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News and information from VPM News, Virginia's home for public media πŸ“° Who we are: vpm.org/newsroom

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Latest posts by VPM News @vpm.org

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Del. Josh Thomas wants to put Virginia's boys and men on a better path "We want to make sure that we're not leaving them behind as we continue to move forward."

@jahd.bsky.social @vpm.org www.vpm.org/generalassem...

05.03.2026 14:36 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
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Court orders Tazewell County to open polls for redistricting amendment The Supreme Court of Virginia's rulings will come after the April 21 ballot.

The Supreme Court of Virginia has ordered the Republican-leaning SWVA county to open early voting for the redistricting amendment.

Prior to Wednesday's order, state and local election officials had been blocked from the work by a lawsuit brought by national GOP organizations. via @jahd.bsky.social

04.03.2026 23:09 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Lawmakers advance bills to set up child care cost-sharing pilot The program incentivizes subsidized care for employees' kids.

The General Assembly is moving toward establishing a program that would provide matching funds from the state to incentivize businesses to cover part of the cost of child care for their employees.

04.03.2026 20:51 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1

We understand! It was @exit265c.com who reminded the rest of the newsroom that this was a thing...when he got caught up in it this morning 🫠

04.03.2026 20:26 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Traffic Advisories in Richmond VA

Richmond! Did you know that there are currently some major street closures due to CSX work today until 4pm?

These closures are because CSX will be replacing the overhead rail lines that pass across the river. Find more info at DPW's Blogspot:

04.03.2026 15:49 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 1
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Chief Justice Cleo Powell formally sworn into Supreme Court of Virginia She is the first Black woman to hold the position.

Cleo E. Powell was formally sworn into her new role Monday as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia.

She is the first Black woman to serve in that role in the commonwealth.

03.03.2026 21:34 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Early voting on Virginia redistricting amendment set to begin Friday Several court decisions are expected after the April 21 ballot.

As of Monday, a series of legal challenges β€” mostly led by Republicans β€” to Democrats' plans to hold an April 21 referendum on a constitutional redistricting amendment has not resulted in a delay of the vote, which means early voting is slated to start Friday.

02.03.2026 23:24 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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The future is uncertain for some Virginia farmers after VSU researchers fired The school says the firings are part of restructuring its agricultural research unit.

In mid-December, six VSU faculty members β€” five of whom had tenure at the university β€” were individually called into meetings with senior leadership to discuss β€œtransformational efforts” in the department.

25.02.2026 22:09 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Powhite Parkway tolls are about to be a thing of the past in Chesterfield The parkway’s extension is almost fully paid for after nearly 40 years.

After nearly 40 years, the bonds that the Virginia Department of Transportation sold to finance the extension of the Powhite Parkway into Chesterfield County are almost fully paid off β€” which means drivers on that stretch of the parkway will soon no longer have to pay tolls.

25.02.2026 17:38 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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ICE enforcement nationwide shaped Virginia immigration bills in real time Lawmakers say state-level action is needed to protect all Virginians.

The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti and detainments of demonstrators in Minnesota fueled scrutiny of enforcement tactics and state-federal cooperation, and Virginia legislators invoked both during floor sessions.

24.02.2026 22:35 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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How to watch President Trump's 2026 State of the Union address The speech is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET.

Starting at 6 p.m., @pbsnews.org's continuing coverage and livestream of tonight's State of the Union address can be streamed on our website.

President Donald Trump will deliver his address at 9 p.m.

You can also watch the address live on VPM PBS or listen to it at 88.9 FM, 93.1 FM or 107.3 FM.

24.02.2026 22:07 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Virginia lawmakers look to establish state child care funding formula One state-funded program hasn't seen increased reimbursement rates since 2022.

"We've been trying to figure out ways to 1, reduce that waiting list, and other ways to try to help out individuals because they're paying so much in child care: as much as a mortgage. So how is it that we can try to help families out as it relates to these child care costs?" -State Sen. Mamie Locke

24.02.2026 21:25 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Virginia Democrats zero in on final affordability package Budget realities and a reluctance to raise taxes have narrowed the field.

Virginia Democrats came into the 2026 session with a budget squeezed by increasing health care costs+federal funding cuts, after a historic election defined by the theme of affordability. Gov. Abigail Spanberger also threw her support behind a few dozen bills, dubbed the Affordable Virginia Agenda.

18.02.2026 23:09 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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UVA School of Nursing faculty say new federal report has an error They say diversity hasn’t been a factor in promotion, tenure decisions.

The University of Virginia submitted its first quarterly report to the US Department of Justice as part of an agreement to halt federal investigations into the school’s DEI practices in late December.

But some School of Nursing faculty say part of what the public university reported isn’t accurate.

18.02.2026 22:53 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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'Right to repair' bills die in Virginia House subcommittee Del. Jackie Glass said she hoped her bill would foster a culture of DIY repairs.

Two bills aimed at establishing a "right to repair" β€” one for devices with digital components, the other for farm equipment β€” failed without a hearing this year.

They were proposed in response to increasingly difficult equipment repairs, as software and complicated circuitry have become commonplace

18.02.2026 20:18 πŸ‘ 14 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 2
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A $15 minimum wage for Virginia is within reach State senate passes bills, but puts an expiration on minimum wage for farmworkers.

The Senate pushed forward two other bills that would allow for workers to sue to collect damages for being misclassified or not being paid the minimum wage, and another that would extend minimum wage protections to farm workers, but amending it to be in effect only temporarily.

17.02.2026 16:08 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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The Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi Join Kojo and resident analyst Tom Sherwood on Fridays at noon for our weekly review of the politics, policies and personalities in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.Fri: 12-1 pm ETFri:…

Tune in shortly! I'm the first guest up on The Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi and Tom Sherwood | @wamu.org @vpm.org wamu.org/show/the-pol...

13.02.2026 17:00 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
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Supreme Court of Virginia greenlights redistricting referendum A vote on new congressional maps is still set for April 21.

Breaking: The Supreme Court of Virginia said Friday plans to hold a ballot referendum on the new maps April 21 could go ahead for the time being as it hears a legal challenge to state Democrats' efforts to redraw congressional maps ahead of the 2026 federal midterm elections.

13.02.2026 16:17 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Charlottesville school board agrees to 10.5% raise for support professionals The union representing educators will vote on ratifying the contract next week.

A negotiated pay raise for support staff working in Charlottesville City Schools is back in the upcoming budget β€” despite an effort by the school board to backtrack on its agreement.

11.02.2026 22:14 πŸ‘ 101 πŸ” 27 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 1
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Senate bill would shield Dominion customers from some data center-related costs Virginia's booming data center industry requires major new infrastructure builds.

If passed, it would be the legislature's most direct attempt to prevent smaller ratepayers from bearing the cost of new electrical infrastructure necessitated by the mammoth electrical demand from data centers.

10.02.2026 21:17 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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General Assembly considers $36M expansion of gun violence prevention program The Safer Communities Program currently funds initiatives in 4 cities, including Richmond.

Virginia legislators are considering a $36 million budget amendment to expand a gun violence prevention program that researchers say has been a good investment.

www.vpm.org/generalassem...

09.02.2026 17:44 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Hundreds gather at The Valentine to celebrate Bill Martin’s life and legacy β€œBill's life is a testament to the power of … showing up for our community.”

β€œEvery year, before the event, I would get a call or a text from Bill that said, β€˜What's your pizza order?’”

Many visitors to Bill Martin's memorial said what stood out to them was Martin’s daily acts of kindness, despite his packed schedule across the city.

More from @deanmirshahi.bsky.social:

08.02.2026 16:32 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Amended cannabis market bill passes despite split among Senate Democrats The revisions concern sales and possession that remain illegal after the market opens.

A Virginia Senate panel on Wednesday approved revisions to a retail cannabis market bill that exposed Democrats' divisions on how to penalize underage possession and other potential crimes.

07.02.2026 22:06 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Spanberger signs bill moving redistricting vote one step closer The governor also signed bills calling for votes on 3 other proposed constitutional amendments.

Among the bills signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger today on proposed voter referenda?

A constitutional amendment around redistricting, restoring voting rights to people who've completed felony sentences, protecting abortion access and contraception and enshrining marriage equality for Virginians.

06.02.2026 22:41 πŸ‘ 11 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Virginia Democrats propose potential 10–1 congressional map for 2026 midterms "These are not ordinary times, and Virginia will not sit on the sidelines while it happens."

Va. lawmakers unveiled a proposed congressional map designed to help Democrats win four more seats in the US House of Representatives in the fall midterms.

The map and demographic information was posted Thursday evening as a proposed amendment to the current budget.

06.02.2026 01:04 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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BREAKING: Spanberger orders state law enforcement to exit federal immigration agreements The governor also signed an executive order laying out priorities for state police.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed an executive directive Wednesday instructing the state's law enforcement agencies to terminate agreements that allowed them to be deputized to conduct federal immigration enforcement activities.

*This is a developing story and will be updated

04.02.2026 19:15 πŸ‘ 14 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 2
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Immigration policy takes center stage at Richmond school board meeting RPS’ proposed budget would cut a virtual academy used by students who don’t feel safe coming to school.

Immigration was a major topic at the Richmond School Board's meeting Tuesday night. Board members faced questions about the district's support for students with detained family members and proposed cuts to a virtual academy that could be used by students who don't feel safe coming to school.

04.02.2026 17:18 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Anne Holton, former state education chief, named to Richmond school board The former first lady of Virginia will represent the 6th District on an interim basis.

Former Virginia Education Secretary and first lady Anne Holton is joining the Richmond School Board. The board voted Monday to approve Holton as an interim replacement for 6th District Representative Shonda Harris-Muhammed, who resigned in December.

03.02.2026 22:54 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Texas-based monks bring β€˜Walk for Peace’ through Chesterfield The group is heading through the Richmond area en route to Washington, DC.

The Venerable Monks of the Dhammacetiya are crossing through Greater Richmond as their 2,300-mile "Walk for Peace" (which started in Fort Worth, Texas, 100 days ago) nears its final destination of Washington, DC.

03.02.2026 00:24 πŸ‘ 22 πŸ” 8 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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STEPS program bridges the gap for refugee women in Charlottesville Many participants are on special visas for people who aided the US military or embassies abroad.

STEPS (Support, Trust, Employment, Perseverance, Strength) is the brainchild of Khatool Masoudi, who couldn’t find a local group for refugee women when she arrived in the US with her family in 2014 on a special immigrant visaβ€” so she decided to create one.

www.vpm.org/news/2026-01...

30.01.2026 19:40 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0