~ The mansion will open on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022 with additional availability later in September ~

RICHMOND, VA – Virginia’s Executive Mansion, the oldest purpose-built Governor’s home in the United States, will reopen to the public for tours on Friday, September 2nd after being closed for more than two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On September 2nd, the Executive Mansion will open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Executive Mansion will remain open on Fridays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. for public tours. The Executive Mansion will also launch a refreshed website with further details on the opening schedule next week.

"We are hugely humbled to call Virginia's Historic Executive Mansion home, and we are thrilled to be able to share it with the 8.6 million Virginians we serve," said the First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin.

Governor Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin will appear at the mansion on reopening day to welcome visitors.

The Governor and First Lady have worked closely with the mansion’s Citizen Advisory Council and staff to create a welcoming and healthy environment for reopening. Visitors will also enjoy a curated museum-quality art experience exhibiting artwork from museums across the Commonwealth, honoring Virginia artists and Virginia’s geographical regions and the Spirit of Virginia.

“We have prioritized works by Virginia’s artists, as well as varied and diverse Virginia-centric content, through dynamic art selections and artifacts serving as a living exhibit that will change over time as different parts of Virginia’s story become the focus,” said the First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin.

“The art in the mansion demonstrates the Commonwealth’s past, present and future. It showcases the myriad of cultures influencing Virginia’s history – the good and the bad parts of it. We continue to view the mansion as one of the most revered historic spaces in the Commonwealth,” said Chairman of the Citizens Advisory Council for Interpreting and Furnishing the Mansion Betsy Beamer.

Contributing museum partners include the Library of Virginia, Virginia Museum of History and Culture, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and The Valentine in Richmond; Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk; Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke; William King Museum of Art in Abingdon; Fralin Museum of Art in Charlottesville; and more are coming online each month. The Executive Mansion also features works of independent Virginia artists.

No reservations are needed to visit the mansion. Visit the mansion website regularly for updates on tour times throughout the year.

RICHMOND, VA - Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced that the Virginia Board for Contractors, a regulatory board under the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), at its most recent meeting on August 2, 2022, took steps to reduce several regulatory barriers in the construction and building related trades.

The Board for Contractors board voted to:

• Reduce the years of experience requirement by 50%, from four to two years, for skilled workers to become licensed as a journey-level tradesman for the most in-demand construction labor fields such as electrical, plumbing, and heating, ventilation & air conditioning, and gas fitting.
• Add additional license qualification pathways allowing entry for skilled workers to become licensed with various combinations of experience and training.
• Eliminate the regulatory mandate for continuing education in the trades.

“This is a major win for all Virginians," said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “Increasing opportunities for people to become licensed in high-demand, high-paying jobs while also helping businesses find the talent they desperately need will strengthen our Commonwealth. Since day one my administration has been working to reinvigorate job growth and make Virginia the best place to live, work and raise a family. I'm confident that these actions will move us closer to that goal.”

“Construction firms are struggling to find enough qualified workers to meet consumer needs and contribute to economic growth,” said Secretary of Labor Bryan Slater. “Not enough people are entering training programs for these types of jobs. There isn’t one solution to this problem, we are working to increase awareness and opportunities for apprenticeships and combined with making it easier for these skilled workers to become licensed and start working, we’ll begin to see a turnaround.”

“Our boards are composed of practitioners, business owners, as well as citizens, and as part of Governor Youngkin’s Day One commitment to reduce the regulatory burden on businesses and citizens across the Commonwealth, DPOR boards are evaluating the education and experience requirements of occupations to ensure we are not requiring more than is necessary to protect the public,” said DPOR Director Demetrios Melis.

Throughout the U.S. workforce, with Virginia being among states with the highest demand, there is a shortage of skilled tradespeople. This problem, persisting both before and after the pandemic, inhibits job creation and economic growth. Skilled trades shortages contribute to higher housing prices and decreased housing supply, increased costs for consumers and businesses in a variety of sectors, and other cascading effects across commerce and the economy.

In addition to expanding opportunities to enter these skilled trades, the board voted to eliminate regulatory-mandated continuing education in select trades. Continuing education has not shown to decrease disciplinary actions. Government-mandated continuing education with no clearly identifiable public protection benefit is a burden on businesses and individuals requiring time, money, and energy for compliance.

DPOR is an executive branch agency under the Secretary of Labor, overseeing 18 regulatory boards comprised of practitioners and citizens appointed by the governor. Policy boards determine the minimum standards necessary to enter a profession and the standards of conduct for licensees.

Guests at the VSU College of Agriculture Field Day

ETTRICK, VA —Virginia State University College of Agriculture welcomes the public to its annual Agriculture Field Day on Thursday, Sept. 1, 8 a.m.-noon, at VSU’s Randolph Farm, 4415 River Road, S. Chesterfield, Va. 

This FREE event will showcase the many ways VSU’s agricultural researchers, Extension specialists and professors discover, introduce and integrate innovations that provide greater support for consumers, communities and Virginia’s economy. 

The agriculture and forestry industries are Virginia’s number one private economic driver. These industries have an annual economic impact of more than $70 billion and provide over 334,000 jobs in the Commonwealth, according to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Discover why and how Greater Happens Here in the College of Ag! Hop on and off trollies as they circle throughout Randolph Farm’s 416 acres and learn from the commonwealth’s leading experts about the latest techniques, trends, research and success stories impacting limited-resource farmers and ranchers with small-scale enterprises.

Learn first-hand how VSU’s research, teaching and public programming is enhancing the resiliency of Virginia’s food systems and addressing food safety and insecurity, especially among those who have limited social and economic resources.

Discover how you, your family, your business and your community can benefit from the food and agri-science programs at VSU. 

Explore:

• the production of blueberries, industrial hemp, sheep and goats 
• the benefits of hydroponic and aquaponic grow systems, pond aquaculture, and high tunnels
• a demonstration of livestock grazing
• much more!

“VSU Field Day will challenge your preconceived notions,” said Dr. Robert N. Corley III, interim dean at the College of Agriculture, and VSU vice provost. “As vital as food is to our surviving and thriving, agricultural products provide animal feed, fuel, fiber and much more. From food to fashion—agriculture is woven into the fabric of our lives.”

The event is free, but pre-registration is required at https://www.ext.vsu.edu/events/2022/09/01/vsu-coa-field-day.

For more information, or to arrange for your group to attend, contact Jessica Harris at 804-524-5964 or jbrown@vsu.edu.

If you have a disability and need assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, contact the Small Farm Outreach Program office five days prior to the event at smallfarm@vsu.edu, or call 804-524-3292 / TDD 800-828-1120, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m., to discuss accommodations. 

Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments. Its programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, military status, or any other basis protected by law.