Updated -- Virignia Gov. Glenn Youngkin expressed his frustration at the White House after it did not provide him with a briefing on the arrests of two illegal immigrants charged with ramming the gate and trespassing on Quantico Marine Corps Base. They haven't briefed me at all, which is just stunning. What I know is what you know," Youngkin told Potomac Local News during a tour of the Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office's National Night Out event at Spotsylvania Towne Center on Tuesday, August 6, 2024. A federal judge released Hasan Y. Hamdan and Mohammad K. Dabous on bond on July 22. Both are due back in an Alexandria federal courtroom in September. They are just some of the illegal immigrants Potomac Local News has learned have entered Quanctio Marine Corps Base, a trend among military bases as more illegal immigrants appear to be testing the security of military installations across the U.S.  "I'm just shocked they could be released when they were illegally here and not turned over to the authorities to be dealt with," said Youngkin. The governor asked the White House for a briefing on the incident 76 days ago. Youngkin said the silence from the Biden administration is "consistent on what it's demonstrated" when it comes to open border policies. "[Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee] Kamala Harris needs to live with the fact that she was the border czar. They may try to deny it, but that was her job. She didn't do anything to secure the border, and now we're one border state," said Youngkin. Youngkin toured the community fair with Derrick Anderson, a Spotsylvania native who's running to replace Abigail Spanberger (D) in Congress. Spanberger is not seeking reelection. Republican State Senate Candidate Hung Cao was also there. "We have to shut down the border immediately. I mean, that's got to happen right now. We're seeing illegal immigrants coming in day in and day out, causing havoc not only to the United States but here in the Commonwealth of Virginia," said Anderson. "We have five people in Virginia dying from fentanyl overdoses a day in the Commonwealth. We're seeing an impact in us." Republican Senate Candidate Hung Cao also attended the event. He's running against incumbent Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine, who told WJLA-TV he's not in favor of a mass deportation of illegals. "The notion of mass deportation or calling everybody invaders, no, that's not something I support," the senator told the TV station. "First of all, I'm a legal immigrant to this country. And I'm telling you, don't ask for the American dream if you're not willing to obey the American laws and embrace the American culture," said Cao. Shame on him for not defending this country like he's supposed to and living up to his oath of office." Despite Democrats removing Biden from the presidential ballot and replacing him with his vice president, Younkgin said Trump may win Virginia, a state he's never won and one in which he lost to Biden by 10 points in 2020. "Virignia is still in play," said Youngkin.

@GlennYoungkin attended the@SpotsySheriff National Night Out event at @SpotsylvaniaTC on August 6, 2024 with @DerrickforVA and @HungCao_VA pic.twitter.com/0jwDnDd2HT

— Potomac Local News (@PotomacLocal) August 7, 2024

Stafford County Public Schools is set to implement significant operational changes for the upcoming school year, which begins on August 13, 2024. The school division has introduced a new system for identifying school buses and a district-wide ban on cell phones in the classroom.

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The Virginia Department of Education is hosting Commonwealth Conversations to gather input from parents, educators, and community members on achieving cell phone-free education in Virginia, addressing youth mental health, and education performance. Following Governor Youngkin’s Executive Order 33, which mandates cell phone-free education, school boards will implement related policies by the end of the year, with the changes taking effect in January 2025.

The Virginia Department of Education is hosting a series of Commonwealth Conversations to give parents, educators, and community members the opportunity to share their thoughts on the best ways to achieve cell phone-free education in Virginia and address the increasing evidence of the impact cell phone and social media usage has on youth mental health and education performance.

On July 9, Governor Glenn Youngkin issued Executive Order 33 to establish cell phone-free education to promote the health and safety of Virginia’s K-12 students. Executive Order 33 directs the VDOE to provide guidance to school boards on cell phone-free education policies and procedures. School boards will establish local cell phone-free education policies and procedures before the end of this year.

Parents, educators, and interested community members are invited to attend a Commonwealth Conversation and discuss their expectations for the upcoming policy changes that will take effect in January 2025. Below is a list of the upcoming conversations being held throughout the Commonwealth:

Manassas – July 18, 2 – 3:30 p.m.
Osbourn High School

Fredericksburg – July 30, 9 – 10:30 a.m.
James Monroe High School

-Virginia Department of Education

It has been over two months since two Jordanian nationals attempted to breach the gates of Marine Corps Base Quantico, and officials still have not released the identity of the two men arrested. They also offered no explanation as to why state and local officials were not notified.

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On June 25, 2024, Governor Glenn Youngkin signed 18 bipartisan bills aimed at enhancing support for individuals with developmental disabilities. These laws improve accessibility in education, recreation, law enforcement, and transitional services. The governor also signed a biennium budget allocating $247 million for 3,440 priority one waiver slots, increasing the total under his administration to 4,540 slots.

“I’m pleased this legislative package and our?Right Help, Right Now?plan has instituted life-changing impacts that will benefit Virginia families, this community, and transform our level of care for Virginians with developmental disabilities for decades to come,” said Governor Youngkin.

Secretary of Health and Human Resources John Littel said the bills will provide comprehensive support for individuals with developmental disabilities and set “the groundwork for a more inclusive and supportive future. Our goal is to ensure that every Virginian has the opportunity to live a fulfilling and independent life.”

Division Manager Jacqueline Jackson Turner from Prince William County Community Services expressed excitement for “the many people on the Developmental Disability (DD) Waiver waiting list in the priority one category who will benefit from the budgeted waiver slots over the biennium. As a result, they and their families will have access to much-needed support and assistance.” Her office is still determining the criteria and needs to handle the waiver process, which may impact their staffing levels.

The governor’s office provided a complete list of the bills signed on June 25, 2024.

Kelly Sienkowski is a freelance reporter for Potomac Local News. If you’re not getting our FREE email newsletter, you are missing out. Subscribe Now!

Updated June 27: The Fox News Channel will broadcast live from the Juke Box Diner in Manassas on Friday, June 28, 2024, at 6 a.m. 5 o'clock in the morning Gov. Glenn Youngkin will join the broadcast, according to the Manassas GOP.

President Donald Trump will hold a campaign rally in Chesapeake, about 200 miles away, at 3 p.m. on the same day. Youngkin, a potential vice presidential candidate, is expected to join Trump at the rally.

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Gov. Glenn Youngkin and state lawmakers are scrambling after veterans' families lost education benefits following the approval of the state budget.

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Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) came to Prince William County, where farms are moving indoors.

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By Morgan Sweeney

(The Center Square) – Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office issued an announcement Wednesday morning that as of next year, Virginia will no longer follow California’s electric vehicle mandates.

“Once again, Virginia is declaring independence – this time from a misguided electric vehicle mandate imposed by unelected leaders nearly 3,000 miles away from the Commonwealth,” Youngkin said in a statement.

Though Youngkin has fought green energy mandates established by the prior administration – most notably, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative – the announcement comes as a surprise, as it was believed that the decision was in the hands of the General Assembly.

Youngkin encouraged state lawmakers at the start of this year’s legislative session to repeal the 2021 law tying Virginia’s vehicle emissions policies to California’s, but the bill never made it out of committee due to the Assembly’s Democratic majority.

But state Attorney General Jason Miyares has issued what is sure to be a highly contested official opinion “confirm[ing] that Virginia is not required to comply with expansive new mandates adopted by the unelected California Air Resources Board (CARB) set to take effect January 1, 2025.”

The governor held a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, proudly declaring Virginia’s emancipation from California policy.

“I have the privilege of announcing once and for all the California electric vehicle mandate in Virginia. The idea that governments should be telling Virginians what kind of car they must drive is just simply wrong,” Youngkin said.

Federal law limits state autonomy regarding vehicle emissions: States must adhere to federal vehicle emissions standards, or they can choose to adopt California’s more stringent standards.

In 2021, under a Democratic governor and a Democratic majority in the General Assembly, Virginia passed several bills that dramatically changed the state’s energy and environmental landscape. One was the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which committed to transitioning Virginia’s electric grid entirely to green energy by 2050, and another hitched Virginia’s electric vehicle policies to California’s.

California requires 100% of new car sales to be zero-emission vehicles by 2035 and can fine automakers that fail to comply.

Republicans have bucked against the mandates since they came to Virginia but have been unable to reverse them through the legislative process. But Miyares seems confident that he has found a legal loophole.

In 2012, California adopted its Advanced Clean Car Program I, regulating vehicle emissions standards from 2015 to 2025. In 2022, California adopted the Advanced Clean Cars II.

“Virginia’s air pollution control board has never approved, never adopted these ACCII (Advanced Clean Car Program II) regulations and because there was an explicit sunset provision placed on ACCI, it expires on December 31 of this year,” Miyares said.

Miyares also pointed to “permissive” language in the Virginia law referring to the first program, ACCI, which allowed the commonwealth to abandon California’s clean cars policies in 2025.

“I can reach no other conclusion as the attorney general of Virginia that the provisions tying us to California ACCII are no longer operable and yes, Virginians, yet again, have consumer freedom,” Miyares said.

Republicans are voicing their support for the move, grateful the commonwealth’s environmental policies will no longer be tied to California’s.

“Virginians, not unelected bureaucrats in California, should be able to choose the cars that fit their families needs,” Republican Senate Majority Leader Michael McDougle posted on X.

“Outstanding!! This had to be one of the most ridiculous policy decisions forced on Virginians when the Democrats took complete control of government in 2020/2021,” Del. Nick Freitas, R-Culpeper, posted on X.

Virginia Democrats have yet to issue an official response to the news.