Category: Virginia Mercury

Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District has emerged as one of the most competitive in the country ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm election, with incumbent U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia Beach, working to hold her seat against Democrat and former representative Elaine Luria, whom Kiggans ousted in 2022.  Two independent candidates,

Youth advocates are urging Virginia lawmakers to reconsider stiffer penalties for public marijuana use before the state opens its legal adult-use market next summer, warning that the changes could place a disproportionate burden on young people, their families and Black communities. The maximum civil penalty for consuming or offering marijuana

Virginia has received a $7.2 million federal disaster-recovery grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to expand childcare in communities across Southwest and Southside Virginia, the governor’s office announced Friday. The award comes as Virginia continues to recover from Hurricane Helene, which caused catastrophic damage when it

Virginia environmental advocacy organizations are trying to determine the full extent of impacts from President Donald Trump’s rescission of a landmark Chesapeake Bay pollution reduction law last week.  “We’re still waiting to find out what all of the fallout is going to be,” said Jay Ford, the Virginia policy manager

• “Norfolk native becomes 19th known soldier death since start of Iran war.” — WAVY • “Storm system forces water inland in eastern Virginia.” — WWBT • “Virginia Tech plans $63M vet teaching hospital expansion.” — Virginia Business • “Expert speaks on spotted lanternfly infestation threatening plants in Northern Virginia.”

Virginia schools could be required to have a licensed nurse in every building starting in 2028, under a legislative proposal introduced Wednesday. The measure is designed to close healthcare gaps by placing experts in schools to manage complex medical conditions. Virginia permits school divisions to employ nurses, but state law

WASHINGTON — Despite skyrocketing fuel prices and sinking approval ratings for President Donald Trump’s conflict in Iran ahead of the November midterms, Senate Republicans blocked Democrats’ efforts Thursday to check the president’s unfettered military action in the Middle East. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Rand Paul, R-Ky., and

WASHINGTON — U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly early Thursday issued an order that temporarily blocks President Donald Trump’s ban of three news organizations from the White House. Kelly, in the eight-page order, said that the White House must “immediately return, reinstate, and restore the White House ‘hard pass’ press

• “Virginia lawmakers call for study on AI use in Virginia colleges.” — WHRO • “Homeland Security agents may have illegally accessed Virginia voter rolls, whistleblower alleges.” — The Virginian-Pilot • “March starting in Alexandria to rally for Virginia data center moratorium.” — ALXnow • “10 years after Hurricane Matthew,

Virginia and other states cannot be penalized under a Trump administration deadline that gave them too little time to put new federal food assistance rules into effect, a federal judge in Oregon has ruled.  The decision also rejects federal guidance that would have denied benefits to some lawful permanent residents,