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 Aug. 9, 2024:
Virginia braces for Debby as farmers welcome rain
Reported by VPM News’ Patrick Larsen and Dave Cantor
While Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency for Tropical Storm Debby, Virginia’s farms and forests will likely benefit from the rain. Close to half of the commonwealth’s population lives in areas with USDA Drought Disaster designations.
John Benner, the Virginia Cooperative Extension unit coordinator for Augusta County, said the past two years have been particularly difficult, comparing the drought to 1977 and 2001. He said the coming rainfall is “sorely needed.” But for grains like corn, soybeans and wheat, severe drought has already set a ceiling on yields.
RRHA enters ‘final push’ in repayment agreement campaign
Reported by VPM News’ Sean McGoey
The Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority has been working since late June to get the word out to tenants about the repayment plan, CEO Steven Nesmith told VPM News.
It requires qualifying leaseholders — those who owe at least $51 or have defaulted on a previous repayment agreement — to make a down payment of up to $100, based on adjusted income. They’ll also need to commit to making back payments on top of current monthly rent starting Oct. 1.
RRHA received close to 200 signed repayment agreements by the end of July. Nesmith said the agency’s goal is to convince all 700 high-balance residents to enter into agreements this month.
In other news:
- The Richmond Jazz and Music Fest and the Mingus Awareness Project set for the weekend (Style Weekly)
- Virginia’s top elections official says she’s confident about the accuracy of results (Cardinal News)
In case you missed it:
- Overcharged, then evicted: How errors push out public housing residents (The Washington Post)*
- New Va. prisons chief says overdose deaths have sharply declined (Richmond Times-Dispatch)*
- UVA Health acquires Warrenton-based practice (The Daily Progress)*
*This outlet utilizes a paywall.
