Gov. Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin read the popular book “Where the Wild Things Are” to Alexis Evans’ first grade class at Carver Elementary School on Thursday, Jan. 19. The governor’s visit was in support of the expansion of a new Virginia education law, the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA).The legislation passed during last year’s Virginia General Assembly and becomes effective during the 2024-2025 school year. “We want to have an academic and education system that raises the ceiling for all of our children and recognizes that we have kids that need some extra support,” said Gov. Youngkin. “We can do both.”

Construction of a new Amazon facility is scheduled for completion in Henrico County’s Fairfield District this year. When the online retailer announced plans in April 2021 for its state-of-the art robotics fulfillment center on 119 acres along Richmond-Henrico Turnpike, near Richmond Raceway, Amazon and county officials said it would lead to 1,000 job opportunities. The 2.6-million-square-foot facility will be the largest building in Central Virginia, officials said. To accommodate increased traffic in the area, Richmond-Henrico Turnpike has been extended to four lanes, with a new traffic signal placed at the main entrance to the site. “Amazon has been proud to call Virginia home since 2006,” said Alicia Boler Davis, who was Amazon’s vice president of Global Customer Fulfillment at the time of the announcement. “Collectively it takes a strong workforce and local support network to serve our customers across the Commonwealth and the region. The launch of this state-of-the-art fulfillment center in Central Virginia will create more than 1,000 jobs with industry-leading pay and benefits starting on the first day of employment. I’m excited to see Virginians continue to excel at Amazon, building better and brighter futures.”

Winter reflection in Downtown Richmond