VPM Daily Newscast

New Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith expressed support for a citizen's review board for the police department that would include subpoena power to compel witnesses, Henrico County launched a rental assistance program to prevent homelessness, Central Virginia counties worked together to create a "Know Your Rights" website to provide information on discrimination laws, Norfolk Delegate Jay Jones a...

Governor Ralph Northam is facing mounting pressure from advocates and lawmakers to do more to address the disproportionate impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on the state’s Latino residents. A new report shows the state's budget shortfall isn't as bad as feared. Governor Northam held a ceremony to sign the new gun control bills that went into effect this month. A judge issued an injunction...

Virginia completed testing of over 3000 rape test kits, becoming the seventh state to clear its backlog. Virginia law now requires rape kits from every reported sexual assault to be tested within 60 days. The Soldiers and Sailors monument on Libby Hill was removed yesterday, as neighbors watched. Chesterfield County has kicked off a month of COVID-19 testing events. Several Veterans Services offic...

Delegate Nick Freitas was one of eight candidates who got an extension from the state Board of Elections after missing the filing deadline. The city of Richmond removed the statue of Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart from Monument Avenue as residents watched and city council prepares to formally vote to permanently remove the monuments. Evictions resumed in Virginia despite a still-valid moratoriu...

After numerous legal and logistical setbacks, Dominion Energy and Duke Energy have cancelled the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Yesterday was the deadline for Virginia colleges to submit their plans for reopening to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. A new law allowing local governments to restrict guns have gone into effect, and Richmond has banned firearms from city-owned buildings. F...

Former interim Chief Blackwell is now the chief of staff - but there was a federal investigation into the confidential informants department he oversaw. Mayor Stoney continues removing Confederate monuments from the city. Advocates are calling for marijuana - which was just decriminalized - to be legalized. Bike sales are up during the pandemic. A gun rights group is suing the state to prevent new...

Claiming authority under the state of emergency in Richmond, Mayor Levar Stoney had the Stonewall Jackson statue on Monument Avenue taken down on Wednesday, as residents gathered and reacted to the removal. Governor Ralph Northam walked back some reopening guidelines for restaurants and bars after seeing an increase in cases of COVID-19 in states like Florida and Texas. The race for Governor of Vi...

New laws, from guns to elections to decriminalization of marijuana, take effect across the state today, as most of Virginia also enters Phase Three of reopening amid concerns about COVID-19. A Richmond Circuit Court judge denied an ACLU request for a temporary restraining order to prevent Richmond police from using tear gas against protestors, while dozens of faith leaders met at the Robert E. Lee...

Governor Ralph Northam has introduced a new statewide initiative to provide rent and mortgage relief to Virginians who have lost income during the pandemic, researchers at UVA may have developed a blood test that can predict a patient's chance of having a severe reaction to a COVID-19 infection, calls for the removal of the statue of A.P. Hill may be impeded by the fact that the Confederate Lieute...

The process for removing confederate monuments will take at least 60 days, and Richmond city council intends to start the process as soon as the new law goes into effect on July 1st. The state Supreme Court has lifted the freeze on evictions, although Governor Ralph Northam is allowing the freeze to remain in effect for certain parts of the state. Virginia may become one of the first states to fin...

Chesterfield County met to discuss six proposals about how to safely reopen schools in the fall amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, VLBC issued recommendations to address racism and reduce police violence, new rules were adopted for residents who rent their homes on sites like AirBnB, and sports tourism returns to Virginia.