Across Virginia
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Republican leaders in Virginia said Friday they want to change the law so the state no longer follows California’s stringent rules for vehicle emissions.
Virginia is currently on a path toward adopting California’s new rules for transitioning to zero-emission vehicles because of 2021 legislation that involved adopting the West Coast state’s emissions standards, attorneys and state officials said this week. The legislation, intended to help address climate change, was a top priority of environmental advocates and passed at a time when Democrats were in full control of Virginia’s government.
But Republicans in the House of Delegates, who opposed the legislation and now control that chamber, and GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Friday they would push to unlink Virginia’s standards.
“House Republicans will advance legislation in 2023 to put Virginians back in charge of Virginia’s auto emission standards and its vehicle marketplace. Virginia is not, and should not be, California,” House Speaker Todd Gilbert said in a statement.
Youngkin said he was “already at work to prevent this ridiculous edict from being forced on Virginians.”
California regulators on Thursday approved a plan requiring all new cars, trucks and SUVs sold in the state to run on electricity or hydrogen by 2035, with one-fifth allowed to be plug-in hybrids. The policy doesn’t ban cars that run on gas, allowing drivers to keep their existing cars or buy used ones.
The policy approved by the California Air Resources Board is the world’s most stringent set of rules for transitioning to electric vehicles. It will require new charging infrastructure and a more robust energy grid, and is likely to reshape the U.S. auto market.
Virginia is among 17 states that have adopted some or all of California’s tailpipe emission standards that are stricter than federal rules. California, the nation’s most populous state, has had the authority to set its own for decades under a waiver from the federal Clean Air Act.
Victoria LaCivita, a spokeswoman for Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares, said in a statement that the 2021 law bound Virginia to California’s regulations and that Miyares is hopeful the General Assembly repeals it.
Environmental attorneys also agreed that under current law, Virginia would have to get in line with California.
That’s a good thing, said Walton Shepherd, Virginia policy director for the Natural Resources Defense Council. He called the 2021 “clean cars” bill the “single biggest climate action” Virginia has undertaken. Federal data show the transportation sector is Virginia’s largest source of heat-trapping carbon dioxide.
“It’s a really great development for consumers, relief from high gas prices and clean air,” he said of the new rules.
Trip Pollard, a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, said automakers prioritize sending their electric vehicles to states that have adopted California’s standards, meaning better “consumer choice” for drivers who want an EV.
Pollard said it was “unfortunate” but not surprising that Republicans wanted to undo the law, given that they tried unsuccessfully to do so earlier this year.
“We certainly will be arguing strongly to members of both parties that this is something Virginia should stick with,” he said.
Democrats control the state Senate by a single vote. A caucus spokesperson had no immediate comment Friday beyond noting that every Democratic senator supported the bill in 2021.
(Update from VSP 8-29 PM) Virginia State Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Blacksburg, which occurred last Friday in the 3000 block of Yellow Sulfer Road. The incident around 2:00 a.m. when Blacksburg Police received a call for a “Welfare Check” at the residence. Officers and deputies from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene, and attempted to de-escalate the incident. The male subject at the residence was speaking with officers, when the subject went into the residence and returned with a firearm, discharging it at the officers; they returned fire, striking the subject. 29 year old Joshua Amodeo of Blacksburg died at the scene. No officers or deputies were injured in the incident.
From Blacksburg Police: At approximately 2:00 a.m. on August 26th, Blacksburg Police officers and Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call on Yellow Sulphur Road in Blacksburg. At the scene, a male subject fired on the officers and deputies; the officers and deputies then returned fire. First aid was immediately administered by the officers and deputies and Blacksburg Rescue responded to the scene. The subject is deceased and all the responding officers and deputies were uninjured. The Blacksburg Police Department and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office are following their protocols for officer involved shootings. The Virginia State Police are conducting the investigation of this shooting. Any further questions should be directed to the Virginia State Police public information office
A study of the most equitable school districts shows Roanoke County Public Schools 4th in Virginia. WFIR’s Ian Price has details on how some other local school districts are placed.
Click here to see full results for the most equitable school districts study.
(Update 8/24 9am) (update) One person has been hospitalized with serious injuries following that house fire yesterday in the 15 hundred block of Andrews Road in Northwest Roanoke. When they arrived on scene, emergency crews found heavy smoke coming from the basement. No word on a possible cause. One person was transported to the hospital with serious injuries; a dog perished in the fire. The cause of the fire is undetermined at this time; damages to the home and its contents are now estimated at $40,000.
One person has been hospitalized with serious injuries following a house fire this morning in the 15 hundred block of Andrews Road in Northwest Roanoke. When they arrived on scene, emergency crews found heavy smoke coming from the basement. No word on a possible cause.
A nonpartisan group is looking to push ranked choice voting in Virginia, and their efforts have garnered bipartisan support. WFIR’s Clark Palmer explains.
Photo: Virginia Tech
A Virginia Tech-branded craft beer is an international award winner, and in just its second year, also proving to be a sales success. Fightin’ Hokies Lager was the brainchild of three Virginia Tech Food Science Professors while visiting a beer garden in Germany. It went on the market just last year, and among its awards already: silver medal in its category at the Australian International Beer Awards, described as the largest competition of its kind in the world. Fightin’ Hokies Lager is brewed at the Hardywood Park Craft Brewery in Richmond, and it became quickly became Virginia’s best-selling new craft beer. Some of the profits go right back into the university’s brewing science program for things like scholarships and student travel for study programs in Munich. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
NEWS RELEASE: Over 60 judges at the 2022 Australian International Beer Awards got a taste of the Hokie Spirit this summer — and they were impressed.
The prestigious contest — now the largest annual beer competition of its kind — awarded Virginia Tech and Hardywood Park Craft Brewery collaboration Fightin’ Hokies Lager a silver medal in its Munich-style helles category.
This honor comes hot on the heels of news that the official beer of the Hokie Nation was also Virginia’s bestselling new craft beer in 2021, its first year on the market, according to Nielsen.
“Receiving this award is really exciting for our program and our partnership with Hardywood,” said Brian Wiersema, the pilot plant manager who oversees Virginia Tech’s on-campus brewery. “This competition focuses on style criteria, and it’s great to see that we were headed in the right direction, especially when you see the list of other international beers that medaled for this style.”
“We note that one of the gold medal brewers in this category has been brewing since 1040 A.D. — we gave them a head start,” said College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Professor Sean O’Keefe.
Fightin’ Hokies Lager, the first beer to come out of Virginia Tech’s partnership with Hardywood, is the culmination of nearly a decade of research, inspiration, and collaboration. What began as a conversation between Department of Food Science and Technology faculty members and eventual Fightin’ Hokies Lager co-creators Wiersema, O’Keefe, and Herbert Bruce about their fondness for the helles style after one of the department’s annual student brewing exchanges in Munich has turned into a fruitful partnership that has launched two original beers — the sales of which support food science scholarships, research, lab renovations, and the very brewing exchange on which Fightin’ Hokies Lager was first conceived.
“While Fightin’ Hokies Lager has broken sales records, what we find most special about Hardywood’s partnership with Virginia Tech is the opportunity to collaborate with food science faculty and leverage their decades of knowledge and experience to create a beer of exceptional quality, to which this prestigious award is certainly a testament,” Hardywood co-founder and CEO Eric McKay said.
Hardywood — Virginia’s largest craft brewer — is no stranger to such accolades, having earned major international awards for several of its beers, including Richmond Lager and Hardywood Pils.
All Hail to Thee, the team’s newest brew, is a limited edition dry-hopped amber ale that hit the market in May in celebration of Virginia Tech’s sesquicentennial. The hoppy, full-bodied ale is available for a limited time in select Krogers, Giants, Wegmans, Total Wines, and independent bottle shops across Virginia.
Hosted by the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria, the Australian International Beer Awards was initially established as a national competition in 1987 and has since grown into the world’s largest yearly beer competition that assesses both draught and packaged beer and now receives over 2,500 entries from more than 420 breweries in 21 countries each year, according to the contest’s website. Brewers, beer journalists, retailers, and beer experts from across the globe are tapped as judges. All entries are blind tasted and awarded points based on appearance, aroma, flavor and body, technical quality, and style.
To find Fightin’ Hokies Lager and All Hail to Thee, visit Hardywood’s beer finder.
Photo: AP
State Senator David Suetterlein says the Youngkin administration has developed plans to help avoid catastrophic highway gridlock when a major snowstorm strikes. A state Inspector General’s report released Friday says Virginia failed to carry out numerous lessons from similar previous snow emergencies on Interstate 81 when 40 miles of I-95 became totally blocked last January. Suetterlein says state officials have already acted in efforts to avoid any more repeats, starting with a response plan. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
Suetterlein knows I-81 quite well. His district covers many of the highway’s snow-prone miles between Salem and Wytheville.
Shawn Tolbert
Authorities are searching for a man described as armed and dangerous who led them on a high-speed chase Thursday that began on Interstate 81 and ended with a crash in Craig County. Police say they believe 42-year-old Shawn Tolbert has been living in the woods ever since. Officials say it began when a trooper attempted to stop a vehicle that might be connected to a theft near Buchanan. It turns out there was no connection, but the driver took off anyway, leading to the chase and search for Tolbert.
From Virginia State Police: On August 11, 2022 Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office provided the Virginia State Police with a look-out for a Robbery suspect vehicle which was involved in a theft of lottery tickets at a gas station at exit 162 in Botetourt County.
With little information initially on the suspect vehicle, a trooper attempted to stop a vehicle closely matching the initial description. When the emergency lights were activated the vehicle refused to stop and sped away. The pursuit continued into Craig County where the vehicle crashed. The driver fled the scene on foot, and has remained at large since the crash. Further investigation has found that this was not the vehicle suspected in the theft.
Police have identified the driver as Shawn Michael Tolbert, 42, Burkville, Va. Tolbert is a white male, 5’10” with brown hair and hazel eyes. He is believed to have changed clothes and is living in the woods trying to elude police. Tolbert is believed to be armed, and may be dangerous if threatened.
Tolbert is wanted on multiple charges at this point, which include: Virginia State Police charges are 3 counts of Felony Elude Police and 3 counts of Reckless Driving. Additional charges have been placed by Craig County Sheriff’s Office: Criminal Trespass, Obstruction, False Identification and 2 counts of Felony Assault on a Police Officer.
There are multiple agencies participating in the search for Tolbert. If Tolbert is located we are asking the public to use extreme caution and to contact law enforcement.
From Roanoke City Police: On August 14, 2022 at approximately 7:32 P.M., Roanoke Police were notified by the City of Roanoke E-911 Center of a person with a gunshot wound in the 3300 block of Fernciff Avenue NW. Responding officers located an adult female in a parking lot with what appeared to be a non-life threatening injury. Roanoke Fire-EMS transported the woman to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment.
No suspects were located on scene and details about what led to the shooting are limited at this time. This is an ongoing investigation.
Movies like “Taken” exposed the world to the idea of human trafficking, but a woman who works with real victims of the crime here in Virginia says the reality is much different. WFIR’s Emma Thomas with more: