WMRA Daily: Recent Episodes
Bob Leweke
The WMRA Daily brings you the latest local, regional and statewide news for the Shenandoah Valley and Central Virginia.
After the defendant’s panic attacks, a judge delays trial for the former Culpeper County sheriff in an alleged badges for bribes scheme… JMU records the voices of veterans… As the dust settles after last week’s election, Jeff Schapiro surveys Virginia politics and state government….
A Rockingham County faith group puts the money down to pressure officials to approve a new transportation network… Members of the General Assembly will consider three constitutional amendments when they gavel into session in January… Those who have lost loved ones to road-related tragedies will mark a World Day of Remembrance….
New information about the opioid crisis shows that overdose deaths in Virginia may have dropped to pre-pandemic levels… Democratic former Governor Terry McAuliffe has some advice for his fellow Democrats after they under-performed in this year’s election… We tell the remarkable story of one U.S. Ambassador from Charlottesville….
It’s still Fall Fire Season, and crews are working to contain a blaze in Shenandoah County… Governor Youngkin unveils a new comprehensive online resource designed to support the state’s veterans… Voter turnout in rural parts of Virginia last week was larger than many Democrats expected, while fewer voters showed up in Democratic-leaning cities….
A former owner of Nexus is out of jail, but faces trial in December for tax evasion and fraud… Harrisonburg’s school board gives the go-ahead for collective bargaining for teachers and school employees… Governor Youngkin launches a new state Education department hub to support the school data framework it adopted in August….
Special Elections are on the way in Virginia to fill two state senate seats… J-LARC warns that Virginia’s Department of Health is in bad shape… Amazon has filed plans to build a second data center in Louisa County…. And students in Highland County learn about watershed health by taking a canoe adventure.
Abnormally dry conditions continue for much of Virginia, with little rain in sight… As the dust settles from Tuesday’s elections, we take a look at what the numbers show, and a look ahead to 2025 in Virginia politics… The governor’s effort to purge voter rolls caused problems for some voters who were mistakenly removed….
As Republican Donald Trump is on the verge of being declared the winner, Vice President Kamala Harris wins Virginia… There were few surprises in congressional races in the state, as Senator Kaine wins reelection, and the two Republicans in the 5th and 6th districts for the House win handily… We hear the voices of voters in Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Waynesboro, and Shenandoah County….
On this election day, Waynesboro voters are reassured that their votes will count, as a judge orders two recalcitrant members of the electoral board to certify the results… We take a look at the wave of TV ads during this election cycle… When rescued eagles die, they follow a path back home to the Indigenous people who protect them….
Although the latest poll shows Kamala Harris with a 10-point lead over Donald Trump in Virginia, Trump spent time Saturday in Salem, joined by Republican officials… One of them was Representative Ben Cline, who represents the deep red 6th District, and we have a profile of his challenger… We explore the law signed by then-Governor Kaine 20 years ago that requires the DMV to report suspected noncitizens to strike from the voter rolls….
Early voting in Virginia ends Saturday, and Election Day is Tuesday, so we explore the security of ballot drop boxes, and whether claims of noncitizen voting are valid… Donald Trump pays a visit to Southwest Virginia… Jeff Schapiro takes one final look at politics before the election….
The conservative majority on the Supreme Court sides with Governor Youngkin over his voter purge… Meanwhile, Waynesboro voters wait on a judge to rule in a legal battle over the certification of the city's election results… Bats are a scary symbol of Halloween, but they’re an essential and helpful part of our ecosystem….
The Republican Party of Virginia weighs in to support the governor’s purge of voters, a case now before the Supreme Court… Some legal voters have been caught in that purge, and we meet some of them… We explore the history and legacy of America’s Electoral College….
After a federal appeals court upholds a lower court order to restore voting rights, Governor Youngkin appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court… How to keep your pet safe for Halloween… New Medicare rules improve access to robotic walking devices for people with spinal cord injuries….
Late last week a federal judge ordered that Virginia shut down its voter purge, and we have the details… Hunters in Virginia will still be allowed on private property to retrieve their dogs… The state’s crime commission orders a deeper review of one crime lab analyst whose work resulted in many convictions….
A federal judge will rule on Governor Youngkin's controversial voter purge program… The governor recommends that more than $1 million be used for Helene clean up in Virginia’s Appalachian region… Jeff Schapiro reviews the week in Virginia politics….
Dry conditions and gusty winds create an increased wildfire risk… Voters in Waynesboro counter-sue to force the local electoral board to certify the results of the election on November 5th… Meanwhile, more than 1,600 Virginians have had their voter registrations canceled since August under a state program that the Justice Department and advocacy groups contend is illegal….
Virginia elections officials must submit voter data to a federal court as part of a lawsuit over the governor’s purging of suspected non-citizens from voter rolls... Charlottesville moves to establish a new low-barrier shelter for those without a place to stay... Crime overall is down, but hate crimes are up....
A VPM News investigation found a Richmond City Council candidate who identifies as a lawyer may not be licensed. —— The Virginia Department of Health reports that we're currently in a lull between waves of respiratory illnesses.
How safe are Virginia’s voting machines (hint: very safe)... Physicians and administrators at UVa Health say the hospital prioritizes profits over patients... The governor announces a new AI taskforce....
In Winchester, Valley Health opens only the second emergency department in the state to treat people experiencing a mental health crisis… In the only debate in Virginia's 5th Congressional District, Republican state Senator John McGuire refuses to commit to supporting the results of the presidential election… New data show Virginia’s process for taking non-citizens off the state’s voter rolls could be wrongfully identifying eligible voters for removal….
Former NEXUS executive Richard Moore will remain behind bars while he awaits trial on fraud charges… Virginia’s economy is in good shape, with low unemployment and inflation… We preview this weekend’s free literary festival in Staunton….
You might expect that all the rain we’ve gotten would end the drought, and you’d be right… As food insecurity intensifies in our region, Rockingham County schools expands free lunch at two more schools… We continue our investigation into mismanagement and corruption at the Office of EMS, and how it affects local departments….
A flight school at Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport is airlifting supplies to areas in North Carolina cut off by Helene… We investigate money troubles at Virginia’s emergency services agency, and how it’s affecting local rescue departments… Democratic Senator Tim Kaine and Republican challenger Hung Cao meet in their first, and likely only, debate….
FEMA details its response to Hurricane Helene throughout the southeast… Virginia’s health department warns residents to stay away from potentially contaminated natural bodies of water while they’re flooding… Dockworkers from the Gulf to the East Coast go on strike, including those in Norfolk….
One more death in Virginia is reported due to Tropical Storm Helene, as crews work to restore power in southwestern Virginia… A viral video from the state police shows two of the agency’s helicopters rescuing flood victims from the roof of an eastern Tennessee hospital… Republicans in the Fifth Congressional District are purging their members….
Rain continues to cause flooding concerns, after Helene walloped our area, and especially southwestern Virginia, on Friday… Shenandoah County’s school board argues in court to dismiss an NAACP lawsuit against its decision to revert to Confederate school names… Virginia boasts it has one of the lowest recidivism rates in the nation, but some experts say that’s meaningless….
The Rockingham County school board removes another title from school libraries in its quest to ban books… Healthcare agencies in the Shenandoah Valley ask residents to give feedback about the community's needs… Jeff Schapiro has thoughts on the latest presidential polls, and more on state politics….
The governor declares a state of emergency for Virginia as Helene approaches… The state’s expansion of childcare and pre-K education falls short… Virginia’s liquor control authority lays off four more directors, as profits fall short….
Sentara RMH closes its pediatric unit… As food insecurity grows, we visit one pantry in Charlottesville that’s been serving the community for 20 years… This weekend, local contractors and carpentry students will kick off a "Build Blitz" for the homeless….
The first trial in the case of the alleged "Shopping Cart Killer" has been moved to January… Despite recent rains, Rockingham County's water table is down 11 feet since May, and the area is still under a severe drought… Unemployment in Virginia is up, though only slightly….
A physician and member of UVa’s Faculty Senate says President Jim Ryan is not being truthful about allegations of wrongdoing in UVa’s health system and medical school… After attacks and falsehoods from the right targeting Haitians, what is life like for one Haitian woman in Virginia?... A new program to make Chesapeake Bay clean up more effective is now underway in Virginia….
More school threats in our area, reported late Thursday by schools in Broadway, and we survey the rash of threats that have hit schools this month… Early voting begins today in Virginia, and Jeff Schapiro talks about that and the week in Virginia politics… The American Library Association says that nearly 400 book titles were targeted for bans in the commonwealth last year….
One expert thinks he knows what caused last month’s smelly water in Orange County… The Furious Flower conference that convenes every 10 years in Harrisonburg kicks off its fourth gathering… A JMU political expert discusses the threats to Virginia’s voting system….
Another 16-year-old in the Valley, this time in Edinburg, is arrested for allegedly making violent threats at Central High School... Virginia’s education department releases final guidance on cellphone-free schools... State senators hold a meeting with some of those affected by this year’s pro-Palestinian campus protests, including students and administrators....
A Harrisonburg High School student has been arrested after Harrisonburg Police said he made threats of gun violence on Snapchat... The organization that manages UVa’s 14 billion dollar endowment says it will not divest from Israel, despite student protests... We meet the local pool player who recently competed in the U.S. Open Pool Championship in Atlantic City....
After getting worse earlier this year, Virginia’s teacher shortage has eased this fall... A court hearing may determine the fate of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in the commonwealth... Boar’s Head shuts down the plant in eastern Virginia tied to a deadly listeria outbreak....
How has this summer’s drought affected water supplies and agriculture in the Valley?... New data show that the well-being of Virginians is above average… Jeff Schapiro surveys the week in politics and state government….
Earlier this year it seemed that Virginia would be a battleground state in the presidential election, but recent polls show that’s not the case… Even though Kamala Harris has a commanding lead in Virginia, the state’s Republican governor is still popular… Governor Youngkin wants more tax cuts….
A new poll shows Kamala Harris with a commanding lead over Donald Trump in the commonwealth… Virginia has another mandated tuition waiver program….
Rockingham County’s school board bans seven books from school library shelves... The rift between John McGuire, the 5th District’s Republican candidate for Congress, and district Republicans widens over his no-show at a key party meeting... New federal government data show that Virginia’s “quit rate” is below the national average....
UVa Medical School faculty and staff want two department heads to resign, over allegations of mismanagement and intimidation... Local governments face a decision over working with federal immigration officials... Hunters shooting at doves on power lines cause power outages in southside Virginia....
The director of an assisted living facility in Rockingham County is arrested and charged with neglect… The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority approves a medical marijuana provider for the Shenandoah Valley… The first day of early voting in Virginia is later this month, and Jeff Schapiro surveys the beginning of the final stretch of campaigning and more in Virginia politics….
A former Rocky Mount police officer convicted of storming the Capitol in the January 6th riot is the first beneficiary of the Supreme Court’s ruling limiting use of a federal obstruction law… Virginia lawmakers debate how to make it easier for victims of domestic violence to break their leases… Commercial property values are cratering across Virginia, threatening local tax bases….
The alleged “shopping cart killer” in Harrisonburg is also wanted for a murder in D.C…. Shenandoah National Park contributes more than $100 million to the local economy… How is the Supreme Court ruling that struck down affirmative action affecting college admissions this year?
UVa’s administration and a campus guide service are in conflict over why the school suspended the service's activities... One of the six hostages found dead this weekend in Gaza was an Israeli-American from Richmond... Fewer Virginians are quitting their jobs....
The Boar’s Head plant in eastern Virginia tied to numerous deaths from listeria repeatedly violated federal health and safety regulations… UVa researchers pursue a drug that could help weakened hearts regenerate… As the spouses of the Democratic presidential and vice presidential candidates visit Virginia, we take a historical perspective on such trips….
Sweet Briar College will now only accept applications from prospective students who were assigned female at birth… Federal regulators give the North Anna nuclear plant in Louisa County a clean bill of health… Virginia Democrats hope the Harris-Walz proposals on housing will boost the ticket in the election this year….
A helicopter crew rescues a badly injured hiker in Augusta County… The man who abducted a UVa student last October will serve at least 25 years in prison… A new food pantry in Waynesboro aims to fill the gap, while prioritizing dignity in food distribution….
A racial discrimination lawsuit against JMU goes forward… A judge says that the owners of Natural Bridge Zoo may own animals again… The resources your child has in school depends in part on where you live….
Residents in eastern Orange County can now use tap water for laundry or bathing, but it’s still not safe to drink… Prosecutors plan to use DNA evidence in the case of the so-called “shopping cart killer”… Virginia moves closer to a single agency that would regulate all legal gaming in the state, but some equestrians aren’t sure they like the idea….
Algal blooms continue to spread in the North Fork Shenandoah River… Meanwhile, authorities discover hydrocarbons in the water supply in eastern Orange County… The Wildlife Center in Waynesboro admits its 100,000th patient….
An Orange County water authority issues an order not to use the tap water… Inflation and the end of federal food aid means that food pantry visits are way up, putting a strain on families and the pantries… Can AI help doctors spend more time with their patients?
The latest Virginia test scores show K-12 students recovering ground, especially in reading and math… But Virginia’s teacher shortage continues to get worse… The CDC recommends anyone six months or older get a flu shot and updated COVID-19 booster….
Charlottesville could become the next Virginia city to use ranked choice voting in its local elections… It’s likely there will only be one debate between Virginia’s candidates for U.S. Senate… A federal judge finds that Hanover County’s school transgender policies, following the governor’s guidelines, violate the rights of a would-be student athlete….
Even with recent rains, much of area is still under drought conditions... Nearly a quarter of those on Medicaid in Virginia before the pandemic have been removed from the program... People who are incarcerated in Virginia will soon start getting access to college classes....
Virginia moves closer to banning cellphones in public schools… We’re no longer the worst state in the country for mail delivery, but we’re still pretty bad… Jeff Schapiro surveys the week in Virginia politics and state government….
The governor touts a big budget surplus, but critics say Virginia continues to underfund education… Solar power faces some headwinds… We take a look at the 15-year-old Virginia law that banned smoking in most public places, and why it’s not being enforced everywhere….
Harrisonburg declares a drought warning… A new multi-use path is in the works in Charlottesville… We meet the corrections officer who’s also a stand-up comedian….
Three people are dead and one injured after a train collided with a van in Stuarts Draft… Shenandoah National Park officials lift a ban on fishing… Some Virginia Republicans are supporting Kamala Harris for president, part of a long Virginia tradition of crossing party lines….
An inmate has died at Middle River Regional Jail after being locked up for public intoxication… One person in Virginia has died as a result of contaminated Boars Head meat from a plant in Southside Virginia… All 43 state parks now have special viewfinders that help most people who are colorblind see an expanded range of colors….
Tropical Storm Debby wallops Virginia, with tornado watches and flash flood warnings… But all the rain could be good for farmers… We wrap up our week-long series on Shenandoah County school name changes with a look at history’s legacy….
Governor Youngkin urges Virginians to use caution as Tropical Storm Debby approaches the commonwealth… ICE settles an ACLU lawsuit, freeing two detainees who had been held despite a judge’s order at the Farmville Detention Center… We continue our series on Shenandoah County school names, with the memories of some students who helped integrate the county’s schools in the 1960s….
Governor Youngkin declares a state of emergency for Virginia as Tropical Storm Debby approaches… Why were Stonewall Jackson High and Ashby-Lee Elementary originally named after Confederate generals?... Our series on Shenandoah County school names continues….
A man from Winchester is being prosecuted in federal court after allegedly making a series of online posts threatening to kill or harm Vice President Harris… The NAACP is suing Shenandoah County’s school board over its May decision to revert to Confederate names for two schools, and we launch a four-part series diving into that, and the history behind it… VMI is known for emphasizing strength and self-discipline, but this fall the school will use canine therapy to ease the transition to college….
The city of Winchester monitors so-called algal mats upstream of its water supply, but says the city’s water is safe… Former 5th district Virginia Congressman Denver Riggleman follows some other anti-Trump Republicans and endorses Vice President Kamala Harris for president… Governor Youngkin says Virginia’s more than 140,000 civilian federal employees can just find jobs in the private sector if Donald Trump wins the election and follows through on his promise to fire many of them…
The severe drought conditions in Virginia intensify… An overnight shelter in Charlottesville contains a COVID-19 outbreak… It’s official in the 5th district, as John McGuire defeats Congressman Bob Good….
COVID-19 is again spiking in Virginia, and humans aren’t the only ones affected… Harrisonburg breaks ground on a new fire station… Improv comedy is alive and well in the Valley….
Athletes from Virginia make their Olympic debut in Paris… UVa researchers employ diet and exercise techniques to help cancer survivors in Appalachia… Republicans plan a strategy to reach voters in Virginia….
Today is the last day to answer a survey from the Charlottesville Human Rights Commission about homelessness and city jobs… Voter registration in Virginia is way up since Joe Biden dropped out of the race… A transgender woman previously employed by Liberty University is suing the school, alleging sex discrimination….
Local areas will get millions from the state to expand broadband access… Augusta County rejects a special use permit for a large solar project in the Stuarts Draft-Lyndhurst area… Virginia gets funding to capture methane emissions, but environmental groups want more….
Fifteen of the hundreds of athletes in Paris for the Summer Games are from Virginia… Governor Youngkin’s newest Board of Education appointee gets push back from state Democrats… Jeff Schapiro joins us to discuss that, and how the shake-up in the presidential race might affect Virginia….
The Mountain Valley Pipeline gets more fines for violating erosion and sediment rules… The General Assembly is expected to consider the rapid expansion of data centers next year… Can the U.S. Postal Service handle a flood of mail-in ballots this fall?
Staunton’s public schools adopt an updated cell-phone free policy for the new school year… The Virginia delegation to the Democratic National Convention will support Vice President Harris for the party’s presidential nomination… Senator Tim Kaine says he’s in favor of recognizing a Palestinian state, once the conditions are right….
The Republican Vice Presidential nominee holds a rally in Radford… The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus throws its support behind Vice President Kamala Harris for President… Now that she has the support of enough delegates to get the Democratic nomination for president, how does Harris poll in Virginia?
Virginia’s U.S. Senators are among the first to echo President Biden’s endorsement of Vice President Harris after he drops out of the race... The Moton Museum in Farmville is one step closer to becoming a World Heritage Site... This year, only 12 states participated in a pilot IRS program allowing free tax filing, and that program may be coming to Virginia....
After weeks of wrangling, the General Assembly passes a legislative fix to a veterans’ benefits bill… A now gone structure in Charlottesville that was listed in the Green Book will be commemorated with a state historic marker… Public opinion polls in Virginia are swinging Trump’s way, and as the governor returns from the Republican National Convention to sign the veterans bill, Jeff Schapiro discusses the week in Virginia politics….
We meet volunteers at a local nonprofit that helps low-income residents fix up their homes... A group of JMU journalism students is in Milwaukee this week, covering the Republican National Convention... Contrary to claims made at that convention, crime is down significantly across the country, including in Virginia, and we look at the numbers....
President Biden and former President Trump are essentially tied in Virginia, according to a new poll of voters... Iconic local artist P. Buckley Moss passes away... We tour the Piedmont Memorial Overlook near Front Royal....
A local grocer is recognized as a finalist for a national award... Registrars across Virginia deal with security issues... An Anglican bishop in Harrisonburg regularly returns to his homeland in Sudan to help his people during an ongoing civil war....
Virginia politicians condemn Saturday’s attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump… New federal funding will go to agencies in Harrisonburg and Luray to reduce youth substance use… Some Virginia legislators want to help those who have lost access to Medicaid….
Shenandoah County’s school board bans “political” flags, including the Pride flag… Louisa County issues strict rules on water usage, as drought conditions worsen… November election issues top the week’s political headlines in Virginia, and Jeff Schapiro is here to talk about it….
Representative Bob Good formally requests a recount… Phone scammers are increasingly active in the WMRA region… Dominion Energy explores a small nuclear reactor project in Louisa County….
Governor Youngkin orders schools statewide to go cellphone-free… Even with extra money ordered by the General Assembly, Virginia’s Medicaid program is over-budget… A new study shows that low-income mothers aren’t getting the care they’ve been promised….
Senator Tim Kaine stands behind President Biden’s decision to stay in the race, but other Virginia Democrats aren’t so sure… Meanwhile, the Virginia Bar Association cancels its planned debate between Kaine and Republican challenger Hung Cao… Rodents captured in Virginia this summer – a type of woodrat -- are headed to breeding programs in other states to help bolster the populations there….
Much of our region is now under a severe drought… Senator Mark Warner’s effort to organize other Democratic senators to persuade President Biden to bow out of the race has reportedly been called off, for now… Among the new Virginia laws in place last week, one involves cocktails to go….
A declared winner, and a recount, in Virginia’s 5th district, and a resolution on a veterans’ benefit program… Jeff Schapiro joins us to review the week in Virginia politics….
UVa withholds the degrees of several grads who took part in May anti-war protests… Democrats in the General Assembly say they’ve reached a deal on a military tuition benefits program… A review of Virginia’s state-run investment plans provides some good news….
A Frederick County school board member gets a fine and jail time for his participation in the January 6th attack on the Capitol… A "respite home" will soon open in Harrisonburg for homeless people who need somewhere to recuperate after being hospitalized… Virginia certifies primary election results, and Congressman Bob Good says he wants a recount after narrowly losing the fifth district to John McGuire….
State Senate Democrats are again unable to pass a bill to fix issues with a state veterans education benefit program… Six former, current and future members of UVa’s swim team are heading to Paris for the summer Olympics... Fireworks can be triggering for people with post-traumatic stress disorder, but there are ways we can help neighbors and family members cope with the noise….
Shenandoah National Park closes streams and rivers to fishing due to drought conditions and low water levels… The Virginia Senate is back at the Capitol again to reconsider a veterans benefit program… Hundreds of new laws take effect in Virginia today, including some that will pave the way for more access to solar….
Albemarle County’s prosecutor wants a court to withhold a report on the 2022 shooting deaths of three UVa students… Members of the General Assembly return to the Capitol to consider a budget question about benefits to veterans and their families… It’s time for lightning bugs, but as their numbers may be down, we have some tips for attracting more to your yard….
An old rock quarry and landfill are now a beautiful public park in Waynesboro… With July 1st comes lots of new laws, including prison reforms and changes to the Developmental Disability waiver system… Representative Abigail Spanberger says changes the federal government made to college student aid applications hurts farm families….
Staunton asks residents to conserve water, as drought conditions in Virginia worsen… Donald Trump and Governor Youngkin will appear together for the first time in a Chesapeake rally the day after the first presidential debate… UVa opens a new research center dedicated to Alzheimer’s disease….
Nearly a third of Virginia’s counties are maternity care deserts, and we explore the effect of that lack of care in Page County… The Wildlife Center in Waynesboro is taking in more eagles these days… Efforts to ease the fentanyl crisis in Virginia are showing some hopeful signs….
A Charlottesville medical tech company graduates from a state program to go global… Virginia’s Education Department, under Governor Glenn Youngkin, proposes changes to a course on Black history… Virginia’s abortion laws haven’t changed since Dobbs, but they’re being watched….
The FBI says it has solved the 1996 case of a brutal double murder of two young women in Shenandoah National Park… Excessive heat is combining with a “flash drought” in Virginia this weekend, with almost no rain relief expected anytime soon… The big political story this week was Tuesday’s primary, but also, the General Assembly will need a do-over after deadlocking on the issue of military educational benefits, and Jeff Schapiro reviews the week….
Harrisonburg’s animal shelter is at capacity, and seeking new homes for its pets… Virginia State Police investigates the Town of Broadway’s finances… The official results aren’t in yet, but State Senator John McGuire declares victory over incumbent Bob Good in Virginia’s 5th Congressional district….
Primary results are in, but as of early on the day after the primary election, the contest in the fifth congressional district is still too close to call… Republican Hung Cao wins the chance to challenge incumbent Senator Tim Kaine in November… Virginia’s Senate can’t reach a compromise to fix a veterans’ education benefit program….
It’s primary day in Virginia, and lots of candidates are vying for seats statewide… A UVa senior shatters the women’s 100-meter butterfly world record in her semifinal race at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials… A small family practice has been serving patients in one Augusta County community for 50 years and counting….
UVa’s athletic foundation creates a scholarship fund in memory of the three student athletes killed in a 2022 shooting… At least three county school boards in the WMRA area have ditched membership in a long-standing school board association, and that created an outcry in Orange County… Ten years after it was proposed, the Mountain Valley Pipeline is now in service….
The continuing saga of the company called NEXUS now involves a court-ordered forensic accountant… Next Tuesday is primary day in Virginia, and Jeff Schapiro takes a look at some of the more notable contests… Harrisonburg celebrates World Refugee Day….
Virginia has a new state park in Culpeper County, commemorating four major Civil War battles… Craigsville adjusts to the loss of jobs as the Augusta Correctional Center gets set to close for good at the end of the month… Before the Mountain Valley Pipeline begins pumping gas, nearby residents want more information about safety checks….
The NAACP sues Shenandoah County’s school board over its renaming of schools for Confederates… Meanwhile, Rockingham County’s school board votes to ditch a lobbying group it deems too liberal… Shenandoah National Park hosts events to promote the stewardship of natural areas….
Military veterans on the frontline of state politics, the builders of the Mountain Valley Pipeline say it’s complete, and the Virginia Department of Health struggles for funding.
Ensuring access to contraception aborted, a difficult political environment for environmental initiatives, and roadblocks to fixing traffic backups on I-81.
Feuds between the Virginia Governor and the Virginia Legislature, erosion along the route of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, and a look back at the news of the week.
Primary races across the Commonwealth, the Youngkin administration shifts emissions standards into reverse, and we look at new addiction treatment options in our area.
Youngkin vetoes protections for those with mental health issues, Richmond public schools require transparent backpacks, and unemployment in the Commonwealth is extremely low.
Chesapeake Bay blue crab populations are down, infighting among Virginia Republicans, and multiple issues at play in the coming election.
Passenger rail setting records in the Commonwealth, what we learn from listening to the natural world, and arguments for taxing and regulating Virginia’s cannabis market.
A new park is to open in Waynesboro, the leader of the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank is honored, and we recap the week in politics and state government.
Biden and Trump are tied in a new poll conducted by Roanoke College, 23 million dollars in grants are authorized to fight opioid addiction in the Commonwealth, and community colleges offer training on solar panel installation.
Good economic news for the Commonwealth, a wind farm off the coast of Virginia Beach withstands the storms of conservative interest groups, and Donald Trump weighs in with endorsements in Virginia’s June primaries.
Orange County’s school board ends its affiliation with a statewide school boards association, saying it leans too far to the left… Environmental officials announce evidence of so-called forever chemicals in a creek near Harrisonburg… Virginia considers new regulations on hound hunting to reduce tensions with landowners….
Senator Kaine wants more mental health resources for public school students… The General Assembly approved legislation to change the definition of bullying in schools, but the governor vetoed it… Meanwhile, lawmakers are wrangling over a special session to legalize skill games, or at least reform gambling oversight….
A Jewish University of Virginia student from Israel says he’s been the victim of antisemitism on Grounds, and he’s filed suit against the school in federal court… The Wildlife Center in Waynesboro takes advantage of Thursday’s World Turtle Day to find homes for a special cohort of rescued patients… A candidate for the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic Senator Tim Kaine doubles down on his insults of the Staunton News Leader, and that’s among the topics tackled by Jeff Schapiro in our Friday politics chat….
After a halting start to construction last year and fierce debate over design materials, Harrisonburg says it’s skatepark design is finalized and the new park will be completed by summer next year… Charlottesville community members join Swords into Plowshares to reclaim a space where a Confederate statue once stood… UVa researchers launch a first-of-a-kind project using cell phone data to better determine how to warn residents of an impending hurricane….
We go on a tour of the annual Wildflower Symposium and the rich natural and cultural history at Wintergreen Resort… Democrats in Richmond tout wins on the environment, even with the governor’s opposition to RGGI… The new state budget includes funding for child advocacy centers….
People formerly incarcerated at Riverside Regional Jail accuse staff of inhuman treatment. Governor Glenn Youngkin has vetoed more bills than any other governor in the history of the commonwealth. During a Monday press call, Virginia Democrats criticized Gov. Glenn Youngkin for vetoing bills that would have protected access to birth control.
Last week, on May 10th, a rare sighting of the Aurora Borealis was visible in Virginia. Democrats and Republicans both gave up something to build a compromise budget for the Commonwealth this week. About half of Virginia’s 133 counties and independent cities have less than 1 doctor for every 1,000 residents. The ACLU of Virginia heads to Richmond federal court today in a dispute aiming to ensure equal access to services for inmates in Virginia’s prisons.
Charges against several protesters arrested at UVa are dropped after witness and video evidence show they did not assault police… A new collaboration gets fresh produce to the tables of families in need, and helps farmers in the Shenandoah Valley too… Jeff Schapiro reviews the week in Virginia politics….
New money for higher ed in the new state budget… Forest officials battle a caterpillar invasion in Shenandoah National Park… Another ABC executive is out, raising questions of instability in the authority’s leadership….
The compromise state budget signed into law this week includes raises for public school teachers… Lawmakers are also looking into how UVa and other universities responded to recent protests on their campuses… Shenandoah National Park is one of 18 sites around the country selected for training events to reduce human impact….
A Republican PAC works to defeat Freedom Caucus leader, Virginia Representative Bob Good… The General Assembly quickly passes, and the governor signs, a two-year budget… One Democratic priority, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, is missing from that budget….
Lawmakers in Richmond release the details of their budget agreement, and there are few surprises… Dozens of VCU graduates walk out of Governor Youngkin’s commencement address… After years of delays, cost overruns and continuous environmental violations, the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s builder says it’s almost ready for service….
Shenandoah County’s school board votes to reinstate Confederate names for two schools... Some faculty at UVa dispute the administration’s claims regarding their decision to forcibly remove protesters on Saturday... The General Assembly’s budget negotiators strike a deal with Governor Glenn Youngkin on a two-year spending plan....
Although future funding is uncertain, a state education committee advances three more lab school applications, including for one in the Shenandoah Valley… Meanwhile, it’s higher demand, but probably less state funding, for Virginia’s free clinics… A historic “Green Book” house in Harrisonburg receives preservation funding….
UVa’s president and police chief explain why they called in state police to remove protesters… This year’s congressional candidates are spending lots of money, but there’s little transparency about how it’s being used… Populations in some rural Virginia counties are growing, bucking a decade-long trend of population decline in those areas….
Senator Tim Kaine talks about his effort to address the hospital staffing crisis… 5th District Republican Bob Good wants to “defund NPR”… Leaders of the General Assembly’s finance committees meet with Governor Youngkin in hopes of a budget compromise….
UVa calls in state police to forcibly remove anti-war protesters from Grounds… Can Virginia increase education funding by $1 billion without raising taxes?... As weather-related power outages across Virginia increase, we explore some of the changes needed to protect the power grid….
Early voting begins in the Commonwealth, a day-long celebration of the arts takes over downtown Harrisonburg, and there’s a new law encouraging nuclear energy.
A new resource to help families fight being evicted from their homes, continued protests on campuses across the commonwealth, and a conversation with an award-winning Harrisonburg novelist.
More than 100 arrests made during peace protests on Virginia college campuses, work to remove ‘forever chemicals’ from drinking water, and a look at the history of methamphetamine in the United States.
More arrests at peace protests on campuses in the Commonwealth, the crafting of a new state budget, and legislative attempts to address the housing crisis.
Students handcuffed and removed from peace protests on Virginia Tech’s campus, federal funding available for solar power in the Commonwealth, and a connection is found between climate change and earthquakes.
The Augusta County Sheriff’s office will get body cameras, UVa cracks down on fraternity hazing, and residents of Rockbridge County work to address pollution in the Maury River.
An attempt by Governor Youngkin to reduce access to contraception is denied by the General Assembly; University of Virginia scientists research using AI to help care for people with dementia, and your electric bill might go up in order to fund development of nuclear power.
The Rockingham County School Board is given a reading assignment, the Democratic primary for Virginia’s lieutenant governor heats up, and we conclude our look at an historic house in Staunton.
Home prices have risen by nearly fifty percent in the last five years, the Dave Matthews Band is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and we visit an historic home in Staunton.
An investigation into the chair of the Staunton City School Board, a legal gamble on so-called skill games, artificial intelligence and seed libraries.
The governor signs a bill making it easier for college athletes to get paid for the use of their name, image and likeness… If you’ve got an invasive, but beautiful, pear tree in your yard, the Department of Forestry would like a word… Jeff Schapiro has a review of this week in state politics, including the General Assembly’s veto session….
The General Assembly, with the governor’s approval, votes to start from scratch on the budget, with a May deadline… Despite the spirit of compromise, lawmakers were unable to overturn a veto on school construction legislation… One bill that passed into law will require all hospitals with emergency rooms to have a doctor on-site at all times….
On the 17th anniversary of the mass shooting at Virginia Tech, Virginia’s Senators introduce new gun control legislation in Congress… The NAACP in Virginia sues Governor Youngkin over his response to public records requests about his DEI policy… The General Assembly reconvenes today, taking action on the governor's budget amendments and vetoes….
The nonprofit foundation that operates James Madison's Montpelier estate casts doubt on initial reports that a fire did no damage to artifacts… The General Assembly reconvenes this week to consider the governor’s amendments and vetoes… Pollinator enthusiasts gather at a city park in Winchester to plant wildflowers….
More than three years after the event, federal authorities arrest a Waynesboro man for alleged violent participation in the January 6th insurrection… Albemarle County joins other school systems in allowing teachers to bargain collectively… We take a look at the areas of agreement, and divergence, between the governor and legislators over the budget….
Residents, teachers and students in Shenandoah County debate changing local schools back to their previous Confederate names… State police issue homicide charges against two former Warren County deputies in the 2022 case of a driver who died after a traffic stop… It’s a record number of vetoes, and amendments, from the governor, and Jeff Schapiro joins us to discuss whether he will he get his way with the General Assembly….
A police standoff on Afton Mountain leaves one man injured and traffic on Interstate 64 backed up for hours… Virginia's Secretary of Education visits JMU for a discussion with outgoing university president Jonathan Alger… UVa’s School of Nursing hosts a conference on the impact of climate change on public health….
Some Shenandoah County residents want Confederate names restored to two schools there, and it’s likely they’ll get their wish… We review some of the legislation that Governor Youngkin vetoed and amended, including funding for education… Why is Virginia one of the few states that allows the governor to amend bills?....
Governor Youngkin completes his amendments to the General Assembly’s budget, more than 200… Reproductive rights advocates react to his vetoes of abortion-related legislation… Senator Tim Kaine renews his request to the Biden administration to halt the transfer of bombs and other offensive weapons to Israel….
Virginia’s new lab schools, including the one at JMU, could already be facing less funding… The governor signs dozens of bills, including legislation protecting digital menstrual health data, but among his vetoes, a bill that would have protected abortion providers from extradition… Award-winning Harrisonburg author Sofia Samatar talks about why her latest work is one of science fiction….
Charlottesville will soon have more safety cameras in an effort to reduce gun violence and vehicle thefts… Governor Youngkin signs a bill sponsored by Harrisonburg Senator Obenshain that will increase penalties for those who manufacture pressed pills containing fentanyl… As time runs out for the governor to sign, veto or amend bills, Jeff Schapiro joins us to discuss the week in politics and state government….
Charlottesville City Council reverses course and approves a Gaza cease-fire resolution… Governor Youngkin signs another 100 bills, including a measure to protect Virginians from unlawful discrimination… Most Virginia state parks, including Natural Bridge, will hold watch parties for next Monday’s solar eclipse….
A federal judge orders Nexus to pay more than $366 million in restitution and fines… With new abortion restrictions taking place in Florida, Virginia providers are bracing for an influx of people seeking abortions… For the first time, Virginia will mark Black Maternal Health Week….
Bryce Reeves, a state senator representing the Orange County region, won’t disclose details about a nearly two-thousand dollar trip paid for by a skill games company… Forestry officials say last week’s wildfires are all contained, as a bear cub injured by wildfire recovers at the Wildlife Center in Waynesboro… New research shows that heat waves are a growing problem in the Chesapeake Bay….
Buford Middle School in Charlottesville is the site of Virginia’s fifth lab school, focusing on STEM education… The Virginia Breeze bus line says it plans to set up its first east-west route from the Valley to eastern Virginia… The governor’s sports arena deal may be dead, but he and Democrats still must come to an agreement on the state budget….
With moderate drought conditions spreading east of the Blue Ridge, Charlottesville-area authorities are the latest to ask residents to conserve water… A local geologist is appointed by the governor to serve on a state administrative board… Pandemic-era teacher shortages continue across Virginia….
The Albemarle County teacher’s union suspends talks with the school division over a collective bargaining agreement... Meanwhile, public schools across the state struggle to get kids to show up in the classroom consistently... More details emerge about the state budget agreement, still waiting for the governor’s signature....
Facing drought, Staunton and Winchester are the latest Valley localities to announce water use restrictions or guidelines… The presidents of 13 universities, including JMU, push back against conservative claims that campuses are bastions of liberal viewpoints… Books & Brews is back for the fall, and in a preview, our September guest encourages those considering adopting a dog to get one from a shelter….
Even after the COVID-19 pandemic has ended, kids continue to struggle in school… Fifteen state senators are marking their final days in Richmond… We review the week in politics and state government with Jeff Schapiro….
Augusta County is the latest Valley locality to issue a water conservation advisory… The General Assembly passes a budget deal, six months later than usual… Our recent hotter-than-normal temperatures may impact this year's fall foliage….
Drought conditions in the Valley lead to burn bans in some places… WMRA’s Randi B. Hagi reveals the results of her year-long investigation into migrant children that have gone missing from Culpeper County… A new local production will allow dozens of community members, including those experiencing homelessness, to enjoy the theater….
Much of our area is now under both heat and drought advisories… As the General Assembly prepares to reconvene to approve a deal on the remainder of the two-year budget, lawmakers release details about what they’ve agree on… The Wildlife Center of Virginia releases a bald eagle after fixing its broken wing….
The General Assembly reconvenes this week to pass amendments to the budget, Harrisonburg public officials issue a Drought Warning, and experts expect a rise in cases of RSV, COVID-19, and the flu.
A guilty verdict for a murder in Waynesboro. As a court decides whether Virginia will remain in a multi-state environmental compact, all streams and rivers in the Shenandoah National Park are closed to fishing. And, as the Secretary of the Commonwealth steps down to join Governor Youngkin’s political team, Youngkin replaces her with the Director of the Virginia Lottery.
A guilty verdict found in a local murder case, a private company contracted by the Virginia Retirement System lets retirees’ personal information leak, and the General Assembly tries to pass amendments to the Commonwealth’s budget, a couple months late.
Governor Youngkin calls the General Assembly back into session in September, to finalize votes on the incomplete state budget… More than a million Medicare enrollees in Virginia will benefit from the Biden Administration's plan to negotiate the prices the program pays to drug manufacturers… A new poll shows former President Trump the strong favorite among Virginia Republicans, although among voters in the commonwealth overall he’s still behind President Biden….
Signs show an uptick in COVID-19, and Virginia health officials are keeping an eye on a new variant… Less than four months after launching new air service between Charlottesville and Orlando, Avela Airlines says due to lack of demand those flights will cease next week… A UVa astronomer explains why this week’s blue moon is also a supermoon….
Whether it’s Canadian wildfires affecting our air quality, or more frequent and intense wildfires here in Virginia, climate change is making the problem worse… We have more details on the agreement that the General Assembly reached on the two-year budget… Virginia Tech researchers look for a way to make American trains more fuel efficient….
Virginia’s attorney general says local school boards must comply with the governor’s new controversial model policy for trans students, but it's unclear how he would enforce it, and political analyst Jeff Schapiro will weigh in on that as part of our weekly politics chat... Valley non-profit Sustainability Matters charts a path forward after the passing of its founder... And this weekend, the Winchester area is “Hungry for History”....
Finance leaders in the General Assembly say they may be close to a deal on the remainder of the current two-year budget... After the dismissal of years of legal challenges, construction on the Mountain Valley Pipeline resumes... A federal judge in Charlottesville rejects a request from abortion providers to shield Virginia from any future restrictions on the drug mifepristone....
After three months of waiting and a lawsuit, two men have been released from detention at the ICE facility in Farmville… A lawsuit accuses a park ranger with false arrest over alleged drunken driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway… Dulles International Airport takes a major step forward in renewable energy….
Charlottesville schools join others in banning cell phones and other devices from the classroom… Bridgewater College is slashing its public tuition rates… Environmental groups sue the Youngkin administration over its move to pull the state out of RGGI….
Questions arise about why officials at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail apparently delayed telling the public that two inmates recently died there... Activists call for the closure of the ICE facility in Farmville amid allegations of rights abuses... All 40 seats in the Virginia Senate are on the ballot this year, and there are sure to be a lot of new faces there next year....
A diner in Staunton is for sale, construction begins on a new road in Waynesboro, and Charlottesville City Schools tells students to turn off their cell phones. That, and a recap of the week in Virginia governance and politics.
The Commonwealth’s budget impasse continues, not without repercussions; a Harrisonburg Councilman has his Driving While Intoxicated charge amended to improper driving; the Town of Strasburg declares a drought emergency; and the Inflation Reduction Act provides new tax incentives for renewable energy.
Billboard Governor Youngkin visits the Rockingham County Fair and talks about supporting education, 1,000 students in Albemarle County won’t have a bus ride to school, chronic wasting disease spreads across the deer population, and a charitable bingo hall in Richmond argues a referendum should be removed from the city ballot.
Two legal challenges against the Mountain Valley pipeline dismissed last week. Charlottesville and Albemarle county join a national program to address violent crime, while, in Staunton, a man dressed as Spider-Man patrols the streets. Secretly recorded audio plays a role in election campaigns, and the 87th Annual Old Fiddler’s Convention happened in Galax last week.
Virginia Medicaid is reviewing whether the two million people covered by the program are still eligible for its free health care. Virginia's governor is working to remove the Commonwealth from multistate organizations. And the National Park Service has awarded more than $9 million in grants to twelve states, including Virginia.
A roundup of the weeks news in the Commonowealth; Senator Kaine announced federal funding for mental health care in Harrisonburg, we learn about libraries, lunches, and weapons scanners in the schools, the Richmond Jazz Festival returns, and we look at a book remembering the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, now six years past.
The Perseid meteor showers are underway, and so are election campaigns for the General Assembly. And a new poll finds Virginians would rather spend the Commonwealth’s budget surplus on funding schools than on tax cuts for the wealthy.
The Richmond Electoral Board reverses their decision to reduce early voting opportunities, a financial dispute between a health insurance company and peoples’ doctors threatens the health of those people, and a new museum is coming to Waynesboro.
Three men from Central America won their immigration cases, but Immigrations and Customs Enforcement are detaining them anyway; Senator Tim Kaine meets with black business leaders in Richmond; for over thirty years, children from across the mid-Atlantic who survive burns have attended a summer camp just for them in the Shenandoah Valley.
Delegate Nick Freitas aims to represent the newly drawn 62nd district, but there is a question over whether he actually lives in it… Shenandoah National Park officials see an increase in litter and pet waste in the park… Jeff Shapiro surveys the ongoing budget impasse and more in Virginia politics and government….
Even though Virginia cops are conducting fewer vehicle searches, they are still more likely to pull over Black and Latino drivers than White drivers… Governor Youngkin is packing the boards of universities across the state, including UVa and JMU, with dozens of new members, some of them with far right political leanings… Scientists at UVa report an intriguing discovery regarding Alzheimer’s disease….
UVa and Virginia Tech change their admissions policies in response to the Supreme Court’s June affirmative action ruling… The Southern Environmental Law Center says it will appeal Virginia’s withdrawal from RGGI… A new survey finds that a large majority of voters in Virginia support initiatives that would reduce or cap prescription drug costs….
For the first time in more than 15 years, Virginia will likely not have a back-to-school sales tax holiday this weekend… This year's Harrisonburg International Festival, an annual staple of the city’s culture for more than a decade, is canceled… A Charlottesville-based non-profit helps local organizations get the word out about weatherization and energy efficient programs….
Child poverty in Virginia falls to a historic low, but advocates worry that the numbers may be about to spike… The U.S. Department of Agriculture awards nearly $11 million to three rural health care projects nearby, including a hospital in Bath County... Democratic Representative Abigail Spanberger may be eyeing the governor’s mansion….
The Verona-based Nexus corporation and its founders find themselves in a lot of legal trouble… The U.S. Supreme Court allows construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline to resume… In our weekly politics chat, Jeff Schapiro ponders whether the political donations of professors at UVa should be tracked….
The organization that oversees most high school sports in Virginia says it will not change its policy for transgender athletes… A new opioid treatment program opens in Front Royal… Two women in Charlottesville are mitigating the effects of climate change -- one tree at a time….
2023 is shaping up to be the most expensive legislative election cycle in the history of the commonwealth. UVa could become the first major institution of higher education in America to publish the political donations of its faculty and staff. And the sharp spike in mortgage rates is keeping many homeowners from considering whether to put their homes on the market.
The lawsuit over Charlottesville's Lee statue appears to be over... As Congress considers its big farm bill, Senator Kaine visits our area... How is Virginia’s surplus affecting negotiations over the budget?
Tuition is going up at Virginia’s community colleges for the first time in five years... Physicians assistants want to make it easier for Virginians to get their prescriptions... We visit a regional school that uses new methods to help kids with autism learn to drive....
State Police investigate the shooting death of a Rockingham County man by a sheriff’s deputy… A local couple speaks out about cluster munitions and their personal experience with the weapons… Jeff Schapiro joins us to discuss campaign finance, the state budget surplus, and a change in guidance on transgender students….
School boards are faced with how to respond to new, more restrictive guidelines from the governor on transgender students… Local airports get federal funds for upgrades… We have some tips on how to find your unclaimed property through a state resource….
A man convicted of being part of the white supremacist march through UVa grounds in 2017 is arrested on charges that he stormed the U.S. Capitol and attacked police officers in the January 6th riot... About 100,000 Virginians have lost their Medicaid health insurance since the commonwealth started cutting enrollment in May... We conclude our Big Tree Tour....
Wildfire smoke from Canada again affects our air quality... A judge throws out most of a lawsuit to stop a Black cultural center from melting down Charlottesville’s Robert E. Lee statue... We survey some of the national champion trees in our area, according to the Virginia Big Tree program....
The Piedmont Health District is setting up cooling centers due to expected heat index values near or above 100… A lawsuit headed to the U.S. Supreme Court, and supported by Virginia’s Republican attorney general, could help so-called predatory lenders in Virginia… Congress has mandated that the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s construction be completed, but that may not be the last word….
After two years, Charlottesville again has a permanent city manager… A Charlottesville-based nonprofit launches a campaign to help guide homeowners interested in going solar… As negotiations to amend Virginia’s two-year budget remain stalled, Jeff Schapiro takes a look at lessons from the last such stalemate….
Augusta County’s Board of Supervisors censures a member for recording closed sessions… An Albemarle County judge dismisses 125-year-old charges against a Charlottesville man accused of raping a white woman… The governor takes action to move Virginia closer to withdrawing from a regional carbon market at the end of the year….
A major new legislative study finds that Virginia is significantly underfunding public education… The United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County collects school supplies for local families… Governor Youngkin launches an ad campaign to encourage his fellow Republicans to vote early in this November’s statewide elections, but he faces skepticism within his own party….
Despite the agreement in Washington to expedite construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a federal appeals court has again halted the project… The conundrum over marijuana in Virginia continues, while it’s legal for adults to possess, but still illegal to sell… Three physicians caring for Virginia inmates have either had their licenses revoked or suspended….
Heavier rain in early July means the Shenandoah Valley, while still abnormally dry, is no longer in a moderate drought… What’s the best way to crack down on gang violence?... The number of suicides in the military continues to rise, particularly in the Army….
The murder trials in the case of the so-called “Shopping Cart Killer” are postponed for more than a year… The Youngkin administration quietly removes LGBTQ+ youth resources from a state website after a far-right media outlet questioned the links… Political columnist Jeff Shapiro says don’t hold your breath for an agreement on a budget in the General Assembly….
The General Assembly remains at odds on how to best utilize the commonwealth’s more than $3 billion budget surplus, and schools in particular could receive less funding… Dominion customers are paying less for electricity… Staunton concludes its three-day celebration of America’s 247th birthday….
New laws in Virginia include regulations on housing, including protections for tenants with automatic lease renewals… And another new law restricts the sale of hemp and hemp-derived products containing T-H-C… Health officials say watch out for ticks this summer….
After becoming a Virginia State Park in 2016, Natural Bridge is now owned by the Commonwealth… The General Assembly’s budget standoff has a sweeping package to transform mental health services on hold… Student college loan repayments are set to resume in October, and Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad joins us to talk about the impact….
Several new laws went into effect in Virginia Saturday, including a so-called “Move Over” driver law, and Pornhub says it’s disabling access in the commonwealth over the new age verification rules for accessing adult sites… Law enforcement officials across Virginia are converting their shotguns into less-lethal weapons… The average borrower in Virginia has about $30,000 of student loan debt, and after a Supreme Court ruling against debt relief, those bills will start coming due as early as October 1st….
How will the Supreme Court’s ruling against affirmative action affect Virginia universities?... Culpeper County’s Sheriff is indicted on corruption and bribery charges… Staunton has a new flood monitoring system… Virginia enters a new budget year in a state of uncertainty, and we have details and analysis with Jeff Schapiro….
Parts of our area move into the red zone in air quality from Canadian wildfires, meaning the air is unhealthy for the general population… Areas around Charlottesville will get hundreds of thousands of dollars for opioid abatement… Lawyers for the family of Irvo Otieno ask the U.S. Department of Justice to open a criminal investigation into his death….
Harrisonburg will improve its bicycle lanes, thanks to federal infrastructure money… Top Virginia legislators say that talks in Richmond over the state budget have broken down and negotiators have been sent home… The U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear a case filed by a Virginia veteran….
Another man involved in the racist torchlit march on UVa Grounds in August 2017 has been indicted… New rules for about 60,000 Virginians on probation seem to be working… One of the new laws going into effect on July 1st requires people who want to view pornography online to verify their age….
A survey of telehealth providers in Virginia shows that they are seeing improvements in the remote care offered to patients… A group called Progressive Prosecutors for Justice is one of the big winner’s in last week’s primaries… Two environmental groups sue the U.S. Navy over a Northern Virginia naval base’s weapons testing….
Virginia’s primaries are open to all voters, but does that mean that partisans make mischief at the ballot box?... How does the Supreme Court’s reinforcement of the Indian Child Welfare Act affect tribes in Virginia?... Jeff Schapiro joins us to discuss results from Tuesday’s primaries….
Now that the primaries are over, the major party candidates look ahead to November… Virginia, where abortion is still legal, sees an uptick in patients as border states restrict the procedure… A Dominion Energy pilot program encourages customers to shift electricity usage to off-peak hours….
Early results show that Senator Creigh Deeds will likely get to defend his seat in November, but some other Senate incumbents lost, including Trump supporter Amanda Chase… The Rockingham Harrisonburg SPCA says it is completely full and they are desperately seeking fosters for kittens… Prosecutors in Dinwiddie County withdraw charges against two of the ten people involved in the death of Irvo Otieno….
Parts of Charlottesville find their neighborhood sprinkled with homophobic and anti-transgender flyers… In this era of more common mass shootings and gun violence, some local fire departments are investing in body armor… We follow up yesterday’s report on the use of federal COVID relief funds in Afton with a tour of Scottsville, just south of Charlottesville….
A suspect is in custody after a Wintergreen police officer is fatally shot in a struggle… Some Republican candidates for seats in the General Assembly continue to push former President Trump's lies about a rigged 2020 election… We explore what Afton is doing with its COVID relief money….
The Shenandoah Valley is now in a moderate drought, and is among the driest regions in Virginia… A woman incarcerated at Middle River Regional Jail in Verona has died… Virginia’s primary election is Tuesday, and Jeff Schapiro joins us to discuss some historical examples of incumbents who have been unseated in primaries….
The new director of Charlottesville's animal shelter asks volunteers involved in previous protests over alleged abuse there to stay away during the summer… A dental clinic in Amherst and four others around the state each get $200,000 to improve dentist accessibility… Can AI prevent pedestrian traffic deaths?
Today is the deadline for environmentalists to object to the new federal budget agreement that clears the way for the Mountain Valley Pipeline… Critics of the superintendent of the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind start a petition to oust her… A new, multi-faceted art space comes to Staunton…
The mother of the six-year-old who shot his teacher in Newport News faces prison time… Fear of crime is often used by politicians to score points with voters, but long-term crime statistics tell a different story… Now that the Air Pollution Control Board has voted to remove Virginia from RGGI, Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad shares his perspective about what that means for energy providers, consumers -- and the economics of climate change…..
Drug-related deaths for Virginia’s seniors nearly doubled in the years leading up to the pandemic… A bill making its way through Congress would allow alcohol to be shipped through the mail in states where it is legal… Why are teachers in Virginia leaving the job in droves?
Air quality in our part of Virginia has worsened into the unhealthy range due to the wildfire smoke from Canada, and that can cause health problems for many… Attorneys representing abortion providers in Virginia and two other states ask a federal judge in Charlottesville to shield them from new restrictions on the abortion drug mifepristone… As air quality tanks, the state’s air pollution control board removes Virginia from RGGI, and Jeff Schapiro joins us for some analysis….
Despite pleas from dozens of advocates, the state’s air pollution control board votes to pull Virginia out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative… An animal shelter in Lyndhurst takes in dozens of animals seized from a single property… A 19-year-old man is in custody in connection with a deadly mass shooting in Richmond following a high school graduation….
Two people are dead after a shooting in Richmond… Virginia’s Air Pollution Control Board votes on whether or not to stay with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Iniative… Now that the debt ceiling deal has given a green light to the Mountain Valley Pipeline, opponents consider next steps….
The man shot by a sheriff’s deputy at the Walmart near JMU Sunday died later that night at Sentara RMH… Investigators, combing through the wreckage of the plane that crashed in Augusta County Sunday, say there were no survivors, and that the plane appeared to be on auto-pilot… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad discusses how the governor’s order that most Virginia jobs won’t require a college degree, will affect colleges with already declining enrollment….
Police shoot and injure one person involved in a fight at a Walmart near the JMU campus in Harrisonburg… After wandering over D.C. and triggering the scrambling of a fighter jet, a small plane crashes in the mountains south of Staunton… Virginia joins with nine other states to sue FEMA over proposed flood insurance rate hikes….
VMI's chief diversity officer resigns after nearly two years of constant backlash from White alumni and students… Senator Tim Kaine says he’s pushing the Postal Service to improve mail delivery in areas that are still not getting proper service… Jeff Schapiro surveys the week that was in Virginia politics and government….
Virginia joins other Republican-led states in sending National Guard troops to the border with Mexico… The primary contest between incumbent Senator Creigh Deeds and challenger Delegate Sally Hudson near Charlottesville is drawing more votes than any other in the state in early voting… Albemarle County plans to buy a large tract of land to attract new defense department contracts to the area….
Environmentalists are dismayed that the debt ceiling agreement would approve all the remaining permits to complete the stalled Mountain Valley Pipeline… Meanwhile, members of Virginia’s General Assembly are at a standstill with their budget amendments, and the deadline is just a month away… A centuries-old document discovered in Rockingham County reveals an assassination attempt against George Washington….
Charlottesville’s Daily Progress and other daily Virginia papers owned by an Iowa-based company move to publishing three times a week… Today is the deadline to create or update voter registration before Virginia’s primary elections on June 20th… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad discusses the squeeze that local cable providers are feeling as a result of the growth of streaming services….
One study says Virginia is safer for teenage drivers than most other states… The Supreme Court’s recent ruling on a case involving the Clean Water Act could have environmental impacts on Virginia for years to come… A Virginia Beach engineer is one of four people in the country chosen by NASA to test out living on Mars….
Another man from Virginia faces sentencing in the January 6th insurrection… Transfers to the immigrant detention center in Farmville are paused after three people test positive for COVID-19… Students and faculty from UVA and five other Virginia universities meet in Charlottesville to help ensure that future elections in the commonwealth are fair, and results can be trusted….
A judge in Charlottesville rules against one of the groups trying to stop the melting down of the old Robert E. Lee statue… Culpeper and surrounding counties are one of several PILOT sites for a Marcus Alert system… The General Assembly is working on a rare bipartisan effort to reform Virginia's parole system….
The Buckingham County Electoral Board is experiencing more disruption after a judge postpones a hearing on nominations to the panel… The former chair of Virginia's board of elections says the Governor’s decision to exit a multistate voter data partnership is in part due to a year-long misinformation campaign from the right… School board elections are nonpartisan, but the boards themselves seldom are….
A new report calls attention to Virginia's practice of incarcerating people even after their sentence has been completed… Amazon opens a one-million-square-foot warehouse in Fishersville… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad analyzes lawsuits over the marketing and availability of vaping products….
A former 5th District Republican Representative is making a comeback, winning the nomination for a seat in Virginia’s House of Delegates… The Associated Press reports that Virginia State Police have avoided an independent investigation into a former trooper, and are instead investigating the matter themselves… Researchers are training dogs to help sniff out the invasive spotted lanternfly, which continues to threaten vineyards in Virginia.…
An animal rights group says a farm in Virginia that raised chickens for Tyson Foods mistreated its animals… Virginia’s Teacher of the Year is a history teacher at John Handley High School in Winchester… Virginia’s lawmakers are among those worried about a potential default on the nation’s debt, and Jeff Schapiro joins us to discuss that and more in the week in state politics….
North Carolina's new abortion ban is changing the dynamic around the procedure in Virginia, where abortion providers are also suing to preserve access to mifepristone… The Harrisonburg Citizen takes home a bundle of awards for its coverage… The UVa Cancer Center gets funding to study a new approach to treating leukemia….
A man charged with attacking two staffers for Representative Gerry Connolly with a baseball bat is also being charged with a hate crime in an earlier attack… By one estimate, Virginia would stand to lose 35,000 jobs if the federal debt ceiling is breached… We meet the helicopter pilots who use giant flying saws to trim vegetation along power lines in rural areas….
Two members of Democratic Congressman Gerry Connolly's staff are hospitalized after being attacked by a man with a baseball bat at their Fairfax office… Experts say Virginia’s exit from a national, bipartisan voting data collaborative could leave the state with less accurate voter rolls… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad explains why most of Virginia’s public universities are raising tuition, after years of holding the line….
A UVa task force finds that late payments to graduate students in January were mostly due to miscommunication over deadlines... A federal judge in Virginia rules that the government cannot bar 18- to 20-year-olds from buying handguns from licensed dealers... Virginia’s Republican Attorney General defends his decision not to join the Republican-led lawsuit against the abortion pill mifepristone....
A federal judge rules against the Fishersville-based company Nexus in a major lawsuit… Virginia is the eighth state to pull out of a national, bipartisan voting collaborative that’s been the target of right-wing conspiracy theories… Jeff Schapiro reviews the week in politics and state government….
After reportedly strange behavior and attempts to illegally charge for a FOIA request, the head of Buckingham County’s election office has been fired… After two jail breaks, U.S. marshals remove federal prisoners from a Farmville jail… Governor Youngkin directs state agencies to take new steps to address the fentanyl crisis….
From the Shenandoah Valley to Charlottesville, police have responded to potential local school threats this week… Former Governor Doug Wilder calls on Governor Youngkin to replace his chief Diversity Officer… An archaeological study in Charlottesville is revealing insights into life there in the 1700s….
The second man who escaped from a Farmville jail has been recaptured… Up to 400,000 Virginians could lose Medicaid coverage this week… As President Biden and Congressional leaders meet, Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad explores why we have a debt ceiling at all, and the potential impact of a default….
A member of Harrisonburg’s city council is charged with DWI… We take a look at one potential solution to the barriers confronting the placement of solar panels… Early voting in Virginia’s primaries has begun, and one county’s ballots look a little different this year….
Governor Youngkin visits Albemarle County to tout the expansion of a local startup… Meanwhile this week, the governor’s plans for diversity, and his plans for next year, have been making headlines, and Jeff Schapiro joins us for analysis… Shenandoah National Park hosts its 37th Wildflower Weekend….
A free healthcare clinic returns to the Valley, with dental, vision and medical services… The family of Irvo Otieno has more questions about how and why the 28-year-old was taken to jail while he was having a mental health crisis… Two years after Virginia abolished the death penalty, a minister who accompanied 28 men to the electric chair has written a memoir about that experience….
Two men escape from a Farmville jail, and one is considered extremely dangerous… Dominion Energy wants to reduce rates for customers… The engineering department at VMI enlists a robot to do battle with ticks….
Virginia Beach is recovering from a rare tornado that hit the area Sunday… Governor Youngkin says he won’t run for president… The controversy over the governor’s Diversity Chief isn’t just about rhetoric… An analysis finds that Youngkin’s appointments are less racially diverse and more male-dominated compared to those of former Governor Northam….
The state’s legislative Black Caucus joins the NAACP in calling for Virginia’s Diversity Chief to resign after he attacked diversity programs at VMI… The rate of suspected suicide attempts by poisoning among children and adolescents spiked in the first full year of the pandemic… When it comes to curbing tobacco use, Virginia gets one of the lowest grades in the nation….
The governor’s appointee for diversity and inclusion speaks out against diversity programs on the VMI campus… A group of Valley high school students pay a visit to Farmville, a key historical site during the fight over segregation in Virginia… In our weekly politics chat, Jeff Schapiro joins us to discuss this year’s elections, as incumbents face other incumbents in the primaries, and the governor’s trip to Asia….
The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank learns more about the “missing guests” who need food assistance, but aren’t getting it… As his Asia trip continues, Governor Youngkin says in Japan that he hopes to create supply chains that are not dependent on China… Virginia's labor force participation rate returns to pre-pandemic levels….
A new report lists a range of fixes for the embattled Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA to address alleged mismanagement and animal mistreatment… The fate of a statue of Robert E. Lee is still in limbo in a court in Charlottesville… And, in a tale of love amid the difficulties of navigating the child welfare system, the story of how one family in Stuarts Draft was made….
A trailblazer of school desegregation in Charlottesville, one of the women featured in WMRA’s Voices of Integration series, returns to her hometown to address a women’s leadership forum… Virginia’s top elections official attended a conference in February apparently sponsored by conservative groups aimed at tightening voting laws… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad talks about the rich people from elsewhere spending money on Virginia’s election campaign this year….
One of the people carrying a torch in connection with the 2017 Unite the Rally in Charlottesville faces felony charges… Virginia's maternal mortality rate surged during the pandemic… This year’s General Assembly elections are attracting record amounts of campaign cash….
Volunteers will be cleaning up several stretches of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River this weekend; after months of debate, Virginia’s Board of Education adopts new K-through-12 history standards; The challenges of getting into, and sticking with, substance use treatment; and as money pours in for the fall General Assembly campaigns, Jeff Schapiro and Michael Pope recap the week in politics and state government.
A recent study examined whether LED road lighting affects how well people fall – and stay – asleep;The Walmart Chesapeake where six people were killed in November re-opened this/Wednesday morning;Some people in Winchester try to loosen the hold that illicit substances have on the region;And Shenandoah National Park will kick off National Park Week with free admission for all patrons
Almost six years after the deadly Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, a grand jury has indicted several participants;The Virginia Supreme Court agrees to hear an appeal regarding the denial of early release for some people incarcerated in the commonwealth;The Virginia Department of Elections is working to remove a long list of now-deceased voters from the voter rolls;And opinions are divided over who will own a massive new offshore wind farm in Virginia
The Harrisonburg High School community walked out of class to support the family of a classmate killed over the weekend;The Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA has placed its CEO on administrative leave, after an independent review by the law firm McGuireWoods;A bipartisan coalition of attorneys general is backing a Virginia veteran who is taking his GI benefits claim to the U.S. Supreme Court; And public colleges in Virginia say they will have to raise tuition unless the commonwealth steps in to increase its share of the cost
Mary Baldwin University has selected Dr. Jeffrey P. Stein as its 10th president. Plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the Virginia Department of Corrections won an important victory last week. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation recently announced that it is building an archaeology center.
The mother of the first-grader who allegedly shot his teacher in Newport News has turned herself in to authorities;A federal judge in North Dakota has temporarily blocked federal regulations in Virginia and 23 other states intended to protect thousands of waterways;Charlottesville City Council earlier this week approved a 22 percent increase in the city’s budget;And the General Assembly has concluded its one-day reconvene session
A grand jury has indicted the mother of a six-year-old who shot his teacher in Newport News, and lawmakers formally commended the teacher for her actions that day;Health care professionals in Virginia say they will continue to supply Mifepristone, unless otherwise instructed by the FDA;A class action lawsuit has been filed against the United Network for Organ Sharing in Richmond;And the city of Harrisonburg has begun renovating its 20-year-old skatepark – but not the way the skateboarding community wants it done
Senator Mark Warner delivers a million dollar check to the city of Harrisonburg;Major natural disasters have more than doubled in Virginia during the last two decades;U.S. Representative Jennifer Wexton says she’s been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease;And with the return of spring, so return the next generation of wildlife
A company in Lynchburg is developing a kind of rocket fuel for NASA;Scientists at the University of Virginia make a discovery that could potentially save millions of lives;The Virginia Board of Education will soon formally consider a new proposal to increase the emphasis on standardized test scores in school ratings;And a contractor based in Richmond is eyeing Staunton as a potential home for a utility-sized solar installation
Longtime Valley State Senator Emmett Hanger says he’ll retire rather than run for re-election in a newly drawn district… A new lawsuit challenges Governor Youngkin's process for deciding which felons can vote… As the General Assembly prepares to return to Richmond to consider the governor’s vetoes and amendments, we get some analysis from Jeff Schapiro of the Richmond Times-Dispatch….
Litter and vandalism are increasing problems in Shenandoah National Park… Governor Youngkin vetoes a bill that would have gone after loud cars… Meanwhile, the governor’s political team says he raised a record amount of money in the first quarter….
Governor Glenn Youngkin gets set to lead his first international trade mission as governor… The governor also signs a bill that offers reparations for victims of Massive Resistance… The Mountain Valley Pipeline faces a new setback….
Dr. Anthony Fauci visits JMU to talk about his career, the COVID pandemic, and the perils of misinformation… The state medical examiner rules Irvo Otieno’s death a homicide… The Little Grill, a dining staple in downtown Harrisonburg, reopens after closing temporarily last fall… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad joins us to discuss the apparently imminent sale of the Washington Commanders….
The man accused of bringing a knife into an elementary school in Page County last Thursday was apparently a pre-approved volunteer to help with a school fundraiser… Dinwiddie County’s prosecutor asks the federal government to help investigate the death of Irvo Otieno… Governor Youngkin leaps to Donald Trump’s defense….
Authorities arrest two people in separate incidents involving a weapon or a threat of violence in local schools… Jeff Schapiro lends his perspective to the week in politics and state government… The Virginia Tech women's basketball team, coached by Waynesboro native Kenny Brooks, takes on Louisiana State University in the Hokies first appearance in the Final Four….
The case of Xzavier Hill, the Charlottesville man shot dead by state police in 2021, goes before a federal judge… National civil rights leaders call for justice at the funeral of Irvo Otieno… A comic shop in Winchester is using art to raise money for a local literacy organization….
UVa’s police chief, who served for years as chief of police in Charlottesville, says he’s never seen the level of gun violence the city is experiencing… Governor Youngkin sends amendments to 78 bills back to the General Assembly… Local educators and filmmakers come together to tell authentic stories about and with youth with disabilities….
State lawmakers working behind the scenes on the budget say they’re pausing their discussions, over concerns about a possible recession… A Mennonite musical tradition dating back two centuries is alive and well in the Shenandoah Valley… After fighting to keep the team alive during the pandemic, the Rocktown Rollers are back with a record number of skaters….
A new UVa political study finds that racial and cultural issues have driven many noncollege-educated Whites to support the Republican Party in recent decades… Governor Youngkin’s administration no longer automatically restores voting rights to ex-convicts with a felony on their records… How are local ski resorts faring in the face of climate change? Mallory Noe-Payne has an update from the slopes….
In a story that received national attention, Rockingham County Public Schools concludes its community dialogue process… A promotional video mixes politics and public universities, including JMU, and revives questions over the governor’s openness about the use of campaign funds… Speaking of politics, Jeff Schapiro shares his perspective on the week that was in state politics and government….
Four volunteers at the Charlottesville area’s top animal shelter have resigned, amid turmoil in the leadership and allegations of animal mistreatment… At a public hearing in Farmville, citizens give mixed grades to an updated draft of Virginia’s history standards prepared by the Youngkin administration… UVa economists and engineers work to determine how goals set forth by the eight-year-old Paris Climate Agreement might actually be reached….
A video of the final moments of Irvo Otieno’s life is released to the public, and 10 people are indicted in his death at Central State Hospital… The teacher shot by one of her students in Newport News gives her first media interview… Parents who advocate for students with disabilities say Virginia is not doing enough….
Piedmont Virginia Community College wins state support for a proposed new lab school… Incidents of hate and extremist attacks in Virginia are up, and we take a particular look at efforts to stem antisemitism… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad explores what might come next in the banking world, following this month’s financial failures and efforts to contain them….
A prosecutor says she will release the video showing the final moments of Irvo Otieno’s life at Central State Hospital… Some Virginians are expressing strong support for the state to stay in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative… Researchers at Virginia Tech try to better understand how people process trauma….
A total of 10 people, including seven sheriff’s deputies and three hospital employees, now face murder charges in the death of a man at Central State Hospital… Jeff Schapiro joins us to survey the week in Virginia politics… Engineers at UVa explore the possibility that squid cells could be used to build powerful batteries….
The Making Trash Bloom project at the Shenandoah County Landfill attracts the interest of the Virginia Recycling Association… Just weeks after Charlottesville public school teachers get the nod to unionize, the Fairfax County School Board follows suit, allowing staff to bargain collectively… Two of Virginia’s representatives in Congress renew a push to help Americans suffering from long COVID, and for research into the condition….
Yesterday, we heard from some of the adults involved in a community dialogue over public schools in Rockingham County, but what are the students saying?... After the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, Senator Mark Warner defends his 2018 vote to ease regulations on midsize banks… We meet the creator of an award-winning Charlottesville-based sewing podcast that centers and celebrates Black women, girls, and femmes….
After a surge of deadly gun violence, police in Charlottesville consider a gun buyback program… Rockingham County public schools try to address the effects of the culture wars on schools by convening students, parents and teachers in civil discussions… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad discusses the fallout of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank….
A middle-school student in Richmond has died after what appears to be an accidental shooting, and three other students were injured in separate shooting incidents... One expert on presidential health advocates for more screening of candidates and presidents who are elderly, and he’ll talk about that at the Woodrow Wilson Center next week... We have a preview of this month’s Books & Brews event with author Corban Addison....
A 13-year-old is arrested in Albemarle County for allegedly carrying a gun on school property… A Harrisonburg man is charged with crimes connected to the January 6th insurrection… A new mentorship program in Harrisonburg pairs LGBTQ youth with adults who understand their experiences… Jeff Schapiro reviews the week in Virginia politics….
Scientists say the destructive force of wind from tropical weather systems poses an increasing risk to Virginia… About 25,000 Virginians took advantage of a new same-day registration law in last November’s midterms… What do conservative challenges to an AP African-American studies class mean for a similar history class currently taught in Virginia’s high schools?
Republican Delegate Matt Fariss faces felony charges of hit-and-run and malicious wounding… The city of Waynesboro says it was the victim of a potential cyberattack… Nearly two dozen ambulances donated locally begin their journey to the frontlines in Ukraine….
A member of UVa’s Board of Visitors apologizes for a series of derogatory text messages aimed at faculty and the administration… Twenty local artists work on a public art project that celebrates inclusion and belonging… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad has some thoughts about Amazon’s pause on fully staffing its second headquarters in northern Virginia….
Charlottesville becomes just the third city in Virginia to allow public school employees to unionize… One new bill will provide more training for teachers on recognizing and addressing signs of childhood trauma… But Virginia’s lax campaign finance system will remain mostly unchanged for another year….
Ukrainians living in Harrisonburg speak out about the war in their home country… Even though the General Assembly has adjourned, it was a busy week in Richmond, and Jeff Schapiro joins us for a review… A radio play produced by two local writers premieres in Harrisonburg….
A controversial housing development for southwest Harrisonburg has won city council approval… Former Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney will join the Center for Politics at UVa as a professor of practice… After a floundering process to revise the state’s history standards, and a $200 million math error in school aid, Virginia’s Superintendent of Public Instruction submits her resignation….
One day after a police-sponsored town hall forum on gun violence in Charlottesville, police there shoot a man who they say threatened them with a weapon… Safe housing advocates press Waynesboro city council for the creation of a rental inspection program… The U.S. Senate confirms President Biden’s nomination of Virginia’s first openly gay federal judge….
Charlottesville residents pack a town hall meeting to discuss the increasing gun violence in the area… We have a review of highlights from the General Assembly session that wrapped up Saturday… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad discusses a new trend – big sports stadiums and venues going cashless….
Charlottesville’s police chief will host a town hall meeting to discuss the city’s gun violence… A federal judge rules that a lawsuit filed by a former employee against Albemarle County Public Schools can move forward… The General Assembly adjourns without passing a budget, but managed to accomplish other goals….
Two fired employees of Valley Health in Winchester who refused COVID vaccines are suing the health provider… UVa officials are criticizing a new member of the board over recently released text messages in which he declared a “battle royale” for the heart of the school… We’re in the final hours of this year’s regular General Assembly session, and we review bills passed this week, and Jeff Schapiro offers his perspective….
UVa Health researchers say they may have found one potential cause of macular degeneration and other types of vision loss, and that could clear the way for new treatments… It looks like a retail market for legal marijuana won’t be set up in Virginia any time soon… An orchestra from Ukraine is marking the one year anniversary of Russia's invasion by performing in the U.S., including a visit to Virginia….
State Senator Jennifer McClellan will be the first Black woman to represent Virginia in Congress, after Tuesday’s special election win… A Harrisonburg poultry processor gets a major grant from federal funds to expand operations… A tree commission in Charlottesville says the tree canopy there has dramatically declined….
Today is election day in Virginia's 4th Congressional District… A winery operation is just one of the enterprises breathing new life into an historic building in Waynesboro… Someone drops off an explosive at a Charlottesville recycling center (and, just so you know, explosives aren’t recyclable….)
With less than a week in the session, one major item the General Assembly has yet to figure out is a budget… But one issue lawmakers on the right are focused on is land in Virginia owned by China, but is that really a problem?... Meanwhile, Republican legislators kill an effort to allow voters to decide whether to remove outdated language prohibiting gay marriage from the state Constitution….
Democrats in Richmond defeat two bills aimed at transgender students, and pollution controls for farmers will be delayed… We have a General Assembly update, and analysis from Jeff Schapiro… A Staunton author writes about the presidents born in Virginia - and the historic sites that tell their stories….
The General Assembly session ends next week, and lawmakers are scrambling to finalize work, including on bills making psychedelic mushrooms more available, and requiring Virginians to have car insurance… Other bills failed, including one that would have protected access to menstrual data stored in cell phone apps, and another that would have removed Virginia from California’s strict emissions standards… UVa Health may have discovered a new way to disrupt the chronic inflammation responsible for multiple sclerosis….
Officials are looking into alleged incidents of animal cruelty at the big Cargill poultry plant in Dayton… The General Assembly advances bills that include VMI in state rules on sexual assaults, strengthen campus threat assessments, and curtail solitary confinement, but rejects legislation that would have legalized marijuana sales… The Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA holds a special Valentine's Day promotion for adoptable pets with lonely hearts….
While Virginia schools still struggle with teacher shortages compounded by the pandemic, some members of the General Assembly are addressing the scarcity… The U.S. Attorney General wants more prosecutions for environmental crimes, and in our part of Virginia that could mean going after industrial polluters, and better water quality… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad talks about whether you’ll soon be paying more to get a better seat when you go to the movies….
The General Assembly may delay some efforts to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, and this session sees a push from towing companies to allow higher towing fees... A bill in Congress would allow for oil drilling off the coast of Virginia... We preview this month’s Books & Brews, with Dr. Bruce Greyson, a leading researcher of near-death experiences....
A General Assembly update and analysis, as the state House and Senate pass competing budget bills… Piedmont Master Gardeners offer advice on how to make your yard more bird-friendly… A church in Charlottesville screens a documentary about Pittsburgh's response to white supremacist hate and antisemitism….
Virginia emerges as a national leader in new solar development;The University of Virginia and Resilience Education team up to offer college credit to people who are incarcerated;The U.S. Forest Service extends the public comment period for the Mountain Valley Pipeline; And news from the General Assembly, including legislation referring to education, gambling and abortion
A third party investigator will explore allegations brought by staff and volunteers of the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA; The General Assembly tells local school districts that they will NOT face a shortfall in state funding;Lawmakers are also considering bills that would change how electric utility companies are regulated in the commonwealth;And the Department of Corrections says that Virginia’s recidivism rate is the second lowest in the country
A new study shows that trains could be tapped as a potential source of electricity;Legislators approved more than $130 million to help farmers pay for pollution controls''Raises for state employees and teachers approved by committees in both the Senate and the House of Delegates'And Republican lawmakers killed an effort to ban convicted insurrectionists from public service jobs
The JMU community gathers for a candlelight vigil after the deaths of three students in a car crash… Charlottesville public school staff may soon be able to collectively bargain… In the General Assembly, the effort to ban solitary confinement hits an obstacle, and the Senate advances a bill to better monitor so-called forever chemicals in water supplies….
The state Board of Education advances a controversial draft of new K-through-12 history standards, but they’re still a long way from being used in the classroom… Lots of activity in the General Assembly, which is approaching a deadline to advance bills next week, and we have a round-up, and analysis from Jeff Schapiro… WMRA’s Randi B. Hagi tags along with the park rangers who rescue people experiencing mishaps in Shenandoah National Park….
The Bridgewater College community marks one year since the shooting that killed two campus officers… Governor Youngkin removes from consideration two controversial candidates to serve on UVa’s governing board… A budgeting mistake that overpromised money to public schools has lawmakers scrambling to balance the books….
The recent shooting at an elementary school in Newport News has some lawmakers pushing to require safe storage of firearms… Due to a mathematical error, schools in Virginia will get about $200 million less from the state than they thought… A group of local high schoolers get an exclusive tour of Grand Caverns….
Some of the $200 million in federal funding for community projects is coming to our region to help pay for housing, a Valley rail trail and other projects… The Virginia Board of Education will consider a new draft of state history standards, and we have more from Richmond and the General Assembly… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad discusses the impact of AI chatbot technology….
Agricultural officials report a second case of avian influenza in Rockingham County… In the General Assembly, lawmakers debate bills to ban solitary confinement, expand broadband, and allow for a casino in Petersburg… But it looks like a proposal to legalize deer hunting year round won’t go anywhere….
Senator Warner says that it’s time for Republicans to ‘put up or shut up’ in their demands for spending cuts before they agree to raise the debt ceiling… Democrats in the General Assembly kill three Republican bills that would have restricted abortion access, and we have a report and analysis from Jeff Schapiro… In our latest episode of Folklife Fieldnotes, we head to the local basements where punk music thrives….
State Senator Creigh Deeds introduces a bill to fund an expansion of mental health services… Senate Democrats block Republican legislation that would remove Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative… Every seat in the General Assembly is up for election this year, and lawmakers are considering greater use of ranked-choice voting….
In the General Assembly, Republicans advance the much of the governor’s tax relief agenda, but that’s less certain in the Democratic-led Senate… Young women in Albemarle County mobilize to ensure access to period products… Farmers in Rockingham County gather for a program that aims to reduce work-related injuries….
A busy General Assembly this week, debating further gun control measures, deadlines for farmers to reduce runoff, and smart technology… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad joins us to discuss a big new announcement from Amazon and the state government to build more data centers, but there’s much concern over those plans….
A judge throws out former Charlottesville police chief Rashall Brackney’s $10 million lawsuit against the city… In the General Assembly, Democrats are poised to block Republican efforts to roll back election reforms, and abortion rights…. We evaluate Republican claims that President Biden will unleash 87,000 IRS agents on taxpayers….
Two big proposed developments, one in Harrisonburg, one in Charlottesville, illustrate the complex issues involved in promoting affordable housing… The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber speaks at Bridgewater College to mark celebrations of Martin Luther King, Jr’s. legacy… We have an update on activity in the General Assembly, and a review of the week in Richmond with Jeff Schapiro….
The General Assembly has eliminated the state’s portion of the grocery tax, and while localities still have that tax option, lawmakers may get rid of that too… The leader of the foundation that runs Monticello resigns… A challenge by losing candidates to the special election to fill the late Donald McEachin’s seat fails in court….
UVa Health says calls to its poison center for children unintentionally consuming edible marijuana products, nearly tripled last year… In the General Assembly, Senate Democrats defeat several Republican efforts to repeal a so-called “clean cars” law… Some lawmakers want to roll back recent changes in how Virginia’s elections work….
Charlottesville gets state aid to help prevent evictions… The governor wants to crack down on dealers who supply drugs that result in fatal overdoses, but critics say that’s complicated… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad joins us to explore why more and more digital checkout screens are now suggesting a tip….
Officials at the school in Newport News where a 6-year-old shot his teacher had been alerted and searched the child’s backpack before the shooting, but couldn’t find the gun… The General Assembly considers a bill that would end solitary confinement for prisoners... A state task force says lawmakers need to do more to address problems with recycling….
More than two years after getting rid of school resource officers, Albemarle County Public Schools may reverse course, at least for one school… Virginia State Police can now access cellphone location data without a warrant, and privacy advocates say that violates people’s civil rights… This year’s General Assembly session is off and running, and Jeff Schapiro will join us to talk about the focus of the first few days….
Residents of Waynesboro respond to anti-semitic vandalism… The General Assembly gavels into session in Richmond, and we have a review of the first day, and of Governor Youngkin’s State of the Commonwealth address….
The results are unofficial, but the projected winner in a Norfolk area special election, Democrat Aaron Rouse, would cement Democrats’ majority in the state Senate… Abortion, guns, behavioral health, electricity rates and more are issues before the General Assembly as it gavels into session… We meet the Harrisonburg author of a book that combines philosophy, a memoir and cooking instruction….
The man accused of shooting two Bridgewater College officers to death last February gets a trial date… Voters in several districts, including the 24th House district in the Lexington area, will select new members of the General Assembly today… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad joins us to talk about the high-stakes competition of recruiting businesses to Virginia, and the governor’s push to do that….
The teacher in Newport News shot by a six-year-old student is a JMU alum, and she’s in stable condition after being seriously wounded… The Virginia Department of Education issues a new draft of its history standards… In a preview of our January Books & Brews, author Jennifer Howard talks about clutter, and the effect of all our stuff on our lives….
Police identify two of the three people whose bodies were found after their vehicle was swept away in the Rockfish River in Nelson County… More tax cuts, school choice and support for new housing will be considered in the General Assembly session beginning next week, and we have a look at those proposals, plus political analysis from Jeff Schapiro….
Charlottesville city councilor Sena Magill is stepping down… Attorney General Jason Miyares confirms a civil rights investigation into a Fairfax County magnet school… An artist has been selected to design the statue of Farmville civil rights hero Barbara Rose Johns that will reside in the U.S. Capitol….
Staunton’s mayor resigns unexpectedly, but in Harrisonburg Mayor Reed is selected to continue in that role… Dominion Energy begins to release easements along the path of the cancelled Atlantic Coast Pipeline… The General Assembly gets ready to consider the future of casinos in Virginia….
A federal judge wipes out most of the financial award in the huge civil trial against the white supremacists who rioted in Charlottesville in 2017… Some grad student workers at UVa are still waiting for late stipend payments… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad peers into the crystal ball for a look at the housing market in 2023….
Hunger is way up in the U.S., and the problem has gotten even worse in Virginia, according to one new report… The General Assembly will convene next week, and one item on the agenda is a new approach to treating substance-use disorder… Virginia is drawing closer to Governor Youngkin’s goal of having a law enforcement officer in every public school….
Virginia’s State Grocery tax will be gone starting January 1st and Virginia’s minimum wage is rising by a dollar at the start of the new year; Governor Youngkin is still setting his sites on a run for the presidency; and the final installment on the Virginia Public Radio series examining the fee structures in place in Virginia prisons…
Governor Youngkin proposes a 160-million-dollar investment in Virginia’s Behavioral Health System; Friday news dumps in 2022 and the practice going forward; and part two of a three-part series that looks closely at the fee structures in place in Virginia prisons…
Free remote mental health care services will expand to Charlottesville in January; the first study to test equestrian helmets for their ability to protect riders; and part one of a three-part series that looks closely at the fee structures in place in Virginia prisons…
Nursing homes across the commonwealth continue to face staffing shortages; Roben Farzad shares his thoughts on the economic impact of 2022 with an eye to what lies ahead in 2023; and The Virginia Living Museum opened a new exhibit called the Conservation Command Center
AAA says that this holiday season is on track to be the third busiest travel year in over two decades; the Virginia Department of Corrections is investigating the death of an Augusta prison inmate; recent changes to voting in Virginia could influence outcomes; and Virginia prisoners won’t get the cards, drawings and photos they’re sent in the mail. Instead, they’ll get black and white photocopies ….This is the WMRA Daily for Friday, December 23rd...
We have a winner in the Democratic Primary in Virginia’s fourth congressional district, a new report says Virginia could soon experience an economic downturn, more Virginians are leaving their jobs, and the battle continues over history standards for Virginia public schools….This is the WMRA Daily for Thursday, December 22nd...
The General Assembly considers new laws and constitutional amendments, including one about marriage, more problems at Middle River Regional Jail, and votes will be tallied today for the Democratic Primary in Virginia’s fourth congressional district ….This is the WMRA Daily for Wednesday, December 21st...
Virginia Democrats are holding a firehouse primary today, COVID-19 numbers are rising, voters in Virginia support recent changes to criminal justice, and several industries are having a hard time getting employees back into their workplaces ….This is the WMRA Daily for Tuesday, December 20th...
Governor Youngkin bans TikTok on government technology, six former employees have filed a class action lawsuit against UVA Health System, and a new study finds farming and forestry brought well over 100-billion dollars to the Commonwealth last year ….This is the WMRA Daily for Monday, December 19th...
Non-profits in Charlottesville put their heads together on the problem of homelessness… Governor Youngkin jumpstarts next year’s budget process, and we have reporting and analysis from Jeff Schapiro… Dominion Energy gets a key state approval for its proposed wind farm off Virginia’s coast, and the company may also be rolling out small nuclear power stations across Virginia within the next decade….
The governor outlines his budget for the next General Assembly session, and it includes a proposal to transform Virginia's behavioral health system… Virginia is also about to receive another infusion of money to expand access to the internet… VDOT releases its first-ever resilience plan….
The man accused of shooting and injuring eight people at a party in Harrisonburg in October appears in court… Lexington-area Delegate Ronnie Campbell has died of cancer… Virginia's unemployment rate is back to pre-pandemic levels, but that actually concerns some economists….
The governor sets a February date for a special election to fill the vacant 4th district seat, after Representative McEachin’s death… Another glitch hits the Virginia Department of Elections… The state’s Air Pollution Control Board’s moves to pull Virginia out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative are political, but there are also business considerations, and Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad shares some perspective on that….
Virginia's Inspector General says a more than quarter million dollar contract for a tourism video shot by Governor Glenn Youngkin’s preferred ad firm did not violate state procurement rules… Fifth District Representative Bob Good is among a group of five Republicans who say they will not back House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in his bid for speaker… We talk with Sofia Samatar, one of our two featured authors for this month’s Books & Brews, about her book “The White Mosque”….
The man accused of shooting three UVa student athletes to death in November appears in court… Abigail Spanberger is selected by fellow battleground district Democrats for a new leadership post, and we talk about that and more in our Friday politics chat… Frederick Douglass was the most photographed person of the 19th century, and a new exhibit in Richmond goes even further to bring Douglass's presence to life….
A Charlottesville judge weighs arguments over the former police chief’s lawsuit against the city and several current and former employees… Virginia’s State Air Pollution Control Board begins the process of withdrawing Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a move that critics say is illegal… A local electric cooperative encourages young women to become linemen….
Charlottesville has a new police chief… A lawsuit by teachers against Harrisonburg’s public schools may go ahead, but the parents’ complaint over gender identity and transgender policies is dismissed… We have our second conversation with an adult community leader about her gender journey….
As the Board of Elections certifies November’s results, data show that the Supreme Court’s overturning of abortion rights did not result in a bump in voter registrations this year… Governor Youngkin’s Commission to Combat Antisemitism releases its final report… We have the first of two conversations with adult community leaders reflecting on their gender journeys….
Will 16-year-olds soon be allowed to vote in Virginia?... Former Governor McAuliffe may soon join the Biden administration… Even after November’s surprisingly good jobs report, the president of Richmond’s Federal Reserve wonders if the country will experience long-term labor shortages….
Virginia’s tourism office is under investigation, after millions of dollars in contracts were awarded without public bidding… Virginia’s political world was shaken by the death of Congressman Donald McEachin this week, and political columnist Jeff Schapiro will join us to discuss it… What happens when you combine Venezuelan folk music with American old-time banjo tunes? We find out in the latest episode of Folklife Fieldnotes….
Senator Tim Kaine reflects on the loss of Representative Donald McEachin, and recent mass shootings… Meanwhile, state legislators are again discussing more gun control measures in the next General Assembly… The Walmart store in Chesapeake where a manager killed six employees will remain closed for the time being….
In a meeting with constituents, Representative Ben Cline said he opposes any new gun regulations, even after two mass shootings in Virginia… One of the Walmart employees who survived the shooting in Chesapeake is suing the company… Virginia’s NAACP chapter releases documents on the Attorney General’s election integrity unit….
Chesapeake holds a vigil for the victims of last week’s shooting at a Walmart… A new local play tells the story of the people who were kicked off land that became Shenandoah National Park…. We explore the effects of inflation on the holidays, including the price of Christmas trees, and the rising cost to local food banks….
Funeral services are being held for three slain UVa students, as police in Chesapeake release a note written by the alleged shooter at a Walmart there… Democrats in Virginia call for a renewed push for gun control… When Republicans take control of the House next year, one Virginia Democrat will lose a key leadership position….
Funeral services are being held for three slain UVa students, as police in Chesapeake release a note written by the alleged shooter at a Walmart there… Democrats in Virginia call for a renewed push for gun control… When Republicans take control of the House next year, one Virginia Democrat will lose a key leadership position….
A mostly White, conservative alumni group has been launching attacks on VMI’s first Black superintendent, and his defenders say they are racially motivated... If you’re looking for something to do other than go shopping this holiday weekend, many museums around Virginia offer free or reduced admissions to guests who get federal food assistance... In our weekly politics chat, a look at the primary races next year shaken up by redistricting....
Flags in Virginia are again at half staff, as we mourn the latest mass shooting victims… Regulators in Virginia will soon make an important decision about a planned new wind power operation off the coast of Virginia Beach… On this Thanksgiving Day, one professor of nursing at UVa is spending the holiday trying to fulfil her mother’s dying wish….
As reports of another mass shooting, in Chesapeake, come in, we continue to explore the causes of, and possible community-based solutions to, gun violence… It’s not just the flu, RSV is also filling up Virginia’s hospitals… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad explains the toll of inflation on our holiday menus….
Both UVa students injured in last week’s shooting are now out of the hospital, and police continue to search for the gunman’s motive… The toll that gun violence takes on local communities goes beyond the recent shootings at UVa, and Randi B. Hagi explores that in the first of two reports... We also examine the increasing costs of Virginia’s prison population as it ages, in a state without parole for most inmates….
Thousands gather to honor the memories of slain UVa students at a service in Charlottesville… We have a preview of the General Assembly’s next session, including bills on uranium mining, transgender student athletes, and same-sex marriage… The Forest Service conducts yet another environmental study of the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s impact on the Jefferson National Forest….
Amidst a divisive and confusing process, state education officials put off the first review of a new history standards draft… School board meetings have become a flashpoint in recent years, but one local district is trying to talk through those conflicts… This week’s news in Virginia was dominated by the violence at UVa, but there’s more to review, and we’ll check in with Jeff Schapiro for our weekly politics and state government chat….
University of Virginia students return to class as the suspect in Sunday’s shooting appears in court… UVa says Saturday’s football game is cancelled, and instead, there will be a university memorial service for those killed and wounded… Some experts say that Virginia’s proposed history revisions are racist, politically biased and inaccurate… One Harrisonburg engineer helps contractors and officials in Puerto Rico build hurricane-resilient houses….
A UVa student, the football team’s running back, is recovering from a second surgery to repair wounds from Sunday’s shooting after a field trip… The suspect, in custody, was on that field trip before opening fire on the bus after it returned to grounds… NASA successfully launches the Artemis 1 rocket, and the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton played a role….
The suspect arrested in the shooting deaths of three UVa students was himself a student, and he faces multiple charges including second-degree murder… The Virginia Department of Education issues an updated draft of Virginia’s history standards… A new book examines the tenure of former Governor Ralph Northam….
A Sunday night shooting on UVA Grounds has reportedly left three dead, and students were under a shelter in place order early Monday… As candidates gear up for next year’s General Assembly elections, the governor says he hopes for more abortion restrictions… We talk with author Maggie Marangione, our guest for Tuesday evening’s November Books & Brews….
Governor Youngkin says he’s sent a note of apology to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for joking comments he made after a man brutally attacked her husband… Two Trump-style Republicans in Virginia, including the lieutenant governor, say it’s time to move on from the former president… And, we talk with Jeff Schapiro about this week’s election results, the role of redistricting, and more in Virginia politics….
Even after redistricting, most of Virginia’s congressional seats are still not competitive… The governor says students from Virginia’s HBCU’s will tutor and mentor children in K through 12 schools… A look at efforts to improve grade school literacy through evidence-based teaching….
Republicans Ben Cline and Bob Good win reelection, but only one Democrat, incumbent Elaine Luria in the 2nd District, loses a bid for reelection in Virginia… State officials say voting in the commonwealth was smooth Tuesday, and we have more on results, and analysis from Jeff Schapiro….
A new report says it will take time to reverse the learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and we have a look at what lawmakers are suggesting we do to get kids caught up... Today is Election Day, or maybe more to the point, the end of election season, and we take a look at new rules, tight races and what’s on voters’ minds… The Wildlife Center of Virginia, now 40 years old, hosts its 27th annual conference….
A man charged with murdering two women last year in Harrisonburg will be given a psychological evaluation… Republican Representative Liz Cheney endorses Democrat Abigail Spanberger… Early vote counting will work a little differently this election year, and we’ll have a heads up on what to expect after the polls close on Tuesday….
Governor Glenn Youngkin’s administration shuts down its tip line for parents;The economic benefits of fighting agricultural pollution flowing into the Chesapeake Bay;Jeff Shapiro and Michael Pope discuss politics in the days before the midterm election;And a new effort underway to help more farmers in southwest Virginia grow malt barley – for craft beer
Experts warn drivers to keep an eye out for deer over the next two months;Early voting locations across the country see more armed poll watchers, prompting concerns about voter intimidation;Evictions continue to rise with an increase in rents;And Shenandoah National Park announces the launch of two new webcams
Students at Harrisonburg High School walked out of class on Monday to support transgender students;State Senator Amanda Chase says she’ll introduce a bill to ban all abortions in Virginia;With the final day of voting less than a week away, Democrats and Republicans clash over Social Security and Medicare;And the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport has a new commercial carrier
Students at Harrisonburg High School walked out of class on Monday to support transgender students;State Senator Amanda Chase says she’ll introduce a bill to ban all abortions in Virginia;With the final day of voting less than a week away, Democrats and Republicans clash over Social Security and Medicare;And the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport has a new commercial carrier
The Virginia Department of Elections finds thousands more voter registrations unprocessed;The process for college admissions is changing in the wake of the pandemic;Sample ballots presented outside polling places are often the product of party advertising;And young voters from both sides of the aisle want the government to do more about climate change
The Virginia Department of Elections finds thousands more voter registrations unprocessed;The process for college admissions is changing in the wake of the pandemic;Sample ballots presented outside polling places are often the product of party advertising;And young voters from both sides of the aisle want the government to do more about climate change
Virginia’s top elections official apologizes for voter registration errors, the centuries old suspicion of midwives in Virginia, Donald Trump’s latest endorsement, and confrontations at polling locations….This is the WMRA Daily for Monday, October 31st...
With less than two weeks left in Virginia’s election season, we’re talking election security, vote counting, and also politics with Jeff Schapiro… Mary Baldwin University eliminates tuition for low income students… In our latest episode of Folklife Fieldnotes, we profile The Chosen Few and Reverend Tarrence Paschall, keeping the tradition of African American a cappella religious music alive in Virginia….
With less than two weeks left in Virginia’s election season, we’re talking election security, vote counting, and also politics with Jeff Schapiro… Mary Baldwin University eliminates tuition for low income students… In our latest episode of Folklife Fieldnotes, we profile The Chosen Few and Reverend Tarrence Paschall, keeping the tradition of African American a cappella religious music alive in Virginia….
Felony murder charges will go ahead against the man accused of killing two Bridgewater College officers earlier this year… 5th District Representative Bob Good faces off against his Democratic challenger on the debate stage… We go hiking up Shenandoah Mountain, where a local 'conservation photography' class has been documenting biodiversity….
Felony murder charges will go ahead against the man accused of killing two Bridgewater College officers earlier this year… 5th District Representative Bob Good faces off against his Democratic challenger on the debate stage… We go hiking up Shenandoah Mountain, where a local 'conservation photography' class has been documenting biodiversity….
The candidates in the 6th Congressional District meet in Lexington for their final debate… Today is the final day to submit online comments in response to the governor’s proposed policies regarding transgender students… That national school report card released this week shows that Black and Hispanic students, and English language learners, saw the steepest declines….
The candidates in the 6th Congressional District meet in Lexington for their final debate… Today is the final day to submit online comments in response to the governor’s proposed policies regarding transgender students… That national school report card released this week shows that Black and Hispanic students, and English language learners, saw the steepest declines….
A Harrisonburg man is shot dead, and police are investigating the death as a homicide… New numbers show unprecedented declines nationwide in math and reading for American 4th and 8th grade students, and in Virginia the Youngkin administration blames its predecessors... We visit the Nansemond Indian Nation, recently given back 504 acres of their ancestral lands in Suffolk County….
A Harrisonburg man is shot dead, and police are investigating the death as a homicide… New numbers show unprecedented declines nationwide in math and reading for American 4th and 8th grade students, and in Virginia the Youngkin administration blames its predecessors... We visit the Nansemond Indian Nation, recently given back 504 acres of their ancestral lands in Suffolk County….
One person is dead after a second weekend of gun violence on Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall… Governor Youngkin rejects the CDC’s guidelines on COVID vaccines for kids… Some parts of Virginia will get new funding to crack down on gang violence….
One person is dead after a second weekend of gun violence on Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall… Governor Youngkin rejects the CDC’s guidelines on COVID vaccines for kids… Some parts of Virginia will get new funding to crack down on gang violence….
A Basye woman is safe, but the man suspected in her abduction is still on the loose… We focus on politics and the mid-term elections, including our weekly review with Jeff Schapiro… Even as they battle election misinformation, registrars in Virginia say the number of early voters is high this year….
A Basye woman is safe, but the man suspected in her abduction is still on the loose… We focus on politics and the mid-term elections, including our weekly review with Jeff Schapiro… Even as they battle election misinformation, registrars in Virginia say the number of early voters is high this year….
Charlottesville puts in place new personnel policies after a city employee attended the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol building… The candidates for Virginia’s 5th District will have their only debate next Wednesday… A regional program protecting bird populations is entering its second year….
Charlottesville puts in place new personnel policies after a city employee attended the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol building… The candidates for Virginia’s 5th District will have their only debate next Wednesday… A regional program protecting bird populations is entering its second year….
One virus puts about 58,000 children and three times as many elderly people in the hospital every year, and it’s not COVID… One UVa professor takes issue with the stereotype of young people as apathetic, and not interested in voting… One drive-by Halloween display in Staunton is raising money for a good cause….
One virus puts about 58,000 children and three times as many elderly people in the hospital every year, and it’s not COVID… One UVa professor takes issue with the stereotype of young people as apathetic, and not interested in voting… One drive-by Halloween display in Staunton is raising money for a good cause….
Police say the Harrisonburg man charged with shooting eight people early Sunday morning was targeting one person… We tour the huge Fishersville Antiques Expo… It’s not just the Cavaliers and Hokies, college football in Virginia is big business, and Roben Farzad joins us to talk about it….
Police say the Harrisonburg man charged with shooting eight people early Sunday morning was targeting one person… We tour the huge Fishersville Antiques Expo… It’s not just the Cavaliers and Hokies, college football in Virginia is big business, and Roben Farzad joins us to talk about it….
A local man is charged with attempted murder after eight people were injured by gunfire in Harrisonburg early Sunday… Members of Governor Youngkin’s administration pressed officials to cancel a no-bid state contract awarded to the ad firm the governor used during his campaign… Hundreds of abandoned boats litter Virginia’s waterways….
A local man is charged with attempted murder after eight people were injured by gunfire in Harrisonburg early Sunday… Members of Governor Youngkin’s administration pressed officials to cancel a no-bid state contract awarded to the ad firm the governor used during his campaign… Hundreds of abandoned boats litter Virginia’s waterways….
Local election officials continue to work through a backlog of voter registration files caused by a technical glitch… We review the week in Virginia politics with Jeff Schapiro… Some of the businesses destroyed by a huge natural gas explosion in Harrisonburg two years ago have rebuilt, and redefined themselves….
Local election officials continue to work through a backlog of voter registration files caused by a technical glitch… We review the week in Virginia politics with Jeff Schapiro… Some of the businesses destroyed by a huge natural gas explosion in Harrisonburg two years ago have rebuilt, and redefined themselves….
After declining over the summer, gas prices are back up in Virginia… A new poll finds that Virginia voters oppose the overturning of Roe v. Wade, but there’s also narrow support for some new restrictions on abortions… Black residents in Cumberland County try to save Pine Grove as a cultural center, one of many schools built during segregation to help educate young Black students….
After declining over the summer, gas prices are back up in Virginia… A new poll finds that Virginia voters oppose the overturning of Roe v. Wade, but there’s also narrow support for some new restrictions on abortions… Black residents in Cumberland County try to save Pine Grove as a cultural center, one of many schools built during segregation to help educate young Black students….
Two separate reports indicate that Virginia is moving in the wrong direction on matters of race… Reports of anti-semitism are up, and another report shows that Black and Latino drivers are more likely to be stopped by police than their white counterparts… We investigate what might have been behind a wave of false school threats in Virginia, and around the country, in September….
Two separate reports indicate that Virginia is moving in the wrong direction on matters of race… Reports of anti-semitism are up, and another report shows that Black and Latino drivers are more likely to be stopped by police than their white counterparts… We investigate what might have been behind a wave of false school threats in Virginia, and around the country, in September….
A lawsuit has prevented the melting down of the Robert E. Lee statue removed from a Charlottesville park last year, but the trial won’t begin until February… Republican former Congressman Denver Riggleman, a critic of the MAGA wing of the party, throws his support behind Democrat Abigail Spanberger… Doula services are now covered by Medicaid in Virginia….
A lawsuit has prevented the melting down of the Robert E. Lee statue removed from a Charlottesville park last year, but the trial won’t begin until February… Republican former Congressman Denver Riggleman, a critic of the MAGA wing of the party, throws his support behind Democrat Abigail Spanberger… Doula services are now covered by Medicaid in Virginia….
A Civil War re-enactor pleads not guilty in Charlottesville to planting a pipe bomb at the Cedar Creek Battlefield in 2017… Throughout the Valley and the Piedmont, a plant called Autumn Olive is choking out native East Coast species… We have a conversation with our October Books & Brews featured author, Jocelyn Nicole Johnson….
A Civil War re-enactor pleads not guilty in Charlottesville to planting a pipe bomb at the Cedar Creek Battlefield in 2017… Throughout the Valley and the Piedmont, a plant called Autumn Olive is choking out native East Coast species… We have a conversation with our October Books & Brews featured author, Jocelyn Nicole Johnson….
New court documents claim that Nexus owners stole from the brother of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter in Florida… The state education department refuses to release most of the documents related to proposed changes in policies for transgender students… And that and other topics of interest in Virginia news get the Jeff Schapiro treatment, in our weekly politics chat….
New court documents claim that Nexus owners stole from the brother of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter in Florida… The state education department refuses to release most of the documents related to proposed changes in policies for transgender students… And that and other topics of interest in Virginia news get the Jeff Schapiro treatment, in our weekly politics chat….
The owners of Nexus Services and three others are arrested on felony charges… Virginia Democrats are calling for an investigation into a state contract awarded to an ad agency connected to Governor Youngkin… In a follow-up to our reporting on the closing of group homes for adults with developmental disabilities, we pay a visit to one local resident who's opened her own home to a client….
A listener asked WMRA about the effects of redistricting in Virginia, and we have answers… A new report says that Virginia prisons could save prisoners and their families millions each year by cutting the fees they pay for phone calls and other things… Another report finds the number of people working remotely for the state has nearly tripled from pre-pandemic levels….
Governor Youngkin announces his energy plan, mostly opposed by Democrats and environmentalists, but there’s some common ground, too… Candidates for Congress are debating around the state, including Cline and Lewis in the 6th District… Albemarle County election officials say the Virginia Department of Elections sent out a wrong address for early voting….
Hurricane Ian impacts the commonwealth, a controversial move to change the nature of how school boards are chosen, election drop-box security, and one more Confederate monument in Richmond targeted for take-down. Those stories and more coming up.This is the WMRA Daily for Monday, October 3rd...
More changes and cutbacks at Harrisonburg’s daily newspaper… We explore the health implications for the governor’s proposed new restrictions on transgender students… Jeff Schapiro discusses the controversy over that proposal, and more in Virginia politics….
More changes and cutbacks at Harrisonburg’s daily newspaper… We explore the health implications for the governor’s proposed new restrictions on transgender students… Jeff Schapiro discusses the controversy over that proposal, and more in Virginia politics….
Students at Charlottesville High join those from nearly 100 schools around Virginia in a protest against Governor Youngkin’s new transgender student policy… The governor declares a state of emergency in preparation for rain and storms from Ian this weekend… The federal government is spending lots of money for domestic semiconductor manufacturing, and Virginia’s universities will benefit….
Students at Charlottesville High join those from nearly 100 schools around Virginia in a protest against Governor Youngkin’s new transgender student policy… The governor declares a state of emergency in preparation for rain and storms from Ian this weekend… The federal government is spending lots of money for domestic semiconductor manufacturing, and Virginia’s universities will benefit….
Virginians are taking advantage of the chance to give the Youngkin administration feedback, most of it negative, on a proposed policy for transgender students… Most schools across Virginia are fully accredited, but the governor, and others, say the term has lost its accuracy… With the onset of autumn, another season comes to an end – that of patching roadways….
Virginians are taking advantage of the chance to give the Youngkin administration feedback, most of it negative, on a proposed policy for transgender students… Most schools across Virginia are fully accredited, but the governor, and others, say the term has lost its accuracy… With the onset of autumn, another season comes to an end – that of patching roadways….
Early numbers show Virginia’s maternal mortality rate more than doubled between 2018 and 2020… Virginians can now share their feedback regarding the governor’s new proposed guidance on transgender students… Good news for fans of autumn colors – because of this summer’s steady rains, foresters say this will be a vibrant season for fall foliage in Virginia….
Early numbers show Virginia’s maternal mortality rate more than doubled between 2018 and 2020… Virginians can now share their feedback regarding the governor’s new proposed guidance on transgender students… Good news for fans of autumn colors – because of this summer’s steady rains, foresters say this will be a vibrant season for fall foliage in Virginia….
Harrisonburg’s International Festival returns, with music, dance, food and culture… Augusta County officials reveal more details about the courthouse options before voters this fall… Governor Youngkin defends his decision to campaign for election-deniers….
Harrisonburg’s International Festival returns, with music, dance, food and culture… Augusta County officials reveal more details about the courthouse options before voters this fall… Governor Youngkin defends his decision to campaign for election-deniers….
Polls are open for Virginians to vote in the November election… Meanwhile, parts of a state Department of Elections Spanish-language website are very out of date… And this week, new school guidelines and new oversight of elections top the political headlines, and Jeff Schapiro will sort it all out….
Polls are open for Virginians to vote in the November election… Meanwhile, parts of a state Department of Elections Spanish-language website are very out of date… And this week, new school guidelines and new oversight of elections top the political headlines, and Jeff Schapiro will sort it all out….
September is Hunger Action Month, and inflation and other problems mean more people are leaning on local food banks for help… A Virginia company says it has a test to help doctors determine which patients are at greatest risk of COVID-19, which is still the third leading cause of death... Virginia Military Institute welcomes its smallest freshman class in years….
September is Hunger Action Month, and inflation and other problems mean more people are leaning on local food banks for help… A Virginia company says it has a test to help doctors determine which patients are at greatest risk of COVID-19, which is still the third leading cause of death... Virginia Military Institute welcomes its smallest freshman class in years….
Virginia Congressman Bob Good is among the far-right Republicans in the House sponsoring a bill that would outlaw providing gender-affirming care for transgender youth… Meanwhile, opponents of Governor Youngkin’s new draft policy for the treatment of transgender students consider their next steps… Virginia’s Senators want to make government approval of pipelines more transparent….
Virginia Congressman Bob Good is among the far-right Republicans in the House sponsoring a bill that would outlaw providing gender-affirming care for transgender youth… Meanwhile, opponents of Governor Youngkin’s new draft policy for the treatment of transgender students consider their next steps… Virginia’s Senators want to make government approval of pipelines more transparent….
The so-called Shopping Cart Killer is indicted on multiple murder and other felony charges… School districts begin reacting to new state guidance on their transgender student policies… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad discusses the rising cost of a mortgage, and what’s behind it….
The so-called Shopping Cart Killer is indicted on multiple murder and other felony charges… School districts begin reacting to new state guidance on their transgender student policies… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad discusses the rising cost of a mortgage, and what’s behind it….
The Youngkin administration wants to roll back protections for transgender students in public schools… UVa students get a rebate… A judge dismisses a lawsuit by young people against the commonwealth over fossil fuels and climate change….
The Youngkin administration wants to roll back protections for transgender students in public schools… UVa students get a rebate… A judge dismisses a lawsuit by young people against the commonwealth over fossil fuels and climate change….
The latest, updated COVID-19 vaccines are available in Virginia… We meet members of Mennonite Disaster Service, providing relief and hope to disaster victims around the country… As Glenn Youngkin joins other Republican governors calling on President Biden to cancel student loan forgiveness, and the Libertarian Party of Virginia dissolves itself (maybe), we take a look at the week in politics with Jeff Schapiro….
The latest, updated COVID-19 vaccines are available in Virginia… We meet members of Mennonite Disaster Service, providing relief and hope to disaster victims around the country… As Glenn Youngkin joins other Republican governors calling on President Biden to cancel student loan forgiveness, and the Libertarian Party of Virginia dissolves itself (maybe), we take a look at the week in politics with Jeff Schapiro….
There are six state-approved comprehensive harm reduction programs in Virginia, and we visit one in Harrisonburg… The governor says cutting down on pollution flowing into the Chesapeake Bay is a priority, but a 2025 deadline will likely be missed… A new Virginia law mandating electric vehicles in the coming years will dramatically transform the landscape of auto sales….
There are six state-approved comprehensive harm reduction programs in Virginia, and we visit one in Harrisonburg… The governor says cutting down on pollution flowing into the Chesapeake Bay is a priority, but a 2025 deadline will likely be missed… A new Virginia law mandating electric vehicles in the coming years will dramatically transform the landscape of auto sales….
The U-S Secretary of Education recognizes Harrisonburg’s innovative school programs with a visit to Bluestone Elementary… The governor speaks at an anti-abortion event… Virginia’s attorney general is launching an election integrity unit, so we talk with one registrar about what concerns him….
The U-S Secretary of Education recognizes Harrisonburg’s innovative school programs with a visit to Bluestone Elementary… The governor speaks at an anti-abortion event… Virginia’s attorney general is launching an election integrity unit, so we talk with one registrar about what concerns him….
The case of a man accused of being the so-called Shopping Cart Killer will go before a grand jury… WMRA has confirmed that another death of an inmate at the Rockingham Harrisonburg Regional Jail was self-inflicted… Veterans will see some relief on their taxes under new legislation signed by the governor….
The case of a man accused of being the so-called Shopping Cart Killer will go before a grand jury… WMRA has confirmed that another death of an inmate at the Rockingham Harrisonburg Regional Jail was self-inflicted… Veterans will see some relief on their taxes under new legislation signed by the governor….
A juvenile will face criminal charges after social media threats were reported to Western Albemarle High last week… Virginia’s Republican attorney general will set up an election integrity unit, despite the fact that there have been virtually no documented cases of voter fraud… September’s Books and Brews author Jonathan M. Katz joins us to talk about his new book on the history of American imperialism through the eyes of an often forgotten Marine….
A juvenile will face criminal charges after social media threats were reported to Western Albemarle High last week… Virginia’s Republican attorney general will set up an election integrity unit, despite the fact that there have been virtually no documented cases of voter fraud… September’s Books and Brews author Jonathan M. Katz joins us to talk about his new book on the history of American imperialism through the eyes of an often forgotten Marine….
Due to a staffing shortage, Charlottesville’s police department cuts back on responses to non-emergency calls… After six months of renovations, new leadership and recovery from allegations of mismanagement, the Salvation Army reopens its emergency shelter in Harrisonburg… As Virginia’s leaders wrangle over the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and other issues, we sort it all out with our weekly politics chat with Jeff Schapiro….
Due to a staffing shortage, Charlottesville’s police department cuts back on responses to non-emergency calls… After six months of renovations, new leadership and recovery from allegations of mismanagement, the Salvation Army reopens its emergency shelter in Harrisonburg… As Virginia’s leaders wrangle over the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and other issues, we sort it all out with our weekly politics chat with Jeff Schapiro….
The 10th annual Skyline Indie Film Festival kicks off in Winchester… Serious cases of COVID-19 peaked over the summer in Virginia, and now the new Omicron-fighting booster shots are available in the commonwealth… Virginia lawmakers elect a handful of local judges in a special one-day session, but they fail to agree on a replacement appointment for the powerful State Corporation Commission….
The 10th annual Skyline Indie Film Festival kicks off in Winchester… Serious cases of COVID-19 peaked over the summer in Virginia, and now the new Omicron-fighting booster shots are available in the commonwealth… Virginia lawmakers elect a handful of local judges in a special one-day session, but they fail to agree on a replacement appointment for the powerful State Corporation Commission….
Pre-menstrual mood swings and anxiety present a major public health issue around the world;Pentagon leaders say restrictions on abortion rights might worsen an already challenging personnel crisis;Virginia will receive more than $16 million as part of a multi-state agreement with e-cigarette maker JUUL;And with the fall harvest getting underway, drivers are urged to watch out for slow moving farm equipment on roadways
Pre-menstrual mood swings and anxiety present a major public health issue around the world;Pentagon leaders say restrictions on abortion rights might worsen an already challenging personnel crisis;Virginia will receive more than $16 million as part of a multi-state agreement with e-cigarette maker JUUL;And with the fall harvest getting underway, drivers are urged to watch out for slow moving farm equipment on roadways
Governor Youngkin signs a directive that aims to address teacher shortages in Virginia… Researchers at UVA Health make strides in understanding how our gut microbiomes affect health and well-being… We talk with three local millennials about what federal debt forgiveness will mean for them….
Governor Youngkin signs a directive that aims to address teacher shortages in Virginia… Researchers at UVA Health make strides in understanding how our gut microbiomes affect health and well-being… We talk with three local millennials about what federal debt forgiveness will mean for them….
On this Labor Day holiday, we assess the health of organized labor in Virginia… The last group of beagles are rescued from a Cumberland breeding facility... Solar is spreading in Virginia, and localities are scrambling to come up with new rules for them….
The $10 million lawsuit that Charlottesville's former police chief filed against city officials will go to trial… As we approach the Labor Day holiday, a new study shows that parts of Virginia's labor force are struggling to make ends meet… Labor Day also marks the traditional beginning of the political campaign season, and we explore the week in Virginia politics with Jeff Schapiro….
The governor says that he’s ending Virginia’s participation in a regional climate change initiative, and activists protest at a local environmental quality office… School boards across Virginia struggle with transgender students' access to bathrooms and locker rooms… Thanks to listener support, public radio news is growing, but newspapers are on the decline, and some local papers have reached new lows in the number of journalists they employ….
Charlottesville wants to dismiss the wrongful termination lawsuit by former police chief RaShall Brackney… A school board just north of Richmond approves a controversial policy gatekeeping transgender students’ access to bathrooms and locker rooms… State police investigate the fatal shooting of a federal fugitive by police in Albemarle County….
UVA Health expands care to rural, underserved areas, one university works to keep plastic bottles off campus, vanity plates that didn’t make the cut, and a lawsuit in Virginia Beach over kids and books deemed obscene….This is the WMRA Daily for Tuesday, August 30th…
Education majors from Virginia State University in Petersburg tour Winchester Public Schools… President Biden’s student debt policy could provide relief to 400,000 Virginians… Renters’ advocates in Charlottesville say they are seeing a significant increase in eviction lawsuit filings since pandemic rent protections expired….
Students in much of our area are back to school this week, and some districts are struggling to supply enough bus drivers, and they don’t have enough support from the state… We have an update on the threat that the Spotted Lanternfly poses to Virginia’s vineyards… Jeff Schapiro joins us to sort out the week in Virginia politics and government….
Senator Kaine visits Harrisonburg and Lexington to talk about substance abuse and recovery, and to tout the Inflation Reduction Act… Federal regulators grant another extension to the Mountain Valley Pipeline, and environmental groups raise the alarm… We continue our tour of Farmville, with a visit to the Bright Eyes Alpaca Retreat….
Harrisonburg community leaders explore options for providing shelter for the city’s homeless… Farmville’s economy is thriving… Consumer sentiment in Virginia is on the upswing….
A federal court judge sides with UVa in a free speech lawsuit filed in 2019 that attracted national attention... Page Memorial Hospital in Luray gets a $1 million federal grant to address rural health challenges… Full Disclosure’s Roben Farzad joins us to talk about how the topsy-turvy economy is affecting your investing….
If you’re headed to Shenandoah National Park, you’ll again have to wear a mask inside buildings there… Virginia is flush with cash, which means you might soon be getting a check in the mail… Our local Republican Congressmen claim that new money for the IRS from the Inflation Reduction Act will lead to an army of agents coming after citizens, but our fact-checker says that’s mostly false….
Students are heading back, or getting ready to head back to school, and in the meantime Virginia has a teacher shortage, and state education officials still wrangle over standards of learning… Sustainability Matters tests the biodiversity of their native pollinator meadows at the Shenandoah County Landfill… The local flower industry is more than just the corner florist, and we take a tour… We take our weekly look at Virginia politics….
Augusta County residents will vote this November on what to do about their courthouse, and now there's a price tag for each option… State education officials debate standards of learning for social studies, and set up guidelines for lab schools… The number of group homes for adults with developmental disabilities is dwindling in our area, leaving residents and their families with tough decisions to make, and we hear about the struggle of two Charlottesville sisters to stay together….
A volunteer firefighter in Woodstock admits to starting a fire that he then showed up to put out… A top Virginia education official wants to push back a review of new history and social science standards for K through 12 students… A new report says that the number of days of excessive heat in Virginia will increase over the next few decades, with the most severe surge in eastern Virginia…
Unhoused people in Harrisonburg protest the loss of their shelter, and ask for help… Virginians who get health insurance through the Affordable Care Act should see sharply lower premiums next year... Former Books and Brews guest Beth Macy is back with a new follow-up book about how the approach to illegal drugs and addiction is shifting….
Community groups and clergy lead a walking vigil in Charlottesville to mark a reclamation of their city, five years after Unite the Right… Thousands of low and moderate income Virginians may soon be able to power their homes with shared solar panels… Medicaid expansion in Virginia is still not reaching many dental patients who need care….
A former cop from southwest Virginia gets one of the longest prison sentences yet for storming the U-S Capitol on January 6th… Senator Kaine visits the Winchester area to promote local education and infrastructure projects… Charlottesville residents reflect on life there five years after the Summer of Hate, and what remains to be done….
Harrisonburg’s low-barrier homeless shelter will soon be looking for its own home, and city officials are appealing for help from the community… As we approach the fifth anniversary of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, a conversation with the photographer who took the iconic, disturbing, Pulitzer Prize winning photo of the car that killed protesters, and another photographer with a new show on the downtown mall… We visit a new cat café in Newport News, and there’s one coming to Harrisonburg, too….
Virginia’s governor joins the Republican chorus in criticizing the FBI and Justice Department over the search of Donald Trump’s Florida estate… Deaths at Virginia’s behavioral health facilities increase again for the second year in a row… The much-anticipated Perseid meteor shower peaks on Friday, and we get some viewing tips from a local sky guy….
Some Virginians can get state assistance to stay cool for the remainder of the summer… Richmond police are now refusing to talk about an alleged July 4th mass shooting plot that the city prosecutor disputed… Some Appalachian environmentalists worry that Democrats have yielded too much in their big climate bill to pro-pipeline West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin….
As the fall semester approaches, Charlottesville and Albemarle County say options for virtual learning will be limited, and in Rockingham County, one conservative board member wants to restrict what students can ask teachers to call them… State regulators approve a Dominion plan for an enormous offshore wind farm, to be paid for largely by customers… Prosecutors want an eight-year prison sentence for a police officer from southwestern Virginia who was part of the January 6th mob….
The Hispanic fest returns to Harrisonburg this weekend, Virginia’s Attorney General is cracking down on robo-calls, parental notification for sexually explicit classroom materials gets closer to realization, and Jeff Schapiro of the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Michael Pope discuss all of this week’s political happenings.This is the WMRA Daily for Friday, August 5th…
The Hispanic fest returns to Harrisonburg this weekend, Virginia’s Attorney General is cracking down on robo-calls, parental notification for sexually explicit classroom materials gets closer to realization, and Jeff Schapiro of the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Michael Pope discuss all of this week’s political happenings.This is the WMRA Daily for Friday, August 5th…
The historian whom Governor Youngkin picked for a state post has resigned after controversy over her statements praising Confederate monuments… Transmission tower construction by Dominion has some trails temporarily closed in the George Washington National Forest… Some gun advocates in Virginia want teachers to be armed….
Virginia’s expansion of Medicaid a few years ago, led by former Democratic Governor Ralph Northam, has markedly decreased the number of poorer residents without health insurance… A Charlottesville city employee who was present at the January 6th Capitol insurrection will remain on the payroll… The Farmville school that became a part of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case is now part of a national park….
It’s August, that means school bells will soon be ringing in hallways around Virginia, but there’s still a teacher shortage… Did you fill up your gas tank over the weekend? You may have noticed the price was just below $4 for the first time in months… The Mountain Valley Pipeline is struggling, but environmentalists worry that Congress may give it a boost….
Cameras to monitor classroom content, better fitting naval uniforms, the closure of a 172-year-old flour and feed mill, and a local veterinarian loses his license…This is the WMRA Daily for Monday, August 1st
LGBTQ advocates put pressure on the Virginia Supreme Court, the results of a new Medicaid survey, a monkeypox update, crocodile eggs, and the latest installment of Folklife Fieldnotes…This is the WMRA Daily for Friday, July 29th…
Augusta Health releases its latest community needs assessment;The Department of Parks and Recreation closes Chris Greene Lake due to a harmful algae bloom;Virginia’s Attorney General joins others in filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture;And the Chincoteague Pony Swim returns for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic
Poison centers including the one at UVa Health are seeing a spike in calls related to Delta 8 products, and so edibles with the cannabis extract are now illegal in Virginia… First responders in Harrisonburg hold their annual active shooter training, and we tag along to find out what they’re learning from recent mass shootings elsewhere… A new book tells the stories of those displaced from the creation of Shenandoah National Park….
The Harrisonburg-area SPCA needs help – they are at maximum capacity for dogs and cats… Vice President Harris pays a visit to Virginia, and calls on voters to elect more Democrats to protect reproductive rights… The nationwide unemployment rate is at a historic low, but Virginia’s is even lower, especially compared to this time last year….
Virginia's Republican attorney general tells Google not to limit the appearance of anti-abortion pregnancy centers in certain abortion-related search results… We take a look at the week in Virginia politics and government… We go for a walk along the longest recreational bridge in Virginia, near Farmville, 125 feet up….
A plastic bag tax could be coming to Charlottesville… Only Democrats among Virginia’s congressional delegation vote to protect same-sex marriage rights… We go to the farm with a group of students at Project Grows near Staunton….
The first real heat wave of the summer hits Virginia, with temperatures perhaps hitting triple digits east of the Blue Ridge this weekend… A call for LGBTQ people in the Valley to author their stories for an upcoming published collection… Now that Governor Youngkin’s appointees have control of the state board regulating education, what will happen to standards for teaching history and social sciences?
U-S Interior Secretary Deb Haaland breaks a leg while hiking in Shenandoah National Park, but she’s recovering… Democrats are outpacing Republicans in raising money for some key congressional races in Virginia… A UVa psychologist wants to better understand how to prevent loneliness and disconnection….
The number of Virginians in prison is shrinking, and we take a look at the numbers… Governor Youngkin relaxes COVID guidelines for kids… We analyze some claims the governor made about same-sex marriage protections in Virginia….
Virginia’s Senators are working on legislation that would protect the right to travel across state lines to access abortion… In the second of a two-part investigation into school resource officers, we focus on two school districts that have made different decisions, Harrisonburg and Albemarle County… It’s Friday, so we review the week in Virginia politics….
We begin a series examining the role of police in our public schools… One state bordering Virginia has outlawed abortion, perhaps followed by more in the future, and we meet one organization in the commonwealth stepping up to help… Meanwhile, for the first time since before the pandemic, Virginia loses its Number One ranking for business, according to CNBC, and Democrats blame Governor Youngkin’s divisive politics….
Officials in Staunton say last week’s heavy storm caused more than $750,000 in damage, mostly to the west side… New data from the Census Bureau reveal a changing Virginia… What to do with solar panels once they wear out is a problem, but one UVa professor may have a solution….
After allowing a wave of COVID-19 among detainees early in the pandemic, the immigrant detention center in Farmville is now barred from detaining more than about one-quarter of its capacity… A UVa law professor studies the long-term effects of incarceration on individuals and society… Now that the Supreme Court has mostly done away with the constitutional right to abortion, advocates worry that marriage equality could be next….
UVa kicks two fraternities off grounds for hazing… Virginians contributing to private schools have claimed more than 50 million dollars in state tax credits in recent years… Critics say a 55-dollar minimum bill for a new shared solar program makes the program too expensive….
Some commonwealth’s attorneys in Virginia, including Charlottesville’s, say they won’t prosecute abortion cases if it becomes illegal, but Virginia lawmakers opposed to abortion could find their way around that… So, what is the state of abortion access in our part of Virginia?... You’ve heard of FloydFest, but how about FredFest?
A national nonprofit that operates free, pop-up medical clinics travels to Luray this weekend… Recent mass shootings elsewhere have raised awareness of Virginia’s red flag law… A new program in Rockbridge County promotes bilingual literacy for students….
Thousands of dogs from a shuttered breeding facility in Cumberland County will soon be up for adoption… Governor Youngkin’s new appointees to VMI’s board of visitors raise concerns that they could roll back efforts to make VMI more inclusive and diverse… Advocates for abortion rights in Virginia are thinking about how they could help people from other states that prohibit the procedure….
Governor Youngkin amends state law on early release for prisoners, and as a result thousands of Virginia inmates will serve more time… A commitment to ban polystyrene foam to-go containers gets pushed back… The governor warns federal officials that an offshore wind project could cause millions of dollars of damage to commercial fishing….
Charlottesville’s commonwealth’s attorney is among prosecutors nationwide who pledge not to pursue charges against those performing or getting abortions, even if the law changes in Virginia… The governor taps a controversial figure to head his new office to reduce regulatory requirements… On Independence Day, we celebrate the birth of the nation, and America’s national symbol is the bald eagle – but researchers say their numbers in Virginia could again be in danger….
The Page County woman who threatened bringing guns to school to keep her kids from wearing masks in January gets community service and deferred probation… Get ready to hear a lot more about abortion over the next year or so, and we’ll have reporting on that, plus our weekly analysis… And lots more, including a look at local hemp industries, and our sixth episode of Folklife Fieldnotes….
The health district for the Charlottesville area ends its drive-through COVID testing clinics, a sign of a waning pandemic, and disappearing funding… As the debate over abortion is renewed, the Republican candidate for Congress in the 7th district makes controversial, and false, statements about pregnancy… Good news from UVa researchers for people on dialysis struggling to manage blood sugar levels….
One abortion provider along Virginia’s border with Tennessee will move into the Old Dominion in order to continue providing services, but one Republican state senator has already announced legislation that would outlaw abortion in Virginia… Governor Youngkin’s order requiring state employees to return to the office is adding to tensions at the Department of Health… A flour mill in Nelson County gets state money to boost infrastructure for locally sourced food….
Advocates for the right to abortion rally in Harrisonburg… The director of the Jefferson Madison library system says changing the name will be an uphill battle… Residents of Harrisonburg get to weigh in on a proposed widening of I-81 through the city….
After months of debate Governor Youngkin signs Virginia's budget, and we’ll take a look at what is, and is not, in it… Randi B. Hagi has a look at cannabis retailers in Charlottesville, and their frustration at lack of progress over marijuana legalization in Virginia… Republican Ben Cline easily wins the nomination to run for re-election, and we survey who else won primaries Tuesday….
Today is primary day, and among the Republican seats up for grabs is the Sixth District, where incumbent Representative Ben Cline faces a challenger… A new study finds that most public school districts in Virginia have still not financially recovered from the Great Recession… Grab your walking stick, WMRA’s Randi B. Hagi takes us for a hike in Virginia’s newest state park, near Woodstock….
A judge orders the dog-breeding facility shut down in May to cease breeding new puppies, and the Envigo operation will shut down permanently… The General Assembly rejects the governor’s amendments on abortion and a gas tax holiday, but his effort to redirect money to HBCU’s went through… Lawmakers also filled two vacancies on the state Supreme Court, and we have a review of Friday’s activity….
The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors discusses possible solutions to what it calls a panhandling crisis… The state department of health relaxes its guidelines for those exposed to COVID-19… Today, the General Assembly will take up the governor’s 38 amendments to the state budget, so we have reporting on some of the more important amendments, and analysis of what’s going on in Richmond….
Governor Youngkin sends 38 budget amendments back to the General Assembly… LEGO comes to Virginia… Former Charlottesville police chief RaShall Brackney is suing the city for $10 million over her firing last year….
The governor pays a visit to our area to dedicate a new state park near Woodstock, and to announce state support for an agricultural expansion in Rockingham County… A new statewide approach to mental health aims to intercept crisis situations before they get out of hand… Some Republican candidates to represent Virginia in Congress are still repeating lies about fraud in the 2020 election….
A new report says that efforts to make Virginia’s economy less reliant on the federal government aren’t working… A federal judge accelerates a new lawsuit that, however unlikely, seeks to force the state to have another round of elections for the House of Delegates this fall… A new report finds that Virginia could lose up to 42% of its tidal wetlands by 2100 due to sea level rise….
Under a new law, thousands of state inmates will be released early for good behavior, but the governor may delay some of those releases… Senator Tim Kaine applauds an apparent bipartisan deal on gun safety legislation… Irish musician and guitarist John Doyle performs in Charlottesville this week, and we’ll meet him and hear some music….
Remembering D-Day, Title 9 turns 50, and a memorial service held in Winchester for former state Sen. H. Russell "Russ" Potts Jr. This is the WMRA Daily for Monday, June 6th
Harrisonburg’s city council selects former councilman Richard Baugh to temporarily fill the seat vacated by George Hirschmann… A huge facility in Cumberland County that breeds beagles for medical research is shut down over allegations of mistreatment of the animals, and meanwhile Virginia strengthens state laws against animal cruelty… The General Assembly has finally passed a two-year budget, now on the governor’s desk, and we survey that and more in Virginia politics and government with Jeff Schapiro….
Shenandoah County’s school board splits on a controversial survey of residents on whether to restore confederate names to schools, so no survey, but the board will vote on the potential change next week… We take a deeper look at what’s in the proposed two-year state budget, now under consideration by the governor… A new system is being implemented in parts of Virginia to better respond to mental health emergencies….
The General Assembly reconvenes today to approve Virginia's budget, and we have a preview… A new UVa Health study finds that suicide attempts by poisoning among children is way up in recent years… The Chesapeake Bay Foundation holds its 32nd annual Clean the Bay Day this weekend….
A car driver dies after crashing into a train in Harrisonburg… Virginia Beach holds a remembrance ceremony marking the third anniversary of a mass shooting there… We have a Full Disclosure look at the trials and tribulations of the Washington Commanders search for a new stadium….
The rate of spread of COVID-19 in central Virginia has now outpaced that in the Shenandoah Valley… Lead budget negotiators in the General Assembly say they’ve reached a deal on lots of sticking points, and the full body will vote on it on Wednesday… A new report says Virginia's zoning laws continue to sustain racial segregation in housing, and it has some recommendations for fixing the problem….
In politics this week, George Hirschmann resigns his seat on Harrisonburg’s city council, citing health reasons, and we also have a broader survey of the renewed debate over gun violence in Virginia, with our weekly politics roundup… Meanwhile, there’s an increasing shortage of referees available for youth sports, as poorly-behaving parents drive them off the court and off the field… In our fifth installment of Folklife Fieldnotes, we sit in on an Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony….
In our May 25 edition, we reported that the highest transmission levels for COVID-19 were again in parts of the Shenandoah Valley, and today we take a look at an increase in cases, but not hospitalizations, in central Virginia… What might Virginia legislators do about the national rise in gun violence?... One Culpeper County woman's story of becoming a mother premieres at a festival in Colorado….
Two people being held in the disappearance of an Augusta County toddler are indicted on murder charges… People are still dying of COVID-19, and statewide the highest transmission levels are in Augusta and Highland Counties, and rising… We continue our series on food insecurity among children in our area….
Much attention has been paid to the shortage of baby formula, but food insecurity is an ongoing problem for children of all ages, and in the first of a series of reports we visit a group in Buena Vista helping to keep their neighbors fed… The General Assembly reconvenes next week to discuss a new two-year budget, but we don’t know what’s in it yet… Democratic lawmakers urge the governor to delay his new telework policy until after Labor Day….
Republican Bob Good easily won his party’s nod to run for a second term in Congress representing the 5th District… Authorities seize nearly 150 dogs from a breeding facility in Cumberland County accused of animal-welfare violations… Governor Youngkin says he’s restored civil rights to 3,500 people released from prison….
The baby formula shortage is affecting families here in Virginia, and we focus on how moms – and state and federal officials – are responding… A new state historical marker in Charlottesville recognizes the first Black student in UVa’s law school… In state politics, budget negotiations continue and some Republican congressional districts have primaries this weekend, and Jeff Schapiro will be along to discuss it….
A local advocacy group discusses a potential post- Roe v. Wade future… Some citizen members of the Harrisonburg-area community criminal justice board say they’re being locked out of committees… Republicans in several parts of Virginia, including the 5th district covering Charlottesville, will choose their congressional candidates this weekend….
Virginia’s members of Congress address the shortage of infant formula, and the quality of school lunches… Was abortion always such a controversial topic in Virginia? One historian says “no”… We retrace the steps of James Lindsey Smith, an enslaved man on Virginia's Northern Neck who in 1838 made his way to freedom in Connecticut….
After months of controversy and criticism, the board of directors at James Madison's Montpelier reverses course, and will share governance with descendants of those whom Madison enslaved… An artist from Batesville produces work that will generate humanitarian aid for Ukraine… Statewide news too, including a Full Disclosure discussion about a possible big merger in Virginia tobacco….
A new drug tested at UVA Health to treat severe COVID-19 gets FDA approval… The high school in Farmville that became part of the Brown v. Board of Education desegregation case is now part of the National Park Service… The Virginia Aquarium treats sea turtles accidentally caught by fishermen….
Some Shenandoah County residents are demanding that the school board restore the Confederate names of two schools, renamed after the murder of George Floyd… Church World Service in Harrisonburg holds its first awards ceremony, honoring those who help resettle refugees... We review the week in Virginia politics….
Twelve women reach a settlement with Liberty University in a sexual harassment lawsuit against the school… One Democratic state senator is in the spotlight for his stance on abortion access… Some property owners are suing Virginia’s wildlife agency over a law that allows hunters to retrieve their hunting dogs from private property….
The movement to restrict teaching of sexuality and race in Virginia’s public schools moves into rural counties north of Charlottesville… We have a preview of the total lunar eclipse happening this weekend… With a new health clinic and new territory, we check in with members of the Upper Mattaponi tribe four years after receiving federal recognition….
JMU students, and high school students around Virginia, protest in favor of abortion access… This year’s valedictorian at VMI talks about the importance of Black students there, who weren’t allowed into the school until 1968… In our weekly Full Disclosure conversation with Roben Farzad, we survey the present and future of solar power in Virginia….
UVa Health is reducing some radiography procedures due to supply-chain problems… Thousands of applicants for unemployment benefits in Virginia were wrongly told by the VEC that they were overpaid… School boards around the state are being confronted by increasingly hostile parents, but they still have to conform to open meetings requirements….
The recent death by suicide of a JMU student-athlete was not the first such death on campus this year… Harrisonburg’s vice-mayor says he will not seek re-election… We have our weekly Virginia politics review, dominated this week of course by the debate over abortion access….
A Fishersville man accused of participating in the January 6th insurrection gets a hearing in court… Senator Tim Kaine weighs in on the Supreme Court leak of an opinion on Roe v. Wade… New data highlight health disparities between high-earning and low-earning communities….
After a leak indicating the U.S. Supreme Court might overturn Roe v. Wade, what is the future for abortion access in Virginia?... The avian influenza outbreak prompts extraordinary measures at the Wildlife Center of Virginia… After a surge in adoptions during the pandemic, animal shelters in our region are filling up again with adult dogs brought in as strays – but also as their owners surrender them….
JMU cancels the softball season after the suicide of one of its players… A jury finds that former UVa lacrosse player George Huguely is liable for beating his girlfriend to death in 2010, and he must pay $15 million in damages... Meanwhile, roller derby is roaring back to life after a two-year pandemic hiatus….
The foundation that manages James Madison’s historic home, and the descendants of those whom he enslaved, say they’ve reached an agreement, but there are still some sticking points… UVa’s next lawyer comes from Kentucky… The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation gets nearly $1 million in federal grants….
The United States Supreme Court allows a Northern Virginia governor’s school to continue its new admissions policy – for the time being, the General Assembly reconvenes on Wednesday for a special session, including consideration of several amendments. One from Governor Glenn Youngkin involves marijuana, and a new book sheds possible light on the mystery surrounding the murder of two women in Shenandoah National Park in 1996.
Attorney General Jason Miyares calls for greater transparency on the bench, house of Delegates Minority Leader Eileen Filler-Corn faces a challenge from inside her party, the Cheroenhaka Nottoway Tribe marks the 309th year of its treaty with the English Crown, and people with several non-governmental and non-profit organizations talk about the hundreds of Afghan refugees who have settled locally.
Short jail sentences proposed for two Virginia Beach men involved in the January 6 riot, a gunman opens fire in the nation’s capital, and the American Lung Association says our area has some of the cleanest air in the country…
Charlottesville police continue to arrest Black people in numbers disproportionate to their population... Today is Earth Day, so we’ll take a look at an effort to turn a landfill into a garden in Shenandoah County, and we’ll review how Virginia’s decades-old fight against litter is going… And it’s Friday, so of course we have our weekly review of Virginia politics….
High marks for air quality in our area, from the American Lung Association… A new COVID test from a company based in Charlottesville… What will the General Assembly do with the governor’s amendment to a bill limiting solitary confinement?
A Black former employee of the iHeartMedia group in Harrisonburg alleges his white supervisor lied about his behavior and performance to management, and he’s still waiting for the company to investigate… UVa studies how the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines compare… An aide at an elementary school in Stuarts Draft is chosen as one of Virginia's two nominees for a national award….
The head of Montpelier fires staff in apparent retaliation for criticism of barring slave descendants from having a role in running the site… A Norfolk-bound cargo ship stuck in the Chesapeake Bay for a month is finally free … Roben Farzad joins us to discuss the importance of computer chips in your car….
The mother of Charlottesville teenager Xzavier Hill, shot dead by two State Police officers last year, files a wrongful death lawsuit against them… A look at some of the governor’s vetoes, including bills on truck safety and medical debt collection… Fatal drug overdoses in Virginia are on track for another record-breaking year….
The General Assembly returns to Richmond Monday to pass a budget, with lawmakers divided over a number of issues, including money for affordable housing and SNAP benefits… We have analysis of all that and more in Virginia politics… In the next installment of our special series on the history of school integration in Virginia, we hear from two people who were among the Charlottesville Twelve….
The Atlantic Coast Pipeline project was abandoned nearly two years ago – could the Mountain Valley Pipeline meet the same fate?... Virginia's U S. Senators want to create a National Scenic Area in the George Washington National Forest… Even as four-year and community-college enrollments decline, more students are signing up for technical education….
Dominion gets pushback from Virginia’s attorney general on its plans for a massive offshore windfarm… The Virginia Education Association says it will publish state education equity guidelines that the governor has rescinded… State agriculture officials are concerned that Russia's war on Ukraine is affecting a key import….
The Salvation Army removes the two captains in charge of Harrisonburg operations, after we reported allegations of mismanagement… A brother and sister recount the threats and violence they experienced integrating Warren County High School… Nurses from UVa’s COVID Clinic say the Critter Cams from the Wildlife Center of Virginia helped get them through the darkest days of the pandemic….
Workers at the Hershey plant in Stuarts Draft vote against a union… James Madison’s Montpelier strips power from a group of descendants of those enslaved there…. We have a look at efforts to vaccinate those few Virginians who still don’t have a COVID shot….
How might the General Assembly spend money to reduce gun violence?... We launch our five-part series with the voices of the Black Virginians who, as children, integrated public schools more than 60 years ago… In the next installment of our Folklife Fieldnotes series, we meet Earl White, a musician, fiddler, and dancer from Floyd….
Governor Youngkin calls the General Assembly back on April 4th to finish its business, including passing a budget… A Valley veterinarian is suspended after new allegations of botching surgeries and harming the animals in his care… A judge in Charlottesville rules that some schools may still require masks to protect students with disabilities, despite a new state law rescinding the mandates….
After an investigative report by WMRA and other news outlets, the Salvation Army is temporarily closing its emergency shelter in Harrisonburg… We review a one-year-old Virginia law that ended automatic pre-trial detention of defendants… In a follow-up report, we take a look at what can be done to safely dispose of old sporting fields made with artificial turf….
Harrisonburg officials try to ease tension over housing with a new committee… A new environmental crusade aims to end the installation of artificial turf… We have a deeper look at Virginia’s new controversial elections commissioner….
A jury orders the Mountain Valley Pipeline company to pay more than half a million dollars to property owners near Roanoke… Virginia’s community college system has a new chancellor… Old Dominion University is the first public university to resettle refugees on its campus….
As if the General Assembly wasn’t having enough trouble agreeing on a budget, along comes pressure for a gas tax holiday, which only makes things more complicated… General Assembly news and our weekly analysis… A little sporting news, as the UVa women’s swim team break records, Longwood University’s women’s team advances in the NCAA basketball tournament, and Virginia Tech men face the Texas Longhorns….
SkyWest says it’s leaving Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport, not enough pilots… Governor Youngkin wants to give Virginians a gas tax holiday, but the General Assembly would have to approve… Members of the Monacan Indian Nation declare victory in a years-long battle to prevent construction on a sacred spot along the James River….
Former employees at the Salvation Army shelter in Harrisonburg say it’s being mismanaged, creating an unsafe environment for staff and guests who stay there… A new bill would allow smaller localities in Virginia to opt out of the “MARCUS Alert” system… We have more on Andrew Wheeler’s appointment as a senior advisor to the governor….
Democrats rejected Andrew Wheeler for the state’s environmental post, but he’ll still serve as a senior advisor to the governor… In the impasse between Democrats and Republicans over the budget, there’s one major sticking point… We also have some analysis of why gas prices remain high, and whether we may get some relief at the pump anytime soon….
The General Assembly adjourns on time, but without agreeing on a budget… Before leaving Richmond, lawmakers pass a bill reversing a ban on the use of facial recognition technology by police… School superintendents around the state criticize the Youngkin administration for targeting equity initiatives….
We focus on General Assembly news and analysis today, the day before the regular session is set to conclude, but they’ve got to work out the budget… We take a look at an unusual bike sale this weekend in Charlottesville… UVa’s swim team is favored to win big at the NCAA tournament, thanks to high-tech training and advice from one of the world’s leading mathematicians….
It’s been one year since a new Virginia law went into effect expanding the list of reasons that cops can be fired… The General Assembly begins to chip away at the problem of crumbling public school infrastructure… A bill on the governor’s desk addresses school lunch debt….
Lots of General Assembly news again today, as lawmakers in Richmond vote on a slate of judges, debate whether local governments can prohibit fossil fuels, and consider rolling back access to police documents… We also take a deep dive into how schools are funded in Virginia… And, a look at Virginia’s race for gambling entertainment dollars, and how the Kentucky Derby is playing a role in that….
Harrisonburg residents meet to brainstorm ideas for spending nearly $24 million in federal rescue plan funds… We meet one of our March Books & Brews guests, Lori Mier, who encourages kids to find resilience even after tragedy… We’ve got the latest on the General Assembly, as lawmakers try to wrap up their final week with agreement on a budget….
A man from Maryland dies while hang-gliding near Woodstock… Governor Youngkin says he and Republicans in the General Assembly are talking about extending the session, as the two chambers continue to hash out differences in the budget… More in news from Richmond, including the passage of legislation to create so-called “lab schools”….
This year’s General Assembly session is near its end, and there’s a flurry of activity, the focus of the podcast today… Republicans reject the inclusion of Virginia’s tribes in permitting projects on ancestral lands… A bill moves forward that will provide statewide guidance on heat-related illness this summer for coaches, student athletes and parents… We’ll discuss that and more in Virginia politics with Jeff Schapiro….
JMU relaxes some mask rules… Workers at the Hershey plant in Stuarts Draft vote on a union… We have all the latest on the General Assembly….
New legislation would require public schools in Virginia to notify parents if their children are assigned books with sexually explicit content… Voters will not have an opportunity to reject Virginia's unconstitutional ban on gay marriage… Facial recognition technology could be coming to your local police department….
It might be easier now for you to visit someone in the hospital, as local facilities relax COVID restrictions… We review the latest from the General Assembly… And Roben FARzad of the Full Disclosure podcast joins us to discuss how Western sanctions against Russia might affect us here in Virginia….
After several bomb threats, Governor Youngkin asks for more money for security at historically black colleges in Virginia… The governor also rouses support for Ukraine, and part of that effort means you won’t be able to buy Russian vodka (but don’t worry, you can still buy Smirnoff, it’s not really made in Russia)… Doctors at UVA Health are encouraged by a downward trend of COVID hospitalizations….
Virginia’s representatives condemn Russia’s attack on Ukraine… A local LGBTQ center offers new programs for health and wellness… We survey the latest news from the General Assembly, plus our weekly analysis of Virginia politics from Jeff Schapiro….
Fishersville will get a new Amazon fulfillment center, and that means 500 new jobs for the area… Dominion plans to resume shutting off power for customers who are behind on paying their bills… We have a round-up of the latest from the General Assembly….
UVa says it will end its mask mandate for everywhere except the classroom in less than a month… The Mountain Valley Pipeline developer says despite numerous setbacks, the company is still committed to finishing the project… We have the latest on the General Assembly….
The huge pandemic backlog at the Virginia Employment Commission has been mostly cleared out… A new poll of Virginia voters finds mixed opinions on the governor’s approach to taxes… Republicans in Virginia's House of Delegates want to expand access to guns, but Democrats in the Senate do not, and we’ll have more on that and the latest General Assembly news….
Virginia gives up on pushing through the ERA… Governor Youngkin wants more specialty K through 12 schools… Is there a conflict between green energy and green space?
A judge orders a mental health evaluation for the man accused of murder in the shootings of two Bridgewater College officers… Now that we’ve reached the mid-point of the General Assembly session, we have the latest news and also some analysis of what’s been accomplished, and what remains to be done… We continue our new podcast series “Folklife Fieldnotes,” with a profile of a legendary instrument repairman in Abingdon….
Hundreds of police officers and members of the public are expected at a memorial service in Harrisonburg for the two Bridgewater College officers fatally shot last week… The General Assembly rejects the governor’s choice for natural resources secretary, and his goal of eliminating the grocery tax is in trouble… The plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed against the Augusta County Sheriff's Office aren't just activists – they're also cast members on a reality TV show… It’s a complicated tale, and we’ve got the details….
A man is found dead on JMU’s campus, but university officials say he wasn’t a student or on staff… Virginia’s Supreme Court dismisses a lawsuit from Chesapeake parents wanting to revoke Governor Youngkin’s executive order on school mask mandates… In the General Assembly, prospects dim for the governor’s charter school efforts, new rules for natural gas may be in the pipeline, and it looks like lawmakers will continue to approve of cocktails to go, one artifact of the pandemic….
VMI says it will change its student-run honor court to make it more fair to cadets… In one of three lawsuits challenging Governor Youngkin’s repeal of mask mandates in schools, one judge rules against the repeal and says the mandates should stay in place for now… Meanwhile, lawmakers address problems with counting absentee ballots, but a measure to establish minimum staffing standards for nursing homes fails to advance….
Prosecutors open their case in court against two people suspected in the disappearance of three-year-old Khaleesi Cuthriell… UVa begins lifting some COVID-related restrictions… We have the latest from the General Assembly, and our weekly analysis of Virginia politics….
Efforts to limit the influence of Dominion fail again in the General Assembly… JMU is again offering a popular, free, tax preparation service… We meet musician Gina Chavez….
Classes at Bridgewater College are cancelled the day after a gunman kills two campus officers… Parents of students with disabilities from Albemarle County join a lawsuit against Governor Youngkin over his executive order ending the mask mandate in schools… Democrats in the General Assembly try to block Youngkin’s controversial nomination of a former Trump official for the state’s top environmental office….
Lots of General Assembly news this week, as Democrats kill a proposal by Republican Senator Mark Obenshain to end collective bargaining for public employees, Republicans work to roll back the minimum wage hike, and one bill would go after predatory loans… We also have the latest on the hedge fund that’s going after many of Virginia’s newspapers….
By one measure – hospitalizations – omicron is hitting children harder than at any other time during the pandemic… How will the new attorney general’s opinion that Virginia’s public colleges may not require that their students get vaccinated for COVID-19 affect those institutions that have that requirement, including UVa?… Divisive issues including vaccine requirements, voting access, and teaching about race in schools are debated in the General Assembly….
The state’s attorney general offers a bit of a break for students who have defaulted on their school debt… A new survey sheds more light on the “Great Resignation”… We survey the week in Virginia politics and governance….
Publicly-funded mental healthcare providers are short-staffed and their workforce is aging, and we explore how they persist in the face of those challenges… We review activity in the General Assembly, which advances an anti-hazing measure called “Adam’s Law,” considers legislation that would help local newspapers, and rejects a proposal from the new attorney general that would have broadened his power….
In a rare partnership, UVa Health and Augusta Health team up to plead with the public to get vaccinated and boosted, and they say they are overwhelmed with unvaccinated patients… Yet again, a federal appeals court strikes down a permit for the Mountain Valley Pipeline… Gemeinschaft Home in Harrisonburg receives a major federal grant to triple its capacity to serve women avoiding incarceration….
As some of the larger school systems in northern and eastern Virginia sue Governor Youngkin over his directive lifting Virginia’s mask mandate, some schools in our area say they will keep their masking requirements in place for now… Augusta Health is keeping some COVID patients out of the hospital using monoclonal antibodies… Meanwhile, one of the governor’s big campaign promises was to veterans….
A Luray woman is charged with threatening gun violence at a Page County school board meeting over student mask policy… Meanwhile, Governor Youngkin’s order rescinding those school mask mandates takes effect today, but is it legal?... Shenandoah National Park will limit the number of people who can visit one of its most popular sites, Old Rag, which has been overrun with hikers….
Governor Youngkin rolls out a new plan to address the vaccination rate and surge in hospitalizations in Virginia… Members of the General Assembly fight back against medical misinformation… In just his first week in office, Youngkin has already picked a few fights on several of his campaign promises, and we’ll take a look at that in our weekly politics chat….
In a bitterly divided vote, Staunton city council forces out its city manager… The Wildlife Center of Virginia rescued a record number of animals last year… Governor Youngkin chooses a staffer from the right-wing Heritage Foundation to lead Virginia’s diversity efforts…
Today’s theme is Virginia’s schools, and we have news about mask mandates, student testing, a police presence in elementary schools, and school lunches affected by supply chain issues… We also have an analysis if the new governor’s business background, and the role that might play in his term as governor….
Renters and their advocates in Waynesboro want better regulation of properties that are often substandard for tenants… JMU follows the new governor’s lead on releasing staff from vaccine requirements, while UVa goes in the other direction… Meanwhile, Governor Youngkin makes his first appearance before the General Assembly…
Glenn Youngkin is the new Governor of Virginia, and immediately gets blowback for a series of executive orders on Day 1… Hundreds of former employees of the Environmental Protection Agency urge the Virginia Senate to oppose Youngkin’s pick for Virginia's next secretary of natural resources… Is the omicron variant of the coronavirus causing less severe disease among patients than delta did?
Got a construction job you need done? You may have a long wait, and we explore why… The campaign to end solitary confinement in Virginia’s prisons is getting a boost from two state senators, one Democrat, one Republican… It’s an eventful week in Richmond, with a new General Assembly and a new Republican executive branch, and we survey the week in Virginia politics….
The General Assembly gavels into session, Governor Northam delivers his final address, and the new Republican Speaker of the House, from the Shenandoah Valley, takes issue with what Northam had to say about Virginia’s history… We conclude our series on Charlottesville city government with a look ahead to what the turmoil of the last few years may cost taxpayers… We have a report on the latest changes at the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton….