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 March 19, 2025:
Curious Commonwealth asks: What is Richmond doing to ensure safe drinking water?
Reported by VPM News’ Keyris Manzanares
Last year, Thomas McIntyre found himself questioning whether his Richmond tap water was safe to drink.
McIntyre initially grew concerned about its quality after learning a city pipe near the Pipeline Trail released sewage into the James River, prompting the Virginia Department of Health to declare a recreational advisory on July 17, 2024. The situation also prompted questions about the general state of Richmond’s water infrastructure.
So, McIntyre submitted a question to Curious Commonwealth — a VPM News series exploring audience questions about Virginia.
“Well, that got me thinking about if Richmond was prepared for any kind of water crisis,” McIntyre said in November. “Or if Richmond was even providing clean and safe drinking water to its residents.”
In December, Richmond’s former director of public utilities, April Bingham, discussed the safety of Richmond’s drinking water. It was less than a month from the region’s water outage.
VMI researchers examine risk factors for veteran suicide
Reported by VPM News’ Dean Mirshahi
Psychologists at Virginia Military Institute are analyzing data collected through a survey to help prevent veteran suicides, after a bipartisan effort to gather more information on the issue recently failed in the General Assembly.
VMI psychology professors Maj. Michael LaRocca and Col. Glenn Sullivan received a $150,000 state grant in 2023 to investigate less-examined potential factors of veteran suicide, like access to mental health services.
LaRocca explained to VPM News how the concept of leadership also could be important to prevention. Veterans may be more likely to seek help if they have served under supportive leaders who model healthy coping strategies when faced with stress and tension.
Military leaders, LaRocca said, “should be thinking about not just the short-term impact they have on mission accomplishment, but the long-term psychological impact that they may have on service members and veterans.”
News you might have missed from around the commonwealth
- Hundreds arrested in Virginia immigration crackdown, but just a fraction have alleged gang ties (Richmond Times-Dispatch)*
*This outlet utilizes a paywall.
