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 St...
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 wa...
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 natu...
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 ...
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 exhaust...
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.
