WMRA Local News

The surge is real – Virginia records its highest-ever single day total of new COVID-19 infections as the new year begins… Virginia's unemployment rate is way down from pandemic highs, but the number of people with jobs is actually lower than before the lockdowns began… As Republicans get set to take over the House of Delegates, a constitutional amendment to guarantee the right to vote for former felons is in doubt….

Attorney General Mark Herring sues the town of Windsor over discriminatory law enforcement practices; Nine confederate statues in Richmond could find a new home in a museum; When the General Assembly convenes next month, lawmakers will consider a bill to allow hunting on Sundays; And Jeff Shapiro and Michael Pope discuss the week in Virginia government and politics

The Commonwealth now has new political maps, and incumbents could face off in the next elections; Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin wants to pull Virginia out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative; When the General Assembly convenes next month, lawmakers will consider several different options for paid family leave; They'll also debate measures to keep students safe in the era of school shootings

The lead conservator for Virginia's Department of Historic Resources opens the time capsule found in the base of the Lee statue in Richmond; Charlottesville continues its search for people to lead the city; Virginia is spending more than $700 million to bring broadband access to rural localities; And the second of two exit interviews with outgoing governor Ralph Northam

Opponents of the Mountain Valley Pipeline file a petition in federal court to try to stop the natural gas project; Workers may have found the time capsule in the base of the Lee statue in Richmond; Some gun rights activists want to make it easier to carry concealed weapons in the Commonwealth; And the first of two exit interview with outgoing governor Ralph Northam

The last Afghan refugees temporarily housed at Quantico have been re-settled; Old Dominion University has been classified as a Research One Institution; Republicans hope to cut taxes for Virginians when they assume control of the House of Delegates next month; And Jeff Shapiro and Michael Pope discuss the week in Virginia politics

Historic preservationists on Wednesday opened the time capsule discovered in the pedestal of the statue of confederate general Robert E. Lee in Richmond; Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin names another member of his leadership team; The Harrisonburg community is rallying around a 76-year-old man who lost his home to a fire back in August; And many local businesses see an upswing in customers, but pandemic-related issues are stifling some sales

The Harrisonburg community is rallying around a 76-year-old man who lost his home to a fire back in August. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

Virginia's Division of Legislative Automated Systems continues to work on problems caused by a ransomware attack; Law enforcement agencies across the commonwealth will set up sobriety checkpoints throughout the holidays to prevent drunk driving; Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin names another member of his cabinet; And hospitals and community centers in Virginia are overwhelmed by the number of people requiring mental health services

Law enforcement agencies all over Virginia will set up sobriety checkpoints and additional patrols throughout the holidays to prevent drunk driving. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

The Chief Justice of the Virginia Supreme Court will resign at the end of the year; A federal court will hear a lawsuit against Virginia for barring the public from remotely obtaining civil court records; A professor from James Madison University talks about the James Webb Space Telescope, scheduled to launch on Friday; And local organizations team up to deliver Christmas gifts to children who might not otherwise receive them

Each Christmas season, local organizations team up to get presents to kids who might not get one otherwise. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

With the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope currently scheduled for Christmas Eve, one JMU professor awaits the data it will produce about the earliest perceivable galaxies. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

A time capsule from 1887, an update on the omicron variant, the latest on the shopping cart killer, and dis-satisfaction with the Richmond Police chief. Those stories and more coming up. This is the WMRA Daily for Monday, December 20 th …

The omicron variant of the coronavirus is in Virginia. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi talks with Virginia State Health Commissioner Dr. M. Norman Oliver.

Two women who were found dead in Harrisonburg last month are now thought to be victims of a serial killer. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

You've got one more chance to comment on the state's newly drawn political districts… A new program in the Charlottesville area will use restorative justice principles to provide an alternative path for those accused of crimes, and their victims… The outgoing governor presents his budget, and meanwhile more than a month after his election, Governor Northam's successor hasn't named anybody to his cabinet yet….

A general store in New Market is offering frozen fruits and veggies at a discount to EBT customers with the help of state-funded programs. Randi B. Hagi reports.

A new program in the Charlottesville area aims to provide an alternative path for those accused of crimes – and their victims – outside of the courtroom. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

Virginia's Kid Pan Alley writes songs with children to inspire creativity, build confidence, and foster community among kids of all ages.

In a sign that some kids are having trouble re-learning how to behave in social situations now that in-person learning has resumed, mental health referrals are up at all levels for students in local schools, and the stress is affecting their physical health as well… We find out what Virginia residents are saying about new political maps… Governor Northam proposes spending $1 billion over the next two years to clean up Virginia's waterways and the Chesapeake Bay….

Educators and school staff are now facing new challenges born of the pandemic: helping kids build up their mental health, and relearn social skills. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

A longtime history professor at JMU dies from his injuries in a Thanksgiving weekend fire… The Mountain Valley Pipeline clears another key regulatory hurdle… Governor Northam joins Glenn Youngkin's tax cut bandwagon on his way out of office….

As communities in Augusta County mourn, they're also demanding justice in the case of a three-year-old girl who was reported missing in September and is presumed dead. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

One of the owners of Nexus Services is indicted for tax fraud… Local food pantries get a holiday boost from the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank… Governor Northam and Virginia's U.S. Senators promote a new influx of federal funds they say will provide high speed Internet to 90-percent of residents in the commonwealth….

Tuition and fees will go up next year at UVa… Hundreds of protesters gather in Richmond to voice opposition to the Mountain Valley Pipeline… Governor Northam wants to fund a new agency that would monitor gun violence in Virginia….

The first case of the Omicron variant in Virginia is confirmed… Newspaper reporters around the state are celebrating, because for now their publications will not be acquired by a hedge fund known for buying, and then gutting, papers… Abigail Spanberger will essentially be drawn out of her district, if the state Supreme Court's new maps go through, and we take a look….

As Governor Northam pushes for more funding for outdoor recreation, Shenandoah National Park says it will increase fees for camping and other activities… It's official – the GOP will have a 52-48 majority in the next House of Delegates… Republican Governor-elect Youngkin says he intends to withdraw Virginia from a multistate carbon cap-and-trade program….

After months of debate, Harrisonburg's school board votes to keep police officers in city schools… Governor Northam wants law enforcement officers to get a big pay boost… Unlike requirements for kids to get immunized for diseases such as measles and polio, the state department of health says it does not have authority to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for students or school staff….

Opening arguments begin in the civil trial of the organizers of Unite the Right… Meanwhile, two big events are coming up in the next few days – Halloween, and we've got ghost stories from the Valley… And, Election Day, and we've got a profile of three House of Delegates races in our area, plus a broader look at the statewide races….

As election day rapidly approaches, WMRA's Randi B. Hagi has a look at three House of Delegates races in our area.

With all of the historic houses in the Valley, one can speculate some of these places must be haunted, and according to author Denver Michaels , there are many haunted spots in our region.

A jury is seated and opening arguments begin in the trial of those who planned the violent Unite the Right rally… Senator Mark Warner says he's coming back to Charlottesville to see if mail delivery has gotten any better… The Virginia Film Festival screens Truth Tellers , about an artist on a mission to paint iconic Americans, including the young woman who sparked the removal of Charlottesville's Lee statue….

The Virginia Film Festival runs through Sunday, when the film Truth Tellers will be screened. It's a documentary about a painter-turned-activist who memorializes iconic Americans, including some remarkable Virginians. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

By the end of the day today, a jury should be seated in the civil trial against the organizers of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville… As President Biden makes another campaign stop for Terry McAuliffe, we explore why Virginians may split the ticket… We attend a gun safety class – for women only….

On Sunday [Oct. 24] in Harrisonburg, students learned the ins and outs of concealed handgun permits. The class, for women only, also covered when an ordinary citizen is legally justified in using deadly force. WMRA's Randi B Hagi reports.

When someone who's homeless in Harrisonburg gets COVID-19, the city has been paying for them to stay in a hotel. But Harrisonburg stopped doing that at the beginning of the month -- and shelters are scrambling to come up with an alternative. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

Homeless shelters in Harrisonburg are scrambling to safely house people who are sick with COVID-19, now that the city is no longer paying to put them up in hotel rooms… An update on the trial of Unite the Right rally organizers in Charlottesville… Virginia's redistricting commission is a bust, so now it's up to the state Supreme Court to draw boundaries….

More than four years after the deadly Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, white supremacists who organized it stand trial… It's an adopters' market at the Charlottesville area SPCA, which typically has a wait list to adopt a pet… Doctors make progress in diagnosing autism earlier, but that's complicated by the fact that parents aren't bringing their kids in for routine check-ups….

So many Charlottesville-area residents want to adopt pets that the animal shelter there regularly brings cats and dogs in from other shelters. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

All UVa employees must be vaccinated by December 8 th , or face termination… Two Charlottesville-based potters donate a portion of their proceeds to feed the hungry… What effect is early voting having on Virginia's elections?

Two Charlottesville-based potters are donating a portion of their proceeds to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank . WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

Virginia's redistricting commission is going behind closed doors in a last-ditch effort to do its job… A ‘climate emergency choir' from Harrisonburg performs in Richmond… Hiking has surged during the pandemic, but a lack of trail etiquette is damaging the Appalachian Trail….

A "climate emergency choir" performed in Richmond on Monday to ask Governor Northam to put an end to the Mountain Valley Pipeline and demand solutions to climate change. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

Even as COVID-19 numbers decline, the proportion of child cases is climbing… Virginia's mental health services are stretched beyond the breaking point… A new film follows a Charlottesville library's journey from a segregated institution to one used and loved by everyone….

A new documentary chronicles the hundred-year history of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library in Charlottesville. It follows the library's journey from a segregated institution to one used and loved by everyone. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

Some elective procedures are returning to Augusta Health, as the COVID-19 surge there begins to subside… An Amish woman from Farmville is killed when her family's buggy is hit by a truck… An African-American heritage center in Charlottesville wants to take the Lee statue and melt it down to make new art….

The surge of COVID-19 patients at Augusta Health in Fishersville is gradually starting to subside. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi has this update.

Virginia gets federal money to help keep schools safe for in-person learning… The cost of energy in the commonwealth is rising, and that raises questions about the cost of addressing climate change… A UVa alum receives national recognition for her work in architecture and urban design….

American progressive rock giants, Kansas , are celebrating their 47th anniversary with a concert Saturday night (July 31, 2021) as part of the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival in Orkney Springs.

A Virginia judge tosses out a challenge to transgender student protections… Virginia's redistricting commission is hearing from voters… We share another local StoryCorps conversation between two women who forged a friendship through a shared journey of grief and healing….