Virginia Capitol Connections 2025 Annual Magazine

CONTENTS VIRGINIA CAPITOL CONNECTIONS MAGAZINE

2025 Annual Magazine

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Leaders in Richmond 4 I’ve Always Just Been Me 6 A Man of Contradictions 8 A Man of My Own Heart Leaders of Southside 10 A Transformer of Southside 11 40 Years of Redbook 12 From Washington Lawyer

LUCAS

SCOTT

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To Champion For Southern Virginia

14 Senator Frank Ruff

September 1949 — October 2024

SUROVELL

16 Growing Up Virginia Strong 18 Good Government Leadership Award 19 Why Virginia Needs a Gaming Commission Now 20 A New Option for Adult Education:

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MARSHALL

The Story of the Excel Center at Melrose Plaza 22 Fresh Tracks in Capitol Square: Zach Jacobs 25 Is the Virginia Way Over? Let’s look at the numbers 26 Affordable Housing and the “Waste, Fraud, and Abuse” Solution 28 Passenger Rail Service to Return to the New River Valley 30 Smart Cookies Raise Awareness on Girls’ Issues

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STANLEY

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31 Trade Schools vs. College 32 On the Rise: Pulaski County 34 Virginia Government Simulation 35 Virginia Online News 35 The Blonde 36 The Guardian of the Chamber: Remembering Mr. Eddie Radden 37 Association and Business Directory

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RUFF

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M C CLENNY

Volume 30 Number 1 • Editor – Miranda Wynne • Editor-in-Chief – Chris Bailey • Publisher – David Bailey • Art Director – John Sours • Advertising – info.davidbaileyassociates@gmail.com • Printer – Wordsprint • Virginia Capitol Connections Magazine (ISSN 1076-4577) is published by: Virginia Capitol Connections • 1108 East Main Street • Suite 1200 • Richmond, Virginia 23219 • (804) 643-5554 • Copyright 2025, Virginia Capitol Connections, Inc. All rights reserved. The views expressed in the articles of Virginia Capitol Connections Magazine, a non-partisan publication, are not necessarily those of the editors or publisher.

V irginia C apitol C onnections , 2025 A nnual M agazine

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