Who helped draft Virginia’s new history standards and more headlines

The State Capitol. (Ned Oliver/ Virginia Mercury)

• Former Reagan education secretary William Bennett and several conservative-leaning groups were involved in drafting the new history and social science standards proposed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration, according to a newly released list.—Richmond Times-Dispatch

• The Virginia Tourism Corporation, which stoked controversy by awarding a tourism ad contract to Youngkin’s political ad firm, has authorized more than 125 no-bid contracts since 2017. More than a dozen went to a company owned by a Democratic donor who has contributed to former Govs. Terry McAuliffe and Ralph Northam.—VPM

• The former director of a Virginia children’s hospital is now facing felony sex crime charges after former patients accused him of abuse.—Associated Press

• Authorities raided a Fredericksburg-area restaurant suspected of continuing to sell alcohol despite having its license suspended after a long feud with the state over COVID-19 rules. The owner, a Republican running for the Virginia Senate, posted a video on his campaign page that showed him chastising officers conducting the search.—Free Lance-Star

• Youngkin is proposing $350 million to help the state prepare project-ready economic development sites. “We are done playing small ball. We’re going to play to win.”—WRIC

by Staff Report, Virginia Mercury

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