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 24, 2023:
For expectant and new mothers in Virginia, a troubling COVID-19 trend
Reported by the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO
Virginia’s maternal mortality rate leaped by 130% during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an analysis by the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO.
In 2021, women in Virginia died of pregnancy-related complications at a rate of 50.1 per 100,000 births, more than double the pre-pandemic rate in 2019, according to data from the National Center for Health Statistics. Virginia mothers died of pregnancy-related complications at a rate of 21.6 per 100,000 births in 2019.
The state also fared poorly compared to the U.S. average of 33 deaths per 100,000 births in 2021. Only Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana and Alabama had higher death rates of the 22 states with publicly available data.
'You can hear birds chirping': Out on the James River
Reported by VPM News’ Patrick Larsen
Ahead of Saturday’s Earth Day, VPM News reporter Patrick Larsen met up with Justin Doyle, director of community conservation with the James River Association. They walked down to one of Doyle's favorite spots on the James — about a 5-minute walk from the River Association’s office in downtown Richmond.
In other news:
- Virginia expects largest oyster harvest in three decades (Washington Post)
- Youngkin names Southwest Virginia OB/GYN as health commissioner (Washington Post)
In case you missed it:
