VPM Daily Newscast: Jan. 10, 2025
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 Jan. 10, 2025:
Richmond water testing ongoing now that pressure has returned
Reported by VPM News’ Keyris Manzanares
“I'll start with the great news, which is that our system now is fully pressurized in all nine zones,” Richmond Mayor Danny Avula said in a midday press conference Thursday from the city’s makeshift emergency operation center at the Main Library.
With a fully pressurized system and the city’s reservoir system reaching over 18 feet of water, Avula said he’s feeling optimistic as the city works through testing protocols with the Virginia Department of Health.
The city’s boil water advisory will remain in effect until officials are able to test the water twice — separated by 16 hours — and receive results indicating the water is safe for consumption.
The crisis — stemming from a malfunction at the city’s water treatment plant Monday, following 4 inches of snow from Winter Storm Blair — has significantly disrupted daily life for residents and shut down local businesses. As of the press conference, it’s estimated that Richmond’s water situation may return to normal this weekend.
Water outage hits Richmond’s small businesses
Reported by VPM News’ Lyndon German
There was no line outside of Sefton Coffee Company in downtown Richmond on Wednesday morning. Instead, a few patrons stumbled in every 15 minutes or so to check in on owner Jennie-Mae Skinner and her partner, David Shultz, as they offered up pastries and served coffee using a kettle, distilled water and an AeroPress.
Skinner said she wanted to open as “an act of community” — not for profit. Following Virginia Department of Health guidelines, she was able to keep the shop open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday. The business is slated to be open Thursday during the same hours.
For Skinner, the screeching halt of foot traffic downtown and accompanying anxiety hark back to 2020, as residents were told to shelter in place during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“You have a lot of businesses that have recently gone through a COVID situation, and it almost broke them or did break them,” Skinner said. “So, there's a whole lot of anxiety with business owners that would be way different than even you could imagine.”
Youngkin: Resources remain 'fully available' in case of upcoming storm
Reported by VPM News’ Jahd Khalil
State officials are preparing for more winter weather this weekend, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said in an address at the Virginia Department of Emergency Management Emergency Operations Center.
Central Virginia has a moderate likelihood of getting at least another 2 inches of snow by Saturday, according to the National Weather Service Wakefield — less than Winter Storm Blair, which hit the state last weekend.
“Accumulating snow, which will likely impact travel, is looking increasingly likely across the region Friday night into Saturday,” the agency said in a post on Facebook. “Specific amounts and details may continue to change in the coming days.”
“We are still under my emergency declaration, and so our resources are still fully available to deploy” in response to snow Friday and Saturday, Youngkin said. “This storm will most likely impact, again, almost all of the commonwealth just like the one we had.”
In other news:
In case you missed it:
- Spanberger, Earle-Sears deadlocked in tight Virginia Governor’s race, new poll finds (Virginia Mercury)
- Mistrial declared after jury deadlocks in UVa rape case (The Daily Progress)*
*This outlet utilizes a paywall.
