VPM Daily Newscast

Late last week, the Army Corps of Engineers approved permits that could enable the $6.6 billion dollar Mountain Valley Pipeline to be completed; The Chesapeake Bay Program says there could be record-low amounts of deadly algae in the Bay this year; Virginia is the latest state to require people who want to view online pornography to verify their age under a new law that goes into effect Saturday. 

A unionization effort by Richmond city employees took a big step Thursday; Moderators of a Richmond-focused Reddit community say they’re not concerned about upcoming changes to the site; The Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority has been working to put in place a security force to address “heightened crime” in some public housing neighborhoods.

Former governor Doug Wilder said he isn’t satisfied with the results that came back last week of a VCU-driven review into VCU Health’s ill-fated and costly downtown development deal; Buc-ee’s has purchased nearly 28 acres in New Kent County, where it’s planning its first store in state; and after nearly 60 years on Sesame Street, VPM will soon be on its way to downtown Richmond.

Late last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against challenges to the Indian Child Welfare Act; The city of Norfolk on Wednesday officially cut the ribbon on the Ohio Creek Watershed Project; The Henrico-based company Capital Square plans to redevelop two lots in Scott’s Addition.

In the south, abortion access is a shifting landscape; A recent college poll shows Virginians are happier with the commonwealth’s democracy than the nation’s overall; A Dominion Energy pilot program encouraging customers to shift electricity usage to off-peak hours could be expanded.

Two of Virginia’s most polarizing state Senators were defeated in closely watched primary races, according to the Associated Press; Doc Antle — known for appearing in the Netflix series “Tiger King” — was found guilty last week of four felonies after attempting to purchase endangered lion clubs in Frederick County; Prosecutors in Dinwiddie County have withdrawn charges against two of the 10 people...

State Senator Joe Morrissey is locked in one of the toughest fights of his political career; Top state Democrats and activist groups have lined up behind his primary opponent, former delegate Lashrecse Aird; As the weather warms, the chance of encountering snakes increases.

A tornado swept through the Great Dismal Swamp three years ago, leaving a trail of destruction; There will be closures and shortened hours today for the observance of Juneteenth.

Two entertainment venues on the table for Richmond were given the City Council’s endorsement at its meeting Monday night; Stony Point Fashion Park is eyeing booze as a means to bring more energy to the mall; “Insufficient due diligence,” turnover in management and “inadequate in-house real estate expertise” were contributing factors to VCU Health’s costly exit from an ill-fated downtown developmen...

For the second time in a month, Richmond City Council has delayed voting on an exotic animal ban within the city; New financial disclosures released earlier this week show that Virginia Democrats are outraising Republicans ahead of the June 20th primary; On Tuesday, the Greater Richmond region became the first in Virginia to establish a Tourism Improvement District. 

Five new Bon Secours urgent care centers are coming to the Richmond area; Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner announced Tuesday that Dinwiddie County’s airport will receive $270 thousand in funding, according to The Progress-Index; Five Virginia dental clinics have each received a $200,000 dollar award to improve dentist accessibility.  

Richmond city council will present voters with a referendum for a casino in southside Richmond this November. A similar vote failed two years ago; A proposed change to Richmond’s rules around the ownership of exotic and wild animals was again pushed to a future city council meeting; The Virginia Beach School Board approved a resolution early this morning [Tuesday] in support of the LGBTQ+ communit...

The Virginia Court of Appeals last week struck down a lower court’s decision to throw a woman in jail after she admitted to smoking marijuana; The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation has created a paid program to train new childcare workers beginning this month; Hey Jane, a telemedicine abortion care provider, is open for business in Virginia; and other local news stories.

Sometimes, journalists are unable to separate themselves from a story — especially when it’s a crucial part of their history.

One of the largest apartment projects proposed in Richmond in recent memory took a step toward city approval on Monday; After it was cut from consideration for the Diamond District last year, an out-of-town developer is back again in Richmond with plans for a large project in nearby Scott’s Addition; A full city block in downtown Richmond may be developed after all, as Dominion Energy has changed...

Two prison employees were indicted earlier in the week for allegedly neglecting medical care for a person incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Petersburg; Riders who want to take the Pulse bus to Short Pump are one step closer to departure time; Air quality along the East Coast has worsened due to smoke from Canadian wildfires.

Virginia will leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative by the end of 2023; Late last week, the Air Force began allowing troops to switch assignments, if they meet certain conditions; Employees at seven Virginia ABC stores exploited a cash register vulnerability to steal thousands of dollars.

Two people died and several were injured after a shooting outside of Altria Theater yesterday; A citizen board will vote on Virginia’s membership in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative today at Reynolds Community College; Binford Middle, Ginter Park Elementary, George Wythe High and John B. Cary Elementary could be renamed because of their ties to the Confederacy; and other local news stories.

The Richmond Public Library’s Summer Reading Program begins Saturday; Last month, Richmond city council finalized the $2.4 Billion dollar Diamond District redevelopment plan, but steps remain to fund the project; Two members of the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors say that the political affiliations of the school’s student body and faculty should be tracked to ensure diversity; and other...

Tennis is well known for having low minority participation, but one Hampton Roads group is on a crusade to make the sport more welcoming and accessible.

A clearer picture has emerged of the four development teams that are vying for Richmond’s City Center project; The region’s largest local bank is joining over a dozen former clients and contractors in seeking to claw back money from defunct home renovator Fabling Built; and after nearly 60 years in business, Varina’s only waterpark is up for grabs.

The federal government’s new bipartisan debt agreement could pave the way for the Mountain Valley Pipeline to be completed; A VCU School of Pharmacy professor is encouraging eligible people to get a COVID-19 booster following the ending of the Public Health Emergency earlier in May; The Commonwealth Transportation Board recently approved dozens of regional projects, but there’s one more step in th...

Governor Glenn Youngkin is sending the Virginia National Guard to the Texas-Mexico border; Richmond is evaluating four teams for the mixed-use City Center project; The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is donating almost 600 items to The Historic American Building Survey; and other local news stories.

More than 100,000 people rode Amtrak in the commonwealth during April, setting a record in a year-over-year comparison; Environmentalists say they’re surprised to see approval for permits enabling the completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline included in the debt ceiling agreement; Virginia’s new political boundaries have made for some unusually competitive General Assembly primaries; and other l...

Henrico officials say construction on the Cobbs Creek Reservoir is nearing completion; Virginia State University is still assessing the damage after a person reportedly stole a bulldozer and drove it into several campus fixtures over the weekend; Several Virginia newspapers will soon move to publishing only three times each week; and other local news stories.