VPM Daily Newscast: July 3, 2024
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 3, 2024:
Deal on military tuition program reached
Reported by VPM News’ Jahd Khalil
The agreement announced by Virginia statehouse Democrats is to repeal the changes, without imposing additional requirements, and includes funding beyond what was already set aside to offset the program’s costs, according to legislators and their staff.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin also signaled his approval on social media.
The actual language of the announced bills will be available on Wednesday.
Virginia educators working to expand college access for incarcerated students
Reported by VPM News’ Megan Pauly
It’s been a year since incarcerated individuals were once again able to qualify for federal Pell Grants to help pay for a college education while behind bars.
However, despite the ban being lifted, only about 600 Virginia inmates are currently using the grants to pursue degrees, according to the Virginia Consensus for Higher Education in Prison.
According to the Rev. Keith Jones, a board member at the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, research indicates that over half of incarcerated people qualify for that aid.
Currently, only four community colleges in the commonwealth offer courses in prison.
In other news:
- Navy looking to add housing for 8,000 sailors in Hampton Roads (The Virginian-Pilot)*
In case you missed it:
- USDOT’s Pete Buttigieg helps kick off $1.1 billion passenger rail project (The News & Observer)*
- Virginia school board member gets 12 days in jail for Jan. 6 riot role, says he won't step down (NBC Washington)
- Collective bargaining contract begins for group of Richmond city workers (Richmond Times-Dispatch)*
*This outlet utilizes a paywall.
