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 Oct. 14, 2024
Connect Hanover project could be completed by early 2025
Reported by VPM News’ Lyndon German
Connect Hanover, a project aimed at providing affordable broadband internet to parts of Hanover County currently without access, is moving forward, the county’s IT director said.
One complicating factor is the new Federal Communications Commission standards for equitable access, which added 900 addresses to a list of underserved areas in the county. That changed the project’s scope.
County Administrator John Budesky said the county is working with private partners to make sure service is on par with FCC standards.
“I can't tell you how many days I wish we had a truck that could hang fiber and provide it to the homes, but it's much more complicated,” Budesky told the county board of supervisors. “At the end of the day, it's about delivering for our residents, and we are. While we are months behind where we had planned to be, it is coming.”
Unemployment claims rise in most Virginia counties hit by Helene
Reported by VPM News’ VPM News
Hurricane Helene’s impact on unemployment claims in Virginia is becoming clearer. The commonwealth’s workforce development agency, Virginia Works, recently issued county-level data.
During the week ending Oct. 5, more than 3,000 claims were filed. That’s almost 28 percent higher than the previous week's claims and more than twice as high as the same week in 2023.
The Virginia Employment Commission is offering Disaster Unemployment Assistance for residents of 14 counties and two cities in Southwest Virginia. More information is available on the VEC website.
In other news:
- DOJ lawsuit says Virginia is illegally striking voters from the rolls (The Associated Press)
- Hundreds of Virginia National Guard mobilized to support Florida (Richmond Times-Dispatch)*
- The threat to Virginia's wetlands is accelerating (13 News Now)
In case you missed it:
- The threat to Virginia's wetlands is accelerating (13 News Now)
*This outlet utilizes a paywall.