Richmond’s Shockoe Bottom was once the epicenter of the Virginia slave trade, the second largest site of human trafficking in North America.

Experts estimate the majority of Black Americans can trace their ancestry to this spot.

Today politicians and local leaders have thrown their support behind a memorial park and museum here. But two decades ago, this history was buried under a parking lot.

Mallory Noe-Payne caught up with the husband and wife team who have spent 20 years leading the grassroots movement to get this site memorialized.

The latest mass shootings in Virginia are prompting yet another round of soul searching. 

And, as Michael Pope reports, they’ve renewed calls for action.

Food banks often get added attention around holidays.  And they, like all of us, are dealing with the impact of inflation.

Roben Farzad, host of the Full Disclosure podcast, and Craig Wright have more on that.

There’s an old adage that in Virginia, you’re never more than a few months away from the next election.

Jeff Schapiro, political columnist at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and Michael Pope have more on the upcoming primary season that’s been shaken up by redistricting.

Affordable housing might take a bigger role in the upcoming General Assembly session.

Michael Pope reports on the new plan proposed by the governor.

Many of us are putting the finishing touches on holiday menus today.

Roben Farzad, host of the Full Disclosure podcast, and Craig Wright explain how inflation is hitting the Thanksgiving table this year.

A new watchdog report says the federal government should do a better job inspecting pipelines and investigating accidents.

Michael Pope reports.

A teenager who wasn’t on the ballot has been elected to the Timberville Town Council.  And DNA research has produced some stunning news for a Fredericksburg man.

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 and Edie Gross.

Members of the General Assembly are getting ready for another session.

Michael Pope says one of the issues on the agenda this year is what to do about the potential mining of precious metals.

Virginia’s Board and Department of Education continues to struggle through a divisive and confusing process of re-writing the state’s history and social studies SOL standards.

Mallory Noe-Payne was at an hours-long meeting of the Board of Education today and has this report. 

Last year, Virginia spent well over a billion dollars on corrections – keeping nearly 24,000 people in prison.  And the bill is about to get much bigger as that population ages. 

Sandy Hausman reports on what we can expect in the years to come and how the state is preparing to care for elderly inmates behind bars.

The fallout from the November election was quickly overshadowed by the shooting at the University of Virginia.

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

The three students who were killed at the University of Virginia Sunday night were all football players.

Mallory Noe-Payne spoke to someone who knew the victims. 

The Virginia General Assembly will consider a bill to make de-clawing of cats illegal. And Election Day brought a surprise for some Virginia voters when they learned they’d been registered in the wrong county for decades.

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 and Edie Gross.

Removal of Indigenous children from their families and Tribes was stopped by Congress in 1978.

But advocates say a challenge before the U.S. Supreme Court threatens the law and the sovereignty of Virginia’s tribal nations.

Pamela D’Angelo reports.

The outcome of the 2022 election is settled, at least in Virginia.  So what does that mean for the future?

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

All but one of Virginia’s members of Congress are heading back to Washington for another term in office.

Michael Pope has more from some of the winners.

Republicans and Democrats alike are savoring victories in Virginia this morning.

Jeff Schapiro, political columnist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and Michael Pope have more on the outcome of the state’s highest-profile races.

Election Day used to be the first opportunity to cast a ballot. Now, with early voting, it’s the last chance for Virginians to vote in the races for their representatives in Congress as well as some town and city councils.

As people across the state headed to the polls Tuesday, Joe Staniunas found that many had issues of national importance on their minds.

Economic concerns are never far from the minds of voters as they head to the polls.

Roben Farzad, host of the Full Disclosure podcast, and Craig Wright talk about the potential impact.

A new report says it will take time to reverse the learning loss fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As David Seidel reports, lawmakers have a number of recommendations that could help the recovery.

The clock is ticking down to Election Day.  And that means candidates and election officials alike are in high gear.

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

There are more than 2,000 voting locations across Virginia. And each one is staffed by a handful of dedicated poll workers.

These folks don’t work in elections year round but choose each year to spend a day helping make democracy run.

Mallory Noe-Payne spoke with one man in Roanoke who’s been doing it for almost 30 years. 

When a Canadian company started looking for gold in Buckingham County, area residents were alarmed. 

They knew that activity could threaten their water supply, and they asked the state legislature to step in. 

Lawmakers asked the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to do a report on the possible impacts of gold mining here. 

Today, the report is out, and Sandy Hausman spoke with one of its authors.

The Federal Reserve seems headed toward another big interest rate hike this week.  But inflation has remained stubbornly high and the economy keeps creating new jobs.

Roben Farzad, host of the Full Disclosure podcast, and Weekend Edition host Craig Wright talk about the tightrope regulators have been walking.

One of Virginia’s high profile Congressional races may be getting closer.  And another can’t get any tighter.

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

The area around Charlottesville has grown dramatically in the last decade, and so has the traffic. 

Now, with a $2 million grant from Washington, local leaders are planning one way to take cars off the road and put people on bikes. 

The Three Notched Trail will stretch 25 miles from the city to the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Sandy Hausman has that story.

Last week, the Nansemond Indian Nation was given back 504 acres of their ancestral lands in Suffolk County.

For the seven federally recognized Tribes in Virginia, getting back ancestral lands for conservation is key to their sovereignty.

Pamela D’Angelo reports.

A new federal student loan forgiveness program is up and running.

Roben Farzad, host of the Full Disclosure podcast, and Weekend Edition host Craig Wright talk through some of the financial and policy implications.

If you missed the voter registration deadline in Virginia you still have a chance to cast a ballot.  And grassland birds are disappearing from the Commonwealth but there’s a new effort underway to help them.

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

Several Virginia cities are about to receive new funding to crack down on gang violence.

Michael Pope explains the project.

Virginia saw a small decrease in overdose deaths during the first quarter of this year, but the opioid epidemic is still taking a heavy toll. 

Last year, more than 2,600 people died – most from an overdose of fentanyl. 

And now doctors warn there’s an even more potent form of the drug being sold.  Sandy Hausman has that story.

Debates… and lack of debates… are among the political headlines over the past week.

Jeff Schapiro, of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and Michael Pope discuss the week in politics and state government.

In less than a month voters head to the polls for the Congressional midterms and municipal elections.

Talk to local officials running those elections and they’ll tell you their job has become busier in the past few years and complicated by the fight against misinformation. 

Mallory Noe-Payne has this look at how local registrars are turning to communication pros to help wage that battle. 

Members of the General Assembly are starting to consider what kind of bills they’ll consider next year.

And as Michael Pope reports, many people are calling on them to find a way to increase affordable housing.

Virginia’s income tax hasn’t been updated since 1990.

As Michael Pope reports, that means low-income people shoulder a disproportionate burden.

Virginia is still tracking cases of COVID-19, but other viruses are popping up earlier than usual. 

Sandy Hausman reports on one which puts about 58,000 children and three times as many elderly patients in the hospital each year.

It’s college football season, with all its pageantry and prognostications.  But there’s even more at play.

Roben Farzad, host of the Full Disclosure podcast, and host Craig Wright talk about the big business of college football.

Virginia may be about to roll the dice on casino gambling. But who will benefit the most?

Michael Pope has more on a new state report.

Early votes are already being cast for this year’s Congressional election.  And Election Day is less than a month away.

Jeff Schapiro, political columnist at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and Michael Pope bring us up to speed on developments in some of Virginia’s most contested races.

Autumn Olive, an Asian plant originally prized for its ability to control erosion and thrive in harsh environments, is quickly choking out native East Coast species.

While it’s likely too late to eradicate it, there are ways to help manage it— one small bite at a time.

Christine Kueter reports.

Campaigns in Virginia and beyond made headlines over the past few days.

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

Can a Virginia-based company re-ignite the e-cigarette market?

Roben Farzad, host of the Full Disclosure podcast, and Craig Wright have more on the business ramifications for Altria Group.

Candidates for Congress in Virginia are debating everything from abortion and the economy to transgender students and gun violence.

Michael Pope reports that they’re also being asked about threats to democracy.

Election season has begun, and voters can either mail in their ballots or deposit them in a drop box.

Michael Pope explains some of the steps taken to ensure security.

Over the past two years several thousand Virginians have received non-binary driver’s licenses. And the City of Winchester has seen parts of its gun ordinance suspended by a judge pending a lawsuit.

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

More now from Fred Echols and Edie Gross.

A recent study found that negligent landlords are a significant predictor of violence in Richmond neighborhoods.

Caitlin Pierce has more on the research and how it might be used in other areas struggling to reverse trends of increasing violence.

As the stock market continues to slide and high inflation seems to hang on, a lot of investors are wondering where to turn.

Roben Farzad, host of the Full Disclosure podcast, and Craig Wright have more on the concerns and the outlook for the future.

At the Chickahominy Tribe’s 70^th Annual Fall Festival and Pow-Wow, the President of William & Mary announced a new tuition initiative to help students most of whom have families earning less than $60,000 a year.

But for Indigenous communities that once inhabited university lands here, is it enough?

Pamela D’Angelo has more.

Many Virginians look forward to fall – a time when the air is cool and trees change color. 

One student at the University of Virginia is a special fan of the season. 

He started a non-profit to plant more trees and has won a national award for his work as Sandy Hausman reports.