not shut down.
"It delivers raises for our teachers and public employees, makes new investments in our schools ... and takes tangible steps to make Virginia more affordable, all while protecting families from the devastating cuts in the so-called 'One Big Beautiful Bill'," Spanberger said.
"This budget positions the commonwealth to be a national leader on data centers" with the tax on their energy usage, she said. Her thinking is that the tax would be an incentive for data centers to invest in generating their own electricity from renewable sources, to cut their purchases from utilities, while continuing the sales tax exemption makes it easier for data centers to afford that generating equipment.
"This is a compromise proposal, one my administration helped craft," she said, adding that failing to pass a budget was never an option.
Data centers said the new tax rate and regulations will hurt Virginia.
“At a time when Virginia badly needs new jobs and investment, the General Assembly is adding more than a billion dollars in unnecessary new taxes that will raise costs on Virginians and Virginia businesses, drive away investment and job creation, and tarnish Virginia’s reputation as a reliable partner and a good place to do business,” said Josh Levi, president and chief executive officer of the Data Center Coalition.
“The General Assembly is breaking its commitments to an industry that has invested hundreds of billions of dollars, pays billions in annual taxes, and supports tens of thousands of jobs … The message to businesses in all industries is clear — Virginia is no longer a reliable partner,” Levi said.
But advocates for state support for education and healthcare hailed the move.
“By asking the data center industry to contribute more fairly, conferees generated an estimated $1.2 billion through a temporary electricity consumption tax, enabling stronger investments in communities across Virginia. It is critical that the legislature still pass a permanent solution to hold the data center industry accountable,” said Ashley Kenneth, president and chief executive officer of The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, a think tank that tracks state spending.
Dave Ress (804) 649-6948
Richmond Times-Dispatch reporters discuss the county and statewide politics of data centers.
Before data centers became a central topic of Virginia's budget debate, the Richmond Times-Dispatch last year took a deep dive into the topic,…
Richmond Times-Dispatch reporters discuss data centers' energy consumption.
A special prosecutor has declined to pursue criminal charges against former Patrick County Administrator Beth Simms, bringing an end to an investigation that began earlier this year after allegations surfaced that she may have violated Virginia election laws.
Beth Simms, speaking at a November board of supervisors meeting. The board accepted her resignation at the end of that meeting.
Floyd County Commonwealth's Attorney Eric Branscom, who was appointed as a special prosecutor in the matter, determined that the evidence did not support criminal prosecution.
Simms was hired as Patrick County administrator in October 2023 after serving as director of economic development in Franklin County.
The investigation stemmed from allegations that Simms improperly voted in Patrick County elections while residing in Franklin County and may have provided inaccurate information regarding her voter registration. The complaint was filed by former Patrick County Electoral Board member Ed Poole.
The decision concludes a process that Patrick County Commonwealth's Attorney Dayna Kendrick Bobbitt first disclosed in January.
Bobbitt
“I can confirm that my office is currently in the process of seeking the appointment of a special prosecutor regarding the allegations involving Ms. Beth Simms,” Bobbitt told the Bulletin at the time. She said then that the matter remained under active investigation and declined to comment further.
Under Virginia law, special prosecutors are appointed by the court when local prosecutors seek an independent review of a matter.
The allegations became public less than two months after Simms resigned as county administrator on Nov. 17. Her resignation followed a lengthy closed session of the Patrick County Board of Supervisors. The printed agenda for that meeting included an evaluation of the county administrator.
Board members have consistently declined public comment on the matter, saying they were advised by the county attorney not to discuss personnel issues.
When contacted by the Bulletin in January regarding the investigation, Simms repeatedly responded, “What investigation?” after being informed that Bobbitt had confirmed that her office was seeking the appointment of a special prosecutor. She did not provide additional comment at that time.
The investigation marked the latest chapter in a sometimes-contentious tenure that drew public attention and criticism.
In January 2025, Simms addressed the board of supervisors during a regular meeting and pushed back against accusations she said had been made while she was on maternity leave.
“The insinuations about me creating positions or spending money that is not allocated to me are false,” Simms said. “There is nothing in the budget that I spend that is not approved by the Patrick County Board of Supervisors.”
Several months later, in an email to then-Board Chairman Jonathan Woods, Simms expressed frustration over what she described as repeated instances of being asked detailed questions during public meetings without advance notice.
“In recent months, I’ve found myself repeatedly caught off guard during meetings with detailed questions that could have easily been addressed with even a few hours’ notice,” Simms wrote. “In the absence of prior communication, it is difficult not to view these recurring situations as deliberate efforts to diminish my leadership or credibility.”
With the special prosecutor declining charges, no criminal proceedings are expected to result from the allegations.
