Virginia’s Top 10 Stories (Told and Untold) of the Year
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9 responses to “Virginia’s Top 10 Stories (Told and Untold) of the Year”
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That seems to me to be a pretty fair summary.
As to what’s happening a year from now, I suggest we will be beginning to see real and serious efforts by leaders in higher education to restore the dignity, worth, and effectiveness of those professors who teach Virginia’s college students, including the traditional undergraduate humanities (Arts and sciences). And that this renaissance will be lead by the University of Virginia.
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I agree that Jim did a good job of hitting the big stories in Virginia – good, bad and indifferent. I do, however, expect Dominion will land on its feet. Perhaps, not exactly where it expected the jump to finish, but in a good position (from its perspective) anyway. Dominion will shift its positions some, but so will the newly elected from their campaign positions.
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For what its worth, I suspect that Dominion getting repeatedly bitch-slapped by the SCC and the GA will be next year’s No. 1 story.
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‘SCC orders Dominion to put Rappahannock transmission line underwater”
“The State Corporation Commission has ordered Dominion Energy to install a new transmission line under, instead of over, the Rappahannock River near the Robert O. Norris Jr. Bridge between Grey’s Point and White Stone. [1.9 miles) ”
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Which followed the 12/6/17 order by the SCC Judges remanding the Haymarket Transmission Line case back to the Hearing Examiner, requiring Dominion to “prove” the need for the case. Apparently the SCC judges believed the residents and local officials who questioned Dominion’s numbers.
http://www.scc.virginia.gov/docketsearch/DOCS/3%24k%2301!.PDF
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Good list and I agree that Dominion faces so much pressure from opponents of several of its projects that it is not getting its way as usual.
However, I strongly disagree that Dominion is making “great” progress on renewables. Virginia is a laggard when it comes to wind and solar. In 2016, it ranked 35th out of 50 states as far as renewables. Dominion is very much to blame for that poor showing. Maybe they have announced some projects but they have a long, long way to go. -
Good list by Jim. The Charlottesville and I-66 HOT lanes issues dominated national press and put Virginia in a bad light. Neither situation was managed well by our elected officials. The anti-Trump Va. election was epic, and while I was not happy with the Repub-dominated GA, I am not as hopeful about Virginia’s future now. If I was a liberal, I would be very hopeful that more liberal legislative goals will be achieved in Virginia, but I am not hopeful that that philosophy gets Virginia moving the right direction either.
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Looking longer term it seems inevitable that the Democrats will make more progress in 2019 with control of the state senate up for grabs. If the Dems control both houses after the 2019 elections look for aggressive gerrymandering around the 2020 census. By 2021 Virginia will be indistinguishable from Maryland, politically speaking.
By this time next year the following stories will be headliners in Virginia:
1. Medicaid expansion.
2. Gun control. While meaningful reform will not pass this year the Dems will see gun control as a means to set up victory in 2019. Sadly, it’s just a matter of time before another gun-related massacre occurs and the Dems use that to demand changes in Virginia.
3. Capital punishment. Look for Northam to use his credibility as a medical doctor to commute death sentences against Virginians convicted of murder but displaying considerably below average mental facilities.
4. Dominion. The outcry against Dominion’s status as the state’s largest private political contributor, monopoly electrical provider 9In some areas) and major eminent domain beneficiary will increase. Dominion’s plans to use the pipeline primarily for out-of-state sales of gas will send it’s public image reeling.
5. Federal government spending / departures. The Tump Administration will continue to cut back discretionary Federal spending and will start moving agencies out of the Washington, DC Metropolitan area. Both of these policies will impact Virginia adding budgetary pressures that will be solved with yet higher taxes. -
Unmentioned but imminent …
Next year the state will have to own up to “climate change” and that will mean a row with Dominion which, as many of you acknowledge, is keeping VA in a 20th century energy system and blocking change. We must allow a multi owner, multi directional electricity system to develop if VA is to keep up with her neighbors, both North and South.And Norfolk is why Virginia will have to take her head out of the sand … https://insideclimatenews.org/news/28122017/sea-level-rise-coastal-cities-flooding-2017-year-review-miami-norfolk-seawall-cost
The site includes an animated map of Norfolk flooding …“To get a sense of how much it will cost the nation to save itself from rising seas over the next 50 years, consider Norfolk, Virginia.”
“In November, the Army Corps released a proposal for protecting the city from coastal flooding that would cost $1.8 billion. Some experts consider the estimate low. And it doesn’t include the Navy’s largest base, which lies within city limits and likely needs at least another $1 billion in construction.”
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“Estimating what it would cost to avoid some of this is trickier. It will certainly be expensive—look no further than Norfolk’s $1.8 billion—but some research indicates it may be less costly than failing to act. An analysis by NRDC found that buying out low- and middle-income owners of single-family homes that repeatedly flood could save the National Flood Insurance Program between $20 billion and $80 billion by 2100.”China is taking over the lead in de-carbonizing their economy. Trumpians will have to modify their positions as flooding costs become more evident.
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