Plus: UVA Health has resumed elective procedures at three of its locations, the University of Virginia is going to review its actions during the pro-Palestine encampment and Harrisonburg’s city council has three open seats this election.  Oct. 10–25 is fall pledge season at VPM! Our award-winning work is made possible with your support. Visit vpm.org/donate or vpm.org/challenges for more information.

Plus: Greyhound wants to put a new bus stop at Richmond’s Main Street Station. The deal is expected to bring in $14,000 for the city. Oct. 10–25 is fall pledge season at VPM! Our award-winning work is made possible with your support. Visit vpm.org/donate or vpm.org/challenges for more information.

Also: Charlottesville and the Salvation Army are collaborating on a new, low-barrier shelter; more Latino and English language-learning students are graduating in Richmond — and more Central Virginia news.  Oct. 10–25 is fall pledge season at VPM! Our award-winning work is made possible with your support. Visit vpm.org/donate or vpm.org/challenges for more information.

Plus: A Richmond City Council candidate has not yet responded to reporting about his campaign finance records, the retiring University of Virginia basketball coach who led the Cavaliers to the 2019 national championship blames the state of college athletics for his departure — and more Central Virginia news. Oct. 10–25 is fall pledge season at VPM! Our award-winning work is made possible with your support. Visit vpm.org/donate or vpm.org/challenges for more information.

Weeks after Richmond’s new baseball stadium scored its naming rights deal, the city’s new riverfront amphitheater has landed a title sponsor of its own; It’s shaping up to be a busy fall for EAT Restaurant Partners; and the former Extreme Pizza storefront near VCU has been snapped up.

Plus: a new emergency mental health care unit opens in Winchester; Another election-related lawsuit comes forward; Hanover County’s newest recreation center has its grand opening.    Today’s top audio stories include pieces about a new emergency mental health care unit at the Winchester Medical Center and a celebration of Hanover County’s newest recreational center. 

Plus: the future of the Arthur Ashe Boulevard bridge, a new partnership between Dominion Energy and Amazon in Northern Virginia and other stories.

State Sen. John McGuire and Gloria Witt face off in 5th House District forum; parents have a new tool to assess daycare or preschool programs; USDA investigates its responses to Boar’s Head outbreak; and Henrico planning commission doesn’t recommend data center plan.

Plus: More on the Department of Justice’s lawsuit against the commonwealth; a legal case about the RGGI could be decided this week; Chesterfield Public Schools and mental health; and other stories.

Hospitals continue to deal with uncertainty around IV fluids supply; Richmond celebrates Tree Week; Hanover broadband access to increase; a Black cemetery in Richmond gets a state historical marker; and some Virginia residents can get help with their utility bills this winter 

City Council is mulling proposals that now include a 4-cent tax rebate for all property owners; The Byrd Theatre’s yearslong effort to give moviegoers a more comfortable place to sit is set to ramp up in the coming months; Sugar & Twine has brought back a sit-down cafe experience in a newly expanded space; and other local business stories.

Plus: Dominion Energy to supply mutual aid in Florida; Richmond’s finance committee examines competing real estate property tax plans; some history on ham; and other stories.    Today’s top audio stories include a new housing project designed to help Charlottesville’s unhoused population; Richmond’s finance committee looking at competing real estate property tax plans; some fun history on Virginia ham; and other stories.   

Plus: An update on the ACLU of Virginia’s lawsuit in Hanover County regarding a transgender student-athlete's eligibility to play middle school girls tennis, an AI chatbot based on [*checks notes*] U.S. Rep. Don Beyer — and more Central Virginia news.

Plus: the city of Richmond has requested an additional $250 million over the next two budget years to improve James River water quality; 13 new species have been added to Virginia’s invasive plants list; Some Virginia hospitals are conserving IV fluid supplies; and other stories. 

The race for Harrisonburg school board; Albemarle hiring new first responders; Henrietta Lacks statue unveiled; a VMSDEP update; and Virginia Repertory Theater will remain open.

Today’s top audio story is a feature from WHRO in Hampton Roads, where an interfaith nonprofit recently sponsored a voluntary firearm surrender event. It’s part of a national project that transforms donated guns into garden tools. Read more about the project at VPM.org! Plus: Here's what you should know about the IV fluid shortage.

A potential legal battle appears to be brewing between VCU Health and the City of Richmond over real estate tax payments stemming from a failed downtown development; It looks like the show will go on after all for Virginia Repertory Theatre; and one of the region’s biggest restaurant groups is going back for seconds in Hanover.

PLUS: Results from the first Irvo Otieno trial; GRTC expansion plans; how some are helping after Helene; free meals at Rockingham schools; and VCU Health eyes downtown Altria property. P.S. – The ports strike is over!

Plus: A complaint over discrimination at UVA; Richmond TV royalty; the ongoing port strike; and WJCC superintendent retires. P.S.: Looking for coverage of last night's debates? We have Virginia's 7th ready for you: Derrick Anderson–Eugene Vindman 7th District debate light on details

Plus: New school accreditation numbers are in for Virginia; learn about a spooky new artifact at the Poe Museum; and other Central Virginia news.

Plus: Speed cameras in Richmond’s school zones to start fining people; Money needed to pay for subsidized childcare slots has run out; the Vice Presidential debate is tonight; and other stories.

Patti reached out to VPM News to find out how this is legal in Virginia and how others can protect themselves.  

‘Policy Matters’ is your window into Virginia politics with VPAP. It's our monthly roundup of the top political headlines from across Virginia, powered by VPAP’s daily e-newsletter, VaNews.

A sizable housing development for lower-income renters in South Richmond has received the city’s approval; An out-of-town grocery store chain has claimed a former gym near the Courthouse Road and Hull Street Road intersection in Chesterfield for its first location in the Richmond region; and nearly five years after it was first announced, work on Hopewell’s first brewery is underway.

Also: Thanks to Hurricane Helene, there's a chance of flash floods Friday and early Saturday; Rockingham schools ban a novel; and the 10th person has died in a listeria outbreak tied to a now-closed Boar's Head meat plant in Jarratt. 

Also: Charlottesville Schools are resuming renaming committees at four elementary schools, the Greater Richmond Transit Company has confirmed two hacks and more Central Virginia news.    Today’s top audio stories include confirmation that, yes, Richmond City Councilor Andreas Addison is still running for mayor, a preview of how Richmond’s mayoral candidates would support Black reparations.     There’s also information about the latest in renaming four elementary schools in Charlottesville – and how you can help. 

Plus: a weekend brawl at Kings Dominion; where Virginia universities ranked nationally; and other stories.

Plus: Sen. Tim Kaine discusses how he voted on Monday in Richmond; Metallica set to perform at Lane Stadium in May; Richmond-based UNOS one of 14 organizations to get federal contracts; and other stories.    Today’s top audio stories include Sen. Tim Kaine discussing early voting in Richmond, Metallica heading to Lane Stadium in the spring and how you can get up to four free Covid tests mailed to you.   

The Richmond Folk Festival is returning for its 20th year. There's an uptick in whooping cough. Plus: More stories you might have missed.

Bankrupt LL Flooring is a step closer to being sold to its founder and former CEO in a deal that will keep about half of its stores and employees intact; Two dilapidated buildings along Manchester’s main drag could soon make way for a new-construction apartment project; and Toast New American Gastropub opened in the Scott’s Walk development, its third location in the Richmond region.

Plus: Learn about a World War II-era relic that the Chesterfield Police Department has had since 1984, as well as updates to seats at the Byrd Theatre and Pulse stop construction.    NEWSLETTER BLURB: Today’s top audio stories include a piece on a World War Two-era relic that the Chesterfield Police Department has had since 1984.    Plus: Early voting is underway in Virginia for November’s general election. 

Also, Democrat Eugene Vindman and Republican Derrick Anderson participated in a Prince William County forum for 7th Congressional District candidates; GRTC wants public input on a proposed new route; Powhatan County is the latest locality to join Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library; and other stories.

Also: Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are on the ballot this fall.

Also: U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan responds to the closure of a Boar’s Head meat processing plant in Southside Virginia, and Harrisonburg is seeking federal funding to study more than a dozen railroad crossings in the city.

Richmond will hear two proposals on whether to decrease or maintain the current real estate tax rate. Also: The lawsuit challenging Virginia’s exit from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative has a hearing in Floyd County today, Boar’s Head has shuttered its Southside Virginia plant -- and more Central Virginia news. 

The new home of baseball in Richmond is now officially under construction; LL Flooring may have a new lease on life thanks to an eleventh-hour deal with its founder and former CEO; Outback Steakhouse has reversed course on plans to build a new restaurant at Courthouse Landing; and construction of a sizable development along Arthur Ashe Boulevard has apparently stalled, leaving concrete columns and rebar jutting out from the ground.

Also: Hanover County Schools says it's started the search for a new permanent superintendent, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney provides an update on the school zone speed cameras and more Central Virginia news.

Also: GRTC wants to better connect Northside and Southside; JAUNT eliminates eight stops from Buckingham North route; Gov. Glenn Youngkin speaks at Texas Tribune festival; and other stories.

Also: Richmond City Council signs off on a special use permit for a proposed development in Bellemeade; New political polling has Harris on top; and other stories.

There are about 10 mayoral forums planned in the community over the next two months.  One held late in August at the Second Baptist Church Southside drew hundreds of voters. It was organized by Richmonders Involved to Strengthen our Communities — a network of religious-based community organizations focused on social justice issues, specifically housing and gun violence.  

A pilot program expanding access to mental health care at Virginia’s public colleges has been extended for two more years. Also: Check your eggs, don’t leave firearms in the oven and more news from around Central Virginia.

Richmond’s new baseball stadium will be called CarMax Park; GRTC announced the site of their new bus transfer station; Steam Bell Beer Works filed for bankruptcy in the wake of their closure; and Burger Bach in West Broad Village and Slingshot game club in Scott's Addition closed their doors unexpectedly.

Also: Investigation continues into the cause of Orange County's August water contamination; Richmond’s finance department does not proactively notify residents or business owners of tax credits on their accounts; and other stories.

CarMax Park coming to the Diamond District, students walked out of classes at VCU, Goochland quarry expansion approved, and other stories.

Also: The University of Richmond announced more students will qualify for its “Richmond’s Promise to Virginia” program, federal health officials still urge caution in the wake of the Boar’s Head listeria outbreak, and other news from across Central Virginia.

Also: Former Del. Jay Jones has filed paperwork signaling a 2025 campaign for attorney general, Albemarle County's activated new speed cameras in several school zones and more news from across Central Virginia.

‘Policy Matters’ is your window into Virginia politics with VPAP. It's our monthly roundup of the top political headlines from across Virginia, powered by VPAP’s daily e-newsletter, VaNews.

Steam Bell Beer Works in Chesterfield has poured its last beer; the workers of Stone Brewing Co. are looking to unionize; Richmond International Airport’s controversial bid to take over certain airline fueling and maintenance operations from two longtime local operators has been put on hold; and work on the Fall Line Trail is making its way into Richmond city limits.

Plus: Metallica teams up with Virginia Tech

Also: Regulators approve expanded lifespan for North Anna Nuclear Power Station, Richmonders celebrate future greenspace at Hotchkiss Field and other news stories from around Virginia.

Plus: The University of Virginia enacts new policies, and Cardinal Elementary School remains closed for the week as officials clean up after a fire

As of late Monday, the Virginia Department of Health is maintaining a Do Not Drink Water Advisory in eastern Orange County. Also: Also: Blue Ridge Health District officials are working with Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital and UVA Health to have more people fill out the latest community survey, Shockoe Records has launched a streaming service focusing on Richmond's local musical artists and other Central Virginia news.

Our top audio story today is a feature on how one school division is tackling the problem of chronic student absenteeism.  Richmond Public Schools is using incentives and engaging with students to battle chronic absenteeism following the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s an issue plaguing schools nationwide.  Ice cream and sneaker raffles are some of the ways staff at Boushall Middle School have worked to improve student attendance. 

An apartment development that’s set to add hundreds of units near the transforming Virginia Center Commons site is underway following a multimillion-dollar land deal that’s been over a year in the making; A Carytown dining institution is changing hands yet again; A veteran of the local restaurant scene is stepping out on his own with a new concept; and a new indoor golf location is set to open in Midlothian.

Also: Hanover County welcomes new Ashland Elementary School, ASL interpreters at RPS have new continuing contracts and more Central Virginia news. 

Also: Today's feature is about a first-in-the-nation VCU Health program that applies a public health approach to the crisis of youth gun violence. Dr. Michel Aboutanos spoke to VPM News Morning Edition host Phil Liles about the devastating story that inspired him to develop the Bridging the Gap program and why he feels hospitals have a unique opportunity to reach shooting victims while they are still recovering from their injuries.

Also: The city of Charlottesville could become the second Virginia locality to use ranked choice voting in its local elections. 

Also: Charlottesville mulls over ranked choice voting and other Central Virginia news.

Also: After months of delays with this year's Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the U.S. Department of Education says next year’s FAFSA will open two months later than expected.

One of the final pieces needed for construction to start on Richmond’s Diamond District was put in place Wednesday; A stretch of Grove Avenue in Richmond’s West End is becoming a hotspot for residential infill developments; A vacant Arts District building is set to get new life thanks in part to one of the city’s busier architects; and Norfolk BBQ joint BarQ is opening in the former Starlite space on Main St.

Also: The Family Foundation is suing Richmond over the $10 land transfer to Planned Parenthood, Petersburg Animal Shelter is closed for a parvovirus outbreak — and more Central Virginia news.

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney held a press conference Wednesday, in part, to address ongoing questions about purchase card policies. Also: GOP ex-Rep. Denver Riggleman endorses two Democrats, Chesterfield County Public Schools have a new interim superintendent — and more Central Virginia news.

The city’s public works department is working with an engineering firm on a long-term solution. Also: New accessibility tool comes to state parks, Gov. Glenn Youngkin explains Executive Order 35 — and more Central Virginia news.

Also: A bill to rein in campaign contributions sponsored by Delegate David Bulova — a Fairfax Democrat — was spiked during this year's General Assembly session. That means Virginia’s campaign finance laws remain relatively lax compared to other states.

Once a month, Salem Church Middle School in Chesterfield holds student club time during the school day instead of after school. VPM News reporter Megan Pauly visited the crochet and gardening clubs to find out what students are doing with that time.

The new home of the Richmond Flying Squirrels is coming into fuller view via updated renderings recently submitted to the city; The City of Richmond’s onetime manager for its ballpark-anchored Diamond District project is back in the game, but this time on a different team; Mark Motley, who makes his living selling things for others, has just closed a sizable sale of his own; and Henrico's EDA has purchased The Crossings Golf Club.

Former Tropical Storm Debby could bring relief to Virginia's farms and forests; Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority enters a “final push” to get tenants who owe back rent to sign up for repayment agreements; Ultimate Backpack Supply Drive hits seventh year; and other stories

Virginia Department of Education finishes cell phone town halls in Chesterfield; National Park Service adds Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia to list of National Civil Rights Sites; and other stories

Also: Several RPS bus drivers are still negotiating contracts with the school division, Virginia students are still awaiting their federal financial aid details — and more local news.

Also: Richmond finance department employees had their desks searched last week.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, some of those glitches won’t be resolved before students start classes this fall . It’s a problem that has complicated the lives of students and parents, school counselors, and college administrators for months.

One of the busiest developers in Scott’s Addition just got the green light for its latest project in the neighborhood; VCU Health is looking to move a proposed outpatient medical center out of the Courthouse Landing development to a site nearby; A mainstay Carytown retailer moved elsewhere within the neighborhood; and a Fan restaurant space is trading pizza for matzoh balls.

Also: Strata Clean Energy hit a roadblock in building its 1,400 acre solar farm in Hanover after the county’s planning commission declined to recommend the project.

The food brand is adding another 7 million pounds of food to its recall for listeria concerns. Also: It’s a bunch of 2024 Paris Olympics updates about Virginia athletes.

The City of Richmond is finalizing guidelines to reduce the environmental impact of its buildings; Richmond mayoral candidate Michelle Mosby wrote an email to City Council advocating for more funding for the Help Me Help You Foundation; The latest on a local Olympian's journey in Paris; and other stories

Resignations shake up Hanover schools leadership; Virginia’s Olympians on the move; and other stories

Food and cooking can provide us with connections to the past, and old family recipes help pass traditions between generations. Eugene Maurakis, the former chief scientist at the Science Museum of Virginia, revisits his childhood by sharing his family’s old Greek recipes. Now, he’s compiled them in a cookbook called “Foods are Memories.”

‘Policy Matters’ is your window into Virginia politics with VPAP. It's our monthly roundup of the top political headlines from across Virginia, powered by VPAP’s daily e-newsletter, VaNews.

Developers of Richmond’s Diamond District project have been thrown a legal curveball from one of their former partners in the form of a $40 million lawsuit; As work starts on a new gateway sign for Carytown, an effort to explore a potential assessment district to fund improvements in the corridor has secured the support of Richmond City Council; and two restaurateurs – one whose experience is in the downtown dining scene, the other who hails from a Varina barbecue family – have teamed up for their latest project.

Also: A Blacksburg town councilor has been arrested on election fraud charges, the national Climate Corps is coming to Southwest Virginia, 15 athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympics hail from the commonwealth and more local news.

A company previously involved in the Diamond District project has filed a 40 million dollar lawsuit against its former partners in Richmond Circuit Court; Richmond officials say the East End Festival will return this fall for its sixth celebration of music and arts; Hanover County’s School Board has appointed an interim superintendent following Michael Gill’s resignation; Virginia’s Reproductive rights advocates are throwing their support behind Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign; and other local news stories.

Also: Richmond City Council unanimously voted Monday/yesterday to transfer land to The Virginia League for Planned Parenthood.

Republican Vice Presidential nominee JD Vance held a rally in Radford on Monday; EPA proposes new protections for workers at the Chesterfield DuPont Spruance plant; a proposed Goochland quarry expansion could impact Henrico residents; and other stories

Also: President Joe Biden drops out of the 2024 presidential race.

County and state legislators are discussing concerns over a planned gambling establishment in Henrico County.

Also: It Will be Done, A solo exhibition by local artist Bukuru Nyandwi opens Friday at Quirk Gallery in Richmond’s Arts District.

Hanover schools superintendent resigns; a Hanover solar project; an RRHA repayment program for tenants who owe back rent; division over a possible casino-like parlor in Henrico County; and the preservation of architect Amaza Lee Meredith's home.

Virginia judge dismisses ACLU lawsuit over school policies for trans students; VCU poll has Biden and Trump neck and neck in the electoral race; Henrico County's newest park opens; and other stories

Will the attempted Trump assassination have an impact on local races?; Gov. Youngkin speaks at the RNC; How Virginia public safety officials are talking about safety and security in the wake of the failed Trump assassination; and other stories

Virginia's earned sentence credit program has been fully implemented; James River is the healthiest Chesapeake Bay tributary; New VCU Health study finds women are at higher genetic risk for PTSD than men; and other stories

A plan to redevelop the blighted Glenwood Farms community now calls for replacing its nearly 300 apartments with more than triple that number of new homes; A recent land deal within eyeshot of The Diamond has taken nearly 150 apartments off the board for the neighborhood and put the site in the hands of a healthcare giant; A familiar developer in the Libbie-Patterson area is plotting his next project in the neighborhood; and other local business stories.

Also: Hanover County’s School Board approved a policy prohibiting students from using their cell phones and mobile devices during the school day.

Also: Chesterfield now prohibits swimming at county parks.

Virginia Medicaid's managed care failing to connect patients with prenatal care; Dominion Energy is looking to expand its offshore wind operations; Chesterfield County Public Schools Superintendent to retire; and other stories

Also: Over the past week Virginia’s representatives in Washington have weighed in on whether President Joe Biden should remain the Democratic the nominee.

Data centers have generated millions of dollars in tax revenue for the commonwealth.

Four Virginia Department of Corrections facilities closed Sunday. Another, Lawrenceville Correctional Center, will move from private ownership to the state in August. Also: Drought conditions persist, an appeals court has restored some punitive damages for hate groups to pay and other local stories.

The General Assembly did not resolve changes and cuts to the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program on Monday. Also: New laws that took effect this week will pave the way for more access to solar energy in Virginia.

A 6-year-old girl dealing with her grandfather’s dementia narrates Sun Seekers, the debut novel from Richmond writer Rachel McRady. Morning Edition host Phil Liles recently spoke with the writer about her approach to storytelling.

‘Policy Matters’ is your window into Virginia politics with VPAP. It's our monthly roundup of the top political headlines from across Virginia, powered by VPAP’s daily e-newsletter, VaNews. It airs at 7:45 during Morning Edition on the last Thursday of every month.

The City of Richmond says it will miss its chance at $24 million in expiring state sales tax incentives that it planned to use to help finance the Diamond District development; and a Carytown pizzeria is looking to grab a slice of the Southside for its second location. 

Also: The auditor for Richmond’s school board estimates the district will pay about one point eight million dollars in overtime to bus drivers

New laws could transform Virginia's Developmental Disability Waiver system; Chesterfield archaeologists looking for descendants of remains found in an unmarked cemetery; a conversation with the Preservation Virginia CEO; and other stories

State Senator John McGuire has won the GOP contest in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District, but a recount is expected; the first Richmond mayoral forum took place earlier this week; Hanover County Schools looking at a potential cell phone ban; and other stories

Also: Six adults were injured in a Glen Allen shooting; Ashley Judd was in Richmond to campaign for Biden–Harris 2024 and more local news.

VPM News’ Henry Brannan looks at one maternity care desert in the Shenandoah Valley and the impact that lack of access has on pregnant people there.

CarMax is shifting into expansion mode locally with plans for a new facility in New Kent County; A Chesterfield warehouse that has changed ownership several times in recent years is now in the hands of a Swiss company that plans to convert the building into a manufacturing center; and things are looking up for many of the CEOs at some of the Richmond region’s biggest companies. 

Richmond has been under a heat dome this week, with indexes into the 90s every day — and it’s only getting hotter this weekend. Also: June is Alzheimer’s and brain awareness month. It is estimated that nearly 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's dementia.

Virginia’s congressional primaries happened! Also: We’re taking Juneteenth off! Hear you again this Friday.

Natural gas starts flowing in Mountain Valley Pipeline; a new UVA Athletics scholarship fund established; and primary Election Day preparations

The state budget approved by Virginia lawmakers in May included some controversial revisions to the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program — which have sparked an outcry from the community, particularly from veteran families. Now, the General Assembly is set to reassess those changes days ahead of the new fiscal year.

Virginia Credit Union recently prevailed in its legal bid to put a receivership in place and gain control of five south Richmond properties tied to Michael Hild; A lawsuit challenging Richmond’s new approach to financing the Diamond District project was dismissed in court; and Chesterfield Towne Center is getting a permanent pop-up location.

Virginia Senate to revisit recent changes to the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program; Henrico, Richmond officials celebrate new affordable housing community; Virginia's 43rd state park was dedicated on June 8; and other stories

Feds greenlit MVP’s natural gas operations on Tuesday. Also: Free breakfast and lunch being offered to Richmond students and families; and other local stories.

State lawmakers will meet on June 28 to discuss changes to state-provided military education benefits. Also: Fairfax County educators unionize; Richmond Parks & Rec will now operate Calhoun community center; and more local news.

The 303-mile-long pipeline could begin pumping natural gas as soon as this week. Also: Some Virginia Community Health Workers made it into the 2-year budget; UVA baseball heads to College World Series; and more local news stories.

The City of Richmond has acquired three historic Black cemeteries; VPM News ran two stories late last week about the primary races in Virginia's 7th and 10th Congressional Districts.

A year after a Richmond BizSense report revealed that backing out of an ill-fated downtown development cost VCU Health $80 million and counting, a state review is calling for significant changes to the health system’s leadership structure.

Lawmakers will be called back to Richmond to address recent cuts to the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program; Northern Virginia voters are deciding who to nominate for this fall’s general election.Six Republicans and Seven Democrats are seeking their parties’ nominations in the 7th Congressional District.

The Virginia General Assembly in 2021 approved a plan for the state’s air board to adopt the standards, which required all new passenger vehicles sold in the commonwealth to be electric by 2035 — though 20% of those could be plug-in hybrids. Also: Virginia's air board adopts federal particulate matter standards; and other stories

Henrico County's Arrive Alive campaign aims to improve road safety; Trial begins for man who carried a torch in Charlottesville in 2017; and other stories

The families of three University of Virginia football players killed in a 2022 shooting have reached a financial settlement with U-V-A and the commonwealth; PlanR-V-A is seeking survey responses and holding public meetings for its Comprehensive Climate Action Plan; A Chesapeake Bay blue crab density survey found that populations declined slightly over the past year.

A new podcast produced by VPM is focusing on Richmond-area local government and community issues. Rich Meagher, a professor of political science at Randolph-Macon College, hosts RVA’s Got Issues — a biweekly show that drops Wednesdays. 

‘Policy Matters’ is your window into Virginia politics with VPAP. It's our monthly roundup of the top political headlines from across Virginia, powered by VPAP’s daily e-newsletter, VaNews. This month, we discuss the Governor and the General Assembly finalizing a state budget, highlights in key primary contests across the state, and information on early voting in Virginia.

Waukeshaw Development is working on a slate of new projects that’ll bring nearly 400 apartments and new commercial space to Petersburg’s Olde Towne area; the effort to line up funding for the long-planned Powhite Parkway extension in western Chesterfield County took another step forward this month; Southside's Coqui Cyclery is reopening as Cornerstone Cycle in early June; and a new bakery is coming to Forest Hill.

Virginia budget provides $4.9M to tackle invasive species; Charges have been downgraded for the three remaining defendants accused of killing Irvo Otieno; City of Richmond receives $50 million from Virginia DEQ for combined sewer overflow project; and other stories

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts will be receiving almost $350-thousand dollars thanks to a federal grant, to help construct an expansion; Are you ready to get hooked…on fishing? ; The Ashland Theatre is hosting a  community meeting to discuss the approval of a possible data center split between Hanover County and Ashland.

Virginia electoral board delays vote on removing Charles City County official; Federal judge rejects request to halt Dominion’s Virginia Beach offshore wind farm; and other stories

Hanover County’s board of supervisors recently appointed two new members to the local school board; Senator Tim Kaine announced new legislation to increase access to mental health resources for students in public schools; The Orange County School Board voted to disaffiliate from the Virginia School Boards Association; and other local news stories.

Tree of Heaven is an especially pervasive weed in Virginia. And in recent years it’s become host to another invasive - the spotted lanternfly.

A virtual reality venue is plugging in as the latest entertainment-focused offering to come to Regency; A decade-plus effort to provide new signage for the entrance to Carytown has reached the finish line; A community meeting was held Monday night to field public input on what a new Mayo Bridge could look like; and what started as a way to drum up lunchtime business at a western Henrico Thai restaurant has led to a new British eatery and market in downtown Richmond.

Dominion Energy is considering building a natural gas power plant on the site of a retired coal plant in Chesterfield, after initially planning to locate it on a nearby property; The Mountain Valley Pipeline won’t be ready to begin operations this week, the project’s builder told federal regulators; Earlier this week, Virginia’s nonpartisan oversight commission released its 2024 plan for evaluating state agencies and initiatives.

Charlottesville community comes together to reclaim the former site of a Confederate statue, Virginia Democrats say budget compromise falls short without RGGI and other stories

Also: The Virginia Housing Commission is studying Accessory Dwelling Units; who’s running for the Richmond School Board?

HCA Healthcare is attempting to build new facilities in Hanover County for a third time; Virginia legislators are sounding the alarm over the health and safety of people incarcerated at Riverside Regional Jail; A 140-year-old Charlottesville church along Ridge Street will again be a place of worship, after the nonprofit owners sold the building to Point Church for just over one million dollars.

Shockoe Slip and the Branch Building, where The Well Collective will be operating holds the inception of the country's economic development system, including the hurt and harm of the slave trade. Owner Ashley Williams says the building will be reimagined as a place of healing.

Less than 24 hours after authorizing a new financing plan for the ballpark-anchored Diamond District development, Richmond City Council and Mayor Levar Stoney have been hit with a lawsuit challenging the action; local developer Duke Dodson is set to turn a former Scott’s Addition bar-arcade space into a sports bar-card shop combo concept; and more than 500 apartments are in the works near the intersection of Semmes and Cowardin avenues in Richmond’s Southside, courtesy of two out-of-town developers.

The 70th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision that found racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional is Friday.  One of the court cases that led to that decision began in Virginia, with calls for newer and better school facilities for Black students. This VPM News series examines the issue of school conditions — then and now — to unpack why so many Virginia schools are in disrepair today, especially in districts like Richmond Public Schools, which remains largely segregated.

The University of Virginia Health System recently announced the acquisition of Warrenton-based Piedmont Family Practice; The state budget includes a loan for Newport News to help lure a potential $400 million housing project from the U.S. Navy; Henrico County recently announced it’s establishing an Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

Also: Central Shenandoah Health District has a new director, Preservation Virginia releases its latest Most Endangered Places list, Dominion is developing battery storage tech and more.

Richmond City Council votes on city budget and collective bargaining agreements; more than $490,000 in funding headed to Positive Youth Development programs in Richmond; and other stories

Virginia’s budget debate ended Monday after months of ups and downs; The Louisa County Board of Supervisors reversed its decision to withdraw funding from Piedmont Virginia Community College over showing a film called “Israelism"; The Shenandoah County school board voted on Friday to restore the names of Confederate officers to two public schools.

The nonprofit provides patients receiving medical care in Richmond — and their families — a place to stay if they live more than 30 miles away.

City Council voted to approve a new financing plan for the redevelopment of the Diamond District; In a bid to continue growing their fan base, the Tri-City Chili Peppers are turning off the lights; and the winners of this year's RVA Power Women awards have been announced.

Youngkin discusses potential protest at VCU graduation; affordable housing in Richmond; Squirrels stadium funding; Henrico business growth; and Dominion data centers.

Richmond City Council proposes dozens of budget amendments; the full council will vote next week. Also: Dawn Page isn't running for reelection to the Richmond School Board.

Virginia’s special budget session for the next two fiscal years starts Monday, May 13. Also: UVA President Jim Ryan answers lingering questions about last week’s pro-Palestine protest; Richmond City Council; Orange County High School student wins art award; Protesters march to Sen. Tim Kaine’s Richmond office

Some charges dropped in Otieno death; Rep. Bob Good wants to defund NPR; MVP’s burst pipe; and a new marine science degree at W&M.

VPM News’ Henry Brannan caught up with Sen. Tim Kaine after a Senate hearing where he highlighted two bills he’s sponsoring to ease the crisis. 

Henrico County is looking to use the Arcadia project in Varina as a model for affordable housing; Henricus Historical Park will not be getting funding support from Henrico County in the coming fiscal year; and two new pizza locations are coming to downtown Richmond.

Dominion wind project faces lawsuit in D.C. Circuit. Also: a proposal for Hanover's largest solar farm; Roanoke NIMBYs; VCU students discuss recent Gaza protests; statewide eviction help; and rural population growth.

More protests held on, near Virginia college campuses Also: An interview with Home Cooked host Olivia Weeks on the history of meth.

More than 100 people on three college campuses in Virginia have been arrested since Friday; Richmond FOIA suit; a city transportation department; closed-door Petersburg casino decisions; and early voting in Chesterfield County.

Also: There's another candidate for lieutenant governor in 2025, Henricus Park loses one-third of its funding, and there's an agrihood proposal in Chesterfield County.

Morning Edition host Phil Liles spoke to Professor Chuck Bailey, who heads up the geology department at the College of William & Mary, about the findings.

This week, an in-depth look at city property assessments. How they're done, how they've risen, and what residents can do to appeal them.

Concerns over proposed Chesterfield gas plant; Virginia’s legal relationship with tribes in the commonwealth; a UVA hazing investigation; and industrial menhaden harvesting.

Lego is donating money to help plant more than one thousand native trees at Chesterfield parks; Henrico to contribute to Richmond initiative for the unhoused; Hanover to begin work on its portion of the Fall Line Trail; and the city of Richmond offers Co-Star additional incentives.

Admissible: Shreds of Evidence leads to a state-mandated review of all of the criminal cases where evidence was examined by former lab analyst Mary Jane Burton; Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney drops out of governor's race; and other stories

Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority announces new approach to lease enforcement over outcry over eviction proceedings; Shenandoah Valley point in time count reveals new data; Rep. Don Beyer learns AI; and other stories

Inside Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is a library for patrons.

Richmond’s Economic Development Authority is stepping back up to the plate with more funding for the stadium’s design; City administrators are looking to move forward with demolishing the dilapidated Richmond Coliseum; and Legend Brewing Co. is attracting suitors for more than just its real estate holdings.

Henrico County will begin construction on a one point five million-dollar dam and walking trail near Three Lakes Park; A handful of road closures and parking restrictions ahead of the Ukrops Monument Avenue 10K this weekend have been announced; Richmond mayoral candidates competing in the November election posted campaign finance reports earlier this week.

Virginia's House of Delegates votes to keep budget instead of sending it to Governor Youngkin; GRTC to get $70 million in funding; the City of Richmond to get $10k grant for training birth doulas; and other stories

This weekend, Joanna Lee was named Richmond’s newest poet laureate during the second annual Richmond Poetry Fest; Powhatan State Park is hosting a free monthly nighttime walk to experience owl calls starting this Thursday , and it runs through October; The Environmental Protection Agency issued an air quality permit for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project this month.

Legislation going back to the General Assembly this week could help pave the way for small modular nuclear reactors in Virginia; Fourth District Richmond School Board Member Jonathan Young has stepped down after serving on the panel since 2016; Clothing creators, jewelry makers and models are on tap to celebrate Richmond Fashion Week starting Monday, April 22nd.

Mpox cases are on the rise in Virginia

Administrators’ pitch to change the city’s approach to financing its massive Diamond District development appeared to land receptively with Richmond City Council; an Atlanta-based development firm is seeking Chesterfield County’s approval to tweak a development project in Midlothian; KavaClub looks to finally be on its way to selling its namesake drink; and a West End church is getting ready to go on the move.

Governor Glenn Youngkin this week signed legislation barring Virginia public colleges from withholding students’ transcripts in certain situations; In 2020, two school names that referenced the Confederacy in Shenandoah County were changed; The Hanover County School Board recently introduced a revision to a policy that would allow books to be more easily banned from school libraries.

Also: An update on those final night of vetoes from Gov. Glenn Youngkin; CCPS Superintendent Mervin Daugherty is retiring; Virginia Tech's tuition is increasing; and Richmond's economic development director is leaving.

Virginia is one of only a handful of states with a governor who can amend legislation; Tiny earthquake rocks Central Virginia; Orange County investigating fire at James Madison's Montpelier; and other stories

Governor Glenn Youngkin offered more than 200 amendments to the General Assembly’s budget proposal; Charlottesville City Council pushed back the date of its vote on the city’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget to April 15th; Governor Glenn Youngkin has vetoed several abortion-related bills this session.

An organization that serves unhoused veterans in Richmond will break ground on a new facility this summer.

The planned redevelopment of an entire block of Scott’s Addition could be on ice for the next 16 years after a recent court ruling. 

Every seat on Richmond City Council will be on the ballot in November; A chemical manufacturing plant in Hopewell is aiming to renew a federal air pollution permit; State and federal officials say Nexus Services promised to secure immigrants’ release on bond but concealed and misrepresented the true nature and costs of its services.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed legislation that states Richmond's Southside won't get a casino; Imagination Library to expand statewide in Virginia; Henrico County to get $10 million grant; and other stories

Construction is underway in Richmond to reduce overflows of sewage into the James River; FeedMore's longtime base of operations in Northside Richmond could soon be replaced with condos; Senator Tim Kaine says Virginia’s congressional delegation is watching reforms aimed at the U.S. Postal Service distribution center in Sandston.

The 100-plus wildfires that were burning in Virginia last week have all been contained, according to the Department of Forestry; Mayor Levar Stoney has proposed recharging the Neighborhood Climate Resilience Grant program in his latest budget proposal;v Richmond’s Commonwealth’s Attorney has a message for residents: Please don’t send sensitive mail in blue US Postal Service mailboxes.

Will Virginia outlaw child marriage? VPM News reporter Jahd Khalil has followed legislation that would raise the legal marriage age to 18, if approved by Gov. Glenn Youngkin; Curious Commonwealth presents: Three Chopt Road. VPM News' transportation reporter Ian Stewart went exploring to find out why the road crisscrosses the highway.

Legend Brewing Co. has put its Manchester real estate up for sale, leaving the future of Richmond’s oldest brewery up in the air; The new design team that’s now driving the Diamond District ballpark has provided the City of Richmond with a first look of the stadium that would replace The Diamond; and the Richmond Kickers are looking to spruce up their stadium.

Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed a handful of bills Thursday — including proposals for a recreational marijuana marketplace; Hanover County recently approved the development of a multi-million-dollar data center near the town of Ashland; Richmond's oldest brewery is selling its headquarters — and isn’t saying what comes next just yet.

DC officials are finalizing steps to keep a sports arena in Washington; Virginia elected officials are taking their budget fight to the public; Levar Stoney presented his final budget proposal as Mayor of Richmond Wednesday.

Richmond Connects gets approved; Legislation to allow all Virginia localities to ask voters if they’d support a 1% sales tax hike to fund new public schools sits on Gov. Youngkin's desk; and other stories

Also: Agencies in the Shenandoah Valley are using new approaches to address a regional housing crisis and battle homelessness; RVA Diamond Partners has finalized a schematic design for a minor-league baseball stadium — the first stage in the architectural design process for the city’s Diamond District project.

Ramadan is considered one of the holiest months for Muslims.

Local developer Ed Nunnally is moving forward on a mixed-use development in Chesterfield; The apparent resolution of a years-long legal battle that’s rocked the U.S. residential real estate industry is expected to have impacts on agents in metro Richmond; a long-running local bookstore is embarking on yet another new chapter as a unionized workplace; and other local business stories.

Also: 100+ wildfires are burning across Virginia, Richmond and other capital cities are changing their public comment rules, and a new round of vetoes and laws from Gov. Glenn Youngkin was announced Wednesday.

GRTC narrows search for new permanent transfer hub to two locations; Eight Republican candidates are competing for the nomination to run against Sen. Tim Kaine; Hanover County teacher wins prestigious award; and other stories

Henrico's police department won't respond to certain calls now; Virginia's Department of Forestry is holding a tree exchange program; the Highland County Maple Festival; and other stories

PlanRVA’s regional forum lays transportation groundwork for 2050; Virginia leaders oppose proposed natural gas plant; VCU's potential racial literacy courses under review by Youngkin administration; and other stories

Wintergreen Resort wrapped its ski season earlier this month. Now, volunteers with the Nature Foundation at Wintergreen are turning their attention to native plants in the area. Randi B. Hagi with partner station WMRA reports.

A Northside private school is breaking out the wrecking ball for an old hospital building as it looks to build up parts of its campus in the long term; Months after dropping millions of dollars to buy the property next to its Henrico location, Costco is preparing to put that land to use; For the first time in three and a half years, parties are being seated at 733 W. Cary St.; and the field of potential sites for GRTC’s new permanent transfer station has narrowed to two.

Governor Glenn Youngkin addressed community members and media at a Henrico County restaurant Thursday; Twelve teams from around the country recently competed in Henrico County at the A-10 women's basketball tournament; Democratic U.S. Senator Tim Kaine is co-sponsoring a bill that would require employers to provide paid time off for voting; Richmond’s a food town. And to mark its ever-changing restaurant landscape.

A slew of bills are awaiting Governor Glenn Youngkin’s signature after the regular General Assembly session ended last week; The Virginia Rural Health Association named Nancy Bell as its new president; Henrico’s crime rate decreased by 7 percent overall, according to an annual county report.

During its Monday meeting, the Richmond City Council approved changes to public comment; At a recent meeting of the Powhatan County N-double-A-C-P, parents and community members voiced concern over alleged and ongoing racist incidents at local schools; A new report from the City of Williamsburg says creating a school district independent of James City County wouldn’t happen until at least August 2028.

Ten people were taken into custody and charged, according to Virginia State Police, after at least nine chained themselves together across the interstate. Also: A bill banning legacy admissions has been signed into law, private jet crashes in Bath County, and Virginia has more electric vehicles than ever.

It's a Monday episode ... but wait! There's news! Virginia’s General Assembly session adjourned sine die over the weekend after lawmakers approved a budget. Today's feature focuses on the Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents in Staunton. It's the only state-run psychiatric facility for minors in Virginia.

Shamin Hotels is planning a 12-story, 299-room hotel on the site of the longtime Hardee’s restaurant at 921 Myers St; a mixed-use conversion of the former Hotel Jefferson building in the Petersburg's Old Towne district is set to wrap up in coming months; and Red Amp Audio has equipped its Grace Street facility with Dolby Atmos recording and audio mixing technology, making it the first commercial sound studio in Virginia to be Dolby-certified as an Atmos-capable studio.

Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly have reached a state budget compromise; Virginia state lawmakers kept an Alexandria arena proposal out of a budget compromise announced Thursday; State lawmakers voted this week to require plant sellers to label known invasive species at their stores.

Virginians should eat more blue catfish, GRTC's LINK expands, Charlottesville's Downtown Mall named to National Register of Historic Places; and other stories

Keep an eye on those results (unofficial until certified) with the Virginia Department of Elections website. Also in today's newscast: The General Assembly is winding down as various bills head to Gov. Glenn Youngkin's desk; Liberty University has been fined $14 million for underreporting crime stats; Richmond City Council expresses concerns over meals tax issues; and a conversation with Gerald McCarthy, longtime president of the Virginia Environmental Endowment.

It’s Super Tuesday in Virginia and polls are currently open; A bill sponsored by Tazewell Republitor T. Travis Hackworth would allow the state to set aside funds for cleaning up polluted industrial lands; The director of Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality previously led a consulting firm that worked on the Mountain Valley Pipeline.

Back in 2018, Richmond launched a Vision Zero program to address its traffic-related fatalities and severe injuries on city streets. Officials created a task force, launched an action plan and unveiled a data dashboard. The goal is to bring the numbers down to zero all by the year 2030 — which is only six years away. Will the city make its goal?

Richmond’s decades-long effort to commemorate its history as the nation’s second-largest slave market reached a milestone Tuesday with the unveiling of a new master plan for the 10-acre project in Shockoe Bottom; Another major mixed-use redevelopment is on the drawing board for Henrico’s west end; A chain of biscuit-focused breakfast restaurants is on the rise locally with plans for a new spot in Carytown; and other local business stories.

Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley made a campaign stop at a West End Henrico hotel Thursday to rally support for her party's nomination; A bill that would protect employee pay if a person needs extended leave to take care of a family member is being sent to the governor for approval; The Commonwealth will not bar localities from setting limits on solar installations this year.

$230 million headed to transit projects in Central Virginia; Tribal consultation bill moves forward in General Assembly; More General Assembly legislation headed to Gov. Youngkin's desk; and other stories.

Protesters delivered a petition calling for work to stop on the Mountain Valley Pipeline to Attorney General Jason Miyares’ office last week; Richmond City Council has appointed its first manager of the citizen police oversight board; On Monday, Richmond City Council passed an ordinance that permits the city to accept several historic African-American cemeteries … including East End, Evergreen, and Forest View.

State Senator Ghazala Hashmi hosted a town hall Sunday for Chesterfield County residents to learn more about a proposed Dominion Energy gas plant; Dominion Energy is selling half its interest in the Virginia Beach offshore wind project; Ricmond's finance department plans to complete a review of certain delinquent meals tax bills by July 1st.

The Wildlife Center of Virginia in Waynesboro is known as one of the world’s leading teaching hospitals for wildlife medicine. And its president, former Untamed host Ed Clark, will retire next month after more than four decades leading the organization.  WMRA’s Randi B. Hagi reports.

A former Dominion Energy-owned parking lot in the Fan is being eyed for what would be the largest new-construction apartment development the neighborhood’s seen in recent years; An old-timey diner from Lynchburg is touching down in the Devil’s Triangle; and three cousins are now looking to bring their market concept to the Southside to help quell Manchester’s grocery needs.

Hanover County administrators introduced their budget priorities for the upcoming fiscal year; Another mayoral candidate enters the race in Richmond; and other stories

Who's running to be the next mayor of Richmond?; Budget talks in the General Assembly; and other stories

Elegy is open at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts until Sunday; Portsmouth has a message for some equestrians: Hold your horses; The Junior Officer Training Corps is a federal program sponsored by the U.S. Armed Forces in high schools across the country.

The fight over menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay continues to heat up in Virginia

The first phase of Richmond’s multibillion-dollar Diamond District project appears set to get into full swing; The City of Richmond has taken its first regulatory steps to change its tax collection practices that in recent years have plagued restaurant owners; and Lego has tapped a local general contractor to help oversee construction of its massive manufacturing facility in Chesterfield.

This week, Virginia lawmakers passed the Legislature’s halfway point; despite a tense week for Virginia state lawmakers, Republicans and Democrats are showing solidarity with House Speaker Don Scott after a social media attack; a Southwest Virginia congressman will help present an impeachment case of a U.S. Cabinet member.

Our top audio stories today include pieces on statewide fire restrictions, Richmond International Airport upgrades and changes to legislative committees at the General Assembly.

Much like football games, there’s a halftime point in Virginia’s legislature … and it’s called Crossover; A bill protecting women who come to Virginia for an abortion from states where that procedure is illegal passed the Senate on Monday; Richmond City Council is moving forward with a partnership to fight homelessness.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin wants to create a government authority to help relocate two DC pro-sports teams to Northern Virginia; A fiery debate on abortion legislation in the General Assembly; Richmond City Council works to address meals tax issues for businesses; and other stories

Dating While Gray's Laura Stassi chats with VPM's Morning Edition host Phil Liles.

Virginia Union University announced the first step it is taking toward implementing a $500 million campus redevelopment plan over the next 10 years; Proposed changes to state law to address city tax collection issues like the ones that have been plaguing Richmond restaurant owners received a mixed reaction from Virginia legislators Tuesday; Richmond's Planning Commission approved several new projects this week; and other local business stories.

Virginia Democrats are aiming to tighten the rules around how the state changes its voter rolls; Richmond’s new auditor says he’s started reviewing how many restaurants may be behind on meals tax payments; The Virginia Senate unanimously advanced a bill yesterday to remove Richmond from the list of casino-eligible cities.

Hanover County officials are watching several bills proposed by General Assembly legislators in 2024; A Section of Libbie Avenue in Henrico County is poised for an infrastructure upgradeSportfishing and conservation groups continue to push Virginia to ban menhaden fishing in the Chesapeake Bay.

Some localities have the option to slow deforestation by adopting tree replacement and conservation requirements for construction.

Virginia's General Assembly considering how to set up a retail marketplace for marijuana; How one Richmond restaurant's meals tax bill went fro $10k to $0; and other stories

Several Norfolk families say their children are being robbed, attacked and targeted at school by other students because they are Latino. Some students have left school altogether. Today's feature is from partner station WHRO; Ryan Murphy has their stories.

GRTC is looking at five sites across the city for the home of its future bus transfer station; A legal drama is beginning to unfold between Virginia Repertory Theatre and one of its co-founders; The pandemic’s effect on office space is leading one downtown Richmond office building to a date with the auction block; and Libbie Mill’s original neighborhood market has closed, though its space won’t sit vacant for long.

Hanover County’s school board received its first look at its potential budget for next fiscal year; The General Assembly is considering legislation that would require courts to reconsider the prison sentences of people serving time for marijuana convictions; Virginia Senator Tim Kaine has been trying to get the United States Postal Service to fix delivery issues that have affected people throughout the state.

On Monday night, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney delivered his final State of the City address; A group of Virginia Delegates killed two bills aiming to establish statewide best practices for police technology; Fairfax Delegate Kathy Tran is sponsoring a bill to bring motorized all-terrain wheelchairs to state parks. 

Our top stories today include pieces on legislation out of the General Assembly, a newly rebuilt library in Chesterfield and a six-day schoolweek pilot in Hopewell.

Our top audio stories today include pieces on proposed General Assembly legislation, a potential new location for GRTC’s Richmond transfer station and how one Virginia lawmaker is trying to set up standards for interrogation interviews.

Jack Berry's retirement, which will formally take place this summer, caps off 30-plus years of overseeing the tourism organization.

The saga surrounding VCU Health’s costly exit from an ill-fated downtown development project continued this week; Henrico-based Elephant Insurance has reduced its local office footprint and found new stomping grounds in the county; and the highly anticipated amphitheater at Richmond’s downtown riverfront is now officially under construction.

Earlier this week, lawmakers unanimously approved two new judges to serve on the State Corporation Commission; The Henrico County Board of Supervisors recently approved a number of resolutions related to the Fall Line Trail, which is planned to connect Ashland and Petersburg; A right-wing group that previously sued the New York Times is claiming a book by former U.S. Rep. Denver Riggleman includes “egregious lies.”

Virginia lawmakers may order state government to take a closer look at the litter tax this year; Four months after the Greater Richmond Transit Company cut the ribbon on its downtown transfer station, officials are driving forward asking for input to open a permanent location; Voters in Richmond who requested absentee ballots for March’s Democratic presidential primary may have received outdated instructions, according to the city’s General Registrar Keith Balmer.

Also: Rockbridge County judge orders return of some Natural Bridge Zoo animals; Democrat-majority GA advances new gun control bills; bipartisan bills seek to clear hurdles for people who have recovered from addiction and want to help others; Amtrak Virginia ridership hits new records and more.

There's a bipartisan movement in Richmond to overhaul the way the state handles informal foster care placements; What is or isn't in Richmond's real time crime center; Democrats want to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative; and other stories

Curious Commonwealth asks: Why does Richmond have so many tattoo parlors?

Publicity about escalating penalties and fees tied to multiple Richmond restaurants’ meals tax payments are prompting changes to the city’s tax collection practices on a broader scale; US Foods is planning to build a new location of its Chef’Store retail chain in Henrico County; Construction began this month on a 7 Brew coffee shop in Midlothian; and a local entrepreneur has brought an indoor playground to Stony Point Fashion Park.

Governor Glenn Youngkin’s office has advanced regulations meant to hold law enforcement officers accountable; On Thursday Democrats on a House subcommittee pushed forward a bill that would raise Virginia’s minimum wage next year; Virginia lawmakers have gotten bipartisan support for their legislation to raise educator salaries to the national average or higher.

Richmond Public Schools has made a third-party report on the Huguenot graduation shooting available to the public; General Assembly Democrats reject bills to repeal California vehicle emissions standards; and other stories

A Virginia scientific advisory panel recently recommended alerting all parties in thousands of past criminal cases involving former state serologist Mary Jane Burton; The Greater Richmond Continuum of Care will conduct its semi-annual count of people experiencing homelessness on January 25 ; Richmond City Council recently approved a plan to develop a program that will extend benefits to city employees in domestic partnerships.

The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority has assumed oversight of the state’s medical marijuana program.

A new COVID-19 variant is spreading across the U.S. 

Mayo Island is now set to become part of the James River Park System; VPM has taken another step forward with its plans to relocate to downtown Richmond; For the second time in recent years, an effort to bring a food hall concept to Scott’s Addition has fallen through; and it’s out with cider, in with simple syrups for a Shockoe Bottom storefront. 

This week officials with Henrico and Hanover Counties appointed new leaders to their respective board of supervisors ; The 2024 General Assembly session is underway. Among the hundreds of bills already introduced are a handful focused on transportation ; Richmond Delegate Betsy Carr has filed legislation that, if passed, would disallow Richmond from having a casino built within city limits.

Virginia’s General convened today with Democrats in charge; Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin delivered the annual State of the Commonwealth address; Two veterinarians testified Tuesday in a case focused on conditions at Natural Bridge Zoo.

A scientific advisory panel for the Virginia Forensic Science Board recommends that anyone impacted by Mary Jane Burton's past lab work be notified about potential testing errors; The Virginia Restaurant Association aims for new state legislation to help with Richmond's meals tax issues; and other stories

Virginia's oyster harvest hits milestone; Norfolk casino plans; and other stories

Why are cities independent from counties in Virginia?

With a $1 billion manufacturing plant still in the offing in Chesterfield, Lego Group recently kicked off operations at a temporary product packaging facility elsewhere in the county; As the General Assembly prepares to convene for its 2024 session in its brand new building in Richmond next week, the state government is taking a closer look at the overall layout and development potential of Capitol Square; and as design work continues on its anchor baseball stadium, efforts to tee up the first phase of Richmond’s Diamond District project are getting a funding boost from the city’s Economic Development Authority.

Richmond’s Chief Administrative Officer addressed complaints Thursday from local restaurant owners who claim they were not being properly notified of meals tax payment issues; Community Health Workers are public health workers who come from the communities they serve; The new RSV vaccine for babies is in short supply.

Several Richmond-area restaurant owners are objecting to penalties, they say the city’s finance department has unfairly charged them in connection with the meals tax; on Tuesday, the Charlottesville City Council unanimously voted to elect Councilor Juandiego Wade as the new mayor; on Tuesday, Richmond’s City Council elected a new president and vice president.

This fall 2023 special series of reports dives into how Richmond's neighborhoods promote — or hinder — residents' well-being. In Part 2, we explore the city's community spaces and gardens, the effects of rising property values on Black homeownership and how COVID-19 impacted mortality rates for pregnant people of color. Healthy City was written by VPM News and VPM News Focal Point. It was edited by Whittney Evans and Connor Scribner. Shaban Athuman did the series and drone photography. Additional editing was done by Dave Cantor, Meghin Moore, Megan Pauly and Dawnthea M. Price Lisco. To explore more Healthy City, visit vpm.org/healthy.

This fall 2023 special series of reports dives into how Richmond's neighborhoods promote — or hinder — residents' well-being. In Part 1, we explore Richmond's public transportation, repairing its divided communities, Southside's economic development and challenges for Black business owners. Healthy City was written by VPM News and VPM News Focal Point. It was edited by Whittney Evans and Connor Scribner. Shaban Athuman did the series and drone photography. Additional editing was done by Dave Cantor, Meghin Moore, Megan Pauly and Dawnthea M. Price Lisco. To explore more Healthy City, visit vpm.org/healthy.

More residential units are in store for Regency; The home of a longtime West End bakery is being eyed for redevelopment; A Short Pump site once floated for a car vending machine tower is now slated for a slightly shorter hotel; and other local business stories.

It's a format-breaking intro for the last episode of 2023 — and we’ve got a lot of news to get through. From everyone here at VPM News, thank you so much for listening, watching, reading and engaging with us. We’re going to take a couple weeks off now, but you’ll hear from us soon. We’ll be back on Thursday, Jan. 4.

Governor Glenn Youngkin proposed his two-year budget on wednesday; The Arlington County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously voted to continue ranked choice voting in all future County Board primary elections; The Richmond Police Department has launched its version of a powerful surveillance network known as a real time crime center.

Governor Glenn Youngkin will propose $50 million dollars in the state budget for the city of Richmond’s Combined Sewer Overflow projects – city leaders say that’s not enough; The United Network of Organ Sharing says a recent data breach may impact up to 1 point 2 million patient records; The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources has named a suspect in its investigation into the death of a well-known Richmond buck.

A new state inspector general report has been released about the incorrect removal of 3,400 eligible voters from Virginia’s rolls; Gov. Youngkin announces proposed mental health bill in honor of Irvo Otieno; and other stories

The Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services is under investigation for misspending millions of dollars. In the meantime, it's withheld funding from local agencies for most of 2023. Randi B. Hagi with VPM News partner station WMRA reports.

A nearly half-billion-dollar development near Willow Lawn has been given the thumbs up by Henrico supervisors; The pieces are now in place for the planned redevelopment of the downtown YMCA complex to get underway; For the second time this year, a piece of the Museum District has fetched eight figures ahead of a major residential redevelopment; and for the second time this fall, Costco has struck a land deal next to one of its Richmond-area stores

Henrico County honored three outgoing supervisors this week; 449 million dollars in federal funds for Hampton Roads are safe in this year’s national defense spending bill; An FBI official testifying before the U.S. House Oversight Committee Tuesday raised questions about the General Service Administration's site-selection process for the new FBI Headquarters.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin won’t roll out his next budget proposal until December 20th; Delegate Les Adams of Martinsville resigned from the Virginia house of delegates Tuesday. Adams is a Republican who ran unopposed in the November election; Chesterfield County resident Darlene Dragavon came across a granite marker in a community field with the words “In Memory of Joan C. Hall.”

Virginia congressman Bob Good will be the House Freedom Caucus’ next chairperson; The U.S. Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a hearing Tuesday on the site selection process for a new FBI headquarters; $90 million dollars will be included in Governor Glenn Youngkin's upcoming budget proposal to create a collaborative network among Virginia Tech, The University of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University.

A state regulatory commission announced last year that Richmond’s 804 area code is running out of numbers; Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin appeared in Washington D.C., on Bloomberg Television Monday to discuss a range of topics, including the economy and Virginia’s recent elections; The research arm of Virginia's legislature recommended MONDAY that the state shut down its lone public psychiatric hospital for children.

Public space can be hard to come by in a city – and when it’s there, it doesn’t always serve the community’s needs.

The mixed-use redevelopment of Regency mall could spill across the street with an additional project envisioned at the site of what used to be an entrance ramp under Parham Road; As an income-based apartment project gets going across the street, a local church led by a state delegate-elect is looking to add to Chesterfield’s housing stock through a collaboration with a national homebuilder; and a storied Fan restaurant space in line to house an Italian restaurant is now set to be the next destination for a Chesterfield restaurateur who’s flying north into the city limits.

Virginia activists delivered a letter to the offices of Virginia Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine demanding they support a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas War; Virginia Democrats have introduced a constitutional amendment aimed at protecting abortion access — permanently, but it could be a lengthy process; and other stories

The Town of Kilmarnock has plans to double in size; Three families asked the Supreme Court in late November to pause construction on a natural gas pipeline in Southwest Virginia; Virginia has extended its contract with the state’s only privately run prison until mid-20-24

As newly elected lawmakers head to Richmond, lobbyists remain; Richmond City Council speaks with potential 9th District candidates; The Life and Legacy of Enslaved Virginian Emily Winfree; and other stories

The mayor of Petersburg has stepped down from the city’s Democratic committee after appearing in campaign material for a Republican House of Delegates candidate; The State Board of Elections on Monday certified the results of November's general elections; Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney has announced his bid for Virginia governor in 2025; and other local news stories.

Local businesses benefit the neighborhoods they’re in — serving residents’ specific needs and acting as local landmarks. But in Richmond, local businesses are less likely to be owned by Black residents. As part of VPM News Healthy City series, Connor Scribner reports on challenges facing entrepreneurs.  For more Healthy City stories, go to vpm.org/healthy.

The redevelopment of another entire city block in Scott’s Addition is moving forward, The fate of some of Dominion Energy’s prime downtown real estate holdings has taken another turn, A local developer is looking to add about 550 new residential units in western Chesterfield, all of which would be age-restricted; and other local business stories.

The Virginia Department of Education announced $12 million dollars in security grants for hundreds of schools across the commonwealth this week; Governor Glenn Youngkin said he’s QUOTE “extremely worried about the state” of college campuses and discussed Thomas Jefferson’s writings on free expression at the University of Virginia; The 2023 Dominion Energy Christmas Parade is set to begin at 10.15 a.m. Saturday at the Science Museum of Virginia.

Virginia’s executive mansion will display a Christmas tree grown in Floyd County this year; Henrico’s Board of Supervisors scheduled a public hearing to discuss the county's Green City development; Possession of small amounts of marijuana is legal in Virginia…but there’s no adult-use retail market.

Most of Virginia under a drought advisory; Richmond Public Schools launched the Build Our Own Teacher program to help full-time staff become fully-licensed; and other stories

The Richmond City School Board approved a $30 million bid to rebuild William Fox Elementary School; GRTC asks riders to weigh in on their 10-year strategic plan; Respiratory virus season arrives in Virginia with COVID, influenza and RSV; and other stories

Hanover voters struck down a referendum to elect the county’s school board on Election Day, paving the way for the board to uphold its more divisive policies; The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is pausing work zones and lifting lane closures in the Commonwealth for Thanksgiving holiday travel; Firefighters working to contain the Matts Creek Wildfire in Bedford County got some help from Mother Nature on Tuesday.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin has indicated that the budget he will introduce next month will be planned around the possibility of a mild recession after meeting with the Governor's Advisory Council on Revenue Estimates, or GACRE. Our other top audio stories today include pieces on Hopewell, Richmond Ballet and tax cuts.

Democrats in Virginia’s General Assembly are submitting key legislation ahead of the 20-24 session; Virginia State University will host one of the 20-24 Presidential Debates next fall; Relatively few children who enter Virginia’s foster care system end up being placed with relatives compared to other states.

Southside Richmond residents have been vocal about what they need to make their neighborhoods safer, healthier and more liveable.

VCU Health’s costly exit from an ill-fated downtown development project is set to get a closer look from officials on both the state and federal level; The disclosure this spring that VCU Health System had to pay $73 million to back out of a costly downtown development project revealed another financial detail that has kept some observers scratching their heads; Kinsale Capital Group is planning more than just an office renovation on the land it owns near Willow Lawn; and another Richmond brewery is closing its doors. 

Northrup Grumman announced a new Waynesboro facility this week; Henrico County's annual State of the County address; More FBI HQ drama; and other stories

A bipartisan group of 11 Virginia lawmakers sent a letter Wednesday to the U.S. Investigator General to request an investigation into the site-selection process of the new FBI headquarters; The Hanover County school board approved a number of policy revisions, aligning the school system with the Virginia Department of Education’s trans Model Policies; The Virginia Board of Education OK’d two new lab schools on Wednesday.

The Public Utilities and Services Commission, once organized, will advise City Council and the mayor on “matters involving the operation, maintenance, and expansion of the City’s public utilities, including natural gas, clean drinking water, wastewater, solid waste, and stormwater.”

Republicans in the House of Delegates have elected Todd Gilbert as house minority leader after Tuesday’s election results gave Democrats control; Virginia Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger says she is running for governor in 2025 - instead of seeking reelection next year; Richmond City Councilor Mike Jones announced last week that he’s resigning at the end of December to represent Southside as a Virginia state delegate.

The latest Virginia election updates; Two planned emergency housing shelters in Richmond could take a step forward at tonight's City Council meeting; Richmond installs four speed enforcement cameras at two schools on a trial basis; and other stories

Henrico-based Brandefy topped this year’s RVA 25 list of the region’s fastest-growing companies; A former senior manager with Richmond’s public works department will serve more than two years in prison for his role in a yearslong scheme that defrauded the city of over $600,000 in department contracts; Two years after leaving the kitchen at Quirk Hotel and striking out on his own in Midlothian, David Dunlap is readying another concept a couple miles away; and the region’s 46th brewery and first in western Henrico has opened its door.

After years of back and forth, a federal agency announced Wednesday that the FBI’s new headquarters will be built in Maryland, not Virginia; State Senator Jennifer Boysko announced thursday that she will run for U.S. Congress to represent Virginia’s 10th District; Mental health in the U-S has worsened since the pandemic, hitting children especially hard.

Governor Glenn Youngkin discussed the remainder of his term at the Virginia capitol after Democrats regain statehouse control; The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on Wednesday in a case that will determine whether the Department of Veterans Affairs owes a Virginia military veteran more education benefits; and other stories

If certified, Tuesday night's unofficial results means GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin will have to work with them for the remainder of his term. Hear the latest election news from VPM News alongside the pre-recorded episode by Kim Strother, which includes the apparent failure of Richmond's second casino referendum, early vote counts, a wildfire state of emergency and more.

Peak voting times are usually in the early morning and the final few hours before polls close at 7 p.m. Today, VPM News is re-airing some of the team’s recent work, including pieces on local referendums, voting rights and access, and the last entry in our 2023 voter guide.

The maternal mortality rate in Virginia more than doubled between 2018 and 2020.

Richmond’s efforts to increase housing availability in the city is getting a funding boost from a national nonprofit; More than five years after launching the Pulse, GRTC has a project in the works to introduce new, larger buses to the rapid-transit line; The Franklin Inn has changed hands for the second time in less than 10 years; and other local business stories.

Saturday is the last day of in-person early voting ahead of Tuesday’s general election; Governor Glenn Youngkin issued a new executive order this week following several student overdoses in Northern Virginia; The Chickahominy tribe is receiving a 25-thousand-dollar grant from the Comcast Corporation to improve internet connectivity. 

Criminal justice advocates and Democrats are doubling down on calls for a federal investigation into the removal of 3400 voters from Virginia’s rolls; Dominion preps grid for renewables, surging electric demand; Suburban women in Virginia likely to decide control of General Assembly; and other stories.

A group aiming to help elect Republicans is offering to collect voters’ ballots and drop them off at polling stations; A federal judge earlier this week denied a motion to suspend new state hemp regulations; Political experts say neither party has a clear lead heading into the General Assembly elections; and other local news stories.

Late last week, ballots were counted in a runoff union election between the Teamsters and The Laborers' International Union of North America to represent some Richmond workers. In June neither won a majority of the votes. On Friday, Virginia election officials said they added back nearly 3,400 voters who were mistakenly removed from the rolls – thousands more than initially projected. Isley Brewing Company has served its last …  last round. With a rent hike coming, one of the longest running breweries in Scott’s Addition had its final day of business on Sunday. 

This summer, the advocacy group R-V-A Rapid Transit released a report outlining the state of public transit in Richmond and several recommendations for improving the service. The report noted that only 26 percent of bus stops in the city have a bench or shelter. The Greater Richmond Transit Company, GRTC, says it plans to at least double that number over the next few years. As part of the VPM News Healthy City series, Transportation reporter Ian Stewart caught up with some riders who talked about their experiences.

The sale of yet another piece of a South Richmond industrial complex has clocked in as the largest real estate deal in the city so far this year; A downtown tattoo shop is heading to the Brookland Park Boulevard corridor after closing one of the highest priced deals in the Northside neighborhood in recent years; The Fan is set to get a pair of new taquerias right across the street from each other; and a multibuilding project in Scott’s Addition approaches the finish line with particulars about one of its restaurant tenants being revealed.

The death toll in Gaza is over 7,000 people since Israel began retaliating for a Hamas attack on October 7th; A federal appeals court has denied a request from six Southwest Virginia property owners to halt the Mountain Valley Pipeline's construction; Richmond Public Schools will host its second annual “fall for all festival” at River City Middle School this weekend; and other local news stories.

The issue, which was first reported by VPM News in late September, appeared to surface after ELECT announced in December that it had removed 10,558 people from voter rolls who’d had their rights restored but gone on to face new felony convictions. The department said its software hadn’t previously been tracking new convictions for that group.

Virginia’s the only southern state to not pass new abortion restrictions since Roe vs Wade was overturned last year. VPM News’ Jahd Khalil reports on how it presents Republicans with difficulties in the upcoming elections.  Also: Virginia joins Meta suit claiming social platform harms children's mental health; local Central Virginia news and the latest entry in Curious Commonwealth. It's about Virginia's Freedom of Information Act!

Richmond’s twice-a-year Restaurant week has begun and runs through Sunday; Environmental advocacy group Oceana has issued a report on ship speeds in the Chesapeake Bay; A local developer is asking state regulators to allow Dominion Energy to run a new 5-mile overhead transmission line to a planned Henrico County data center.

Many of Richmond’s historically Black neighborhoods have seen large increases in home values — and tax assessments — in recent years. As part of the VPM News Healthy City series, Connor Scribner looks at how that’s affecting long-time residents.

Scrutiny over the failed downtown development that cost VCU Health $73 million to back out of is prompting a closer look by the Virginia General Assembly’s investigative arm; In the days after Art Kellermann relented and agreed to sign off on the costly downtown development deal he’d adamantly opposed, the then-VCU Health CEO’s colleagues who’d urged him to OK the project shared, over email, a collective sigh of relief; With another Richmond Folk Festival in the books, work is about to get rolling on the highly anticipated riverfront amphitheater that’s planned to keep the Tredegar hillside rocking; and as the Dominion Energy Charity Classic descends this week onto Country Club of Virginia for the eighth straight year, another, less publicized golf tournament was played at another, lesser-known local golf course

Hanover residents recently attended a public hearing to discuss county road improvements in the Chickahominy District; The 303-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline’s budget and timeline have inflated again; n the 1970s, drivers got the Ok to make right turns at red lights to save fuel, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Former Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn to forgo run for governor next year and run for Congress; A consultant who helped organize the January 6, 2021 rally that preceded the attack on the US Capitol has also done extensive work for Gov. Glenn Youngkin; Fall Line Trail breaks ground; and other stories

Virginia NAACP sues the Youngkin administration over withholding records; What promises have been made about potential casino jobs?; The Bennu (BEH-new) asteroid is about a third of a mile wide and NASA says it’s on a – possible -- trajectory to earth within the next 200 years; and other stories.

With all 140 General Assembly seats on the ballot in November, many Virginia voters find themselves in a new house or senate district, all thanks to redistricting; Virginia’s Supreme Court has reinstated a statewide ban on electronic skill games; Richmond City Council took a step toward restoring Azalea Pond in Joseph Bryan Park last week. 

Civil engineer Veronica O. Davis recently released a book called Inclusive Transportation: A Manifesto for Repairing Divided Communities.” Those divisions are largely through Black and brown communities, which were carved up when the federal government built the interstate highway system in the 1950s; the same way I-95 carved up Richmond’s Jackson Ward. Davis recently spoke with VPM News transportation reporter Ian Stewart about her connection to transportation as part of VPM News Healthy City.

Richmond area businesses are among the companies that have been fined for noncompliance with hemp and CBD product regulations in the first three months after they took effect in Virginia; A new-to-Richmond plant store has branched out into vinyl records as part of its relocation from North Carolina to the Fan; With new owners at the helm, a Lakeside barbecue joint has been renamed for its namesake neighborhood; and a stretch of the city’s Northside is continuing to attract developer interest, as a mystery group is looking to bring 10 floors of new construction to the neighborhood. 

The Virginia crime lab’s director says she’s looking into allegations of misconduct there beginning in the 1970s. The lab’s actions follow the release of the VPM podcast Admissible: Shreds of Evidence. 

Since the most recent conflict between Hamas and Israel began, Virginia Senator Mark Warner has said the U.S. must support the Jewish state; Hanover County School Board discussed its policies on school libraries and student restrooms during their recent meeting; Where does my recycling actually go? Curious Commonwealth investigates; and other stories.

A spokesperson for Mayor Levar Stoney wouldn’t say if Stoney would ask voters to decide on a prospective casino again if it isn’t approved for the second time in a row. Voters are deciding whether the risks of problem gambling and concerns over the process outweigh new jobs and tax revenue.

As Hamas militants engage with the Israeli military, the U.S. government has voiced its support for its regional allies; Richmond shops are being fined for violating new limits on hemp products that went into effect July 1st; There are a bunch of ways to vote in Virginia this year. 

Research shows that out of any racial or ethnic group, Latinos are less likely to seek dental care, creating an oral health crisis in those communities. Inside the University of Richmond's Robins Center, a makeshift dental clinic is underway serving people through a Mission of Mercy project.

Carytown fixture Ellwood Thompson’s is under new ownership; A local video game shop and arcade is leveling up in Scott’s Addition, just as a related record shop is likewise planning an expansion of its own; Stony Point Fashion Park recently got the OK from the state to allow visitors to drink alcoholic beverages while they walk around the South Richmond mall; and the namesakes of a defunct Richmond-area home remodeling company are seeking legal shelter in the Mountain West seven months after abruptly shutting down their business and leaving clients and contractors in the lurch.

The Chickahominy District representative on the Hanover County Board of Supervisors is resigning; Billionaire Jeff Yass has donated two million dollars to Governor Glenn Youngkin’s political action committee; A flood of racist and antisemitic remarks disrupted a Charlottesville City Council meeting that discussed rezoning and unhoused people.

The Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority selected a New Orleans-based firm Tuesday night to help redevelop Gilpin Court; Two Richmond voting locations for the November 7th general election are being moved; Equitrans Midstream, the company behind a 303-mile natural gas pipeline in Virginia and West Virginia, has entered into a consent agreement with federal regulators.

Virginia's Department of Elections working to resolve an issue where eligible voters were removed from the state's rolls; Nationwide Emergency Alert Test to take place today; VCU announces new pedestrian safety recommendations; and other stories

Urban One, a backer of the proposed Richmond Grand Resort and Casino, has not filed past-due financial reports, triggering Nasdaq’s process to remove it from the stock exchange.  

10/2/23 - Rumbling trains, car brakes screeching, and heavy construction are just some of the sounds that surround Richmond residents daily

Last week’s letter from Gov. Glenn Youngkin calling for changes to the governance of VCU Health is renewing scrutiny of the aborted downtown development that has cost the health system $80 million and counting in exit payments; Days after Chesterfield County issued an RFP for bids to reopen Southside Speedway, a big name in racing has gone public with his interest in bringing the shuttered racetrack back to life; and a local real-estate developer and his grandson join the competition on Fox's Lego Masters reality show.

Hanover County’s comprehensive plan approved by the Board of Supervisors; RVAGreen 2050 climate action plan update; Richmond bike trips sped up between 2019-2022; and other stories.

Dozens of community groups have struggled to regain their footing after the nonprofit Enrichmond Foundation, which managed their funds, collapsed; Forty-nine acres of land in eastern Henrico County are now protected by a historical preservation easement; The invasive spotted lanternfly continues to spread across Virginia after arriving from China. The pest threatens grapevines and other crops.

Civically engaged Virginians focus on education, health, housing; Passenger steam locomotives are returning to Virginia's rails; Richmond’s city councilors unanimously voted to ease regulations on accessory dwelling units in the city; and other stories.

Galen Baughman was elated when then-Gov. Ralph Northam reinstated his rights in 2021. Baughman had spent nine years in jail and prison after pleading guilty to nonviolent sexual misconduct involving offenses that occurred in 1997 and 2003, when he was 14 and 19.  But when Baughman went to vote in the June 2023 primaries, he was told he’d been removed from the voter rolls — despite voting in several elections since his rights were restored.

Can urban design and planning take a toll on the mental well-being of city-dwellers? One University of Virginia researcher thinks so. Jenny Roe is the co-author of Restorative Cities: urban design for mental health and wellbeing. It looks at how cities should put mental health and wellness at the forefront of design. Also: Starting today, every household in the U.S. can request home delivery on four more COVID-19 rapid tests. They will be delivered via the U.S. Postal Service starting the week of Oct. 2.

VCU Health’s costly exit from an ill-fated downtown development project has prompted calls for organizational and procedural change from Gov. Glenn Youngkin; An apartment building planned on a prominent intersection in Manchester appears to be a go after a recent land purchase; Virginia’s beer industry had reason to raise a pint to last week’s signing of the state budget; and other local business stories.

Curious Commonwealth recently received this question from an area resident: “Why, after all monuments to the Confederacy and Confederate leaders have been removed from Monument Ave., and other locations around Richmond, a statue of Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson remains on Capitol Square? This after the monument to former governor and segregationist Harry Byrd has been removed from same public square.” So, why is it still there? To submit your own question to our new series, visit vpm.org/curious!

09/21/23 - The family of Irvo Otieno reaches $8.5 million settlement in his wrongful death suit; The Virginia Department of Elections announced it signed agreements with five states and Washington DC to share voter data; and other stories.

Virginia opened a new trade office in Taiwan on Tuesday; Richmond Public Schools school board approved changes to specialty school admissions; Hardywood Park Craft Brewery recently announced they’ll be phasing out bottled beers to aluminum cans to be more sustainable; and other stories.

The companies hoping to bring a casino to Richmond have already contributed more than $8 million for the campaign, according to paperwork filed with the department of elections; The Chesapeake Oyster Alliance, a project of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, announced its 100th member this weekRepublican Delegate Rob Bell, who served Albemarle County for two decades, is now deputy attorney general for Health, Education and Social Services. 

Many Virginia schools stayed closed longer during the pandemic than those in most other states. And those closures contributed to a significant loss in learning. Now, in the second full year of in-person instruction, they’re still working to fill the gaps. Megan Pauly reports on an effort in Richmond to get kids caught up. 

More steps have been taken toward the planned development of the 200-acre GreenCity site in Henrico, A Charlottesville developer has revealed its plans for the 2-acre site it purchased earlier this year in Manchester, and KavaClub, a fledgling Fan bar that wants to serve the trendy Polynesian drink kava, has hit yet another legal roadblock.

About 1,200 acres in Hanover County are being considered for a future data center park; Public records show Governor Glenn Youngkin may have borrowed Altria’s corporate jet to attend a fundraiser in New York; Governor Youngkin signed Virginia’s budget Thursday on the steps of the state capitol building; and other local news stories.

VCU's Board of Visitors is set to meet to decide if buildings will be demolished to make way for new construction; Gov. Glenn Youngkin, the Republican House and Democrat-controlled senate all proposed $100 million for a billion-dollar project in Richmond; Attorney General Jason Miyares and his team have received an $80 million dollar settlement from Monsanto for environmental contamination; and other stories

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.

09/11/23 - Apple cider makers have begun their annual harvest across Virginia.

Teams vying to lead the mixed-use City Center redevelopment are aiming high with their visions for a required convention center hotel; a local video production company is in the midst of rehabbing their 150-year-old property in Shockoe Slip; and Louis Salomonsky, a titan of the Richmond real estate development scene, died last week after a battle with cancer.

Virginia’s sales tax holiday will be reinstated if Governor Glenn Youngkin signs the bipartisan budget deal approved by lawmakers Wednesday; State education officials announced a new effort to address pandemic-related learning loss Thursday; Central State Hospital, where Irvo Otieno was killed in March, has recorded more medical emergencies this year than last. 

Virginia lawmakers overwhelmingly passed a budget agreement Wednesday that would send an additional $645 million to state public schools and give teachers a two-percent raise — on top of the five-percent increase approved last year. After state regulators suspended Dominion-imposed requirements for connecting certain solar facilities to the grid, some developers are optimistic — but unsure of how to move forward.

Lawmakers are returning to Richmond today to pass a long-awaited update to the state budget; Tenants and housing activists rallied this week outside the Red Oak Apartments in Richmond's Ginter Park neighborhood; The operators behind Richmond’s new proposed casino have offered the city new incentives – in the form of childcare subsidies- in their final push for a $562 million dollar resort in Richmond’s south side.

Hampton resident Linda Janet Holmes studies alternative birthing methods and the Black women behind them.

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.

After 18 months of input from county residents and committee members, Hanover’s Board of Supervisors adopted a framework that paves the way for solar power to brighten up the county, Central Virginia Transportation Authority names first-ever executive director; and other 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.

Richmond’s in the process of setting up a major surveillance system.

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.

One of the larger remaining pieces of the GreenCity puzzle is now in place for the massive arena-anchored development in the works in Henrico; A local developer has pulled the plug on its plans for hundreds of new apartments downtown; A hotelier and financier are teaming up to buy a downtown office tower and carry out a previously proposed plan to turn it into hundreds of apartments; and other local news stories.

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.

The Richmond Public Library’s Summer Reading Program begins Saturday; Last month, Richmond city council finalized the $2.4 Billion dollar Diamond District redevelopment plan, but steps remain to fund the project; Two members of the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors say that the political affiliations of the school’s student body and faculty should be tracked to ensure diversity; and other local news stories.

Tennis is well known for having low minority participation, but one Hampton Roads group is on a crusade to make the sport more welcoming and accessible.

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 federal government’s new bipartisan debt agreement could pave the way for the Mountain Valley Pipeline to be completed; A VCU School of Pharmacy professor is encouraging eligible people to get a COVID-19 booster following the ending of the Public Health Emergency earlier in May; The Commonwealth Transportation Board recently approved dozens of regional projects, but there’s one more step in the process before work can begin.  

Governor Glenn Youngkin is sending the Virginia National Guard to the Texas-Mexico border; Richmond is evaluating four teams for the mixed-use City Center project; The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is donating almost 600 items to The Historic American Building Survey; and other local news stories.

More than 100,000 people rode Amtrak in the commonwealth during April, setting a record in a year-over-year comparison; Environmentalists say they’re surprised to see approval for permits enabling the completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline included in the debt ceiling agreement; Virginia’s new political boundaries have made for some unusually competitive General Assembly primaries; and other local news stories.

Henrico officials say construction on the Cobbs Creek Reservoir is nearing completion; Virginia State University is still assessing the damage after a person reportedly stole a bulldozer and drove it into several campus fixtures over the weekend; Several Virginia newspapers will soon move to publishing only three times each week; and other local news stories.

Chesterfield County’s transportation department is moving ahead with applications for federal funding on several pedestrian-focused projects; When a high school student dies before graduation, it can be difficult for a family to obtain a posthumous diploma.

Richmond’s version of Red Rocks is ready to rock on; VCU’s real estate division remains in deal-making mode with a new acquisition around its Monroe Park campus; A double play of sorts for Henrico recreation and sports tourism played out over the course of four hours Tuesday; and a restaurant building in Short Pump is set to be revived with a new-to-market tenant.

Transfers to an immigrant detention center in Farmville have been paused after three people detained there tested positive for COVID-19; Members of Richmond City Council received an update on the city’s Vehicle and Equipment Replacement Policy earlier this week; A Henrico County plan to improve traffic congestion issues on Interstate 64 has been approved by The Virginia Department of Transportation and forwarded to the Federal Highway Administration; and other local news stories.

The Virginia Department of Motor vehicles has created a new license plate to honor The Richmond Planet; Workplace safety in Amazon warehouses recently has caught the attention of Congress and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; A Charlottesville judge won’t let a private foundation sign on to a lawsuit to stop a Robert E. Lee monument from being melted down; and other local news stories.

The Buckingham County Electoral Board is in turmoil after a judge postponed a hearing on nominations to the panel; Richmond officials are moving to place a new casino referendum on the ballot this November; Governor Glenn Youngkin announced the resignation of Robert Mosier as Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security on Monday; and other local news stories.

A panel examining the city charter is asking Richmonders for feedback; A self-described whistleblower at the Virginia Department of Corrections was fired last week; The average wait time for admission to Virginia’s nine state-run psychiatric hospitals is almost two days; and other local news stories.

Seabirds that were displaced by the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel expansion have been living on Fort Wool. WHRO’s Katherine Hafner reports on how that’s going and what comes next.

As momentum builds for a long-sought slavery museum and commemorative campus in Shockoe Bottom, a yearslong effort to create a guiding blueprint for the neighborhood’s growth has culminated with the release of a draft area plan; A clearer picture has emerged of what healthcare giant HCA has in mind for its proposed Hanover hospital, as the project approaches a planning commission hearing this summer; After more than a decade out of the game, Emilio Peiro is getting back into the Richmond restaurant scene; and other local business stories.

The Chickahominy Tribe of Virginia will receive a $500,000-dollar federal grant to expand its high-speed internet; Democratic Virginia Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner are co-sponsoring a bill to increase funding for childhood cancer research; An animal rights group says a Virginia farm that raised chickens for Tyson Foods mistreated its animals; and other local news stories.

Richmond Public Schools has received four construction grants from the state, including $5.6 million dollars to help rebuild William Fox Elementary School; The Food and Drug Administration has asked a Virginia district court for more time to respond to a lawsuit filed by abortion providers; The Virginia Commonwealth University Health System has posted operating losses for 14 consecutive months; and other local news stories.

Governor Glenn Youngkin has removed Democratic State Senator Mamie Locke from a nonpartisan education advisory board; One lane on the main route through Chesapeake toward the Outer Banks will be closed until further notice; Richmond City Police officers selected a union to represent them in the collective bargaining process ; and other local news stories.

State election officials are working on a new system to replace Eric; U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education visits CodeRVA; Basic City Beer Wins Gold; and other local news stories.

Savanna Baber has been named Virginia’s new Coordinator for Virginia Indian Programs for the state humanities council. She’ll be responsible for helping to tell the stories of tribal nations throughout the commonwealth. Baber recently spoke to VPM News Morning Edition host Phil Liles about her new position. 

VCU Health System’s about-face on a downtown development project that relied on its lease as the master tenant cost the health system nearly $73 million; Former governor Doug Wilder called for the firing of VCU President Michael Rao and a state investigation in light of that payment; and final terms for what’s being touted as the biggest economic development project in Richmond’s history were approved by City Council this week.

Henrico is partnering with Richmond-area nonprofit Capital Trees, to expand green space throughout the county; A judge has ruled that seven Henrico County sheriff’s deputies and three Central State Hospital employees cannot be tried together in Irvo Otieno’s death; Virginia Commonwealth University might be looking at a budget shortfall next year of up to $25 million dollars; and other local news stories.

Richmond residents will see an increase in utility bills now that the city has passed its yearly budget; VCU’s new arts building will cost $72 million dollars more than previously expected; Virginia Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner are reintroducing legislation that could help upgrade aging school buildings; and other local news stories.

Former Governor Doug Wilder is calling for Governor Glenn Youngkin to oust his Chief Diversity officer over recent comments; Abortion providers in three states, including Virginia, filed a lawsuit Monday aimed at preserving access to the abortion pill mifepristone; Richmond City Council approved next year’s budget Monday; and other local news stories.

Former Hewlitt-Packard CEO and Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina will serve as honorary chairperson for the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission; Dominion Energy earned 99 cents a share in the first quarter of 2023; VCU Health paid $73 million dollars to get out of its lease tied to a redevelopment of the old Public Safety Building in downtown Richmond, and other local news stories.

The new historical novel “The House is on Fire” by local writer Rachel Beanland, is about a tragedy in Richmond in 1811 that destroyed a theater and killed more than 70 people. The event and its aftermath unfold through the eyes of four real-life characters, who through their actions tell a bigger story about life in early America. Beanland will be speaking about her book Thursday at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. Ian Stewart from VPM News recently sat down with the author.

The new owners of a Scott’s Addition cidery are preparing to replant their venture in Henrico County; A new fast-casual restaurant is en route to Manchester; VCU held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week for a new STEM building; and other local business stories.

Richmond is looking for a location in Shockoe Bottom to build a museum that tells the history of the city’s slave trade; Organizers are planning a series of town hall meetings to discuss how Virginia’s mental health system could better protect people who are in crisis; The Virginia Department of Elections has planned 10 sessions for groups interested in holding voter registration drives; and other local news stories.

With state officials reviewing Medicaid rolls for the first time since the pandemic began, some doulas are concerned about their patients’ coverage; The pedestrian bridge to Texas Beach will be closed this summer due to structural issues; Ahead of the Diamond District redevelopment, the city of Richmond will pay $25 million dollars to replace the Sports Backers Stadium; and other local news stories.

The Richmond Police Department held a Vigil for Peace at George Wythe High School this week in response to a recent shooting outside the school; Richmond’s toll prices will likely increase later this year to offset revenue that was lost during the COVID-19 pandemic; The Richmond planning commission pushed forward the $2.4 billion dollar Diamond District redevelopment project Monday; and other local news stories.

The Virginia Education Association is alleging that lab school planning grant money sent from the state to private colleges violates the law; RVA is celebrating Bike Month with several events; Richmond International Airport logged its highest traveler total for the month of March; and other local news stories.

Millions of dollars meant for keeping sewage out of the James River is held up in state budget negotiations. VPM News reporter Jahd Khalil explored how all that money could be used.

The City of Richmond has reached final terms with developer RVA Diamond Partners for their $2.4 billion Diamond District project; Richmond City Council followed the lead of other metros across the country in doing away with parking requirements in favor of a more permissive, market-driven approach to providing parking in the city; Chick-fil-A has cut the ribbon on a new location in the city, while also plotting further expansion in the counties; and other local news stories.

The commonwealth’s Chief Diversity, Opportunity & Inclusion Officer spoke last week to faculty and staff during a Virginia Military Institute training on "inclusive excellence"; George Wythe High School was put on lockdown Thursday, after two students were shot near campus; The Newport News School Board is requesting the dismissal of a civil lawsuit filed by the elementary school teacher who was shot in a classroom; and other local news stories.

Richmond City Council approved an agreement to redevelop Creighton Court earlier this week; The Virginia Department of Historic Resources this week approved 5 new historical markers; Hanover County school board chairperson John Axselle will retire at the end June, after serving the school system for more than two decades; and other local news stories.

The city’s fire chief says his department inspected every Richmond public school building this academic year, and cleared them of code violations; The City of Richmond and RVA Diamond Partners have finalized an agreement to build a new baseball stadium for the Flying Squirrels; City Councilmembers eliminated parking requirements for new development in a seven to zero vote on Monday; and other local news stories.

Virginia Democrats are outraising Republicans ahead of the General Assembly election this fall; Virginia’s top elections official attended a February conference sponsored by conservative groups aiming to tighten voting laws; More than 30 locally owned restaurants in the Richmond region are participating in Restaurant Week to raise money for the non-profit Feed More; and other local news stories.

Children’s book author Gail Morin offers tools for young kids to identify and respond to bullying. The Virginia author’s latest book, The Magical Adventures of Detective Sam helps teach kids to break the cycle of violence. Morning Edition host Phil Liles recently spoke to Morin.

The stage is being set for Feed More’s pending move to Henrico, as the regional food bank recently closed on a seven-figure deal for the site of its future home near St. Joseph’s Villa; Providing a baseline number of dedicated parking spaces could soon no longer be a requisite for doing business or developing real estate in Richmond; and Triple Crossing Beer is teaming up with a group of local real estate agents to develop that uphill land with 20 modern-design, “chalet-style” townhomes.

To address an uptick in car crashes in Richmond, city officials held a “Speed Symposium” this week for residents; GRTC bus drivers will soon see a 40 percent increase in their hourly wages; Arlington Public Schools will allow students to carry their own Narcan; and other local news stories.

VPM News is continuing its new series this week: Unchecked: Inside RPS fire inspections. The investigation reveals long standing fire code violations and spotty record-keeping in Richmond schools; The Chesapeake Walmart where six people were shot and killed in November reopened Wednesday morning; Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears canceled a visit to Maggie Walker Governor’s School yesterday, where students had planned to protest her scheduled appearance; and other local news stories.

Delays in passing the state budget are affecting the city of Richmond’s spending plan for the coming year; At least one of the torch-wielding protesters who participated in the 2017 Unite the Right rally has been charged with felony burning with intent to intimidate, a class 6 felony; The General Assembly abruptly denied early release last summer for hundreds of people incarcerated in Virginia prisons; and other local news stories.

VPM News reporters Megan Pauly and Connor Scribner speak with VPM Editor Whittney Evans about their investigation into the fire at Fox Elementary last year; A Virginia corrections officer accused of choking an incarcerated person was promoted last year; The City of Petersburg is mourning the loss of Richard Stewart; and other local news stories.

Virginia author Kenneth Nixon says America’s mental health system is in crisis – and he should know. Nixon’s mother suffered from severe mental illness. His memoir, Born into Crisis, describes how his family became stuck in an enduring cycle of trauma, but also some strategies and solutions for creating change. Morning Edition Host Phil Liles recently spoke to Nixon.

Richmond’s bustling development scene is facing the most formidable foe it has seen in recent years: rising interest rates. 

Richmond City Council introduced legislation during a Wednesday meeting to officially accept state money to help purchase Mayo Island; A proposal to site a new Richmond Fire Department training facility on existing Southside green space has led to disagreements among city leaders and community members; A federal judge in North Dakota has temporarily blocked federal regulations in Virginia and 23 other states intended to protect thousands of small streams, wetlands and other waterways; and other local news stories.

A group attempting to unravel what happened at the Enrichmond Foundation has obtained the nonprofits’ financial records; Hemp retailers will have to take some intoxicating hemp products off their shelves under legislation passed by the General Assembly Wednesday; A class action lawsuit has been filed against the United Network for Organ Sharing; and other local news stories.

Laura K. Drewry is now Richmond’s city attorney, Richmond Public Schools is in the process of renaming four of its buildings; Governor Glenn Youngkin is pushing for parents to have a final say in whether their teenage child can use websites and apps that collect people’s data; and other local news stories.

State considers changes to school accreditation; Norfolk officials consider changes to flood wall project after residents voice concerns; Democratic Senator Tim Kaine other senators requested an investigation into Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas; and other local news stories.  

Betty Migliaccio has been a firefighter for the City of Richmond for 9 years. Like many other first responders, she has a lot of stories to tell. Migliaccio’s experience is the focus of one of four new one-act plays at Firehouse Theatre in Richmond. The show, called First Responses, ends this Sunday.  Morning Edition Host Phil Liles recently spoke to Migliaccio.

The area around Hardywood Park Craft Brewery’s downtown taproom continues to draw developer interest; The next piece of Westchester Commons is in the works; The clock has expired on a longtime Short Pump restaurant, but a new, mystery addition to the area’s dining scene is in the works within eyeshot; and other local business stories.

Chesterfield County’s Board of Supervisors adopted a $1.94 billion dollar budget Wednesday; Robious Landing Park in Chesterfield has new safety signs warning of its proximity to Bosher’s Dam on the James River; Flood insurance is a complex issue in Hampton Roads. But Norfolk nonprofit RISE Resilience Innovations is investing in some ideas to improve it; and other local news stories.

04/06/2023 The state is investigating the Enrichmond foundation; Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s political team say he’s raised nearly $3 million over the first quarter of this year; All 55 seniors in Cristo Rey Richmond's are graduating; and other local news stories. 

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and CNN Anchor Jim Acosta met earlier this week at James Madison University in Harrisonburg; Glenn Youngkin is set to lead his first international trade mission as governor; The governor's office has decided not to hold special elections to fill the seats of two Democrats in the House of Delegates; and other local news stories.

State medical examiner rules Irvo Otieno’s death a homicide; The teacher allegedly shot by a 6-year-old student files a $40 million dollar lawsuit against the school system; What has Gov. Youngkin's Office of Transformation been up to?; and other local news stories  

Norfolk is weighing whether to move forward with a massive federal agreement that includes building a floodwall around much of the city. Katherine Hafner with partner station WHRO breaks down what’s in it, and why some people are concerned. 

Local home remodeler abruptly closes, leaving clients and subcontractors in limbo; In ‘call to action,’ city leaders declare housing crisis in Richmond; New Rocketts Landing section welcomes first residents; and other local business stories.

Earlier this week, the second person this year died while in custody at Richmond City Justice Center; Last week, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates, despite concerns about the banking industry after two midsized banks collapsed; The Chesterfield Department of Transportation is asking for input on changes to Route 60; and other local news stories.

Mourners congregated at First Baptist Church of South Richmond in North Chesterfield on yesterday to mark the life of Irvo Otieno; Shakia Gullette Warren will become the executive director of the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia on May 1st; A federal judge in Richmond heard arguments Wednesday in the case of an 18-year-old man fatally shot by Virginia State Troopers during a traffic stop in 2021; and other local news stories.

Voters in Central Virginia cast ballots in the race for the vacant ninth district state senate seat Tuesday; The Reverend Al Sharpton will deliver the eulogy at the funeral of Irvo Otieno, who died while in police custody earlier in March; Richmond’s poverty rate has been going down during the past decade, according to a new annual report from the city’s Office of Community Wealth Building; and other local news stories.

Funding is coming for improvements to public housing in Richmond; Special election to fill Sen. Jennifer McClellan's seat; State lawmakers put pause on the budget; and other local news stories. 

A vigil was held last week for Richmond middle school student Marquan Mitchell-Nash, who was fatally shot earlier this month while handling a firearm. Seventeen students have been shot so far this school year according to the district’s unofficial count. That includes students who were injured, as well as those killed. Given these staggering figures, we’re airing an excerpt from a conversation that VPM News education reporter Megan Pauly had with Richmond Public School’s Angela Jones last summer. Jones is the director of culture, climate and student services. She spoke about how the district responds to these events. VPM News has a list of resources for those impacted by gun violence. You can find them at vpm.org/another-way.

A panel will discuss potential improvements to the Richmond intersection where VCU student Mahrokh Khan was killed in January by a car as she was trying to cross the street; A program used to help the state evaluate the effectiveness of transportation projects is being reviewed; A Virginia Tourism Video late last year raised concerns over Glenn Youngkin’s roles as both governor of Virginia and as a political figure. A new video mixes public universities and politics; and other local news stories.

Teachers, parents and students are giving mixed grades to an updated draft of Virginia’s history standards prepared by the Youngkin administration; Lisa Coons will become Virginia’s next superintendent of public instruction; Emails obtained by VPM News show that Virginia Commonwealth University has made changes to its debt collection policies; and other local news stories.

The demolition of Spring Rock Green shopping center on Midlothian Turnpike in North Chesterfield began Tuesday; The Richmond Planning commission delayed a vote that would have authorized a 260-unit apartment complex in the Museum District; A grand jury in Dinwiddie has returned an indictment charging 10 people with killing a man as he was being admitted into a state mental hospital; and other local news stories.

03/21/23 Youngkin calls for patience in Otieno murder case; Richmond’s planning commission green lights a new George Wythe High School; Local band Deau Eyes wins the second-annual Newlin Music Prize; and other local news stories 

Virginia lawmakers considered a package of bills this winter to crack down on antisemitism. There was a lot of debate and not all of the bills passed. PolitiFact Virginia editor Warren Fiske talked with VPM News editor Whittney Evans about his latest article, which breaks down the controversy. 

A total of 10 people, including 7 Sheriff’s deputies and three Central State Hospital employees, are facing 2nd degree murder charges in the death of Irvo Otieno last week; Richmond’s city attorney resigned Thursday after being charged with driving while intoxicated earlier in March; A spokesperson for Governor Glenn Youngkin says legislation passed by the General Assembly accomplishes his goal of banning intoxicating hemp products, but retailers say the restrictions go too far; and other local news stories.

An ongoing controversy over Richmond’s funding of affordable housing is playing into the budgeting process; Early voting in the race for Virginia’s 9th Senate District is underway and runs through March 25th; Virginia Senator Tim Kaine and Representative Don Beyer are renewing a push to set aside federal resources for Americans suffering from long COVID and for research into the condition; and other local news stories.

A Virginia Army veteran is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to force the Department of Veterans Affairs to pay him a years’ worth of education benefits; The selection process for a developer to oversee the City Center project took a small step forward Monday; Seven Henrico County sheriff's deputies are being charged with second-degree murder, following the death of a 28-year-old Richmond man who was in their custody; and other local news stories.

Richmond Public Schools connect with Challenge U; VDOE holds public meeting on history standards; John Marshall High School boys basketball team wins again; and other local news stories.

A recent study conducted in Richmond provides evidence that urban greenspaces may make taking a ten-minute walk even better for your health. Patrick Larsen with VPM News looks at the study – and how parts of the city that lack greenspace have a more fundamental problem.

Richmond’s proposed budget includes $200 million for school construction projects; The city attorney for Richmond has been charged with driving while intoxicated; Shamrock the Block is returning to Leigh Street, marking the beginning of festival season in Richmond; and other local news stories.

Virginia's federal bench now has no vacancies; A ransomware group says it’s stolen and posted 350 gigs of data from the city of Waynesboro; Twice as many people in central Virginia were experiencing homelessness without shelter this year; and other local news stories.

The first woman and the first Jewish person to serve as Speaker of Virginia’s House of Delegates says she won’t run for re-election in the General Assembly; A class-action lawsuit filed by Kroger employees in Virginia and West Virginia alleges the company’s new payroll software is resulting in missed pay; Virginia Democratic Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner are cosponsoring legislation called the “Disclosure Act"; and other local news stories.

RPS is recommending that the school board approve an extended school year for one elementary school; Mayor Levar Stoney unveils new $3Billion budget; Altria looks to purchase another e-cigarette company; and other local news stories

Legislation this year passed to provide more training for teachers about how to recognize and address signs of childhood trauma; Richmond City Council set personal property tax relief rates at its meeting last week; Virginia’s lax campaign finance system will remain mostly unchanged for another year; and other local news stories.

Virginia’s forensic scientists and medical examiners are one step closer to getting a new state crime lab; More than 50 restaurants, caterers and food trucks are gearing up for next week’s Richmond Black Restaurant Experience; A grassroots group in Richmond ratcheted up pressure over affordable housing at a city council meeting this week; and other local news stories.

Virginia’s Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow submitted her resignation to Governor Glenn Youngkin Wednesday; Easter on Parade is set to return to Monument Avenue after a pandemic pause; Some major transportation projects in Richmond are being considered for state grant funding; and other local news stories.

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed President Joe Biden’s nomination of Virginia’s first openly gay federal judge; The Richmond Police Department is investigating a towing company for actions that could be fraudulent; The Virginia General assembly has directed state regulators to set performance standards for Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power; and other local news stories.

02/28/2023 VCU unveils plaque honoring student hazing viction Adam Oakes; Henrico County will begin offering educators an annual bonus next year; VPM News State politics reporter Ben Paviour gives wrap of the GA  

Was the historic 1954 Brown versus Board of Education case about parental rights? Not desegregating public schools? Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears says so. But an irrefutable source contradicts her. PolitiFact Virginia editor Warren Fiske talked with VPM News editor Whittney Evans about this latest fact check. 

A spokesperson for the University of Virginia says a member of the school’s board showed a“disappointing disregard” for faculty and staff in newly-released text messages; A special election is set for March 28th to fill Jennifer McClellan's seat in the Virginia Senate; A legislative proposal to establish a process for reviewing – and sometimes capping – certain prescription drug prices in Virginia failed to pass this year; and other local news stories.

Officials from Richmond Public Schools gave an update about the status of William Fox Elementary School’s rebuild Wednesday; The city of Richmond has appointed a new human resources director; Two Richmond city council members want to explore acquiring a pair of historic Black cemeteries; and other local news stories.

Democrat Jennifer McClellan became the first Black woman elected to represent Virginia in Congress; Democratic Delegate Jeff Bourne, who has represented Richmond since 2017, says he will not be seeking reelection; The City Planning Commission heard about progress that’s been made on Richmond 300; and other local news stories.

General Assembly votes to compensate man wrongly imprisoned for 23 years; Democrats look to close U.S. House gap in Benjamin vs. McClellan matchup 

There have been a few bills taking aim at China this General Assembly session. One would ban the country from buying land in Virginia. So Jahd Khalil from VPM News asked: How much land does China actually own in the state?? 

Governor Glenn Youngkin won’t commit to signing legislation during his term that would create a legal recreational marijuana marketplace for adults; A House of Delegates subcommittee killed a bill Tuesday that would’ve required the state to disclose who’s using credit cards paid off with state tax revenue; Richmond City workers just took a crucial step in unionizing; and other local news stories.

An attempt to divorce Virginia from California’s progressive vehicle emissions standards failed in the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources committee Tuesday; Earlier this week, it was announced that ASM Global would operate the planned 17,000-seat arena in Green City; Henrico County property owners could be getting a tax rebate for the second consecutive year; and other local news stories.

New legislation could require VMI to extend immunity to students who report a sexual assault; A bill proposed by Democratic Senator Jennifer Boysko that would have made phone calls and digital communications free for incarcerated people was spiked in committee this week; The General Assembly approved a measure Tuesday to ban the use of solitary confinement in Virginia prisons; and other local news stories.

02/14/23 Virginia schools are still struggling with teacher shortages; Green City Arena in Henrico lands manager; Some Virginia public schools may have to pay back leftover Covid-19 Pandemic funds; and other local news stories.

 Towing companies have become a major player in Virginia’s General Assembly, where lawmakers set the maximum fee towers can charge drivers. Now they’re looking to increase those rates, but it’s a tough sell from an unloved industry.

Virginia Senator Tim Kaine wants to end two wars that are still technically ongoing; Virginia’s economic development agency says it has about 1,700 emails and documents related to the scuttled Ford battery plant proposed for a Danville-area megasite, but it won’t share any of them under the state’s public records law; Advocates for legal recreational marijuana sales in Virginia are losing hope that lawmakers will take action this year; and other local news stories.

A House bill that would allow small breweries to sell their beer directly to restaurants and local retailers without going through distributors is headed to the Senate; Deadlines are approaching for voters in the 4th U.S. House District; Legislation aiming to create separate pathways to an advanced studies diploma — with and without a world language requirement — has cleared one chamber of the General Assembly; and other local news stories.

Sunday, committees in the House and Senate approved very different budgets. Those budgets hit legislators’ desks yesterday; The commonwealth’s 20.6% recidivism rate is the second lowest in the country, according to the Virginia Department of Corrections; Virginia’s General Assembly hit the half-way point in its regular session Tuesday with a flurry of votes on hundreds of bills; and other local news stories.

GOP lawmakers in GA kill bill regarding insurrectionists; Democrat lawmakers propose funding for state programs with no tax cuts; VSU offers free tax help; and other local news stories

Have Virginia tax revenues risen by 50 percent over the last four years, as Governor Glenn Youngkin says? PolitiFact Virginia Editor Warren Fiske spoke with VPM News reporter and editor Whittney Evans about his fact checks of the governor’s claim.

The General Assembly is considering a bill that would keep localities from banning natural gas connections in new buildings; The Virginia Board of Education voted to advance its latest history standards draft Thursday afternoon; Virginia law enforcement officers would no longer be able to make false statements while interrogating children under a bill from Democratic Delegate Jackie Glass; and other local news stories.

At least a thousand anti-abortion protesters marched in Richmond’s Capitol Square Wednesday; The U.S. Department of Transportation announced recipients of its $5-billion dollar Safe Streets and Roads grant program; Mayor Levar Stoney gave his state of the city speech; and other local news stories.

Virginia’s Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would ban the sale or possession of AR-15-style weapons manufactured after July 1st; An error by the Virginia Department of Education will result in local school districts receiving less funding than anticipated; As some school districts struggle to hire teachers, former and retired military personnel are being pointed to as potential recruits; and other local news stories.

As Virginia deals with the opioid addiction crisis, some state lawmakers want to increase penalties for distributing any controlled substance that contains fentanyl ; Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney is set to give the State of the City address tonight; The Virginia Board of Education will consider a new draft of state history standards on Wednesday; and other local news stories.

For one Henrico County woman, the recent attempt to ban abortion in Virginia after 15 weeks is personal. Martha terminated a pregnancy she desperately wanted, at 23 weeks. VPM News is only using her first name because she fears retaliation from her employer for speaking about her abortion.

The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives is demanding cuts to federal spending amid the debt ceiling debate; The James Beard Awards announced its 2023 semifinalists for best chef in the mid-Atlantic, and 2 Virginia chefs are competing for the title; A Democrat-controlled Virginia Senate committee struck down three GOP bills Thursday that would have restricted access to abortion; and other local news stories.

Republicans in the House of Delegates advanced legislation today that would undo Virginia’s connection to California’s vehicle emission standards; A Republican-sponsored bill that would remove Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative was voted down Tuesday in a Senate committee; The nonprofit Homeward is recording the number of people in the Richmond area who are experiencing homelessnes; and other local news stories.

Earlier this week, City Council asked Richmond’s planning commission to consider significant changes to the city’s master plan; The next issue of the Chesterfield Observer will be its last; The Library of Virginia is opening a new exhibit, and other local news stories.

A school shooting involving a 6 year-old and his teacher earlier this month is reverberating in Virginia’s General Assembly; The Greyhound Bus Station along Arthur Ashe Boulevard, which was sold in January, is back on the market; Legislation to extend eligibility of the Brown v. Board of Education Scholarship to include the descendants of those locked out of school during Massive Resistance advanced Monday; and other local news stories.

PolitiFact Editor Warrne Fiske looks at claims that President Biden is planning to send the IRS after middle-class Americans; US Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke to VPM about plans to reduce traffic fatalities; Senator Tim Kaine finally announced his plans to run for a third term; and other local news stories.

A House of Delegates subcommittee has advanced a bill that would study how to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates in Virginia; Richmond Public Schools has released its proposed budget for the year; The family of a 6-year-old boy accused of shooting his teacher at Richneck Elementary in Newport News says the gun he used had been secured; and other local news stories.

The state stopped collecting taxes on groceries on January 1st, after lawmakers eliminated part of their collection during 2022, but taxes on groceries at the city and county level still exist; Monticello has begun the search for new leadership; the Virginia Senate swore in its newest member on Wednesday; and other local news stories.

A jury ruled Tuesday that one Windsor Police Officer used excessive force, and another illegally searched the car of a Black Army Lieutenant when he was pulled over in 2020; The cost of plans on Virginia’s health insurance marketplace dropped 17 percent since last year; In November, a hand full of Gen Z candidates ran for federal office; and other local news stories.

General Assembly's Lobby Day; Henrico County School Board has its first Black woman in leadership; Results of Survey for GRTC's Pulse Line to Short Pump Released; and other local stories.

Former directors of Richmond’s Office of Community Wealth Building spoke Sunday at the Institute of Contemporary Art; A lawsuit claims voters have been disenfranchised by the quick-turnaround special election to fill the seat of the late Congressman Donald McEachin; A new roof is slated to be installed on Fox Elementary starting next month, after a fire partially destroyed the building about a year ago; The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach is about 40 years old. And both plans to renovate the city-owned space come with a significant price tag; The Great Dismal Swamp could become a National Heritage Area.  

Virginia State Police have begun using a new service that allows them to access cellphone location data without a warrant; The YMCA of Greater Richmond president and CEO will soon be part of the organization’s national leadership; Governor Glenn Youngkin wants to ban Chinese companies connected to the Communist Party from purchasing farmland in Virginia; and other local news stories.

Governor Glenn Youngkin outlined his agenda for the year in the State of the Commonwealth Address Wednesday; The Richmond City Sheriff’s Office has announced a death at the city jail; National plane travel ground to a halt early Wednesday for hours due to a safety system being down; and other local news stories.

New legislation could return electrical ratemaking power to state regulators; Four swastikas were spray painted on a Waynesboro mural depicting a Black father and daughter this past weekend; Virginia’s politically divided legislature enters its session today deeply divided on issues like abortion and gun control; and other local news stories.

There were almost a thousand traffic fatalities in the state during 2022, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation, and some are looking to the General Assembly for a solution; The city of Richmond is surveying child-care providers to figure out what next steps might look like in implementing universal preschool; Newport News police haven’t said what kind of charges, if any, will be filed against the 6-year-old student who’s suspected in the Friday shooting of a teacher; and other local news stories.

With the General Assembly gearing up for a battle this winter over Virginia’s abortion laws, many are watching a Jan. 10 special election for an open Senate seat in Virginia Beach. 

Richmond City Council wants legislators from around the area to fight for more infrastructure project funding and enable another ballot initiative on bringing a casino to the city; Chesterfield County’s Board of Supervisors has two new leaders; Union organizers say most grad students whose stipends were delayed by a University of Virginia filing error in December have been paid; and other local news stories.

The artist who will design a statue of Barbara Rose Johns that will reside in the U.S. Capitol was announced Wednesday; To meet standards set by Major League Baseball, a new stadium that will be part of the Diamond District needs to be complete by the 2025 season; A group of Chesapeake citizens filed a voter petition as part of their fight against a proposed mega-site; and other local news stories.

In Virginia, jurors get paid $30 a day, but one lawmaker is looking to change that; Richmond City Councilmembers chose Mike Jones as their new council president Monday afternoon; Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin is asking Attorney General Jason Miyares to investigate the leadership of a high-profile magnet school in Northern Virginia; and other local news stories.

At least 40 graduate student workers at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville received late stipend payments during the holidays and some are still waiting to be paid; A wider road, new bike and pedestrian paths, and more than 30 bus shelters are in the works for Henrico County; Tensions are high around Hampton Roads between officials who want to build industrial warehouses and the communities they want to build in; and other local news stories.

Virginia is drawing closer to Governor Glenn Youngkin’s goal of having a law enforcement officer in every public school in the Commonwealth. Last year, the governor and state lawmakers earmarked a record amount of grant funding – more than $20 million dollars – to help localities hire full-time school resource officers, known as SROs.  

The number of travelers across the state this holiday season is expected to rival pre-pandemic figures; A project to widen Interstate 64 in New Kent County is getting funding from the federal infrastructure bill; The minimum wage in Virginia is going up in the new year; and other local news stories.

Last month, the state board of education unanimously rejected taking up history standards presented by Governor Glenn Youngkin’s education team. The Department of Education said a new draft of the proposal would be released sometime this week; Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority announced this week that it acquired the Grace Place Apartments building; Inflation is slowing, but Virginia could soon be looking at an economic downturn; and other local news stories.

Governor Glenn Youngkin wants to consolidate 1,500 state workforce programs into a single agency; Youngkin also proposed a $200 million dollar investment in Virginia’s new flood prevention loan fund; Two Louisa County Sheriff’s deputies are on administrative leave after a fatal shooting; and other local news stories.

Richmond councilmember Katherine Jordan discusses what will happen to the sites where A.P Hill and Robert E. Lee statues formerly stood; A parking lot near the Fan district in Richmond could be the site of new town homes; Virginia Democrats are set to hold a firehouse primary today to fill the 4th District seat left open after Representative Don McEachin’s death in November; and other local news stories.

With the current political focus on transgender kids, Randi B. Hagi with partner station WMRA sat down with two adult community leaders and asked them to reflect on their gender journeys. This is the second of those two conversations.

Governor Glenn Youngkin is seeking major new tax cuts as part of his budget proposal for 2023; There’s one less Democrat vying for the open Fourth District US House seat; Dominion Energy could roll out small nuclear power stations across Virginia within the next decade; and other local news stories.

Mayor Levar Stoney gave an update on Richmond’s three-pronged approach to road quality and safety at city hall Wednesday; The Virginia Department of Transportation released its first-ever resilience plan; Petersburg City Council selected the Cordish Companies Tuesday to develop a proposed hotel and casino; and other local news stories.

Central Virginia Democrats have less than a week until they choose a candidate to fill the vacant 4th district congressional seat; Virginia Delegate Ronnie Campbell died of cancer Monday night; Governor Glenn Youngkin recently announced $20 million for crime-fighting programs around the commonwealth; and other local news stories.

It’s been more than two years since Richmond started removing confederate monuments on city land. But one remained standing at the intersection of Hermitage Road and Laburum Avenue. It came down on Monday; Richmond Delegate Lamont Bagby announced Monday he’ll enter the race to replace former Congressman Donald McEachin, who passed away last month; Another glitch hit the Virginia Department of Elections; and other local news stories.

With the current political focus on transgender kids, Randi B. Hagi with partner station WMRA asked two adult community leaders to reflect on their gender journeys. Here's the first of those two conversations. Please note this story does include mentions of suicidal ideation. If you or someone you love are experiencing suicidal ideation, there are people you can call. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number is 988. 

Witnesses in last month’s deadly University of Virginia shooting are expected to testify during a preliminary hearing in March; Virginia State Police found that a previous employee who is a suspect in a triple homicide didn’t divulge information that would have disqualified him from employment; Virginia State Police is seeking state funding to grow its workforce by about 10 percent; and other local news stories.

State Senator Ghazala Hashmi plans to reintroduce her legislation from last session to prohibit public colleges from withholding student transcripts over unpaid debt; An executive order signed by Governor Glenn Youngkin on Tuesday requires state officials to gather a list of fines and suspensions levied on businesses that violated COVID-19 rules; Criminal charges have been filed against the owner and administrator of Fillmore Place, a Petersburg assisted living facility that was recently closed due to poor living conditions; and other local news stories.

City of Richmond tax revenue has gone up so much, the city has millions more than it expected; Charlottesville City Council announced it hired a new police chief during a Monday meeting; Chesapeake school officials sent a letter to families last week about a new club called the After School Satan Club; and other local news stories.

Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Commission to Combat Antisemitism released its final report Monday; The Virginia Department of Education has released a full list of those who had input during the development of a controversial draft of state history standards discussed last month; While many localities around the country have taken down Confederate statues in recent years, one Virginia county is meeting Tuesday to protect theirs; The 13-member Virginia Crime Commission will not recommend bills to set a legal limit on blood THC levels or to allow roadside saliva screenings for drivers who are suspected of being high; and other local news stories.

A play premiering in Harrisonburg this month tells the story of the people who once lived in what is now Shenandoah National Park

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.