VPM's daily newscast contains all your Central Virginia news in just 5 to 10 minutes. Hosted by Benjamin Dolle, Phil Liles, Kim Strother and VPM News staff, episodes are recorded the night before so you can wake up prepared.
The Supreme Court yesterday indicated support of a lower court’s ruling in favor of Gavin Grimm, an advocate for the transgender community who sued his school district for not allowing him to use the boy’s restroom; Governor Ralph Northam signed four bills to make voting easier; Next week, GRTC is holding a public meeting to announce schedule changes coming to some of its routes this fall; and a memorial to the five Capital Gazette Newspaper employees shot by a gunman in 2018 is unveiled in Annapolis.
4 min
1002
6/25/2021 - Andrew Freiden, Meteorologist, on R...
Richmond students on graduating during a "hectic" year; interfaith coalition gathers to denounce antisemitism; Andrew Freiden, Meteorologist, talks about climate change; and more
Civilian Review Board Recommendations Coming; Unemployment Falls; Lt. Gov Fairfax's Lawsuit Dismissed; On Its 50th Anniversary, Virginia's Constitution Faces New Tests, and more
Virginia Replacing 134-Year-Old Time Capsule With Confederate Memorabilia; Pro-Trump Politician Fights to Stay on Ballot After Paperwork Problems; and more
City Plan endorsed a plan to remove a statue to Confederate A.P. Hill, but passed on proposals to remove pedestals which once held Stonewall Jackson, J.E.B. Stuart and other Confederates to City Council without an endorsement;
4 min
1006
06/18/21 - VCU Health Seeks to Address Racial D...
As of today, Juneteenth is a national holiday celebrating the emancipation of African Americans. It also happens to be World Sickle Cell Awareness Day; Virginia children are less likely to meet school immunization requirements this year due to limited access to health services during the pandemic; Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney released a request for design proposals yesterday in a last-ditch effort to begin work on George Wythe High School as soon as possible; and other local news stories.
8 min
1007
06/17/21 - As Commonwealth Begins Environmental...
The nonprofit Virginia Environmental Justice Collaborative released a map this week detailing the environmental vulnerability of state residents; Chesterfield teenagers have the opportunity to get vaccinated today; and Ian Stewart speaks with Michael Paul Williams from the Richmond Times Dispatch about his Pulitzer Prize for Journalism.
6 min
1008
06/16/21 - Claims of Critical Race Theory in Vi...
Critical Race Theory has been used for decades to examine systemic racism. Politicians claim the theory is being taught in schools, but that’s really not the case; Virginia Senator Mark Warner says last week’s passage of the United States Innovation and Competition Act is intended to address current supply chain issues; Riding on GRTC will continue to be free for another year; and other local news stories.
After more than a year of battling the spread of COVID-19, the Virginia Department of Corrections is reporting zero active coronavirus cases in state prisons; Virginia Senator Mark Warner is part of a bipartisan coalition that has put together an alternative to President Joe Biden’s infrastructure proposal; Tonight, Chesterfield residents will have the chance to comment on what the county should do with over $68 million in federal money; and other local news stories.
At their meeting last week, the Chesterfield School Board approved a resolution recognizing June as LGBTQ+ month; Governor Ralph Northam signed into law a new reform to Virginia’s probation system; Virginia will receive over $15 million in federal funding to help residents obtain affordable housing; and other local news stories.
4 min
1011
06/10/21 - Virginia Primary Turnout Dips, But S...
About 8 percent of registered voters turned out for Tuesday’s primary, down about two points from 2017’s record; The primary race for Richmond’s top prosecutor was a sweeping victory for incumbent Commonwealth’s Attorney Colette McEachin; The F-B-I says it believes the gunman in the 20-19 Virginia Beach mass shooting “was motivated by perceived workplace grievances."; and other local news stories.
4 min
1012
06/06/21 - Return of the Mac: Terry McAuliffe W...
Democrats in Virginia have selected Terry McAuliffe as their nominee for governor; The Virginia Supreme Court heard challenges yesterday to the state’s plan to remove the statue of Robert E. Lee in Richmond; Virginia has seen an overall decrease in violent crimes compared to 2019; and other local news stories.
4 min
1013
06/08/21 - On Eve of Primary, Rivals Seek to Ch...
Five Democrats running for Virginia governor are making their final pitch to voters ahead of today’s primary; The Supreme Court of Virginia is slated to hear oral arguments today in the fight over taking down the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee; The City of Richmond is holding a mass vaccination event this week that will also serve as a community job fair; and other local news stories.
3 min
1014
06/04/21 - Spanberger Calls For Oversight Of Ph...
Virginia Representative Abigail Spanberger is reintroducing a bill to increase transparency in prescription drug transactions; VCU has expelled Delta Chi fraternity for violations that allegedly led to the death of a student; Tomorrow is the last day to vote early in-person before the June Primary; and other local news stories.
Republican Glenn Youngkin has so far raised nearly $16 million in his campaign for governor of Virginia. Campaign finance reports released this week show three quarters of that money came from his own pocket; The City of Richmond is now accepting applications for the second round of utility bill relief to help customers struggling during the pandemic; A state-funded investigation found institutional racism at Virginia Military Institute. But the report, released this week, also found sexual assault to be a problem; and other local news stories.
VMI Investigation Released, Artists Reflect on Year of Activism, and other local news stories
4 min
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06/01/21 - Virginians Honor Fallen Service Memb...
The Virginia War Memorial’s 65th annual Memorial Day ceremony was open to the public yesterday; During COVID-19, a Virginia law against wearing masks has been paused. But that could change as soon as June 30th, when the current state of emergency is set to expire; Today is the deadline to sign up for Chesterfield County public school’s “Virtual Academy”. The district is offering the academy for K-through-8th grade as an alternative to in-person classes in the fall; and other local news stories.
7 min
1018
05/28/21 - Tributes Honor Victims of Virginia B...
Monday is the two-year anniversary of the Virginia Beach mass shooting that killed 12 people and injured four more. There will be tributes throughout the weekend to remember the victims; After over a year of social distancing, masking and avoiding crowds, Virginia lifted its remaining gathering restrictions today; AAA Mid-Atlantic expects more than a million Virginians to travel for Memorial Day; and other local news stories.
4 min
1019
05/27/21 - USDA Offers Loan Repayment For Farme...
Petersburg native Doctor Jewel Bronaugh returned to her hometown yesterday to make her first public appearance as deputy secretary of the USDA; Former Senator John Warner died at home Tuesday due to heart failure, at 94 years old; The family of VCU freshman Adam Oakes, who died in February of alcohol poisoning, has started a nonprofit to support high school students after they graduate; and other local news stories.
4 min
1020
05/26/21 - Court Orders Virginia Employment Com...
Following court-ordered mediation, the Virginia Employment Commission will work to resolve a backlog of pandemic-related jobless claims by Labor Day; Lawyers for Dylann Roof asked a federal appeals court in Richmond yesterday to overturn his conviction; Yesterday, a U.S. Senate health committee approved the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act; and other local news stories.
7 min
1021
05/25/21 - City Council Approves New Budget, Pa...
Richmond City Council has approved a more than 770 million dollar budget for next fiscal year; Changes to Virginia’s medical cannabis program are coming this summer as recreational marijuana becomes legal; Multiple walk-up vaccination events at the Richmond Raceway this week will be open to children; and other local news stories.
5 min
1022
05/21/21 - Virginia Lawmaker Steve Heretick Dep...
A Virginia lawmaker was deposed earlier this month for his role in an alleged fraud scheme; On July 1st, adults in Virginia can legally use recreational marijuana, but there are still lots of rules to follow to stay on the right side of the law; Governor Ralph Northam is making changes to the state parole board; Richmond’s casino selection panel has narrowed the field down to one; and other local news stories.
6 min
1023
05/20/21 - Majority Of Virginia Voters Concerne...
A majority of Virginia voters support efforts to reduce flooding, according to a new poll; Petersburg City Council has appointed Stuart Turille Junior as its new city manager; The Vice Chair of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia resigned in protest this week of the agency’s handling of the Virginia Military Institute investigation; and other local news stories.
4 min
1024
05/19/21 - Northam Issues Executive Action to S...
Governor Ralph Northam has issued an executive order directing the Virginia Employment Commission to hire more staff and nearly double the number of disputed claims they process each week; The 7-day average for new COVID-19 cases in Richmond is down to 10 per week; Several Hampton Roads cities have higher rates of poverty, unemployment and housing insecurity than Virginia on average according to new data dashboards; and other local news stories.
5 min
1025
05/18/21 - Dominion Energy-Linked Group Launche...
A group called “Power for Tomorrow” is blanketing Virginia with TV ads warning against changes to the commonwealth’s electrical grid; Settlement talks are underway between the Virginia Employment Commission and residents who sued over delays in their unemployment benefits; The Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates announced the body will return to in-person meetings; and other local news stories.