VPM Daily Newscast

Read more: The VPM News Early Voting Guide Youngkin signs order directing removal of non-citizens from voter rolls Richmond's Code Refresh aims to rewrite rules that restrict growth Plus, Richmond moves to overhaul its zoning code — and a Henrico YMCA closes its doors. Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Plus: A tech company expands in Henrico to keep up with power demands, Pharma manufacturing plant coming to Goochland and other stories.

Plus: a new executive order from Gov. Glenn Youngkin; Richmond's real estate tax and other stories.

Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Read more: Richmond's Avula, RRHA spar over Gilpin Court redevelopment ICE arrests in Virginia soar under Trump crackdowns Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

VPM News Host Lyndon German and BizSense Reporter Jonathan Spiers discuss the top business across the Richmond region. This week's stories include a real-estate developer's plan to build a data center in Hanover County, Henrico County's data center review process, and coverage of groundbreaking of an affordable housing community in Henrico.

Happy Friday! Today's episode covers ongoing confusion about the latest COVID vaccine regulations and Thursday's lockdown at Virginia State University. Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.

Plus: Chesterfield rezones students; Warner praises Henrico Housing expansion 

Plus: UVA Health University Medical Center gets an interim CEO; Maymont's unnamed baby porcupette gets a name.

Plus: Morning Edition Host Phil Liles talks with Stacey Jones, Mercy Mall's founder.    Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

VPM News has spent the last week bringing you the second half of our special summer series on all things joy.     Now, VPM News has a recap of last week's stories, including Richmond high school students taking part in a national anti-gun violence protest; new polling shows that a growing number of Virginians have had to decide between paying bills or feeding their families; Virginia's special education system; and other stories.    Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.  

VPM News is wrapping up summer 2025 with some of the greatest, the simplest and the most out-of-this-world joys Central Virginia has to offer.    Part 9 (finale!): Central Virginians the VPM News team interviewed at Richmond Public Library share what brings them joy.    We'll be back with your regular news digest next week.  Learn more and check out the rest of Finding Joy — including several web-exclusive pieces and videos — at vpm.org/joy.  Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Welcome to Finding Joy!  VPM News is wrapping up summer 2025 with some of the greatest, the simplest and the most out-of-this-world joys Central Virginia has to offer.    Part 8: Meghin Moore brings us along for an adventure with GWAR and the world of heavy metal. Learn more at vpm.org/joy.  You can also check out VPM News Shorts videos from Finding Joy on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. Our most recent videos explored the joy in taking a trap cardio class and Richmond's growing pro wrestling scene.  Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Welcome to Finding Joy!  VPM News is wrapping up summer 2025 with some of the greatest, the simplest and the most out-of-this-world joys Central Virginia has to offer.    Part 7: Lyndon German brings us along for a look into Richmond's strength community.    Learn more at vpm.org/joy.  You can also check out VPM News Shorts videos from Finding Joy on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. Our most recent videos explored the joy in taking a trap cardio class and Richmond's growing pro wrestling scene.  Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.

VPM News is wrapping up summer 2025 with some of the greatest, the simplest and the most out-of-this-world joys Central Virginia has to offer.  Part 6: Chris Suarez brings us along for a visit to Richmond's adult recreational sports scene.  Learn more at vpm.org/joy.  You can also check out VPM News Shorts videos from Finding Joy on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠. Our most recent videos explored the joy in fostering retired lab rats and a local professional wrestling promotion.   Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

‘Policy Matters' is your window into Virginia politics with VPAP. It's our monthly roundup of the top political headlines from across Virginia, powered by VPAP's daily e-newsletter, VaNews.

VPM News Host Lyndon German and BizSense Reporter Jackie DiBartolomeo discuss the Richmond region's top business stories. In this week's episode, they discuss Google unveiling plans for a data center in Chesterfield County and the looming foreclosure of the Riverfront Plaza.

VPM News has spent the last week bringing you the first half of our special summer series on all things joy.   At the halfway point, we're stopping to catch you up on other news stories from the past week — including a lawsuit over University of Richmond scholarship programs; hundreds of thousands of Virginia families on the verge of losing health insurance and other benefits; and a new chief justice for the Supreme Court of Virginia.  We'll be back on Tuesday with more Finding Joy!  Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.

VPM News is wrapping up summer 2025 with some of the greatest, the simplest and the most out-of-this-world joys Central Virginia has to offer.  Part 5: Cate MacKenzie immerses us in the local square-dancing community.  Learn more at vpm.org/joy.  Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

VPM News is wrapping up summer 2025 with some of the greatest, the simplest and the most out-of-this-world joys Central Virginia has to offer.  Part 4: Patrick Larsen introduces us to the beauty of conservation landscaping.  Learn more at vpm.org/joy.  Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Welcome to Finding Joy! VPM News is wrapping up summer 2025 with some of the greatest, the simplest and the most out-of-this-world joys Central Virginia has to offer.   Part 3: Dean Mirshahi introduces us to the booming, body-slamming, fourth wall–breaking world of locally produced professional wrestling.  Learn more at vpm.org/joy.  Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Welcome to Finding Joy! VPM News is wrapping up summer 2025 with some of the greatest, the simplest and the most out-of-this-world joys Central Virginia has to offer.   Part 2: Adrienne Hoar McGibbon⁠ introduces us to the richly rewarding experience of rehoming former lab rats with Second Chance Heroes.   Learn more about the series at ⁠vpm.org/joy⁠. 

Welcome to Finding Joy! VPM News is wrapping up summer 2025 with some of the greatest, the simplest and the most out-of-this-world joys Central Virginia has to offer. Part 1: Megan Pauly brings us along for Muddy Mondays, a summer hike for young kids run by Trail Kids RVA.  Learn more about the series at vpm.org/joy. Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Read the lightly edited transcript of this complete interview on VPM.org now.  Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.

VPM News Host Benjamin Dolle and BizSense Reporter Mike Platania discuss the Richmond's region's top business stories. This week's topic include a lawsuit against Riverfront Plaza in downtown Richmond, and a new area location for Charlottesville-based ACAC Fitness & Wellness.

Plus: Early childhood and higher education reporter Megan Pauly spoke with families who rely on the program and the educators who run it.  

Plus: GOP candidate for Governor Earle-Sears promises to “defend and deliver”; a possible measles exposure in Northern Virginia; and work resumes on Forest Hill sewer replacement project.  

Editor Whittney Evans digs into the history of Virginia's seemingly permanent case of election season — and fatigue.  Submit your own question to Curious Commonwealth at ⁠⁠⁠⁠vpm.org/curious⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Plus: Albemarle County's General Registrar resigns; VMI has a new superintendent; Virginia's State Board of Health on transgender athletics policies; and other stories.

Plus: Charlottesville's Police Civilian Oversight Board sees departures; Metal Detectors in Chesterfield schools; Virginia's National Guard deployments and other stories.

VPM News Host Lyndon German and BizSense Reporter Jack Jacobs discuss the Richmond's region's top business stories. This week's topic include a Diamond District lawsuit, Short Pump's new VR arcade, and the groundbreaking of a new housing development in Chester.

Plus: help name a baby porcupine! 

Plus: Fly, Eagles Fly; two bald eagles were recently released at Pocahontas State Park, and other stories.

In other news, Chesterfield residents are appealing a decision about Dominion Energy's permit use, the UVA Student Council has also issued a “no confidence” resolution in the Board of Visitors — and school is IN (or almost IN) session for Central Virginia students. ICYMI: Read the transcript from Monday's interview about Liberty Lost by clicking or tap here. Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Plus: Boar's Head reopens in Virginia; health insurance rates could skyrocket; and recovered bald eagles to take flight  Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Editor's note: Today's episode includes discussion of a podcast that contains teen pregnancy, sexual assault, coercive behavior and the complex emotions surrounding open and closed adoptions. Listener discretion is advised.  A new podcast goes inside the Liberty Godparent Home in Lynchburg. Through interviews with women who stayed there, journalist T. J. Raphael details how the home reportedly pressured teen mothers to surrender their babies in exchange for scholarships to Liberty University.   Features Editor Whittney Evans recently spoke to Rafael and Sarah P. — a former resident and case manager at the Godparent Home.  Liberty Lost is a six-episode, limited series podcast produced by and available on Wondery as well as other podcast platforms.  Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

VPM News Host Lyndon German and BizSense reporter Jackie DiBartolomeo, discuss the Richmond area's to business stories. This week's news includes details on sentencing appeal for a man who robbed millions from Virginia's birth-related injury fund, Chesterfield County's Powhite Parkway expansion project and the new fast food chain coming to the Richmond-area.

Plus: Fox Elementary School is back; a controversial Confederate monument returns to Arlington National Cemetery; Virginia Beach sand dunes are older than Egyptian pyramids; and other stories. Are you enjoying the audio versions of our VPM News Shorts? They're usually posted twice a week to our ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠.  Our award-winning journalism is made possible with your support. Visit ⁠vpm.org/donate⁠ for more information. 

Plus: A rabid raccoon in Mechanicsville; A statue of Jefferson Davis heads to California; and other stories

VPM News' Billy Shields digs into the “why” of this listener question for the latest Curious Commonwealth.  Submit your own question to Curious Commonwealth at ⁠⁠⁠vpm.org/curious⁠⁠⁠. Our award-winning journalism is made possible with your support. Visit ⁠vpm.org/donate⁠ for more information. 

Our award-winning journalism is made possible with your support. Visit vpm.org/donate for more information. 

Acquisition Logistics was founded in 2008, according to Virginia State Corporation Commission records. It is also registered as a minority-owned, veteran-owned and small business with a history of providing logistics support services for various government agencies, according to federal contract records. In other news: Keyris Manzanares reports recent ICE raid in Southside Richmond has left residents shaken. You can also watch this piece as a VPM News Short in English and Spanish! VPM News Shorts are posted to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Our award-winning journalism is made possible with your support. Visit vpm.org/donate for more information. 

‘Policy Matters' is your window into Virginia politics with VPAP. It's our monthly roundup of the top political headlines from across Virginia, powered by VPAP's daily e-newsletter, VaNews.

VPM News Host Lyndon German and BizSense Reporter Jonathan Spiers discuss the Richmond region's top business stories. This week's topic include Henrico County's stalled arena development, the relocation of a prominent accounting firm, and a local coffee company's move to major retail stores near you.

VPM News' Jahd Khalil found the campaign playlists for the gubernatorial candidates, so he and Patrick Larsen asked around about what their selections convey. In other news: The City of Richmond has put up anti-loiter signs near the Allianz Amphiteater; Suffolk is looking into Amtrak service; VCU Health is sunsetting its pediatric gender-affirming care — and more Central Virginia news. Are you enjoying the audio versions of our VPM News Shorts? They're usually posted twice a week to our Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.  Our award-winning journalism is made possible with your support. Visit vpm.org/donate for more information. 

Megan Pauly, VPM News' higher education reporter, explains why VCU withheld several students' degrees following a peaceful campus protest in April.  Our award-winning work is made possible with your support. Visit ⁠vpm.org/donate⁠ for more information. 

City councilors effectively banned new smoke shops in Richmond, while noting that the rules don't affect existing businesses.    Plus: A Fairfax County judge has ruled in Virginia Senate Democrats' favor on the lawsuit they filed against rectors at GMU, VMI and UVA.    Our award-winning work is made possible with your support. Visit ⁠vpm.org/donate⁠ for more information.