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 April 14, 2023:
Virginia lawmakers pass new rules regulating hemp products
Reported by VPM News’ Ben Paviour
Virginia retailers will have to take some intoxicating hemp products like delta-8 and delta-10 off their shelves under legislation approved by the General Assembly on Wednesday.
The new rules include amendments from Gov. Glenn Youngkin allowing the sale of full-spectrum CBD products, in response to criticism from the mother of an epilepsy patient and the hemp industry. Youngkin will still need to sign the bill before it goes into effect July 1.
Transportation planners prepare for unexpected developments
Reported by VPM News’ Ian M. Stewart
The Richmond Regional Transportation Planning Organization is working on a concept known as scenario planning — but its main purpose is to plan for the unexpected. At its monthly meeting last week, Chet Parsons, PlanRVA’s transportation director, said that it’s difficult to predict what’s going to happen in 10 to 20 years.
“What if we have an additional high-speed rail corridor that is popped in our lap and the development patterns change because of that high-speed rail?” Parsons said. “What if Amazon builds their new headquarters in Richmond, all those things could be very impactful in the future.”
In other news:
- Man facing over 30 charges for stealing from Sandston cemetery (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
- Purcellville interim town manager quits mid-meeting (LoudounNow)
- Doula program in Danville seeks to address disproportionate maternal mortality among women of color (Cardinal News)
In case you missed it:
- Virginia fifth grader is celebrated for spotting textbook’s error (The New York Times)
- Lack of transparency from ghost kitchens spooks state officials (Virginia Mercury)
- The historical story behind Richmond's Bellevue Theater (Richmond Times-Dispatch)