Arena Deal Dead; Lucas, Locke, Torian in Prince William; Youngkin Gun Vetoes; AG, Urban League Event
🚩 There are 83 days until the U.S. House and U.S. Senate primaries on June 18, 2024. Early voting begins in 37 days on May 3rd.
🚩 There are 223 days until Election Day November 5, 2024.
☺️ Thank you to all of our subscribers and readers!
Alexandria Arena Deal Dead
After a loud announcement on December 13, 2023 featuring Monumental Sports & Entertainment's Founder Ted Leonsis and Gov. Glenn Youngkin for a “framework of an agreement for a public-private partnership to create a world-class Entertainment District in Alexandria at Potomac Yard,” the local community and one powerful lawmaker — Virginia Senate Finance Chair L. Louise Lucas — put the breaks on the project.
Today Leonsis, who owns the Capitals and the Wizards, and DC Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the teams would stay in the District of Columbia until 2050 pending a vote on the matter by the DC City Council.
For over three months the back and forth on a possible sports arena in Alexandria, Virginia revealed that neither Gov. Youngkin or Leonsis sat down with Virginia lawmakers who would have to sign off on the multi-billion dollar project. The lack of local community buy-in, lack of communication with key lawmakers and with labor unions combined with a lack of details on job creation by the project proved fatal for the deal. Several Virginia lawmakers also said that there was unwillingness to negotiate terms around the potential project.
Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson announced via video that negotiations with Monumental regarding the arena project were over. The final nail in the coffin may have been the March 22 announcement from District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb that the Capitals and Wizards could not move from DC until their lease was up in 2047.
Dems in Manassas on Virginia Families First Tour
Taking questions from reporters: Below is video of Democrats Sen. L. Louise Lucas, Del. Luke Torian and Sen. Mamie Locke on the second stop of their policy tour through Virginia. Today they visited the Johnston Memorial Hospital (Abingdon/Bristol) in Pennington Gap, Virginia.
Youngkin’s Gun Vetoes, But He Signs Parental Responsibility Bill
As Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoes more legislation, Democrats react to his latest decisions on gun safety related legislation. Though Gov. Youngkin is all but certain to veto a record number of bills, he did sign into law a bill that creates a felony charge for parents or guardians who allow a child under 18 to access a firearm.
But a veto against raising the age requirement (from 18 to 21) to purchase an AR-15 won special attention.
“Governor Glenn Youngkin yesterday vetoed HB 1174, a bill to raise the legal age to purchase an assault weapon from 18 to 21 years old–an effort to help reduce mass gun violence. Under federal law, a person must be 21 years old to buy a handgun. In Virginia, however, you can buy an AR-15 when you turn 18. Even Florida raised the legal age to purchase an assault weapon after the Parkland massacre took 17 lives,” said Del. Mark Sickles in a statement.
Though many of the bills Youngkin vetoed regarding gun safety are supported by over 70 percent of citizens in Virginia and across the nation, gun manufacturers represented by the NRA remain in control of Republican policy on firearms.
Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Mamie Locke said, "Governor Youngkin… blatantly disregards the safety and well-being of our communities by opposing common sense gun safety measures. This action isn't just a political statement; it's a dangerous refusal to acknowledge the critical need for reforms that protect us all.”
The Sorensen Institute is currently seeking civic-minded VA high school students to apply to the 2024 High School Leaders Program (HSLP). Applications for the 2024 HSLP are due on Monday, March 25th 2024. However, we have flexibility to extend the deadline for students who need extra time.
Listen to the latest episode of Pod Virginia with Lauren Burke and Michael Pope:
➡️ SUBSCRIBE TO BLACK VIRGINIA NEWS. “One had better die fighting against injustice than die like a dog or a rat in a trap.” —Ida Wells. 👨🏽💻 Send your press releases, submissions, tips, pitches, comments and corrections to BlackVirginiaNews@gmail.com.