Clarence Thomas statue backed by Republicans in Georgia

The Associated Press Republican Georgia lawmakers are again trying to erect a statue of U.S. Supreme Court Justice and Georgia native Clarence Thomas on the State Capitol grounds in Atlanta, in what many Democrats, particularly Black ones, see as an insensitive display of partisan power.

The Georgia state Senate voted 32-20 along party lines on Tuesday to mandate a statue of the Pin Point, Ga., native. Minority Democrats had proposed amending the measure to also mandate a statue of the late Georgia congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis.

Sen. Ben Watson, a Savannah Republican, said he represents Justices Thomas’ birthplace near the coastal city and had known the justice’s mother.

“This native son of Georgia deserves a place of honor and recognition on our Capitol grounds, a place where future generations of Georgians can learn valuable lessons from his legacy and gain inspiration and belief that their lofty dreams are obtainable too in America, regardless of the circumstances into which they are born,” Sen. Watson said. Democrats, though, recoiled. They cited not only Justice Thomas’ confirmation to the court in 1991 amid Anita Hill’s testimony that he had sexually harassed her, but also Justice Thomas’ rulings on the Supreme Court.

“His service is problematic,” said Sen. Nan Orrock of Atlanta. “There’s a cloud over his service … and that cloud continues today.”

Republicans countered that the Georgia Capitol grounds has a statue of former Democratic Gov. and President Jimmy Carter.

“There are citizens, probably members of this body, that take issue with his policies when he was governor or president, but we respect history,” said Sen. Jason Anavitarte, a Republican from Dallas.

The debate came on the same day that Republican senators also pushed through a resolution honoring former U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, who was defeated by Democrat Raphael Warnock in 2020, giving his party a Senate majority. As part of the Republican’s continuing political activity, Sen. Loeffler spearheaded an effort last year to elect Republicans to the state Senate, where they now have a 33-23 majority.

Opponents of the statue pointed to Justice Thomas’ concurring opinion last year to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that established nationwide access to abortion. In that opinion, he called on his fellow justices to revisit other Supreme Court precedents that legalized same-sex marriage and access to contraception.

Sen. Emanuel Jones, a Decatur Democrat who is Black, called Justice Thomas an “Uncle Tom,” saying he is like someone who has “sold his soul to the slave master.”

“There’s a whole laundry list of positions that Justice Thomas has taken that I find offensive,” Sen. Jones said.

“Sometimes, when I talk to the majority party, I say, “Y’all just don’t get it.’”

Democrats also criticized Justice Thomas’ wife, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, noting records show she texted then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows after the 2020 election, urging him to stand with then-President Donald Trump as he falsely claimed there was widespread fraud in the election.

Ginni Thomas later told the House Jan. 6 committee that she regrets the texts and told investigators that her activity after the election was minimal. But Georgia Democrats said

Justice Thomas

Tuesday that they are not yet convinced that Ginni Thomas bore no blame.

“His wife actually encouraged this coup of violence in an attempt to stop the peaceful transfer of power for the first time in our country’s history,” said Sen. Nikki Merritt, a Lawrenceville Democrat.

Republicans passed a measure approving a Clarence Thomas statue last year in the state Senate, but it never came to a vote in the state House. This year’s bill states the statue would be paid for with private money. Democrats had proposed an amendment to the bill to also mandate a statue of John Lewis, but pulled the proposal back before it could get a vote. If Republicans had voted for the amendment, Democrats would have been forced to either vote for the Thomas statue or against a Lewis statue.

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF PETITION FOR REINSTATEMENT AND REVISION OF A RATE ADJUSTMENT CLAUSE, DESIGNATED RIDER RGGI, BY VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY D/B/A DOMINION ENERGY VIRGINIA CASE NO. PUR-2022-00070

•Virginia Electric and Power Company d/b/a Dominion Energy Virginia (“Dominion”) has applied for approval to reinstate and revise its rate adjustment clause, Rider RGGI, for recovery of projected and actual costs related to the purchase of allowances through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (“RGGI”) market-based trading program for carbon dioxide emissions.

•Dominion requests approval of a revenue requirement of $373,214,000. According to Dominion, this amount would increase a typical residential customer’s monthly bill using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per month by approximately $4.64.

•A Hearing Examiner appointed by the State Corporation Commission will hold a telephonic hearing in this case on May 1, 2023, at 10 a.m., for the receipt of public witness testimony. Virginia 23219.

•Further information about this case is available on the Commission website at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information

1, 2022, its rate adjustment clause (“RAC” or “Rider”), designated Rider RGGI, that was approved in Case No. PUR-2020-00169 (“Suspension Petition”). The Rider recovers the Company’s costs related to the purchase of allowances through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (“RGGI”) market-based trading program for carbon dioxide emissions.

In Case No. PUR-2020-00169, the Commission approved projected allowance costs of $167,759,000 for the period ending July 31, 2022, subject to true-up for the actual costs subsequently approved by the Commission for that period.

On June 15, 2022, the Commission granted the Company’s Suspension Petition, ordering that Rider RGGI be suspended, and the Rider RGGI Projected Cost Recovery Factor be base rates (subject to further review in a future Rider RGGI actual cost true-up proceeding, and in the Company’s 2024 triennial review proceeding). to account for allowance costs incurred and recovered through Rider RGGI prior to the Rider’s July 1, 2022 suspension. Additionally, the Company seeks to reinstate Rider RGGI to recover deferred RGGI compliance costs incurred after July 31, 2022, and those projected to occur over the period of September 1, 2023 through August 31, 2024 (the “Rate Year”). For purposes of this proceeding, the Company states that it has assumed that Virginia will withdraw from RGGI on December 31, 2023, and accordingly has not projected any RGGI-related compliance costs to be incurred after that date.

Code § 56-585.1 A 5 e permits a utility to seek approval of a rate adjustment clause for recovery of: facilities used to serve the utility’s native load obligations, including the costs of allowances purchased through a market-based trading program for carbon dioxide emissions. The In its Petition, Dominion states that for the period August 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023, it will require approximately 31,000,000 carbon dioxide (“CO2”) allowances to that it assumed a weighted average price of $13.52 per allowance, based on futures contracts for 2022 and 2023.

The Company states that its aggregate Virginia jurisdictional revenue requirement for RGGI-related costs from the time Virginia joined RGGI in 2021 through December 31, 2023 is expected to be approximately $640 million. For the period prior to August 1, 2022, the total revenue requirement was $267 million on a Virginia jurisdictional basis. The Com- ment of approximately $373 million on a Virginia jurisdictional basis, which the Company is proposing to recover during the Rate Year through the reinstated Rider RGGI.

2022, will be recovered through base rates. In this proceeding, the Company seeks approval of a total revenue requirement of $373,214,000 for the Rate Year.

If the proposed Rider RGGI for the Rate Year is approved, the impact on customer bills would depend on the customer’s rate schedule and usage. According to Dominion, implementation of its proposed Rider RGGI on September 1, 2023, would increase the bill of a residential customer using 1,000 kWh per month by approximately $4.64. Interested persons are encouraged to review the Petition and supporting documents for the details of these and other proposals

The Commission entered an Order for Notice and Hearing in this proceeding that, among other things, scheduled public hearings on Dominion’s Petition. On May 1, 2023, at 10 a.m., the Hearing Examiner assigned to this case will hold a telephonic hearing, with no witness present in the Commission’s courtroom, for the purpose of receiving the testimony form on the Commission’s website at scc.virginia.gov/pages/Webcasting; (ii) by completing and emailing the PDF version of this form to SCCInfo@scc.virginia.gov; or by calling (804) 371-9141. This public witness hearing will be webcast at scc.virginia.gov/pages/Webcasting

An electronic copy of the Company’s Petition may be obtained by submitting a written request to counsel for the Company, Elaine S. Ryan, Esquire, McGuireWoods LLP, Gateway Plaza, 800 East Canal Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, or eryan@mcguirewoods.com scc.virginia.gov/clk/

Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118. Such notice of participation shall include the email addresses of such parties or their counsel, if available. The respondent simultaneously shall serve a copy of the notice of participation on counsel to the Company. Pursuant to 5 VAC 5-20-80 B, Participation as a respondent, of then known; and (iii) the factual and legal basis for the action. Any organization, corporation, or government body participating as a respondent must be represented by counsel as required by 5 VAC 5-20-30, Counsel any person or entity should obtain a copy of the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing.

, any testimony and exhibits by which the respondent 140, Filing and service, and 5 VAC 5-20-240, Prepared testimony and exhibits

On or before April 26, 2023, any interested person may submit comments on the Petition by following the instructions found on the Commission’s website: scc.virginia.gov/casecomments/Submit-Public-Comments Commission at the address listed above. All such comments shall refer to Case No. PUR-2022-00070. Copies and format, of the Rules of Practice. scc.virginia.gov/pages/Case-Information VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY

Stories by Fred Jeter

From Henrico to Kentucky Born to compete, Jada Walker’s unafraid to take the ball

Jada Walker is an honest, law-abiding young woman until she gets on the basketball court.

She then turns into a woman of steal.

But don’t call the police.

The sophomore guard at the University of Kentucky is second in the powerful Southeastern Conference with a rules permitting 2.4 steals per game, as of Feb. 11.

Walker is just one-tenth of a steal behind leader Ciaja Harbison of Vanderbilt at 2.5.

Starting all 22 games for the Wildcats, the 5-foot-7 former Richmonder is averaging 13.5 points (second on the team), with 71 rebounds and 72 assists.

The left-handed dynamo is hitting 45 percent from the floor, 34 percent from beyond the arc and 83 percent at the foul line.

Walker was born to play basketball. She is the daughter of AnnMarie Gilbert, a former NCAA scoring champ, and former Virginia Union sensation Jonathan “Jon” Walker, whose number is retired. In a Jan.18 “What’s Next” podcast interview, Walker acknowledged how much her parents taught her about basketball.

As a result, competition and dominance became “ingrained in my head,” she said.

Her fearlessness on the court also comes from “playing around boys my entire life,” she said, which further honed her toughness.

“I’ve had my nose broken, head beat in… bleeding, and I still keep running down the court,” she said. “It’s just that type of mindset. Keep going.”

Walker played locally at Highland Springs and Henrico high schools and one year at a private school in Washington, D.C.

There was little in the way of on-the-job training when Walker arrived last season in Lexington. Starting 22 of 31 games as a freshman, she averaged 10.4 points and made 47 steals, earning SEC All-Rookie honors.

Perhaps her best game a season ago came in the most adverse conditions. Having suffered a broken nose, she played with a plastic mask over her face in the first round of the SEC tournament against Mississippi State.

Despite her injury, she scored 21 points, helping Kentucky to victory.

AnnMarie Gilbert, following a brilliant run as coach at Virginia Union, is now the assistant women’s coach at Division I Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C.

Between 2015 and 2020, Gilbert’s Pantherettes went 135-18 with three CIAA titles and five trips to the NCAAs.