THE TUESDAY ADVANCE: READS, FREDLINES, and STATE of the STATE
July 28, 2026. All About the Day.
ADVANCE READS
Shaun Kenney, ProPublica, Steve Watkins
Mary Washington Healthcare Hit by Sudden Departure of Chief Medical Officer
By Steve Watkins, ADVANCE EDITOR
In the wake of recent disclosures about conflicts between Mary Washington Healthcare and a local radiology group—and problems and uncertainty at MWHC with getting timely radiologic test results—the hospital corporation is now dealing with the sudden departure of Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President Christopher Lewis, who’ll be leaving his job in two week after only 15 months on the job.
***
On Public Education, Federal Education Stats Agency Shows Money Isn’t the Problem
By Shaun Kenney, ADVANCE CONTRIBUTOR
1.4 million fewer students, lower test scores, and a 34 percent increase in spending. What is going on with public education?
***
Barns, Go-Karts and Strip Malls: The Wild West of Private Schools That Collect Taxpayer Dollars
By Jennifer Smith Richard, Megan O’Matz, Mollie Simon, and Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPUBLICA
As private schools proliferate in Florida and across the country, fueled by taxpayer dollars, states are choosing not to closely regulate who is operating them or to oversee student safety and achievement, a ProPublica investigation found.
***
Cell Block
By Steve Watkins, ADVANCE EDITOR
Shortly into my first year teaching English and International Baccalaureate Lang & Lit at Mountain View High School in Stafford County, Virginia—the first day, actually—I knew I was going to have to do something about the cellphones. If a school shooter had blasted his way through the door to our classroom, the kids might have videoed first, posted on social media second, and only then looked around for somewhere to hide.
FREDLINES
Eve Evans, EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Potomac Local News
Community Forum Recap: Residents Raise Taxes, Water, Transparency Concerns Over Data Centers
By Uriah Kiser, 07/28/2026
A community forum at Fredericksburg’s downtown library brought together residents, activists, researchers and local leaders to discuss growing concerns over data centers, with speakers questioning tax revenue projections, transparency, environmental impacts and public engagement in local decision-making. Panelists also highlighted new state groundwater findings, ongoing opposition to major regional projects, and efforts to increase oversight as data center development expands across the region. Read the full article for more details on water resource concerns, tax implications, citizen activism, and the local projects shaping the debate.
Slight Risk of Severe Storms Today as Cold Front Sweeps Through
By Uriah Kiser, 07/28/2026
A strong cold front is expected to bring showers and thunderstorms to the region this afternoon and evening, with damaging winds posing the greatest severe weather threat. Large hail, a brief tornado and heavy downpours are also possible, while conditions improve quickly after the front passes, giving way to cooler, drier weather through the middle of the week. Read the full article for more details on the timing of the storms, flood concerns, and the forecast through the weekend.
The Free Lance Star
Man who filmed himself molesting children pleads guilty in Spotsylvania (Paywalled)
By Keith Epps, 07/27/2026
A Spotsylvania County man has pleaded guilty to four felony charges after investigators found videos on his phone showing the sexual abuse of two prepubescent children, along with additional child sexual abuse material. Under a plea agreement, Tyler Jordan Rivera will serve at least 10 years in prison, though a judge could impose a sentence of up to life when he is sentenced in October. Read the full article for more details on the cybertip investigation, the evidence recovered from Rivera’s electronic devices, and the terms of the plea agreement.
STATE of the STATE
VaNews/VIRGINIA PUBLIC ACCESS PROJECT
Lawmakers move forward with plans for childcare center for state employees
By MEGAN PAULY, VPM
Plans are underway to construct a new childcare center for state employees, though opening of the center is still at least several years out. The new budget lawmakers recently approved includes an estimated $2 million to authorize the Department of General Services to plan for a standalone 15,000-square-foot building to serve up to 150 children of state employees in downtown Richmond. “One of the things that we’re seeking to do is enhance employee benefits across the commonwealth,” Traci DeShazor, Virginia’s secretary of administration, told VPM News. “And I certainly think that this is an employee benefit.”
613 days in solitary confinement, a $150,000 settlement: How one case helped change Virginia prison policy
By NORI LEYBENGRUB, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
Takeisha Brown drove the eight hours from Pennsylvania to Virginia’s Red Onion State Prison after hearing her son on the phone. He spoke rapidly, spitting out strings of numbers and random words, as if he were possessed. Once she got there, his ribs were clearly visible underneath his skin. The 27-year-old’s teeth were decayed. He couldn’t recognize her, or his little sister and great-aunt. Brown said when she asked corrections officers what they did to her son — Tyquine Lee — they remained silent. Lee couldn’t tell her, but he kept eyeing the officers with fear.
Their land was taken centuries ago. Now the Pamunkey tribe is getting it back.
By DANA HEDGPETH, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)
The 13 acres overlooking the river that bears their name have long been a part of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe’s ancestral homeland. The land in King William County, Virginia, was taken from them centuries ago, but through a recent $1.9 million deal, the tribe regained ownership and plans to expand its cultural and economic presence in the region. The return of the land marks a milestone for the Pamunkey tribe, which gained federal recognition in 2015 and has roughly 530 enrolled members. The purchase also reflects a broader movement by Native nations across the country to reclaim territorial lands lost through broken treaties, forced dispossession and private acquisition.
Articles from newspapers throughout the Commonwealth and Washington D.C. Firewalls will block you from reading some, but you’ll at least have some idea about what’s going on from the headlines and summaries. CLICK HERE.
This article is published under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND. It can be distributed for noncommercial purposes and must include the following: “Published with permission by FXBG Advance.”