Whittney Evans

On July 1, legislation passed by the General Assembly will take effect, including: Marijuana legalization, probation changes, and many more.

Last year, Richmond City Council began the process of establishing a Civilian Review Board. An interim task force is expected to give recommendations on independent oversight this August.

As of Friday, Juneteenth is a national holiday celebrating the emancipation of African Americans. It also coincides with World Sickle Cell Awareness Day. The disease, which is more common in people of African descent, affects between 2,500 and 4,500 African Americans in Virginia.

After more than a year of battling the spread of COVID-19, the Virginia Department of Corrections is reporting zero active coronavirus cases in state prisons. New data from the Marshall Projects puts the death toll and infection rates into a national context.

The Virginia Supreme Court heard challenges Tuesday morning to the state’s plan to remove the statue of Robert E. Lee from Monument Avenue. A group of property owners and a descendent of the family that donated the statue sued the state to keep the monument standing. Both appealed to the high court after a Richmond Circuit Court judge ruled in October that the state has the authority to take it down.

Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith told VPM the department has implemented “a few” policy changes in the last year since racial justice protests erupted in the city – and the department came under fire for its response to those demonstrations. But advocates in the community say they are left wanting more.

This week marks one year since the start of summer-long protests in Richmond, setting off clashes between protesters and police.

A months-long special investigation into alleged racism at Virginia Military Institute is complete. The state released the 145-page report detailing its findings on Tuesday.

The Virginia War Memorial’s 65th annual Memorial Day ceremony was open to the public on Monday, as the state had eased physical distancing and capacity restrictions the previous Friday.

Last month, legal aid groups sued Virginia’s Employment Commissioner on behalf of Virginia residents who either hadn’t received their unemployment benefits or whose payments were cut off unexpectedly.