This Week In The Commonwealth

This week, Governor Youngkin took a firm stand against the crimes of labor trafficking and human trafficking and reaffirmed the Commonwealth’s commitment to protecting the vulnerable, defending human rights, and ensuring that Virginia remains a beacon of justice and a place of opportunity for all.

This week, Governor Youngkin signed bipartisan legislation to combat the manufacturing of counterfeit pills that are used to traffic fentanyl, sending a powerful message that Virginia is committed to taking critical action against the production and distribution of fentanyl. We are more united than ever to ensure fewer Virginians die as a result of this poison.

This comes as First Lady Suzanne Youngkin continues to raise awareness about the fentanyl crisis through the It Only Takes One initiative, a partnership between the First Lady’s office, the Governor’s Department of Health, the Attorney General’s Office, and the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth.

You can learn more about the initiative at www.itonlytakesoneva.com

First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin accompanied Governor Glenn Youngkin to the 2024 Virginia Food and Beverage Expo in Richmond.  Sponsored by Virginia’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, this biennial trade event promotes Virginia products and advances economic development by connecting Virginia specialty foods and beverages with industry buyers.  Since first established in 1992, the ‘Expo’ is the largest marketplace devoted exclusively to Virginia specialty foods and beverages.

This year’s event brought over 200 vendors and 1,200 registered buyers, including grocery stores, retailers, wholesalers, distributors, restaurants, and those in search of private-label brands. The First Lady and Governor enjoyed meeting vendors and walking through the booths to sample the delicious Virginia specialty foods and beverages.  Three awards for Best Overall Product, Best New Food, and Best New Beverage were presented.  The winners are listed below:

Best New Product Overall – Owl Spoon Water Kefir Company’s Yule Mule. This new specialty beverage is a blend of organic Cranberry, Pomegranate, and Ginger water kefir.

Best New Food – Keya & Company’s Masala spiced kettle-cooked potato chips. A special blend of a black salt-laced kettle-cooked potato chip.

Best New Beverage – Ninja Kombucha Brewing Company’s Blackberry Hibiscus Kombucha. This beverage features rich, earthy notes of premium oolong leaves, heightened by the juicy burst of plump blackberries and the exotic allure of hibiscus petals.

On Friday, Governor Youngkin and a delegation of bipartisan Virginia Leaders received a briefing from the Port of Virginia on the impacts of Baltimore’s Key Bridge collapse.

“I want to thank all involved for the collaborative effort to safeguard our highways and waterways to support the Port’s operations. Hampton Roads residents and all Virginians can be confident we are prepared to manage this and keep trade moving in the face of unforeseen challenges,” said Governor Youngkin.

Ed’s Tulip Poplar Bowl

Chef and artist Edward Alan Gross believes “the worlds of culinary arts and fine arts are one in the same.” Serving Virginia governors for eight years in his role as Executive Chef at Virginia’s Executive Mansion, Gross whips up #homehistory every day with the ultimate goal of creating an all-encompassing sensory experience for those enjoying his artistry, edible or not. Working with a variety of mediums, Gross’ art ranges from vibrant oil paintings to breathtaking woodwork. Gross’ work has been shown at Art Basel Miami and Scope Miami, as well as locally in Richmond at 1708 Gallery, Gallery 5, The Art Experience at the Executive Mansion, and most recently, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Currently on display in the North Ballroom of the Executive Mansion, this bowl carved of Tulip Poplar wood remains stocked with seasonal produce, picked out and arranged by Chef Ed himself.