Samantha Willis

Virginia Court of Appeals rules NAACP’s voting rights FOIA lawsuit against Youngkin isn’t over • Virginia Mercury The Virginia Conference of the NAACP had originally filed a Freedom of Information Act request to the governor’s office seeking further details about how it handles restoration of voting rights to peo...

#breaking The Virginia Court of Appeals has ruled that the NAACP’s FOIA lawsuit challenging Gov. Youngkin’s voting‑rights restoration process isn't over.

A lower court never addressed attorney‑fees, so the appellate court sent it back to be resolved.

virginiamercury.com/2025/08/06/v...

Amazon pulls Louisa County data center proposal after strong resistance • Virginia Mercury Members of the Louisa community railed against a now-halted fourth proposed data center but concerns remain over the three to come

After intense pushback, Amazon withdrew its proposed 7.2 million square foot data center in Louisa last week, which would have been the third data center in the county.

A revised approval process now gives residents more say in future data center development. virginiamercury.com/2025/07/28/a...

Judge temporarily suspends appointees senators rejected from serving on Va. college governing boards • Virginia Mercury A Fairfax County Circuit Court judge on Tuesday granted a temporary injunction suspending eight gubernatorial appointees from serving on governing boards at the University of Virginia, Virginia…

BREAKING: A Fairfax County Circuit Court judge temporarily blocked eight of Gov. Glenn Youngkin's appointees from serving on governing boards at UVA, GMU and VMI, the latest development to rock Virginia’s higher education landscape. virginiamercury.com/2025/07/29/j...

Students, faculty, and lawmakers rally behind GMU amid Trump administration civil rights probe • Virginia Mercury When student Hanaan Kazia first heard about the federal civil rights probe into George Mason University, she wasn’t surprised. But the junior political science major and member of the school’s Politic...

NEW: Students, faculty & lawmakers are pushing back after the Trump administration launched a civil rights probe into GMU, accusing it of race-based hiring.

Critics call it a political attack on one of the nation’s most diverse public universities.

virginiamercury.com/2025/07/16/s...

New Va. law protecting reproductive health data prompts Walmart’s online data collection pop-ups • Virginia Mercury “I don't think a lot of people realize the information that private industry buys and sells about them,” Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax said in a recent call.

Virginians shopping online for condoms, birth control, or period products may now see pop-ups warning their data is being tracked — a result of a new state law protecting reproductive health info.

Walmart’s response: shop elsewhere if you don’t consent.

virginiamercury.com/briefs/new-v...

Virginia agencies assist Texas flood recovery, share how state prepares for dangerous weather events • Virginia Mercury Following the deadly flooding in Texas, Virginia officials share how the state stays ready for weather disasters.

I asked Virginia agencies how they prepare for dangerous weather events and what tools are available in the state for disaster recovery. #valeg #vapol #vagov

virginiamercury.com/briefs/virgi...

A Marco Rubio impostor is using AI voice to call high-level officials An imposter using AI to pose as Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor and a member of Congress, according to a State Department cable.

Breaking news: An imposter using AI to pose as Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor and a member of Congress, according to a State Department cable.

GOP leaders in US Senate struggle to redo mega-bill by July Fourth deadline WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans were scrambling Tuesday to restructure several proposals in the “big, beautiful bill” that don’t meet their chamber’s strict rules for passing a reconciliation pac...

FROM THE STATES NEWSROOM DC BUREAU: GOP leaders in US Senate struggle to redo mega-bill by July Fourth deadline @jennifershutt.bsky.social @arianalfigueroa.bsky.social @ashleymurray.bsky.social @fischler.bsky.social www.newsfromthestates.com/article/gop-...

Big kudos to @fitzsimon.bsky.social, Scott Greenberger of @stateline.org, and @wordsbywillis.bsky.social of @virginiamercury.com for representing @statesnewsroom.com at today's event with The Pew Charitable Trusts.

By all accounts, it was a great success!

It's almost showtime, and @statesnewsroom.com's Chris Fitzsimon & I are ready! Tune in for "Federalism Tested: How States are Navigating an Era of Uncertainty" at 10am; I'll be moderating a dialogue with former Govs. Hogan of Maryland and Bullock of Montana. www.pew.org/en/about/eve...

TUNE IN: This morning at 10 am @statesnewsroom.com hosts w/ Pew Charitable Trusts: "Federalism Tested: How States Are Navigating an Era of Uncertainty." Hear from former Govs Hogan of Maryland & Bullock of Montana, moderated by @wordsbywillis.bsky.social register here web.cvent.com/event/cfed53...

Trump announces U.S. has struck 3 nuclear sites in Iran • Virginia Mercury Virginia U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, D-Alexandria, questioned the legality of the bombing.

“President Trump has no constitutional authority to take us to war with Iran without authorization from Congress, and Congress has not authorized it,” Virginia Democratic Congressman Don Beyer posted on X, after Trump announced the U.S. bombed three sites in Iran. virginiamercury.com/2025/06/21/r...

Live election results: Primary day 2025 in Virginia • Virginia Mercury Election results courtesy Decision Desk HQ

The polls have closed, and primary day 2025 is racing towards an end. View the unofficial results of Virginia’s attorney general, lieutenant governor and House of Delegates primary races on our live election results page: virginiamercury.com/2025/06/17/l...

Minnesota House Democratic leader dead after ‘politically motivated assassination’ • Virginia Mercury Democratic Sen. John Hoffman also shot, expected to recover

Leading Democrat Melissa Hortman, who was among the most influential Minnesota elected officials of the past decade, died on Saturday morning after a man impersonating a police officer shot her in her Brooklyn Park home, Gov. Tim Walz said. virginiamercury.com/2025/06/14/m...

Va. lawmakers reject latest Youngkin appointees to university boards Senate Democrats rejected several appointees to Virginia’s governing boards at various colleges on Monday, including former Virginia Attorney General Kenneth Cuccinelli and former state commerce and t...

Senate Democrats rejected several appointees to Virginia’s governing boards at various colleges on Monday.

via @virginiamercury.com
www.newsfromthestates.com/article/va-l...

We're stoked you're part of the team, Shannon! Folks, if you have Virginia energy and environment questions or tips to share, give her a holler. 👇

State probe into Black communities’ displacement surges forward with infusion of funds • Virginia Mercury The commission will divvy its work among subcommittees with an additional $200K in resources as it moves further into its inquiry of university led-displacement of Black communities

Featured in the latest Virginia News Reader: State probe into Black communities’ displacement surges forward with infusion of funds - By Brandi Kellam @virginiamercury.com

Read the full article at Virginia Mercury. ➡ tinyurl.com/yc9fykr9

This powerful story, written by reporter Brandi Kellam, was published in partnership with @columbiajournalism.bsky.social's 2025-2026 Spencer Education Journalism Fellowship. Brandi is one of four fellows to take part in the program this year and @virginiamercury.com is proud to work with her!

What happens to Medicaid in Virginia if massive federal bill to slash billions becomes law? • Virginia Mercury Last week Republicans in the U.S. House of Delegates advanced a mega bundle of bills designed to shave billions from the federal budget, which Democrats and advocates have said will take resources…

The "big, beautiful" bill's impact on Virginia isn't fully clear, but the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee estimates 161,614 Virginians could lose Medicaid coverage if it passes. And that number could rise, pending U.S. Senate action. virginiamercury.com/2025/05/23/b...

U.S. House Republicans push through massive tax and spending bill slashing Medicaid This report has been updated.WASHINGTON — The U.S. House early Thursday approved the “big, beautiful bill” that Republican leaders spent months negotiating with centrists and far-right members of the ...

Updated story on the GOP mega bill that passed the House early this morning. By @jennifershutt.bsky.social and @ashleymurray.bsky.social of @statesnewsroom.com.

U.S. House Republicans push through massive tax and spending bill slashing Medicaid

After over 30 years of public service, Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly dies at 75 • Virginia Mercury Connolly had represented Virginia's 11th District in Congress since 2008 and served as ranking member of the U.S. House Oversight Committee until weeks before his death.

A chorus of Virginia's state and federal lawmakers mourned the loss of U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly after the Democratic congressman died in his home Wednesday. He was 75.

Connolly had represented Virginia’s 11th District, anchored in Fairfax, since 2008. virginiamercury.com/2025/05/21/a...

Abortion providers challenge FDA’s remaining mifepristone restrictions in federal court • Virginia Mercury “It’s really important that we protect ... safe access to medication abortion no matter where people live — Virginia is playing a key role in the South right now," Whole Woman’s Health Alliance founde...

1. Abortion med challenges are back in federal courts. @sofiaresnick.bsky.social and I have more details here for @statesnewsroom.com @virginiamercury.com
2. Thank you to my old local library for being our temporary workspace when back in Charlottesville yesterday
virginiamercury.com/2025/05/19/a...

Brain-dead pregnant woman’s case spurs questions about medical consent A pregnant woman being kept alive after brain death because of Georgia’s strict abortion law raises legal and ethical questions about medical consent, experts said.

Adriana Smith was around nine weeks pregnant when she was declared brain-dead in February. But doctors say maintaining life support was the only legal option due to Georgia's strict abortion ban.

Despite saying PFAS contamination is a priority, EPA cut millions in funding for research in Maine • Maine Morning Star With the brief window for fiddlehead foraging nearing its close, citizens of the Mi’kmaq Nation hope to collect the traditional food source this week from the Aroostook River flood plain to test as…

Following months of preparation after securing federal funding in September, a research team headed by the Mi’kmaq Nation received an email from the U.S. EPA's Office of Mission Support on May 13 stating that their four-year grant had been terminated. mainemorningstar.com/2025/05/19/d...

'Resilience Amid Resistance’: New marker reveals Virginia’s fraught journey to school integration • Virginia Mercury A state historical marker titled “Resilience Among Resistance” now stands on the Western District U.S. Courthouse grounds in Harrisonburg, where a judge twice upheld the U.S. Supreme Court’s Brown v.…

A group of determined students and educators helped secure a state historical marker that was unveiled Saturday alongside former Black students who broke barriers in local schools during the Civil Rights era, paving the way for integrated education in Virginia.
virginiamercury.com/2025/05/19/r...

Appalachian Power’s effort to undermine rooftop solar meets stiff opposition • Virginia Mercury Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power are seizing the opportunity to push for changes that would undermine the economic calculus supporting customer-owned solar in Virginia, writes columnist Ivy Main.

Commentary: Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power are seizing the opportunity to push for changes that would undermine the economic calculus supporting customer-owned solar in Virginia, writes columnist Ivy Main.

virginiamercury.com/2025/05/08/a...

Earle-Sears ‘morally opposed’ to Virginia’s reproductive rights amendment, note shows • Virginia Mercury Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears signed Virginia’s in-progress reproductive rights constitutional amendment, but noted her personal objection to it in a handwritten note on the bill.  As president of the ...

NEW: Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears signed Virginia’s reproductive rights amendment—as required by law—but added a handwritten note: “I am morally opposed to this bill; no protection for the child.”

She’s not required to explain her signature. But she did.

virginiamercury.com/2025/05/08/e...

Under Texas’ Abortion Ban, Where a Woman Lives Can Determine Her Risk of Developing Sepsis While the rates of dangerous infections spiked across the state after it banned abortion in 2021, women in Houston fared far worse than those in Dallas, according to ProPublica’s first-of-its-kind ana...

NEW: The rate of sepsis in Houston surged 63% after Texas banned abortion.

In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where hospital leaders empowered doctors to intervene before patients’ conditions worsened, it rose just 29%.

Virginia Health Department investigating potential pediatric cancer cluster in Southwest Virginia • Virginia Mercury Cancer clusters are defined as a greater than expected number of the same or related cancer cases that occur within a group of people in the same area over a specific period of time. Cancer clusters a...

VDH is investigating a possible pediatric cancer cluster in Scott County after residents raised alarms over unusually high cases. Officials are now seeking more data from the public.

The Mercury has created a survey for those impacted (link in story).

virginiamercury.com/2025/05/07/v...

Democrats reach historic goal: A full slate in Virginia House races • Virginia Mercury For the first time in recent memory, Virginia Democrats have candidates running in all 100 House of Delegates districts — a milestone party leaders and grassroots organizers say reflects rising moment...

NEW: Va. Democrats just hit a milestone: For the first time in recent memory, they’re running candidates in all 100 House districts — including red territory like the Eastern Shore.

Chef Rocco DeBellis is one of them, challenging Del. Rob Bloxom in HD-100.

virginiamercury.com/2025/05/07/d...