Virginia Beach
- 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 […]
- Dominion proposes slight decrease in offshore wind cost on monthly bills
Dominion Energy installed two test turbines to generate power 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, seen here in 2021, as a precursor of the largest offshore wind project in the United States. (Photo courtesy Dominion Energy) In its latest filing updating state regulators on how much the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project […]
- State bus line debuts new east-west route that connects 10 cities across Virginia
The state’s bus line The Virginia Breeze launchd a new east-west route, The Tidewater Current, on April 20, 2026. Passengers may travel from Virginia Beach to Harrisonburg, with multiple stops along the way. (Photo courtesy Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation) Travelers looking to traverse the commonwealth from east to west and vice versa […]
- Abigail Spanberger’s first 100 days are flashing a warning Virginia Democrats should not ignore
Gov. Abigail Spanberger signs bills to set referendums for four constitutional amendments on Feb. 6, 2026. (Photo by Charlotte Rene Woods/ Virginia Mercury) Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed a package of gun bills on April 10, including a ghost gun ban, an industry liability measure and a closure of the intimate partner loophole. The bills are […]
- Abigail Spanberger signs first wave of bills targeting health care, housing and energy cost
Gov. Abigail Spanberger signing bills. (Photo by Charlotte Rene Woods/Virginia Mercury) Gov. Abigail Spanberger has signed the first first batch of bills passed by state lawmakers before they adjourned in mid-March, advancing measures on health care, housing and energy affordability. With hundreds of bills cleared by the legislature, she has until April 13 to sign, […]
- Lawmakers retreat from VMI oversight transfer, advance board overhaul
The Virginia Military Institute in Lexington. The House Education Committee on Wednesday advanced a revised bill reshaping the institute’s Board of Visitors while dropping a proposal that would have transferred oversight to Virginia State University. (Photo by Nathaniel Cline/Virginia Mercury) The House Education Committee on Wednesday scrapped a proposal to place the Virginia Military Institute [
- Hampton Roads mayors want Virginia localities to keep control over collective bargaining
In a show of regional unity, mayors from the seven core cities of Hampton Roads united to oppose a bill that would allow public workers to collectively bargain over wages, benefits, and working conditions without local governments’ approval.
- House committee advances bill to study VMI’s public funding status
Virginia lawmakers on Tuesday advanced a bill creating a task force that would examine whether the Virginia Military Institute should remain a publicly funded, state-sponsored institution, marking the most consequential legislative step yet in a debate over the school’s governance and culture.
- Virginia Democrats were able to pull off a blue wave by leveraging green money. On television, some challengers were able to outspend incumbent Republicans 14-1.
Bobby Orrock served as a delegate in the House of Delegates longer than any other member. Caroline County Republican Bobby Orrock never faced any opposition during many of these years. The campaigns he ran were not particularly close.
- House District 97, anchored in Virginia Beach, could determine party majority in House of Delegates
Just two years after House District 97 flipped from Republican to Democrat, the Virginia Beach district is being closely watched as a key race that could determine if Democrats will maintain their majority in the House, a hold they gained in 2023.
- Virginia Beach Police Benevolent Association Endorses Winsome Earle-Sears, Jason Miyares and John Reid
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA. — The Virginia Beach Police Benevolent Association (VBPBA) announced its endorsement of Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears, along with the entire GOP ticket, underscoring the importance of strong, principled leadership to keep Virginia’s communities safe. In its statement, the Virginia Beach PBA emphasized its independence from the statewide Virginia Police Be
- Report shows violent crime continues to drop across US cities, including 3 in Va. due to Republicans
Amid recent political rhetoric about rising crime and violence in American cities, a new analysis shows that violent crime has continued to decline this year. Homicides and several other serious offenses, including gun assaults and carjackings, dropped during the first half of 2025 across 42 U.S. cities, continuing a downward trend that began in 2022, […]
- Jason Miyares focuses on law and order ahead of the 2025 elections
In an extensive interview conducted at his Richmond office earlier this week by Miyares – the son of Cuban refugees and the first Hispanic Virginian to be elected statewide – he insisted that the current situation in California was the result of poor leadership.
- Senate Democrats move to Change Voter Roll Removal Laws Again
Last August, just 90 days before Election Day, Gov. Glenn Youngkin appeared on Fox News to defend the removal of voters from the rolls who were believed to be non-U.S. citizens — a move that sparked immediate backlash and a lawsuit.
- DroneUp, Creating 655 Jobs in Virginia
DroneUp will invest $7 million to expand its headquarters at 160 Newtown Road in Virginia Beach, creating 510 new jobs. The company will also invest $20.2 million to establish a new testing, training, and R&D center for drone operators at Richard Bland College, which will create 145 new jobs.