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‘Unimaginably sad day’: Leaders react to U.Va. tragedy

An “unimaginably sad day.” That’s what University of Virginia President Jim Ryan called Monday, after three University of Virginia football players were killed and two others were wounded in a shooting late Sunday. It’s a sentiment that many leaders around the commonwealth echoed on Monday. Gov. Glenn Youngkin ordered that all U.S. and Virginia flags be flown at half-staff on Tuesday from sunrise until sunset over the state Capitol and all local, state and federal buildings in the commonwealth. During a morning news conference about the shooting, Ryan said he couldn’t imagine anything worse than for a parent to lose a child. “Please know that we will do everything we can to honor their lives and will come together soon as a community to mourn these losses,” he said. On Monday morning, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said in a tweet that he’s praying for the community.

Sen. Tim Kaine, who represents Virginia, issued a call to action over Twitter.

Virginia’s other senator, Mark Warner, thanked law enforcement for their efforts in arresting a suspect. My thoughts are still with the families of the victims and the entire Charlottesville community,” he tweeted. “We must continue working to address the epidemic of gun violence.” Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears called for “peace and healing” in a tweet Monday afternoon. Three Charlottesville-area prosecutors — U.S. Attorney Christopher Kavanaugh, Charlottesville Commonwealth Attorney Joseph Platania and Albemarle County Commonwealth Attorney James Hingeley — issued a joint statement saying they are working with police on the investigation. “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia and the Commonwealth Attorney’s Offices for the City of Charlottesville and County of Albemarle are actively working with local, state, and federal law enforcement in their efforts to thoroughly investigate this tragic incident and we will bring any potential charges in the appropriate jurisdiction,” they wrote. The slain victims were identified as Devin Chandler of Virginia Beach, D’Sean Perry of Miami and Lavel Davis of Ridgeville, South Carolina. The suspect, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., was taken into custody late Monday morning. Monday night’s home basketball game against Northern Iowa has been canceled. And the commissioner of the ACC, Jim Phillips, said conference officials are “heartbroken and devastated” “The ACC is a family and when one member of our family hurts, we all hurt,” Phillips said in a statement.

Trump announces a $22.5B makeover of Dulles airport that will eliminate the ‘people movers’

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a $22.5 billion renovation of Washington Dulles International Airport that will end the use of the widely disliked “people movers,” the mobile lounges that have been used for decades to shuttle travelers to and from the main terminal. In place of the people movers, the airport will add a new U-shaped passenger train, a central walking tunnel, more moving walkways and new concourses. An above-ground parking garage closer to the main terminal with space for 32,000 vehicles is also in the offing, according to Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The airport makeover would add to a long list of renovation projects the Republican president is pursuing to leave a lasting mark on the Washington region after his term ends in January 2029. Among other undertakings, he is building a new White House ballroom and wants to build a towering triumphal arch near the Lincoln Memorial. But of all the construction projects Trump is pursuing, the renovations at Dulles could prove to be his most popular and benefit the greatest number of people. The airport, the area’s primary international airport, served roughly 29 million passengers over the past year, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
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