Search
Are Hampton Roads beaches 'safe for swimming?' Environmental group highlights summertime pollution
At Buckroe Beach in Hampton, health officials found contamination in the water 16 times last year. That means beachgoers were advised not to swim for a total of more than two weeks during the summer, or risk coming into contact with bacteria that can cause skin rashes and gastrointestinal illness. Environmental advocates gathered at Buckroe Tuesday to highlight a new report called “Safe for Swimming?,” which outlines issues with pollution at local beaches.
Report says Virginia leads nation in coastal flooding events
The devastation left behind in Texas and North Carolina has left many flooded with emotions as that, too, could be a reality for thousands of coastal homeowners this hurricane season. Viewing those parts of the country underwater are an important reminder about the critical need for flood insurance, but many homeowners don’t have a policy to protect their property. Just 4% of U.S. homeowners have insurance, and only about 3% in Virginia. That’s a cause for concern as the Commonwealth leads the U.S. in coastal flooding events, and by a landslide, according to a Lending Tree report.
Kaine named to board at U.S. Military Academy at West Point
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., has joined the board of visitors at the United States Military Academy at West Point as a congressional appointee. Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services committee in his third Senate term, is one of 10 members of Congress — and five senators — appointed to the board. He was named to the board by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY. The board also includes five members of the House of Representatives and six presidential appointees.
Video visitation costs now decreased at state prisons
The Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) announced that, as of this month, the cost of video visitation has now reduced from 15 cents per minute to 12 cents per minute. Video visitation allows families and friends to meet with incarcerated people remotely. This includes at-home video visitation — using a computer, tablet or smartphone — and video visitation from visitor centers.
Report outlines challenges of Va.’s special education compliance system, recommends improvements
After years of inconsistencies and complaints, Virginia has moved closer to revising its process for reporting issues with special education services, aiming to improve the structure and ensure that families receive the necessary services for their students with disabilities. The issues with the state’s dispute resolution system — an impartial procedure for parents and schools to resolve disagreements over issues with special education services — have created a divide among parents and public school leaders for at least the past five years. . . . Last year, Virginia recorded over 185,000 students receiving special education services during the 2024-25 school year.
Virginia advances plans for nuclear reactor in southwest region
Southwest Virginia may soon be home to one of the nation’s first advanced nuclear reactors, as state leaders accelerate efforts to bring the technology to the region. Backed by nearly $200,000 in state funding, the initiative represents a cornerstone of Governor Glenn Youngkin’s broader strategy for a more resilient and innovative energy future in the Commonwealth, according to a news release. The project has received a $100,000 grant from the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank (VCEIB) and a $97,500 GO Virginia grant.
Youngkin: Family is safe in Texas flooding
It was an emotionally overwhelming Fourth of July for Gov. Glenn Youngkin as floodwaters roared down the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country. Family and friends were vacationing there on Friday, and while they are now safe, “I have to say there were moments when they weren’t,” Youngkin told reporters Tuesday, after speaking at an event at 84 Lumber in Chesterfield County. Youngkin recalled that he hastened down to the little community of Hunt, Texas, after his morning speech July 4 at a naturalization ceremony at Fort Monroe, by the Chesapeake Bay.
Roanoke gets Virginia’s first Safe Haven baby box, designed to give parents in crisis a safe way to surrender a newborn
Visitors driving through the parking garage beneath Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital’s new emergency department will now notice an unusual door, raised from floor level and reminiscent of a mailbox, but larger. It’s built to hold a baby. This is Virginia’s first baby box, a device that allows a parent to legally and anonymously surrender an infant in a secure, monitored environment. . . . When Virginia passed a law in 2022 allowing the use of baby boxes, the idea caught the attention of a nurse at Carilion, and she began advocating for a local installation.
Federal agency used Richmond license plate readers for immigration enforcement without permission
A federal agency used the Richmond Police’s license plate reader program to conduct unauthorized immigration enforcement activities, according to the department. On Tuesday, July 8, the Richmond Police Department (RPD) issued a press release regarding the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) use of its license plate reader program to investigate immigration enforcement-related cases. . . . This sort of use violates the department’s operational standards, per the release. The ATF also did not explicitly disclose that it would be using this technology for immigration enforcement when it requested access to the license plate reader system.
VPAP Visual Local Election Turnout: June 2025 Primaries
Turnout for local primaries in June ranged widely across the state, from a high of more than 21% to a low of less than 5%. See which other primaries were on the ballot in these areas and may have contributed to motivating voters.