Virginia Focus

High food costs creating more food insecurity coupled with gas prices that are dollars away from the price four years ago - families making over $100-thousand dollars a year living paycheck to paycheck - these are the headlines that affect Americans in 2023. As well, about 362-thousand workers have gone on strike so far in 2023, compared with just 36-thousand over the same period two years ago. Th...

When you want to hear the inclusive story of Virginia's history, some people hope you turn to Encyclopedia Virginia. The mission of the site is to provide a free, reliable, multimedia resource for students, teachers, and communities who seek to understand how the past informs the present and the future. On this episode, we're focusing on the story of Thomas Fuller, an enslaved man born in the 1700...

During Green Career Week, participating businesses and organizations will connect with local schools, colleges and universities to showcase the various career paths at their business. Seed Your Future started the movement to promote horticulture and inspire people to pursue careers working with plants. They hope to introduce students to vital horticultural, agricultural, and floriculture jobs - in...

Since 1 in 3 children in the United States deal with food allergies, it's imperative that parents be prepared and help their children and their classmates learn about the possible consequences of allergic reactions. On this episode, we are discussing innovative treatments, that latest guidance for epi devices, legislation to increase research funding, and more. Let's get more information from FARE...

New groundbreaking investments hope to create jobs, improve graduation rates, and support thousands of students in over a thousand schools in America. Communities in Schools hopes to also help students in Virginia and across the nation overcome nonacademic challenges like poverty and health concerns by providing mentors, counseling, and access to essential resources. To learn more about this initi...

Soon borrowers who are out of college will have to resume paying back their federal student loans after more than three years. Some parents may prioritize their child's financial needs over their own need to prepare for retirement, which is not recommended. As federal student loan repayments restart, many who owe will wonder how best to prepare their budget for this returning expense. We're talkin...

Cybersecurity statistics from Astra Security indicate that there are 2,200 cyber attacks per day, with a cyber attack happening every 39 seconds on average. In the US, a data breach costs an average of $9.44M, and cybercrime is predicted to cost $8 trillion by 2023. As a result, there is a growing demand for skilled technology talent. In a 2021 survey of chief information officers from federal age...

Debt is the real factor that drives both economic growth and financial crises from recessions to extreme inequality. In order to understand this paradox, we need to address why a certain amount of private debt is vital to the economy. On this episode, we're talking to Richard Vague, an author, Former Secretary of Banking for Pennsylvania, and former CEO of two banks. His new book "Paradox of Debt"...

More Americans are traveling and some may be deciding not to board their pets. With an increase in the number of pet-friendly hotels and motels, many are bringing their furry friends along on their adventures. On this episode of Virginia Focus, we're talking to the President of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Dr. Rena Carlson, to get some tips for how to make your pet's stay comfortab...

For people and businesses, being prepared for natural disasters is key, and widespread outages have underscored the need for dependable satellite communication technology to ensure reliable connectivity in times of need. When internet and cell networks go down, satellite communication infrastructure saves lives by enabling emergency responders, relief organizations, and affected communities to coo...

Whether you enjoy visiting historic houses, botanical gardens, aquariums and zoos, historic battlefields, or other places of interest, there is a group in Virginia supporting the educational and restorative work of those nonprofits in Virginia. On today's episode we are going to learn more about the Virginia Assocation of Museums and how they support the preservation of such important pieces of hi...

In 2020, Virginia State Police report that more than 11,000 vehicles were stolen in the commonwealth. It is estimated that the value of stolen vehicles and parts totaled more than $120 million. Don’t become a statistic or an easy victim. On this episode, we learn more from Virginia State Police 1st Sgt. Peter Lazear.

After the pandemic, some people find themselves wondering how they can update how they think about spirituality in our modern world so it applies to their daily life. On this episode we are taking a look at the American Jewish experience and how spirituality, in general, has been placed under the microscope. I've invited Rabbi Michael Strassfeld on the show to also talk about his new book "Judaism...

Close to 84 million people use some type of healthcare app and many don't know that Health-related mobile and web apps are not bound by HIPAA, leaving room for risky data sharing practices. Virtru is a company that works for data security and privacy protection. On today's episode, we're talking to Mishi Choudhary, the General Counsel for Virtru to learn what ways you can protect your information.

Smart technology aims to make our lives easier. A new study indicates that living in a city that utilizes Smart City Technology improves our quality of lives and even makes us happier. Norfolk, VA is one of many cities across the U.S. that uses smart city technology. On this episode of Virginia Focus, we're talking to Executive Vice President of Cox Business Jeff Breaux to learn more.

Your local dating scene is about to heat up with over half, or about 54% of single Americans hoping to end up in a relationship this summer! A new study by Thriving Center of Psychology found the most important dating trends to know this summer to help singles dust off those flirting skills. We're talking to Licensed Clinical Psychologist Dr. Tirrell DeGannes to get the details.

While women make up 48% of the workforce, women only hold about 29% of positions in STEM specialties. A new book, "Lessons Learned: Stories from Women Leaders in STEM" shares over 30 success stories from women holding leadership positions in STEM fields. On today's episode we're talking to one of the authors of the book, Dr. Peter Angood - who is also the CEO of the American Association for Physic...

Founded during World War II, the United Service Organizations may not be a familiar name for you but I bet if I shorten it to the USO, that helps, right? Aiming to be a GI's "home away from home", the organization is governmentally chartered but not a part of the government. Instead, the charity relies on donations and volunteers to support the service men and women stationed away from their famil...

After the pandemic, Virginia fourth graders had the largest decline in the country for both math and reading -- three times worse than the national average according to Secretary of Education Aimee Rogstad Guidera. Governor Glen Youngkin worked to address the student's needs by announcing in March 2023 the availability of $30 million in Learning Acceleration Grants to be used for qualifying educat...

May is National American Jewish Heritage Month - a time to celebrate Jewish heritage and recognize the history of Jewish contributions to American culture. Virginia Governor Glen Youngkin signed a bill formally adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Working Definition of Antisemitism. The move hopes the definition will be used as a tool and guide to identify instances of antisem...

If you pay insurance premiums‚ you’re already a victim of insurance fraud. The FBI says because of the number of people committing Insurance Fraud, the result is it costs the average U.S. family hundreds, if not thousands per year in the form of increased premiums. The Virginia State Police believe that together, through education and accountability, we can reduce the number of insurance fraud cas...

Being aware of your blood pressure can be very valuable to your health. May is High Blood Pressure Education Month, and there is no better time to learn about the importance of monitoring your blood pressure. Half of all Americans have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. It develops when blood flows through your arteries at higher-than-normal pressures. Let's learn more from Dr. Larry...

America's fastest growing sport is a combination of tennis, badminton & ping-pong. Rumored to be named after the creator's dog, Pickleball started in 1965. With more and more people of all ages heading out to a court, it's not surprising that there's also a Pickleball Magazine. But did you know that there are so many Richmond residents playing that the website Offer.bet listed them in the top...

Thousands of children across the state of Virginia are victims of child abuse. In the Children Protective Services 2020-2021 annual report that runs from July to July, Richmond reports that 103 children were abused. In Henrico, there were 256 cases. Chesterfield saw 58 and Hopewell had 53. Healthy Families is just one organization in the commonwealth trying to prevent child abuse by reaching expec...

Americans are capable of extraordinary things when we have the freedom to do so. Americans for Prosperity holds that as their core belief. Headquartered in Virginia, Americans for Prosperity wants parents to have more options for the education of their students besides the outdated educational models that prevent them from discovering and exploring their full potential. On this episode, we're talk...