Virginia Public Radio

Predicting population growth is a tricky game.

But one Virginia institution has become the go-to source for state population predictions.

Michael Pope reports. 

A community group dedicated to reducing gun violence is looking for more volunteers and more financial support. And the latest numbers show some changes in the list of most popular baby names in Virginia.

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.

Governor Ralph Northam lifted the indoor mask mandate for most settings a short time ago/Friday afternoon.

Virginia will also end COVID-19 mitigation measures on May 28th.

Jahd Khalil has more. 

Lyme disease is on the rise.  Higher global temperatures are part of the problem, helping ticks thrive. 

But it turns out, the infamous black legged deer tick that carries Lyme bacteria in North America, has a secret weapon that scientists have just identified. 

Robbie Harris reports.

Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are urging the Biden administration to take action to help Virginia whiskey makers.

Michael Pope explains why.

Republicans now have a slate of candidates to head into the fall election season.

And, as Michael Pope reports, you might not have heard their names before.

Republicans are heading into the fall election with a relatively unknown candidate for governor.

Michael Pope reports.

The drama during past Republican nomination contests has played out on the convention floor over hours.

Jahd Khalil reports that this year it’s being measured in rounds.

Republican officials are adding up the convention votes cast in about 40 different polling places over the weekend.

Some of the voters from the 6th Congressional District shared their views on the process with Joe Staniunas.

Foraging for ramps has become a popular, and risky, pastime. And a spacecraft flown long ago in a galaxy far away is in Virginia getting ready for its debut.

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.

Voting has already started for the June Democratic primary, and candidates for governor are moving toward the close of the campaign.

Michael Pope has more from their most recent debate.

In 2019, the state was rocked by two separate blackface scandals.  

Now, as Michael Pope reports, those scandals are playing out in the statewide Democratic primary.

Republicans are getting ready for a multi-location convention, when they’ll select their candidates for statewide office.

As Michael Pope reports, don’t expect results for a few days.

A new plan for in-person education seems to be working well in one of the country’s biggest school systems… And a group from UVA is hoping inmates at the regional jail will benefit from studying Russian literature.

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.

Virginia’s minimum wage will increase on Saturday to $9.50 an hour.

Economists say the trade off to higher wages could be higher unemployment. But Jahd Khalil reports if that happens it might not be for a while. 

Do local governments have a financial incentive for their police officers to make traffic stops?

Michael Pope reports.

For weeks, groups aligned with Republican candidates have been attacking other Republican candidates for governor.

But now, as Michael Pope reports, Democrats are getting involved.

As Amtrak marks its 50^th anniversary Friday, Virginia may be on the verge of finally accomplishing a dream that’s been years in the making– expanding passenger rail into the New River Valley.

Michael Pope reports.

Two new reports suggest Virginia schools are increasingly segregated by race and economic status. 

Sandy Hausman reports for many kids that means less access to educational opportunities.

Virginia education officials are working to reassure families that they aren’t doing away with accelerated math courses.

Jahd Khalil reports on what is going on. 

Scientists at the University of Virginia report what may be an important medical breakthrough. 

Laboratory testing shows the use of two cheap oral drugs can treat a common form of anemia that causes fatigue, headaches and dizziness in millions of patients. 

Sandy Hausman has that story.

The CDC is keeping a nervous eye on COVID-19 – watching for genetic changes that could mean a more dangerous form of the coronavirus is around. 

The analysis is time-consuming, so scientists in Atlanta can only check a small percentage of the cases being diagnosed, but they’re getting help from Virginia as Sandy Hausman reports.

Running for office usually requires a lot of fundraising.

But as Michael Pope reports, sometimes it also involves writing a check to finance your own campaign. 

Virginia will soon be home to one of the largest greenhouses on the east coast. And with changes in marijuana laws this summer many drug sniffing dogs will be headed for retirement.

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.

The Academy Awards will be broadcast Sunday from Los Angeles, and one Virginia man will be in the audience, hoping for his first Oscar.

Sandy Hausman has his story.

The Virginia Board of Education is moving towards reforming its discipline system for students.

Reform has been studied for a while but a presentation to the board of Education Tuesday indicated that changes are coming soon.

Jahd Khalil has this report. 

The debate over curbing gun violence has taken a new urgency in the wake of several recent shootings.

But one Virginia congressman is hoping to make silencers easier to get.

Michael Pope explains.

One of the candidates in the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor is dropping out of the race to focus on keeping her current seat in the House of Delegates.

Michael Pope reports.

Charlottesville City Council will decide whether the city should provide lawyers for low income tenants facing eviction. And two first-time candidates for the House of Delegates have something very personal in common.

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.

Friday we received our last major snapshot of candidate finances before the parties choose their nominees.

Jahd Khalil reports on a few big numbers in the gubernatorial race.

Dead last – that’s where the U. S. Department of Labor says Virginia ranks among states when it comes to processing unemployment claims.

Thursday, five Virginians filed a lawsuit because of the issues.

Jahd Khalil spoke to one of their lawyers.

People infected with coronavirus usually suffer no long-term effects, but a few months after recovery some patients report significant hair loss. 

Sandy Hausman spoke with a medical expert about that surprising consequence of COVID-19.

Virginia’s unemployment rate is 5.2 percent. But what’s behind that number, and how does it vary throughout the commonwealth?

Michael Pope reports.

Two of the largest tax incentives in Virginia are about to end, although members of the General Assembly and the governor are divided about what to do with the money.

Michael Pope reports.

Recovering from the pandemic is going to need thought. Schools and learning are no different.

Jahd Khalil has this report on the Virginia Department of Education’s plan for regaining ground lost during the pandemic.

A hybrid commission of citizens and lawmakers are going to draw new voting lines this fall.

In his last dispatch, Jahd Khalil reported they were figuring how to conduct business.

He says in Monday’s meeting, the commissioners were sorting out how to do that transparently. 

Last month, the House of Representatives passed a bill introduced by Congressman Bobby Scott that hopes to remedy the problem of full-time workers being misclassified as independent contractors.

But now, as Michael Pope reports, the bill is languishing in the Senate.