Whittney Evans
Features Editor, VPM NewsWhittney Evans is VPM News’ features editor. She studied journalism and political theory at Morehead State University, where she was also a student reporter at WMKY. Before coming to VPM News in 2018, she worked for KCPW and KUER in Salt Lake City, covering politics, government, criminal justice, housing and more.
Email Whittney: [email protected]
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Over GOP objection, Democrats expanded the right to an appeal for all Virginians earlier this year. Now Republican lawmakers are criticizing the majority party over the selection and nomination process for new appeals court judges; Democrats say it's the same process the GOP used when it held the majority in years past. -
The task force creating a civilian oversight board to investigate citizen complaints against the Richmond Police Department will present its recommendations to City Council next month.
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There’s been a dramatic increase in the number of opioid overdose deaths in prisons and jails over the last two decades. But despite those increases, many facilities do not permit clinically-proven medications for dependency.
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Federal data shows a rise in drug overdose deaths inside prisons and jails across the country. County jails saw a 200% increase from 2001 to 2018, but the rise in state-run prisons is even more dramatic at 600%. Virginia falls near the middle of the pack in the rate of overdose deaths.
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A federal appeals court in Richmond ruled Tuesday that it is unconstitutional for the federal government to bar licensed firearms dealers from selling handguns to 18, 19 and 20 year olds, striking down a law that's more than 50 years old.
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Charlottesville, Virginia will remove Confederate statues of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson tomorrow. This comes nearly 5 years after a petition by Zyahna Bryant, then a local high school student, sought their removal.
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Twenty-four states, including Virginia, mounted legal fights against Purdue Pharma, makers of Oxycontin, earlier this year. Attorneys General in those states announced Thursday they’ve reached a resolution.
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A statue of former governor and segregationist Harry Byrd Sr. was removed from capitol square today. Although a Republican first proposed removal as a 'gotcha' moment, it was Del. Jay Jones who introduced legislation that removed a statue to the architect of massive resistance.
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President Joe Biden nominated Virginia’s top trial lawyer to the federal bench last week. Solicitor General Toby Heytens has argued numerous high-profile cases – most recently defending Governor Ralph Northam’s decision to remove the Robert E. Lee monument in Richmond.
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A new monument, 160-foot tall portraits of youth activists, was erected in Richmond today. It's the start of an ongoing series featuring contemporary figures that are changing the city and region.
