Virginia Public Radio

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.

There’s been plenty of talk about the lack of action on Virginia’s state budget.

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

Virginia is about to enter a new fiscal year Saturday in a state of uncertainty.

Michael Pope has the latest on the budget standoff.

Miners in Southwest Virginia have high rates of advanced black lung disease. The largest cluster of cases ever reported was in Virginia in 2018.

Now, federal regulators could be close to releasing new rules that will help protect miners, as Roxy Todd reports.

Healthcare in the United States is more expensive per person than anywhere else in the world.

On the front lines of medicine, nurses sometimes see better, cheaper ways to do things.  So the University of Virginia is training them on how to sell their ideas to management as Sandy Hausman reports.

The latest round of economic data from the Virginia Employment Commission illustrates a tale of two Commonwealths. Michael Pope explains.

For decades, scientists have known that physical movement is good for our brains.

Now, researchers are looking at how some types of exercise—like dance—may have special benefits for brain development.

Roxy Todd reports.

This week, justices on the United States Supreme Court agreed to hear a case filed by a Virginia veteran.

Michael Pope reports the outcome could have sweeping consequences.

Now that the primary voting is over, attention turns to November’s General Election and some of the big donors funding the campaigns.

Michael Pope has more.

It’s been two years since Virginia revised its rules for about 60,000 people who were sentenced to probation by Virginia courts. 

Sandy Hausman reports that the changes made by state lawmakers appear to be working well.

Several incumbent senators will not be returning to Richmond next year.

Michael Pope has more on the fallout from Tuesday’s primaries.

Last week, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper signed legislation which will bring sports betting to his state by next year.  There are now more states with legalized sports betting than without.

Roben Farzad, host of public radio’s Full Disclosure, and Craig Wright talk about the growth in acceptance of this once taboo activity, and the economic implications both regionally, as well as across the country.

Last week, Governor Glenn Youngkin made good on his campaign pledge as the Virginia State Air Pollution Board voted to remove the commonwealth from RGGI – the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. 

Roben Farzad, host of public radio’s Full Disclosure, and Craig Wright talk about what it means for energy providers, consumers — and the economics of climate change.