The Cardinal: News of Virginia

This week on The Cardinal: News of Virginia , host Dutchie Jessee dives into one of the most explosive local government stories in recent memory — the Pittsylvania County vs. Balico showdown. Cardinal News reporters Grace Mamon and Tad Dickens join the table to unpack how a proposed data center project sparked six months of controversy, confusion and ultimately, rejection. But this isn’t just abou...

Virginia’s fire and EMS services are facing a crisis: costs are rising, calls for help are increasing and yet, funding remains stuck in place. In this episode of "The Cardinal: News of Virginia", host Dutchie Jessee sits down with reporter Elizabeth Beyer to break down the data, the dangers and the real-life consequences of this growing emergency. With firefighter and EMT shortages worsening, what...

What happens when you request government surveillance footage of your own car? For Cardinal News Executive Editor Jeffrey Schwaner, the answer was a lawsuit. After driving over 300 miles across Southwest and Southside Virginia, Jeff tested how transparent local police departments are with their public surveillance data. only to find two localities fighting to keep the footage secret. In this episo...

If you live in Southwest or Southside Virginia, your chances of developing kidney disease are higher than elsewhere in the state. Yet, access to care remains a bureaucratic battleground. Carilion Clinic wants to open a kidney transplant center in Roanoke, but the University of Virginia Health System is pushing back, arguing that it would threaten its existing program in Charlottesville. With state...

Virginia’s population is shifting in a surprising way — Northern Virginia is experiencing a decline, while Southwest and Southside Virginia are seeing growth. What’s driving this trend? Are people from NoVa moving to our region, and if so, why? This week on "The Cardinal: News of Virginia", host Dutchie Jessee sits down with founding editor and columnist Dwayne Yancey to break down the numbers, ex...

Roanoke is growing — but is its budget keeping up? In this episode of "The Cardinal: News of Virginia", host Dutchie Jessee sits down with Roanoke Valley reporter Samantha Verrelli to break down the city’s latest budget discussions. With overcrowded high schools straining resources, what’s the plan for building new schools? How will funding decisions impact infrastructure, public services and resi...

In this episode of "The Cardinal: News of Virginia", host Dutchie Jessee dives into the rising use of surveillance technology in Virginia with Cardinal News executive editor Jeff Schwaner and education reporter Lisa Rowan. As flock cameras and public-facing surveillance spread across Southwest and Southside Virginia, questions about privacy, transparency, and oversight come into focus. Who is watc...

In episode 9, host Dutchie Jessee sits down with Cardinal News politics and policy reporter Elizabeth Beyer to break down the biggest takeaways from the 2025 Virginia General Assembly session. What bills made it through? Where is the state putting its money? And most importantly, what projects and initiatives are receiving funding in Southwest and Southside Virginia? Get the insights you need on t...

Virginia is home to the world’s largest concentration of data centers, but now the industry is expanding beyond Northern Virginia into Pittsylvania County, Southwest Virginia, and beyond. What does this mean for local communities, businesses, and economies? This week on The Cardinal: News of Virginia , host Dutchie Jessee sits down with Danville reporter Grace Mamon to break down the rise of data...

This week on The Cardinal: News of Virginia , host Dutchie Jessee sits down with Cardinal News education reporter Lisa Rowan to unpack Sweet Briar College’s newly updated admissions policy. The historically women’s college has clarified its stance on who can apply, particularly when it comes to transgender and nonbinary students. What does this mean for the school’s identity, prospective students,...

In this week’s episode of "The Cardinal: News of Virginia", host Dutchie Jessee sits down with Danville reporter Grace Mamon and Southwest Virginia reporter Susan Cameron to explore the impact of two major casino openings in the region — the Caesar’s Virginia resort in Danville and the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Bristol, VA. They delve into the economic ripple effects, community reactions and t...

In this episode of The Cardinal: News of Virginia, host Dutchie Jessee sits down with Roanoke Valley reporter Samantha Verrelli to discuss the major leadership changes in Roanoke city government. With Joe Cobb stepping in as the new mayor and ValMarie Turner taking the helm as city manager, the city is poised for transformation. What key issues are these new leaders prioritizing? What experience d...

In this episode of The Cardinal: News of Virginia , host Dutchie Jessee dives into Roanoke’s remarkable transformation from a historic railroad city to an emerging leader in the bio-tech industry. Dutchie sits down with Cardinal News technology reporter Tad Dickens to discuss how Virginia Tech’s growing medical school, the upcoming state-of-the-art cancer center, advanced research labs, and Carili...

In this episode of The Cardinal: News of Virginia, host Dutchie Jessee sits down with Cardinal News healthcare reporter Emily Schabacker to explore the growing crisis in maternal healthcare across rural Virginia. As hospitals and healthcare facilities continue to shut down labor and delivery units, pregnant women are forced to travel greater distances for care, putting both mothers and babies at r...

In this episode of "The Cardinal: News of Virginia", Dutchie Jessee is joined by Cardinal News Education Reporter Lisa Rowan to dive into the growing trend of cell phone bans in schools across Southwest and Southside Virginia. Together, they examine the consequences of these policies, explore their potential outcomes, and discuss the laws shaping the conversation. From classroom dynamics to studen...

The new Cardinal News podcast, "The Cardinal: News of Virginia" is available everywhere now! Dive into all the latest stories impacting Southwest and Southside Virginia, and get an exclusive look behind the scenes and beyond the headlines as host Dutchie Jessee sits down with our reporters each week to discuss all the latest news. Get ready for a new episode to drop every Wednesday!

In this episode of "The Cardinal: News of Virginia", host Dutchie Jessee sits down with Dwayne Yancey to unpack what’s ahead for the 2025 Virginia General Assembly. From the key issues on the docket to the potential political shakeups, Dwayne provides his expert analysis on how this year’s session could impact Southwest and Southside Virginia. Whether you’re a policy expert or just curious about s...