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 April 30, 2025:
Richmond City Council OKs money for legal assistance, Family Crisis Fund
Reported by VPM News’ Dean Mirshahi
The Richmond City Council settled on changes to Mayor Danny Avula’s $3 billion proposed budget for the next fiscal year, setting aside more money to help people cover bills and pay for projects voted for by residents.
The approved budget amendments include an additional $480,000 (on top of $520,000 proposed by Avula) for the Family Crisis Fund — which gives people money for rent, bills and other needs — and $200,000 in additional funding for legal asisstance for residents facing evictions.
But the process was not without bumps in the road. One major point of disagreement was over a proposal from 4th District Councilor Sarah Abubaker to withhold planned 3.25% pay raises from non-union employees earning at least $150,000 a year — which would have saved $750,000.
Abubaker said she proposed the move due to alarming financial predictions from the city and offered compromises, but added that Avula’s administration wouldn’t budge on raises for top senior officials: “This process is emblematic of a larger problem. A budget structure that limits council’s input, minimizes transparency and demands rubber stamps instead of real debate. I think we can and must do better.”
Trump administration restores Virginia student visa records
Reported by VPM News’ Megan Pauly
President Donald Trump’s administration is reinstating international student visa records that it previously revoked. The announcement was made Friday, amid a slew of court cases filed by impacted students in recent weeks.
Attorneys for the students argued that the cancellations were unlawful since many students weren’t given a clear reason for the terminations. Others were told they had criminal records, which consisted of parking tickets or other low-level violations with civil penalties — and even some cases where students were the victims, not the perpetrators.
VPM News previously reported that at least 40 Virginia college students and recent graduates had been impacted across four public colleges: George Mason University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University and Virginia Tech.
However, the Trump administration says the termination reversals are only temporary. According to court documents, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is developing a new policy “that will provide a framework” for terminations going forward.
News you might have missed from around the commonwealth
- City employee used city credit card to spend $40K at company registered at his own house: records (Richmond Times-Dispatch)*
- 3 candidates vying for vacant Orange School Board seat (Orange County Review)*
*This outlet utilizes a paywall.
