February 14, 2025: University of Virginia Health System resumes gender-affirming care following restraining order against Trump directive
Plus: Charlottesville releases economic development report for 2024
If your idea of a Valentine is fact-checking a piece of claimed history, was James K. Polk the first sitting American president to have his picture taken on this day in 1849? That’s one of the many items listed on the Wikipedia page for February 14, but there’s no citation. But the Library of Congress confirms that Matthew Brady sat Polk down on this day for a daguerreotype. This is Charlottesville Community Engagement for this day. I’m Sean Tubbs, and what else do you want to know?
In today’s installment:
UVA Health resumes providing gender-affirming care after a federal judge blocked an executive order from the White House that ordered all federal funding pulled
Charlottesville’s Department of Economic Development releases its annual report
A review of legislation that has passed the Virginia General Assembly and now awaits action by Governor Glenn Youngkin
First shout out: Charlottesville E-bike Lending Library
The rolling topography of the Charlottesville area keeps some people away from choosing cycling as an option to get around. Perhaps an e-bike is in order?
That’s where Charlottesville’s eBike Lending Library comes in! E-bikes are a great way to get around the community but there are many brands and styles to choose from. Because many e-bikes are sold online, it can be a challenge to try an e-bike before buying one.
The Charlottesville E-bike Lending Library is a free, not-for-profit service working to expand access to e-bikes in the area. They have a small collection of e-bikes that they lend out to community members for up to a week, for free. You can experience your daily commute, go grocery shopping, or even bike your kids to school, and decide whether e-bikes are right for you. Check out this service at https://www.ebikelibrarycville.org!
UVA Health to resume gender-affirming care after federal judge temporarily blocks White House direction
A federal judge has put a temporary block on a directive from President Donald Trump to withhold federal funds from health care entities that treat young people who identify as transgender.
A coalition under the name PFLAG, Inc. Et. Al. filed suit against Trump and personnel in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services seeking to throw out provisions of two executive orders. One of them titled Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.
“It is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female,” section 2 of the order. “These sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.”
The order also contains a specific directive that’s at the heart of PFLAG’s case.
“Federal funds shall not be used to promote gender ideology,”the order continues. “Each agency shall assess grant conditions and grantee preferences and ensure grant funds do not promote gender ideology.”
A second order was issued on January 28 with the title Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation that describes specific procedures that are known under the phrase “gender-affirming care.”
Shortly after the second order was issued, television station WRIC reported that Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares sent a memo to both the health systems at both the University of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University ordering them to comply. They both did so.
The executive branch is one of three branches in the federal government and groups and individuals have the ability to challenge policies promulgated by a new president.
PFLAG is a group that formed in 1973 under the name Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays before becoming known as just the acronym in 2014 to expand advocacy to more types of people.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed the suit on February and PFLAG joined soon afterward.
Judge Brendan A. Hurson of the District Court for Maryland issued a ruling Thursday that blocked the order from going into effect. According to the ruling the defendants “are RESTRAINED from conditioning or withholding federal funding based on the fact that a healthcare entity or health professional provides gender affirming medical care to a patient under the age of 19.”
The order is in effect through February 27 while parties arrange materials for a hearing on the matter. The order also directs the executive branch to release any funding and to provide a status report by February 20 on compliance with the order. (read the order)
UVA Health has resumed providing medical care to patients that seek it.
“Now that a federal court has issued a temporary restraining order suspending the federal executive order on gender-affirming care, UVA Health will resume the provision of those services that were previously paused in response to the order,” reads a statement issued on February 13. “UVA Health will continue to monitor legal developments in this case and provide our patients with the best care possible under Virginia and federal law.”
The Children’s Hospital of Richmond operated by VCU Health also issued a statement that said that entity is still reviewing its course of action, but has not resumed the practice.
PFLAG also issued a statement.
“Today’s intervention by the court underscores the cruelty and recklessness that is embedded in this order and affirms our commitment to resist the administration’s extremist agenda that targets trans and non-binary young people and privileges political ideology over medical expertise,” said Alex Sheldon, executive director of GMLA. That’s a national organization that advocates for health equity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) communities.”
There is currently a cybersecurity attack underway on the website of the Virginia Attorney General. WJLA reports the Virginia State Police are investigating the incident.
Charlottesville releases annual report of economic development activity
Charlottesville’s Office of Economic Development has released its annual report for 2024 and it begins with the director reminding readers that the city’s vision statement calls for Charlottesville “to be a place where everyone thrives.”
Chris Engel said his office exists to carry out the economic prosperity goal in the city’s strategic plan.
“A strong economy is essential to the prosperity of this community and everyone calls it home,” Engel said.
In 2024, the Office of Economic Development began implementing a new strategic plan developed by the firm Resonance. One achievement has been the hiring of a entrepreneurial specialist which is under the “Equitable Entrepreneurship” goal. (read the plan)
The report also has the story of how a product developed at the University of Virginia called Madidrop is now being marketed and distributed through a company called Silvihere Technologies and how they work with Snow Hill Water of Fluvanna County and Techni-Pak of Greene County.
The report also notes that the city hired the firm SP+ to manage the city’s off-street parking spaces which are now across five different locations. The report does not note that the City of Charlottesville now pays the Charlottesville Parking Center more than $1.8 million a year to rent the Water Street Parking Garage. Here’s one story I wrote. Here’s another.
Other highlights from the report:
Over 140 people have participated in the Ready to Work program since it was launched in July 2023.
Over 67 businesses have used the services of GO Hire since that program was launched in 2016 for a total of 161 employees.
There was a joint meeting of the economic development authorities of Albemarle and Charlottesville. This was not televised so I hired someone to get me the audio and wrote this story.
The report is not available for download and must be viewed on the Issuu platform.
Second shout-out: Several things ReLeaf Cville Did in 2024
In today’s second subscriber-supported: ReLeaf Cville seeks to help restore the amount of the city that is covered by trees. Here are some of their efforts since 2022.
• Planted over 300 trees particularly in neighborhoods with low tree cover, including 10th and Page and Rose Hill. Most recently in the Woolen Mills, working with the Rivanna Conservation Alliance, the group will have planted 135 trees to help keep the Rivanna River clean.
• Started a three-year Tree Preservation Program with a $189.9K grant from Virginia Department of Forestry to provide free tree care to 28 Fifeville homeowners to help preserve 48 mature trees this winter.
• Educated over 540 students about the value of trees and nature in the City and developing a Green Team of 15 teenagers every year. This group is taught about the value of trees and nature in the City. After teaching them how to approach people going door – to- door, they canvas the neighborhoods asking if we can plant trees in homeowners yards. This winter the Green Team, working with the Rivanna Conservation Alliance, is removing invasive plants and plant new tree seedlings to refurbish forested areas.
• Environmental Education Summit. With a grant from Clean Virginia, in mid-February the group will hold a summit with over 30 organizations involved in environmental education
Several bills await Governor Youngkin’s signature including school sales tax bill
There are less than two weeks until the Virginia General Assembly is set to end their session and wait for Governor Glenn Youngkin to sign legislation, amend legislation, or veto legislation. As with federal law, the legislative branch passes laws and the executive branch implements them. The judicial branch weighs in on disputes. This is the system of democracy I have lived in for over five decades.
In Virgina, the system can be overwhelming for the eight and a half million people who live here. This newsletter does not have state politics as a major focus, but there are periodic snapshots of what’s happening. The last one was just after Crossover Day.
As of 8:19 a.m., a total of 1,340 bills have failed and another 1,252 are considered pending.
Several bills have already passed both the House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate. Many of these are technical, but the technical always tells a story.
For instance, HB1552 would allow critical access hospitals to allow more “swing beds” each day without seeking a Certificate of Public Need. This passed both Chambers without opposition.
Another is SB1307 which would allow localities to decide for themselves whether they should hold a referendum on the levying of a one percent sales tax that would be used exclusively to fund public schools. Currently only some localities have that power. Cities like Danville were able to get permission while the Democratic Party had control of both the executive and legislative branch.
Republicans gained control of the House of Delegates in the 2021 election and legislation to expand authority to localities to hold sales tax referenda failed to make it out of committee in 2022.
Last April, earlier this year, Governor Youngkin vetoed legislation that passed both the House and the Senate.
This year, SB1307 passed the Senate on a 27 to 13 vote and the House of Delegates on a 62 to 33 vote.
Other legislation that’s waiting action by Governor Youngkin:
HB2485 would establish a framework for creation of a retail marijuana market to be administered by the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. This passed the House 53 to 46 and the Senate 21 to 18.
HB1638 would amend the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act to direct the Department of Housing and Community Development to create a model policy for criminal screening for tenants. Once adopted, tenants could not refuse to rent to someone unless they followed the steps in the policy. This passed the House on a 50 to 47 vote and the Senate on a 23 to 15 vote.
HB1827 would encourage localities to use data and research related to “social determinants of health” when reviewing Comprehensive Plans to see how they impact overall public health and access to health care services. This passed the House 58 to 39 and the Senate 22 to 16.
SB1254 would require cities with populations above 20,000 and counties above 100,000 to adopt an environmental justice strategy as part of their Comprehensive Plan. This passed the House of Delegates on a 20 to 19 vote and the House of Delegates on a 50 to 47 vote.
SB1313 would allow any locality in the Commonwealth to adopt a program to require affordable housing units. Most counties are currently not allowed to do so. This passed the Senate 20 to 19 and the House of Delegates 50 to 47.
HB1894 would require the Department of Corrections to ensure certain low and high temperatures in each cell so the range is always between 65 degrees and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This passed the House 54 to 43 with one abstention and the Senate 24 to 14.
HB1623 would make the Eviction Diversion Pilot Program a permanent one and open it up to all general district courts in the Commonwealth. This passed the House 72 to 21 and the Senate 39 to 0.
HB1723 would create a Task Force on Improving Access to Food Assistance Programs which would “maximize participation in federal public assistance programs relating to assistance with food access and improving food security.” This passed the House 80 to 16 and the Senate 39 to 0.
HB1856 would authorize vehicles operated by local departments of social services to use amber warning lights when responding to a request from law-enforcement agency personnel. This passed the House unanimously but two members of the Senate voted against it in a 36 to 2 vote.
HB1960 would make it illegal to knowingly transfer a firearm to a person who is not allowed to have one due to an active protective order or a conviction. This passed the House of Delegates 50 to 46 and the Senate 21 to 18.
SB891 would introduce a five day waiting period before someone could sell a firearm after a purchaser completes a written consent form to have their criminal history checked. This passed the Senate 20 to 18 and the House of Delegates 50 to 47.
HB1996 would reduce the number of days that must pass before a second public hearing notice for a planning commission’s public hearing from 7 to 5. This also faced no opposition.
HB2245 would provide that real estate assessors use the “income approach” when determining the assessments for properties that are designated as affordable housing. This passed the House of Delegates 75 to 25 and the Senate 35 to 4.
SB1053 would make it a Class 1 misdemeanor to defame, libel, or slander anyone using “synthetic digital content” and authorizes someone to pursue a civil action to recover damages. This passed the Senate on a 39 to 0 vote and the House of Delegates on an 89 to 8 vote.
At least three resolutions to hold a referendum on three Constitutional amendments have passed both chambers. That includes one that would create a right to reproductive services. According to Ballotpedia, a governor’s signature is not needed for these to appear on the ballot, but they will have to be approved in a second session. For more on those, here’s a previous story from when they passed the Virginia Senate.
Reading material for #813
High costs, low inventory, but Charlottesville real estate market 'keeps plugging along', Emily Hemphill, Charlottesville Daily Progress (paywall), February 14, 2025
Boysko removed from Senate committees by Democrats, Brandon Jarvis, Virginia Political Newsletter (paywall), February 14, 2025
‘A lot of wire down’: Dominion, state officials talk power restoration, Brian Carlton, Farmville Herald (paywall), February 14, 2025
Buckingham Supervisors agree to revive economic committee Brian Carlton, Farmville Herald (paywall), February 14, 2025
Orange County sheriff parts ways with deputy who said ICE should round up protesters, Emily Hemphill, Charlottesville Daily Progress (paywall), February 14, 2025
Booz Allen fires subcontractor who wrote document about DOGE access to Treasury, Josh Janney, Virginia Business, no date indicated
#813 is a number that does not conjure anything to mind
Only three stories today. The winter storm sort of put everything on hold. I also spent all day Tuesday writing a story for C-Ville Weekly. I need to spend the rest of the afternoon writing another one. There’s still so much to write, and I’m grateful I get to do this work.
There will likely not be a podcast version this time around because there’s no new material.The WTJU version tomorrow will feature everything from last week. It’s felt a bit like a week off, though I definitely didn’t not work.
This is the moment we are in. That’s always been the case. Are you writing any of it down for yourself? I don’t mean on social media. Are you writing down your now for the you of the future? The you of the now will be the you of the past, and I’ve found that my life makes sense when I can imagine who I was on days that are not this one.
Then again, I’ve spent most of this week listening to music that was new when I was a kid. As a man in his early 50’s, the lure of prog rock is impossible to resist. This is not the subject matter for this newsletter, but today’s soundtrack is currently Styx. Not the hits you may know, but the full-length albums in all their glory.
What are you listening to? What helps you get through the day?
No sales stuff today. You know what this is all about. And now, They Might Be Giants: