Transition Virginia

In this inaugural episode of The Virginia Press Room, Michael Pope is joined by: Laura Vozzella of The Washington Post, who talks about Denver Riggleman's potential run for statewide office Jahd Khalil of VPM News, who talks about Del. Michael Jones' (D-Richmond) unannounced visit to the Red Onion prison Markus Schmidt of Virginia Mercury, who talks about Hampton Roads Ventures' lack of investments in local projects Plus:  Rep. John McGuire's publicized visit to President-elect Trump's Mar-a-Lago Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears and former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger will both be guest speakers at the upcoming Virginia Capitol Correspondents' Association Gala Governor Glenn Youngkin's passion for a commercial fusion power plant And looking ahead to special elections in Loudoun County and Central Virginia, morning speeches on the General Assembly floor, and Governor Youngkin's plans for tax cuts to help cement his legacy. -- The Virginia Press Room is a weekly podcast that brings listeners the latest insights and analysis on Virginia's most important stories directly from the journalists covering them. Produced in collaboration by VPM and the Virginia Public Access Project, the series is hosted by journalist and author, Michael Pope and features a rotating cast of reporters from the Virginia press corps. The Virginia Press Room offers a behind-the-scenes look at state politics, policy and the issues shaping communities across the commonwealth from the people who know it best, helping listeners stay informed about what's happening in their state from the halls of the Capitol to their local neighborhoods.

In this final episode of Pod Virginia (before the Virginia Press Room launches next week!), Michael is joined by co-host Lauren Burke, producer Aaryan Balu, and advertising manager David O'Connell to reminisce about the podcast, announce winners for Pod Virginia's trivia contest and game shows, and take one last look around the watercooler. Happy New Year!

In our penultimate episode, Michael looks back at the five most popular episode of Pod Virginia in 2024.LINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg Media

LINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaIN THE NEWS:Last week, Governor Glenn Youngkin presented his budget proposal, highlighting a budget surplus which he used to propose a rebate on the car tax, an initiative to eliminate taxes on tips, stricter policies on sanctuary cities. a new police training facility, expanding mental health services, and more. He's also going all-in on nuclear energy.Democrats have offered mixed reactions to Governor Youngkin's 2025 budget amendments, and have put forth their own legislative priorities: rural health care, increased SNAP benefits for seniors, extending the standard deduction to inflation, maternal health deserts, and preparing for a potential loss of federal money under the Trump administration.TRIVIA: What is the nickname for Jackson Ward's Second Street?Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

It's finally here! This week, Michael is joined by Chris Piper, Executive Director of VPAP, and Steve Humble, Chief Content Officer for VPM, who explain how both organizations are partnering to create the next evolution of Pod Virginia...The Virginia Press Room, a weekly round-table podcast bringing news and analysis from journalists across the Commonwealth. Every Monday, Michael will lead journalists on a roundup of stories they've covered the previous week, diving deep into their investigation and previewing what's ahead.For current subscribers to Pod Virginia: no changes needed! Stay subscribed to this podcast feed, and you'll automatically get episodes of The Virginia Press Room when it launches in January 2025.

LINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaIN THE NEWS:Holding inmates longer than their release date is hard ask for many sheriffs, who say they won't be voluntarily holding people for 48 hours after their release date -- even if federal immigration officials request it for specific people. Now the Virginia Sheriffs Association is supporting legislation that removes discretion of the sheriffs and requires they work with federal immigration officials.Lobbying disclosures posted to the Virginia Public Access Project show that special interests in the gambling industry are hoping to strike it rich during the General Assembly session. In the last year, Pace-o-matic spent half a million dollars. Caesars spent $420,000. Churhill Downs spent $300,000. And MGM spent more than $200,000. Lawmakers are expected to consider legislation to legalize slot-machine style games at convenience stores and truck stops as well as new potential casino in Northern Virginia.If you're looking for a plan for lawmakers to get around their reluctance on voting for a pay raise, look to former Governor Jerry Baliles. In the late 1980s, he was able to secure a pay raise for members of the General Assembly by creating a blue-ribbon panel that could make the recommendation and take the heat for it.TRIVIA: Where is infamous Nazi leader George Lincoln Rockwell buried? Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

On this special FINAL live-to-tape game show, Michael sits down with the Pod Virginia All-Stars Sarah Taylor, Senator Scott Surovell, Delegate Alfonso Lopez, and Delegate Marcus Simon to get their opinions on approving resolutions before sessions, catered press conferences, tabloid newspapers, hackneyed phrases, and the end of Pod Virginia.LINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg Media

LINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaIN THE NEWS:License-plate readers will be on the agenda next month when the General Assembly gavels into session next month. Critics of surveillance-state politics worry about misidentification -- innocent people getting caught up in a high-tech frenzy.Back in 1997, then-governor George Allen signed a bill achieving a long-term goal of social conservatives. The new law required parental consent for minors seeking an abortion. Now former governor Allen says he worries that law will be eliminated by a constitutional amendment lawmakers will consider in January. The amendment has language guaranteeing abortion rights for "every individual" rather than "every adult."Advocates at Justice Forward Virginia are working on a bill that would require a judge to make an individual determination about whether a juvenile needs to be shackled  –  rather than allowing sheriffs to indiscriminately shackle every juvenile who appears before a judge. TRIVIA: What was the name of the notorious Loudoun woman who poisoned her husband and children with arsenic?Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

LINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaThis week, Michael is joined by Warren Fiske and Bob Holsworth to discuss the 1993 gubernatorial race between George Allen and Mary Sue Terry--including how Terry had a double-digit advantage in early polls and a significant fundraising lead, only for Allen to win in a landslide.They wrote about the election in their chapter of The New Dominion: The Twentieth-Century Elections That Shaped Modern Virginia.

LINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaIN THE NEWS:People who are incarcerated at the infamous Red Onion Supermax Prison in Wise County say conditions are so bad there that they are setting themselves on fire to protest conditions. Allegations include: racial epithets, physical abuse, medical neglect, solitary confinement, violent dog attacks, and inedible food with maggots.After a 2020 law cracking down on predatory lending, companies are now using "rent-a-banks" from out of state to charge massive interest rates on loans.The number of provisional ballots cast in this election was more than five times the number cast in the last election, an indication that same-day registration is an idea that's catching on. One thing all those many key locations had in common: college students.TRIVIA: Who was Henry Howell's campaign manager for his 1977 run for Governor?Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

LINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaThis week, Michael is joined by Frank Atkinson, author of The Dynamic Dominion, to discuss the 1973 "Armageddon" gubernatorial race between Henry Howell and Mills Godwin, which Atkinson wrote about in his chapter of The New Dominion: The Twentieth-Century Elections That Shaped Modern Virginia.

LINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaIN THE NEWS:Earlier this year, Democrat Abigail Spanberger seemed to have cleared the field of opposition among Democrats, though Congressman Bobby Scott may still throw his hat into the ring. Last week, Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears was able to clear the field of Republican opposition, and now she stands alone as the Republican who will be running for governor. The race for attorney general is taking shape, and it's gonna be a doozy. Incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares is unlikely to face opposition in the Republican primary, but the Democrats will have a VERY interesting primary. One of the candidates will be a founding member of the Progressive Prosecutors for Justice, Shannon Taylor, who will face former Delegate Jay Jones.Virginia is named for a Queen of England, the virgin Queen Elizabeth I. Now the Queen of Virginia is suing the attorney general and the Henrico prosecutor. That's because the skill game company that goes by that name, Queen of Virginia, is trying to stop the Republican attorney general from conducting an investigation and prevent the Henrico commonwealth's attorney from enforcing a ban on skill games.TRIVIA: Who was the senator who was censured by the Senate in 1987? (Hint: He was a senator from Norfolk, and he was censured for willingly violating the conflict-of-interest law by voting to kill a bill that would have harmed one of his legal clients.)Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

LINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaFormer State Senator John Bell joins Michael to break down his decision to sponsor the 2021 resolution to censure then-Senator Amanda Chase after she repeated baseless election fraud claims and spoke in support of the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

LINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaIN THE NEWS:Freshman House Delegate Kannan Srinivasan will be the Democrat on the ballot in the January 7 special election to fill the seat vacated by Congressman-elect Suhas Subramanyam. Loudoun Democrats chose him as the party's nominee over the weekend in an election that will determine which party controls the Senate. Republicans also selected their candidate for this seat over the weekend, Tumay Harding. She is a former teacher who ran an unsuccessful campaign for the Ashburn District of the Loudoun Board of Supervisors.Democrats have introduced three new amendments to Virginia's Constitution: one to protect abortion rights, another to undo the amendment prohibiting gay marriage, and the third to ditch Virginia's practice of requiring the governor to restore voting rights to people convicted of felonies. All three of those amendments would have to go through many steps before being added to the state Constitution, including being approved by voters in November 2026.Former Governor Terry McAuliffe says the numbers tell a story, and it's one that's not good for Democrats. In 2020, Democrats won young people in Virginia by a margin of 23 points. This year it was only 8 points. In the last election Democrats won women by 15 points. This year it was only 9. He also says Democrats looking for a ray of hope can expect a good performance in 2025, when Virginia voters will elect a governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general -- plus all 100 seats of the House of Delegates.TRIVIA: What are the two kinds of votes where Virginia's lieutenant governor can NOT break a tie?Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaPod Virginia all-star Sam Shirazi joins Michael to break down the special elections happening in the next few weeks (filling the House seats vacated by Suhas Subramanyam and John McGuire), as well as the Virginia statewide elections in 2025.

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaIN THE NEWS:Senator Tim Kaine's margin of victory was almost double the margin of victory for Kamala Harris in Virginia, which seems to indicate some cross-party voting. The election is not over yet. Two sitting members of the state Senate were elected to Congress last week, which means at least two special elections. One of the special elections for state Senate will be in Northern Virginia, where Delegate Kannan Srinivasan is expected to face Buta Biberaj, a former Progressive Prosecutor for Justice. The other Senate special election will be in the suburbs and exurbs between Richmond and Charlottesville.There's no place in Northern Virginia where the influence of the Asian community is reflected more than state Senate District 32. That's the seat in Loudoun County that will soon be vacated by Congressman-elect Suhas Subramanyam. The district has a population that is more than 30 percent Asian.TRIVIA: Who was the Lieutenant Governor elected in a statewide special election after the death of Lt. Governor Sargeant Reynolds in 1971?Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumTyler Englander, Cameron Thompson, and Brad Kutner join Michael and Lauren to react to the 2024 election results--Kamala Harris' razor-thin victory in the state, Tim Kaine's victory, and the possibilities for Republican leaders to be shuffled into the upcoming Trump administration as we already look toward the 2025 gubernatorial election.

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaIN THE NEWS:Donald Trump closed out his campaign for president in the most unlikeliest of places over the weekend, Salem Virginia in deep red Southwest Virginia. The rally featured Governor Glenn Youngkin and the entire Republican establishment, including Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earl Sears finally endorsing the former Republican president.2006 was Governor Tim Kaine's first General Assembly session in the Executive Mansion, and at the time lawmakers were focused on a budget battle and a transportation package. But there was one bill that required the DMV to produce a list of people who should be stricken from the list of eligible voters--which some say was a reaction to the Motor Voter Law. Campaigns tend to have political ads that celebrate their candidates or maybe attack an opponent. But those are nothing like a PAC attack, which often go for the jugular -- attacking a candidate for having a fake family or failing to show up for meetings. TRIVIA: Which election saw Virginia splitting its electoral votes between two candidatesLearn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaPod Virginia all-star Sam Shirazi returns to break down next week's election: where does Virginia fall in the race for the presidency? What about all of the competitive downballot races? And just how many millions are getting spent on political ads that blanket the airwaves?

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaIN THE NEWS:During a dramatic hearing in federal court last week, a lawyer representing the governor said he believes some of the people whose voter registration was canceled are noncitizens. Judge Patricia Giles wasn't having it. She stopped him and said she wasn't dealing with beliefs, she was dealing with evidence.In the 1890s, election after election was contested with allegations of voter fraud and stuffing the ballot box. That led to a Jim Crow Constitution that disenfranchised Black voters as well as some poor whites; some experts say the voter purge that happened 120 years ago offers lessons for today.If Democrats are going to take control of the House of Representatives, they're going to need seats like the Second Congressional District in Virginia Beach. And a new poll from the Wason Center shows the lead that Republican incumbent Jen Kiggans used to have over challenger Missy Cotter Smasal has evaporated. TRIVIA: Which Virginia congressman representing the Second Congressional District later became a Byrd Machine governor?Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaThis week, The Washington Post's Laura Vozzella and Greg Schneider join Michael to explain the purges of Virginia's voter rolls. They start with Governor Youngkin's Executive Order 35, which called for registrars to report voter roll changes on a daily basis, rather than the monthly basis required by law.They also discuss the lack of evidence for widespread voter fraud in Virginia, as well as the design of the DMV form that makes it easy for Virginia citizens to accidentally mark themselves as non-citizens and set off a process that might see them kicked off the rolls.

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaGuest hosts Cameron Thompson, Tyler Englander, and Brad Kutner take the reins...IN THE NEWS:The U.S. Department of Justice is suing Virginia over its purging of the voter rolls. The lawsuit alleges the Commonwealth is violating a federal law -- the National Voter Registration Act -- by systematically removing potential non-citizens from voter rolls within 90 days of a federal election -- something banned by what's called the "Quiet Period Provision".Two Republican members of the Waynesboro Board of Elections have filed a suit challenging how Virginia's votes are counted and are threatening that they won't certify the results of the November 5th election.The Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program (VMSDEP) story is reaching its next chapter. JLARC put out its findings earlier this month with its recommendations for funding the troubled program, but they reminder lawmakers that they're only options--the final decisions rest with legislators themselves.TRIVIA: Who is the city of Alexandria named after?Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaThis week, Michael is joined by the University of Richmond's Associate Professor of Leadership Studies, Dr. Julian Hayter, to discuss the historic 1989 election of Virginia's first Black governor, Doug Wilder--including context, aftermath, and lasting legacy. Hayter wrote the chapter on Wilder's election for the The New Dominion: The Twentieth-Century Elections That Shaped Modern Virginia.

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaCheck out Black Virginia NewsIN THE NEWS:A coalition led by the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy is advocating for peace during a tense election cycle. They're also participating in "Souls to the Polls" Sunday voting across the state.Campaign finance documents compiled by the Virginia Public Access Project show political ad spending in favor of incumbent United States Senator Tim Kaine is outpacing ads in favor of Republican challenger Hung Cao by more than 16 to one. That's more than $3 million in favor of the Democrat compared to $200,000 in favor of the Republican. According to a recent report, Northern Virginia is seeing stagnant wages, flat salaries and rising unemployment. Virginia is often mentioned as a great place to do business, but experts say that masks the reality that Northern Virginia is falling behind other major metro areas across the country.TRIVIA: Who was the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman who went to federal prison for accepting bribes from developers?Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

SPONSORS:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaThis week, author Kenneth C. Davis (of the Don't Know Much About history books) joins Michael to break down 52 great works of short nonfiction that span from the beginning of history to the modern era--and what they say about history, culture, and humanity.The World in Books on Amazon

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaCheck out Black Virginia NewsIN THE NEWS:On question after question in a televised debate last week, Republican Senate candidate Hung Cao responded by mentioning undocumented immigrants. He also tried to claim that Kaine is a feckless senator based on the number of bills he sponsored that became law--a rate that beats most other sitting senators, including VP candidate JD Vance.Queen of Virginia is the name of a game that looks similar to a slot machine that can be found at convenience stores across Virginia. Some of them were recently modified so they no longer accept cash, although even those machines are illegal according to a memo from Attorney General Jason Miyares. Governor Glenn Youngkin says reaching a deal to legalize them has become a tall mountain to climb.According to the latest quarterly report from the FBI, crime rates for the second quarter of this year are down in every category. Violent crime is down 10 percent; robbery is down 14 percent. And murder is down 23 percent. Remember those numbers when political candidates are trying to sell the narrative of a crime wave.TRIVIA: What is Virginia's official state pony?At the Watercooler:Is Virginia in play after all for the Presidential election?One of the Progressive Prosecutors for Justice is trash-talking an Alexandria judge for failing to impose a harsher sentence. What's going on?Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

SPONSORS:ALX Live StudiosThe Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaThis week, Michael is joined by Ben Tribbett, Founder of Pocket Aces Consulting, and former state Delegate David Ramadan to break down the political ads for Virginia races in the upcoming election. What are the messages that candidates are putting out, and how effective will they be?

SPONSOR:ALX Live StudiosThe Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaCheck out Black Virginia NewsIN THE NEWS:Broadcast TV ads once held such a significant place in American politics that candidates would raise millions of dollars to flood the airwaves in an effort to get elected. Now a significant chunk of that is moving online.Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin is taking credit for record job growth in Virginia. That's despite what he calls "inflationary headwinds from Washington." Ask Susanna Gibson about consent. She's got a lot of thoughts because last year a Republican operative shared nonconsensual images of her that upended her campaign for the House of Delegates. Now she's working with a bipartisan coalition to do something about it, and she says draft legislation now circulating among lawmakers would have given her some protection.TRIVIA: Which election saw bumper stickers in Virginia supporting “Barry and Harry”?Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

SPONSORS:ALX Live StudiosThe Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaWith a whole bunch of competitive races in Virginia this way, we narrow things down to the very exciting race for Richmond's mayor. The winning candidate will need to win 5 of the city's 9 districts to avoid a runoff. So who's on the ticket? Michael sits down with The Richmonder's Graham Moomaw to break it all down.

SPONSOR:ALX Live StudiosThe Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaCheck out Black Virginia NewsIN THE NEWS:Today is election day in Virginia--and so are the next 45 days. And despite Republican efforts to shorten or eliminate early voting and ballot dropboxes, these new programs were voted on before the pandemic ever began.Skill games continue to be hotly-debated in Virginia, and now everal of these machines are back up and running in Henrico County. These machines operate in a gray area of state law, since a cashier or bartender acts as a middleman for the money, and a company is making full use of the legal muddiness.Governor Glenn Youngkin recently got into the politics over banning books in school districts--a practice which he seemed to distance from himself, despite his parents'r-rights rhetoric and public questions about books like Beloved. TRIVIA: What famous designer recently purchased a home on Monument Avenue in Richmond?Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

SPONSORS:ALX Live StudiosThe Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaEarly voting in Virginia begins tomorrow! And this week, Pod Virginia favorite Sam Shirazi brings us an update on the national, statewide, and local elections happening around Virginia from now through November.

SPONSOR:ALX Live StudiosThe Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaCheck out Black Virginia NewsIN THE NEWS: A bunch of new polls in Virginia are showing Virginia is no longer a battleground state, if it ever was one. When Biden was the candidate, the polls indicated that Republicans would be targeting Virginia as a swing state. Now all that is slipping out of reach for Trump voters. The funding formula for how public schools currently receive state money uses Census data to figure out the staffing levels needed for the school-age population in an area. Now a bipartisan group of lawmakers is considering a plan to move to a new formula that calculates money based on students. Reporting for Richmonder.org, Graham Moomaw has a bombshell story revealing that skill games are back--three new machines at a sports bar in Henrico that are practically daring authorities to test their legal case.TRIVIA: Who is the non-president bust in the rotunda at the Capitol building?At the Watercooler: Lauren and Michael react to the racist lies peddled on the national debate stage targeting Hatian immigrants--and how it's part of a standard playbook.Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaThis week, Michael is joined by the Cato Institute's Director of Immigration Studies David Bier and Senior Fellow Dr. Jeffrey Singer to break down the false narrative that ties illegal immigration to the fentanyl crisis. They say the real source of fentanyl comes from legal immigrants at ports of entry, and argue that harder drug prohibition leads directly to harder drugs being manufactured.

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaCheck out Black Virginia NewsIN THE NEWS:During a recent training event for Republican poll watchers in Arlington, Virginia party chairman Rich Anderson didn't mince words about the 45 days of voting that starts Friday, September 20. But some of the people urging their supporters to vote early now were trying to undermine the 45 days of early voting during the General Assembly session earlier this year, says House Privileges and Elections Committee Chairwoman Cia Price.Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares says local law enforcement officials have the authority -- and a moral duty -- to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. In a statement, he thanked sheriffs who are working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE. But advocates  worry that people who feel like they are in danger of being deported might stop contacting the police when they need help or stop cooperating with investigations.Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson has a message for his constituents. It's all about that *tax* base. That's the headline in his latest newsletter. He says his city will be missing out on $11 million this year because of the declining values of commercial real estate in AlexandriaTRIVIA: Who is the famous sculptor who made the statue of George Washington at the Capitol?Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaThis week, Michael is joined by Shawn Weneta of The Humanization Project and Ben Knotts of Americans for Prosperity to discuss Governor Youngkin's Executive Order 36: "Stand Tall, Stay Strong, Succeed Together," meant to help Virginians on probation re-enter society and avoid recidivism. 

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaCheck out Black Virginia NewsIN THE NEWS:Republicans have a goal of identifying 5,000 volunteers to serve as poll watchers for every precinct during all 45 days of voting. But there are concerns about Republican attempts to block certification of elections results that don't go their way.If elected to the White House, Vice President Kamala Harris says she wants to offer $25,000 in downpayment assistance for first-time homebuyers. Harris is also talking about taking on corporate landlords by restricting rent increases to 5 percent for landlords with more than 50 units. In addition to that, she also wants to create tax incentives for the construction of new homes. While Democrats are talking about increasing the supply of housing, Republicans are talking about decreasing demand by deporting undocumented immigrants as well as allowing some housing development on federal lands and reducing mortgage rates.Over the weekend, we saw spouses of the Democratic ticket barnstorming the state, which is a time-honored tradition in American politics. TRIVIA: What two words were put together to create the word “tabloid?” At the Watercooler:- JD Vance getting booed by the Firefighter's Union.- Right-wing outlet "The Daily Wire" attacking a Virginia journalist without bothering to contact him.Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaThis week, Michael is joined by John Milliken, co-editor of The New Dominion and Senior Fellow-In-Residence at George Mason University's Schar School, to illustrate the history of the Byrd Machine with the help of archival audio from the LIbrary of Virginia. 

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaCheck out Black Virginia NewsIN THE NEWS:As Democrats arrived in Chicago for their convention, a new Roanoke College poll showed that Vice President Kamala Harris has a 3% edge in Virginia over former President Donald Trump.In July, Governor Youngkin issued Executive Order 33, directing the Virginia Department of Education to draft guidance for public school divisions to adopt local policies and procedures establishing cell phone-free education. With school starting this week, what might the future hold for students and cell phone usage?Speaking of polls, Governor Youngkin's approval has jumped to its highest number.In a new Roanoke College survey of Virginia likely voters, Youngkin's popularity surged to 59%. When compared to others, that rating makes him the sixth-most popular governor in the nation.TRIVIA: What was Virginia's walk-up song at the 2024 DNC Convention, and what is the song's connection to the state?Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaThis week, Michael is joined by Mary Garner McGehee, audio producer for the Virginia Audio Collective and the new host of Bold Dominion, our longtime sister show. They discuss the revamped explainer for state politics, including episodes on Virginia's recycling, minimum wage, and other state politics topics that often fly beneath the radar. 

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaCheck out Black Virginia NewsIN THE NEWS:The tradition in Virginia politics for many years was for state Democrats to remain quiet about national Democrats they did not like and didn't want to vote for. Now things are much more explicit--and some experts are predicting more Never Trump Republicans will emerge in Virginia.For years, schools identified how many students lived in poverty by taking a look at who received free or reduced-price lunches. That left many high-poverty students out of the equation, and the system had to be scrapped when many divisions started making meals universally available. The new way of identifying high-poverty students is based on participation in federal assistance programs, and the Department of Education estimates that 43 percent of public students are at-risk. For many years, Pell Grants were not available to people who are incarcerated. But now the law has changed, and about 14,000 people who are incarcerated have access to the money to pay for college classes. But only 11 of Virginia's 45 prisons offer college classes.TRIVIA: How much blood did George Washington's doctors remove from his body the day he died?Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaThis week, Michael and Lauren are joined by former candidate Susanna Gibson and the Poynter Institute's Kelly McBride to discuss the recent hacked information regarding Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance, the Washington Post story detailing explicit videos of Susanna, and how those stories relate to other instances of leaks and hacks through the evolving media landscape.

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaCheck out Black Virginia NewsIN THE NEWS:When the House of Delegate unanimously approved the appointment of Lindsey Burke to the George Mason University board of visitors, members of the General Assembly did not know that she would later play a prominent role in Project 2025. That's the conservative think-tank plan to reshape the federal government's functions and benefits. Now Speaker of the House Don Scott is calling on the governor to remove the co-author of Project 2025 chapter on education. Experts say Virginia will benefit from tens of millions of dollars from the Infrastructure Act to finance energy storage for data centers. Supporters of clean energy are hopeful this program in Manassas will show how new technology can address the rising demand from data centers without the need for new energy generation from fossil fuels.From the hills of Appalachia to the melodic tones of the Piedmont, Virginia has some of the most perplexing accents in the country. A survey conducted by language-learning platform Guide2Fluency shows Appalachia and Piedmont accents have artificial intelligence stumped. TRIVIA: What town in Virginia is trying to withhold 3,000 emails about a proposed Amazon data center?Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaThe Richmonder: https://richmonder.orgThis week we are joined by the founder of the Richmonder and one of his new star reporters, Michael Phillips and Graham Moomaw. They explain what they hope to accomplish with the launch of the new site on Sept. 9, and they'll also share some thoughts about hot sauce.

SPONSOR:The Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaCheck out Black Virginia NewsIN THE NEWS:In a 2019 memoir, Kamala Harris described herself as a "progressive prosecutor.” But many criminal justice reform advocates aren't so sure about her record, which includes prosecuting parents when their students were truant and notifying immigration authorities when undocumented juveniles were charged with felonies.Trump Force 47 is the name of the Republican get-out-the-vote operation this year. It involves training sessions at various locations across Virginia where volunteers are learning about how to target potential voters in critical precincts. But will it actually expand the base?The Fraternal Order of Police of Virginia is calling on the Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys to investigate slot-machine style devices known as skill games--specifically, Fairfax, Henrico and Portsmouth.  Some of those prosecutors note that it's law enforcement's job to investigate crimes.TRIVIA: What industry was supposed to be cultivated by Jamestown? Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

SPONSOR:Richmond ForumLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg Media John Baliles (former Richmon City Councilman, advisors to Mayors Wilder and Stoney, and author of RVA 5x5 Substack) joins Michael to discuss the candidates for Richmond's mayoral election, which has a unique structure that requires the winning candidate to win 5 of 9 districts to avoid a runoff.

LINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaCheck out Black Virginia NewsIN THE NEWS:Before Joe Biden dropped out of the race for president, several polls took a look at how Kamala Harris would do against Donald Trump in a head-to-head matchup in Virginia. Mark Rozell of the Schar School says any Democrat running against Trump would probably fare as well as Biden if not marginally better. And, he says, that could win the election.Northern Virginia has long been the global capital of data centers, but now they are expanding to the rest of Virginia. According to the Piedmont Environmental Council, Virginia already has about 200 data centers with applications pending for 100 more. Some members of the General Assembly are sounding alarm bells on the rapid growth.Virginia has the worst on-time delivery rates in the country ever since the United States Postal Service made changes to the Richmond Regional Processing and Delivery Center. That's a problem for newspapers that are delivered using periodical delivery rates.TRIVIA: Which congressional district has the largest partisan lean? Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

LINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg Media Friend of the show Nathan Moore (station manager of WTJU Charlottesville and writer of Apple Atchin Radio) joins Michael to discuss his tour of community radio stations in Appalachia; the importance of trust and community bonds to the public radio model, and what VP nominee J.D. Vance gets wrong about the area.

LINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaCheck out Black Virginia NewsIN THE NEWS:President Joe Biden has dropped out of the race, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris and throwing the presidential race into total chaos. We have no precedent for this because nothing like this has ever happened. How are Virginia politicians responding?According to the latest FBI data, crime is down across the country. Here in Virginia, crime spiked in the early 1990s and has been steadily going down ever since. Violent crime, for example, is one third of what it was at that time. The price of new cars is going down. So are the prices for blue jeans and microwave ovens. That's according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which shows even the prices of eggs in Virginia is dropping. But the recent spike in inflation disproportionately harmed low-income people in Virginia.TRIVIA: How many Presidential candidates (other than Trump) have received a party's nomination three times?At the Watercooler:- More on Biden dropping out- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's interpretive rule on "paycheck advances" counting as loansLearn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

LINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaThe guest for this episode is a delegate to the Republican convention in Wisconsin. He is a member of the platform committee, and he's the chairman of the First Congressional District Republican Committee -- Jeff Ryer. He joins us to give us an inside look at what's happening in the Virginia delegation and give us a sense as to how Republicans are feeling about the election heading into the fall campaign season.

LINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaCheck out Black Virginia NewsIN THE NEWS:If you're looking for an example of a recount that changed the results of an election, you'll have to go all the way back to Indiana, 1985. Here in Virginia, recounts have been conducted in three congressional elections since 1967, and none of them changed the outcome--but Bob Good in the 5th District is pushing for one anyway.With the aid of AI, Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton has regaied her voice; trained up on her public speeches, the AI voice sounds much like Wexton did before she was silenced by Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, and she says this tool could be life-changing for Americans with disabilities.The rapid rise of fentanyl overdoses is causing concern among lawmakers, although they are not yet on the same page about how to handle the situation.That's why the General Assembly created a new task force to consider the policy choices and how they would work. For example, how much does an individual need to have to be prosecuted as a dealer versus helped as a patient suffering from substance abuse disorder? TRIVIA: What is the statewide recount that did not happen because the loser couldn't afford the $120,000 price tag?At the Watercooler:- The Democrats are still trying to figure out if Biden will be their nominee- The 1932 Democratic convention, where Harry Byrd tried to unseat Franklin RooseveltLearn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

SPONSOR:Burn the PageLINKS:Pod Virginia | PatreonLearn more about Jackleg MediaThis week, Michael is joined by an Alexandria legend, former Delegate Marian van Landingham; who served in the General Assembly for twenty-four years and spearheaded the transformation of Alexandria's Torpedo Factory from military storage into a world-famous art center.