Northam’s proposed Va. budget restores many earlier COVID cuts

By The Associated Press
December 16, 2020 | 11:25 AM

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is outlining his amendments to the two-year state budget.

His proposals would restore Democratic priorities put on hold in the uncertain early days of the pandemic.

The governor’s plan outlined publicly on Wednesday will be a starting point as lawmakers convene in January.

Administration officials say spending can resume because the state’s economy has fared better than expected. It includes hundreds of millions in spending on the COVID-19 response, including nearly $90 million to support the deployment of vaccines.

Virginia is doing better than most states in part because the federal government is such a large employer in the Commonwealth.

A golf course for ‘the people’ faces a presidential makeover

By The Associated Press
September 5, 2026 | 7:18 AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — A pack of cyclists whisked by along the circuit at East Potomac Park while the golf course parking lot filled with luxury SUVs parked next to older, inexpensive economy cars, all with the Washington Monument in the background. The scene highlighted what residents say are the park's best features: its accessibility and affordability right in the nation's capital. The historic park, especially the golf course, has caught the eye of President Donald Trump, who wants to turn it into a world-class golf venue. It's part of his grand vision for Washington, D.C., where he has torn down storied structures, remade or renamed others and deployed the National Guard for more than a year. But some residents fear the planned changes to the golf course — where Trump has visited with a cabinet member, a well-known golf course architect and blueprints — risk altering the character of a place that has served Washingtonians of many stripes for more than a century. Turning the park into an upscale golf course will mean costlier fees and a loss of public space, residents worry.

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