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 July 12, 2023:
Youngkin pushes early voting, despite GOP skepticism
Reported by VPM News’ Ben Paviour
Gov. Governor Glenn Youngkin announced his Secure Your Vote initiative, which aims to enroll Republicans on the permanent absentee voter list, using digital ads and a website. It comes as many top Republicans have tried to get their voters to embrace a tactic that became a target for conspiracy theories perpetuated by former Republican President Donald Trump.
Top Democrats in Virginia’s General Assembly were quick to knock Youngkin’s early voting pitch. They noted that in January, House Republicans uniformly voted to trim the state’s current 45-day early voting period down to two weeks. That bill failed in a Senate subcommittee.
New RPS security director addresses school safety concerns
Reported by VPM News’ Lyndon German
Richmond Public Schools recently hired a new director of safety and security responsible for assessing the school division’s security protocols and overall preparedness.
“My plan, my goal, is to make sure everybody in these schools feel safe,” John Beazley told the school board at a meeting earlier this week. “I want to make sure all the staff and students and parents feel like their individuals are safe in the school systems.”
In other news:
- How the former Confederate capital slashed Black voting power, overnight (The Washington Post)
- NOAA is looking to add regulations for some boat speeds to help protect whales, but what are the impacts? (The Virginian-Pilot)
In case you missed it:
- Urban One is behind on financial disclosures (VPM News)
- 'Peace in the valley' after Buckingham County election office drama (The Daily Progress)