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 news 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.

03/28/2023 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.

03/13/23 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