VPM Daily Newscast

There's a bipartisan movement in Richmond to overhaul the way the state handles informal foster care placements; What is or isn't in Richmond's real time crime center; Democrats want to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative; and other stories

Curious Commonwealth asks: Why does Richmond have so many tattoo parlors?

Publicity about escalating penalties and fees tied to multiple Richmond restaurants’ meals tax payments are prompting changes to the city’s tax collection practices on a broader scale; US Foods is planning to build a new location of its Chef’Store retail chain in Henrico County; Construction began this month on a 7 Brew coffee shop in Midlothian; and a local entrepreneur has brought an indoor play...

Governor Glenn Youngkin’s office has advanced regulations meant to hold law enforcement officers accountable; On Thursday Democrats on a House subcommittee pushed forward a bill that would raise Virginia’s minimum wage next year; Virginia lawmakers have gotten bipartisan support for their legislation to raise educator salaries to the national average or higher.

Richmond Public Schools has made a third-party report on the Huguenot graduation shooting available to the public; General Assembly Democrats reject bills to repeal California vehicle emissions standards; and other stories

A Virginia scientific advisory panel recently recommended alerting all parties in thousands of past criminal cases involving former state serologist Mary Jane Burton; The Greater Richmond Continuum of Care will conduct its semi-annual count of people experiencing homelessness on January 25 ; Richmond City Council recently approved a plan to develop a program that will extend benefits to city emplo...

The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority has assumed oversight of the state’s medical marijuana program.

A new COVID-19 variant is spreading across the U.S. 

Mayo Island is now set to become part of the James River Park System; VPM has taken another step forward with its plans to relocate to downtown Richmond; For the second time in recent years, an effort to bring a food hall concept to Scott’s Addition has fallen through; and it’s out with cider, in with simple syrups for a Shockoe Bottom storefront. 

This week officials with Henrico and Hanover Counties appointed new leaders to their respective board of supervisors ; The 2024 General Assembly session is underway. Among the hundreds of bills already introduced are a handful focused on transportation ; Richmond Delegate Betsy Carr has filed legislation that, if passed, would disallow Richmond from having a casino built within city limits.

Virginia’s General convened today with Democrats in charge; Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin delivered the annual State of the Commonwealth address; Two veterinarians testified Tuesday in a case focused on conditions at Natural Bridge Zoo.

A scientific advisory panel for the Virginia Forensic Science Board recommends that anyone impacted by Mary Jane Burton's past lab work be notified about potential testing errors; The Virginia Restaurant Association aims for new state legislation to help with Richmond's meals tax issues; and other stories

Virginia's oyster harvest hits milestone; Norfolk casino plans; and other stories

Why are cities independent from counties in Virginia?

With a $1 billion manufacturing plant still in the offing in Chesterfield, Lego Group recently kicked off operations at a temporary product packaging facility elsewhere in the county; As the General Assembly prepares to convene for its 2024 session in its brand new building in Richmond next week, the state government is taking a closer look at the overall layout and development potential of Capito...

Richmond’s Chief Administrative Officer addressed complaints Thursday from local restaurant owners who claim they were not being properly notified of meals tax payment issues; Community Health Workers are public health workers who come from the communities they serve; The new RSV vaccine for babies is in short supply.

Several Richmond-area restaurant owners are objecting to penalties, they say the city’s finance department has unfairly charged them in connection with the meals tax; on Tuesday, the Charlottesville City Council unanimously voted to elect Councilor Juandiego Wade as the new mayor; on Tuesday, Richmond’s City Council elected a new president and vice president.

This fall 2023 special series of reports dives into how Richmond's neighborhoods promote — or hinder — residents' well-being. In Part 2, we explore the city's community spaces and gardens, the effects of rising property values on Black homeownership and how COVID-19 impacted mortality rates for pregnant people of color. Healthy City was written by VPM News and VPM News Focal Point. It was edited b...

This fall 2023 special series of reports dives into how Richmond's neighborhoods promote — or hinder — residents' well-being. In Part 1, we explore Richmond's public transportation, repairing its divided communities, Southside's economic development and challenges for Black business owners. Healthy City was written by VPM News and VPM News Focal Point. It was edited by Whittney Evans and Connor Sc...

More residential units are in store for Regency; The home of a longtime West End bakery is being eyed for redevelopment; A Short Pump site once floated for a car vending machine tower is now slated for a slightly shorter hotel; and other local business stories.

It's a format-breaking intro for the last episode of 2023 — and we’ve got a lot of news to get through. From everyone here at VPM News, thank you so much for listening, watching, reading and engaging with us. We’re going to take a couple weeks off now, but you’ll hear from us soon. We’ll be back on Thursday, Jan. 4.

Governor Glenn Youngkin proposed his two-year budget on wednesday; The Arlington County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously voted to continue ranked choice voting in all future County Board primary elections; The Richmond Police Department has launched its version of a powerful surveillance network known as a real time crime center.

Governor Glenn Youngkin will propose $50 million dollars in the state budget for the city of Richmond’s Combined Sewer Overflow projects – city leaders say that’s not enough; The United Network of Organ Sharing says a recent data breach may impact up to 1 point 2 million patient records; The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources has named a suspect in its investigation into the death of a well...

A new state inspector general report has been released about the incorrect removal of 3,400 eligible voters from Virginia’s rolls; Gov. Youngkin announces proposed mental health bill in honor of Irvo Otieno; and other stories

The Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services is under investigation for misspending millions of dollars. In the meantime, it's withheld funding from local agencies for most of 2023. Randi B. Hagi with VPM News partner station WMRA reports.