Virginia regulators approve largest offshore wind farm in US

The Virginia State Corporation Commission recently approved plans by Dominion Energy to construct the nation’s largest offshore wind farm in waters off Virginia Beach. However, it imposed several conditions intended to protect ratepayers, including reporting requirements for cost overruns and a performance guarantee, which would require utility shareholders rather than ratepayers to cover the costs of replacement energy if the project fails to produce a certain amount of power. The regulator cautioned that the $9.8-billion Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project poses unique risks to utility ratepayers that they cannot fully be protected from, but it rejected Dominion’s claim that a performance guarantee could put the company at risk. Read more from the Virginia Mercury.

North Carolina teachers oppose proposed licensure, pay model

A proposed educational overhaul in North Carolina has drawn criticism from one of the state’s most prominent teacher advocacy groups. The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) recently held a news conference regarding the new teacher licensure model, which was built on ideas from a state commission. NCAE Vice President Bryan Proffitt argued the existing salary system would help to strengthen the educational workforce if it were sufficiently funded. Supporters of the proposed performance-pay model include the state’s superintendent and the chairman of its Board of Education. Read more at WUNC.

Evers administration blames worker shortage, lack of money for occupational license backlog

Wisconsin’s Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) blamed the months-long delay for processing occupational licenses on a lack of employees and financial resources during a recent hearing with state lawmakers. DSPS Secretary-designee Dan Hereth said DSPS is granting new licenses in 45 days, compared to the old wait time of 76 days, and that Wisconsin’s waiting period is shorter than that of Illinois and Michigan. However, many witnesses who testified at the hearing said they’ve been waiting months to renew their licenses. Lawmakers said they are willing to help alleviate the backlog, but DSPS must do more. Michael Jahr from the Badger Institute called the staffing and backlog issues symptoms of a larger problem, saying that too many workers require licenses just to do their jobs in Wisconsin. Read more from The Center Square.

Canadian and US regulators probing crypto lender Celsius Network

Canadian and U.S. regulators are working in tandem to investigate the impact of New Jersey-based crypto lender Celsius Network’s multibillion-dollar collapse, according to a Financial Post report. Celsius Network, which once held $28 billion in assets, lost 88% of its assets in mid-June. The firm subsequently filed for bankruptcy protection and told the court it owes its users about $4.7 billion. Although Celsius never registered with Canada’s provincial securities regulators, both the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) and Quebec’s Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) are investigating how the crypto lending platform’s collapse has affected its Canadian users as well as the company’s post-crash actions, which included an effort to freeze withdrawals. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is also investigating. Read more from Yahoo! Finance.

Michigan marijuana industry ‘shocked’ by plan to move licensing director

The state of Michigan is moving the current executive director of its Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) to a new position at a different agency, much to the surprise of many in the marijuana industry. Andrew Brisbo, who took the lead in creating the state’s legal cannabis market, served as CRA’s executive director for nearly three years. Brisbo is also president of the Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA), a national coalition to effectively regulate marijuana markets in states where the drug is legal. Members of the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association were “shocked and disappointed” by the move. Read more at MLive.

More news:

• In a complaint filed July 28, the California Department of Motor Vehicles alleges that Tesla made “untrue or misleading” statements regarding its vehicles’ autopilot and self-driving features in advertisements on its website, actions which could cause the company to temporarily lose its manufacturer license and special plates number in California.
• Kenneth Walter Pierce, a former chiropractor from Kaysville, Utah, pleaded guilty to sexually abusing eight female patients during massage appointments in 2020 and 2021. The Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, which began investigating Pierce after he was charged in criminal court, cited him with unprofessional conduct and revoked his license for five years.
• An Indianapolis funeral home’s license has been suspended after an investigation discovered the funeral director left a body unattended and improperly cared for over a weekend, leading to advance decomposition that prevented the family of the deceased from holding an open casket funeral.

Also noteworthy:

• Stafsholt says study committee begins work to address licensing woes at DSPS (WisPolitics)
• Nathan Flynn: Occupational licensing could reduce teacher shortages (The Salt Lake Tribune)
• Home appraisals are biased. Here’s how to tackle this problem in Philly. (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
• Would changing how doctors in Canada are licensed help reduce the physician shortage? This MP thinks it could (CBC)

Got a news tip? Write us at editor@ascend.thentia.com