Virginia government tells elite high school to ‘cut ties’ with Chinese government

Jerry Dunleavy

March 16, 11:44 AM March 16, 11:44 AM

The Virginia Education Department directed Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) to “cut ties” with Chinese government-linked entities after it was revealed by the Washington Examiner that one of its elite high schools had collaborated with a Chinese military-linked group for years.

Virginia Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera sent a letter to FCPS Superintendent Michelle Reid on Wednesday, pressing the school system on revelations that Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) and the TJHSST Partnership Fund have “accepted significant financial contributions from entities known to have connections to the Chinese Communist Party."

VIRGINIA HIGH SCHOOL WORKED WITH CHINESE MILITARY-LINKED ORG

The Virginia-based school partnered with Tsinghua University High School, or TUHS, to assist it and China generally with adopting the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, and advanced lab research. TUHS is closely tied to Tsinghua University, considered by the Pentagon to be a Chinese military university.

Guidera told FCPS on Wednesday to "direct schools within your division to cut ties with CCP-linked partners” and said she had asked her department to “investigate the prevalence of such relationships between CCP-linked partners and local school divisions” across Virginia.

The Virginia education secretary said the revelations that “a Virginia high school accepted contributions from CCP-linked entities” were “concerning, and warrant a response regarding the nature of these funds.” Guidera told FCPS to say exactly how much money the TJ fund had received from the Chinese entities and how those funds were used, and whether any of the Chinese entities “provided any guidance, influence, or instructional materials related to content taught” at TJHSST.

Guidera also asked FCPS whether “any non-public student information” or “any instructional materials, class schedules, and individual performance or evaluation indicators” were provided to the Chinese entities.

The Virginia government inquiry comes following a Washington Examiner investigation into the saga.

The nonprofit organization Parents Defending Education (PDE) helped unearth the Chinese funding for TJHSST and had asked Virginia's Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin to investigate.

“We are grateful that Gov. Youngkin and Secretary Guidera have taken swift steps to investigate the scope of this scandal — not only at TJ, but throughout the Commonwealth,” PDE President Nicole Neily said. “This incident highlights the acute need for federal lawmakers to address this problem going forward, and to mandate disclosure of foreign funding to America’s K-12 schools.”

FCPS recently attempted to defend the arrangement between TJHSST and the Chinese entities. Julie Moult, the media relations manager for FCPS, told the Washington Examiner last week that TJHSST is "world-renowned" and that "it is not unusual for elite public schools, colleges, and universities in the U.S. to benefit from donations and grants from various sources, including international sources.”

FCPS did not respond to a request for comment about the new state-level investigation.

The TJPF received hundreds of thousands of dollars from Tsinghua University as part of its agreement with TUHS. The TJPF also received hundreds of thousands of dollars from Ameson Education and Cultural Exchange Foundation, as well as the Chinese company Shirble, which were all led by men tied to China’s United Front Work Department, which manages Chinese government foreign influence campaigns.

WATCH: Youngkin teases his upcoming March Madness picks in promo video

Heather Hunter

March 11, 01:12 PM March 11, 01:12 PM

Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin released a social media video previewing a March 15 reveal of his upcoming picks for his March Madness bracket.

The released video on Friday was in advance of Selection Sunday for March Madness which falls on this Sunday, March 12. It is the day when the full bracket for the 68-team NCAA men's basketball tournament is unveiled.

In the video, college mascots from around Virginia are seen wandering the halls of the executive office of Youngkin as they attempt to lobby him ahead of his bracket announcement.

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The governor is seen grabbing coffee at the office coffee machine, and as he walks away with his coffee in hand, the various mascots — Norfolk State University's Spiro the Spartan, James Madison University's Duke Dog, Virginia Commonwealth University's Rodney the Ram, and University of Virginia's Cav Man — are all lined up cheering him on.

Another scene shows the governor looking for a pen at his desk, and the mascots all rush to hand him one.

Dukes, James Madison University's mascot, is next seen helping walk the governor's dogs. The mascots Rodney the Ram and Cav Man try to help guard first lady Suzanne Youngkin and give tours of the governor's mansion to new visitors.

Spiro the Spartan then tries to lobby the governor with a shoulder massage in his office.

"Lobbying hasn't been this aggressive since the budget fight," a Youngkin staffer said in the humorous video.

The video closed with the message on the screen, "Governor Youngkin makes his picks. 3/15/23"

Last year, Youngkin picked all four Virginia schools to advance through the opening round, picked the Hokies to reach Final Four, and correctly picked Richmond to upset 5-seed Iowa.

The Virginia governor showed off his basketball skills while on the campaign trail in 2021 while challenging former President Barack Obama to a basketball game. The Republican played Division 1 basketball while in college at Rice University.

Youngkin education official explains sudden resignation: 'The buck stops with me'

Jeremiah Poff

March 09, 04:00 AM March 09, 04:01 AM

The former superintendent of public instruction in the administration of Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) says she takes "full responsibility" for a mathematical error that significantly underestimated the amount of aid going to the state's schools.

In a Washington Examiner op-ed, Jillian Balow, the former superintendent of public instruction for Virginia, said, "the buck stops with me" and added that she took responsibility for the budgeting error.

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"My leadership at the Virginia Department of Education wasn’t without controversy," Balow wrote. "Earlier this year, my team alerted me to a mathematical error, which resulted in a significant miscalculation of the estimated amount of basic state aid that would go to schools in the state’s two-year budget. The mistake was rectified, additional safeguards have been put in place, and I am confident the error will not occur again. As Virginia’s top education official, I take responsibility. The buck stops with me."

Balow praised Youngkin, who tapped her for the position following his election in November 2021, for his "commitment to empowering parents and reforming schools" and said that the state is positioned "as a beacon for other states (not just red [states]) that are committed to improving student outcomes."

"After having helped navigate two legislative sessions, I am stepping aside as Virginia’s State Superintendent. I continue to support Gov. Youngkin’s education agenda as vehemently today as I did after his 2021 victory," Balow wrote. "Gov. Youngkin will continue to expand learning opportunities for all students, engage parents in new ways, and uphold great educators."

Balow previously served as the state superintendent of public instruction for Wyoming. Her resignation was effective Thursday.

Almost 400 items from Colin Powell’s estate hit the auction block

Luke Gentile

November 06, 07:00 AM November 06, 07:00 AM

Nearly 400 items from the estate of the late General Colin Powell are currently being auctioned in Virginia.

The auction is being conducted by the Potomack Company in Alexandria.

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It is set to take place throughout the coming weeks, according to a report.

The former secretary of state died in October 2021 at 84.

Items featured in the auction range from mundane to significant, including military awards, medals, and a lightsaber gifted to Powell by George Lucas.

Proceeds from the auction will be donated to America's Promise Alliance, where Powell was the former chairman, and the Colin Powell School at the City College of New York.

Tax rebate 2022: A person-time checks really worth up to $250 will be sent out in just two times

Misty Severi

September 17, 09:18 AM September 17, 09:18 AM

Virginians can be expecting a a person-time direct tax rebate of up to $250 for single filers as early as this Monday, with the state's tax fee aiming to send out in excess of a million payments out by upcoming weekend.

The to start with round of rebates is envisioned to be introduced as early as Sept. 19, and arrives as portion of a much larger bipartisan evaluate passed by the state earlier this year.

STIMULUS UPDATE: Immediate 1-TIME $3,200 Check PAYMENTS TO BE Despatched IN 3 Days

The rebates aim to provide financial relief for qualified taxpayers who had tax liabilities previous calendar year. A tax legal responsibility is the sum of tax owed in the course of the year minus any tax credits, deductions, or subtractions, in accordance to the Virginia Section of Taxation.

Whilst hundreds of thousands will receive a rebate, not each and every taxpayer is qualified for the rebates. Suitable recipients who submitted for the rebate by Sept. 5 can count on their payments next 7 days. Approximately 1,250,000 rebates are expected to be sent out concerning Sept. 19-23, with a purpose of sending out 250,000 rebates per day.

Rebates will get there as possibly direct deposits or paper checks, relying on how an suitable taxpayer filed.

The rebates can be up to $250 for single filers and $500 for joint filers. On the other hand, if men and women owe dollars to specific government businesses, the government will use the rebate to pay back off people debts and Virginians will get the remaining amount left above, if any.

Throughout a Tuesday meeting with the Virginia Home of Delegates, Condition Tax Commissioner Craig Burns said that there will be a "gentle start" Friday and Saturday.

"A handful of thousand direct deposits, a few thousand checks, just to make confident anything will work ahead of we go stay," Burns stated.

Burns additional that the Office of Taxation expects to mail out 3.2 million rebates by the finish of the yr, with 1.3 million direct deposit debates and 1.9 million check rebates.

About 2.9 million of the over-all 3.2 million really should be despatched out by Oct. 10, and the rest will be despatched out through the conclude of the year, he claimed.

Qualified Virginia people will have to file by Nov. 1 to obtain a rebate.

Tax rebate 2022: One-time checks worth up to $250 will be sent out in just two days

Misty Severi

September 17, 09:18 AM September 17, 09:18 AM

Virginians can expect a one-time direct tax rebate of up to $250 for single filers as early as this Monday, with the state's tax commission aiming to send over a million payments out by next weekend.

The first round of rebates is expected to be released as early as Sept. 19, and comes as part of a larger bipartisan measure passed by the state earlier this year.

STIMULUS UPDATE: DIRECT ONE-TIME $3,200 CHECK PAYMENTS TO BE SENT IN THREE DAYS

The rebates aim to provide financial relief for eligible taxpayers who had tax liabilities last year. A tax liability is the amount of tax owed throughout the year minus any tax credits, deductions, or subtractions, according to the Virginia Department of Taxation.

While millions will receive a rebate, not every taxpayer is eligible for the rebates. Eligible recipients who filed for the rebate by Sept. 5 can expect their payments next week. Approximately 1,250,000 rebates are expected to be sent out between Sept. 19-23, with a goal of sending out 250,000 rebates per day.

Rebates will arrive as either direct deposits or paper checks, depending on how an eligible taxpayer filed.

The rebates can be up to $250 for single filers and $500 for joint filers. However, if people owe money to certain government agencies, the government will use the rebate to pay off those debts and Virginians will receive the remaining amount left over, if any.

During a Tuesday meeting with the Virginia House of Delegates, State Tax Commissioner Craig Burns said that there will be a "soft launch" Friday and Saturday.

"A few thousand direct deposits, a few thousand checks, just to make sure everything works before we go live," Burns said.

Burns added that the Department of Taxation expects to send out 3.2 million rebates by the end of the year, with 1.3 million direct deposit debates and 1.9 million check rebates.

About 2.9 million of the overall 3.2 million should be sent out by Oct. 10, and the rest will be sent out through the end of the year, he said.

Eligible Virginia residents must file by Nov. 1 to receive a rebate.

SEE IT: Cafe apologizes soon after 9/11-themed menu goes viral

Maria Leaf

September 08, 11:53 AM September 08, 11:55 AM

A restaurant in northern Virginia is apologizing after publishing a "Patriot Day 2022" menu on social media, which had menu goods named for the 9/11 terror attacks.

The Clubhouse at Aquia Harbour in Stafford promoted the specials for Sunday, like "Pentagon Pie," a chocolate silk pie, "Fight 93 redirect," a very hot crab dip with crostini, "To start with Responder Flatbread," and "2977 Chowder," which signifies the range of people today who were killed on that day in 2001.

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George White, a cafe supervisor, apologized on social media subsequent outcry from some in the community about the menu.

"My intention was to bring interest to that horrific day 21 a long time back. To honor individuals who missing so significantly as properly as these who gave all the things that working day. We will have a new theme tomorrow," White tweeted.

The current menu is now football-themed, such as the very same menu things but improved to "coin toss chocolate pie," "Scorching Defense Dip," and "Subject Gold Flatbread."

Stimulus 2022: Virginia people can get up to $500 in tax rebates in Oct

Asher Notheis

August 12, 11:14 AM August 12, 11:14 AM

People dwelling in the state of Virginia will be able to assert a pair hundred extra bucks ahead of the calendar year is out.

The condition of Virginia is providing people who owe a tax liability from 2021 a rebate of up to $250 for folks who filed independently and up to $500 for joint filers. Anybody who has not submitted money taxes in 2022 is not suitable to receive this rebate, according to the state's Division of Taxation.

"Tax legal responsibility is the total of tax you owe through the year minus any credits (like the credit rating for taxes you paid out to another condition or the credit score for low money men and women), deductions, or subtractions," according to the section.

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If a individual owes cash to a state or area company, this sort of as providers for boy or girl aid, the tax office will use the person's rebate to pay out off the financial debt just before sending what is left to the filer. In the scenario in which all of the rebate is made use of to spend off a personal debt, the department will mail a letter to the filer informing them in which the funds was directed.

The deadline to file a person's taxes to be eligible for this rebate is Nov. 1. People eligible for this rebate who submitted by July 1 will have their rebate sent to them by Oct. 17, which will permit them to acquire it by Oct. 31.

Men and women who gained a tax refund by immediate deposit in 2022 will probably also obtain the rebate by immediate deposit in the exact financial institution account, with the description “VATXREBATE." Everybody else qualified for this rebate will acquire it by a paper check in the mail, even though filers are asked to make absolutely sure their mailing deal with is up to day by Aug. 15.

The a single-time rebates, funded with surplus revenues in the point out, had been created probable soon after a program for them was accepted in June as portion of the state's spending plan. Then-Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam experienced integrated the plan for the rebates in his closing funds proposal in advance of leaving office at the start of 2022, in accordance to the Virginia Mercury.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed the laws in June after it was handed by the Virginia Standard Assembly with bipartisan guidance.

Chesapeake, Virginia Beach front see murder improve from 2021, 2020

Tyler Arnold | The Centre Sq.

July 31, 08:00 AM July 31, 08:00 AM

(The Centre Square) – As homicides and violent crimes boost in important cities through the state, the two most populous cities in Virginia have also been matter to this craze, in accordance to a report posted by WalletHub.

Each Virginia Beach front and Chesapeake saw an raise in 2nd quarter for each-capita homicides in 2022 when in comparison to the 2nd quarter murder charges in 2021 and 2020.

Chesapeake recorded 2.88 homicides per 100,000 persons through the quarter, which is an boost of 1.65 when in comparison to 2021 and an raise of .82 when in comparison to 2020. In Virginia Seaside, the town recorded 1.55 homicides for every 100,000 people, which is an maximize of .89 when compared to 2021 and an enhance of 1.55 when in comparison to 2020.

Though the murder premiums in equally metropolitan areas slide outside the leading 25, their homicide rates are escalating a lot quicker than other big metropolitan areas. The report rated 50 of the country’s greatest metropolitan areas and observed that Chesapeake had the third best increase from its 2021 2nd quarter and the 17th largest boost from the 2020 next quarter. Virginia Seashore experienced the 10th most significant increase from its 2021 2nd quarter and the eighth premier enhance from its 2020 2nd quarter.

“While there are probable multiple reasons why we have seen a spike in homicides in the United States, the criminal justice procedure has not performed much to aid reduce the challenge,” Tristin Kilgallon, an associate professor of pre-law and history at The University of Findlay, reported in a statement.

“The modern ‘defund the police’ movement and hyper-criticism of the police have led quite a few officers to consider a ‘hands-off’ tactic to policing,” Kilgallon included. “Officers are mindful that any miscalculation on their element might direct to everyday living-altering penalties for them and their family members. Even more, quite a few political leaders are outright antagonistic towards the law enforcement, which lowers morale, and impacts the efficacy of police endeavours.”

Norfolk, which has a increased homicide charge than the other two towns, basically saw a lower in homicides in the second quarter when in comparison to its 2021 2nd quarter. In Norfolk, there have been 4.91 homicides per 100,000 persons, but that was 1.64 per-capita homicides decrease than the preceding calendar year. Yet, it was however .41 for each-capita homicides larger than 2020.

Prison justice reform and help for police was a key level of competition for the duration of the legal professional basic race and the gubernatorial race final 12 months. Democrats touted their attempts to reform the felony justice technique, even though Republicans promised a tough-on-crime method. In the end, Republicans gained all 3 statewide races and took management above the Dwelling of Delegates.

Former Virginia initially girl Dorothy McAuliffe joins Condition Division

Emily Jacobs

June 04, 10:30 PM June 04, 10:32 PM

Former Virginia initial girl Dorothy McAuliffe will sign up for the Condition Department as special consultant for world-wide partnerships, a part centered on enhancing non-public sector relations to advance foreign plan priorities.

The Point out Division announced McAuliffe's appointment in a statement Friday afternoon, which highlighted her "sturdy track record in general public-personal partnerships and cross-sector engagement," as effectively as her operate leading "numerous anti-hunger packages and initiatives in her prior part as Initially Lady of Virginia." The former first girl, who is married to former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, will be based out of Washington D.C. for the function, which will require her major a staff tasked with getting methods for the State Department to collaborate with nonprofits, academia, and firms.

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McAuliffe will also operate to motivate all those corporations to help the Biden administration's foreign coverage targets on challenges relating to local weather modify, corruption, global migration, and international provide chains.

McAuliffe, who is also an attorney, was an lively participant in her husband's administration. As very first woman, she performed a big position in encouraging to safe a offer in between condition Democrats and Republicans on gun laws and persuaded the legislature to set up a system for raising funding for school districts serving military households. McAuliffe openly mulled a operate for Congress throughout her husband's tenure, however she ultimately passed on trying to get political business.

The previous very first lady was also active on the campaign path through her husband's 2021 gubernatorial run, which McAuliffe missing by two factors to Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. The Democratic governor still left office in 2018, unable to request quick re-election for the reason that of Virginia's constitutional ban on again-to-again gubernatorial terms.

McAuliffe's loss prompted rapid speculation about his put up-campaign career plans, as well as chatter in Beltway media about him likely signing up for the Biden administration in some potential. That chatter, although, experienced yet to amount of money to anything until the announcement about Mrs. McAuliffe's new occupation.

"I welcome Dorothy McAuliffe to @StateDept," Secretary of Point out Antony Blinken tweeted Friday afternoon, including that she would direct the Business of World Partnerships' "attempts to advance the @StateDept’s best policy priorities by means of private sector collaboration."