👋 Hi hello, we're back after a brief holiday break! First up from VPM News as we work to bring you another great year of local news in 2026: @theshabomb.com's retrospective on the images that defined Virginia's 2025.

Longtime Valentine Director William “Bill” J. Martin died on Dec. 28 after succumbing to injuries from a Richmond car collision Dec. 27. “His dedication to sharing Richmond’s stories has left an indelible impact on the Valentine and the greater community,” acting museum director Meg Hughes said.

Breaking: The University of Virginia's Board of Visitors named a new president Friday: Scott Beardsley, dean of UVA's Darden School of Business since 2015. Beardsley called the selection "the honor of my life."

Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger and top Virginia Democrats are aiming to lower costs through programs with little impact on the state budget. The approach comes despite a rosier picture from outgoing Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin earlier this week. Read more via @jahd.bsky.social

The State Corporation Commission has agreed to consider an appeal of its permit OKing Dominion Energy Virginia's natural gas plant in Chesterfield. The appeal was filed Monday by Appalachian Voices, the NAACP and Mothers Out Front represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center.

12+ Richmonders and advocates voiced support for a city-run FOIA library plan that failed Monday. No one from the public spoke in favor of the Avula administration’s plan, which passed City Council 7–1. New via @deanmirshahi.bsky.social

Hear me do the Tuesday pod and hear @seanmcgoey.com do today's pod 👇🏼

If you listen to the VPM Daily Newscast on Spotify, you might have noticed this week's episodes aren't showing up. We ARE looking into this! TUES - playlist.megaphone.fm?e=VPM4488436... WED - playlist.megaphone.fm?e=VPM5623795... If you don't listen to our Daily Newscast, check it out below!

Henrico County supervisors have given final approval to a plan that will convert a long-closed landfill near Interstate 64 into a small solar generation facility. It follows a Henrico Planning Commission recommendation and subsequent study to approve the project last month.

Virginia Democrats appear to be sticking to a plan to put a constitutional amendment before voters that would allow a new congressional map in 2026, despite a sweeping victory in November's general election and a fluid redistricting landscape nationwide. More from @jahd.bsky.social:

psst: there's a video now. www.youtube.com/shorts/hvUef...

It's two days before Thanksgiving and there's a very large turkey bravely slaloming between cars and walking directly into an intersection in Chesterfield County. Please read this delightful article fresh off the press on vpm's website.

A new draft of Richmond's Code Refresh zoning overhaul pulls back on several upzoning proposals, including a significant change to the rules around accessory dwelling units — but housing advocates say that could limit the creation of new affordable housing options in the city.

Virginia lawmakers and University of Virginia faculty are raising alarm bells about ongoing patterns of secrecy and lack of transparency surrounding former UVA President Jim Ryan's resignation in June. www.vpm.org/news/2025-11...

If you were following election night returns, you probably heard at some point that every locality in Virginia was moving to the left. That might sound implausible in a state with 133 different voting jurisdictions, but it's true. @seanmcgoey.com dug through the November General Election data!

Update: The Supreme Court of Virginia has declined Attorney General Jason Miyares’ request to review a Fairfax County Circuit Court injunction blocking 22 of Gov. Glenn Youngkin's appointees to several university boards.

Former UVA President Jim Ryan and Rector Rachel Sheridan shared conflicting stories this week, in two different letters. Ryan's 12-page letter also includes his concerns about UVA attorneys' decision to delay the release of information related to federal investigations to officials.

If you're wondering how today's UVA news ended up well...how it's currently unfolding, it all started with one letter. Then it became two...that led to a myriad of other letters being released. This piece just focuses on two letters: the initial Spanberger one, along with Youngkin's response.

The 65% benefits should have been issued to Virginians sometime between 2-3 a.m. today. Have you received those SNAP funds? Let us know! President Donald Trump signed a bill to reopen the federal government late Wednesday night, and it is not yet clear how November benefits will be affected.

"If I can get important programs like SNAP funded, … and then I can protect [federal workers] going forward again, that gets me to yes," US Sen. Tim Kaine (D–Va.) said Monday. "But I didn't have those protections until over the weekend." "Once I got them, I thought this is good for Virginia."

Democrats swept Virginia's top three statewide offices and flipped about a dozen seats in the House of Delegates Tuesday, according to unofficial results from The Associated Press. More from @jahd.bsky.social and WAMU's @margaretbarthel.bsky.social on a big night for Dems in the commonwealth:

Results remain unofficial until certified by the state, but Democrat Abigail Spanberger appears set to be Virginia's first female governor. From @jahd.bsky.social and @margaretbarthel.bsky.social:

Follow here for VPM's unofficial results in the race for governor www.vpm.org/elections/20...

POLLS ARE CLOSED (though don't leave if you're in line at a polling location)! Stay tuned with VPM News throughout the night for coverage from races across Virginia.

Polls close in Virginia in 45 minutes (7 p.m.), but don't leave if you are still waiting in line at 7 — you will be allowed to vote!

So, what gets Virginia’s gubernatorial candidates pumped? Their playlists – or at least the public ones – might give some insight into exactly that. Here's a look at songs you might've heard on the campaign trail leading up to today.

Yesterday, City Council held a special meeting to formally introduce three resolutions to approve the effort. According to council staff, the legislation will be posted online no later than Nov. 12. The developments aim to add to Richmond’s affordable housing supply.

Happy Election Day, Virginia! Looking for our election coverage today? You can find it all here 👇🏼

On this very special Halloween edition of Curious Commonwealth, @seanmcgoey.com asks: "I keep seeing houses in my neighborhood decked out with decorations every bit as insane for Halloween. Has Richmond always been like this?" VPM News found the answer to be… no! Read (and listen) if you dare 👻

Virginia delegates file 2026 redistricting amendment draft www.vpm.org/generalassem...

DEVELOPING: Virginia delegates file 2026 redistricting amendment draft by @jahd.bsky.social #VApol #generalassembly

Here it is, folks. In the procedural resolution for what can be considered in Virginia's meeting this week "joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia related to reapportionment or redistricting may be offered." lis.virginia.gov/bill-details...

The state House clerk notified legislators in a letter Thursday afternoon that the session being called is, technically, part of the 2024 General Assembly special session — which remains active. The letter does not state outright that the topic will be electoral map redistricting.

UVA became the first public university and the fifth school overall to reject the compact. At a press conference prior to Friday's protest, education professor Walt Heinecke called the compact the most significant threat to the mission of higher education since the McCarthy era.

BREAKING: The University of Virginia has become the fifth school to reject the "Compact for Academic Excellence" that was initially sent to nine universities.

Today: me, @hannahdavisreid.bsky.social and @theshabomb.com will be at UVA for the Rally Against the Compact for @vpm.org. Here's to...a day.

In their first and only public debate in the election for Virginia's attorney general, former Del. Jay Jones said the race was about President Donald Trump — while incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares said the race was about Jones.

Hey, Virginia! It's time for the attorney general debate between Jason Miyares (R) and Jay Jones (D) at the University of Richmond. U of R's livestream is available here #VApol #2025election #Virginia

Richmond City Council voted Monday to keep the real estate tax rate at $1.20 per $100 of assessed value for 2026. They postponed the vote back in September; read @deanmirshahi.bsky.social's related story for more! #RVA

Gov. Glenn Youngkin's administration is not providing Virginia legislators or the public details of hundreds of millions of dollars of paused federal grants, according to records requests and documents acquired by @vpm.org and @wamu.org.

The federal government has started reductions in force, or RIFs, across federal agencies today. We want to hear from you if you’ve received a RIF letter — or if you know someone who works in the federal government and has been affected. DM us or email: [email protected]

VPM News reached out to all six statewide candidates — Gov., Lt. Gov., AG — for in-person interviews at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. Fmr. Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger spoke about the importance of creating jobs, improving public education and addressing affordability.

VPM News reached out to all six statewide candidates — Gov., Lt. Gov., AG — for in-person interviews at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears' campaign did not agree to an interview, so we used known info about her public stances, statements + policy positions.

Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears also did not agree to an interview with VPM News. We're sharing the questions we would have asked her and using known information about her background and public stances to inform voters about where she falls on key issues like education and federal job cuts.

Abigail Spanberger (Dem., Governor): "You cannot contend with threats to your economy, you cannot contend with real fiscal issues, if you don't even assess them as real — or if you are choosing ... to put loyalty to a president and his talking points above the real economic impact on Virginians."

260+ homes in Hanover County have already been connected to new broadband internet service via the Connect Hanover initiative, but the project may face another set of delays as it nears completion.

Democrat Abigail Spanberger is making a push for rural votes in the weeks leading up to Election Day: "You can't win in rural areas, but you can lose in rural areas," says one gov. campaign worker. www.vpm.org/elections/20... via @jahd.bsky.social #VAPol

Some good MEWS: After a little adventure down to North Carolina, Francine is HOME! She visited the vet today and received a clean bill of health ❤️

Tavares Floyd — whose 2024 campaign for Richmond City Council drew scrutiny after the accuracy of his campaign finance filings was questioned — was indicted Monday on four counts of felony election fraud. If convicted on the four Class 5 felony charges, Floyd could get up to 40 years in prison.

Albemarle County Circuit Court Clerk Jon Zug told VPM News that there’s “no doubt” that the April detentions have had a chilling effect in the months following, with everyone from court interpreters to crime victims uneasy about engaging with the court for fear of being detained.