Should the political donations of professors at a state university be tracked?

That’s one of the topics Jeff Schapiro and Michael Pope are digging into as they recap the week in politics and state government.

In 1738 a British slave trading ship arrived on the Potomac River. Onboard, 70 enslaved Africans for sale to nearby plantation owners.

Some may have been purchased by Thomas Lee to build Stratford’s Great House and its dependencies.

Today, the Stratford Hall Historic Preserve is paying homage to them and the unknown others who labored for the wealth of the Lee family. Pamela D’Angelo reports.

The sharp spike in mortgage rates is keeping many homeowners from considering whether to put their homes on the market. 

As Roben Farzad, host of Public Radio’s Full Disclosure, and Craig Wright note the current situation has analysts borrowing a term usually reserved for an employment tactic.

Money made a lot of political headlines this week—money for campaigns and money for state revenue.

Jeff Schapiro, political columnist at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and Michael Pope recap the week in politics and state government.

Glenn Youngkin’s “Spirit of Virginia” political action committee pulled in more money in the second quarter of 2023 than any previous governor had raised in an entire year.

With the full slate of General Assembly seats on the ballot across the state, Roben Farzad, host of Public Radio’s Full Disclosure, and Craig Wright talk about what influence this money could have on November – and beyond.

Negotiations to amend the state’s two-year budget remain stalled, or even non-existent.  It’s not the first stalemate. 

Jeff Schapiro, political columnist at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and Michael Pope look back at some of the lessons from the last major impasse.

In recent elections, Democrats have benefited by encouraging voters to bank early votes and add their name to the permanent absentee list.

Now, Michael Pope reports Republicans are trying to get a piece of the action.

Virginia’s government is in a new fiscal year.  But some old political standoffs are carrying on.

Jeff Schapiro, political columnist at the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Michael Pope recap the week in politics and state government.

Earlier this year, lawmakers agreed on a sweeping package to transform mental health services.

Now, as Michael Pope reports, the proposal is on hold.

After a Supreme Court ruling on debt forgiveness, student loan repayments are set to resume in October and interest on those loans will also begin to accrue in September.

Roben Farzad, host of public radio’s Full Disclosure, and Craig Wright talk about the resumption of those payments after a more than 3-year pause, as well as the possible end of Virginia’s back-to-school tax-free holiday.

Law enforcement officials across Virginia are converting their shotguns into less-lethal weapons.

Michael Pope explains why.