Unsuccessful State Science And Tech Incentives; More Va., Headlines

A Staff Report, Virginia Mercury

June 14, 2022

• Authorities say a Virginia man has been identified as a “central” conspirator in the Jan. 6 insurrection after video showed him meeting with top leaders of two far-right extremist groups the day before the attack on the Capitol.—Richmond Times-Dispatch

• Virginia home-schooling advocates have been leaders in a national movement to strengthen “parental rights” in state law.—Washington Post

• “Boeing and Virginia Tech will establish a workforce development center in Alexandria to help military veterans transition to civilian life and build careers in the technology and defense industries.”—Washington Post

• A new state report found that Virginia’s existing science and technology incentives have largely failed to drive economic growth.—VPM

• A Loudoun County judge removed the county’s prosecutor from a serial burglary case, claiming the office downplayed the suspect’s criminal history while seeking a plea deal.—FOX 5

• Richmond is the latest Virginia locality to consider a gun buyback program in response to rising homicides and a slate of recent shootings.—Richmond Times-Dispatch

• Monticello is planning a Juneteenth event to honor the enslaved people who lived and worked on Thomas Jefferson’s former estate.—WVTF

• Richmond officials say fencing surrounding the former Robert E. Lee monument — space that had become a gathering spot for community activists — could come down by this fall.—Axios

• A North Carolina mother has spent hundreds of dollars delivering formula to Hampton Roads families struggling amid a nationwide shortage.—WHRO

• Animal shelters across eastern Virginia are seeing record numbers of surrendered pets, straining capacity at an already busy time for most facilities.—Virginian-Pilot

• The Roanoke area is preparing for a near-record heat wave, including what could be the region’s first string of 100-degree days in nearly a decade.—Roanoke Times

• Richmond’s Edgar Allan Poe Museum is celebrating the tenth anniversary of two black cats who made the site their home after being discovered in the garden as kittens.—VPM

• The winning numbers for Virginia Lottery’s latest Bank a Million draw were 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, surprising players with what might have been the game’s first full numerical sequence.—Washington Post

This story was originally published by the Virginia Mercury. For more stories from the Virginia Mercury, visit Virginia Mercury.com.