VPM Daily Newscast: Recent Episodes
VPM
VPM's daily newscast contains all your Central Virginia news in just 5 to 10 minutes. Hosted by Benjamin Dolle, Phil Liles, Kim Strother and VPM News staff, episodes are recorded the night before so you can wake up prepared.
Virginia's long-overdue budget agreement includes changes to some Medicaid programs; Concerns raised about Richmond's shelter plans for people experiencing homelessness in winter; Schools in Richmond now fully accredited; and other stories
Governor Glenn Youngkin’s political action committee borrowed Altria’s corporate jet on a recent trip; The father of a Virginia student who was sexually assaulted in her high school bathroom has been pardoned after being arrested two years ago for disrupting a school board meeting; A new transfer bus station in Downtown Richmond officially opened Monday.
Shake Shack is making it a double in the Richmond market; the CEO of Commonwealth Autism discusses a deal to purchase Good Foods Grocery in Bon Air; A Mechanicsville coffee shop is branching out in Hanover; and other local business stories.
Virginia is cracking down on the sale of intoxicating hemp products like delta-8; Some state retirees and beneficiaries may have had their information leaked during a cyber-attack earlier this year; A VCU Health program is one of six recipients splitting a $5 million-dollar grant to help sustain the work of hospital-based community violence intervention programs in the commonwealth; and other local news stories.
Since the General Assembly established the CVTA three years ago, Chet Parsons has served as the acting executive director.
The city of Richmond may soon force the sale of multiple properties because of unpaid taxes; Richmond-area members of the world’s largest union of performers and broadcasters rallied in support of fair contracts over the weekend; The commonwealth’s last U.S. Army installation named after a Confederate figure has a new designation.
Hopewell Public Schools now requires middle and high school students to keep their cellphones locked away in magnetic pouches during the school day — and other divisions in the commonwealth are following suit. Megan Pauly with VPM News reports.
An upstart Fan bar is looking to the court system for help in its battle with the state health department; Stone Brewing is in production expansion mode at its massive East End Richmond facility; and a 4-acre food truck park is moving into the former Innsbrook After Hours location.
Back in 2021, the Hanover County Board of Supervisors partnered with a broadband company called All Points to develop a comprehensive plan to connect county residents to reliable internet service. However, since said partnership began, the pace at which the Connect Hanover project has progressed has been slower than anticipated. In the words of Henry District Supervisor Sean Davis, Hanover residents have one question on their minds: “Where’s my internet?”
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, pronounced pee-FOSS) include thousands of unique chemical compounds that have been widely used in industrial and household products since the 1940s — including firefighting foam, nonstick cookware and disposable plates. And in 2021, Henrico County detected those chemicals in both the Chickahominy River and further upstream in the White Oak Swamp watershed, near Richmond International Airport.
The city of Richmond and the Virginia Museum of History and culture recognized the family history of nine Black Richmonders this past weekend; There may be a rural-urban divide among mice – and you may be able to use it for free pest control; Virginia Beach is hosting a hiring event on Saturday to help combat its shortage of garbage truck drivers.
Emails obtained by VPM News show Virginia is talking with more than a dozen other states, including Ohio and Florida, to come up with a plan to combat voter fraud; A Richmond-based Kava-Bar is taking the Virginia Department of Health to court over its battle to open; Bus riders who rely on the Greater Richmond Transit Company’s downtown hub will see some service changes when the new transfer station opens next month.
Professional, environmental and health regulations make up the majority of those under review this year, according to a VPM News analysis of a publication announced by Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Monday. The Unified Regulatory Plan is required to be compiled each year, under a 2022 executive order. It lists all anticipated rulemaking activities for the next fiscal year, which runs from July 1-June 30.
Trudy Berry was always a long-shot candidate for the heavily rural and Republican Senate District 9 seat, stretching from Danville to the outskirts of Farmville. But her odds dimmed further when Danville Democratic official Clem Oliver left off a .gov from an email submitting Berry’s paperwork to the state on April 10, according to a letter to the board from the Democratic Party of Virginia. The error meant state officials didn’t receive Berry’s paperwork ahead of their April 11 deadline. The State Board of Elections didn’t take up Berry’s petition to add her name to the ballot against state Sen. Frank Ruff (R–Mecklenburg). In an email Wednesday, Berry questioned why she would be treated differently than past instances where the board had granted forgiveness to candidates from both parties.
The city's school board approved a third-party investigation into the June 6 Huguenot High School graduation shooting that killed a graduating student and his stepfather. Last month, the school board received a 7-page internal review of the shooting — including districtwide recommendations to implement. Those included adopting enhanced security protocol for all graduations and large events, as well as more robust mental health and communication plans in the event of future crises. That report wasn’t enough for board members like Shonda Harris-Muhammed, who has lingering questions about Richmond Public Schools' responsibility in keeping students and staff safe — and preventing another incident in the future.
A nonprofit that runs a charitable bingo game in Southside is asking a Richmond circuit court to remove a casino referendum from November ballots; Hanover’s comprehensive plan envisions the county’s long-term growth; Virginia State University has installed fifty solar-powered trash compactors on its campus ahead of the 2023 school year.
Cindy Moussavou and Beth Vann-Turnbull of Housing Families First are working to ensure struggling families across Virginia find permanent places to live — all while rents soar, and the number of available houses and apartments dwindles. The two recently spoke to VPM Morning Edition Host Phil Liles about the obstacles they face and the tools they’re using to overcome them.
For at least the third time in its history, Willow Lawn is being eyed for a major transformation; A proposal being pondered by the City of Richmond could have Carytown closing off to car traffic in the coming years; and after a year in Shockoe Slip, an Italian eatery is heading west to a longtime Fan restaurant space.
The State Water Commission heard updates on public efforts to detect and remove PFAS (PEA-foss) from drinking water systems this week; There’s no evidence the E-G-5 Covid variant spreads more easily or causes more dire illness. That's according to the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts; The Hanover County School Board amended its library policy this week.
Virginia Housing denied the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s application for about $15 million dollars in federal tax credits to build the second phase of new housing in Creighton Court; The Henrico Board of Supervisors has voted unanimously to approve a new solar panel site on the roof of the Eastern Henrico Recreation Center along North Laburnum Avenue; National environmental activist and author Bill McKibben joined a virtual press conference on Wednesday to oppose a planned natural gas plant in Chesterfield County; and other local news stories.
The city of Richmond is holding a gun buyback event between 7 and 11 A-M Saturday; A commission studying how to change the structure of city government recently submitted its report to Richmond city council; Attorney General Jason Miyares is calling for the end of legacy admissions at all colleges and universities in the commonwealth.
Three Central American men filed a federal lawsuit last week alleging they’ve been unlawfully detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Virginia after winning their immigration cases. In separate cases, the three men won immigration cases that granted them protection from deportation to their homes in El Salvador and Honduras. Judges ruled the men risked being tortured if they returned. There’s still a chance ICE could try to deport the men to a third country, although the lawsuit says the men have not been told where they might be sent.
A New Orleans native is tackling food waste and expanding access to healthy food in Richmond.
Sauer Properties is looking to effectively build a new neighborhood from scratch in the next leg of its Sauer Center development in the city; After years of preparation, the needle is set to drop on a new winery on the Southside; and Sugar & Twine is planning to invite its patrons back inside after several years of serving them on the sidewalk.
The City of Richmond’s Bike Share program shut down in May; The Virginia State Police are investigating the July death of a patient at Central State Hospital; A new refrigerator, filled with free fruit and vegetables is going up in Southside.
The city is rolling back plans to build Richmond Fire Department's new training facility in a Southside greenspace, following months of resident opposition and a lawsuit. City Council voted to approve the original planned structure next to Hickory Hill Community Center in May — after the city’s Planning Commission and Urban Design Committee voted against it. The new new planned facility will be located in Sandston, according to a statement from Mayor Levar Stoney.
VPM News requested data from the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts on the differences in health outcomes by race and income — following the announcement of more than $600,000 in Health Equity Fund grants for local organizations to address disparities. What RHHD aggregated illustrated continued health disparities between Black and white Richmond residents when it came to COVID-19, food access, and substance use and recovery. RHHD did include a disclaimer: The data was “not meant to be exhaustive of methodologically consistent between the sets of data to the next but rather provide a general summary of the justifications for Health Equity Fund program funding.”
Petersburg City Council has voted to issue $34 million dollars in bonds to pay for the expansion of the city’s downtown courthouse; Each year since 2006, Virginia has waived sales tax for certain back-to-school-supplies during the first weekend in August; The Richmond-based United Network for Organ Sharing might not retain its monopoly on transplants after a vote last week by the U.S. Congress.
A Lynchburg-area coalition is aiming to secure up to $75 million dollars of federal aid to help develop the region’s nuclear industry; Richmond City officials are pushing back against the local Electoral Board’s decision to eliminate two early voting sites; Two Richmond City Councilors made recommendations Friday on how to serve residents experiencing homelessness; and other local news stories.
Richmond’s biggest bank is buying its way into new territory; It appears that Richmond voters in November will be asked a second time whether the city should host a multimillion-dollar casino and resort; and the Richmond region’s first dedicated cornhole lounge is a toss or two away from opening in Short Pump.
To battle the extreme heat expected in Virginia during the next few days, cooling stations are being opened to help residents stay safe; The Supreme Court lifted a stay on construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline Thursday, New plans for two historic cemeteries emerged this week.
Dominion Energy customers will once again pay for carbon allowances through a surcharge on their monthly bills; A multi-million-dollar project to convert methane captured at a Roanoke County landfill into renewable natural gas is expected to be up and running by 2025; The “Richmond Shakespeare” theater company has updated a play from 1594 with a contemporary twist.
An unidentified Central State Hospital patient died this weekend; The housing crunch has home values and rents going up. Jahd Khalil from VPM News reports city council is looking in backyards for one solution; The 19-year-old driver who killed one cyclist and injured another last year in Henrico County pleaded guilty earlier this week to three felony charges, according to NBC12.
New incentives for green development may soon be on the way to Richmond; A new low-nicotine cigarette is being produced that could hit Virginia markets by the end of 2023; Eighteen people in Virginia have pleaded guilty to unemployment compensation fraud; and other local news stories.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is urging veterans and survivors to file for benefits under the PACT Act as an August deadline looms.
The long-time owner of the Swannanoa Palace on the Afton Mountain property has died; Acting Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards said yesterday that job applications to the department increased 74 percent during the first six months of 2023, compared to the same period last year; State coffers ended fiscal year 2023 with about $3 billion dollars more than predicted based on early data.
The city of Richmond has chosen acting Chief of Police Rick Edwards as its new chief; A number of organizations and individuals have voiced opinions, following Tuesday’s release of guidelines around trans students in public schools from the Virginia Department of Education; Virginia Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine have announced $44 million dollars for the state’s 10 airports.
The Virginia Department of Education has issued new model policies for transgender students; The Virginia Department of Education has paused a grant program that helped people of color obtain full teaching credentials; The Virginia NAACP expressed concern Tuesday over the Youngkin Administration’s approach to restoring the voting rights of people who have been convicted of a felony.
Attorneys representing the organization behind the Mountain Valley Pipeline are asking the U-S Supreme Court to review two orders to halt the project’s construction; A judge has thrown out most of a lawsuit filed to stop a Black cultural center from melting down a Robert E. Lee statue that once stood in a Charlottesville city park; An independent government agency announced changes late last week in criteria for choosing where a new FBI headquarters will be located.
Norfolk is moving forward on a massive, multi-billion-dollar project to protect the city from major storms.
Scott's Addition sees another new housing development and sees a long time bank depart; Lidl in Short Pump sets to scoot out; And a former bike shop owner changes gears to audio.
The city has provided money for the newly founded Richmond Outdoor and Prosperity Fund; During Virginia’s humid months, some folks might want to grab a refreshing local beer; The Hanover Tomato Festival kicks off today at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville.
Dominion Energy is set to sell its share of a Maryland natural gas plant to Berkshire Hathaway Energy for 3.3 billion dollars; The seven-member Hanover County School Board elected a new leadership Tuesday, following the recent departure of two long-time members; The Henrico Board of Supervisors approved a $12 million contract to build a new fire station Tuesday.
H-C-A Healthcare information was accessed by an unauthorized person or group; Governor Glenn Youngkin announced an ad campaign Tuesday aimed at encouraging Republicans to vote early in this November’s state legislative elections; Virginia announced a new grant program yesterday for small manufacturers looking to get involved in the offshore wind supply chain.
The Hanover County School Board will consider eliminating its Community Equity Advisory Board during a Tuesday meeting; One of the companies hoping to bring a casino to Richmond discussed delays in filing reports with the US Securities and Exchange Commission late last week; Lidl, a discount grocery chain, will close its short pump location due to a lack of revenue.
The Youngkin administration has pulled LGBTQ Plus youth resources from a state website after inquiries from right-wing media; A proposed laboratory school that would connect Virginia Commonwealth University and CodeRVA — a regional high school focused on computer science — will be recommended for approval to the State Board of Education; The Youngkin administration recently said that the sale of recreational marijuana will likely remain illegal during his time in office.
The Stuart Siegel lawsuit; A Richmond Manchester lot slated for mixed-use with a grocery story is now for sale; and Stoney Point gets a new coins and collectibles store.
Denver Riggleman—a one term Republican congressperson from Charlottesville – is working with Hunter Biden’s lawyers; A group of Hanover County residents wants to change how members of its school board are selected; The Supreme Court of Virginia ordered that a man be released from custody on Tuesday.
Hundreds of new laws came into effect at the beginning of the month; Utility rates for Richmond residents also increased on July 1st; Since April, members of Virginia’s General Assembly have had a list of state budget recommendations from Governor Glenn Youngkin.
Tiffany Gallop is a Pediatric Nurse in the Hampton Roads area. In 2013, she began working with children who have various disabilities.
A new development that will drastically change the Manchester skyline is a go; As it continues to pay for its costly exit from an ill-fated downtown development project, VCU Health has been given a go-ahead by the city to begin demolishing and clearing the project site, at an estimated cost of $5 million; Carytown Burgers & Fries, a mainstay in the Richmond restaurant scene since 1999, is up for grabs; and other local business stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin announced new Board of Visitors appointments for 14 Virginia colleges and universities Wednesday; Lawyers representing the family of Irvo Otieno have asked the U.S. Department of Justice to open a criminal investigation into the 29-year-old's death; The United States Supreme Court ruled against race-conscious admission policies at two universities Thursday.
The Richmond Jazz and Music Festival will return to Maymont Park for the first time since 2019; Dominion Energy held an open house at Bellwood Elementary School to discuss its proposed natural gas plant in Chesterfield earlier this week; The first Black woman to be city council president announced her candidacy for Richmond mayor Tuesday.
City Council earlier this week approved an agreement that will allow VCU Health to demolish the Public Safety Building in downtown Richmond; Six Richmond organizations are receiving grants to fight inequities in health; The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority addressed its losses through embezzlement in a press release earlier this month... but some are suspicious of the authority’s claims.
Late last week, the Army Corps of Engineers approved permits that could enable the $6.6 billion dollar Mountain Valley Pipeline to be completed; The Chesapeake Bay Program says there could be record-low amounts of deadly algae in the Bay this year; Virginia is the latest state to require people who want to view online pornography to verify their age under a new law that goes into effect Saturday.
A unionization effort by Richmond city employees took a big step Thursday; Moderators of a Richmond-focused Reddit community say they’re not concerned about upcoming changes to the site; The Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority has been working to put in place a security force to address QUOTE “heightened crime” in some public housing neighborhoods.
Former governor Doug Wilder said he isn’t satisfied with the results that came back last week of a VCU-driven review into VCU Health’s ill-fated and costly downtown development deal; Buc-ee’s has purchased nearly 28 acres in New Kent County, where it’s planning its first store in state; and after nearly 60 years on Sesame Street, VPM will soon be on its way to downtown Richmond.
Late last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against challenges to the Indian Child Welfare Act; The city of Norfolk on Wednesday officially cut the ribbon on the Ohio Creek Watershed Project; The Henrico-based company Capital Square plans to redevelop two lots in Scott’s Addition.
In the south, abortion access is a shifting landscape; A recent college poll shows Virginians are happier with the commonwealth’s democracy than the nation’s overall; A Dominion Energy pilot program encouraging customers to shift electricity usage to off-peak hours could be expanded.
Two of Virginia’s most polarizing state Senators were defeated in closely watched primary races, according to the Associated Press; Doc Antle — known for appearing in the Netflix series “Tiger King” — was found guilty last week of four felonies after attempting to purchase endangered lion clubs in Frederick County; Prosecutors in Dinwiddie County have withdrawn charges against two of the 10 people involved in the March death of psychiatric hospital patient Irvo Otieno; and other local news stories.
State Senator Joe Morrissey is locked in one of the toughest fights of his political career; Top state Democrats and activist groups have lined up behind his primary opponent, former delegate Lashrecse Aird; As the weather warms, the chance of encountering snakes increases.
A tornado swept through the Great Dismal Swamp three years ago, leaving a trail of destruction; There will be closures and shortened hours today for the observance of Juneteenth.
Two entertainment venues on the table for Richmond were given the City Council’s endorsement at its meeting Monday night; Stony Point Fashion Park is eyeing booze as a means to bring more energy to the mall; “Insufficient due diligence,” turnover in management and “inadequate in-house real estate expertise” were contributing factors to VCU Health’s costly exit from an ill-fated downtown development, according to a third-party review presented Wednesday; and other local business stories.
For the second time in a month, Richmond City Council has delayed voting on an exotic animal ban within the city; New financial disclosures released earlier this week show that Virginia Democrats are outraising Republicans ahead of the June 20th primary; On Tuesday, the Greater Richmond region became the first in Virginia to establish a Tourism Improvement District.
Five new Bon Secours urgent care centers are coming to the Richmond area; Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner announced Tuesday that Dinwiddie County’s airport will receive $270 thousand in funding, according to The Progress-Index; Five Virginia dental clinics have each received a $200,000 dollar award to improve dentist accessibility.
Richmond city council will present voters with a referendum for a casino in southside Richmond this November. A similar vote failed two years ago; A proposed change to Richmond’s rules around the ownership of exotic and wild animals was again pushed to a future city council meeting; The Virginia Beach School Board approved a resolution early this morning [Tuesday] in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
The Virginia Court of Appeals last week struck down a lower court’s decision to throw a woman in jail after she admitted to smoking marijuana; The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation has created a paid program to train new childcare workers beginning this month; Hey Jane, a telemedicine abortion care provider, is open for business in Virginia; and other local news stories.
Sometimes, journalists are unable to separate themselves from a story — especially when it’s a crucial part of their history.
One of the largest apartment projects proposed in Richmond in recent memory took a step toward city approval on Monday; After it was cut from consideration for the Diamond District last year, an out-of-town developer is back again in Richmond with plans for a large project in nearby Scott’s Addition; A full city block in downtown Richmond may be developed after all, as Dominion Energy has changed course yet again for the vacant lot it owns next to its headquarters; and after multiple attempts over more than a year to get a residential development through the Hanover rezoning process, a local firm has taken to the courtroom in its latest bid to move the project forward.
Two prison employees were indicted earlier in the week for allegedly neglecting medical care for a person incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Petersburg; Riders who want to take the Pulse bus to Short Pump are one step closer to departure time; Air quality along the East Coast has worsened due to smoke from Canadian wildfires.
Virginia will leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative by the end of 2023; Late last week, the Air Force began allowing troops to switch assignments, if they meet certain conditions; Employees at seven Virginia ABC stores exploited a cash register vulnerability to steal thousands of dollars.
Two people died and several were injured after a shooting outside of Altria Theater yesterday; A citizen board will vote on Virginia’s membership in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative today at Reynolds Community College; Binford Middle, Ginter Park Elementary, George Wythe High and John B. Cary Elementary could be renamed because of their ties to the Confederacy; and other local news stories.
A clearer picture has emerged of the four development teams that are vying for Richmond’s City Center project; The region’s largest local bank is joining over a dozen former clients and contractors in seeking to claw back money from defunct home renovator Fabling Built; and after nearly 60 years in business, Varina’s only waterpark is up for grabs.
The Virginia Tourism Corporation spent up to $11.8 million dollars on contracts that didn’t include a public bidding process, according to public records obtained by VPM News; The first death in Virginia connected to m-pox — which was previously known as monkeypox — has been reported; Representative Abigail Spanberger is vying for a new position within the national Democratic party that will focus on winning battleground districts; and other local news stories.
A recently launched oral history project called “Chesterfield Remembers” is gathering stories from residents that include a journey from Columbia to the county and about being a Black race car driver at Southside Speedway; About nine months after a fire gutted Fox Elementary, all of Richmond Public Schools’ prior fire violations have been cleared; Congress is on the cusp of approving legislation that would protect same-sex and interracial marriage at the federal level; and other local news stories.
The Virginia Chapter of the NAACP released documents on Attorney General Jason Miyares' election integrity unit that it received through a Freedom of Information Act request; A final decision from the Virginia Department of Education on draft model policies for transgender students is still pending more than a month after the open comment period closed; Virginia flags are flying at half-staff after 61-year-old Congressman Donald McEachin passed away Monday; and other local news stories.
The holiday season is in full gear, and inflation means Christmas trees will cost more this season; Law enforcement units across the country designed to investigate voter fraud so far have not turned up major problems with this year’s midterms; Replacing Central State Hospital in Dinwiddie County could cost up to $400 million and run a year behind schedule; and other local news stories.
The toll that gun violence takes on local communities goes beyond the recent shootings in Charlottesville and Chesapeake. Randi B. Hagi with Partner station WMRA looks at some of the root causes of gun violence and potential solutions.
COVID-19 and the flu aren’t the only respiratory viruses Virginians should be mindful of this holiday season; New research from Old Dominion University shows Hampton Roads is nearly evenly split on the political spectrum; University of Virginia alumni have created a fund to honor the victims of last week’s fatal shooting on campus grounds; and other local news stories.
Both University of Virginia students who were injured in last week’s fatal shooting have been discharged from the hospital; The Virginia General Assembly will now have to fill two seats on the state corporation commission; Unemployment in Virginia went up slightly in October from September; and other local news stories.
A recent analysis found a long list of reasons why The Eastern Shore is facing a housing crunch, including poor infrastructure and demographic changes. But one small community in Exmore has become a unique model for affordable housing. Katherine Hafner with partner station WHRO News takes us to the historic New Road neighborhood.
Richmond opened two seasonal shelters for people experiencing homelessness this week, but details on permanent shelters remain unclear; Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares will look into the events surrounding Sunday’s shooting at the University of Virginia; Pharrell Williams' Something in the Water festival is set to return to his hometown, Virginia Beach, in 2023; and other local news stories.
University of Virginia Police say Christopher Darnell Jones Junior was required to disclose to the school his prior criminal convictions, but he never did; A single juvenile is a suspect in all of the January bomb threats made to historically black colleges and universities; Virginia’s Attorney General Jason Miyares says the state could receive $60 million of a three-billion-dollar national settlement with Walmart over the retailer’s alleged connection to the opioid addiction crisis; and other local news stories.
UVA canceled class again Tuesday to give students time to process Sunday’s shooting and lockdown; Aaron Rouse, a Virginia Beach City councilperson, announced Monday that he will run in a special election for the state’s 7th Senate District seat; NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton played a significant role in the development of the Artemis 1 rocket; and other local news stories.
The University of Virginia looked into former football player Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. several times prior to his arrest in Henrico County on Monday; After the 2007 Virginia Tech mass shooting, schools created safety measures to keep campuses safe from gun violence. But according to Tom Kapsidelis, author of “After Virginia Tech: Guns, Safety, and Healing in the Era of Mass Shootings,” more needs to be done; The Virginia Department of Education issued an updated draft of the state’s history standards on Friday; and other local news stories.
It’s been 10 months since former Governor Ralph Northam handed over the keys to the Executive Mansion to Glenn Youngkin. A new book by former Virginian-Pilot reporter Margaret Edds takes a deeper look at Northam’s tenure. Edds’ book focuses on how the discovery of a racist photo on Northam’s medical school yearbook page nearly cost him his job — but, instead, led to an unusual rebound. VPM News reporter Ben Paviour spoke to Edds about the book.
Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears said Thursday she won’t support former President Donald Trump if he makes a third run for president; School boards in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake will look different after this week’s election; A Republican delegate from Virginia Beach has proposed a constitutional amendment that would introduce term limits for members of the General Assembly; and other local news stories.
Virginia’s two state-funded grant programs are supposed to benefit the neediest college students, but that’s not always the case; Students from Virginia’s historically Black colleges and universities will tutor and mentor children in K to 12 schools; Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney is set to propose a onetime real estate tax rebate on Monday; and other local news stories.
Democrats were re-elected in two out of three close Virginia Congressional races Tuesday; Some voters in the City of Richmond and Chesterfield County faced issues while trying to cast their ballot; It will probably be next week before we know how many Virginians registered the same day they voted; and other local news stories.
Three close Congressional elections in Virginia could give a hint of whether election night will bring a red wave; Nonpartisan state auditors say the COVID-19 pandemic had an unprecedented impact on K through 12 students; A second G-R-T-C rapid bus transit route, similar to the Pulse, is in the works; and other local news stories.
In the past two elections, Virginia poll workers had to wear masks and keep their distance from voters because of the pandemic. This year, officials are turning their attention to poll worker safety for another concern – potential interference from people who don't trust the election process.
Governor Glenn Youngkin’s tip line for parents is no more; The Cordish Companies is considering a Wagner Road location for a potential casino in Petersburg; The Chesapeake Bay Foundation recently released a report on the economic benefits of fighting agricultural pollution in the Bay; and other local news stories.
The number of eviction hearings in Virginia is up since the middle of the year, and advocates fear it could get worse; A Richmond city council member has withdrawn a proposal to rename the Robert E. Lee Memorial Bridge; A section of a popular hiking and biking trail now belongs to the Capital Region Land Conservancy; and other local news stories.
State Senator Amanda Chase says she’ll introduce a bill designed to ban all abortions in Virginia; Latino voters drifted away Democrats in 2020. The abortion issue could bring them back; Some call center employees staged strikes across the country on Tuesday; and other local news stories.
The Virginia Department of Elections says they’ve found nearly 150,000 unprocessed voter registration records that were caught in limbo due to an IT glitch; The Supreme Court of Virginia will consider today whether an unannounced gathering of Prince William County supervisors was illegal; The process for college admissions might be different in the wake of the pandemic; and other local news stories.
Research shows young Americans on both sides of the aisle are more likely than older Americans to think the government isn’t doing enough to protect the climate. Patrick Larsen spoke with two young clean energy advocates about what they want to hear from candidates this election.
Community groups that cared for many of Richmond’s well-known parks say they can’t operate in the wake of the dissolution of the Enrichmond Foundation in July; Bon Secours began work this week on an $80 million expansion to its Harbor View facility in North Suffolk; Representative Bob Good and Democratic challenger Josh Throneburg met Wednesday for a candidate forum ahead of the November Election; and other local news stories.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney won’t say whether he asked for Chief Gerald Smith’s resignation; The former Colonial Heights Police Chief can no longer serve as a police officer after being decertified earlier this month; The Inspector General of Virginia is looking into whether the Virginia Tourism Corporation broke state procurement rules; and other local news stories.
Today is the final day to submit online comments related to Governor Glenn Youngkin’s proposed model policies regarding transgender students; New test data released this week from the National Center for Education Statistics illustrates the scope of pandemic-related learning loss for Virginia students; Chesterfield County voters can now cast their early ballots in person at multiple places; and other local news stories.
Starting Monday, 40 locally owned restaurants are participating in Richmond Restaurant Week; Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC has suspended eminent domain proceedings for about 70 tracts of private land in North Carolina; The ACLU of Virginia has filed a lawsuit against the Hanover County school board over its policies for transgender students; and other local news stories.
Henrico County is asking voters to authorize $511 million in bonds to pay for investments like a replacement for the middle school. In Chesterfield County, a $540-million bond authorization is on the ballot.
Mayor Levar Stoney supports keeping the city’s real property tax rate unchanged, instead favoring a three-percent rebate; A nonprofit and the Wells Fargo Foundation are partnering to expand home ownership in Black and brown communities around Richmond; Petersburg City Council approved The Cordish Companies as its preferred developer for a proposed casino in the city; and other local news stories.
Virginia’s superintendent of public instruction wants another delay in approving new history standards for the K-12 curriculum; College enrollment is down nationally, but Virginia State University is seeing its highest enrollment numbers in three decades; Charlottesville is putting new personnel policies in place after a city employee attended the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol building; and other local news stories.
Historically, the stereotype of younger voters is that they’re apathetic, disinterested or disengaged with voting and don’t show up at the polls, but a University of Virginia professor says that’s not the case; A nonpartisan commission is recommending a single state agency oversee gambling in Virginia; The organizers of a planned forum on Friday between Representative Abigail Spanberger and Republican Yesli Vega say the event won’t happen; and other local news stories.
The City of Richmond planning commission gave first approval for the city to buy an abandoned right of way from freighting giant CSX on Monday; Governor Glenn Youngkin was in Southwest Virginia last week to further sketch out his vision for the state’s energy plan; Richmond police say they’re investigating eight shooting incidents over the weekend in which two people were killed and 10 were injured; and other local news stories.
Members of Governor Glenn Youngkin’s administration pressed officials to cancel a no-bid state contract awarded to the ad firm he used during his campaign; and a group of teenagers in Norfolk have transformed a vacant lot into a “green oasis."
Jackson Ward residents are seeking reparations after Interstate 95 split the neighborhood in the 1950s; The Richmond Folk Festival entertained a record number of attendees last weekend; Many colleges across the country started a new type of grading system early in the pandemic, and some are keeping that system around for this school year; and other local news stories.
Abortion continues to be a major concern across Virginia; Gas prices are rising in Virginia following OPEC’s announcement that it is cutting oil production by 2 million barrels per day; Congressman Donald McEachin is asking Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney and city council president Cynthia Newbille to initiate a flood wall climate resiliency study; and other local news stories.
There’s been a rise in reports of antisemitism in Virginia, according to data from the Anti-Defamation League; A new report from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services says Black and Latino drivers are more likely to be stopped by police than their white counterparts; The pandemic has intensified a shortage of school bus drivers across the state, but in Richmond Public Schools, all driver vacancies have been filled; and other local news stories.
A February trial date has been set in a lawsuit over plans to melt down the statue of Robert E. Lee that was taken down in Charlottesville last year; It’s been nearly a century since a statue of Christopher Columbus was unveiled in Richmond’s Byrd Park, and a little over two years since protesters tore it down; Researchers at the University of Virginia are getting more than three and a half million dollars to help treat Crohn’s disease; and other local news stories.
Election Day in Virginia is less than a month away; The candidates running to represent Virginia's sixth district in the U.S. House of Representatives recently met on the debate stage; Richmond City Council may take up a final vote on legislation to create a civilian review board tonight; and other local news stories.
Local registrars in Virginia are getting a late start updating voter rolls, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch; The Virginia Department of Education is refusing to release more than 300 pages of documents related to recently proposed policies for transgender students; Several roads will be closed near Brown’s Island in Richmond starting Friday afternoon because of the Richmond Folk Festival; and other local news stories.
FEMA has approved a Major Disaster Declaration for Buchanan and Tazewell Counties, where extreme rainfall caused floods and landslides in July; Virginia Democrats are calling for an investigation into a state contract awarded to an ad agency connected to Governor Glenn Youngkin; For the second month in a row, Amtrak ridership in Virginia hit record highs; and other local news stories.
Richmond school leaders will soon be convening workgroups to review curriculum materials; A new state report shows the number of people working remotely for the commonwealth of Virginia has nearly tripled from pre-pandemic levels; Organizations in Virginia are providing support in the wake of Hurricanes Ian and Fiona; and other local news stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin outlined the 2022 Virginia Energy Plan yesterday during a press conference in Lynchburg; Yesterday, parts of Hampton roads were preparing for significant tidal flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian; The Menokin Glass House Project in Warsaw is getting $1 million from the state; and other local news stories.
The Navy met its retention goal last year. But whether the military is keeping people with the skills it needs is a bigger question. Anthony Cordesman is a national security analyst with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He spoke with Paul Bibeau with our partner station WHRO about the challenges.
Over the past four months, VPM News reporters have explored ways Virginians are trying to curb the devastating effects of gun violence in our communities and how survivors and their families are learning to heal. This edition of the VPM Daily Newscast includes all of the stories from our special series “Another Way: How one Virginia city reckons with gun violence,” hosted by Sara McCloskey. To read more about this coverage head to VPM.org/gun-violence.
In Virginia, there were more eviction hearings scheduled in September compared to any month since October 2017; GRTC has approved a new plan that would improve over half of its bus stop locations; On Thursday, a Richmond court heard arguments in a case regarding the city’s last standing confederate monument; and other local news stories.
Two years since the city started removing its own confederate monuments, one still stands in a Richmond neighborhood; Central and Southeast Virginia should expect several days of wind and rain starting Friday as Hurricane Ian moves north; The Virginia DMV has issued roughly 5,600 IDs with a nonbinary gender designation; and other local news stories.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney called on federal officials to investigate a hospital on the city’s east side, which was the focus of a recent New York Times report; Virginians are sounding off on Governor Glenn Youngkin’s proposed rollback of protections for transgender students. The proposal prompted several school protests yesterday; State officials are looking into why maternal mortality rates have more than doubled in Virginia; and other local news stories.
Students are planning to walk out of close to 100 Virginia schools today to protest the Youngkin administration’s draft policies on the treatment of transgender students in school; The Navy is ramping up staffing to deal with a backlog of discharge papers; Bon Secours and Richmond Community Hospital are allegedly using a program to buy discounted medication available to nonprofit hospitals and being reimbursed at a much higher rate by insurance companies; and other local news stories.
This week, VPM News is exploring ways Virginians are trying to curb the devastating effects of gun violence in our communities and how they’re learning to heal. Our special series, “Another Way,” starts with the story of a 17-year-old student from Richmond’s George Wythe High School. Samiyah Yellardy was shot and killed in her own home in April. VPM News reporter Megan Pauly spoke with her mother, who reflects on her daughter’s life, loss and hopes for the future.
Richmond city council is ready to select RVA Diamond Partners LLC for a $2.4 billion redevelopment project near Scott's Addition; Virginia Union University may get to keep its bell tower logos, but at a cost; Virginia’s Executive Mansion will get an extra layer of security; and other local news stories.
Virginia Beach helped a nonprofit access state financing for a proposed community for people with developmental disabilities; The new General Assembly building will not be finished this fall as originally planned; Construction has started on a new GRTC bus transfer station in Richmond’s downtown; and other local news stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin’s administration has rolled out a new draft policy regarding the treatment of transgender students; Gov. Youngkin is set to campaign next month for Kari Lake, who has leaned into election conspiracy theories as a candidate in the Arizona governor's race; This Friday is the first day of in-person early voting in Virginia for the November 8th election; and other local news stories.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced new policies last week regarding transgender students in public schools; Community members marched to the John Marshall Court building on Sunday to call for the gun violence to stop; Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith is continuing a series of community conversations he says are intended to rebuild community trust; and other local news stories.
Volunteers with Mennonite Disaster Service are deployed all over the country to help communities rebuild after floods, fires, and storms. Randi B. Hagi, from partner station WMRA, spoke with volunteers from the Shenandoah Valley about the support they provide to other communities when disaster strikes.
A new report from Old Dominion University puts a dollar figure on how much coastal Virginia could lose from flooding and sea level rise; The newest form of protection against COVID-19 became available this week at the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts; Hanover County’s Board of Supervisors is considering whether to remove the county’s school board chair; and other local news stories.
Richmond City officials picked a developer this week to oversee revitalization of the area dubbed The Diamond District; Governor Glenn Youngkin left Virginia a dozen times for personal or political travel between March and August; U.S. Representative Elaine Luria will have additional security while she is home in Norfolk; and other local news stories.
Virginians will soon find out if they can get a tax rebate from the state; Governor Glenn Youngkin was a featured guest at a national anti-abortion group’s annual fundraiser last night; Richmond city officials are pushing to choose RVA Diamond Partners LLC to develop a large piece of land surrounding the Diamond baseball stadium; and other local news stories.
Lunenburg County closed all four of its schools yesterday after the Sheriff’s office located a school shooting threat on social media Sunday afternoon; Citizens gathered on Sunday at the Virginia War Memorial in remembrance of civilians and first responders killed in the September 11th terror attacks; Veterans will see some relief on their taxes under new legislation signed by Governor Glenn Youngkin; and other local news stories.
It’s been 100 years since Virginia lawmakers created the Virginia State Board of Censors. The all-white board required edits to over 2,000 movies from the 1920s through ‘60s, and were especially concerned about depictions of race. Melissa Ooten with the University of Richmond wrote a book about the board. She sat down with VPM News reporter Ben Paviour to discuss her research.
Queen Elizabeth the Second, who died yesterday at the age of 96, visited the commonwealth several times during her reign; It's been a year since crews removed the Robert E Lee monument in Richmond. Now plans are in the works to reopen the site; A Petersburg assisted living facility is facing the loss of its license; and other local news stories.
History was made one year ago today in the former capital of the Confederacy with the removal of the Robert E. Lee monument; Virginia Democrats say Glenn Youngkin was wrong to attend a fundraiser for Maine Republican Paul LePage last night; Pro-abortion rights advocates gathered at the Virginia Capitol yesterday to rally against any changes to the commonwealth’s abortion laws; and other local news stories.
Virginia lawmakers are returning to Richmond today for a short session; Dominion Energy threatened to pull the plug on its offshore wind project if state regulators don't shift risk to ratepayers for unexpected fuel costs; Attorney General Jason Miyares announced yesterday that Virginia is set to receive more than $16 million dollars as part of a multi-state agreement with e-cigarette maker JUUL; and other local news stories.
Tonight, Richmond City council members are going to be briefed on an ongoing controversy regarding police transparency; Carytown locals say now is the time to close the area to cars; Virginia ranked 13th among states where COVID-19 is spreading the fastest on a per-person basis; and other local news stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin’s office has rejected VPM News’ public record request to see his calendar; The Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority has a new CEO; Mayor Stoney withdrew legislation to create a civilian review board, but plans to introduce a new version this month; and other local news stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin’s office has rejected VPM News’ public record request to see his calendar; The Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority has a new CEO; Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney withdrew legistlation that would have created a civilian review board for police, but is set to introduce a new proposal; and other local news stories.
The Youngkin administration told the state Air Pollution Control Board yesterday that the process to leave a regional carbon emissions market will begin in the coming weeks; The Environmental Protection Agency recently updated the status of two sites in the region with contamination; Federal officials announced this week they’re giving $310,000 to a marsh restoration project on Virginia’s Eastern Shore; and other local news stories.
City officials in Charlottesville are asking a court to dismiss the wrongful termination lawsuit filed against them by former police chief RaShall Brackney; A Virginia Beach judge threw out a lawsuit that would have prevented book sellers and libraries from selling or lending minors two books without parental consent; Food pantries in the region are serving more people because of rising costs for food and gas caused by inflation; and other local news stories.
The death of a cyclist earlier this month is renewing attention across central Virginia to road design and safety; A Virginia Beach judge will decide today whether kids would have to get a parent’s permission to buy or rent two books some call ‘obscene'; Petersburg’s first Black woman mayor has died; and other local news stories.
More than half of all college graduates in Virginia will be affected by the White House's announcement to forgive between 10 to 20-thousand dollars-worth of federal student loans. Mechelle Hankerson, from partner station WHRO, spoke with Scott Kemp, the Student Loan Advocate from the State Council of Higher Education, about the plan.
Parents attending a backpack giveaway hosted by Attorney General Jason Miyares yesterday say school safety remains a top concern in the aftermath of school shootings; After filing a public information request, VPM News has obtained more details from the City of Richmond about the gun buyback event last weekend; The Virginia Department of Health is expanding eligibility for the monkeypox vaccine; and other local news stories.
In May, Governor Glenn Youngkin quietly offered a controversial conservative a post in his administration, and is downplaying talk that he’s interested in running for president in 2024; City officials say Richmond’s latest gun buyback event was a success; The number of naloxone kits, also known by the brand name Narcan, are being rationed by the Virginia Department of Health due to a funding shortage; and other local news stories.
NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton has played a big role in the development of the Artemis 1 rocket, which is the first step in sending Americans back to the moon; The city of Petersburg began demolishing the Ramada Inn along Interstate-95 this week; Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC has requested federal approval for a pipe stabilization plan in the Jefferson National Forest; and other local news stories.
A new freshman class at the Maggie Walker Governor’s School is the first class admitted under a new admission policy; When middle and high school students return to class in Chesterfield County this week, they’ll find a book on library shelves that was almost removed by the school district; A sixth former member of the Delta Chi fraternity at Virginia Commonwealth University pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges connected to the death of student Adam Oakes; and other local news stories.
Democrats' newly enacted Inflation Reduction Act includes about $80 billion dollars for the Internal Revenue service. Some Republicans are criticizing the new money as a tool for the Biden administration to target small businesses and the middle class. PolitiFact Virginia Editor Warren Fiske spoke with VPM News Legal Reporter Whittney Evans about how one Virginia Congressman is adopting that theory.
While Virginia students made gains in most topics this year, standardized test results remain below pre-pandemic levels; NASA will soon launch the Artemis 1 rocket into space; The State Board of Education delayed taking up new history and social science standards for K through 12 students this week; and other local news stories.
The city of Richmond has backed out of a proposed casino referendum, at least until next year; Higher education institutions can soon begin applying for $5 million in state funding to prepare applications for laboratory schools; Family members say the cyclist who sustained life-threatening injuries in a crash that killed her friend is recovering; Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith spoke at length about the alleged mass shooting plot at the Dogwood Dell July Fourth celebration; and other local news stories.
One of Governor Glenn Youngkin’s top education officials wants to push back a first review of new history and social science standards for K through 12 students; The ACLU of Virginia is suing to force the state to release a man from prison; A new report says the city of Hopewell, the Richmond-area and much of eastern Virginia will be dealing with even more scorching temperatures in the coming decades; and other local news stories.
Representative Donald McEachin says he’s declined invitations to debate his Republican opponent; Activists opposing the Mountain Valley Pipeline gathered less than a mile from its path over the weekend; Dulles International is set to join dozens of other airports across the country developing solar and battery capacity that could power 37,000 homes in Northern Virginia; and other local news stories.
Photojournalist Amos has a new exhibit "The story of us” features Charlottesville residents who were at the Unite the Right Rally and includes QR codes that link to short recordings of those featured in the pictures.
Five years after Unite the Right, Charlottesville grapples with its identity; Virginia Department of Education reviews standards for teaching history; VCU loses half a million dollars in email scam; and other local stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin signals a desire to change a recently adopted statewide transgender model policy; VPM News Director speaks with Pulitzer prize winning photographer about Unite the Rite anniversary; Hanover School Board considering new bathroom access policy; and other local stories.
The Hanover County school board began discussing a new draft policy around transgender facility uses; Social justice protesters have been paid more than $1 million by the City of Richmond; Sixty-six patients died in state-operated behavioral health facilities during fiscal year 2021; and other local stories.
Richmond Police Chief shut down questions about an alleged July 4th mass shooting plot; Richmond names a new street sweeper after late Hip Hop artist; Virginia Beach high schooler wins who runs a tree-planting nonprofit wins national award; and other local stories.
The first of three phases in a project to replace Creighton Court in Richmond concluded last month; VDOE is near finalizing model policy on explicit material; North Carolina Gov visits VA's wind turbines; and other local stories.
Prosecutors present no evidence of planned Dogwood Dell shooting, toss gun charges; Hanover schools removes controversial T-shirt; Update on traffic stop in the town of Windsor that made national headlines; and other local stories.
Richmond judge decides today on trail around July 4th mass shooting plot; A Charlottesville city employee who attended the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol will remain on the payroll; Windsor police officer won't face criminal charges over controversial stop; and other local stories.
Richmond Public Schools has many unfilled vacancies as the new school starts soon; A House of Delegates redistricting lawsuit has been tossed; Youth Crimes are on the rise in Hampton Roads; and other local stories
After years of discussion with industry leaders, Old Dominion University has started a brand-new school to train people for the maritime industry. Elspeth McMahon, a long-time maritime educator and U.S. Navy Reserve officer, recently took the job to lead the new school. Ryan Murphy from partner station WHRO sat down with her to talk about the school's priorities
Richmond is researching what it would take to provide free preschool to all 3 and 4 year olds in the city; More than a dozen public figures and LGBTQ advocacy groups want the Virginia Supreme Court to uphold a decision that says requiring teachers to use a student’s preferred pronoun is not in violation of their rights; A new poll released on Thursday from VCU’s Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs shows that about 50% of Virginians are satisfied with current abortion laws and that they shouldn’t be changed; and other local news stories.
FEMA will help state officials determine the extent of flood damage in Buchanan County; This week, Virginia’s Attorney General joined a coalition of 21 other Republican attorneys general in a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture; A federal appeals court has sided with Virginia Beach in a case about how the city conducts local elections; and other local news stories.
Attorney General Jason Miyares says Virginia law enforcement agencies recognize the bungled response to the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas and they’re taking notes; Former Virginia Tech Football player Isi Etute will be enrolling at Iowa Western Community College for the 2022 football season; A new discount airline is coming to the Newport News-Williamsburg Airport; and other local news stories.
The Richmond Police Department says they’ve compiled a list of about a hundred potential perpetrators of gun violence in the city; Deaths among teen drivers increased by more than 55 percent in Virginia last year; The public can now get a behind the scenes look at Richmond Police communications before officers teargassed protesters at the former Robert E. Lee monument during protests in 2020; and other local news stories.
Last Month, Richmond’s Branch Museum unveiled its Re(Framing) protest exhibit, which takes a look at the positive community outcomes that resulted from the racial justice protests in the summer of 2020 through the photography of Regina Boone and Sandra Sellars. VPM News intern Davis spoke with both of them recently.
The Richmond and Henrico Health Districts are doing additional outreach to provide Monkeypox vaccinations to people who are more likely to be exposed to the illness based on certain risk factors; Unity Day in Charlottesville is cancelled for the third year in a row; Hanover County is in the process of replacing John M. Gandy Elementary School in Ashland. The new building will include non-gendered, single-occupant bathrooms; and other local news stories.
Adult Protective Services is investigating a Petersburg assisted living facility after residents reported never receiving federal stimulus money; Yesterday, the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts started vaccinating people at high risk of contracting monkeypox; According to the Virginia Department of Health, more than 96 percent of abortions in the state have taken place during the first trimester since 2016; and other local news stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin has now appointed majorities on the state boards regulating education and air pollution; State regulators signed off on Appalachian Power’s latest renewable energy plan, as well as a rate increase to help cover some of the costs; As summer temperatures are expected to settle in the high 90s through the rest of the week, local health officials want to remind residents of the dangers of heat-related illnesses; and other local news stories.
Flooding in Buchanan County last week destroyed 33 properties and caused major damage to 32 others; 36 people in Central Virginia have been arrested on charges-related to sex trafficking; Norfolk’s City Council will vote on a resolution today that aims to refocus Hampton Roads Ventures’ money back to Hampton Roads; and other local news stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin caused a stir with some comments he recently made on NBC’s “Meet the Press” about same-sex marriage laws in Virginia. Politifact Virginia Editor Warren Fiske spoke with VPM News Legal Reporter Whittney Evans about the comments.
A new report shows exactly where people in Virginia prisons and jails come from; Attorney General Jason Miyares called the people who vandalized a pregnancy center in Lynchburg quote “cowards” who carried out an act of “political violence"; Last month was Norfolk International Airport’s busiest month in its 80 year history; and other local news stories.
Virginia was bumped from its coveted ranking as CNBC’s “Top State for Business” - a spot it's held since 2019; Home sales in Virginia are slowing, but experts told lawmakers yesterday they don’t expect things to get much cheaper; 4,000 beagles in Virginia are looking for new forever homes; and other local news stories.
A grand jury investigation into the Loudoun County School District’s handling of two sexual assaults is moving forward; Bomb threats prompted evacuations and police investigations at multiple college campuses around Hampton Roads yesterday; Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, which is the final resting place for thousands of Confederate soldiers and leaders, has banned the display of Confederate flags; and other local news stories.
More than two hundred families are facing eviction from an apartment complex in Henrico County next month; Another presumed case of monkeypox has been identified in Virginia, making the total number of cases in the state 27 as of yesterday; The second of two suspects police say were allegedly planning a mass shooting on July 4th in Richmond is being held in custody without bond; and other local news stories.
COVID-19 has been impacting people across the world for three summers. So, at what point will we call it an endemic — instead of a pandemic? VPM News Morning Edition Host Phil Liles spoke with Chtaura Jackson, an epidemiologist with the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts about where we are now with COVID-19.
State officials said last week they plan on cracking down on the sale of hemp products that can get you high, like Delta-8 gummies; Governor Glenn Youngkin’s PAC broke a fundraising record, bringing in more than $1.5 million dollars between April 1st and June 30th; The Enrichmond Foundation, a nonprofit that's been overseeing the restoration of two historic Black cemeteries, is officially no more; and other local news stories.
Yesterday Richmond Police shared details of an alleged plot to carry out a mass shooting on July 4th; The Virginia DMV is launching a new way to save money for drivers who use less gas; Portsmouth Senator Louise Lucas was barraged with racist and homophobic tweets, after voicing support for abortion rights; and other local news stories.
An organization that owns two historic Black cemeteries in Richmond has apparently ceased to exist; Richmond Police announced there was no need to tear gas hundreds of people at the former Robert E. Lee Monument during protests in 2020; Governor Glenn Youngkin has announced four appointees to Virginia Military Institute’s Board of Visitors; and other local news stories.
The cause of a February fire that partially destroyed Richmond’s William Fox Elementary School has been deemed “undetermined,” according to a 31-page partially-redacted report; Virginia legislators have pushed back a statewide commitment to ban polystyrene foam to-go containers by five years; Governor Glenn Youngkin’s administration is warning federal officials about the negative impacts of an offshore wind energy project; and other local news stories.
If you drive by the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, you’ll see 12,000 small American flags lining the property. The display is called the “Hill of Heroes,” and it honors the lives of members of the U.S. Armed Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice for this country. The installation will be available for public viewings until July 8. VPM News Morning Edition Host Phil Liles spoke with Dr. Clay Mountcastle, the director of the Virginia War Memorial, about how the project got started.
It’s been one week since the U.S. Supreme Court removed the constitutional protection for abortion, and Christian faith leaders are divided on the issue; After a contentious General Assembly session this year, a range of hard-fought new laws take effect in Virginia today; Yesterday, the Virginia Department of Health launched a new dashboard to track firearm injuries reported by hospital emergency departments statewide; and other local news stories.
As the holiday weekend approaches, inflation continues to drive prices; Norfolk’s Ohio Creek Watershed Project is nearing completion; Plans are in motion for the Shenandoah Rail Trail, but advocates and lawmakers say it will still be some time before the trail is open to the public; and other local news stories.
A number of bills introduced this year attempted to roll back protections for LGBTQ Virginians, but those measures won’t become law this week; A state lawmaker says he will propose a bill during next year’s legislative session that will quote “protect life at conception"; An abortion provider in Bristol, Tennesse is planning to move across the border to its sister city in Virginia; and other local news stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin’s order requiring state employees to return to the office is adding to tensions at the Virginia Department of Health; Abortion is still legal in Virginia despite the Supreme Court’s ruling on Roe v. Wade last Friday; Researchers at UVA Health helped pen new guidelines to minimize the risk of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Syndrome, also known as SIDS; and other local news stories.
In light of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe V. Wade last week, we are revisiting a conversation VPM News reporter Megan Pauly had with Daniel Williams, a professor at the University of West Georgia. They spoke about what the abortion debate has historically looked like in Virginia. Williams is the author of two books: God’s Own Party: The Making of the Christian Right – and Defenders of the Unborn: The Pro-Life Movement before Roe v. Wade.
Virginia health commissioner Dr. Colin Greene was formally reprimanded by the State Board of Health yesterday; Goochland High School hosted a screening of a film promoting the false claim that the 2020 election was stolen on Thursday night; U.S. Senator Tim Kaine says he’s hopeful the next vote he casts will make gun control a priority in America; and other local news stories.
A Regent Law School graduate is suing the U.S. Department of Education to end religious exemptions to Title IX; Two years after being toppled during protests, the statue of Jefferson Davis is now on display in the designer's museum; The Norfolk Botanical Garden is launching a major expansion, with an emphasis on so-called green building; and other local news stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin once again condemned comments made by Virginia health commissioner Colin Greene; Governor Youngkin signed the two-year budget yesterday, which included $100 million towards funding new lab schools; Virginia State University has extended the contract of the school’s president until 2029; and other local news stories.
Republicans in Virginia are heading to the polls today; The Chesterfield Board of Supervisors is accepting applications through Thursday to fill a vacant seat; The state health commissioner is walking back dismissive comments he made about the role of structural racism in public health; and other local news stories.
Structural racism and sexism at Virginia Military Institute were heavily scrutinized in 2020 and 2021, leading to leadership changes at the school. In Sounds Like Hate, a podcast from the Southern Poverty Law Center, Jamila Paksima and Yvonne Latty explore how VMI’s confederate roots are felt by the students and graduates of today.
State Health Commissioner Colin Greene has been the subject of controversy after the Washington Post quoted him downplaying the role of racism in public health; The Virginia Department of Health is adjusting COVID-19 exposure guidelines;Governor Glenn Youngkin has proposed an amendment to the state budget that bars the use of taxpayer dollars for abortion-related services; and other local news stories.
This month marks the 50th anniversary of the federal law that banned sex discrimination in education; Data from the University of Virginia shows that roughly 10% of people charged with assaulting a police officer have a history of mental illness; The Hanover County School Board narrowly voted to keep the book “A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart” on elementary library shelves following a parent complaint; and other local news stories.
Republicans in two closely watched Virginia Congressional districts are making their final pitch to voters ahead of the June 21st primary; This weekend is Juneteenth, the anniversary of when the last enslaved people were freed after the Civil War, but some are upset about Norfolk's plans to mark the holiday; Richmond will offer a gun buyback program later this year; and other local news stories.
State lawmakers want Virginia’s economy to become more innovative, but a state report released yesterday says incentives designed to push the change aren’t working; Researchers with the nonprofit Climate Central found that Virginia could lose up to 42 percent of its tidal wetlands by 2100 due to sea level rise; Big local cities do a lot of work on flood resilience, but it’s even harder for smaller localities in coastal Virginia that have fewer resources; and other local news stories.
2022 is a special time for the Edgar Allen Poe Museum in Richmond as it celebrates its centennial anniversary. This also marks 10 years after the discovery of its infamous black cat sibling duo, Edgar and Pluto.
A top state lawmaker says the Virginia General Assembly won’t vote this month on a plan to give the Washington Commanders tax breaks to build a stadium; A part of the state budget proposal excludes private colleges and universities from funding for lab schools; A proposal to create a fund for victims of mass violence didn’t make it into the budget this year; and other local news stories.
U.S. Senator Tim Kaine wants to bring gun control legislation passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 2020 to a national level; Authorities have been investigating the possible drownings of two women, who went missing during a float trip down the James River on Memorial Day weekend; The state is investigating the City of Petersburg’s fire department after allegations were raised by the local firefighter’s union; and other local news stories.
The Richmond school board has approved an emergency procurement route to award a contract for the design of a new Fox Elementary; The Chesapeake Bay watershed received a C+ on its latest report card; Former Representative Denver Riggleman says he’s no longer a Republican; and other local news stories.
A virtual committee meeting of the Virginia LGBTQ+ Advisory board in May was interrupted by a flood of racist and homophobic messages from anonymous accounts; This month marks 50 years since Title IX was signed into federal law; The Richmond Fire Department has recovered the body of a woman in the James River who they believe went missing on Memorial Day; and other local news stories.
A federal judge issued a restraining order last month against the dog breeding facility Envigo in Cumberland County for repeated violations of the Animal Welfare Act, and the deaths of hundreds of beagle puppies.
COVID-19 cases are rising in Virginia, with Richmond and surrounding counties at a high community spread level; Richmond Parents and guardians of infants can soon apply for emergency funding from the city to help pay for the cost of baby formula; Students at Petersburg City Public Schools will be taught what to do if they encounter an unattended gun; and other local news stories.
Virginia’s two-year budget deal includes a new penalty for marijuana possession; Democrats in Virginia’s House of Delegates have chosen a new leader; Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has formed a new working group to combat organized retail crime; and other local news stories.
Virginia lawmakers reconvene today to approve a state budget; Governor Glenn Youngkin says his team is still combing through the state budget agreement released on Sunday; The Supreme Court of Virginia will hear arguments from Hanover residents against a planned Wegmans distribution center; and other local news stories.
A ceremony to honor members of the armed forces who died while serving in the United States’ military was held yesterday at the Virginia War Memorial near downtown Richmond; Democratic and Republican lawmakers have come to an agreement on the state budget following over two months of delays; Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears addressed an annual meeting of the National Rifle Association on Friday, three days after a shooter killed 21 people at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas; and other local news stories.
City Employees from the Virginia Beach Municipal Center create a memorial to honor gun victims from a shooting three years ago.
First monkeypox case identified in Virginia; Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at the NRA’s annual conference; Free bus rides on G-R-T-C will continue into next year; and other local news stories.
New efforts to tackle gun violence in limbo as Virginia lawmakers negotiate state budget; Parents, teachers concerned about increased police at Richmond schools; Medical examiner, police take stand in first day of Etute trial; and other local news stories.
Law banning 'gay panic' defense tested as former Tech football player goes to trial in slaying; Charlottesville Library considers name change; Equitable transportation guidelines adopted by Richmond City Council; and other local news stories
Lawmakers are heading back to Richmond next week. The clerk of the state Senate told VPM News that they’re set to take up a new two-year budget on June 1st.; Several Democratic lawmakers from the Richmond area want Gov. Youngkin to hold off on implementing his new telework policy until after Labor Day; Employees at a Newport News Starbucks say they’ve become the first unionized location in Hampton Roads; and other local news stories
The issue of abortion wasn’t always as politically polarizing as it is today. VPM News reporter Megan Pauly spoke with University of West Georgia professor Daniel Williams about what the abortion debate has historically looked like in Virginia. Williams is the author of two books: God’s Own Party: The Making of the Christian Right – and Defenders of the Unborn: The Pro-Life Movement before Roe v. Wade.
A new report from Governor Glenn Youngkin’s office is filled with statistics that state education officials say paint a “sobering picture” about public education in Virginia; Attorney General Jason Miyares is asking the Virginia Supreme Court for access to sealed records related to the suspension of a controversial judge and former parole board chair; Local pediatricians are warning parents and guardians not to take drastic measures as a national shortage of baby formula worsens; and other local news stories.
As infections continue to rise in Virginia, local health officials say they’re preparing for a likely surge in COVID-19 cases; Kids and teens will have to be home an hour earlier under new curfew rules in Petersburg; In the last year, 10 sailors on the carrier U.S.S. George Washington have died, at least 5 by suicide; and other local news stories.
The issue of abortion today is politically polarized. But it wasn’t always that way, including in Virginia; State officials say more than 4,500 people housed in Virginia prisons are scheduled to be released early this summer; State regulators are reviewing Dominion Energy’s proposal for its long-touted Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project; and other local news stories.
Next month, taxes on personal property are due in Virginia. That includes used cars, a tax that normally decreases as a vehicle ages. That’s not the case this year; Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney is calling on Governor Glenn Youngkin to declare a state of emergency in the commonwealth to help families struggling to access baby formula; Governor Youngkin is creating a new task force to fight violent crime in Virginia; and other local news stories.
VPM’s Morning Edition Host Phil Liles spoke with entomologist and host of “What’s Buggin’ You?,” Dr. Art Evans, to find out what pollinators are native to Virginia – and what we can do to attract them in our gardens.
Experts say recent events in Virginia show the commonwealth still struggles to address hate crimes against Muslims; Governor Glenn Youngkin’s administration is adding religious concepts to its mandatory diversity training for state employees; Virginians will have a difficult time challenging any new state laws that would restrict abortion, if the U.S. Supreme Court decides to overturn Roe v. Wade; and other local news stories.
Senator Joe Morrissey could be the deciding vote on any new proposals to restrict abortion access in the state; A sailor at Fort Story in Virginia Beach has died after a helicopter experienced a “hard landing” during training exercises last week; The housing market in Hampton Roads is breaking records as prices continue to surge; and other local news stories.
Virginia Capitol Police is increasing patrols around the capitol complex, after a bullet pierced the window of the Attorney General’s office in Richmond Monday night; Electric bills are rising across the country, including here in Virginia; The search begins again for a new head of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles after reports that the incoming commissioner was accused of inappropriate behavior at his previous job; and other local news stories.
Democrat Danica Roem is aiming for a new post in Virginia’s closely divided Senate next year; Over the past two years, 23 Virginia public school districts have taken at least one book off their shelves due to content reasons; The City of Norfolk is looking to get rid of library late fees; and other local news stories.
Richmond City Council is reviewing two proposals that would give city employees the right to collectively bargain; Fox Elementary teachers moved their things into Clark Springs Elementary school last week, where students will finish out the academic year; It’s unclear when the Virginia Appeals Court will decide whether a man convicted of murdering a Waverly Police officer nearly 25 years ago will be exonerated; and other local news stories.
Today, the Virginia Court of Appeals will consider exonerating a Virginia man convicted of murdering a Waverly police officer nearly 25 years ago; Arlington will now be home to Boeing’s global headquarters; The Jamestown settlement is becoming more and more threatened by climate change; and other local news stories.
The long-awaited Office of the Children’s Ombudsman is now up and running; Virginia Senator Tim Kaine says a U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade would threaten longstanding law on privacy and equal protection; Two pieces of land in King William County have been put into a trust to benefit the Upper Mattaponi Tribe; and other local news stories.
A leaked draft of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe versus Wade has supercharged a debate over abortion access in Virginia, which will likely have an effect on the mid-term elections; As the struggle to complete the state budget continues, negotiators say there are no plans to hold public meetings for the foreseeable future; Completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline has been delayed again to the second half of 2023, and the estimated price tag for the project has risen to about 6-point-6 billion dollars; and other local news stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin’s top education official says state schools are not producing good outcomes; V-DOT is hosting the first of two meetings tonight to gather community input on the Fall Line Trail; Some employees at a Newport News Starbucks announced they will try to unionize; and other local news stories.
This week starts an awareness week for children’s mental health. To share insights on ways adults can help children who are struggling -- VPM News Morning Edition anchor Phil Liles spoke with Dr. Karen Kochel, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Richmond.
Environmental advocates are concerned that Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney's budget proposal isn't keeping up with previous commitments to make the city more resilient to climate change; Richmond public safety officials report more coyote sightings in the area this spring; Petersburg leaders are looking for ways to respond to a recent increase in gun violence; and other local news stories.
Fairfax Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn was voted out of a leadership role by her Democratic colleagues in the House of Delegates yesterday; A Virginia Senate panel has rejected Governor Glenn Youngkin’s proposal to temporarily suspend the gas tax; The Richmond and Henrico health districts have set up an email alert system to let community members know when there are spikes in opioid overdoses in their neighborhoods; and other local news stories.
Democrats in Virginia’s Senate are threatening to reject changes Governor Glenn Youngkin wants to make to cannabis laws; Lawmakers are heading back to the state Capitol today to consider Governor Glenn Youngkin’s vetoes and changes to legislation; The visitor’s center at the Virginia Capitol will be closing next week due to construction; and other local news stories.
A group of Hanover County students spent last Friday in silence as part of a national day of LGBTQ advocacy; Sen. Bernie Sanders came to Richmond this weekend to celebrate the recent unionization of seven Starbucks locations in Virginia; The top Democrat in Virginia’s House of Delegates is facing a challenge from within her own ranks; and other local news stories.
For almost 70 years, Virginia has been waging a crusade against litter through campaigns, roadway signs, and fines; The Scott Road Bridge in Henrico may soon be replaced with one that won’t allow cars; Next month, the Virginia Rent Relief Program will no longer accept new applications from community members in need of financial assistance; and other local news stories.
The Virginia Department of Education voluntarily handed over a file on Tuesday that it previously blocked from public release; A Charlottesville-based medical company has received emergency use authorization for a new rapid test for COVID-19; City officials released a draft plan this week on the methods Richmond wants to use to tackle climate change; and other local news stories.
More than 220 places of worship in Hampton Roads are at risk of serious damage from persistent flooding and sea level rise; The Virginia Court of Appeals has ruled that a man found guilty in 1994 of sexually abusing his children is innocent; Governor Glenn Youngkin is ordering a review of security and safety at Virginia’s state mental health hospitals; and other local news stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Executive Order 17 directs state officials to bring new recycling technology to Virginia, but not everyone is convinced the tech is as effective as advertised; Large-scale solar farms in Virginia will soon have stricter water quality standards; Regional transportation officials will soon decide how to spend nearly $280 million dollars on projects over the next four years; and other local news stories.
At Richmond's George Whythe High School a vigil was held for a 17-year-old gun shot victim; Russia issues sanctions against some members of U.S. House or Reps, including some in Va; The number of house fires in Chesterfield County is up compared to last year; and other local news.
Richmond’s two homeless shelters to close this month; Virginians can apply to state program to protect their ash trees; Water bills were recently paid off for Petersburg residents; and other local news stories
04/13/22 Gov. Glenn Youngkin Vetoes Target Sen. Ebbin; Gov. Youngkin signals support for facial recognition technology; Richmond City Council and School Board appear to come to agreement on George Wythe High School, and other local news stories.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin signs new legislation; Youngkin appoints former former Trump official to be Virginia’s Deputy Secretary of Education; Richmond Mayor proposes new ordinance around George Whythe; and other local news stories.
A VPM News public records request shows a Richmond city official attempted to get an independent city auditor to update an audit on school construction costs over a year after it was published; Governor Glenn Youngkin signed a new executive order yesterday recognizing the value of recycling and waste reduction in Virginia; Fairfax County’s top prosecutor has launched a new program that aims to provide people accused of nonviolent crimes with programs and services instead of a criminal record; and other local news stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin has offered a slate of new appointees to fill vacancies on the Virginia Parole Board after Senate Democrats rejected his first picks; A permanent exhibit honoring the lives of the one and a half million Jewish children who died in the Holocaust is opening in Richmond; Three national civil rights organizations have teamed up to launch a new campaign in response to Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s tip line to report so-called inherently divisive concepts; and other local news stories.
In Southwest Virginia, there’s a new store that needs no price tags. That’s because everything on the shelves is completely free; To-go cocktails and alcohol deliveries are here to stay in Virginia for two more years; A statewide campaign launched this week to raise awareness about safe driving practices for teens; and other local news stories.
The Virginia General Assembly reconvened yesterday to finish work on the state budget and almost fifty bills; State lawmakers are back to negotiating the thorny politics of seating two new justices to the Virginia Supreme Court; Two out of three judges on a federal appeals panel have agreed to allow a Fairfax County governor’s school to continue with its current admissions process, at least for the next incoming class of students; and other local news stories.
Most parts of Central Virginia were advised to find shelter yesterday afternoon; Some Richmonders say the mayor’s Civilian Review Board proposal threatens to weaken the board’s power and its independence from police; Regulations have yet to take effect that are aimed at “fast-tracking” the review process for new Civil War signage in Virginia; and other local news stories.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin met with stakeholders yesterday to talk about legislation he is deciding whether to sign into law; A federal court dismissed an appeal by Mountain Valley Pipeline in an Air Pollution Control Board case; Students at Atlee High School in Hanover County have been suspended for a school walkout a couple of weeks ago; and other local news stories.
The Virginia Education Association, an advocacy group and union, has announced plans to publish recently rescinded state education equity guidelines on their own website; A group called the Alliance Defending Freedom, or ADF, has been asked to review the equal opportunities policy for Hanover County Public Schools. But the Southern Poverty Law Center has deemed ADF an anti-LGBTQ hate group; The board who manages the historic Montpelier home of James Madison will no longer share authority with a group of people descended from Africans once enslaved there; and other local news stories.
A proposed natural gas project would double the size of a pipeline that runs through Hampton Roads; Six buildings on the University of Richmond campus will be renamed, including two that were the focus of student and faculty protests last year; It’s now optional to wear face masks in classrooms at the University of Virginia; and other local news stories.
For the first time in over 100 years, Mattaponi women will be able to vote for their next chief; Governor Glenn Youngkin’s executive order making masks in schools voluntary cannot be enforced in some school districts; The contentious Supreme Court confirmation hearings this week have highlighted the lack of professional diversity on the nation’s highest court; and other local news stories.
Resources for Richmond families who need housing can’t keep up with pandemic spikes in homelessness; Virginia lawmakers will be called back to Richmond on April 4th to finish work on bills and the state budget; Lashrecse Aird plans to run for the state Senate seat in 2023; and other local news stories.
Hampton University is offering free room, board, and tuition for up to 100 students this summer whose education was disrupted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine; A federal district court in Richmond is weighing whether a lawsuit to force Virginia to hold another House of Delegates election can go forward; Federal legislation named after a physician from Charlottesville has been signed into law by President Joe Biden; and other local news stories.
Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears kicked off Virginia Women Veterans Week yesterday at the Virginia War Memorial; Yesterday, a state health panel revoked Virginia’s workplace standards on preventing the spread of COVID-19; The U.S. Naming Commission has released 90 options to rename Fort Lee and eight other military bases originally named after Confederate leaders; and other local news stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin shared a report this week recommending Virginia leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative; Roads around the state capitol are closed through next month due to construction; Virginia lawmakers want to deter and crack down on catalytic converter thefts; and other local news stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin proposed a gas tax holiday to help deal with rising prices at the pump; Virginia Senator Tim Kaine says Congress will offer more military aid to Ukraine; A new round of solar energy projects is coming to Virginia; and other local news stories.
The Richmond and Henrico Health Districts started their emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic nearly two years ago to the day; A Richmond judge says VCU cannot be held liable for age-based discrimination; A bill heading to the governor’s desk will allow some smaller localities in Virginia to opt-out of the “MARCUS Alert” law; and other local news stories.
The Virginia General Assembly closed out the 2022 legislative session, but only temporarily; Virginia’s future in RGGI is still uncertain; Virginia State University will offer the state's first public all-online undergraduate degree program next fall; and other local news stories.
Virginia Democrats are calling on Governor Glenn Youngkin to issue a state of emergency because rising gas prices due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine; A state law aimed at getting problem police officers off the streets has resulted in dozens of cops losing their badges in the last year; The General Assembly has passed legislation this year to require evidence-based literacy instruction in Virginia schools; and other local news stories.
Virginia education officials estimate it will cost around $25 billion to replace all school buildings that are over 50 years old; It may soon be easier for students and small businesses to participate in internship programs; Virginia lawmakers are working behind closed doors to finalize a bill that would restrict some criminal investigation files from public records requests; and other local news stories.
The General Assembly is set to vote on a slate of judges today; State and national bills are being proposed to increase funding for black cemeteries; Lawmakers are considering a plan to restore freshwater mussel populations; and other local news stories.
As more than a million Ukrainians seek safety in countries bordering their own, the United States is helping more than 76,000 Afghan refugees to resettle here; Governor Glenn Youngkin says Virginia may see an uptick in defense spending, a major piece of the state’s economy; Advocates and local officials are concerned about the effects eliminating the state’s grocery tax may have on Northern Virginia roadways; and other local news stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin’s administration is blocking attempts to see who made public records requests and how they were handled; The Virginia Department of Education will have to draw up statewide guidance on heat-related illness this summer for coaches, student athletes and parents; A group of Virginia delegates killed a bill this week that would have changed the timeline for the City of Richmond to finish a major sewage and storm water project; and other local news stories.
The General Assembly blocked a bill this week that would have changed a law barring people with a criminal history from becoming counselors; A House of Delegates committee led by Republicans spiked legislation yesterday that would set limits on using campaign money for personal expenses; A new survey released by Roanoke College shows a strong partisan divide among Virginians on how the Youngkin Administration is doing so far; and other local news stories.
Virginia’s Superintendent of Public Instruction recently issued a report about several statewide equity-related initiatives that have been rescinded, but experts say the definition of “inherently divisive concepts” is flawed; Proposals to amend Virginia’s constitution are officially off the table this year; A Virginia Senate committee has interrupted Republican efforts to repeal the state’s recently adopted “red flag” gun law this week; and other local news stories.
Virginia continues to react to the invasion of Ukraine; Governor Glenn Youngkin seeks emergency funding to protect HBCUs, Marijuana reform fails in the General Assembly; and other local news stories.
The actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin are coming under the scrutiny of elected leaders across the country, including in Virginia; Lawmakers are hashing out the specifics of Governor Glenn Youngkin’s first budget; If a regular car is parked in a spot with an electric vehicle charging station, the driver could soon be fined in Virginia; and other local news stories.
State lawmakers want to set aside money in this year’s budget to hire more nurses to examine people who have been sexually assaulted; Governor Glenn Youngkin signed two election related bills into law yesterday; Richmond may be blocked from having a second chance at a casino, if part of the Senate’s budget proposal is passed; and other local news stories.
The GOP-controlled House of Delegates has failed to confirm 11 Northam appointees to various state boards, including 3 members of the State Board of Education; A bill now on Governor Glenn Youngkin’s desk would bring back a requirement for principals to report low-level offenses that happen on school property to law enforcement; Some lawmakers support rolling back overtime protections they initially voted for; and other local news stories.
A new poll of registered Virginia voters finds the electorate is mixed on Governor Glenn Youngkin’s approach to taxes; The General Assembly’s finance committees are proposing big spending increases for public schools in the state budget, including a $2 billion dollar program to update schools; Virginia lawmakers made a major change to a bill aimed at combating hazing on college campuses; and other local news stories.
Community members are rallying around students, parents and staff at William Fox Elementary School to help ease their transition back online; A redevelopment project in Richmond’s Diamond District has attracted solicitations from over a dozen developers; One of Governor Glenn Youngkin’s campaign promises was boosting school choice. A legislative proposal to do that would create lab schools; and other local news stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin signed legislation yesterday that would allow parents to opt their kids out of local mandates starting March 1st; Construction crews have unearthed a metal box at the former site of the Jefferson Davis monument in Richmond; Cyclists may have to adjust their riding style again after the state Senate approved changes to a law that’s barely a year old; and other local news stories.
Adults in Virginia will be able to buy cannabis in September under legislation passed by the state Senate yesterday; Governor Glenn Youngkin has made a few changes to a bill that would allow parents to opt their children out of wearing facemasks at school; The House of Delegates and state Senate have both accepted bills that would change how state pollution control boards operate; and other local news stories.
School construction is top-of-mind for school leaders after William Fox Elementary school caught fire this weekend; About 80 Richmond City Public School teachers may lose their jobs next year if the school district’s proposed budget is approved; The first bill signed into law by Virginia’s new governor aims to support dairy farmers; and other local news stories.
The Attorney General has decided the state will not support overturning the case of two men convicted of murdering a Waverly police officer in 1998; Virginia Commonwealth University Athletics is apologizing after a radio broadcaster from a competing school says he was prevented from working at a men’s basketball game this week; The new GOP majority in Virginia’s House of Delegates is trying to roll back voting access laws passed by Democrats over the last two years; and other local news stories.
More than 3,000 people, including Gov. Glenn Youngkin, attended Wednesday's memorial service honoring the officers killed at Bridgewater College last week; President Joe Biden will be visiting Culpeper today; The Virginia Senate is set to take up a bill that would require local registrars to sort absentee votes by precinct; and other local news stories.
House Republicans have put a stop to two proposed constitutional amendments that Democrats had been fighting for; In a party-line vote, the Virginia Senate rejected the nomination of Andrew Wheeler for Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources; An Albemarle County parent filed a complaint with the attorney general, saying their school district’s COVID policies are discriminatory; and other local news stories.
The Supreme Court of Virginia dismissed a lawsuit from a group of Chesapeake parents trying to undo Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s executive order on school mask mandates; Legislative proposals to make it easier for charter schools to open in the state are facing stiff opposition in the General Assembly; The Virginia Senate has rejected a bill that would eliminate every mandatory minimum criminal sentence; and other local news stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin's office has been denying FOIA requests for emails from the new teacher tip line; Gov. Youngkin’s administration is joining a lawsuit filed by Loudoun County parents over the school district’s mask mandate; Virginia voters could opt-in to a new photo ID program under a bill that passed the House of Delegates yesterday; and other local news stories.
Large, destructive, semi-aquatic rodents called nutria are inching northward along Virginia’s coastal wetlands; Virginia will not make restaurants and bars liable for overserving alcohol to customers who cause injury or property damage while intoxicated; Capitol Police are investigating an incident involving state Senator Joe Morrissey and the president of the Petersburg NAACP; and other local news stories.
A male suspect has been taken into custody after authorities say he shot and killed who campus officers at Bridgewater College campus; Governor Glenn Youngkin’s pick for the state’s top environmental post was singled out yesterday; Several parents of students with disabilities have filed a federal lawsuit against Gov. Glenn Youngkin, and other state officials, over the governor’s executive order ending the mask mandate in schools; and other local news stories.
Republicans in the General Assembly are seeking to undo minimum wage increases put in place by Democrats; The General Assembly is also considering a bill that would allow people to sue bars and restaurants if they serve alcohol to an underage customer who goes on to cause an accident or injury; The City of Richmond is currently accepting applications for real estate tax relief for residents who are older or have a disability; and other local news stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin has declared a state of emergency ahead of a Nor’easter expected later today; The Attorney General’s office announced a change in policy this week that will reduce attorney fees the office charges for the collection of defaulted student debt; A survey from Old Dominion University sheds some light on why some workers have called it quits; and other local news stories.
Democrats in Virginia’s Senate have dealt a blow to a major campaign promise from Attorney General Jason Miyares; A bill is heading to the Senate floor that would give a state commission power to extend Virginia’s oyster harvesting season by a month; and other local news stories.
An education bill supported by Governor Glenn Youngkin that would undo recent efforts by Virginia Governor’s schools to increase student diversity is making its way through the General Assembly; The state Senate has approved a bill that would allow Charlottesville to seek a 1 percent tax increase to fund school construction projects; Andrew Wheeler, the nominee for Virginia’s top environmental and natural resources post, addressed a state senate committee yesterday; and other local news stories.
One of Governor Glenn Youngkin’s executive orders took effect yesterday that seeks to eliminate school district mandates for mask-wearing, but the legality of the directive is in question; Seven school boards from around the state want to stop Gov. Youngkin’s executive order on school mask mandates; Teachers union leaders from Chesterfield, Henrico and Richmond asked their school districts yesterday to step up support for students and staff; and other local news stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin has declared a state of emergency ahead of winter weather over the next few days; Some Virginia Republicans are attempting to repeal legislation that would combat the school-to-prison pipeline; Chesterfield County’s school board voted yesterday to maintain its masking mandate for students, staff and visitors; and other local news stories.
Governor Glenn Youngkin has chosen a staffer from the conservative Heritage Foundation to lead the state’s diversity efforts; Several Hampton Roads cities are asking the General Assembly to allow state funding to care for historic Black cemeteries; Employees at Virginia Commonwealth University are no longer required to be vaccinated or report their vaccination status to the university; and other local news stories.
Some lawmakers want to mandate that all public schools, including at the elementary level, have a police presence; Supply chain issues are affecting school lunches; Parents in Chesapeake are suing Governor Glenn Youngkin over his move to get rid of local mask mandates in schools; and other local news stories.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin addressed state lawmakers for the first time yesterday afternoon; Newly released campaign filings show that Dominion Energy and its executives spent more than a quarter of a million dollars funding a secretive political group that attacked Governor Glenn Youngkin during his campaign; Experts examine the pros and cons of the charter school model; and other local news stories.
Republican Winsome Sears will make history when she’s inaugurated as lieutenant governor on Saturday; Republican Jason Miyares promises to put victims before criminals as Virginia’s new Attorney General; An effort to end solitary confinement in Virginia’s prisons is getting a boost from a Republican state senator; and other local news stories.
The Virginia General Assembly kicked off its work yesterday; Governor Ralph Northam gave his final speech before lawmakers and Virginians; Democrat Jackie Glass won the special election for Norfolk’s 89th House District seat; and other local news stories.
Virginia lawmakers return to Richmond today to start working on new laws and the next two-year state budget; Education is one of the top issues facing lawmakers during the 2022 legislative session; Dominion Energy is asking permission to withdraw a proposed rate hike to customers that would cover enrollment in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative; and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam declared a limited state of emergency in his final COVID-19 response update yesterday; Orlando Carter pleaded guilty to two charges last week, bu his family says they are still seeking justice for his assault; Officials with Virginia’s court system asked a federal judge in Richmond to dismiss a lawsuit over the state’s limited public access to court records; and other local news stories.
VPM’s Whittney Evans chronicled her search to get a COVID test earlier this week; Nine new community testing centers are opening across the state to increase availability; Crews began treating major roadways overnight, as another winter storm hits parts of the commonwealth; and other local news stories.
Today is the one-year anniversary of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. U.S. Senator Tim Kaine reflected on the attack while speaking with reporters yesterday; A major gun rally won’t be returning to Richmond this year; Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin announced former Environmental Protection Agency head Andrew Wheeler as his pick for Secretary of Natural Resources yesterday; and other local news stories.
Transportation and safety officials in Virginia were still working last night to clear abandoned vehicles from a stretch of I-95 after hundreds of cars came to a standstill following a major chain reaction pileup Monday; Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin has named several key positions in his cabinet; State Senator Amanda Chase has abandoned her bid for the 7th District; and other local news stories.
Starting this week, Virginia residents, including children, who are undocumented can apply for state-issued ID, A prominent Virginia lawyer is joining incoming governor Glenn Youngkin’s administration as an advisor; A proposed change to city law will be voted on later this week that could give Virginia Beach deputies greater police power; and other local news stories.
Politicians and voters in Virginia are pouring over the commonwealth’s new political maps approved by the state supreme court on Tuesday; Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority will lift the freeze on lease enforcements at the end of the month; Chesterfield County Public Library’s current location in Midlothian will officially close today; and other local news stories.
A Confederate time capsule found 20 feet under the pedestal that once held a statue of Robert E. Lee was opened yesterday; The Visual Arts Center of Richmond is filled with pieces of pottery that look like they just left a tattoo shop as part of the "Of Mud and Blood" exhibit; The state is spending more than 700 million dollars to bring broadband access to rural Chesapeake, Suffolk and other localities; and other local news stories.
Virginia’s legislative review agency – JLARC – recently released a comprehensive report on the state’s juvenile justice system; Workers at the former site of the Robert E. Lee monument in Richmond may have found the time capsule reported to have been installed in the statue’s base; Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin has vowed to slash regulations and cut taxes to make Virginia more business-friendly; and other local news stories.
Historic preservationists with the state opened a time capsule discovered under the former site of the Robert E. Lee Monument yesterday; A former senator and Virginia Governor and his wife were injured by a massive house fire Tuesday night; Many local businesses are seeing an upswing in customers, but pandemic related issues are stifling some sales; and other local news stories.
The Chair of Virginia’s Parole Board forwarded a press release to media outlets yesterday with the subject line "setting the record straight"; Representative Abigail Spanberger is considering a run in the new 7th District if proposed legislative maps are approved; Within one week, Richmond health officials have seen a 38 percent increase of new COVID-19 cases in the city; and other local news stories.
Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin has selected an education data consultant to serve as Virginia’s next Secretary of Education; Next month, a federal court in Richmond will hear arguments in a lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Virginia over its policy of barring the public from obtaining civil court records remotely; The Chief Justice of the Virginia Supreme Court plans to step down from the position at the end of the year; and other local news stories.
About 900 people living in properties run by the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority could face eviction if they don’t pay rent by the end of the month; Governor Ralph Northam presented a $158 billion budget proposal today as his term draws to a close, but Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin would like larger tax cuts; The last public hearing on the newly drawn redistricting maps is happening this afternoon; and other local news stories.
Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin will soon have authority to reshape the staff of Virginia’s election administration; State officials say there was a second ransomware attack affecting Virginia agencies; Virginia home care workers, immigrants, parents and business owners are calling on U.S. Senate leaders to pass the president’s Build Back Better spending plan; and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam is calling for lawmakers to eliminate the state’s tax on groceries; Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC secured a key permit from the State Water Control Board yesterday; A Central Virginia group has been named a finalist in the one billion dollar Build Back Better challenge from the Economic Development Administration; and other local news stories.
Myotonic dystrophy, known as DM1, is the most common type of muscular dystrophy worldwide, and it has no effective treatment. But a Virginia college student recently became the first participant in a national trial for a drug that targets DM1 at the source; Fairfax County Public Schools has settled a lawsuit with parents and disability rights advocates over the district’s use of seclusion and restraint with students with disabilities; Virginia’s legislative agencies were forced to shut down computer systems and websites due to a ransomware attack; and other local news stories.
This week, the Supreme Court of Virginia shared drafts of what state and congressional voting districts could look like for a decade in the commonwealth. The proposals draw some current legislators out of their districts; Virginia’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities are set to receive nearly 300 million dollars in additional funding; Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin says he wants Virginia out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative; and other local news stories.
Virginia’s pandemic rent relief program could run out of funds as early as July of next year; The commanding officer of SEAL Team 8 died Tuesday at Norfolk Sentara General Hospital; Incoming Attorney General Jason Miyares has chosen the next Solicitor General for the Commonwealth of Virginia; Outdoor recreation projects may get a boost as Governor Ralph Northam leaves office; and other local news stories.
State and local law enforcement can look forward to a pay increase under Governor Ralph Northam’s outgoing two-year budget proposal; Richmond City Public Schools became the first district in Virginia to award its teachers and staff collective bargaining rights on Monday; The Virginia Department of Health says it lacks the quote “clear statutory authority” to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for employees; and other local news stories.
The state started the process of dismantling and moving the graffitied pedestal where Richmond’s Robert E. Lee Monument once stood; Teachers in Virginia could see a 10 percent pay increase under a new proposed budget from Governor Ralph Northam; Incoming Governor Glenn Youngkin has put some of his wealth in a blind trust, but ethics experts say that doesn't go far enough; and other local news stories.
The future of abortion access in Virginia is uncertain after the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority signaled it will uphold Mississippi’s restrictive abortion law ; Virginia is expected to get more than $8 billion in federal funds to help with transit and highways; The Federal Aviation Administration may end overnight hours at Richmond International Airport’s control tower; and other local news stories.
Richmond became one of five Virginia regions to implement a Marcus Alert system yesterday; The family of a man fatally shot by Virginia Beach Police have renewed calls for a federal investigation after learning the officer involved won’t face charges; Planning Commissioners in Chesterfield are trying to streamline four parts of the county’s Comprehensive Plan; and other local news stories.
An attorney for two men serving life in prison for killing a Virginia police officer is urging the State Court of Appeals to rush to overturn their convictions; No charges will be filed against the Virginia Beach police officer who fatally shot 25-year-old Donovon Lynch last March during a chaotic night at the oceanfront; Petersburg City Councilor Treska Wilson-Smith expressed concern over a potential casino; and other local news stories.
Some Virginia schools have recently removed certain book titles from school library shelves immediately following parent complaints. But experts warn that this is dangerous and could violate state law; Employers are debating whether going back to the office is necessary; Longtime Virginian-Pilot movie and theater critic Mal Vincent died this weekend; and other local news stories.
Organizers of the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville will have to pay millions of dollars in damages for their involvement; HUD has awarded the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority a $450,000 grant; Tips from VCU Health experts about how to keep your family safe this holiday season; and other local news stories.
The jury will meet behind closed doors for a third day of deliberations, in the civil trial against over a dozen white nationalist leaders and groups connected to the 2017 Unite the Right rally; The City of Richmond is soliciting bids to remove the monument and grave of A.P. Hill; After a more than 40-year hiatus, the Armstrong-Walker Classic will return with a parade this Saturday; and other local news stories.
In a multiple week-long investigation, several candidates in the recent statewide elections told VPM News they experienced both overt and subtle racism, sexism, and Islamophobia while campaigning this year; Jury deliberations will begin today in the trial against white nationalists who planned the Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville; Some voters in Chesterfield County woke up yesterday in a soon-to-be new district. That’s because the Board of Supervisors approved a new magisterial map; and other local news stories.
The last Afghan refugees staying on Fort Lee have been resettled; So far this year, there have been a total of 12 infant deaths in Richmond, compared to just five in 2020; Republican State Senator Amanda Chase is making a bid for the U.S. House of Representatives; and other local news stories.
A judge has ordered the Virginia State Police troopers who fatally shot Xzavier Hill to answer most of the questions his mother submitted to the court about the night he died; Attorneys representing the nine Charlottesville residents who sued Unite the Right rally organizers have rested their case; The City of Charlottesville officially has a new comprehensive plan; and other local news stories.
The State Board of Elections finished certifying Virginia’s 2021 results yesterday; Democrats and Republicans in Virginia's House of Delegates elected their caucus leaders over the weekend; In Prince George County, R.W. Vargo won the race for sheriff by six votes; and other local news stories.
Over the past year, VPM News has been looking into a hidden type of debt affecting thousands of Virginia college students. It’s not federal student loans – which dominates most of the headlines. It’s money owed directly to institutions -- called direct-to-school debt. In our series Dreams Deferred - we’ve been exploring how this debt is creating hardships for students… making it difficult for them to complete their degrees and advance their careers. Today we dive into one approach that a Michigan college is taking to help get students back on track.
Virginia's Governor-elect, Republican Glenn Youngkin, will be getting help from four former governors, including one Democrat, as he prepares to take on that job; The Urban One casino project could be getting a second chance in Petersburg; The amphitheater at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond was packed yesterday, as people gathered to honor the commonwealth’s veterans and service members; and other local news stories.
Over the past year, VPM News has been looking into a hidden type of debt affecting thousands of Virginia college students. It’s not federal student loans – which dominates most of the headlines. It’s money owed directly to institutions -- called direct-to-school debt. In our series Dreams Deferred, we’re exploring how this debt is creating hardships for students - making it difficult for them to complete their degrees and advance their careers. Today we unpack university policies and practices that create and perpetuate this problem by focusing on one school, Virginia Commonwealth University.
In the week leading up to Election Day, a mysterious group sent out mailers promoting third-party candidate Princess Blanding for governor and attacking Democrat Terry McAuliffe; Negotiations between Diversity Richmond employees and administrators continued last night; The Hanover County School Board narrowly rejected a proposed policy change around transgender bathroom access this week; and other local news stories.
Over the past year, VPM News has been looking into a hidden type of debt affecting thousands of Virginia college students. It’s not federal student loans – which dominates most of the headlines. It’s money owed directly to institutions -- called direct-to-school debt. In our series Dreams Deferred, we’re exploring how this debt is creating hardships for students - making it difficult for them to complete their degrees and advance their careers. Today we’re exploring state policies that create and perpetuate this problem.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney is asking City Council to use funds from the Capital Improvement Plan to get designs for George Wythe High School nailed down; A new job training program for veterans and their spouses is coming to Hampton Roads; The former Charlottesville Police Chief says her termination was unjust and is demanding $3 million dollars from the city; and other local news stories.
Over the past year, VPM News has been looking into a hidden type of debt affecting thousands of Virginia college students. It’s not federal student loans – which dominates most of the headlines. It’s money owed directly to institutions -- called direct-to-school debt. In our series Dreams Deferred, we’ll explore how this debt is creating hardships for students… making it difficult for them to complete their degrees and advance their careers. We’ll address the school and state policies that create and perpetuate this problem. And we’ll look at what some colleges are doing to help students with this debt finish their degrees. Today we start by exploring how students end up with direct-to-school debt in the first place.
A group of Democratic Virginia Senators shared a list of complaints with the state Supreme Court yesterday. They’re concerned with Republican nominees for Special Master, who will eventually help the court draw new legislative maps; The Virginia Employment Commission has made headway in clearing a backlog of disputed unemployment claims; The fate of two proposed constitutional amendments are unclear after Republicans seemed to win control of the House of Delegates last week; new testimony in the Unite the Right trial in Charlottesville; and other local news stories.
Virginia’s governor-elect, Republican Glenn Youngkin, toured the executive mansion and met with its current inhabitant, Democrat Ralph Northam yesterday; Incoming Attorney General Jason Miyares says his office will focus more on addressing crime; One of the country’s most prominent white nationalist leaders took the stand yesterday in the trial against organizers of the 2017 Unite the Right rally; and other local news stories.
Glenn Youngkin will be Virginia’s first GOP Governor since Bob McDonnell left office in 2014, which means he’ll also be the first Republican since then to appoint top state government officials; Attorneys for the nine people who are suing the organizers of the deadly Unite the Right rally brought their first expert to the stand yesterday; Virginia began its rollout of COVID-19 vaccines for children 5 to 11-years-old; and other local news stories.
Projected results for the governor's race, hiccups at polling places and updates on Richmond's casino referendum, and many other stories.
Registrars are already counting early votes in the hopes of reducing delays in election results. Even so, we won’t know the official results of any races on Election Night; In a last push before Election Day, civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton visited Richmond to speak in support of a voter referendum to build a casino; Twenty barbers stationed at Fort Lee have won the right to keep 53 percent of their earnings after being on strike since July; and other local news stories.
Opening arguments began yesterday in the civil trial against the white nationalists who organized the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville; Dominion Energy is becoming a talking point in the Virginia governor’s race; Richmond voters will decide on their ballots whether to allow a casino to open in the city’s Southside neighborhood; and other local news stories.
A jury of 12 has been seated in the trial against white nationalist groups who planned the Unite the Right rally; With Election Day less than a week away, Virginia localities are required to start processing early votes in the hopes of reducing post-election delays; Virginia Senator Mark Warner is continuing to monitor ongoing mail delivery issues with the U.S. Postal service; and other local news stories.
Data from the Richmond Police Department shows that from 2020 to 2021 there were 605 reported crimes in the city’s six largest public housing neighborhoods. Residents and advocates say these neighborhoods are over-policed; Teachers in Chesterfield who wish to take training courses will have to sign a form promising the sessions do not include critical race theory; Next month, Richmond city officials say a temporary shelter is expected to open that will house people experiencing homelessness this winter; and other local news stories.
Jury selection is underway in a trial against white nationalists who planned the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville; The Virginia Redistricting Commission has missed a final deadline to draw new state legislative maps, kicking the process to the Virginia Supreme Court; Hampton Roads’ stake in offshore wind just got a lot bigger; and other local news stories.
Richmond Police are trying to identify who defaced a mural of tennis player Arthur Ashe Jr. in Battery Park with white supremacist imagery; The Supreme Court of Virginia won’t reconsider its decision to allow Governor Ralph Northam to remove the statue of Robert E. Lee in Richmond; President Joe Biden will be campaigning with gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe; and other local news stories.
The Virginia Redistricting Commission has tentatively cancelled its remaining meetings; Henrico Police are increasing patrols in parts of the county, after finding suspicious bags filled with KKK flyers; Petersburg will not be mandating its employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19; and other local news stories.
Only two public school districts in Central Virginia have fully adopted policies in line with the Virginia Department of Education’s model for the treatment of transgender students in schools; While Virginia is starting to see a slight decline in COVID-19 infections, children now account for more than 20 percent of new cases; More veterans in Virginia will have to wait to get approval for their disability claims; and other local news stories.
JLARC has released its report after investigating the state's adult guardianship program; A national Republican group helped draft a congressional map considered by Virginia’s redistricting committee; Nearly 30 real estate companies in the greater Richmond area are being prosecuted for alleged housing discrimination; and other local news stories.
Derailed redistricting commission begins work on congressional maps; New addition to state's vaccination dashboard; and many other stories.
A new analysis from The Commonwealth Institute shows underfunding leaves many students, who are English language learners, behind; Henrico County GreenCity project approved; and other local news stories.
A VPM investigation reveals racial disparities in distribution of COVID relief grants, President Obama to stump for Former Gov. McAuliffe, and a candidate running to represent Chesapeake in the House of Delegates was arrested.
Redistricting process mired in partisan fighting, voter registration deadline nearing, attorney general candidates spar over prosecution priorities, Richmond recognizes Indigenous Peoples Day, a new mutual aid 'store' opens, and more
As Virginia prepares to choose its next Governor, activists are calling for better environmental justice protections; Residents in Richmond’s Northside neighborhood are taking their grievances over traffic calming measures to the next level; Colonial Williamsburg archaeologists have made an exciting discovery at the site of the original First Baptist Church; and other local news stories.
Chesterfield state Senator Amanda Chase is calling for an election audit in all 50 states, including Virginia; Senator Tim Kaine is among those sponsoring new voting rights legislation in Congress; State officials say they have not decided when to take down the fence around the traffic circle where the Robert E. Lee statue once stood; and other local news stories.
Richmonders living in areas of high poverty are more likely to have had COVID-19 than those living in wealthier areas; The state denied hospitals’ requests for emergency waivers as COVID surged this summer, according to internal emails; The Richmond school board decided this week to keep police in schools for the foreseeable future; and other local news stories.
Hospitals across the country, and in Virginia, are facing an influx of COVID-positive patients, the majority of whom are unvaccinated; Hundreds of Virginia healthcare workers have been suspended or fired for not following hospital COVID-19 vaccination mandates; Virginia’s new redistricting commission is hearing feedback this week on new political maps for the General Assembly; and other local news stories.
The Supreme Court of Virginia has refused an appeal from the company Virginia Uranium, to overturn the state’s ban on uranium mining; Residents of Richmond’s Northside neighborhood are upset about the removal of several traffic calming measures known as “bump outs"; Virginia State University sports fans will have to prove they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19 before attending games; and other local news stories.
The State Water Control Board held two in-person public comment hearings on a key Mountain Valley Pipeline permit this week, but an open letter to state officials called for an additional virtual hearing; The property owners who sued to stop Governor Ralph Northam from taking down Richmond’s statue of Robert E. Lee are asking the Virginia Supreme Court to reconsider its unanimous decision to permit the monument’s removal; Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts will celebrate the life of former dean Murry N. DePillars today, through the official unveiling of a building name after him; and other local news stories.
New state filings by Dominion Energy show the utility company paid a newspaper columnist more than $260,000 over the last four years; The Virginia Employment Commission is delaying the roll out of its new unemployment insurance system by a month; The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce hosted the final gubernatorial debate last night between Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin; and other local news stories.
Richmond Police are still searching for leads in a number of missing persons cases; The opening of a museum marks the beginning of a community's journey to repair the broken perspective of Black history in the Appalachian region of Virginia; Two more polling locations are opening today in the City of Richmond; and other local news stories.
The night before the Robert E. Lee statue was removed from Richmond’s Monument Avenue; all traces of the movement that led to it being taken down were confiscated and stored by state officials.; Petersburg has banned firearms in the city’s public areas; Virginia’s Redistricting Commission again struggled with directing its map drawers on which data to prioritize; and other local news stories.
Attorney General Mark Herring is highlighting his efforts to defend abortion rights ahead of the November Election; A new monument now stands on Brown’s Island in Richmond. It commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation; Despite Governor Ralph Northam’s request that state employees be vaccinated against COVID-19, many workers are opting for weekly testing instead; and other local news stories.
Virginia’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission will unveil the Emancipation and Freedom Monument on Brown’s Island in Richmond this morning; Passengers who rely on the GRTC may have to make some adjustments this winter; The mother of Xzavier Hill, a Black teen shot and killed by Virginia State Police during a traffic stop, is petitioning the Richmond Circuit Court to solicit testimony from the troopers; and other local news stories.
Police are investigating a shooting that happened Monday at Heritage High School in Newport News; Two groups of partisan map-drawers have presented new drafts for the Virginia Redistricting Commission to consider; A real estate listing for a building that used to host slave auctions has stirred up debate in Charlottesville; and other local news stories.
A shortage of nurses is limiting options for COVID-19 testing in Chesterfield County schools; The commission drawing Virginia’s new General Assembly and congressional maps voted unanimously this week that it won’t be guided by political data or where incumbents live; Nearly three-quarters of Virginia voters view the health of the Chesapeake Bay as important according to a new poll; and other local news stories.
Virginia’s first gubernatorial debate of the 2021 campaign is tonight at 7 o’clock at Appalachian School of Law, but one candidate won't be on the stage; Striking workers at a Nabisco plant in Richmond may be able to go back to work soon; A Culpeper County couple is suing an electric company for trying to install internet cable lines along their property without their consent; and other local news stories.
A task force to establish a civilian review board on police misconduct in Richmond presented their recommendations to City Council Monday afternoon; An investigation into the cancellation of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline; Virginia’s redistricting commission is shifting its region by region approach to focus on statewide maps; and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam signed a sweeping voting rights act yesterday in Newport News; The race for the Governor’s office is heating up in Virginia, with attack ads coming from both major-party candidates; Families across Virginia qualify for a new monthly payment from the federal government, but thousands are at risk of not getting the child tax credit; and other local news stories.
Excavation crews worked through the day on Thursday searching for an over 130-year-old time capsule believed to be under the pedestal that, until yesterday, held a statue of Robert E. Lee; A vacancy on the state redistricting commission has been filled; Quarantined students in Chesterfield face challenges in getting academic help; and other local news stories.
Hundreds of people watched as the last Confederate General on Monument Ave. was taken down from its pedestal yesterday; The Chesterfield County branch of the NAACP is asking Chesterfield County Schools to immediately take steps to ensure students’ safety as the number of positive cases of Covid-19 continue to rise; and the Virginia Department of Health is adding 170 additional community testing events during September.
The pedestal of the Lee Monument contains a 134-year-old time capsule. On Tuesday, state officials sealed a new capsule filled with dozens of items that they say will replace it; People planning to watch the Robert E. Lee Monument come down today may have to rely on streaming options; A task force is recommending Virginia's largest city give its police review board subpoena power and increase the number of members to better reflect city demographics; and other local news stories.
Several roads in Richmond are being closed in preparation for the removal of the Robert E. Lee monument, as questions remain about what will replace it; Amazon expands operations in Hampton Roads, and the Department of Conservation and Recreation is calling on homeowners to get flood coverage this hurricane season.
Local leaders are responding to yesterday’s state Supreme Court decision allowing the Robert E. Lee monument in Richmond to be taken down; Activists at last summer’s racial justice protests called for the removal of Richmond’s confederate monuments. Chelsea Higgs Wise, of Marijuana Justice, and Kalia Harris, of the Virginia Student Power Network, shared voice memos with VPM on the Robert E. Lee memorial’s imminent removal, and the demands they still have; This week, Richmond Superintendent Jason Kamras hit a school board mandated goal to submit a request for proposals for the design of George Wythe High School; and other local news stories.
If you want to legally buy marijuana in Virginia, medical dispensaries are your only option, but a product called Delta-8 has many of the same effects and it’s flying off the shelves at local stores; While Virginia once again won the title as the top state for business by CNBC this year, the commonwealth still has room to grow as a place for workers according to Oxfam’s new rankings; In the same week that Chesterfield County Public Schools announced pay raises for its school bus drivers, Henrico schools announced a similar hourly rate increase; and other local news stories.
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has granted a posthumous pardon to seven Black men executed in 1951; Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner signed onto a letter, urging the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide more mental health resources to military members who served in Afghanistan; Richmond Public School teachers are getting ready for another stressful year. To help them prepare, a local nonprofit is offering free mindfulness meditation sessions; and other local news stories.
The families of seven Black men who were executed in 1951 are scheduled to meet with Governor Ralph Northam today to discuss a posthumous pardon; Republican Glenn Youngkin proposed a series of tax cuts in a campaign announcement yesterday. He says the plans won’t cause any cuts in state services if he’s elected governor, but it’s not clear how he will pay for it; Chesterfield County Public Schools announced yesterday that new and existing bus drivers will see an increase in pay and incentives; and other local news stories.
Virginia Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine say they are closely monitoring the situation in Kabul; While evacuation efforts continue to evolve, state officials say Virginia is prepared to support more Afghans leaving their home country; The American Civil Liberties Union announced yesterday that the Gloucester County School Board has agreed to pay over $1 million in attorney’s fees and costs to resolve former student Gavin Grimm’s case; and other local news stories.
With a shortage of school bus drivers in Chesterfield County and long lines of cars queuing up to drop off students, many parents are considering alternative ways to get their kids to school; The Virginia Department of Health is reinstating information on COVID-19 outbreaks in their online dashboards; Prison reform advocates want the public to rethink what we call people who are incarcerated; and other local news stories.
While the CDC is recommending quarantines for unvaccinated teachers who come in close contact with COVID-positive students in the classroom, there’s an exception for children who are fully masked. These guidelines have formed the basis for Virginia’s school reopening plans; As the delta variant leads to a surge of COVID-19 cases in Virginia, health officials also report a higher number of infections among children; Mayor Stoney announced the launch of a “community rooted” crime prevention program; and other local news stories.
The Virginia Redistricting Commission is set to begin drawing new political maps next week; Virginia student athletes have new protections from the General Assembly to secure their ability to sell their name, rights and images to brands outside of their college or university; Unvaccinated Virginians developed COVID-19 symptoms or tested positive at a rate 12.5 times higher than their fully vaxxed counterparts this year; and other local news stories.
Thousands of Afghan nationals that have worked for or with the U.S. are trying to secure transport to the states; Two children in Central Virginia have died after contracting COVID-19; This week, the White House announced plans to make COVID-19 booster shots available by the end of next month; and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam is urging students and parents to comply with his executive order requiring masks in schools; Yesterday was move-in day on the University of Richmond campus where students, faculty, and staff are required to be fully vaccinated before classes start next week; U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona toured Glen Allen High School in Henrico County yesterday; and other local news stories.
Last month, the Virginia Department of Health stopped reporting the specific locations of COVID-19 outbreaks, including the names of school districts and nursing homes, but that decision is being called into question as cases and outbreaks increase; Virginia Governor Ralph Northam and First Lady Pam Northam announced yesterday that they anticipate a record number of Virginia children will enroll in pre-K this year; Advocates for Virginia’s new redistricting commission said it would limit the influence of partisanship on the state’s political maps, but in a meeting yesterday, the group took votes that cemented the role parties play in the process; and Mark Warner speaks to VPM's Ben Paviour about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The Virginia Redistricting Commission will begin drawing new legislative maps in less than two weeks; As the U.S. government scrambles to evacuate allies from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, a Prince George County army garrison serves as temporary housing for many fleeing the country; Tonight, the task force creating a civilian review board to investigate complaints against Richmond police will release a draft of its recommendations; and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam is calling on all K through 12 schools in Virginia to require mask wearing by staff and students; The COVID-19 outbreak now impacting the entire fourth grade at Patrick Henry Elementary is the second COVID outbreak in Richmond Public Schools since July. The district’s first outbreak took place at Fisher Elementary’s summer school program; The redistricting process in Virginia can now officially begin, with the release of 2020 Census data; and other local news stories.
A new policy making sure transgender students are treated equally in Chesterfield County schools was approved this week; The Hanover County NAACP is calling the local school board’s decision to not require masks for students and staff “totally irresponsible"; State lawmakers selected eight new judges this week to Virginia’s Court of Appeals amid criticism that the process was too secretive; and other local news stories.
State lawmakers are heading home after wrapping up a special session yesterday; Hopewell Public Schools is making plans to expand virtual learning in response to over three dozen confirmed COVID-19 cases among students and staff; Governor Ralph Northam is asserting local school districts must adopt mask mandates; and other local news stories.
Yesterday, the Virginia General Assembly approved the final budget for American Rescue Plan funds; Virginia lawmakers selected eight candidates yesterday to sit on the Virginia Court of Appeals; Richmond Public Schools kicked off a series of trainings for educators yesterday; and other local news stories.
State employees in Virginia must get vaccinated against COVID-19 by September 1st under a new directive issued by Gov. Ralph Northam; The Virginia Department of Health announced yesterday the first death of a child in the eastern region of the state due to COVID-19 complications; Democrats will fill eight judicial vacancies on the Virginia Court of Appeals in the coming days; and other local news stories.
Democrats in Virginia want to set aside federal stimulus funds to give bonuses to law enforcement officers, but Republicans are pressing them to move faster; Virginia DMVs may have to open up their doors to customers without appointments under a proposal passed by the state Senate; Richmond city employees are now required to get the COVID-19 vaccine; and other local news stories.
Following the expiration of the national eviction moratorium, lawmakers in Virginia are looking at extending state-level programs to keep people in their homes; RRHA has updated its policy about how it bars certain visitors from its housing developments; The Richmond and Henrico Health Departments are hosting walk-up events today so students can get their required physicals and vaccinations; and other local news stories.
Lawmakers returned to Richmond yesterday for a special session of the General Assembly; A new Marcus Alert system is one of the measures being discussed in the special session; US Representative Abigail Spanberger is seeking $1 million in federal funds to help build a detox center in Henrico County; and other local news stories
Governor Ralph Northam announced funding priorities for behavioral health care this week; Republican candidate for governor Glenn Youngkin proposed using more than half of the estimated budget surplus on a tax rebate for Virginians; A federal eviction ban ends Saturday. It comes as more than 60,000 Virginians say they could lose their homes soon because they’re struggling to make rent; and other local news stories.
A circuit court judge in Lynchburg tossed out a legal challenge to policies designed to protect transgender students on Tuesday; The City of Richmond is asking residents for input on how it should spend $77 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan; Rural Virginians tend to be older than their urban counterparts. The median age in densely populated localities is about a decade younger than in sparsely populated ones, and that gap continues to grow; and other local news stories.
State Republican lawmakers say they’re being excluded from discussions on how the federal money should be spent; For the last month, advocates and lawmakers have visited schools throughout Virginia as part of the Crumbling Schools tour. On Tuesday, the group stopped by Petersburg; Governor Ralph Northam announced plans on Monday to use federal funds to improve school ventilation systems, but experts and advocates say they want more flexibility with how that money is spent; and other local news stories.
Yesterday was the first day of school for all K-12 students in Hopewell Public Schools. Hopewell is the first in Virginia to resume classes district-wide for the next school year; Governor Ralph Northam was in Hopewell to take part in the back-to-school activities. He used the opportunity to announce his intention to invest in public school ventilation systems; Education advocates are heading to Petersburg today as part of the Crumbling Schools tour; and other local news stories.
A prisoner suing the Virginia Department of Corrections for refusing to allow him to take medication for his opioid dependency is asking a federal appeals court to hear his case. He claims the department’s policy violates the Americans with Disabilities Act; The Virginia State Board for Community Colleges approved changing the name of John Tyler Community College to Brightpoint Community College; As the fall semester approaches, universities in the area are mixed on whether they should require their students to get the COVID-19 vaccine; and other local news stories.
The Virginia Department of Health, along with the department of education, released new guidance for preK-12 schools yesterday as students prepare to resume in-person instruction; Virginia Commonwealth University is requiring all students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to return to the classroom in the fall; A State Inspector General report released last month found flaws in the state agency overseeing drinking water quality; and other local news stories.
The Richmond school board approved a plan Monday to move forward with rebuilding George Wythe High School; The Virginians for Affordable Medicine is a brand new coalition of advocates, patients, and physicians advocating for affordable medications; Virginians have till the end of today to add artifacts to a new time capsule; and other local news stories.
John Tyler Community College could become Brightpoint Community College; The commission tasked with redrawing Virginia’s Congressional districts will hold a public hearing today for Hampton Roads; Federal data show a rise in drug overdose deaths inside prisons and jails across the country in recent years. Virginia falls near the middle of the pack; and other local news stories.
U.S. congressional races are more than a year away, but Democratic Representative Abigail Spanberger is already facing a challenge from the right; Virginia ended its fiscal year with $2.6 billion dollars more in tax revenue than it had expected; Students, scientists, citizens and more across Virginia took part yesterday in the country’s largest-ever heat mapping project; and other local news stories.
A federal appeals court in Richmond struck down the federal government’s long-standing ban on selling handguns to people under the age of 21; Virginia Military Institute is implementing changes following an investigation ordered by Governor Ralph Northam into allegations of racism at the university; The Richmond community is expressing frustration about delays in construction of a new George Wythe High School; and other local news stories.
Virginia is temporarily halting admissions to five of its eight state-run psychiatric hospitals, including one in Petersburg, because of staffing shortages; Republican Glenn Youngkin still hasn’t released specific policy proposals on most major issues since he announced his campaign for governor; Richmond is considering extending the target date for construction of a new casino by 9 months; and other local news stories.
Yesterday, Governor Ralph Northam announced his latest plan for how he wants to spend some of the more than $4 billion in federal funds headed to the commonwealth; Virginia school districts are required to adopt policies about harassment-free treatment of transgender students ahead of the upcoming school year; The City of Charlottesville removed four statues over the weekend, including two Confederate statues that became a flashpoint for the deadly Unite the Right rally in 2017; and other local news stories.
Twenty-four states, including Virginia, reached a resolution in legal fights against the makers of Oxycontin; Virginia’s Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin is defending comments he made about abortion in a video taken by a liberal activist; Since pandemic restrictions were lifted, many people are returning to doing things they missed out on last summer, like blueberry picking; and a look at delay in the construction of a new George Wythe High School amid tensions between the City of Richmond and Mayor Levar Stoney.
A statue of former governor and segregationist Harry Byrd, Senior was removed from capitol square in Richmond yesterday; Homicides in Richmond and across the state are rising after hitting a low about a decade ago; The Virginia Air Pollution Control Board met yesterday amid controversy over its lack of public engagement regarding a Mountain Valley Pipeline permit application; and other local news stories.
Candidates for Virginia’s House of Delegates could face the ballot box three years in a row under a lawsuit filed against Governor Ralph Northam and the Board of Elections last week; Virginia has seen a large increase in Medicaid enrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic; The American Lung Association is offering new fact-based guides about COVID-19 in an effort to raise vaccination rates in Virginia; and other local news stories.
While the U.S. Supreme Court upheld an eviction moratorium for non-payment of rent through the end of this month, it does not apply to tenants with expired leases who want to stay, but whose landlords want them out; The Virginia Air Pollution Control Board has postponed consideration of a permit for a Mountain Valley Pipeline compressor station in Chatham; President Joe Biden has nominated Virginia’s top trial lawyer to the federal bench; and other local news stories.
Virginia Representative Elaine Luria was selected as a member of the committee investigating the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol; Senator Mark Warner visited The Diamond to discuss new legislation to provide financial relief to minor league teams; Federal officials are launching a review of a new wind farm project off Virginia's coast; and other local news stories.
Starting today, Virginians can legally possess up to an ounce of marijuana. But advocates fear confusion over the new law could result in Black people being disproportionately targeted by law enforcement; Another new law taking effect today requires Virginia schools to grant all middle and high school students one excused absence a year to participate in a civic event; and Whittney Evans explains the new marijuana and other laws taking effect today.
The Virginia Department of Transportation announced it has completed cleanup efforts following February's ice storm; The city of Richmond held a press conference yesterday to provide a pandemic update; Virginia Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are pushing for more financial support to implement the Ashanti Alert system; and other local news stories.
The Supreme Court yesterday indicated support of a lower court’s ruling in favor of Gavin Grimm, an advocate for the transgender community who sued his school district for not allowing him to use the boy’s restroom; Governor Ralph Northam signed four bills yesterday to make voting easier; Next week, GRTC is holding a public meeting to announce schedule changes coming to some of its routes this fall; and a memorial to the five Capital Gazette Newspaper employees shot by a gunman in 2018 is unveiled in Annapolis.
Richmond students on graduating during a "hectic" year; interfaith coalition gathers to denounce antisemitism; Andrew Freiden, Meteorologist, talks about climate change; and more
Civilian Review Board Recommendations Coming; Unemployment Falls; Lt. Gov Fairfax's Lawsuit Dismissed; On Its 50th Anniversary, Virginia's Constitution Faces New Tests, and more
Virginia Replacing 134-Year-Old Time Capsule With Confederate Memorabilia; Pro-Trump Politician Fights to Stay on Ballot After Paperwork Problems; and more
City Plan endorsed a plan to remove a statue to Confederate A.P. Hill, but passed on proposals to remove pedestals which once held Stonewall Jackson, J.E.B. Stuart and other Confederates to City Council without an endorsement; Gov. Northam announced Virginia had met President Biden's July 4 goal for COVID-19 vaccinations; community members raised concerns about proposed 'green' infrastructure in their neighborhood; and other local news stories.
As of today, Juneteenth is a national holiday celebrating the emancipation of African Americans. It also happens to be World Sickle Cell Awareness Day; Virginia children are less likely to meet school immunization requirements this year due to limited access to health services during the pandemic; Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney released a request for design proposals yesterday in a last-ditch effort to begin work on George Wythe High School as soon as possible; and other local news stories.
The nonprofit Virginia Environmental Justice Collaborative released a map this week detailing the environmental vulnerability of state residents; Chesterfield teenagers have the opportunity to get vaccinated today; and Ian Stewart speaks with Michael Paul Williams from the Richmond Times Dispatch about his Pulitzer Prize for Journalism.
Critical Race Theory has been used for decades to examine systemic racism. Politicians claim the theory is being taught in schools, but that’s really not the case; Virginia Senator Mark Warner says last week’s passage of the United States Innovation and Competition Act is intended to address current supply chain issues; Riding on GRTC will continue to be free for another year; and other local news stories.
After more than a year of battling the spread of COVID-19, the Virginia Department of Corrections is reporting zero active coronavirus cases in state prisons; Virginia Senator Mark Warner is part of a bipartisan coalition that has put together an alternative to President Joe Biden’s infrastructure proposal; Tonight, Chesterfield residents will have the chance to comment on what the county should do with over $68 million in federal money; and other local news stories.
At their meeting last week, the Chesterfield School Board approved a resolution recognizing June as LGBTQ+ month; Governor Ralph Northam signed into law a new reform to Virginia’s probation system; Virginia will receive over $15 million in federal funding to help residents obtain affordable housing; and other local news stories.
About 8 percent of registered voters turned out for Tuesday’s primary, down about two points from 2017’s record; The primary race for Richmond’s top prosecutor was a sweeping victory for incumbent Commonwealth’s Attorney Colette McEachin; The F-B-I says it believes the gunman in the 2019 Virginia Beach mass shooting “was motivated by perceived workplace grievances."; and other local news stories.
Democrats in Virginia have selected Terry McAuliffe as their nominee for governor; The Virginia Supreme Court heard challenges yesterday to the state’s plan to remove the statue of Robert E. Lee in Richmond; Virginia has seen an overall decrease in violent crimes compared to 2019; and other local news stories.
Five Democrats running for Virginia governor are making their final pitch to voters ahead of today’s primary; The Supreme Court of Virginia is slated to hear oral arguments today in the fight over taking down the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee; The City of Richmond is holding a mass vaccination event this week that will also serve as a community job fair; and other local news stories.
Virginia Representative Abigail Spanberger is reintroducing a bill to increase transparency in prescription drug transactions; VCU has expelled Delta Chi fraternity for violations that allegedly led to the death of a student; Tomorrow is the last day to vote early in-person before the June Primary; and other local news stories.
Republican Glenn Youngkin has so far raised nearly $16 million in his campaign for governor of Virginia. Campaign finance reports released this week show three quarters of that money came from his own pocket; The City of Richmond is now accepting applications for the second round of utility bill relief to help customers struggling during the pandemic; A state-funded investigation found institutional racism at Virginia Military Institute. But the report, released this week, also found sexual assault to be a problem; and other local news stories.
A months-long investigation found institutional racism at Virginia Military Institute and racist behavior is sometimes excused by administrators; starting this week, anyone receiving unemployment insurance in Virginia must prove they're looking for work; and it’s been just over a year since the murder of George Floyd, which sparked racial justice protests in Richmond and around the globe. And the city’s artists played an essential role.
The Virginia War Memorial’s 65th annual Memorial Day ceremony was open to the public yesterday; During COVID-19, a Virginia law against wearing masks has been paused. But that could change as soon as June 30th, when the current state of emergency is set to expire; Today is the deadline to sign up for Chesterfield County public school’s “Virtual Academy”. The district is offering the academy for K-through-8th grade as an alternative to in-person classes in the fall; and other local news stories.
Monday is the two-year anniversary of the Virginia Beach mass shooting that killed 12 people and injured four more. There will be tributes throughout the weekend to remember the victims; After over a year of social distancing, masking and avoiding crowds, Virginia lifted its remaining gathering restrictions today; AAA Mid-Atlantic expects more than a million Virginians to travel for Memorial Day; and other local news stories.
Petersburg native Doctor Jewel Bronaugh returned to her hometown yesterday to make her first public appearance as deputy secretary of the USDA; Former Senator John Warner died at home Tuesday due to heart failure, at 94 years old; The family of VCU freshman Adam Oakes, who died in February of alcohol poisoning, has started a nonprofit to support high school students after they graduate; and other local news stories.
Following court-ordered mediation, the Virginia Employment Commission will work to resolve a backlog of pandemic-related jobless claims by Labor Day; Lawyers for Dylann Roof asked a federal appeals court in Richmond yesterday to overturn his conviction; Yesterday, a U.S. Senate health committee approved the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act; and other local news stories.
Richmond City Council has approved a more than 770 million dollar budget for next fiscal year; Changes to Virginia’s medical cannabis program are coming this summer as recreational marijuana becomes legal; Multiple walk-up vaccination events at the Richmond Raceway this week will be open to children; and other local news stories.
A Virginia lawmaker was deposed earlier this month for his role in an alleged fraud scheme; On July 1st, adults in Virginia can legally use recreational marijuana, but there are still lots of rules to follow to stay on the right side of the law; Governor Ralph Northam is making changes to the state parole board; Richmond’s casino selection panel has narrowed the field down to one; and other local news stories.
A majority of Virginia voters support efforts to reduce flooding, according to a new poll; Petersburg City Council has appointed Stuart Turille Junior as its new city manager; The Vice Chair of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia resigned in protest this week of the agency’s handling of the Virginia Military Institute investigation; and other local news stories
Governor Ralph Northam has issued an executive order directing the Virginia Employment Commission to hire more staff and nearly double the number of disputed claims they process each week; The 7-day average for new COVID-19 cases in Richmond is down to 10 per week; Several Hampton Roads cities have higher rates of poverty, unemployment and housing insecurity than Virginia on average according to new data dashboards; and other local news stories.
A group called “Power for Tomorrow” is blanketing Virginia with TV ads warning against changes to the commonwealth’s electrical grid; Settlement talks are underway between the Virginia Employment Commission and residents who sued over delays in their unemployment benefits; The Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates announced the body will return to in-person meetings; and other local news stories.
12 to 15 year olds are now approved to get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine; Virginia will receive more than 7-billion-dollars in COVID relief funds from the American Rescue Plan; Virginia officials hope the gasoline supply chain will be fully back to normal by this weekend or early next week; and other local news stories.
Chesterfield is trying to relocate over 500 people from the county currently incarcerated at Riverside Regional Jail; Several COVID-19 vaccine clinics are taking place in the Richmond area with no appointments needed; Virginia's anti-price gouging statute is in effect following the shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline; and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency yesterday in response to the shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline by a ransomware attack; Over 1.5 million children in Virginia will benefit from the expansion of the Child Tax Credit; Virginia Commonwealth University’s faculty senate voted this week in support of several demands being made by adjunct professors; and other local news stories.
In Virginia, Black women are three to four times more likely to experience maternal health problems. A Richmond-based program was recently launched to try to address this; The deadline for Virginians to file their state taxes is approaching; A repaving project in Richmond appears to be paying off; and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam says all COVID-19 restrictions in Virginia could end in June if cases continue to decline; According to a new poll, about two-thirds of Virginia parents say they're likely to have their children vaccinated; The candidates for Attorney General met in debate; and other local news stories.
Richmond residents wanting to get vaccinated can do so today at the Islamic Center in Henrico; The COVID-19 crisis in India is impacting residents in Hampton Roads, A walk-up vaccination clinic opened Wednesday at George Wythe High School; and other local news stories.
Richmond City Council is setting aside roughly $200,000 for a civilian review board for police misconduct; Virginia Military Institute will remove “Stonewall” Jackson’s name from campus buildings in the wake of allegations of racism; Eight women recently filed a lawsuit against a Virginia summer camp, claiming they were sexually abused by staff; and other local news stories.
Charlottesville's Blue Ribbon Commission have requested the city council to immediately cover the monuments in preparation for their removal; A task force working on creating a civilian review board in Richmond for police misconduct is looking for public input; Richmond Public Schools will be holding in-person graduations this Spring, thanks to a drop in COVID-19 cases and an increase in vaccination rates; and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam eased some restrictions on outdoor gatherings yesterday following new CDC guidance for vaccinated individuals; Virginia’s minimum wage will rise to $9.50 an hour beginning tomorrow; Some voters recently received texts making homophobic comments towards Virginia Beach Delegate Glenn Davis; and other local news stories.
The Virginia Court of Appeals will consider the case of two Virginia men who are serving life in prison for the murder of a police officer despite a federal jury’s ‘not guilty’ verdict; Yesterday, Richmond Police arrested and charged three men they suspect were involved in a shooting that killed a woman and her 3-month-old daughter; Tonight residents can learn more about a major road improvement project slated for part of Route 60 in Chesterfield County; and Richmond-based band Butcher Brown talks about their experience with NPR's Tiny Desk Concert.
More than 55,000 Virginians have signed up to be delegates for the May 8th GOP convention; The Virginia Department of Education has responded to confusion resulting from media reports that VDOE would be eliminating advanced math courses; The Richmond and Henrico Health Districts have created a new web portal to sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine; and other local news stories.
After years of campaigning, the Richmond Public Defender’s office could finally get the funding it’s been asking for; Prince William County Delegate Hala Ayala got a boost in her campaign to become the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor yesterday; Virginia Republicans will allow observant Jews and other people with religious obligations to vote absentee in their upcoming nominating convention; and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam is loosening some of the restrictions put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus; Today marks 70 years since students at Moton High School in Farmville walked out of class to protest racial segregation in Prince Edward County public schools; The Henrico School Board selected Roscoe Cooper of the Fairfield District to serve as its new chairman yesterday; and other local news stories.
On Wednesday, Virginia became the first Southern state to legalize recreational marijuana. Governor Ralph Northam held a bill-signing ceremony, but one key group says they were left out; The State Board of Elections is requesting the commonwealth’s attorney investigate alleged misconduct by the Richmond Electoral Board; Four leading Republican contenders for governor gave mixed reactions after Tuesday’s verdict in the Derek Chauvin case; and other local news stories.
State leaders reacted to the jury’s verdict that former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is guilty on all counts in the murder of George Floyd; The city of Norfolk fired a police officer who donated money to the teenager accused of killing two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin; Governor Ralph Northam’s office announced yesterday that five new historical markers addressing African American history in the commonwealth have been selected; and other local news stories.
In leaked audio published on Sunday by the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Governor Ralph Northam’s staff questions the Virginia Inspector General’s authority to investigate alleged violations at the parole board; Now that the COVID-19 vaccine is available to all residents over the age of 16, Virginia Senator Mark Warner encouraged residents to protect their communities by getting a shot; Attorney General Mark Herring is asking the Virginia Supreme Court to dissolve a restraining order preventing the state from taking down the Robert E. Lee Monument in Richmond, and other local news stories.
Attorney General Mark Herring is using his authority, under a new state law, to probe the Windsor Police department’s overall policies and training; One of the survivors of the Virginia Tech mass shooting speaks about his experience 14 years later; Senator Tim Kaine is reintroducing legislation that aims to reduce gun violence; and other local news stories.
The police Chief in Windsor, Virginia says his officers initially handled the traffic stop of an Army Lieutenant relatively well. But things went downhill from there; As the 14 year anniversary of the Virginia Tech mass shooting approaches, the university is remembering the 32 lives lost; Virginia Senator Tim Kaine reintroduced a bipartisan bill earlier this week that helps train workers for future infrastructure jobs; and other local news stories.
While there’s a pause on using the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, Virginia’s leading vaccination official says the state remains on track to make other doses available to all adults by next week; Attorney General Mark Herring has directed his Office of Civil Rights to investigate the Windsor Police Department following the December traffic stop of an army officer; After the removal of Confederate monuments last year, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney wants to make sure the city never again displays symbols of hate; and other local news stories.
A December traffic stop in southeast Virginia of a uniformed Army officer has prompted Governor Ralph Northam to call for an investigation; Senator Mark Warner is using the incident to call for the passage of the Justice in Policing Act; Richmond City Council is moving forward with finding a new home for the city’s Confederate monuments after they were removed last year; and other local news stories.
As states move to address racial inequities in health care, clinicians explore what’s being done to address mental health in the Black community; Richmond will receive nearly 6 million dollars for homeless services as part of the latest federal coronavirus relief package; Governor Ralph Northam has endorsed his predecessor, former Governor Terry McAuliffe, in his run for governor; and other local news stories.
The Virginia General Assembly weighed a number of Gov. Ralph Northam's proposed amendments to legislation that would legalize marijuana sooner as well as funding for an investigation into the state government watchdog agency. A leading health official in Central Virginia says the commonwealth now has about 350 cases of the UK variant of the coronavirus, which is now the dominant strain in the country.
A pandemic policy to ensure out-of-work Virginians can receive unemployment is ending, Richmond is hammering out a process to find homes for removed Confederate monuments, and more. Correction: An earlier version of the newscast had the wrong story. It has been updated.
What Constitutes an "Open Container" of Marijuana? Will the closure of shelters leave people without places to sleep?
The death of VCU freshman Adam Oakes is still under investigation one month later, VPM reporter Alan Rodriguez Espinoza had the chance to speak with Adam’s friends and family about how they will remember him; The Virginia Supreme Court has sided with the city of Charlottesville in the fight over Confederate monuments; Governor Ralph Northam announced yesterday that all Virginians 16 and older will be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine starting April 18th; and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam has signed a state-level Voting Rights Act; Legalization of marijuana in Virginia could happen as early as July, three years ahead of schedule; Provisions in the amended marijuana bill add protections for unions and workers; and other local news stories.
Virginia voters have plenty of options when they choose nominees for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general; Governor Ralph Northam and U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced a new infrastructure project that will double Virginia's access to train services; Richmonders will soon see some green space taking up on-street parking. The city has approved five small “parklets” as part of a pilot project; and other local news stories.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced an extension on the federal eviction moratorium yesterday; Three Richmond-based advocacy groups detailed local policy proposals to address the city’s housing and eviction crisis; According to the AARP, nearly 2-in-100 Virginia nursing home residents died from COVID-19 between mid-January and mid-February; and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam is expected to ask lawmakers to speed up the timeline for legalizing marijuana in Virginia; An evaluation panel appointed by Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney has chosen three finalist casino proposals; The City of Richmond is taking applications for its new Educator Task Force; and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam has signed into a law a bill that officially ends the death penalty in Virginia; Former President Donald Trump is back on the air in Virginia ahead of the GOP nominating convention; Richmond and Henrico are getting a $600,000 grant from the federal E-P-A; and other local news stories.
As COVID-19 cases decline across the state, Governor Ralph Northam is easing some restrictions he put in place earlier in the pandemic; When the COVID-19 vaccine rollout began, public health officials raised concerns that Black Americans might be hesitant to get the shot. Now, those same officials say that concern has waned; Governor Northam responded to recent mass shootings in Atlanta and Boulder; and other local news stories.
A new study from the American Society of Criminology finds U.S. counties that are more religious, more Republican, and have unstable economies are more likely to impose the death penalty; Governor Ralph Northam unveiled a new initiative yesterday to help Virginia students get access to financial aid for college; Richmond City Council is looking to rezone properties along Broad Street in the West End for transit-oriented development; and other local news stories.
Virginia has received nearly 7 billion dollars from the American Rescue Plan, the new federal stimulus bill; The Richmond and Henrico Health Districts have announced a partnership with G-R-T-C to help with vaccinations; Passenger traffic at Richmond International Airport was down 65 percent last year compared to 2019, but it's picking up as vaccinations increase; and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam said Virginians have a responsibility to condemn racist acts and violence, following the killing of 8 people in Atlanta; The U.S. House of Representatives has, again, approved a resolution to lift the deadline for ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment; Governor Northam released preliminary guidelines yesterday for schools and universities holding in-person graduations this spring; and other local news stories.
A year ago today, Governor Ralph Northam issued an executive order limiting gatherings and many businesses to 10 people. Ben Paviour spoke with Dr. Norm Oliver about what we're learned since then; The Virginia Department of Health announced yesterday that some regions are moving into the next phase of vaccinations this week; A community vaccination center serving Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Petersburg and neighboring areas is opening at Virginia State University today; and other local news stories.
NPR recently reported on alleged ethics violations at Virginia’s largest law firm, McGuireWoods. The firm is accused of representing adversary clients; Governor Ralph Northam and First Lady Pamela Northam received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine yesterday; An annual mass healthcare event in Southwest Virginia has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and other local news stories.
A panel of federal appeals court judges in Richmond heard arguments yesterday in Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax’s defamation suit against CBS; Chesterfield County’s Fire and EMS department is bringing COVID-19 vaccines to homebound residents who have medical issues; All of the Democratic members of Virginia’s Congressional delegation voted to pass the American Rescue Plan, the latest federal coronavirus relief package; and other local news stories.
A federal appeals court will reconsider Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax’s libel suit against CBS today; The Henrico County school board agreed Wednesday to participate in cultural sensitivity and implicit bias training; The Richmond-area housing market continues to get more expensive; and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam struck a cautiously hopeful tone at his latest press conference on the state’s response to the coronavirus; As supply grows, the head of Virginia’s vaccine distribution says the state needs to focus on getting people to take the vaccine; The Governor’s Office says a lawsuit filed by an employee of Virginia’s government watchdog agency is a political ploy, riddled with false accusations; and other local news stories.
Thousands of middle and high school students return to in-person learning in Chesterfield today, although more are choosing to remain at home; Henrico and Richmond are expanding access to the COVID-19 vaccine; The South African variant of the coronavirus has be confirmed in Central Virginia; and other local news stories.
U.S. Senator Tim Kaine is pushing to include mental health protections for health care providers in the federal relief package under consideration; The Virginia Department of Health announced yesterday that the first child under the age of 10 has died due to COVID-19; The Mayor’s Homelessness Advisory Council has issued its final report; and other local news stories.
Virginia is expecting 69,000 does of the newly-approved Johnson and Johnson vaccine this week; Richmond and Henrico are aiming to vaccinate 12,000 older adults at clinics this week; Richmond Public Schools is projecting a significant decrease in drop outs this year; and other local news stories.
Virginia's General Assembly has passed a bill to study the effects of gold mining, after concerns about a proposal in Buckingham County’s Union Hill; Governor Ralph Northam is joining calls for an investigation into the state's parole board; a new pedestrian traffic signal goes up in the West End; and other local news stories.
Richmond City Council voted to sell the defunct Public Safety Building last night; A new website seeks to help workers facing wage theft and other workplace violations; Richmond Police are investigating the death of a 19-year-old VCU student in an alleged hazing incident; and other local news stories.
In a special edition of the VPM daily newscast, on the morning of Monday, March 1, 2021, VPM’s Newscast Editor Sara McCloskey recaps the last days of the General Assembly session with reporters Ben Paviour and Roberto Roldan.
For a second year, Virginia Democrats used majorities in the House and Senate to push their top priorities, including criminal justice reforms and funding to respond to COVID-19. Read a deeper recap of the bills that passed, check out VPM’s full story: Virginia Democrats Pass Slew of New Laws As Session Ends.
In the late hours of Saturday night, lawmakers were still negotiating aspects of legislation that would legalize marijuana in 2024. It also requires the General Assembly revisit regulatory framework and criminal penalties next year. For more on legalization, see VPM’s full story: Virginia Lawmakers Move to Legalize Marijuana….In 2024.
All of the bills still need to go to Gov. Ralph Northam, who can sign them into law or make amendments that would need to be approved once again by the legislature in the coming months.
A leaked draft of an inspector general's report on illegal activity by the state parole board has led to calls from both parties for an investigation; A bill requiring schools to offer an in-person option is heading to Governor Northam's desk; Teachers and state employees could get a 5 percent raise as part of the updated state budget; and other local news stories.
70 years ago, Barbara Johns organized a walk out at her high school that would form part of the foundation for Brown v. Board of Education; Governor Ralph Northam announced the easing of some restrictions as COVID-19 cases continue to decline; A new COVID-19 vaccine could arrive in Virginia as early as next week; and other local news stories.
The state Senate gave final approval for the removal of the statue of Harry Byrd Senior from Capitol Square; Proposed amendments to the state budget bring mixed news for child welfare; Richmond is considering four proposals for a potential casino in the the area; and other local news stories.
Virginia lawmakers approved a ban on the death penalty on Monday, making the Commonwealth the first southern state to do so; Home healthcare workers could receive a week of paid sick leave under a new proposal; A bill that would have required farm employees to be paid the same minimum wage as other workers was voted down by a state Senate panel; and other local news stories.
A VPM study of court filings found that black Virginians were four times more likely to be charged with marijuana penalties than whites; Commonwealth's Attorney Collette McEachin faces a primary challenge after last summer's protests; VCU returns to classes on March 4, and other local news stories.
Virginia is set to remove a now-defunct provision in the state constitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman; Governor Ralph Northam urged caution ahead of another ice storm in the state; A new website and call center are available to register for the COVID-19 vaccine; and other local news stories.
Senator Mark Warner was in Shockoe Bottom to tour Lumpkin's Slave Jail yesterday, and also spoke about his vote to convict former President Donald Trump during the recent impeachment trial; Virginia has received an additional $524 million for the Rent Relief Program; Legislation to legalize marijuana in Virginia passed both chambers of the General Assembly; and other local news stories.
A new website going live this afternoon will provide a central location for Virginians to register to receive the COVID-19 vaccine; a new proposal calls for establishment of a "teacher reserve corps" amid a teacher shortage; More ice could be in the forecast this week; and other local news stories.
RPS is discussing a proposal for year-round school to help recover from the pandemic; Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney gave his State of the City address on Thursday; Chesterfield Health District will be confirming registrations for the COVID-19 vaccine; and other local news stories.
A new report from the Department of Elections said the November election was successful, although some problems plagued the City of Richmond; Efforts in the General Assembly to "police the police" fell short; Middle and high school students in Chesterfield can return to in-person learning on March 9th; and other local news stories.
CVS will now accept all Virginians over 65 to receive the COVID-19 vaccine after problems during registration; Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras says the school system will have a plan for in-person instruction by March 15th, despite having some concerns about the return; Chesterfield says all K-12 teachers and personnel should be fully vaccinated by March 5th; and other local news stories.
The General Assembly will reconvene on Wednesday for a special session to finish work on passing laws and the state budget; Richmond says it may be March before they can finish vaccinating those currently eligible in phase 1B; Chesterfield County Public Schools is holding a meeting to determine the budget and when middle and high school students could return to class; and other local news stories.
Delegate Kirk Cox announced his education proposals to help students with virtual learning; The House of Delegates approved a bill that would mandate sick leave for essential employees; an in-depth look at the legalization of marijuana in Virginia; and other local news stories.
In a virtual meeting, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney discussed the symptoms of having COVID-19 and warned residents to take it seriously; Senator Tim Kaine urged his colleagues to act swiftly on a new pandemic relief package; Another new case of the B117 strain of the coronavirus was found in Northwestern Virginia; and other local news stories.
The Virginia Department of Education will issue guidance this month to help school districts better look after transgender and non-binary students; The state Senate passed a bill that would ban guns from Capitol Square and surrounding state buildings; the G3 program to support community college students taking classes in high demand fields gets a second chance; and other local news stories.
State Democrats want to expunge criminal records once sentences have been served, but disagree on how to do it; The House of Delegates approved a new Voting Rights Act for Virginia; New legislation that would allow undocumented immigrants access to state financial assistance and scholarships passed in the House of Delegates, but still needs to pass in the Senate; and other local news stories.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney disbanded his Teacher Advisory Council earlier this month, and this week the council members sent a letter expressing their frustration; Chesterfield County says teachers should be able to get their first COVID-19 vaccine within two weeks; The state's redistricting committee was informed it won't have the census data it needs until July 30th; and other local news stories.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney announced he had tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday; Governor Northam is overhauling the state's vaccination efforts; the state senate censured Senator Amanda Chase after comments in support of the assault on the U.S. Capitol; and other local news stories.
Teachers are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, and there are many reasons they are choosing to get vaccinated; Chesterfield's Board of Supervisors send a letter to Governor Ralph Northam expressing frustration with the state's vaccine rollout; An internet outage along the east coast affected the General Assembly session on Tuesday; and other local news stories.
State officials erected a fence around the Robert E. Lee monument in preparation for its possible removal; the B117 variant of COVID-19 was confirmed in northern Virginia; Employers can mandate their employees receive the COVID-19 vaccine according to the CDC and the Department of Labor; and other local news stories.
Health districts in Central Virginia held a mass vaccination event for essential workers at the Richmond Raceway, while addressing the state's lagging vaccination rates; A bipartisan group of Virginia senators unveiled a bill to expand the number of healthcare workers who can administer the COVID-19 vaccine; State lawmakers are proposing matching state tax credits for affordable housing; and other local news stories.
While no armed protestors were charged with violating the city's gun ban on Capitol Square, Mayor Levar Stoney said the low turnout proves the ban is working; A new legislative proposal would ban firearms from being carried in polling locations; a Navy SEAL faces more than 22 years in prison for manslaughter; and other local news stories.
Chesterfield County is reorganizing it's vaccination plans after receiving only a thousand doses of the COVID-19 vaccine; Republican Delegate Todd Gilbert is defending his colleagues who questioned the results of November's election; Amanda Chase was stripped of her last committee assignment and censured after her support for the mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol; and other local news stories.
Lobby Day was smaller than expected amid heightened security in Richmond; The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence held a vigil to mark Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; No arrests following armed demonstrations despite the city's new gun ban; and other local news stories.
Security is in place around Richmond ahead of the annual Lobby Day and threats of violence across the U.S.; New guidelines expand who is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine; VDOE released new guidance for reopening schools; and other local news stories.
Additional security measures are being put in place around Capitol Square and state buildings in downtown Richmond ahead of planned protests; Governor Ralph Northam gave his third and final State of the Commonwealth last night; Health departments in the Richmond region will begin their next phase of vaccinations next week; and other local news stories.
State, city and Capitol police are collaborating with city agencies to prepare for potential unrest in Richmond as the presidential inauguration approaches; Historians weigh in on the breach of the U.S. Capitol; Attorney General Mark Herring announced a settlement in a price gouging case; and other local news stories.
Richmond is under a state of emergency following threats to the capitols of all 50 states leading up to the inauguration; State leaders are urging residents not to travel to Washington, D.C. for the inaugural ceremonies; Mental health experts weigh-in on the aftermath of last week's violence in the U.S. Capitol; and other local news stories.
Virginia law enforcement will remain in Washington, D.C. through the inauguration; Clergy at the Virginia Interfaith Center, along with Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, condemned the violence at the U.S. Capitol; the Virginia Citizens Defense League has altered plans for their rally on January 18th; and other local news stories
A curfew put into place following a violent storming of the U.S. Capitol building has lifted; Virginia lawmakers react to the altercation that delayed the certification of the Electoral College votes; Governor Northam named Dr. Danny Avula to head Virginia's COVID-19 vaccination program; and other local news stories.
The Virginia State Crime Commission voted in favor of scrapping all mandatory minimum sentences in Virginia; Advocates for Virginia workers are planning to make another push to get mandatory paid sick leave; The Pocahontas building will remain closed to the public during the upcoming legislative session, but alternative plans are now in the works; and other local news stories.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney was sworn in for a second term on Monday; Delegate Lee Carter announced his candidacy for Governor of Virginia; International student enrollment is down across the country and in Virginia; and other local news stories.
The Latino community is less likely to engage with the medical system, as workers seek to remove barriers that may turn them away; Richmond City Council Member Michael Jones is planning to challenge state Delegate Betsy Carr in a Democratic primary next year; Virginia housing organizations will benefit from $2 million in federal funding; and other local news stories.
Richmond City Council approved a slate of nominations to a civilian review board tasked with investigating police misconduct; Governor Northam proposed $1.2 billion in new investments to the state budget; Caution is still being urged over the holidays despite the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine; and other local news stories.
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital administered the first vaccinations for COVID-19 in Virginia on Tuesday; Governor Ralph Northam signed the MARCUS Alert into law; Richmond City Council approved the Richmond300 plan; and other local news stories.
A new JLARC Study says Virginia isn't doing enough for students in special education programs; Virginia's Electoral College members officially cast their votes; COVID-19 vaccinations are currently uncertain for Virginia's prison populations; and other local news stories.
How Richmond-area congregations are virtually celebrating Hanukkah and Christmas; the big problems chicken waste is causing for the Chesapeake Bay, and more.
Lawmaker Jennifer Carroll Foy has stepped down from the House of Delegates in order to raise money for a run for governor; Christmas trees are in short supply; a new Ukrops market is opening.
VMI is removing a statue to Confederate Stonewall Jackson, Gov. Northam signed off on a ban on 'no-knock' warrants, and state Sen. Amanda Chase announced she'll run for governor as an independent. Richmond Public Schools will remain virtual for the spring semester.
Virginia could receive the first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine in a few weeks, although it could be summer before most residents have access; The Richmond Opera is cancelling its upcoming season; Inmates in the Richmond Jail are suing after allegedly being tear-gassed this summer; and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam announced plans for distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine while urging residents to continue to use protective measures to control the spread of the disease; Campbell County votes to defy Governor Northam's COVID-19 restrictions; Childcare services are implementing new policies for the holidays; and other local news stories.
Virginia Senator Mark Warner joins a bipartisan coalition to to propose a $908 billion coronavirus relief package; Richmond has release an online survey regarding a potential resort casino in the city; The developers of the Navy Hill project has set their sights on Henrico County; and other local news stories.
The new commission for redistricting is accepting applications for potential members; A new report looks at how to legalize marijuana within Virginia; Chesterfield gets an update on virtual learning; and other local news stories.
Several state delegates are running for higher office, but could also run for their current house seats as well; Terry McAuliffe is expected to announce his candidacy for governor soon; Virginia's top diversity officer is calling on leadership at VMI to deal with complaints of racism at the public college; and other local news stories.
Democratic Delegate Lee Carter is advocating for revenue generated from the potential legalization of marijuana to fund reparations; Virginia has some of the country's loosest ethics rules according to a new national ranking; Medicaid is seeing spike in both enrollment and costs statewide; and other local news stories.
Democratic party leaders sent a letter calling for Richmond General Registrar Kirk Showalter to resign; A Northern Virginia judge blocked a massive indoor gun show from operating at full capacity this weekend; Coronavirus cases continue to rise in Richmond; and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam confirmed Virginia has a plan to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as one is available, and signed a revised two-year budget; Dr. Anthony Fauci discussed the vaccine and the pandemic during a virtual event at VCU; A Chesterfield County education group is asking the state to advise on school reopening plans; and other local news stories.
A Fairfax judge ruled that cash bail is unconstitutional, but that doesn't mean it will become a regular policy; Virginia will benefit from a new national computer science education initiative; Former Speaker of the House Kirk Cox announces his run for Governor; and other local news stories.
Governor Northam calls for legalization of marijuana in response to a new state report; Virginia Board of Elections met to certify the state's election results, although Richmond's will be slightly delayed; a judge dismissed charges against Senator Louise Lucas stemming from monument protests over the summer; and other local news stories.
Severe Storms across the region has caused the James River to hit historic levels; Virginia's top Republican elections official says no signs of foul play in Virginia voting; a COVID-19 resurgence is causing multiple outbreaks in the region; and other local news stories.
Virginia honored its 700,000 veterans in a ceremony on Wednesday; Henrico's Voter Registration and Elections office sees a COVID-19 outbreak; Chesterfield County defends decision to reopen schools; and other local news stories.
Governor Northam urged residents to follow pandemic guidelines as cases of the coronavirus continue to rise, while also cautioning that any potential vaccine will take time to distribute; Delegate Sam Rasoul launched his campaign for Lieutenant Governor; Confederate Avenue will soon have a new name; and other local news stories.
Three employees at the Richmond Registrar's office tested positive for COVID-19, causing most staff to quarantine; Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney said one of his staff had also contracted the disease; the General Assembly approved funding for an investigation into racism at VMI; and other local news stories.
Background checks in Virginia hit an all-time high in 2020 amid civil unrest and a tense election season; Richmond's 2nd District is heading for a likely recount, as some voters report receiving incorrect ballots; and other local news stories.
Virginia continues to count absentee ballots until noon on Friday, as some races remain too close to call; Abigail Spanberger has declared victory in the 7th District race; Elaine Luria retains her seat in Congress; and other local news stories.
Registrars are still counting the state's absentee ballots, with results expected by Friday, although former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Mark Warner have been declared winners in the state; An amendment to to form a commission to redraw districts is on track to pass; and updates on the city council and mayoral races in Richmond.
Polls are open, and curbside options are available those those diagnosed with or quarantining due to COVID-19; Virginia has increased polling locations since 2016; Security has been heightened at the Lee Monument after disturbances from a "Trump Train" event on Sunday; and other local news stories.
Six people, including two police officers, were nominated this week to a task force to establish a civilian review board in Richmond; VCU Health announces its first director of diversity, equity and inclusion; Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney announced a guaranteed income pilot program; and other local news stories.
Governor Northam signed several criminal justice bills into law on Wednesday, including some new police reforms; Virginia retains an overall low positivity rate for COVID-19, although the southwestern part of the state is trending higher; Richmond is seeing a rise in cases and hospitalizations as the weather cools; Biden expands his lead over Donald Trump in the final pre-election Wason poll; and other local news stories.
A Richmond judge has ruled that Governor Northam is allowed to remove the Robert E. Lee monument in Richmond, but a pending appeal means the statue will remain for now; The state GOP challenges a new rule for absentee ballots; A suspected computer glitch allowed residents to apply for an absentee ballot past last Friday's deadline; and other local news stories.
The Superintendent of Virginia Military Institute has resigned after complaints from black students about racism at the school; a look at safety measures to prevent voter intimidation at the polls in Virginia; Richmond absentee ballots have the lowest return rate in the state with a week to go before the deadline; and other local news stories.
Several staff at the Henrico County Courthouse are in quarantine after two employees tested positive for the disease; An internal audit finds that the Chesterfield teacher's union did not bully school staff amid reopening discussions; Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney announced plans to replace George Wythe High School; and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam signed several bills from the special session, including some focused on police reform and COVID-19 transparency; Democrats failed to pass a bill to expunge criminal records for certain crimes; Richmond trends upward in coronavirus cases, and other local news stories.
Governor Northam, a VMI graduate, is launching an investigation after reports of rampant racism at Virginia Military Institute, Board of Elections says early voting in Virginia has been a success, Henrico County schools have reported 10 cases of COVID-19 since in-person classes have resumed, and other local news stories.
A judge heard arguments Monday in the lawsuit to determine the fate of the Robert E. Lee monument in Richmond; A look at the 8th District City Council race; Difficulties for inmates eligible to vote from jail; New satellite voting locations are open in Chesterfield County; and other local news stories.
Absentee voting, police reform proposals, the Affordable Care Act, and more: VPM News broke down some of the biggest issues facing our audience as election day approaches.
The two-year Virginia budget has finished negotiations and faces its first vote today, Legislation that allows local governments to create civilian review boards is heading to the governor's desk; The Robert E. Lee monument in Richmond has been named the "most influential work of American protest art since World War Two" by the New York Times, and other local news stories.
A federal judge ordered the Virginia Department of Elections to extend voter registration for 48 hours after a cut cable shut down the website on the last day to register; A look at how the mayoral race works in Richmond; Richmond sees an uptick in COVID-19 cases; and other local news stories.
The Virginia Department of Elections is facing lawsuits from advocacy groups after a cut wire prevented people from registering to vote; Governor Ralph Northam was a potential target of a militia group that had planned to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer; 4th District Representative Donald McEachin and his opponent, Bishop Leon Benjamin met in debate, and other local news stories.
Republican congressional candidate Bob Good denied any wrongdoing in his financial disclosures; Virginia Speaker of the House Eileen Filler-Corn was fined for a violation of the Freedom of Information Act; A new study shows an excess of deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic; and other local news stories.
Republican Bob Good's financial reports contain inconsistencies in VPM's analysis of the records; Biden is leading Trump in Virginia polls; Richmond sees an increase in COVID-19 cases; and other local news stories.
Senator Tim Kaine says eliminating the Affordable Care Act is the main impetus in the rush to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the court; Richmond Police have released new crime data for 2020; Top Republican lawmakers are threatening legal action over an investigation into the Virginia Parole Board; and other local news stories.
Candidates for Mayor of Richmond met last night in a debate hosted by VPM and NBC12; In-person voting has already seen a huge turnout; JLARC issued a new report about the Virginia Department of Education; and other local news stories.
Members of the 'Proud Boys' attended a 2019 fundraiser held by Richmond City Council candidate Mike Dickinson; Richmond Commonwealth's Attorney Colette McEachin is considering 18 sealed indictments involving police conduct in relation to protests over the summer; Postal inspectors are investigating reports of tampering with outdoor mailboxes at area post offices; and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam continues to remain asymptomatic and working after his recent positive diagnosis for COVID-19, The State Corporation Commission declined to extend the moratorium on utility disconnections due to unpaid bills; A budget amendment that would have provided parents with money to support online learning failed to pass in the General Assembly; Gov. Northam joined 10 other state governors to call for election security; and a look at how the descendants of enslaved people who helped build America are working to add perspective to how their ancestors' stories are told.
A handful of residents in Richmond and Henrico received duplicate ballots, but unique barcodes will prevent anyone from voting twice; Commonwealth's Attorneys want to stop a bill that would allow judges to impose sentences in criminal trials; COVID-19 cases are on the decline in Richmond; and how to spot misinformation ahead of the November election.
A new Wason poll shows likely Virginia voters trust Biden over Trump when it come to handling the pandemic; Richmond moves to establish a slavery museum in Shockoe Bottom; Activists accused Richmond police of making political arrests; and other local news stories.
The Virginia Supreme Court has approved a resumption of jury trials across the commonwealth; the Richmond 300 master plan looks ahead to 2037; VDH has added several new dashboards to its site to track the coronavirus; and other local news stories.
President Donald Trump is holding a rally tonight in Newport News as a new Wason Center poll shows Joe Biden with a 5-point lead among likely Virginia voters; Jill Biden joined Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney at an early voting location; Governor Northam expanded the rent relief program to landlords; and other local news stories.
COVID-19 has had a negative effect on the opioid epidemic, with non-fatal overdoses up 123% over last year; Senator Tim Kaine questioned health officials about the pandemic in committee; Richmond moves forward with plans to provide childcare to low-income families and frontline workers; and VADOC responds to CDC guidelines to manage COVID-19 outbreaks in detention centers.
A bill that would have reduced the punishment for assaulting a police officer failed to pass a House panel yesterday; GRTC is offering a shuttle service to the new registrar's office in Richmond; Governor Northam announces plan to restructure the debt of state colleges and universities; Mayor Stoney unveiled a plan to increase affordable housing in the city; and other local news stories.
A planned Black Live Matter mural on Grace Street has been called off following a proposed anti-abortion mural; Virginia remembers Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who passed away last week; Chesterfield County is reducing the number of locations for free meal pickups; Richmond is shortening their virtual school day over screen time concerns; and other local news stories.
The director of VCU's Massey Cancer Center said in a Congressional briefing this week that African Americans have the highest overall death rate in the US; A majority of Virginians think it is unsafe for kids to return to school in person according to a new poll; VUU and VCU celebrate the 30th anniversary of the inauguration of former Governor L. Douglas Wilder; and other local news stories.
Richmond Public Schools has established a new program to help students facing housing insecurity; A bill requiring utilities to offer an extended payment plan passed the Virginia Senate, which also killed a bill that would have required some employers to provide paid quarantine leave; The city of Richmond is planning to provide childcare for low-income and working parents; and other local news stories.
The State Corporation Commission has agreed to Governor Ralph Northam's request to freeze utility disconnections through October 5th; Southwest Virginia continues a spike in COVID-19 cases; Virginia ABC sales continue to rise; Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney joins other mayors across the country to call on President Trump to condemn vigilantism; and other local news stories.
The state Senate has sent a significant police reform bill to the House of Delegates; Henrico gets a new police chief; Chesterfield moves to return students to in-person learning; Virginia localities prepare for November's election; and other local news stories.
Hampton Roads COVID-19 Restrictions Being Lifted; Legal Protections for Police Will Continue After Senate Defeats Proposal; After Major Outbreak, ICE Says COVID-19 is Under Control in Their Facility, Asks to Bring in More Detained People; and more local news stories.
Democrats Block a GOP Attempt to End Police Unions; Richmond Bans Firearms at Protests; Special Prosecutor Requested to Investigate $1.8M Confederate Monument Removal Contract; and more local news
Yasmine Jumaa fills in for Ben Dolle, who is on vacation. Virtual School Reopening Hit Technical Challenges; Richmond Bans Guns at Protests; Update on COVID-19 in Richmond Jails; a Hanover School is Closed Due to COVID-19, and more local news
School Resource Officers will be taking on new roles as many schools across the state reopen virtually; Richmond schools have announced plans to make sure students have access to meals during virtual classes; Governor Northam has signed a bill to make it easier to vote early; Disagreements arise over the CDC's ban on evictions; and other local news stories.
Kanye West will not appear on the ballots in the November election in Virginia after at least three voters say his campaign misled them; A proposal to provide two weeks of paid leave for workers exposed COVID-19 is heading to the House of Delegates; Richmond City officials toured one of three new schools opening this fall; and other local news stories.
The CDC has issued a ban on evictions through the end of the year for renters who lost thier jobs due to the pandemic; Kayne West's campaign is facing a lawsuit to remove the rapper from the Virginia ballot; Community activists are criticizing the police reponse to protests outside of the Richmond Jail earlier this week; A bill advanced that would allow for automatic expungement of some crimes after 8 years; and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam is waiting to see for now if any restrictions are needed to help curb the spread of COVID-19 in Virginia; A potential new rapid treatment for COVID-19 is undergoing trials at VCU; Richmond Public Schools voted to allow 5 school buildings in the city to be used to provide emergency childcare; Mayor Levar Stoney officially kicked off his mayoral campaign with some key endorsements; and other local news stories.
The Virginia Crime Commission recommended passage of a bill to expand expungement eligibility; IKEA donates $2 million to Virginia for eviction relief; School funding remains uncertain amid the COVID-19 pandemic; and other local news stories.
A new bill introduced by Delegate Sam Rasoul seeks to change how body cam footage is dealt with after shooting incidents; the state Senate is seeking to extend a moratorium on evictions; Dozens of inmates at Richmond City Jail are being monitored after testing positive for COVID-19; The Virginia Supreme Court clears the way for the removal of Richmond's last standing Confederate monument; and other local news stories.
The Valentine Museum is in talks to acquire the Jefferson Davis monument toppled by protestors earlier this year; a federal appeals court once again rules in favor of Gavin Grimm, a transgender man who sued his high school for the right to use the boys restroom; Chesterfield County is looking to add two satellite voting locations; and other local news stories.
Judge W. Reilly Marchant dismissed two plaintiffs for lack of standing in a lawsuit preventing the removal of the Robert E. Lee monument, but the case will still go to trial in October with the remaining plaintiffs; Attorney General Herring has defended state restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in fifteen legal cases so far, even as one state senator tests positive for the virus; Requests for absentee ballots are skyrocketing according to the Virginia Department of Elections; Chesterfield is discussing how to spend $50 million in Federal CARES Act Funding; Woodland Cemetery is undergoing changes after changing ownership; and other local news stories.
Henrico County has hired its first African American police chief after a summer of national protests; President Trump trails Joe Biden by double digits among Virginia voters; Over 70 cases of COVID-19 have been reported at VCU; J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College tests a new way to teach math; and other local news stories.
RRHA is preparing it's annual plan, although the files disappeared from the public this week; Dominion Energy overcharged customers by $500 million from 2017 to 2019; former Governor Terry McAuliffe filed paperwork to raise money for a gubernatorial bid; the Virginia Senate approves civilian review boards; and other local news stories.
Former Governor Terry McAuliffe says he'll wait until after the election to decide if he'll run for Governor again; Nursing and medical care headlined the special session on Tuesday; Mayoral candidate Kim Gray is calling for an investigation into the contractor in charge of removing Confederate statues in Richmond; and other local news stories.
The special session of the General Assembly began with a focus on the state budget, the COVID-19 pandemic, and police reform; Governor Ralph Northam weighs in on state spending; Ballot dropboxes may come to Virginia; Protestors gather for the special session; and other local news stories.
The special session of the General Assembly focused on police reform and COVID-19 response; A Richmond judge will rule on the current lawsuit blocking the removal of the Robert E. Lee monument; Richmond will get a Black Live Matter mural near the capitol; Mayor Levar Stoney announced that Richmond's 2020 budget will end with a $4.5 million surplus; and other local news stories.
Virginia Democrats have laid out their priorities ahead of next week's special session of the General Assembly; Northern Virginia will conduct a pediatric COVID-19 study; Private schools must submit their reopening plans to the Virginia Council for Private Education; VSU is giving students a $500 stipend towards computer purchases; Two Italian-American organizations are offering to take a toppled statue of Christopher Columbus; and the chief curator for VCU's Institute for Contemporary Art is stepping down.
As schools prepare to start virtually, a new study finds one in five Virginia students has no access to a computer or the internet; Chesterfield County introduced a new color-coded system to gauge reopening conditions; Four people were arrested for rioting in Richmond after vandalizing buildings Tuesday night; RRHA prepares to submit its annual plan to HUD; 2nd St. Festival goes virtual; and concerns over mail-in voting.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney has proposed a ban on firearms at all public events in the city; Richmond's public safety task force held its first meeting; Stoney calls for the legalization of marijuana; The General Assembly prepares to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic at next week's special session; CDC personnel arrive in Farmville amid a coronavirus outbreak at the immigration detention center there; and over 25% of live events employees were unemployed in mid-June.
Housing organizations in Virginia will no have access to nearly $9 million in federal funding; Small businesses in Richmond damaged during protests will have access to city grants for repairs; and other local news stories.
Richmond Police purchased over 1,000 units of chemical agents during recent protests according to a request for information by VPM; Virginia Senate Democrats unveiled their proposals for police reform ahead of a special session this month; Republicans call for the resignation of the entire Virginia Parole Board following an investigation into allegations of impropriety; and other local news stories.
The Henrico jail reports that all of the COVID-19 cases from the outbreak in July have recovered; COVID-19 cases in Richmond have stabilized; Virginia rolled out a new voluntary app for contact tracing; Republican Congressional candidate Nick Freitas is under fire for a mask sold by his campaign; Teacher of the Year Rodney Robinson is set to head a new program to support male teachers of color; and other local news stories.
Regulators are set to vote today on a plan to manage menhaden populations in Chesapeake Bay; President Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act which will being new jobs to Virginia; New changes to absentee voting will allow voters to track their ballots; Schools and businesses continue to address the COVID-19 pandemic; and health districts look for solutions to the disproportionate spread of the coronavirus among the Latinx community.
A Richmond judge dismissed a lawsuit filed to prevent the removal of the Robert E. Lee monument, but one filed by residents of Monument Avenue remains; Richmond City Council votes to permanently remove the monuments already taken down in the city; Petersburg is offering grants to small businesses affected by the pandemic; Virginia Department of Health is rolling out a voluntary contact tracing app for COVID-19; the closure of the John Marshall Courthouse has been extended; Former Speaker of the House Kirk Cox is considering a run for Governor; and vandals defaced Maggie Walker's grave in Evergreen Cemetery.
Despite closing down for criminal and traffic cases, evictions continue at Richmond's General District Court; Two people were charged with assaulting RPD officers at the Lee Monument, VCU's SGA criticizes President Michael Rao's response to recent protests; RPD Chief Gerald Smith says the department lacks training with non-lethal measures; Chesterfield extends the personal property tax grace period; Richmond will forgive small business relief loans; and part three of a series focused on nursing homes amid the pandemic.
The Virginia House of Delegates looked at police reform options during a committee meeting ahead of the August 18th special session; 7th District Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger introduced a bipartisan bill to study and improve telehealth; Virginia Senator Mark Warner says President Trump can't remove funding from schools that don't physically reopen; and part two of an investigative series looking at how nursing homes have handled the COVID-19 pandemic.
Governor Northam reimposed Phase 2 restrictions for Hampton Roads as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the area; the John Marshall Courthouse is closing for at least a week in response to coronavirus concerns; the family of George Floyd debuted a memorial hologram display in Richmond; a new initiative seeks to memorialize African American history in Shockoe Bottom; Richmond City Council delayed a vote over use of non-lethal deterrents; Chesterfield is conducting an internal audit over potential bullying over school reopening plans; and a look at how Virginia nursing homes are faring amidst the pandemic.
An investigation into the amount and types of arrests happening in schools in Richmond, more than 20 people were arrested during weekend protests; new limits proposed for executive orders; and other local news stories.
After hearing testimony on Thursday, the injunction against removing the monument to Confederate General Robert E. Lee remains in place pending a ruling from Judge W. Reilly Marchant; a Richmond City Council committee approved an ordinance to create a task force that would establish a civilian review board for police conduct; Governor Ralph Northam ceremonially signed the Virginia Values Act to prevent discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community; a new state law adds hairstyles to guidelines against racial discrimination; Chesterfield Superintendent Merv Daugherty outlined plans for reopening Chesterfield schools; and the Virginia State Fair has been cancelled for the first time since World War II.
A hearing takes place this afternoon in the ongoing legal battle to remove the Robert E. Lee monument in Richmond; Senator Tim Kaine introduced a bill to rename military bases named after Confederate soldiers; the Virginia House of Delegates held its first meeting on criminal justice reform; Richmond announced a small uptick in COVID-19 cases; a remembrance of Oliver Hill, Jr., who passed away this month; and other local news stories.
Richmond has spent $1.8 million to remove Confederate monuments around the city; City Council is considering a name change for Jefferson Davis Highway; Charlottesville limits military gear for police, Virginia Democrats want to downgrade assaulting a police officer from a felony to a misdemeanor; and other local news stories.
Commonwealth's Attorney Collette McEachin has cleared RPD officers of wrongdoing in five complaints during recent protests after an investigation; a judge declined to block COVID-19 restrictions for weddings set by Governor Ralph Northam; Chesterfield votes to open 100% virtually this fall, as Henrico Public Schools prepare to vote later this week; and other local news stories.
Richmond City Council's finance committee approves two pieces of police reform legislation that now go to the full council for a vote, a Richmond man who was pepper sprayed inside his own home during protests is suing the city and the police, a group of Monument Avenue residents once again withdraws their lawsuit attempting to block the removal of the Robert E. Lee monument, and other local news stories.
The Richmond Police Department spent nearly $2 million during the 36 days of protests, Mayor Levar Stoney clarified comments he made in a leaked video about an officer who drove their vehicle into protesters, state lawmakers continue to focus on keeping residents in their homes amid a flood of evictions, Chesterfield County businesses find some relief using government Back In Business grants, Virginia adopts stronger worker safety protections, and other local news stories.
As COVID-19 cases being to rise in Eastern Virginia, Governor Ralph Northam announced that more inspections will take place to confirm businesses are enforcing indoor mask requirements, Commonwealth's Attorneys calling themselves "Virginia Progressive Prosecutors for Justice" are urging for criminal justice reforms in the upcoming special session, a look at a program that sends military equipment to local law enforcement agencies, and other local news stories.
New Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith expressed support for a citizen's review board for the police department that would include subpoena power to compel witnesses, Henrico County launched a rental assistance program to prevent homelessness, Central Virginia counties worked together to create a "Know Your Rights" website to provide information on discrimination laws, Norfolk Delegate Jay Jones announces his run for Attorney General, and other local news stories.
Governor Ralph Northam is facing mounting pressure from advocates and lawmakers to do more to address the disproportionate impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on the state’s Latino residents. A new report shows the state's budget shortfall isn't as bad as feared. Governor Northam held a ceremony to sign the new gun control bills that went into effect this month. A judge issued an injunction against any further monument removals by Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney. Protestors speak out against resuming eviction proceedings. A look at the legacy of Dr. Oliver Hill, Jr, who passed away this week. The COVID-19 pandemic is causing newspapers to furlough and lay off staff and reporters.
Virginia completed testing of over 3000 rape test kits, becoming the seventh state to clear its backlog. Virginia law now requires rape kits from every reported sexual assault to be tested within 60 days. The Soldiers and Sailors monument on Libby Hill was removed yesterday, as neighbors watched. Chesterfield County has kicked off a month of COVID-19 testing events. Several Veterans Services offices have reopened as Virginia continues to move through Phase Three. Republican lawmakers are urging Governor Northam to fully reopen schools in the fall, calling current guidelines "too confusing." The Executive Director of the Richmond Symphony will step down on August 31st. As Confederate monuments come down around Richmond, a new conversation is happening about what should happen to the spaces where they stood. Correction: A piece in this episode incorrectly states "six feet" of social distancing for children in school. Instead, the guideline is three feet for children wearing face coverings.
Delegate Nick Freitas was one of eight candidates who got an extension from the state Board of Elections after missing the filing deadline. The city of Richmond removed the statue of Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart from Monument Avenue as residents watched and city council prepares to formally vote to permanently remove the monuments. Evictions resumed in Virginia despite a still-valid moratorium under the CARES Act, and Petersburg gets seven new wifi-equipped buses.
After numerous legal and logistical setbacks, Dominion Energy and Duke Energy have cancelled the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Yesterday was the deadline for Virginia colleges to submit their plans for reopening to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. A new law allowing local governments to restrict guns have gone into effect, and Richmond has banned firearms from city-owned buildings. Former Governor Doug Wilder has encouraged the Library of Virginia to finish making his records public. Some released felons can now qualify for assistance programs. Ben Paviour looks into the new laws going into effect and how Republican lawmakers are reacting to a changing South.
Former interim Chief Blackwell is now the chief of staff - but there was a federal investigation into the confidential informants department he oversaw. Mayor Stoney continues removing Confederate monuments from the city. Advocates are calling for marijuana - which was just decriminalized - to be legalized. Bike sales are up during the pandemic. A gun rights group is suing the state to prevent new gun regulations enacted by the Democratic majority. A federal report found Virginia isn't providing adequate oversight on special education.
Claiming authority under the state of emergency in Richmond, Mayor Levar Stoney had the Stonewall Jackson statue on Monument Avenue taken down on Wednesday, as residents gathered and reacted to the removal. Governor Ralph Northam walked back some reopening guidelines for restaurants and bars after seeing an increase in cases of COVID-19 in states like Florida and Texas. The race for Governor of Virginia is beginning to heat up as former Governor Terry McAuliffe seems poised to announce his candidacy. Mayor Stoney is promising transparency and accountability in the Richmond police department with new chief Gerald Smith.
New laws, from guns to elections to decriminalization of marijuana, take effect across the state today, as most of Virginia also enters Phase Three of reopening amid concerns about COVID-19. A Richmond Circuit Court judge denied an ACLU request for a temporary restraining order to prevent Richmond police from using tear gas against protestors, while dozens of faith leaders met at the Robert E. Lee monument to call for an end to the use of rubber bullets and pepper spray. Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger introduced legislation to encourage farmers to engage in trading carbon credits, and the GRTC will provide free fare through this time next year under a newly-approved budget.
Governor Ralph Northam has introduced a new statewide initiative to provide rent and mortgage relief to Virginians who have lost income during the pandemic, researchers at UVA may have developed a blood test that can predict a patient's chance of having a severe reaction to a COVID-19 infection, calls for the removal of the statue of A.P. Hill may be impeded by the fact that the Confederate Lieutenant General is actually buried at the monument, Chesterfield is holding a series of virtual public meetings to discuss plans for reopening schools in the fall, and a memoriam for Bill Royall, Jr., a longtime patron of the arts in Richmond.
The process for removing confederate monuments will take at least 60 days, and Richmond city council intends to start the process as soon as the new law goes into effect on July 1st. The state Supreme Court has lifted the freeze on evictions, although Governor Ralph Northam is allowing the freeze to remain in effect for certain parts of the state. Virginia may become one of the first states to fine employers who disregard safety rules around COVID-19 even as the state begins Phase Three of reopening. The VMFA fired 30 employees in advance of reopening to the public next week, and a look behind the scenes of the Commonwealth Times, VCU's student newspaper.
Chesterfield County met to discuss six proposals about how to safely reopen schools in the fall amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, VLBC issued recommendations to address racism and reduce police violence, new rules were adopted for residents who rent their homes on sites like AirBnB, and sports tourism returns to Virginia.