Virginia Focus

Every two years AmeriCorps, an independent agency of the U.S. government, releases a Civic Engagement and Volunteering Survey. The report ranks all 50 states and the nation's largest cities and metropolitan areas for their volunteering and engagement rates. This year’s research highlights which states volunteered the most during the Global Pandemic. AmeriCorps found that Americans continued to vol...

Addiction is a topic that affects everyone. What was once regarded as poor judgement or a moral failure, research has lead experts to now say there are four levels of addiction: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual and each one plays a role in both falling into or getting out of addiction. As well, the term addiction is no longer limited to the use of illegal, mind-altering chemicals. There...

Theoretical physicist Albert Einstein spoke words of wisdom when he said, “The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.” Libraries are community hubs – where people find information and connect people to people. They are safe havens for kids, providing after-school homework help, games, and book clubs. They offer computer classes, allowing older adults to stay e...

Whether your hosting a party or going out with friends, many choose to celebrate the start of a New Year with an alcoholic drink.. or drinks. Experts say New Years Eve can be a particularly dangerous time to be driving because it's the holiday with the highest DUI rates in the United States. In Virginia, the consequences of getting caught driving intoxicated can be not only jail time but also up t...

Celebrating means many things to many people of all faiths, but almost unviversaly, observing the holidays means allowing Chris Kringle to come into our lives. For more than a few years now, in North Georgia, litteraly thousands of children, of course young an old, have come across Derek Dugan. Effectionately known to many as Santa Derek. We visited Santa Derek in his home and learned that a man l...

If you have traveled nearly any of the highways and byways of the south and beyond, at some point you have seen a Stuckeys. Most often associated with a blue roof. At some point the popularity of the Stuckey's tapered off, but now granddaughter of the founder of Stuckey's and career litigator Stephanie Stuckey was able to buy the company from ruin. She aims to not only bring back the company to be...

The good news is that in the United States, child poverty fell by 59% from 1993 – 2019, according to a comprehensive new analysis. The study was a joint effort between The New York Times and a nonpartisan research group with an expertise in statistical analysis called Child Trends. A broad overview of the results show multiple forces reduced child poverty, including lower unemployment, increased l...

The American Lung Association released the 2022 State of the Air Report including new information on Virgina's air quality and its impact on resident's health. It spotlights changes to the state's air quality in couties and metro areas since last year's report.

As we approach the winter months and the temperature drops, Virginians want to know what to expect when it comes to their electricity bills. We are going to discover a variety of ways you can keep your energy usage down now and through the holiday season. Those tips come from a spokesman from Virginia Energy Sense – and some of them won’t cost you a dime. Additionally, we will get the truth about...

We’re diving in to the history and beauty of river view farms – now known as Ivy Creek Foundation in Charlottesville. River View Farm is a rare surviving example of the Union Ridge/Hydraulic Mills community of African American farmers, pastors, craftspeople, and businessmen that flourished in the region beginning in the final quarter of the nineteenth century. Let’s learn more about this valuable...

The Department of Heath and Human Services says the national uninsured rate reached an all-time low in 2022. That means 92% of Americans do have some form of health coverage. Reports also show that changes in uninsured rates from 2020 to 2022 were largest among individuals with incomes below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and incomes between 200% and 400% FPL. Open Enrollment for people u...

Fisher House Foundation builds comfort homes where military & veterans families can stay free of charge, while a loved one is in the hospital. These homes are located at military and VA medical centers around the world.

On this episode, John Clark speaks to Gil Harrington, the founder of Help Save the Next Girl. Help Save the Next Girl is a national non-profit organization formed in honor of her daughter, Morgan Dana Harrington - a 20-year-old Virginia Tech student who was abducted and murdered in 2009. Let's learn more about the case and the determined mother behind it all who volunteers to help the next girl.

If you received a diagnosis tomorrow that threatened your ability to work, do you know how to navigate the disability system? This topic is critical to many patients and their families who are also frequently confused about the eligibility criteria and application process for disability benefits. On this episode of Virginia Focus, Beth Moore with Patient Advocate Foundation tells us how her organi...

As the population increases and developers buy up more and more land for housing and infrastructure, farmers find themselves trying to find new ways to expand their production. During the show, we’ll learn more about what vertical farming means, how it’s flourishing in Virginia, and how vertical agriculture can be used in the future to address food security from Virginia Secretary of Agriculture a...

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...

Today on the show we’re talking about environmental policies in Virginia. In June of 1988, climate change became front page news and since then technology has created renewable energy options that have come to the forefront of the global energy transition with nearly every country adopting a renewable energy target. Today we’re going to discuss policies in Virginia surrounding renewable energy, th...

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...