A jury in Virginia on Thursday awarded $10 million to a former teacher who was shot by a 6-year-old student and later accused an ex-administrator in a lawsuit of ignoring repeated warnings that the child had a gun.

The win positions Virginia Democrats to advance long-stalled priorities such as creating a retail marijuana market and expanding affordable housing and health care access. Read our full coverage here: tinyurl.com/45xhxmu3

Federal cancellations of food bank contracts and stalled assistance for needy families will hit hardest in Virginia's rural and urban communities, according to an analysis by the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO. Read more here: tinyurl.com/2knakbwa

BV's Saturday, 'Petite Matinee," is a new program for families. It features crafts and activities before the show to introduce children to the world of dance.

Democrat Nadarius Clark defeated Republican Felisha Storm in the race for House District 84. Clark, one of the youngest members of the House when first elected, campaigned on boosting school funding, protecting abortion access and expanding housing options.

Democrat Jessica Anderson defeated Republican incumbent Amanda Batten in their rematch race for House District 71. The 71st district includes Williamsburg and parts of James City and New Kent counties. It became one of Hampton Roads’ most competitive after redistricting a few years ago.

Jay Jones, the former state delegate from Norfolk and the son of a hugely influential politician and judge, will become the state’s first Black Attorney General. Read more here: tinyurl.com/vyertvdt

Virginia Beach voters supported a 10-district voting system that has been used in two election cycles but was never codified in the city charter. The victory means the process of formally including the system in the charter may go forward for state approval before elections next year.

BREAKING: Democrat Jay Jones was elected Tuesday as Virginia attorney general. The win could soon add Virginia to the roster of Democratic-led states legally challenging actions taken by Trump. Stay updated on the election results here:tinyurl.com/4se8r4y8

BREAKING: Democrat Ghazala Hashmi won the lieutenant governor’s race in Virginia on Tuesday, defeating Republican John Reid. She is the first Indian American and first Muslim to win statewide office in Virginia. Stay updated on the results of the election here: tinyurl.com/4se8r4y8

BREAKING: Democrat Abigail Spanberger will be Virginia's next governor, according to a race call by the Associated Press. Spanberger defeated her Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. She'll be Virginia's first woman governor. View the results here: tinyurl.com/2xv4tzxy

Polls are now closed. As long as you were in line before 7 p.m., you will be able to vote. Stay updated on the results of the election here: tinyurl.com/2xv4tzxy

Virginia will make history this Election Day when voters pick the commonwealth’s first female governor. WHRO News went to the polls and asked voters in Hampton Roads how they feel about this landmark election. Read our full coverage here: tinyurl.com/396ca6jn

Today, Virginia is on the brink of making history. Voters are deciding who will become the first female governor of Virginia — Democrat Abigail Spanberger or Republican Winsome Earle-Sears. Polls are open until 7 p.m., so there’s still time to make your voice heard.

REMINDER: Hampton Roads Transit, Suffolk Transit and Williamsburg Area Transit Authority are offering free rides all day to help you get to the polls! Services will run on regular schedules — from early morning to evening — and riders don’t need to show anything special.

The Southeastern Public Service Authority approved a 20-year contract with Commonwealth Sortation to overhaul how South Hampton Roads manages waste. The contract could reshape local recycling programs, making single-bin collection more cost-effective than traditional curbside systems.

Make sure you have a valid ID before you head to the polls! Voters without an acceptable form of ID will be required to either sign an ID Confirmation Statement or vote a provisional ballot.

Polls are now open. As long as you are in line by 7:00 p.m., you will be able to vote.

The Broadway production of “The Wiz” lands in Norfolk Tuesday, dropping Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion at Chrysler Hall for a five-day run. Read more here: tinyurl.com/54xvh747

Democratic Del. Michael Feggans and Republican challenger Tim Anderson made their final campaign pushes across Virginia Beach ahead of Tuesday’s election, which could determine control of the Virginia House of Delegates. Read more here: tinyurl.com/3a28hb8m

The countdown to Election Day is on. And if you plan on voting Nov. 4 but don’t have a way to get to the polls, local transit systems have your back. WHRO News Digital Producer Alexis Mitchell has the latest.

President Barack Obama joined Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger at the Chartway Arena Saturday and endorsed her for governor. Thousands lined up to hear what they had to say — some arriving before sunrise. Read our full coverage here: tinyurl.com/4zjnz8yd

REMINDER: Today is the last of early in-person voting. Do you know your satellite early voting locations? You can find them here: tinyurl.com/3h6hutfp

Political donors have been dumping millions of dollars into statewide campaigns during the final weeks of Virginia’s election season. Through Oct. 23, the three statewide races have garnered $150 million, according to finance reports compiled by the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project.

The workers at Rivers Casino in Portsmouth have secured a union contract. The labor agreement will give casino workers guaranteed raises, employer-paid health care coverage and additional time off.

Benefits from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are expected to expire starting Nov. 1 and food assistance groups across Hampton Roads are bracing themselves for an avalanche of new demand for aid.

Hampton Roads families affected by autism say they face many challenges as they navigate long waits for diagnoses, limited adult programs and a patchwork of resources. Read our full coverage here: tinyurl.com/388vm46r

Virginia voters have an important decision in this year’s election. WHRO News asked candidates about the topics you said you were most interested in to help you as you head to the polls. View their responses here: tinyurl.com/548r724n

Amid an effort to grow the Virginia Beach economy, a new review of city-owned properties identified more than 1,100 acres that could accommodate industrial or business development.

The Trump administration plans to eliminate most positions at the National Park Service’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed office, cutting six of its 10 employees. The regional office coordinates federal programs across the bay’s 41-million-acre watershed.

The Virginia Lottery Board approved an operating license for Norfolk’s temporary casino Wednesday. The temporary tent casino will be located in front of the construction site and will open by November 15. The casino’s permanent location is still scheduled to open late 2027.

Since 1967, Job Corps has been a fixture in Marion, Va. The residential campus on Main Street has trained generations in health care skills. Despite bipartisan support under previous administrations, the Trump administration is trying to close it.

Chesapeake City Council voted to formalize its long-uncertain boundary line with Suffolk this week. Suffolk will have to do the same for the process to move forward. Read our most recent story here: tinyurl.com/4w24wrtv

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted this week to reduce the coastwide menhaden catch limit by 20% next year. The move follows a contentious debate over how to balance the fishing industry with ecosystem concerns.

James City County supervisors will vote in November on standards for reviewing data center applications. The proposed policy requires any data center built in James City County to be at least 400 feet from residences, and 250 feet from historic, recreational and environmentally sensitive areas.

Filipino muralist Venazir Martinez is painting a new mural near Old Dominion University’s Chartway Arena, blending Norfolk history with Filipino heritage through her signature “red thread” — a scarlet line that links all her murals worldwide. Read more here: tinyurl.com/54z5husr

Virginia’s medical cannabis regulators now have a clearer picture of patient spending and product trends thanks to the new Seed-to-Sale tracking system that launched this summer. Lawmakers have twice approved bills to open a recreational cannabis market, but Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed both.

Four more homes collapsed into the ocean near Cape Hatteras Tuesday. That brings the tally of homes that have collapsed due to beach erosion in the Outer Banks so far this year to 15. All have fallen within the last month.

A Virginia Beach family struck up an impromptu lesson in agriculture after their children became curious about a soybean combine at Bonney Bright Farms. Read more here: tinyurl.com/yc7rv66v

The Virginia Institute of Marine Science will help lead a new research effort related to the controversial menhaden industry.

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has left Croatia. The Pentagon is ordering the carrier strike group to the Caribbean to be part of the administration’s effort to confront transnational criminal organizations. The ship can reach the Caribbean as early as the end of the week.

A $40 million dollar lawsuit from the Newport News school-teacher who was shot by her 6-year-old student goes to trial this week. Abby Zwerner was the only one injured when a student at Richneck Elementary pulled out a gun and fired in her classroom in January 2023.

Amtrak service between Newport News and Richmond is canceled indefinitely after a train derailed in rural New Kent County. No injuries were reported after a train carrying 53 coal cars derailed into wetlands on Saturday. The cause is still being investigated.

As Virginia Beach voters decide between the 10-1 voting system or a modified 7-3-1 system in an upcoming referendum, a federal voting rights lawsuit is pressing for clarity before the 2026 local elections.

Jackson-Feild Behavioral Health Services began in 1855 in Norfolk, housing children orphaned by the yellow fever epidemic. The group marked its 170-year anniversary in Norfolk on Sunday.

Facing Virginia’s ongoing nursing shortage, ODU will add a spring admission cycle to its pre-licensure nursing program for the first time in over 30 years. The new cohort launches in January 2026, with enrollment expected to expand by nearly 60% once fully implemented by 2027.

Yorktown-based Republic Services will begin collecting York County residents’ recycling in January. The county’s board of supervisors is scheduled to vote on the contract in November.

The James River Association’s 2025 report gives the river a B, reflecting slight improvements in water quality, nutrient pollution control and land protection. Read more here: tinyurl.com/4bz4jpvv

The James River Association’s 2025 report gives the river a B, reflecting slight improvements in water quality, nutrient pollution control and land protection.

The Chesapeake Health Department hosted its annual fall rabies vaccination clinic this weekend, offering pet owners a low-cost way to protect their animals, and their community, from the deadly virus. Read more here: tinyurl.com/yuvn9vnh