Virginia News & Current Events | Public News Service

Along with flooding, Virginia is experiencing sea level rise. Between 1950 and 2023, the state has seen a 14-inch rise in sea level rise, putting 45,000 homes at risk of tidal flooding. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Wetlands forming on VA surface mines, impacts uncertain

A recent report found wetlands forming on surface mines in Virginia can benefit the state. The wetlands form because surface mining flattens land…

Virginia's Department of Energy is one of nine state and tribal programs to receive funds from Congress for repurposing abandoned mine lands. It was first authorized in 2016, and the state received $10 million in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. (Adobe Stock)

VA group looks at carbon-offset market to help reforest former mines

A Virginia group is working out ways to reforest former mines across Appalachia. The state has several hundred thousand acres of mine land, which …

Based on current environmental impacts, residents of Petersburg have a life expectancy 10 years lower than the national average, according to U.S. News & World Report. (Adobe Stock)

VA environmentalists frustrated by FERC-approved pipeline extension

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a plan extending a natural-gas pipeline in Virginia. The Virginia Reliability Plan and Transcot's …

In the three decades between 1980 and 2010, Virginia's York River lost more than 20% of marsh area. By 2050, the region is projected to lose 40,000 acres to sea-level rise. (Adobe Stock)

New plan outlines ways to conserve VA’s coastal wetlands

A new plan takes an interconnected approach to saving Virginia's coastal wetlands. The aim of Virginia's York River and Small Coastal Basin …

Around 41% of low-income parents and 45% of middle-income parents noticed a negative attitude in their child's behavioral and physical health when they don't have enough to eat. (Adobe Stock)

Surveys: Families' food insecurity grows ahead of Thanksgiving

New surveys find food insecurity has risen in Virginia and across the U.S. No Kid Hungry's survey finds more than half of families in Virginia said …

According to AARP, there are 6.5 million veteran and military caregivers across the U.S., providing the equivalent of $14 billion in unpaid care per year. (Adobe Stock)

AARP co-hosts webinar on caregiving for veterans

AARP is partnering with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation for a webinar today on the financial impacts of caregiving for veterans. New data show family …

A Commonwealth Institute report found Black and Hispanic city employees in Richmond are more likely to be paid low wages. More than 80% of the workers cannot afford supporting themselves or their families on their city salaries. More than half of the city's workers are Black. (Adobe Stock)

Richmond city workers hit snag with union negotiations

City employees in Richmond are frustrated by the city's unwillingness to negotiate a union contract. Earlier this year, the workers voted to …

A 2021 report found Virginia has the potential to create more than 220,000 terawatts of offshore wind energy by 2050. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Dominion Energy plan falls short on renewables

A new report found Dominion Energy's Integrated Resource Plan does not align with Virginia's climate goals. Dominion wants to keep using gas and …

In the last two decades, Virginia has managed to reduce its methane emissions by 58.7%. (Adobe Stock)

VA developing plan for Climate Pollution Reduction Grants

Virginia is determining how to best use its Climate Pollution Reduction Grants. This grant was awarded to numerous states through funds allocated in …

A 2023 March of Dimes report finds almost 14.8% of women in Virginia don't have a birthing hospital within 30 minutes of where they live, compared with 9.7% of women nationwide. (Adobe Stock)

Report: VA women’s health stagnates despite improvements

Progress in bolstering women's health in Virginia has stagnated, according to a new report. Virginia ranks 14th among the states in the latest …

A U.S. Water Alliance poll found 85% of voters find ensuring a reliable supply of water extremely or very important. (Adobe Stock)

Nonprofit seeks to raise awareness for failing water systems

A national group is using today as a national day of action to raise awareness for U.S. water systems. The U.S. Water Alliance is behind the Imagine …

KFF reported in 2021 the state saw 2,230 opioid overdose deaths, which accounted for 85% of drug overdose deaths in Virginia. (Adobe Stock)

VA group sets record straight on substance-use disorder

During National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, a Virginia group is working to help those dealing with substance abuse. The state's Department of …

The National Institutes of Health encourages older people to practice safe sex no matter how old they are, as cases of HIV/AIDS among older people are on the increase. (Adobe Stock)

AARP-VA holds workshops on sexual health, dating after 50

Sex and relationships after age 50 are the topics of a series of online workshops hosted by AARP Virginia, starting tonight. The group says the idea …

A 2023 National PTA survey finds 72% of parents support schools having mental health resources. (Adobe Stock)

This Wednesday: Youth mental health summit in VA

Today is World Mental Health Day, and this week a Virginia group is focusing on youth mental health at a special summit. Speakers at "Beyond Trauma: …

A Lumina Foundation/Gallup poll finds one in four Hispanic students

Poll: Many Hispanic college students consider dropping out

A majority of Hispanic community college students tell pollsters they've wanted to leave school. The Lumina Foundation-Gallup poll finds 50% of …

A National Wildlife Federation survey finds 36% of respondents are required by city ordinances or homeowners associations to rake their leaves. Additionally, 14% of those surveyed got rid of 10 bags of leaves per year. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Leave leaves on yards to aid biodiversity

A new study finds the autumn chore of raking leaves could be a disservice to budding plant life. The National Wildlife Federation found fallen leaves …

According to AARP Virginia, 80% of nursing homes in the state do not meet the staffing requirements set by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (Adobe Stock)

VA long-term care facilities rank low on national scorecard

A new report finds Virginia's long-term care facilities need improvement to better serve their residents. AARP's Long-Term Care Services and …

The National Council for Air and Stream Improvement found while older forests accumulate more carbon than younger ones, a younger forest can remove more carbon dioxide per year from the atmosphere than an older forest. (Adobe Stock)

Virginia groups seek old-growth forest protections

Virginia environmental advocates are looking for protections of old-growth forests. In 2022, President Joe Biden issued an executive order to have …

While evictions declined dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, they have since reached pre-pandemic levels. The first quarter of 2023 saw around 35,000 eviction filings in Virginia, a slight decline from the last two quarters of 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Today: Richmond Candidate Forum to Focus on 'Housing Crisis'

Advocates for affordable housing in Virginia are holding a forum today for Richmond region candidates to speak with local residents about the state's …

As August ended, there had been 27 confirmed cases of meningococcal disease associated with Virginia's outbreak, including five deaths. (Adobe Stock)

Virginia Faces Meningococcal Disease Outbreak

The Virginia Department of Health has reported a statewide outbreak of meningococcal disease. It initially began as a regional outbreak in the …

A 2023 Resources for the Future report noted the state of Virginia established a climate resilience fund in early 2022, using $25 million from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. (Chesapeake Climate Action Network)

Environmental Groups File Lawsuit to Keep VA in RGGI

Several environmental groups have filed a lawsuit to keep Virginia in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. In June, Virginia's Air Pollution …

A study analyzing Massachusetts' menthol ban found there were some increases in cross-border sales of menthols, although they weren't statistically significant. (Adobe Stock)

Law Enforcement Ponders How to Enforce Menthol Cigarette Ban

The Food and Drug Administration will be releasing guidance on its proposed menthol cigarette ban by month's end. In Virginia, these cigarettes make …

Energy prices across the United States increased 5% between 2021 and 2022, according to the Energy Information Administration. Coupled with 8% inflation, ratepayers saw a total 13% increase, the largest growth in electric bills since 1984. (Adobe Stock)

Energy-Efficiency Programs Aid Virginians with High Utility Costs

Growing energy prices have Virginians seeking relief to high utility bills. Earlier this year, Appalachian Power announced its customers will see a $2…

The American Lung Association reported emissions from natural gas and biomass power plants could result in cancer and other health issues, releasing pollutants like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide into the air. (Adobe Stock)

VA Environmental Groups Wary of Proposed Gas Power Plant

A proposed Dominion Energy power plant has Virginia environmental groups in an uproar. The Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center would be a gas-…

North Carolina farm workers have been organizing in similar fashion to those in Virginia. An Oxfam study found one in four workers is paid less than the federal minimum wage, and more than half aren't paid enough to meet their basic needs. (Adobe Stock)

Labor Rights Group Helps VA Migrant Workers Unionize

Migrant farm workers in Virginia are organizing for better workplace treatment. The Farm Labor Organizing Committee has developed a union with two …

In an AARP survey, Virginia voters said they would support the idea of importing prescription drugs from wholesalers and licensed pharmacies and/or joining a buying pool offering prescription drug discounts. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: Virginia Needs Lower Prescription Drug Prices

Despite partisan divides on many issues, a new survey shows Virginia voters are like-minded about the need to do something about rising prescription …

A recent Council on Criminal Justice Report finds homicide has reached 2020 levels (24%) this year, after peaking at 40% in 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Report: VA, US Crime Rates See Post-Pandemic Decline

A recent report finds crime across cities in Virginia and the nation is in sharp decline. The Council for Criminal Justice report tracked crime data …

While Virginia Commonwealth University cleaners have gotten their first union contract, union growth in the United States has slowed. A Pew Research poll finds more than half of Americans feel this decline is bad not only for working people, but for all Americans. (Jeff Auth-Wikimedia Commons)

VCU Cleaners Get First Union Contract

Virginia Commonwealth University cleaners have won their first union contract. Along with 12 additional paid days off, the school's janitorial staff …

Between 2018 and 2021, maternal mortality rates spiked, according to the CDC. They peaked in 2021 at around 32%, with mothers age 40 and over having the largest increase in maternal mortality. (Adobe Stock)

VA Group Works to Improve Maternal Health

A Virginia group is working to boost maternal health across the state. Since 2011, maternal mortality rates have increased across the U.S. but …

A pilot program is being developed for Virginia's Security Corridor with the American Forest Program to grow the Family Forest Carbon Program in the region. It would help provide capacity to private landowners to improve carbon sequestration of their forests. (Adobe Stock)

VA Joins Sentinel Landscape Partnership Program

Virginia is the 12th state to join the nationwide Sentinel Landscape Partnership, which has goals of strengthening military readiness while advancing …

A 2022 Virginia Department of Health survey shows 37% of young people in Virginia felt they had easy access to tobacco products. Meanwhile, more than half (51%) began smoking or vaping as soon as they came of age. (Adobe Stock)

VA Could See Low-Nicotine Cigarettes By End of 2023

Virginia is one of several U.S. states that could see low-nicotine cigarettes rolled out by year's end. Created by 22nd Century Group, these …

Nuclear energy is one part of Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin's

Experts Concerned about SW Virginia Nuclear Plant Placement

Environmentalists and Southwest Virginia residents are concerned about proposed sites for small modular nuclear reactors. The LENOWISCO Planning …

The Chesapeake Legal Alliance sued in May to challenge the Virginia Marine Resources Commission's standards on menhaden harvesting. The proposed regulations would have pushed these operations away from the shores of Chesapeake Bay in the hopes of preventing net spills. (Adobe Stock)

Industrial Menhaden Operations Harm VA Ecosystems

Virginia fishermen want action to be taken to keep industrial menhaden operations in the state in check. Menhaden are a nutrient-rich fish and a key …

This summer's data from AARP found 37.2 million people age 55 and older were employed, a slight increase from May. Unemployment for the same group declined to 1 million in the same time period. (Adobe Stock)

Virginia Seniors Get Help with Job Training, Confidence Building

A Virginia program is helping older workers launch their "second act" in the workforce. The Northern Virginia Senior Community Services Employment …

In 2021, transportation was the highest source of greenhouse-gas emissions, accounting for 28% of all emissions in the United States, according to the EPA. (Adobe Stock)

Public Comment for EPA’s EV Standards Concludes

The Environmental Protection Agency's comment period on new electric vehicle standards has ended. New regulations from the agency would phase-in …

The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare found Virginia Social Security beneficiaries received $2,336,507,000 in 2020. (Adobe Stock)

AARP Virginia Hosts Town Hall on Social Security's Importance, Future

AARP Virginia is sponsoring a town hall at 5:30 p.m. at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia in Richmond about Social Security…

According to research from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Virginia police estimate there are 31,000 active protective orders on file at any given time in the state. (Adobe Stock)

VA Group Working to Aid Domestic Violence Victims, Survivors

A Virginia group is working to ensure abusers can't use the courts to keep harming their victims. Commonly called "abusive litigation," these come …

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory finds solar resources make up around 90% of potential renewable energy generation potential on tribal lands in the contiguous 48 states. (Adobe Stock)

Community Solar Focuses on Equity for VA Climate Goals

By Carey L. Biron for Context.Broadcast version by Edwin J. Viera for Virginia News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public …

Virginia ranked 48th in the 2023 State of Mental Health report undertaken by Mental Health America. This indicates higher rates of mental illness among the state's youth and little access to care. (Adobe Stock)

Report: VA, US Children Need Better Health Supports

A new annual report found children in Virginia and across the U.S. need better health support. The Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Book …

A 2018 study from The Electricity Journal found the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative had created a $4.7 billion net benefit for consumers and created over 40,000 jobs. (Adobe Stock)

VA Bails on Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

Virginia's Air Pollution Control Board has voted to leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. RGGI is a cooperative effort among multiple …

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wetlands cover 5.5% of the 48 contiguous states, with one million acres of wetland in Virginia. (Adobe Stock)

SCOTUS Ruling Creates New Definition for Wetlands

Virginia environmental advocates are not happy with the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision on the Clean Water Act. The ruling in Sackett versus E-P-…

A 2022 study from the Administration for Community Living found 60% of senior centers are designed to be points of delivery for Older Americans Act programs, like home-delivered or congregate meals, health and wellness programs, caregiver support and adult day care. (Adobe Stock)

VA Senior Center Grows 'Environmental Wellness' Programs

As the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, senior centers in Virginia are welcoming back their participants, and one in particular has shifted some of …

An Annie E. Casey Foundation report finds the number of kids entering foster care because of neglect increased from 29% in 2006 to 48% in 2021. But, the report finds fewer kids entered foster care because of behavioral issues during the same period. (Adobe Stock)

Report: More Support Needed for VA Foster Kids

A recent report finds foster kids in Virginia and the U.S. need better support to transition out of the foster-care system. The Annie E. Casey …

According to Virginia's opioid cost calculator, which tracks monetary impacts like lost labor, health care, crime, household costs, and state and federal costs, the state is facing a price tag of around $3.5 billion. (Adobe Stock)

VA Group Works to Address Opioid Crisis

As the opioid epidemic continues to take its toll, a Virginia group is working to keep people safe. The Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition in Roanoke …

Virginia ranked 48th in Mental Health America's 2023 State of Mental Health report for youth mental health, which indicated higher rates of mental illness among the state's youth and little access to care. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: Parents Worried About Student Mental Health

A recent survey from the National PTA found student mental health is a top-of-mind issue for parents across the U.S. The survey showed 72% of …

According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, 2.8% (14,400) high school students smoke in Virginia. The percentage of high schoolers who use e-cigarettes is 14.3%, slightly higher than the percentage of adults who smoke, 12.4%. (Adobe Stock)

VA Groups Aim to Reduce Youth Tobacco Use

Virginia groups are using different methods to warn young people about the dangers of smoking. Along with tobacco-free parks, the state has taken …

Due to sea level rise, 263,500 jobs and more than $11 billion in wage income across the Chesapeake Bay region will be at risk of 100-year flooding by 2050, according to a new report. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Rising Sea Levels to Impact Chesapeake Bay Region’s Economy

A new report finds rising sea levels in Chesapeake Bay will cost the surrounding regions jobs. The Resources for the Future report finds, in …

According to a 2022 Kaiser Family Foundation study, 57% of schools reported having insufficient access to licensed mental health professionals. (Adobe Stock)

VA Works to Improve Residents' Mental Health

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Virginia is working to improve the mental health of its residents. In Mental Health America's 2023 State …

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