Virginia Focus

One large American automaker is expanding its efforts to educate public safety, fire and emergency service providers by sharing the best practices on how to most effectively support emergency situations involving electric vehicles. General Motor’s latest EV First Responder Training program, being held throughout the United States and Canada, was recently offered at Virginia’s Dominion Raceway wher...

The United States federal government was ordered to pay over $230,000 to victims of one of the largest mass shootings in the country where 26 people died and 22 more suffered injuries. This case was tried in federal court through the Federal Tort Claims Act and found the U.S. Government 60% liable for failing to provide the shooter’s prior domestic violence convictions to the FBI. The case is simi...

If you thought you knew everything there was to know about your local literacy volunteer organization, think again. At one time, adult education referred to being taught remedial and basic reading and writing skills. Adults who attended these classes often felt shame for their lack of knowledge. However, today's programs encompass a wider focus to include not only basic reading and writing, but br...

Special Agent Tony Royall discusses the Virginia State Police’s Insurance Fraud program and Special Agent Shannon Pinto talks about their HEAT program to curb auto theft.

Patsy Cline was one of the most iconic and influential singers of the 20th century but her life was tragically cut short in a 1963 plane crash that also claimed the lives of grand ole Opry stars Hawkshaw Hawkins and Cowboy Copas as well as her manager Randy Hughes. Born in Winchester , September 8, 1932 would be her 90th birthday. Her daughter, Julie Fudge, and Angela Daeger, Director of the Patsy...

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were still more than 1,008 fatalities in the construction industry during 2020 – the largest number out of all private industries – with 165,300 nonfatal injuries. Virginia’s Department of Labor and Industry Occupational Safety and Health Program, also called VOSH, joined forces with the Associated General Contractors of Virginia. The strateg...

Today’s show is about the 144-year-old Luray Caverns over in the Shenandoah Valley - the largest group of caverns in the eastern United States. Located here in Virginia, the caverns boast a unique Hollywood story that includes ties to the release of the original Star Wars movie. Also, once you know you want to get out and get moving, we’ll get some travel tips and tricks from an award-winning trav...

This week on Virginia Focus we’re talking politics… some might even call it taboo politics. A recent CNN poll shows voters are continuing to search for something new when it comes to who occupies the oval office after the next election amid high inflation, global turmoil, a gloomy economic outlook and a desire for new leadership. What’s new with the Republicans and Democrats? The talking point see...

This week’s show will discuss Virginia Weather with VNN’s Meteorologist John Wetherbee. He’ll talk about what caused the recent heat wave and precautions to take in the heat, how this year’s hurricane season is looking so far, and the importance of being weather aware in all situations.

Studies show prescription drug prices in the United States are significantly higher than in other nations, with prices in the United States averaging 2.56 times those seen in 32 other nations. Bloomburg reports the average American spends $1200 a year on prescription drugs. On Virginia Focus, we’re talking to Antonio Ciaccia (CHA-CHA) the President of 3 Axis Advisors and the leading expert on drug...

Homeward VA is our region’s data-driven authority on homelessness and a national leader on homelessness research and data analysis. I’ve invited the Director of Development and Communications, Faith Kallman on the show to talk to us about the factors that create homelessness, obstacles to moving people out of homelessness, and how the community can become one of those obstacles .

On Virginia Focus, we’re talking about student safety – physical, mental, and emotional. We will start the show talking to two people state leaders placed in charge of keeping Virginia’s schools physically safe. We’ll discuss Governor Youngkin’s budget plans to increase security as well as other policies that put Virginia at the cutting edge of school safety in the nation. We will also hear from t...