Transparency News, 7/13/2022

Wednesday
July 13, 2022

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state & local news stories

The search continues for a new superintendent of Spotsylvania County schools, School Board Chair Kirk Twigg said during Monday’s School Board meeting. He continued to say that, “a new superintendent is just around the corner, and then you will see leadership beyond measure.” Board members April Gillespie and Rabih Abuismail in their comments also asked the community to focus on the upcoming school year, rather than the tensions that have plagued the board since January. Those tensions surfaced again during public comments, when Twigg paused the proceedings to ask how many of the speakers who had not yet addressed the board planned to talk about the board’s behavior. After several people raised their hands, Twigg said he would allow them to speak but “you will not talk about the behavior of the board.” He then attempted to call for a recess to consult the board’s attorney before permitting the last two speakers who had signed up to address the board. Board members Nicole Cole, Dawn Shelley and Lorita Daniels said the chairman should state before public comments begin that he or she plans to limit the number of speakers on one topic, rather than cutting comments short when speakers have already been acknowledged. In the end, Twigg allowed public comments to continue unrestricted.
The Free Lance-Star

A request by Nottoway County School Board member Bill Outlaw — that those signing-up to speak at meetings be required to also list their topic and stick to it — may or may not be imposed at tomorrow night’s regular meeting. “To date, there are no procedure changes or regulations to Public Comment,” School Board Clerk Charlotte Wood told the Courier-Record this week. Outlaw last month said that there have been “a couple of cases over the past year or so” where speakers have gotten “off track.” Some of those speakers have been highly critical of Outlaw: Chris Page accused Outlaw of carrying a gun on school property, and Thomas Crews provided Board members audio of Outlaw threatening to “wipe the floor” with him at an Electoral Board meeting last August. Outlaw also chairs the Nottoway Republican Committee. The School Board last month took no vote on Outlaw’s proposal.
Courier-Record

Independence Day in Nottoway County was followed by an encore of ‘fireworks’ at the July 5th Electoral Board meeting, where two citizens publicly called on Secretary Tom Reynolds to resign. Sec. Reynolds, however, showed no signs of stepping down and set-off sparks of his own by warning that those who circulate information obtained through FOIA requests could face “prosecution” if that information includes cybersecurity or involves “stalking me or members of the community.” Reynolds, the lone Republican on the three-member panel, was blasted by Nottoway Democratic leader Thomas Crews for allegedly “actively colluding” with former Registrar Angela Stewart, who until a few weeks ago had been working in Sussex County. Former Board Sec. Chris Page obtained through FOIA requests text conversations between Reynolds and Mrs. Stewart long after her firing last September in Nottoway.
Courier-Record

A Prince William County conservation group has expanded its recall effort to include Board of Supervisors Chair Ann Wheeler for her connections to the data center industry. Last month, the coalition announced a recall petition for Gainesville District Supervisor Pete Candland over his involvement with the controversial PW Digital Gateway proposal. “Citizens refuse to accept ‘cookie jar ethics’ of Wheeler and Candland, who only react when their hand is caught in the cookie jar,” the coalition said in a press release. Wheeler’s recall is also tied to the digital gateway, with residents saying she stands to gain financially from the project and has not been transparent about her ties to the industry.
Inside NoVa

stories of national interest

CBS News has released leaked video obtained, edited and produced by the Austin American-Statesman, and KVUE TV, which shows some of the hallway footage of Robb Elementary during the massacre that killed 19 fourth graders and two teachers. CBS 11 News shared the leaked video on July 12 in an effort to remain transparent in law enforcement's response to the Uvalde school shooting. However, no footage of the gunman was shown, nor was any audio of gunshots included during the broadcast. This was done out of respect for the victims, their families and the Uvalde community.  After news broke of the leaked video, some victim's family members expressed their shock, anger and sadness at a press conference in Washington, D.C.  "Whoever leaked that video... I pray that you never have to deal with what all the parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles are dealing with. Shame on you," said one family member. 
CBS News