Virginia Public Radio

Rep. Bob Goodlatte

In January Virginia will lose Congressman Bob Goodlatte – who as Judiciary Committee Chair has been the most powerful member of the Commonwealth’s delegation in Washington.

Correspondent Matt Laslo reports from the Capitol that the Republican will be missed by many.

(Credit: Jeff Bossert)

The Virginia Department of Transportation has a draft plan for improvements to Interstate 81, the vital highway that runs along the western side of the state.

Now a construction industry group says it’s time for legislators to hit the gas.

David Seidel explains.

One of the last cities in Virginia to fully digitize public records is finally taking the plunge. And people in Virginia’s I-95 corridor north of Fredericksburg may soon have a faster way to get into DC.

Those have been among the most read stories over the past week at the Virginia Public Access Project’s Va. News link.

More now from Fred Echols.

(Credit Rog Cogswell via flickr.com / CC)

Virginia lawmakers are monitoring the potential of a partial government shutdown.

They know from past shutdowns that the Commonwealth’s economy gets hit by them, as Matt Laslo reports.

  Young urban farmers Saajida Chohan and Paul Meyer with their Virginia State University professor Leonard Githinji.
(Credit: Sandy Hausman)

The city of Petersburg was once a prosperous place where railroads crossed and tobacco money changed hands. Today it’s economically depressed.

But a program pioneered by Virginia State University could help to revive the city in a surprising way.

David Seidel has that story.

Local sludge metal band Windhand performs at one of Strange Matter’s final shows.  (Credit: Brad Kutner)

For nearly 50 years alternative touring and local musicians have found an audience at Richmond’s 929 West Grace Street, just a stone’s throw from VCU’s Monroe Park Campus.

Now, the latest iteration of the space, Strange Matter, is closing its doors after nearly a decade.

Brad Kutner has more from Richmond.

Barricades line the sidewalk outside the Charlottesville courthouse on the first day of James Fields’ trial. (Credit: Mallory Noe-Payne)

A jury says James Fields should spend the rest of his life in prison for the car attack that killed a woman and injured dozens in Charlottesville.

David Seidel has reaction to the sentence.

A small Virginia town may soon be involved in a court fight over its state-issued charter. And one school division’s plan to save money has brought mixed results.

Those have been among the most read stories over the past week at the Virginia Public Access Project’s Va. News link.

More now from Fred Echols.

  Giant sturgeon have returned to the James River, but will their offspring survive?
(Credit VCU Rice Rivers Center)

Since colonial times, American fishermen have treasured the Atlantic sturgeon – a source of meat, oil and caviar they could export to Europe.

Many of these fish would leave the ocean each spring or fall to spawn in the James, Delaware and Hudson Rivers, but as demand for their salt-cured eggs grew, the population of sturgeon fell until – in 1974 – Virginia became the first state to ban catching them.

Now, Sandy Hausman reports, this source of caviar is making a comeback and scientists are hoping to help.

Attorney General Mark Herring (Credit: Edward Kimmel via flickr.com / CC)

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring is currently on a listening tour across Virginia, hearing stories about hate crimes and white supremacy.

Michael Pope has the story.

Virginia’s first hemp processing plant is on track to open in 2019…and Page County is about to start random drug testing for high school athletes and drivers.

Those have been among the most read stories over the past week at the Virginia Public Access Project’s Va. News link.

More now from Fred Echols.

flickr.com / CC

Three victims of the deadly crash following a Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville testified Friday, along with an award-winning photographer who took pictures of the event.

Sandy Hausman is covering the trial of the man accused of deliberately driving his car into a crowd.

(Credit Rog Cogswell via flickr.com / CC)

Virginia just sent five new lawmakers to Washington who have spent the past few weeks going through freshmen orientation.

Correspondent Matt Laslo has this snapshot of their time at the Capitol.

Barricades line the sidewalk outside the Charlottesville City courthouse. (Credit: Mallory Noe-Payne)

A young man hit by a car after a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville gave dramatic testimony Thursday, and the defense hinted at its strategy in opening arguments.

Sandy Hausman was in court and filed this report.

First Lady Melania Trump as seen on a video screen in Liberty University’s Vines Center
(Credit: David Seidel)

First Lady Melania Trump Wednesday stressed the need to remove the stigma from opioid addiction.

David Seidel reports she also opened up about what she tells her own son about the danger.

Align Renewable Natural Gas

Hog farmers in Virginia could soon be making money on an overlooked by-product  — methane gas.

Mallory Noe-Payne has details on a new venture between Dominion Energy and Smithfield Foods.

Barricades line the sidewalk outside the Charlottesville City courthouse Monday. (Credit: Mallory Noe-Payne)

Jury selection began in Charlottesville Monday for the trial of James Fields, Junior.

He’s accused of murdering Heather Heyer, and injuring several others, when he drove a car into a crowd during the Unite the Right Rally.

Mallory Noe-Payne has been in court and has this report.

New research is vindicating oral histories passed down by Virginia’s Rappahanock Tribe. And a pair of turkeys recently pardoned at the White House will enjoy their retirement  at Virginia Tech.

Those have been among the most read stories over the past week at the Virginia Public Access Project’s Va, News link.

More now from Fred Echols.

Deicing airplanes using antifreeze chemicals is a common practice during winter months. Virginia Tech’s new anti-frosting technology has the potential for use in aerospace applications, including airplane wing manufacturing

We’ve all heard the saying “fight fire with fire.” 

Well, scientists at Virginia Tech have a new twist on that idea.  They’ve come up with a way to “fight ice with ice.”

As Robbie Harris reports, it could revolutionize the way we de-ice everything from airplanes to windshields without harming the environment.

As gridlock in Congress prevents meaningful action on immigration, state lawmakers have begun to fill in the gap.

As Mallory Noe-Payne reports, Virginia’s legislature is one of the busiest — taking a lead in state-based immigration legislation.

Virginia is on the verge of history. The commonwealth could be the 38th, and final state, to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.

The amendment to the U.S. constitution guarantees rights based on gender.

Momentum around the cause has surged, giving activists hope this could be the year.

But as Mallory Noe-Payne reports, the fight began decades ago.

Doctors at Virginia Commonwealth University are beginning a study that could save lives by changing the way people with opioid addiction are treated.

Sandy Hausman has that story.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (Credit: Julio Obscua via flickr.com/CC)

The Commonwealth’s newly elected Democrats who voters just sent to Washington will now be pivotal in writing Nancy Pelosi’s future.

Correspondent Matt Laslo has the story from Washington.

Three-year-old Trent digs into the sand at Yorktown waterfront. Behind him visitors tour VIMS new research vessel Virginia. (Credit: Pamela D’Angelo)

The Virginia Institute of Marine Science is stepping up the science behind managing state fisheries, as well as research on how the planet is changing with a newly built 93-foot, state-of-the-art research vessel, the R/V Virginia.

Pamela D’Angelo went aboard to take a look.

Going to the beach is generally seen as a summer tradition but hotels and restaurants on Virginia’s Chincoteague Island are doing excellent year-round business thanks to rocket science. And a new shuttle service is coming to Albemarle County but you won’t have to tip the driver.

Those have been among the most read stories over the past week at the Virginia Public Access Project’s Va. News link.

More now from Fred Echols.

(Credit: Sandy Hausman)

As hurricane season draws to a close, Virginians who live on the coast may be feeling relief, but for residents of Tangier Island the threat of being overwhelmed by wind and waves remains.

They could become the first climate change refugees in this country.

This fall, the state promised to spend 3-million-dollars on a sea wall to protect Tangier’s harbor, but locals want a wall to surround their shrinking island as Sandy Hausman reports.

Note: There are three parts to this report below.