A new bill introduced by Delegate Sam Rasoul seeks to change how body cam footage is dealt with after shooting incidents; the state Senate is seeking to extend a moratorium on evictions; Dozens of inmates at Richmond City Jail are being monitored after testing positive for COVID-19; The Virginia Supreme Court clears the way for the removal of Richmond's last standing Confederate monument; and other local news stories.
Aug 28, 2020•8 min•Ep. 38
The Valentine Museum is in talks to acquire the Jefferson Davis monument toppled by protestors earlier this year; a federal appeals court once again rules in favor of Gavin Grimm, a transgender man who sued his high school for the right to use the boys restroom; Chesterfield County is looking to add two satellite voting locations; and other local news stories.
Aug 27, 2020•7 min•Ep. 37
Judge W. Reilly Marchant dismissed two plaintiffs for lack of standing in a lawsuit preventing the removal of the Robert E. Lee monument, but the case will still go to trial in October with the remaining plaintiffs; Attorney General Herring has defended state restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in fifteen legal cases so far, even as one state senator tests positive for the virus; Requests for absentee ballots are skyrocketing according to the Virginia Department of Elections; Chesterf...
Aug 26, 2020•10 min•Ep. 36
Henrico County has hired its first African American police chief after a summer of national protests; President Trump trails Joe Biden by double digits among Virginia voters; Over 70 cases of COVID-19 have been reported at VCU; J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College tests a new way to teach math; and other local news stories.
Aug 25, 2020•11 min•Ep. 35
RRHA is preparing it's annual plan, although the files disappeared from the public this week; Dominion Energy overcharged customers by $500 million from 2017 to 2019; former Governor Terry McAuliffe filed paperwork to raise money for a gubernatorial bid; the Virginia Senate approves civilian review boards; and other local news stories.
Aug 21, 2020•14 min•Ep. 34
Former Governor Terry McAuliffe says he'll wait until after the election to decide if he'll run for Governor again; Nursing and medical care headlined the special session on Tuesday; Mayoral candidate Kim Gray is calling for an investigation into the contractor in charge of removing Confederate statues in Richmond; and other local news stories.
Aug 20, 2020•7 min•Ep. 33
The special session of the General Assembly began with a focus on the state budget, the COVID-19 pandemic, and police reform; Governor Ralph Northam weighs in on state spending; Ballot dropboxes may come to Virginia; Protestors gather for the special session; and other local news stories.
Aug 19, 2020•8 min•Ep. 32
The special session of the General Assembly focused on police reform and COVID-19 response; A Richmond judge will rule on the current lawsuit blocking the removal of the Robert E. Lee monument; Richmond will get a Black Live Matter mural near the capitol; Mayor Levar Stoney announced that Richmond's 2020 budget will end with a $4.5 million surplus; and other local news stories.
Aug 18, 2020•8 min•Ep. 31
Virginia Democrats have laid out their priorities ahead of next week's special session of the General Assembly; Northern Virginia will conduct a pediatric COVID-19 study; Private schools must submit their reopening plans to the Virginia Council for Private Education; VSU is giving students a $500 stipend towards computer purchases; Two Italian-American organizations are offering to take a toppled statue of Christopher Columbus; and the chief curator for VCU's Institute for Contemporary Art is st...
Aug 14, 2020•6 min•Ep. 30
As schools prepare to start virtually, a new study finds one in five Virginia students has no access to a computer or the internet; Chesterfield County introduced a new color-coded system to gauge reopening conditions; Four people were arrested for rioting in Richmond after vandalizing buildings Tuesday night; RRHA prepares to submit its annual plan to HUD; 2nd St. Festival goes virtual; and concerns over mail-in voting.
Aug 13, 2020•6 min•Ep. 29
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney has proposed a ban on firearms at all public events in the city; Richmond's public safety task force held its first meeting; Stoney calls for the legalization of marijuana; The General Assembly prepares to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic at next week's special session; CDC personnel arrive in Farmville amid a coronavirus outbreak at the immigration detention center there; and over 25% of live events employees were unemployed in mid-June.
Aug 12, 2020•6 min•Ep. 28
Housing organizations in Virginia will no have access to nearly $9 million in federal funding; Small businesses in Richmond damaged during protests will have access to city grants for repairs; and other local news stories.
Aug 11, 2020•6 min•Ep. 26
Richmond Police purchased over 1,000 units of chemical agents during recent protests according to a request for information by VPM; Virginia Senate Democrats unveiled their proposals for police reform ahead of a special session this month; Republicans call for the resignation of the entire Virginia Parole Board following an investigation into allegations of impropriety; and other local news stories.
Aug 07, 2020•6 min•Ep. 26
The Henrico jail reports that all of the COVID-19 cases from the outbreak in July have recovered; COVID-19 cases in Richmond have stabilized; Virginia rolled out a new voluntary app for contact tracing; Republican Congressional candidate Nick Freitas is under fire for a mask sold by his campaign; Teacher of the Year Rodney Robinson is set to head a new program to support male teachers of color; and other local news stories.
Aug 06, 2020•7 min•Ep. 25
Regulators are set to vote today on a plan to manage menhaden populations in Chesapeake Bay; President Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act which will being new jobs to Virginia; New changes to absentee voting will allow voters to track their ballots; Schools and businesses continue to address the COVID-19 pandemic; and health districts look for solutions to the disproportionate spread of the coronavirus among the Latinx community.
Aug 05, 2020•10 min•Ep. 24
A Richmond judge dismissed a lawsuit filed to prevent the removal of the Robert E. Lee monument, but one filed by residents of Monument Avenue remains; Richmond City Council votes to permanently remove the monuments already taken down in the city; Petersburg is offering grants to small businesses affected by the pandemic; Virginia Department of Health is rolling out a voluntary contact tracing app for COVID-19; the closure of the John Marshall Courthouse has been extended; Former Speaker of the ...
Aug 04, 2020•6 min•Ep. 23
Despite closing down for criminal and traffic cases, evictions continue at Richmond's General District Court; Two people were charged with assaulting RPD officers at the Lee Monument, VCU's SGA criticizes President Michael Rao's response to recent protests; RPD Chief Gerald Smith says the department lacks training with non-lethal measures; Chesterfield extends the personal property tax grace period; Richmond will forgive small business relief loans; and part three of a series focused on nursing ...
Jul 31, 2020•10 min•Ep. 22
The Virginia House of Delegates looked at police reform options during a committee meeting ahead of the August 18th special session; 7th District Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger introduced a bipartisan bill to study and improve telehealth; Virginia Senator Mark Warner says President Trump can't remove funding from schools that don't physically reopen; and part two of an investigative series looking at how nursing homes have handled the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jul 30, 2020•9 min•Ep. 21
Governor Northam reimposed Phase 2 restrictions for Hampton Roads as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the area; the John Marshall Courthouse is closing for at least a week in response to coronavirus concerns; the family of George Floyd debuted a memorial hologram display in Richmond; a new initiative seeks to memorialize African American history in Shockoe Bottom; Richmond City Council delayed a vote over use of non-lethal deterrents; Chesterfield is conducting an internal audit over potential...
Jul 29, 2020•11 min•Ep. 20
An investigation into the amount and types of arrests happening in schools in Richmond, more than 20 people were arrested during weekend protests; new limits proposed for executive orders; and other local news stories.
Jul 28, 2020•6 min•Ep. 19
After hearing testimony on Thursday, the injunction against removing the monument to Confederate General Robert E. Lee remains in place pending a ruling from Judge W. Reilly Marchant; a Richmond City Council committee approved an ordinance to create a task force that would establish a civilian review board for police conduct; Governor Ralph Northam ceremonially signed the Virginia Values Act to prevent discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community; a new state law adds hairstyles to guidelines aga...
Jul 24, 2020•6 min•Ep. 18
A hearing takes place this afternoon in the ongoing legal battle to remove the Robert E. Lee monument in Richmond; Senator Tim Kaine introduced a bill to rename military bases named after Confederate soldiers; the Virginia House of Delegates held its first meeting on criminal justice reform; Richmond announced a small uptick in COVID-19 cases; a remembrance of Oliver Hill, Jr., who passed away this month; and other local news stories.
Jul 23, 2020•11 min•Ep. 17
Richmond has spent $1.8 million to remove Confederate monuments around the city; City Council is considering a name change for Jefferson Davis Highway; Charlottesville limits military gear for police, Virginia Democrats want to downgrade assaulting a police officer from a felony to a misdemeanor; and other local news stories.
Jul 22, 2020•9 min•Ep. 16
Commonwealth's Attorney Collette McEachin has cleared RPD officers of wrongdoing in five complaints during recent protests after an investigation; a judge declined to block COVID-19 restrictions for weddings set by Governor Ralph Northam; Chesterfield votes to open 100% virtually this fall, as Henrico Public Schools prepare to vote later this week; and other local news stories.
Jul 21, 2020•10 min•Ep. 15
Richmond City Council's finance committee approves two pieces of police reform legislation that now go to the full council for a vote, a Richmond man who was pepper sprayed inside his own home during protests is suing the city and the police, a group of Monument Avenue residents once again withdraws their lawsuit attempting to block the removal of the Robert E. Lee monument, and other local news stories.
Jul 17, 2020•10 min•Ep. 14
The Richmond Police Department spent nearly $2 million during the 36 days of protests, Mayor Levar Stoney clarified comments he made in a leaked video about an officer who drove their vehicle into protesters, state lawmakers continue to focus on keeping residents in their homes amid a flood of evictions, Chesterfield County businesses find some relief using government Back In Business grants, Virginia adopts stronger worker safety protections, and other local news stories.
Jul 16, 2020•8 min•Ep. 13
As COVID-19 cases being to rise in Eastern Virginia, Governor Ralph Northam announced that more inspections will take place to confirm businesses are enforcing indoor mask requirements, Commonwealth's Attorneys calling themselves "Virginia Progressive Prosecutors for Justice" are urging for criminal justice reforms in the upcoming special session, a look at a program that sends military equipment to local law enforcement agencies, and other local news stories.
Jul 15, 2020•10 min•Ep. 12
New Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith expressed support for a citizen's review board for the police department that would include subpoena power to compel witnesses, Henrico County launched a rental assistance program to prevent homelessness, Central Virginia counties worked together to create a "Know Your Rights" website to provide information on discrimination laws, Norfolk Delegate Jay Jones announces his run for Attorney General, and other local news stories.
Jul 14, 2020•10 min•Ep. 11
Governor Ralph Northam is facing mounting pressure from advocates and lawmakers to do more to address the disproportionate impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on the state’s Latino residents. A new report shows the state's budget shortfall isn't as bad as feared. Governor Northam held a ceremony to sign the new gun control bills that went into effect this month. A judge issued an injunction against any further monument removals by Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney. Protestors speak out against r...
Jul 10, 2020•10 min•Ep. 10
Virginia completed testing of over 3000 rape test kits, becoming the seventh state to clear its backlog. Virginia law now requires rape kits from every reported sexual assault to be tested within 60 days. The Soldiers and Sailors monument on Libby Hill was removed yesterday, as neighbors watched. Chesterfield County has kicked off a month of COVID-19 testing events. Several Veterans Services offices have reopened as Virginia continues to move through Phase Three. Republican lawmakers are urging ...
Jul 09, 2020•10 min•Ep. 9
