The VPM Daily Newscast contains all your Central Virginia news in just 5 to 10 minutes. Episodes are recorded the night before.
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Here’s a recap of the top stories on the morning of Feb. 24, 2023:
Virginians struggle with rising prescription drug prices
Reported by VPM News’ Megan Pauly
A House of Delegates panel last week rejected a proposed drug affordability board. The legislation, SB 957 sponsored by state Sen. Chap Peterson (D–Fairfax), cleared the Democrat-controlled Senate but didn’t make it out of a House panel.
James Williams, the state’s deputy secretary of health and human resources, told a Senate panel hearing in January that the Youngkin administration “strongly opposes” the bill, because he said it was “really broad in its reach.”
Texts show Youngkin appointee disparaged University of Virginia staff
Reported by VPM News’ Ben Paviour
A businessman appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin to University of Virginia’s board of visitors called UVA administrators “schmucks” last year and vowed to fight a “battle royale for the soul of the school” in a series of newly revealed text messages.
The text messages were uncovered by transparency advocate Jeff Thomas, who took the school to court to force their release under the state’s Freedom of Information Act. They were first reported by the Washington Post. Thomas also provided VPM News a second batch of text messages he received that have not been previously published, which he received through a separate public records request.
In other news:
- As fentanyl surges, Virginia lawmakers debate how far criminal penalties should go (Virginia Mercury)
- Beer giant Sapporo gulps up warehouse space in eastern Henrico (Richmond BizSense)
In case you missed it:
- Women in the House reach record high after Virginia election (Bloomberg)
- Black men weren’t allowed guns in the early Civil War. He fired one anyway. (The Washington Post)