Virginia Beach
- Eight of 14 August parole grants involved people convicted of sexual offenses
More than half of the people the Virginia Parole Board granted in August were serving time for rape, sodomy or related offenses, according to board records.
- House Republicans Roll Out Affordability Done Right Agenda to Lower Costs for Virginians
“Democrats talk about affordability,” Kilgore said.
- Man convicted of 1997 Franklin post office robbery granted parole under juvenile criteria
David Syrus Butchee, 45, was granted parole in September after serving decades on armed robbery of a Franklin post office convictions, according to Virginia Parole Board records.
- Virginia Beach man convicted of 1996 sex offenses granted parole; three victims backed release, one opposed
Randy Edward Logsdon Jr., 51, was granted parole in August after serving decades on multiple counts of aggravated sexual battery and forcible sodomy convictions, according to Virginia Parole Board records.
- Virginia Budget Empowers Local Schools with $400.4 Million Flexible Supplement
The Virginia state budget for fiscal year 2027 includes a significant conservative victory for education funding through a one-time $400.4 million flexible supplement.
- Warner wins fourth term , Luria ousts Kiggans in VA-02 as 2 U.S. House races remain undecided
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner speaks to Virginians at his re-election celebration in Alexandria on Nov. 3, 2026.
- What victims and prosecutors told the Parole Board before August's grants
Minutes of the Virginia Parole Board's Aug. 27 meeting record victim statements, prosecutor positions and each member's reasons in the 14 cases it granted.
- Virginia Beach wastewater facility to turn biogas into power for thousands of homes
A rendering of the biogas collection facility that will be built on alongside a Hampton Roads Sanitation District wastewater treatment plant.
- Virginia votes Tuesday: Everything you need to know about the 2026 primary elections
Voters on Tuesday will choose nominees for U.S. Senate and congressional races across the commonwealth.
- Virginia Beach man with long burglary record granted geriatric release after nearly 35 years
Michael McCoy Duncan, 62, was granted parole in September after serving decades on dozens of burglary and larceny counts convictions, according to Virginia Parole Board records.
- Congresswoman Kiggans Joins Discussions on Public Safety and Elections
Congresswoman Jen Kiggans of Virginia’s Second District took part in a discussion with FBI Director Kash Patel and Hampton Roads law enforcement officials focused on public safety topics.
- Democrats ramp up outreach in Va.’s 1st, 2nd and 5th Districts 2 weeks before Election Day
Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, center, stumps for Democratic congressional candidates in Virginia on Oct. 19, 2026.
- Virginia Pastors Release Open Letter Opposing Proposed Constitutional Amendments on Abortion and Marriage
Pastors from multiple churches in Virginia have issued an open letter addressed to the Commonwealth expressing concern over two proposed amendments to the Virginia Constitution.
- EPA to give $90M for clean water and restoration projects in Chesapeake Bay watershed, 28 in Va.
A living shoreline project on the James River.
- Legislation to force Virginia traffic camera fine payments will make ‘nightmarish’ court workloads
Signs in front of Granby High School in Norfolk, Va. warn motorists they may get a ticket if they're caught speeding by a camera.
- Juvenile criteria, age and health: how September's parole cases were decided
The board weighed a new juvenile-offender procedure and geriatric eligibility in September, granting one juvenile case and denying another, and granting seven of 85 cases overall.
- Governor Spanberger Celebrates $16.5 Million to Improve Infrastructure in Hampton Roads
RICHMOND, VA — Governor Abigail Spanberger today celebrated $16.5 million in federal grants through the Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP) to improve and support infrastructure in the City of Portsmouth, York County, and across Hampton Roads.
- Luria and Kiggans rematch in Va.’s 2nd Congressional District among most-watched races in nation
From left to right: U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia Beach, Democrat Elaine Luria, and independents Bishop Staten and Matt Baker.
- Spanberger taps Daniel Young to lead government watchdog office
Daniel Young, a former federal prosecutor, has been appointed Virginia’s next state inspector general by Gov. Abigail Spanberger.
- With six West Nile cases reported statewide, infected mosquitos are on the rise in Virginia Beach
A female Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito on the skin of a human host.
- Inside Virginia’s city halls, concerns, confusion rise with Flock surveillance protests
A Williamsburg resident in March asked the police department at the College of William & Mary how data collected by the school’s Flock Safety surveillance system is shared.
- Roanoke region remains in emergency drought conditions despite rain in other areas
A map shows the Roanoke region of Virginia in emergency drought conditions in October 2026.
- Early voting begins in Virginia, as Trump mail-ballot restrictions remain blocked
Early voting for the Nov. 3 midterm elections begins Friday, with a U.S. Senate race, all 11 congressional seats, three proposed constitutional amendments and numerous local referendums on ballots across the commonwealth.
- Virginia Beach schools, Civil Rights Office reach agreement over sexual misconduct investigations
The Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Building pictured on Nov. 25, 2024.
- Century-Old Law Gives Virginia Legislator-Lawyers Broad Power to Delay Court Cases
State law allows attorneys serving in the General Assembly to obtain continuances in court proceedings when legislative duties interfere.
- Navy Picks Hunt to Privatize 8,000 Hampton Roads Barracks Beds in 1.7 Billion Deal
New towers in Newport News and renovations across Norfolk and Virginia Beach bases aim to get junior sailors off ships.
- Virginia Beach Aquarium Adds Cigarette Butt Recycling to E-Cycling Event
Organizers say butts are the state's top litter item and can be turned into outdoor furniture and tool handles.
- Virginia Beach Urges Residents to Cut Nonessential Water Use Amid Drought
Public utilities say reservoir levels are about 10 percent below normal after a dry 2026, the most serious local drought conditions since 2002.
- Kelly Convirs-Fowler House Bill 188 Millionaire Income Tax Stalls in Committee
RICHMOND, VA – A proposal to impose a new 10 percent income tax bracket on earnings exceeding $1 million stalled in the House Finance Committee during the 2026 Virginia General Assembly session, after being incorporated into a broader tax measure that also failed to advance. House Bill 188, introduced by Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler of Virginia
- Kelly Convirs-Fowler House Bill 187 Codifies Virginia Beach 10-1 Council Charter
RICHMOND, Va. – Legislation to update the City of Virginia Beach’s charter, reflecting the shift to a city council composed entirely of single-member districts plus a mayor, has cleared both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly and now awaits final action following the governor’s recommendations. House Bill 187, introduced by Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler with co-patrons
- Jeion Ward Hampton Roads Waste-to-Energy Grant Program Struck Down in House Committee
RICHMOND, Virginia — A proposed grant program aimed at encouraging waste disposal through incineration facilities in the Hampton Roads region met a swift end in the Virginia House of Delegates this session.
- Michael Feggans Veteran Tax Relief Bill Stalls in House Appropriations
RICHMOND, Va. — A measure aimed at providing greater tax relief to military veterans and their families has met its end in the House Appropriations Committee during the 2026 Virginia General Assembly session.
- Housing Bills to Boost Supply, Protect Tenants on Way to Abigail Spanberger's Desk
While some of the most progressive housing bills did not survive this year’s legislative session, many housing proposals are on their way to Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s desk — some of which she has already stated she will sign into law.
- What candidates have planned for Virginia’s coast could decide a key congressional race
This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here. With Virginia’s Aug. 4 primaries in the rearview mirror, the ballot is set in one of the nation’s most competitive congressional districts. In the state’s second congressional district, Republican […]
- Virginia Beach doctor pushes hospitals to establish protocols for dealing with Parkinson’s patients
By Yiqing Wang/WHRO Howard Weinberg keeps his Parkinson’s medication in a small container attached to his keychain, so he always has it wherever he goes. The retired doctor from Virginia Beach has to take the medication every six hours, at 1 o’clock and 7 o’clock, day and night. For him, that schedule is not optional. […]
- Alongside Jen Kiggans, United States House Speaker says Virginia’s 2nd District ‘will determine the fate of the country’
As part of an 18-state tour through more than 30 congressional districts, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, said Monday that “Virginia’s 2nd District will determine the fate of the country because this will be a close election.” As Johnson stumped for U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia Beach, at the Cavalier Hotel on Monday, he […]
- Jen Kiggans Engages with Federal Bureau of Investigation on Public Safety and Election Measures
Congresswoman Jen Kiggans joined FBI Director Kash Patel and Hampton Roads law enforcement for a discussion on public safety issues. The meeting focused on collaboration between federal agencies and local partners to address crime and security challenges in the region. Kiggans has represented Virginia’s Second Congressional District since 2023, covering areas including Virginia Beach and […]
- Hampton leaders cool to limited Army Corps flood solutions
A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers draft feasibility study proposing scaled-down protection without structural elements like floodwalls for vulnerable portions of Hampton and Poquoson got a frosty reception from Hampton’s city manager during a recent presentation to City Council. The $4.2 billion Coastal Storm Risk Management plan, now open to public comment, calls for elevating […]
- Cardiovascular health spending has tripled, but death rates are rising in major Hampton Roads cities
By Yiqing Wang/WHRO Cardiovascular care has become more advanced over the past two decades, giving doctors new ways to prevent deaths from heart attacks, strokes and other conditions. But a new national study found those advances have come with rapidly rising costs while improvements in cardiovascular death rates have largely stalled. The analysis, published in the Journal […]
- Virginia Medical Freedom Alliance Prepares Health Choice Summit Amid Ongoing Debates Over Medical Autonomy
The Virginia Medical Freedom Alliance (VAMFA), a nonprofit organization based in the Commonwealth, is set to host its Health Choice Summit on September 12, 2026, at the Founders Inn Conference Center in Virginia Beach. Titled “Health Choice: Liberation from Mandates” and associated with the theme “Operation Save Our Children,” the event is organized in partnership […]
- Spanberger takes unprecedented step to intervene in $67B Dominion-NextEra merger
Gov. Abigail Spanberger is stepping directly into the regulatory fight over the proposed $67 billion sale of Dominion Energy to Florida-based NextEra Energy, becoming the first Virginia governor to formally intervene in a case before the State Corporation Commission. Spanberger announced Thursday that she will seek intervenor status in the case, giving her administration the […]
- Even without a new map, Buttigieg says Va. Dems can win with focus on healthcare, affordability
Virginia Democrats lost the congressional map they hoped would help them win as many as four Republican-held seats in this year’s midterm elections. Pete Buttigieg says they may not need it. The former U.S. transportation secretary and 2020 presidential candidate said Democrats can still make significant gains under Virginia’s existing map if they field competent […]
- Department of Environmental Quality asks Virginians how to best engage environmental justice communities during permitting process
When the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality reviews permits for proposed projects that would impact water, air, or land, the agency must consider whether projects would be in or near environmental justice communities, areas that are low-income or whose residents are mostly people of color who experience a disproportionate rate of environmental harm. Now, state […]
- Video Shows Campaign Sign Vandalism Involving Jen Kiggans Materials
A video posted online shows the destruction of a campaign sign belonging to Congresswoman Jen Kiggans. The footage captures the act occurring during daylight hours in what appears to be a public setting. Reports describe the individual involved as having political affiliations with the Democratic Party. Vandalism of campaign property constitutes a violation of local […]
- Virginia to fund cancer screening program for firefighters
Virginia’s new two-year budget earmarks millions to help offset current and forthcoming federal funding changes to healthcare and social services. It also accomplished a bipartisan multi-year effort to fund cancer screenings for firefighters. Studies show that firefighters are at higher risk for the disease in their line of work due to their heightened exposure to […]
- Virginia Localities Absorb $6.6 Million Share of Voided Election Costs by Democrats
The Virginia Department of Elections reported that the April 21 special election on a proposed constitutional amendment for redistricting cost $11,636,147 before the state Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional. The state will cover nearly $5 million of that total while localities pay the balance of about $6.6 million. Many local governments had budgeted for a […]
- Youth Detention Pressures Mount in Hampton Roads Region
Hampton Roads communities are confronting challenges in their youth detention services as juveniles are sent to facilities outside their immediate areas. The practice stems from limitations in local capacity that force reliance on distant options. Keeping youth connected to home environments has been identified as important for their overall development. Presentations on the topic outline […]
- Another year, another Virginia retail marijuana market veto leaves businesses, the public with few options
By Yiqing Wang and Toby Cox/WHRO Throughout her bid for governor, Gov. Abigail Spanberger said she would support a bill to set up a legal, adult-use cannabis market — which is why her veto on May 19 caught many rooting for such a market by surprise. “I thought it was a joke, honestly,” said Julian […]
- Gov. Abigail Spanberger signs wetlands, PFAS and flooding bills
Gov. Abigail Spanberger signs an environmental bill into law in Stafford, VA on May 6, 2026. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury) On the banks of Aquia Creek in Stafford, Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Wednesday signed a slew of bills designed to protect Virginia’s clean water from harmful forever chemicals and aid communities as sea levels […]
- Chesapeake Bay sees increase in juvenile blue crabs, drop in adult females
For the last five years, populations of juvenile blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay had struggled to thrive. From 2010 to 2023, the population dropped about 50% as researchers tried to pinpoint the reason behind the decline. But new data from the winter dredge survey shows a significant rise in the young crustaceans that brings […]
