Budget Cuts Could Hit Langley

The Trump administration’s budget proposal, released last month, would eliminate 40% of the workforce at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton.

The budget draft would defund projects being worked on by 672 civil servants at Langley, slashing total employment from 1,730 people to 1,058.

“This is bad policy, it’s bad for innovation, and it could be a disaster for Hampton Roads,” Democratic Sen. Mark Warner said.

The proposal, which is just a framework and must still be approved by Congress, would reduce NASA’s budget for the 2026 fiscal year from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion, representing the largest single-year cut in NASA history.

Earle-Sears: ‘Axe the Tax’

Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears said that if she is elected governor, she will work to “axe the tax,” eliminating both the state car tax and the income tax on tips.

“Working Americans shouldn’t be punished for earning a living or driving to work,” the Republican candidate said.

Her ideas echo similar tax-reduction proposals made earlier this year by outgoing Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Those requests were eventually set aside by the Democrat-controlled General Assembly.

Earle-Sears will face former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger in November.

Things To Do This Weekend

Sports fans can enjoy a good walk at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, following world-class players as the LIV Golf tour tees off this weekend.

In Norfolk, the hometown Davis brothers—Kelvin, Keyshawn, and Keon—will be back in the boxing ring tomorrow at Scope Arena, with WBO lightweight champion Keyshawn defending his belt for the first time.

Whether competing or just watching, suit up for the North American Sand Soccer Championships in Virginia Beach. Different costumes will be welcome in Spotsylvania for the final weekend of the Virginia Renaissance Faire.

Special Olympics Virginia is hosting its largest annual event in Richmond today and tomorrow. More than 1,200 athletes will participate in the 2025 Summer Games, with the theme Everybody Can.

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Take the First Step Back to Balance

➤ Statewide: Virginians can expect hazy skies to continue over the next few days, first as smoke from Canadian wildfires drifts east and then as dust from Africa’s Sahara desert is blown west into the southwest United States. (Details)

➤ Fairfax: The county board of supervisors is considering a plan to create Unified Sanitation Districts to supervise garbage collection, but some residents trashed that plan at a recent town hall meeting. (More)

➤ Suffolk: Drivers on US-58 will soon be crossing over in an unusual traffic pattern, as the city installs what traffic engineers call a diverging diamond interchange. “This design actually moves traffic to the opposite side … and makes left turns easy,” a Suffolk Public Works spokesman said. (Details)

➤ Statewide: Virginia ranks among the top 5 states issuing removal notices to illegal immigrants. More than 2,000 Virginians received the notices in March, the most recent month for which information is available. (More)

➤ Virginia Beach: The 18-year-old who was shot by city police near a storage unit on Wednesday was charged with two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer and three counts of brandishing a firearm. He suffered serious injuries but is reportedly in stable condition. (Details)

➤ Statewide: A report by Construction Coverage found that 5.2% of workers in Virginia are union members, less than the 9.9% national average. The Commonwealth ranked 14th lowest in the U.S. for union membership. (More)

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➤ The Washington Nationals open a three-game weekend series against the Rangers, welcoming back the franchise that moved out of D.C. to relocate to Texas in 1972. (Preview)

➤ Virginia-trained swimmers, including Gretchen Walsh, set records and captured titles at this week’s National Championships in Indiana. The meet continues through tomorrow. (More)

➤ Virginia Wesleyan fell in the finals of the NCAA DIII softball championship after losing two straight games to Trine, including a 3-1 defeat yesterday. (Box Score)

➤ Yesterday’s results: MLB | NBA | WNBA | NCAASB | Soccer | PGA | Tennis

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➤ Virginia is a major hub for the data center industry, but plans for several new projects are being delayed by red tape. (Details)

➤ Henrico County officials approved development plans for a 22-acre mixed-use project that will be developed in the Innsbrook area off I-295. (More)

➤ Shipley Do-Nuts expanded into the Commonwealth by opening a location in Lynchburg. Virginia is the 14th state the company operates in. (Details)

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➤ On the 80th anniversary of D-Day last year, the Virginia War Memorial opened its ongoing exhibit D+80: Virginians in the Normandy Invasion. Troops from the Commonwealth were among the first ashore that day and suffered heavy casualties. (More)

➤ Dads in Hampton Roads can pick up free diapers tomorrow at the Children’s Museum of Virginia in Portsmouth. It’s part of the Fatherhood Foundation of Virginia’s Fatherhood Week Celebration. (More)

➤ The first Rally for Reading event is scheduled for tomorrow in Leesburg. It will feature readings by children’s authors including Lucky Diaz and Vanessa Brantley Newton. (Details)

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Did you ever root for the Washington Senators baseball team?

1. Yes, before they left in 1960
2. Yes, before they left in 1971 
3. Washington Senators?

Thursday’s Results:

How often do you send an actual letter through the mail? 

1. Once a week: 27%
2. Once a month: 29%
3. Once in a blue moon: 44%

How many terms did Patrick Henry serve as governor?

Show me the answer