LYNCHBURG, Virginia, Feb. 17 -- The University of Lynchburg issued the following news: * * * 'Hell Bent' author to speak at University of Lynchburg on March 16 Brian Recker will present the annual Shumate Lecture at Snidow Chapel. * Brian Recker, author of "Hell Bent: How the Fear of Hell Holds Christians Back from a Spirituality of Love," will speak at the University of Lynchburg's Snidow Chapel at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 16. The event, part of the annual Jennie Cutler Shumate Lecture, is  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- The Air Line Pilots Association has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation regarding the extension petition from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO). The CBP is seeking to renew Exemption No. 10300 under docket number FAA-2011-0688, which pertains to the operation of Predator-B/MQ-9 unmanned aircraft in the National Airspace System. In its letter, ALPA expressed strong opposition to the extension  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation expressing concerns regarding the safety of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operating beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS). Representing the interests of over 80,000 pilots across 42 U.S. and Canadian airlines, ALPA emphasizes that safety in the National Airspace System (NAS) must be maintained without compromise, particularly as new aircraft technologie  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- The Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure (Aii) has submitted a public comment letter to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration advocating for the preservation of federal preemption under the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (HMTA). The organization emphasizes the necessity for a unified regulatory framework to maintain safety in the transportation of hazardous materials across the nation. Aii highlights that PHMSA holds a critical role as   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 -- Americans for Tax Reform issued the following commentary on Feb. 15, 2026: * * * New Payroll Tax, New Mandates: Virginia Democrats Target Employers Jack Baum Virginia Democrats are advancing two massive workplace mandates in 2026: a statewide paid family and medical leave (PFML) program (SB 2 and HB 1207) and a statewide paid sick leave mandate (SB 199 and HB 5). Supporters describe these bills as "benefits," but the reality is simpler: they are new costs, new bureaucr  more

GUILFORD, England, Feb. 16 -- The University of Surrey issued the following news release: * * * Comment: Gender-inclusive pronouns have been part of English literature for centuries, says Surrey academic * As debates over pronoun use intensify worldwide, a University of Surrey academic is drawing on centuries of English literature to challenge the idea that gender-inclusive pronouns are anything but new. Dr Lena Mattheis, Lecturer in Contemporary Literature in our School of Arts, Humanitie  more

BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky, Feb. 16 -- Western Kentucky University posted the following news: * * * Curiosity in Motion: How Lincoln Potts Found His Path in Physics * When Lincoln Potts first walked onto WKU's campus as a Gatton Academy student, research wasn't part of his plan. "I initially didn't want to research," he admitted. "I was like, I don't know about all that-that's some really nerdy stuff I would never do." But watching his classmates pursue projects that combined creativity and d  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 -- The Defense Health Agency has submitted a public comment letter to the Food and Drug Administration advocating for the inclusion of snakebite envenomation in the list of tropical diseases as defined in the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. This request comes in light of the alarming statistics reported by the World Health Organization which estimates that around 5.4 million individuals suffer snake bites globally each year. The DHA emphasized the pressing nature of thi  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- DroneUp LLC, Virginia Beach, has submitted a public comment letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expressing its views on the ongoing discussion surrounding Normalizing Unmanned Aircraft Systems Beyond Visual Line of Sight Operations. The letter was prompted by the agency's invitation for feedback during the reopened comment period regarding electronic conspicuity (EC) devices. In its correspondence, DroneUp highlighted concerns over proposed regulations und  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- The Greater Washington Partnership submitted a public comment letter to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) advocating for expedited delivery of the American Legion Memorial Bridge. The partnership, which is comprised of leading employers from Maryland, Virginia, and D.C., expressed its commitment to addressing the congestion issues that impact the region's economy and mobility. In its letter, the organization highlighted the urgent need for innovative financing an  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 -- A coalition of housing and civil rights groups submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development expressing opposition to the proposed rule that seeks to eliminate its disparate impact regulations under the Fair Housing Act. The coalition raises concerns regarding the decision to deprioritize the enforcement of discrimination claims based on disparate impact, a principle they argue is essential for combating housing discrimination.   more

RICHMOND, Virginia, Feb. 17 -- Virginia Commonwealth University issued the following Q&A on Feb. 16, 2026, by Madeline Reinsel with Yifan Lou, assistant professor in the School of Social Work: * * * How to plan for a 'good death,' according to a VCU researcher Social work professor Yifan Lou offers insight into end-of-life care and its individualized paths. * People talk a lot more about death than dying. That's according to Yifan Lou, Ph.D., a Virginia Commonwealth University School of Soc  more

HARRISONBURG, Virginia, Feb. 17 -- James Madison University issued the following Q&A on Feb. 16, 2026, by Skyler Dixon with Amanda Sawyer and Chelsey Bollinger, professors in the Department of Early, Elementary and Reading Education: * * * Q&A: COE faculty spotlight global perspectives in mathematics Amanda Sawyer and Chelsey Bollinger, who teach in the Department of Early, Elementary, and Reading Education, recently co-wrote "Mable Mathis and the Mysterious Aunt Sally," a children's book tha  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 -- Nacha has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection expressing support for the interim final rule that aims to require all refunds of overpayment of customs duties, taxes and fees to be issued through electronic funds transfers. The letter emphasizes the advantages of using electronic refunds over traditional paper checks, highlighting benefits such as safety, speed, and cost-effectiveness. The ACH Network,  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- The National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM) has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development regarding the agency's implementation of the Fair Housing Act's disparate impact standard. The letter reflects NARPM's commitment to fair housing and expresses concern over the potential withdrawal of current disparate impact regulations. In the letter, NARPM emphasizes its dedication to fair housing, stating that   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- The National Association of State Credit Union Supervisors (NASCUS) has submitted a public comment letter to the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) regarding proposed amendments to the safeguarding of member information and response programs for unauthorized access. The organization expressed strong support for the NCUA's efforts to simplify regulations and enhance clarity for credit unions. NASCUS commended the NCUA's proposal to remove Appendices A and B from t  more

SILVER SPRING, Maryland, Feb. 14 -- The National Black Nurses Association issued the following news release: * * * National Black Nurses Association Celebrates NBNA Members Honored as 2026 ANA National Award Winners The National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) extends its warmest congratulations to its members who have been recognized as recipients of the 2026 American Nurses Association (ANA) National Awards, among an elite group of 15 distinguished nurses honored this year. These awards, pr  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- A cohort of PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and assistant professors specializing in environmental and energy economics has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Energy concerning its Critical Review of Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions on the U.S. Climate. The group aims to bring attention to perceived flaws in the Review's economic analysis that they argue undermine important environmental issues. The letter highlights three major critici  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 -- President Trump issued the following proclamation on Feb. 16, 2026: * * * PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY, 2026 Today, our Nation honors President George Washington, our foremost American hero, the face of the American Revolution, and a champion of American liberty. On President Washington's Birthday, particularly as we celebrate 250 glorious years of American independence, we pay tribute to the father of our country, and with immeasurable pride and gratitude, we  more

EARLYVILLE, Virginia, Feb. 17 -- Progress Virginia, an advocacy organization that combines online organizing and communications with earned media strategies, issued the following news release on Feb. 16, 2026: * * * Workers Celebrate as Virginia House of Delegates Passes Paid Sick Days Legislation Richmond--Workers and advocates across the Commonwealth are celebrating today as HB5, legislation sponsored by Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler that guarantees paid sick days for working Virginians, pa  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, Feb. 17 -- Virginia Commonwealth University issued the following news: * * * Religion and spirituality power annual lecture series from new VCU hub The Center for the Study of Global Religions and Spiritualities encourages a broader understanding of world culture. By Sian Wilkerson A four-part lecture series that kicks off this month highlights how a new Virginia Commonwealth University initiative is using religion and spirituality as a lens for exploring world culture,   more

ARLINGTON, Virginia, Feb. 17 -- The Student Press Law Center issued the following news: * * * New Voices advocates testify in Missouri House hearing Myesha Phukan Student journalists, educators and other advocates of student journalism, including an attorney from the Student Press Law Center, testified Feb. 11 at a hearing of Missouri's House Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education in support of HB 2918. Also known as the Cronkite New Voices Act, the legislation would provide stron  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- The U.S. Parachute Association (USPA) has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation addressing its concerns regarding proposed regulations on the integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System. The letter emphasizes the potential risks that new electronic conspicuity requirements could pose to skydivers during jump operations. In its letter, USPA points out that while it supports the goal of safely integra  more

ORLANDO, Florida, Feb. 16 -- The University of Central Florida posted the following news: * * * UCF Medical Students to Care for U.S. Veterans * Two future UCF-built physicians will continue their medical training after graduation at top military residency programs across the country, caring for our nation's heroes. Arielle Patterson and Jemual Shaylor '21, members of UCF's M.D. Class of 2026, matched at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and Naval Medical Center San Diego, respe  more

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, Feb. 17 -- The University of Virginia issued the following Q&A on Feb. 16, 2026, by Mike Mather with Meghan Puglia, associate professor of neurology and researcher in the School of Medicine: * * * Q&A: Why are a child's first 1,000 days so critical for brain building? Year after year, government records show late summer is when most babies are born, with August as the most common birth month. That means - right now - tens of thousands of future parents are planning   more

RICHMOND, Virginia, Feb. 17 -- Gov. Abigail Spanberger, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on Feb. 16, 2026: * * * Governor Spanberger Announces Grants for Eight Virginia Communities to Restore Brownfield Sites Awards Total More Than $1.5 Million to Power Economic Development & Restore Damaged Properties * Governor Abigail Spanberger today announced that eight Virginia localities received $1.59 million in Site Remediation Grants from the Virginia Brownfields Restoration and Econo  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, Feb. 13 -- Gov. Abigail Spanberger, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Governor Spanberger Announces More Than $4.9 Million in Grant Awards, Investments in Virginia's Food Systems Grants Aid in Building Resilience in Virginia's Local & Regional Food Supply Chains * Governor Abigail Spanberger today announced the award of 12 Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) grants -- totaling more than $4.9 million -- for Virginia farms, businesses, agricult  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, Feb. 17 -- Gov. Abigail Spanberger, D-Virginia, issued the following statement on Feb. 16, 2026: * * * Governor Spanberger Pledges to Sign Legislation to Raise Minimum Wage Governor Abigail Spanberger today released the following statement after both the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates passed legislation that would incrementally increase the state minimum wage to $15 per hour by January 1, 2028. "Across our Commonwealth, I've heard from Virginia families who are s  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, Feb. 17 -- Virginia Commonwealth University issued the following news: * * * 'Voices of Change: Stories from Alumni' to highlight campus activism The Feb. 26 panel discussion accompanies an ongoing exhibit at James Branch Cabell Library on VCU's history and legacy of student activism. * A panel of Virginia Commonwealth University alumni will discuss their experiences with activism on campus and beyond at a public event, "Voices of Change: Stories from Alumni," on Feb. 26  more

LEXINGTON, Virginia, Feb. 17 -- Virginia Military Institute issued the following news: * * * Richter Publishes 7th Book Dr. Duncan Richter, professor in the Department of English, Rhetoric, and Humanistic Studies and holder of the Charles Luck III '55 Institute Professorship at Virginia Military Institute, has recently authored his seventh book titled, "Wittgenstein Versus Anscombe on How to Live: Linked Philosophical Lives," published by Bloomsbury Publishing. The book explores the lives of  more

ETTRICK, Virginia, Feb. 17 -- Virginia State University issued the following news: * * * Virginia State University Names Honors College After Distinguished Alumnus Dr. Charlie W. Hill '66 The prestigious recognition reflects Dr. Hill's decades of advocacy for VSU and his steadfast dedication to expanding opportunities for its students Virginia State University proudly announces the naming of its Honors College in honor of distinguished alumnus Dr. Charlie W. Hill '66, a leader whose life and  more

BLACKSBURG, Virginia, Feb. 17 -- Virginia Tech issued the following news: * * * Curious Conversations' podcast: Francesco Ferretti talks about the unknowns of sharks By Travis Williams Francesco Ferretti joined Virginia Tech's "Curious Conversations" to talk about the state of shark populations worldwide and the knowledge gaps that challenge conservation strategies. Ferretti explained the role of sharks in the larger marine ecosystem, the challenges of gathering data on shark populations, a  more

BLACKSBURG, Virginia, Feb. 17 -- Virginia Tech issued the following news: * * * Families of virology pioneers set up new scholarship for public health and veterinary students By Kevin Myatt Pedro Acha and Luis Melendez formed a tight personal and professional bond that knitted their families together and led to groundbreaking research together in virology. Now, their families are honoring them through endowing a new scholarship at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, where  more

BLACKSBURG, Virginia, Feb. 17 (TNSjou) -- Virginia Tech issued the following news: * * * Sinking land, rising risk in New York City New York City's transportation infrastructure faces a growing risk from sinking land. By Kelly Izlar Slow but persistent sinking land could pose serious long-term risks to New York City's critical transportation infrastructure, including major airports, subway lines, and highways. While current rates of subsidence, or sinking land, across much of the city app  more

BLACKSBURG, Virginia, Feb. 17 -- Virginia Tech issued the following news: * * * Stavrou family gifts establish $350,000 to support junior faculty and graduate scholarships in the D.C. area By Franki Fitterer Angelos Stavrou's decision to create an endowment at Virginia Tech goes beyond his role as a professor in the College of Engineering. Angelos and his wife, Daliborka, both completed their graduate education in the United States after growing up abroad and deeply value the transformativ  more