VPM's daily newscast contains all your Central Virginia news in just 5 to 10 minutes. Episodes are recorded the night before so you can wake up prepared.
Listeners can subscribe through NPR One, Apple Podcasts, Megaphone, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.
Here’s a recap of the top stories on the morning of Friday, December 3, 2021:
The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority has signaled it will uphold Mississippi’s restrictive abortion law. As Whittney Evans reports, that means the future of abortion access in Virginia is uncertain.
Virginia is expected to get more than $8 billion in federal funds to help with transit and highways. The money comes from the bipartisan infrastructure deal passed by Congress last month. The funds will be distributed over the course of five years. According to the offices of Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, this money will support maintenance for roads and rail systems – as well as investments in electric vehicle charging stations. As part of the deal, Richmond is expected to receive over $100 million to improve transit systems. Williamsburg will get around $14 million and about $19 million will go to Charlottesville.
The Federal Aviation Administration may end overnight hours at Richmond International Airport’s control tower. The FAA revealed to local officials it is considering changing the tower’s hours back in October, reports the Richmond Times Dispatch. The proposal calls for the tower to hand off duties to an FAA tower in Fauquier County from midnight to 5 a.m. In a letter, Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine urged the FAA to take into account safety issues and not end the tower’s overnight hours. Richmond International Airport officials and workers also oppose the move, citing potential scheduling issues for airlines.
A Hampton Roads newspaper columnist says he was let go after VPM published a story outlining his ties to Dominion Energy. Gordon Morse was paid more than $260,000 by the company while writing about them in unsigned editorials. Ben Paviour has more.
Researchers at the University of Virginia are working on a vaccine that they say could be effective against all COVID-19 variants. Randi B. Hagi, with our partner station WMRA, reports.
The annual Dominion Energy Christmas Parade is happening tomorrow morning. The Richmond Times Dispatch reports it will begin at the Science Museum of Virginia and head east on Broad Street toward 7th Street. No parking will be allowed near the route from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Towing will be enforced. The parade starts at 10 a.m.
