VPM's daily newscast contains all your Central Virginia news in just 5 to 10 minutes. Hosted by Benjamin Dolle, episodes are recorded the night before so you can wake up prepared.
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Here’s a recap of the top stories on the morning of Wednesday, February 24, 2021:
State lawmakers voted on Tuesday to remove a statue of former Virginia Governor Harry Byrd from Richmond’s Capitol Square. Byrd was a leader in the “massive resistance” movement against the racial integration of schools in the South. The bill now goes to Gov. Ralph Northam’s desk for approval.
State lawmakers have released their proposed amendments to Virginia’s two-year budget, including how they would fund foster care in the state. While advocates lauded some of their funding commitments, they argue the General Assembly did not go far enough for foster children and families.
The city of Richmond has at least four bids from developers hoping to build a resort casino. The Pamunkey Indian Tribe was the first to propose a casino south of the James River, in the Blackwell neighborhood. After a contentious neighborhood meeting, the tribe changed the proposed location to near the Port of Richmond. Three other developers have also submitted proposals,according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Two would build a casino in South Richmond, while a Maryland-based developer is proposing a project on the current Movieland property near Scott’s Addition. A panel appointed by the mayor will select the winning proposal, which will need to be approved by City Council and residents.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney is asking residents to provide feedback on the city's equity agenda and pandemic recovery plan. The mayor initially unveiled his strategy to address these issues during his annual State of the City address earlier this month. Stoney told reporters yesterday that the pandemic has reaffirmed racial inequities throughout the city.
Today, the Northam administration will provide an update on the state’s response to COVID-19. During the briefing, more information is expected on the state’s vaccine roll out. As of Tuesday, nearly 500,000 Virginians have been fully vaccinated. Around 13% of the state’s population has received at least one dose. VPM will stream the Governor’s COVID-19 update live at 11 a.m.
Two of the largest nonprofits serving the LGBTQ community in the region are merging. According to theRichmond Times Dispatch, Virginia Pride will soon become a program at Diversity Richmond and will continue to put on its signature event, PrideFest. Leaders of the nonprofits say combining forces will benefit both organizations and provide more support to Virginia Pride, which is run mainly by volunteers. The merger has been in the works for two years and will take effect officially on April 1.
- Two-thirds of registered Virginia voters say President Joe Biden’s election win was legitimate. That’s according to a new poll from theWason Center at Christopher Newport University. Over half of Republican voters believe Biden won unfairly. And opinions on the job performances of him and his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, are generally split on partisan lines. Almost half of those polled agree that the federal government should be blamed for the slow vaccine rollout, with less than one-quarter holding the state responsible. That said, more Virginians surveyed approve of Biden’s COVID-19 response compared to Gov. Ralph Northam’s.
