The CDC's vaccine advisory panel voted on Friday to drop a recommendation that most adults get the COVID-19 vaccine, but ruled that the vaccine should remain available without a prescription and covered by insurance for those who want it.

The smell of hot kebabs and the strum of the lute will snake through a bustling bazaar this weekend in Hampton. The 18th Egyptian Festival, hosted by St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, will offer a slice of authentic food, culture and history.

PHOTOS: Virginia Beach residents were up early this morning as early voting begins in Virginia Early voting runs until Nov. 1, the Saturday before Election Day. (Photos courtesy of Zach D. Roberts)

William & Mary students have long reported unsafe rental conditions in Williamsburg, but hesitate to complain in a tight housing market. The city is advancing its Rent Ready program, a voluntary certification that grades landlords on inspections and amenities while requiring tenant education.

Chesapeake Regional Medical Center has been designated a provisional Level III Adult Trauma Center, closing a critical gap in emergency care for southern Hampton Roads and northeastern North Carolina.

Early voting in Virginia starts TODAY, kicking off weeks of deadlines and rules for voters who want to vote before Election Day. WHRO News has what you need to know before you head to the polls! Find the closest satellite early voting locations here: tinyurl.com/2rpejfjw

WHRO News has what you need to know before you head to the polls here: tinyurl.com/2rpejfjw

AUDIO: New polling from Christopher Newport University shows Democrat Abigail Spanberger hanging onto a strong lead in the race to be Virginia’s next governor. Early voting in Virginia begins TOMORROW.

Gen. Gary Britto calls himself the 18th and final commander of Training and Doctrine Command. TRADOC, created more than 50 years ago at Fort Monroe before moving to Fort Eustis in 2011, will be deactivated in a ceremony next Friday.

Bridgewater, Va., a town with a long history and low crime rate, installed five Flock Safety cameras to monitor key roads. The cameras are part of a nationwide network that tracks license plates and vehicle data. Despite its small size, Bridgewater’s system drew heavy use from outside agencies.

The Norfolk museum's annual festival, which highlights the work of local artists and artisans, has grown in its 10 years. It will offer free shuttle service from four nearby sites.

The median sales price for a home in James City County surged 74% from January 2016 to June 2025, to $485,000, according to the Virginia Association of Realtors.

In direct primary care, patients skip insurance and pay doctors directly with flat monthly fees, often considerably cheaper than traditional insurance. The model allows doctors to spend more time with those patients and avoid insurance paperwork.

Meet Bryan, a Hampton resident who was one of our guests during the most recent voter listening session! 😎 Catch us again on our tour tomorrow in Norfolk. From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., we’ll be at the Lyman Beecher Brooks Library at Norfolk State University (700 Park Ave).

Norfolk School Board members made their own closure plan, but it doesn’t fulfill City Council’s charge. With changing financial conditions, that could become a problem.

City Council voted Tuesday to remove a 21-acre plot from its land-use plan to allow a business to expand. The parcel included a right-of-way and the business could not build with the ROW in place.

Virginia voters will choose a new governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and all members of the House of Delegates in this year’s election. To help voters, WHRO News collected questions from readers, then shared them with candidates. Here's how they responded: tinyurl.com/548r724n

The Creative Well Arts Foundation has opened in the ViBe Creative District as a “creative incubator” for artists and residents. Co-founders Monica Turley and Tessa Hall Duquette started the project in 2023 in a small garage space that quickly grew into a hub for art shows, workshops and classes.

Early voting is now open in Virginia! www.vpm.org/elections/20...

A new study found that 21 of the 25 Richmond neighborhoods facing the highest average energy cost burdens were majority-Black, including several historically redlined areas in the East End and Southside.

New coalition focuses on affordable housing in Southside

CNU poll: Spanberger leads by 12 percentage points, Democrats set for sweep

Investigation Declaration, the free game created by iCivics in partnership with Virginia’s Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, combines puzzle and strategy elements to engage students in a learn-as-you-play format. virginiamercury.com/briefs/unvei...

🗳️ In the VA AG race, the Enhanced Earned Sentence Credits (EESC) program — which lets qualifying inmates trim time off sentences — is under fire. Republican AG Jason Miyares wants to roll it back; supporters say it offers second chances and real reform. virginiamercury.com/2025/09/17/s...

Working Families Party jumps into #VA2025: backing 9 Dems, including Hashmi & Jones — but not Spanberger, citing her stance on right-to-work. Big test for labor & progressive clout in a pivotal election. virginiamercury.com/2025/09/17/w...

Trump’s crackdown is choking off offshore wind across the East Coast — including Virginia’s 5.2 GW goal by 2034, now “desperately hard to meet.” States are suing, pushing infrastructure, and saying: “offshore wind is critical to our energy future.” virginiamercury.com/2025/09/17/r...

Early voting starts Friday, Sept. 19 in Virginia’s general election. 🗳️ On the ballot: governor, lt. gov., attorney general + all 100 House seats. Key deadlines & changes 👉 shorter reg. cutoff, precinct-level reporting of provisionals. virginiamercury.com/2025/09/18/v...

Virginia researchers launched Live & Learn, a site mapping how housing segregation and funding gaps shape education in the Richmond area. It shows schools in high-poverty zones have fewer veteran teachers and higher discipline rates for Black students. virginiamercury.com/2025/09/18/v...

Between July and August, Virginia's new medical marijuana system tracked 17,786 plants harvested, nearly $30 million in sales and 256,000+ transactions. It allows safe, regulated cannabis reach consumers but some are worried about affordability and access. virginiamercury.com/2025/09/19/v...

The number of identified human trafficking cases last year in Virginia was its highest since 2018, although officials believe this could be attributed to better identification and reporting channels. virginiamercury.com/2025/09/19/v...

Over the weekend, the Supernova International Ska Festival returned to Fort Monroe in Hampton. (Photos by @nickmcnamara.net)

The state’s milestone Clean Economy Act spurred impressive growth in renewable power. Now, that future is at risk.

Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy are returning to the stage this weekend in "Austen’s Pride," a new musical adaptation of Jane Austen’s "Pride and Prejudice," showing at the Ferguson Center for the Arts in Newport News.

About half of Virginia households were expected to qualify for Solar For All, which sought to reduce energy bills by making solar power more affordable.

🚨 Early voting in Virginia starts Sept. 19 — just ONE week away! ✅ Not sure how to vote? ✅ Not sure where to vote? ✅ Want to see where candidates stand on key issues? 📍Need a list of every election in every Virginia locality? 👉 cardinalnews.org/virginia-vot...

Terrible news to wake up to, my aunt died last night after years with early Alzheimer's.

This is the first NPR/PBS station I've seen that's going out of business as a result of the federal rescission: radio.wpsu.org/2025-09-11/p...

For a little lighter news, some more of my latest:

Most Virginians under 65 will now need a doctor’s prescription to get the latest COVID-19 vaccine. Only people 65 and older, or those considered “high risk,” remain eligible for the updated Moderna, Pfizer and Novavax shots without a prescription.

We asked you how it was going if you were trying to get the new 2025-26 COVID-19 vaccine in Central Virginia. The overwhelming response was: It's a little bit (or a lot) confusing! Patrick Larsen on the current landscape — which could change again next week:

Youngkin called a new federal law allowing parents to donate tax-free towards their kids’ schooling — including private schools — a “landmark” moment for education. But some say it could divert essential funding from public schools to private institutions. virginiamercury.com/2025/09/11/v...

Siding with the students, Judge Urbanski wrote that Jackson’s name “is expressive as a symbol of racial exclusion in public schools.” He granted the students’ summary judgement, denied the school board’s counter motion and deferred a final ruling until December. virginiamercury.com/2025/09/10/f...

An order the Virginia Department of Health issued Wednesday now makes it easier for eligible Virginians to get vaccines in the weeks ahead. virginiamercury.com/briefs/virgi...

ALSO from @virginiamercury.com Less than a month after opening for the new school year, two Virginia HBCUs — Virginia State and Hampton Universities — closed on Thursday after receiving threats to their campuses. www.newsfromthestates.com/article/pote...

Reported threats closed Virginia State and Hampton Universities Thursday. Neither school has said what the threats entail but attention on campus safety is heightened nationwide, after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot at Utah Valley University. virginiamercury.com/briefs/poten...

SNAP cuts loom, and nonprofits fear they can’t fill the gap left behind

🚨 No new episode this week—we’re replaying one that had listeners buzzing: ➡️ Syphilis cases up 66% in babies ➡️ New recovery centers for moms Host Dutchie Jessee + reporter Emily Schabacker on Virginia’s public health challenges. 🎧 👉 youtu.be/fO5cp4wrQsI?...

The latest from Hampton

A statement from the VSU president:

Here's the latest report: podcasts.whro.org/whroReports/...