Truth be told
Candidate Kellen Squire has responded to allegations by his primary opponent Amy Laufer that he is anti-choice. The two are facing off on June 20 for the Democratic nomination for Virginia’s 55th House of Delegates seat.
Over Memorial Day weekend, Laufer released mailers that said, “Squire’s own words show you can’t trust him to protect reproductive rights.”
Responding to the allegation, Squire said his words were taken out of context from a 2017 campaign in a much more conservative district. His campaign asserts that Squire is an emergency room nurse with progressive positions, and is absolutely pro-abortion access.
Squire took particular issue with Laufer’s claim that “abortions give [him] nightmares.”
In a tweet addressing the mailers, the nurse shared his traumatic experience with a patient who nearly died due to a ruptured ectopic pregnancy after she could not access abortion care promptly. Squire wrote, “So, yeah. There’s a way someone’s face turns pale as blood pools on the floor that tends to stick with you for quite awhile.”
While the mailers were intended to sway voters away from Squire, many are frustrated with Laufer’s allegedly false portrayal of her opponent. Despite this, Laufer’s campaign is standing behind its claims, stating, “Amy is the only candidate in the race who has always been pro-choice.”
Introducing Kindlewood
Residents of Friendship Court have voted to rename their community Kindlewood.
The renaming is part of a larger zero-displacement redevelopment effort that aims to expand the neighborhood from its current 150 units to housing for 400 families at three tiers of affordability. While the Piedmont Housing Alliance and the National Housing Trust advised on the project, the idea for a new name came from the resident-led Advisory Committee, and was directed by the community’s Rebranding Committee.
Eighty-five percent of the current community participated in the renaming project. Among the participants was Ezhar Zahid, a youth member of the Rebranding Committee and an 11th-grade student at Charlottesville High School. According to Zahid, “Many residents proposed something about ‘kinship,’ ‘kindness,’ and ‘togetherness.’”
In a press release announcing the renaming, the PHA said, “Kindlewood reflects the core values of respect, connection, and peace. The name also evokes kindling wood, symbolizing new beginnings, warmth, and a cozy gathering around a home’s hearth.”
In brief
Good votes no
Rep. Bob Good voted against the negotiated agreement to raise the national debt ceiling last week. While Good opposed the bill due to his frustration with concessions made to gain Democratic support, several Virginia representatives on both sides of the aisle voted no on the measure for a range of reasons. The other Virginia lawmakers who voted against the bill were Republicans Ben Cline and Morgan Griffith and Democrats Bobby Scott and Gerry Connolly.
Super Regional excitement
The Virginia baseball team advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals after defeating East Carolina 8-3 on June 4. The Cavaliers will take on the Duke Blue Devils on June 9 in the first game of the best of three series at noon at Disharoon Park. Tickets for the game sold out quickly, but some student tickets are still available as of June 6. A limited number of tickets may also be available on game day if the visiting-team allotment goes unclaimed.
Area plane crash
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading an investigation into an Augusta County airplane crash. Virginia State Police originally learned of a potential crash at 3:50pm on June 4, and located the crash site later that same evening. No survivors were found at the scene, with the NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration advising that there were four individuals aboard the privately owned aircraft, including the pilot. At press time, the investigation is still ongoing, and the names of the individuals on the plane have not been released.