Legislation Aims To Reduce Barriers For Energy Storage Projects

In 2020, lawmakers seeking to speed the development of renewables and wean Virginia off fossil fuels made a host of changes to state law.

‘I’m Just Trying To Get On TV:’ Gun Rally Draws Fringe Groups, Lots Of Media To Richmond

The sequel Monday to the 2020 Richmond gun rally, which drew over 20,000 followers, "was smaller and stranger," the report indicates.

Bill To Add ‘Cultural Competency’ Training For Virginia Teachers Moves Forward

A House committee voted Monday to approve a bill requiring new cultural competency training for Virginia educators.

McAuliffe Dominates Gubernatorial Fundraising, Reporting More Cash Than All Opponents Combined

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe entered 2021 with more money in the bank than all other candidates for governor combined.

Voters Might Not Like Dr. Northam’s "Chill-Pill" Prescription For Virginians Awaiting Vaccines

Here we go again, Virginia, trailing the pack at yet another critical turn in combating the global coronavirus pandemic.

Exhausted Vaccine Reserve Could Unravel Plans For Phase 1b Expansion In Virginia

News that the federal government has already exhausted its supply of “reserve” COVID-19 vaccines sent Virginia officials scrambling Friday.

Democrats Eye Vehicles As The Next Target For Cutting Carbon Emissions

Virginia Democrats’ big environmental push of 2020 was the Virginia Clean Economy Act, a sweeping omnibus measure.

Northam Unveils Proposal To Begin Legal Marijuana Sales In 2023

Retail sales of recreational marijuana would begin in Virginia on Jan. 1, 2023, under legislation authored by Gov. Northam’s administration.

Pro-Trump Republican Picked For Va. Redistricting Commission Tweeted About ‘Rigged’ Election, Used Slurs For Female Celebrities

Marine Corps veteran Jose Feliciano Jr.'s "vulgar, degrading online comments," in support of Trump, are brought into question.

Republicans Have No Business Talking About The Integrity Of Elections

Claims by Republican legislators in Virginia about “voter integrity” can sound seductive — until you peel back layers of their arguments.

Virginia Democrats Continue Push For Criminal Justice Reform, As General Assembly Convenes

As the General Assembly reconvenes this week, Virginia Democrats are continuing a push to reform the state’s criminal justice system.

Virginia Democrats Push To End Constitutional Rule Stripping Felons Of Voting Rights

Democrats would seek a constitutional amendment to rid Virginia of what many call "a racist relic of a Jim Crow system."

If We Want To Save Our Restaurants, Virginia Must Put Long-Term Relief On The Menu

The issue with Virginia restaurants, says a hospitality official, "needs dedicated long-term financial assistance to solve."

Virginia Pushes Back Estimate For Vaccinating All Residents For COVID-19

Every Virginian vaccinated by early to mid-summer? Therein lies the question; experts say it is not likely.

Investigations Opened Into The Death Of U.S. Capitol Police Officer From Virginia After Pro-Trump Riot

Brian Sicknick, whose death was termed "senseless" by two Democratic senators, lived in Springfield, Va., the report states.

Good News, VA: $1 Million Winners, First Baby, Pickleball Fever

Good news across Virginia includes $2 million to Capital Food Bank, testing kiosks, million-dollar lottery tickets sold and other stories.

Divide Deepens In Virginia GOP As Democrats Renew Calls For Trump’s Early Ouster

"Bluntly, this was a Donald Trump-inspired disaster," Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine said Thursday.

Virginia Attorney, Seeking Sealed Papers From A Major Anti-Immigrant Activist For Years, Wonders What They Show

In 2016, Virginia-based immigration lawyer Hassan Ahmad sent the University of Michigan a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

Retired Judges Pick Eight Citizen Members For Virginia Redistricting Commission

A panel of retired judges on Wednesday picked the eight Virginia citizens who will serve on the state’s new redistricting commission.

Virginia Crime Commission Recommends Eliminating All Mandatory Minimum Sentences

The Virginia Crime Commission voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to endorse legislation stripping all mandatory minimum sentences from state code.

Chesapeake Bay Health Remains Poor, Says Latest State Of The Bay Report

Two years after its last assessment of the Chesapeake Bay’s health, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation has found little overall improvement.

‘Not A Happy Story’: But How Does It End?

Already the first days of 2021 feel less like darkness before the dawn in Virginia, and like a deeper plunge into our bitter polarization.

Virginia’s Naturopathic Doctors Are Continuing A 15-Year Fight For Licensure

For the past 15 years, Virginia’s naturopathic doctors have been on a quest for licensure by the state’s Department of Health Professions.

Virginia State Senator Dies Of COVID-19 Complications

Virginia State Sen. A. Benton “Ben” Chafin Jr., R-Russell, has died of COVID-19, the Senate Republican leadership announced Friday evening.

Northam’s Budget Would Guarantee Transgender Health Services For Medicaid Enrollees

Tucked away in the budget Northam presented is a single line that his administration says would guarantee care to transgender enrollees.

Top 10 Most-Viewed Mercury Stories Of The Year

Among the highlights are "unrelenting coverage" on the state's response to the pandemic, and implementation of the Clean Economy Act.

In Virginia, Slow Vaccine Rollout Frustrates Health Care Providers

Earlier this month, Virginia received 285,725 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, but only 54,295 have been administered, the report states.

Oppression In The Kitchen, Delight In The Dining Room: The Story Of Caesar, An Enslaved Chef And Chocolatier In Colonial Virginia

The author details the history of chocolate and those who put diligent labor into creating it, in a Christmas reflection.

Lawmakers Propose Fixes For Virginia’s Beleaguered Unemployment Insurance Program

Lawmakers say they plan to propose legislative fixes next month to speed unemployment claims in Virginia, which ranks last in the country.

Northam Halts Payroll Tax Increase Tied To Pandemic Layoffs

Businesses facing a big increase in payroll taxes next year tied to widespread layoffs amid the pandemic will get a 1-year reprieve.

Put Equity First In Access To The COVID-19 Vaccine

(The author talks about the myriad questions relevant to how the COVID-19 vaccine should be prioritized.)

Congress Passes Massive ‘First Step’ In Pandemic Relief With $900 Billion Package

This bill "still didn't go far enough for many Democrats," according to the report.

Telehealth In Virginia: Where Do We Go From Here?

The authors discuss access, disparities, and the future of Internet health care in Virginia.

Hoping To Vaccinate Millions Against COVID-19, Officials Seek To Expand Virginia’s Health Care Workforce

As Virginia takes the first steps in an unprecedented vaccination campaign, there are still questions health officials can’t answer.

Workers’ COVID-19 Lawsuits Could Be Quashed Under GOP Push In Congress

Managers allegedly took bets at an Iowa meat-packing facility, the report states.

Virginia Celebrates Arrival Of COVID-19 Vaccines, But Health Officials Won’t Say Where Exactly They’re Going

Virginia’s first doses of COVID-19 vaccine, distributed and administered at hospitals across the state, were greeted with accolades.

Some Health Officials Have Urged Schools To Close, But That Advice Is Not Always Shared Publicly

Elementary school teacher Brown was initially puzzled when she noticed other local schools transitioning back to online learning.

Northam’s Sunny Budget Rewrite Roils Republicans With His Proposed Court Of Appeals Expansion

In revisions to the two-year, $135 billion spending plan, Northam proposed hundreds of millions for vaccine development, pandemic response.

Roanoke Region Sees Major Spike In COVID-19; Herring Announces Re-Election Campaign; Birthday Acts Of Kindness; More Headlines

This is "News to Know," our daily roundup of headlines from Virginia and elsewhere.

Only One GOP Candidate For Governor Acknowledges Reality Of Biden’s Win

Everyone expects the presidential outcome to loom large over Virginia’s upcoming gubernatorial election.