Virginia’s State Fair is less than a month away, and organizers are gearing up to host nearly a quarter of a million people at the Meadow Event Park near Richmond.  Sandy Hausman has that story.

Noting a remarkable turnaround since he spoke to them last year, Governor McAuliffe has told the General Assembly’s money committees that the Commonwealth’s financial situation is great-and how he would like to move forward.  During his remarks to lawmakers Thursday, he emphasized his focus on economic development and acquiring military contracts, but much of his speech was devoted to investing in education.

Two Virginia Republican in Congress are members of a new group called the Freedom Caucus. Matt Laslo explains the conservative hardliners are proving to be thorns in the sides of Republican Party leaders in Washington.

The General Assembly’s impasse over whether or not the Special Session on Redistricting is LEGALLY over shows no signs of abating.  The Senate adjourned last week thanks to a ruling by Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam and the votes of the chamber’s Democrats and one Republican—but the House of Delegates has still not adjourned. The bone of contention is how to interpret Article 4, section 6 of the Virginia Constitution.

The Department of Labor has recently implemented an online program aimed at distributing money that belongs to workers who may, or may not, know they’ve earned it.

Tazewell County in Virginia’s southwest coalfields would rather not be the site of a major wind power project. And a surprise change of address has complicated the life of a woman in Chesapeake.  Those have been among the most read stories over the past week at the Virginia Public Access Project’s VaNews link on www.vpap.org. Fred Echols reports.

Shelter is a big problem for many people in Virginia. Up to 40,000 may be homeless for some period of time during any given year, with many cycling through housing and back to the streets. Now, a Central Virginia group is using art and interior design to attack the problem. From Charlottesville, Emily Richardson-Lorente reports.

When eleven professional writers from Smith Mountain Lake decided they wanted to do something out of the ordinary they considered their options and finally settled on trying to produce the worst novel ever written. With the work now complete they believe they may have attained their goal.  Fred Echols reports.

Central Virginia boasts plenty of great places for concerts, but there’s one venue that offers a unique experience for the audience, and the bands that play there. Emily Richardson-Lorente checked it out.

Virginia lawmakers are redoubling their efforts to attain federal recognition for six Virginia Native American tribes. They’re more optimistic now that the Bureau of Indian Affairs granted federal recognition to the Pamunkey Tribe.

The majority of Virginia Republicans in Congress are backing an effort they say will protect religious institutions and businesses from having to abide by the Supreme Court’s gay marriage ruling. Matt Laslo reports that opponents of the effort say the bill will legalize discrimination.

As kids head back to school, parents, teachers and administrators are gearing up for a fight in Richmond – hoping to win greater state support for public education.  They say it’s time to restore cuts made during the recession  and to raise pay for new teachers as  thousands prepare to retire.  Sandy Hausman has that story. 

Four engineers from Virginia Tech have beat 72 other teams to win a place in the federal government’s Wave Energy competition.  Eric Paterson , George Hagerman, Mike Philen and Heng Xiao  now have the chance to win $2 million to build their design which would turn wave power into electricity. Another Virginia team chose not to enter the contest.  Instead, they’re hoping to leapfrog the competition by installing a successful commercial wave farm in Europe.  Sandy Hausman has that story.

 Sandy Hausman reported from Europe with the support of an Energy and Climate Media Fellowship from the Heinrich Böll (HINE-rick BOWL) Foundation.”

Advocates of stronger cancer prevention policies say Virginia is one of nearly half of the states that fall behind when it comes to legislative solutions to prevent and fight cancer.  As a result, in 2015 alone nearly 14,200 state residents will be diagnosed with some form of cancer, and more than 14,800 will actually die from it.

Virginia businesses are breathing a sigh of relief at the news that the current rate of jobless benefits claims is much lower than the very high number of claims during the recent recession.  As Anne Marie Morgan reports, this means they likely will NOT have to pay the higher amount of business taxes triggered by state law whenever the unemployment trust fund dips too low.

Conditions off the coast of Virginia are ideal for construction of offshore wind turbines, but scientists see a limited role for marine energy – power generated from waves, currents and tides.  That’s because prevailing winds on the planet blow from west to east, creating bigger waves on the west coast of continents.  Still there is some potential here, and experts say turbines can likely be placed off our shores with minimal risk to wildlife.  Sandy Hausman has details.

Sandy Hausman reported from Europe with the support of an Energy and Climate Media Fellowship from the Heinrich Böll Foundation.

Credit: Virginia Commonwealth University

Hungry students will find something new at Virginia Commonwealth University.  They can now pay for their meals with their eyes.  Sandy Hausman reports on new technology at one campus cafeteria.

This week, we’re reporting on marine energy – power generated from waves, currents and tides.  As a state with 112 miles of coastline, Virginia should be a prime candidate for development of this resource, but so far there’s no sign of an industry.  To understand why, reporter Sandy Hausman traveled to Scotland – ground zero for efforts to exploit marine energy in Europe.

Sandy Hausman reported from Europe with the support of an Energy and Climate Media Fellowship from the Heinrich Böll Foundation.

Virginia leaders are applauding this year’s gains in student Standards of Learning tests, especially since the Department of Education made the assessments more rigorous. But, the state Superintendent of Public Instruction would still like to see improvement—particularly for English language-learners.

A two-day teacher institute at the Library of Virginia has provided educators with the opportunity to advance their knowledge about the post-Civil War era-especially how the Commonwealth was transformed by the emancipation of slaves and Reconstruction. As Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, one major focus was on the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution-and their significant legacy.

Orkney, Scotland

With so much coastal property, this state could be harvesting the energy of waves, currents and tides to power homes and offices, factories and electric cars.  But Virginia is far from the day when that might happen.  In a week-long series, Sandy Hausman travels across the continent and the Atlantic to find out why.

Sandy Hausman reported from Europe with the support of an Energy and Climate Media Fellowship from the Heinrich Böll Foundation.”

Advocates say proposed changes to Virginia’s voter registration form will help prevent voter disenfranchisement and simplify the process.  But they’re not getting a warm reception from a number of state lawmakers and especially registrars.  As Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, with less than a month away before the State Board of Elections meets again, some are asking that the Board scrap the revisions and start anew.

President Obama recently unveiled a new rule to combat climate change by forcing state’s like Virginia to cut their carbon pollution. But this summer the Supreme Court shot down a new EPA rule aimed at limiting mercury pollution, which, as Matt Laslo reports, has conservatives calling for the new rule to be halted.

The 80th Old Fiddlers Convention in Galax lasts until late Saturday night. Some people may think the convention is all banjos and fiddles and high lonesome harmonies. But out in the campground, a person might encounter uilleann pipes, concertinas or even a didgeridoo. This week, they might hear a Nepalese cousin to the fiddle called a sarangi. Tim Thornton reports.

Courtesy of the Virginia Historical Society.

Each year, for over a decade, about 30,000 Virginia kids were bused to Richmond’s museum district for a visit to the Story of Virginia, an exhibit featuring the usual portraits and artifacts. Last year, the Virginia Historical Society closed the show and began a $20 million renovation, creating a modern new museum and a whole new experience for those interested in Virginia’s past. Sandy Hausman reports.

AP Photo/Susan Walsh

Virginia Democratic Senator Mark Warner says Congress has failed to adapt to the new digitized economy, and he’s pushing to provide a safety net for millennials. Matt Laslo reports.

Virginia residents have just a little more time to provide feedback to the Department of Education as it redesigns public school performance report cards, which provide accountability ratings.  As Tommie McNeil reports, the final product is not only supposed to allow users to sift through information more fluidly, but will also provide a more customized layout of demographics.

Business executives from the high-tech sector hosted an event at the State Capitol to share research and information, as well as network with government officials.  Governor McAuliffe called on the members of the Government Business Executive Forum to help Virginia pivot from the nation’s top state for defense spending to the LEADING state for information technology.

Anne Marie Morgan reports.

The Joint Commission on Health Care is tackling an issue that the members say is much more complex than it may first appear:  whether minors may voluntarily consent to inpatient psychiatric treatment WITHOUT the permission of their parents or guardians. With an estimated 930 minors impacted by this dilemma each year, the commission says the problem needs to be addressed.

Hate drones?  They may soon become a way of life in the Commonwealth.

The anticipated surge in unmanned aerial vehicles-or UAVs-won’t only be as a result of their popularity with hobbyists, but because of their use by emergency responders, power companies, and other industries.

The eightieth Old Fiddlers Convention is going on in Galax this week. For most of the people in Felts Park, it’s a vacation and a celebration, but for members of the Galax Moose lodge, it’s a lot of work and an important fundraiser – and one lodge member has been among the Moose managing the convention for half a century.