Read more  Kacey Carnegie: We’re all more alike than we think      Other links:  Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Mitchell Cornett: Southwest Virginia needs ‘wins in Richmond’  Allegations of racism, retaliation at Red Onion State Prison deemed ‘inconclusive’  Chesterfield County School Board chooses new leaders — with some dissent    Other links:  Judge Orders Trump Loyalist to Explain Why She Has Kept U.S. Attorney Title (The New York Times)  Virginia’s job openings on the rise with 255,000 vacancies: report (WRIC)  Venezuela strike sharpens war powers debate among Virginia lawmakers (Virginia Mercury)  Still no resolution from sheriff on Turnstile pepper spray controversy (The Richmonder)  Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Read more:  Curious Commonwealth asks: Why is there a herd of elk in North Chesterfield?  Avula, Richmond officials detail progress at main water treatment plant  Democrats Jones, Schmidt win Richmond-area General Assembly seats  Other links:  VDOT pauses minority-, women-owned businesses program activities amid federal changes (Virginia Mercury)  For the fourth straight year, 'Vision Zero' deaths were above the 2017 baseline (The Richmonder)  Data center zoning amendment up for final approval in Campbell County (Cardinal News)  Hegseth rails against cost overruns while touring Newport News Shipbuilding (WHRO News)  Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Read more:  A year in review with Richmond Mayor Danny Avula  Best of 2025: A year in photography across the commonwealth  John McAuliff: Data center growth is fueling a statewide energy crisis  Virginia lawmakers seek to balance energy affordability, reliability in 2026  House of Delegates to continue subsidizing members' child care costs in 2026    Other links: U.S. Navy blockade off coast of Venezuela will continue despite Maduro's capture (WHRO News)  After Virginia judges’ misconduct became public, lawmakers reinstated secrecy (Virginia Mercury)  Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.   

Read more John McAuliff: Data center growth is fueling a statewide energy crisis House of Delegates to continue subsidizing members' child care costs in 2026 Virginia lawmakers seek to balance energy affordability, reliability in 2026 Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.

Read more Stacey Carroll: Virginia needs 'innovative ways' to deal with federal cuts Data: Virginia's early childhood education providers are succeeding Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.

Read more ⁠May Nivar: Maintaining Virginia's way of life while encouraging growth⁠ ⁠How one Richmond program elevates soul food and health Best of 2025: VPM News staff's favorite local journalism Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.

Read more Lindsey Dougherty: Virginia needs investment in housing and infrastructure This Ashland resident is bridging the bilingual gap in Hanover Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.

Read more Richmond author Lee Allen is celebrating 30 years of ‘The Special Guest’ Runnymeade Community Farm to help preserve small-scale farming in Varina Glow Big or Glow Home turns holiday festivities into Chesterfield tourism Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit ⁠vpm.org/donate⁠ to support local journalism.

Read more Leslie Mehta: Affordability is the name of the game Retail cannabis market appears set to finally hit Virginia in 2026 Mutual aid fills the gaps as ICE arrests surge across Virginia VPM News Short: Virginia Delegates, Class of 2026 Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.

Read more UVA board selects Scott Beardsley as new president Updated: Virginia ABC grants Roseshire gambling parlor limited liquor license Other links Santa Claus’ bone fragment is at a Northern Virginia Catholic church (WAMU) Transcript: Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger represents a series of Virginia firsts (NPR) Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.

VPM News Host Lyndon German and BizSense Reporter Jack Jacobs recap of the Richmond region's top business stories for the week of December 19, 2025. This week they'll cover the $80 million purchase of Chesterfield Town Center, the arrival of a new Trader Joe's in Henrico County and much more.

Read more Regulators to consider appeal against Dominion Energy natural gas plant Spanberger, Virginia Democrats eye affordability bills — on a budget Holiday travel expected to break records again in 2025 Updated: Virginia ABC grants Roseshire gambling parlor limited liquor license Other links Metro needs more money. Will Virginia deliver? (WAMU) US government admits role in causing helicopter-plane collision that killed 67 (The Associated Press) Step into this Iowan's Jane Austen–inspired dream for her 250th birthday (Iowa Public Radio) Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.

Read more Youngkin presents final budget proposal as governor Budget draft partially funds Child Care Subsidy Program Other links Roanoke Weighs Reparations Fund as Council Warms to Urban Renewal Apology (Roanoke Rambler) Caroline Historical Society exhibit tells the story of county’s World War II veterans (Fredericksburg Free Press) Newport News approves $3 million to help bring ‘major music festival’ to city (The Virginian-Pilot)* Petersburg casino will hold job fair Dec. 18 in Richmond (The Progress-Index)* Pittsylvania to consider being a test locality for pilot slow-moving vehicle warning system (Cardinal News) *This outlet utilizes a paywall. Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.

Read more Richmond City Council OKs Mayor Danny Avula’s plan for limited FOIA library Other links Remembrance: Edwin “Eddie” Slipek, 1950-2025 (Style Weekly) What will Virginia's Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin do next? He's not ready to tell (The Associated Press) Virginia Dept. of Ed projects K-12 schools will need $1.2 billion over next two years (Virginia Mercury) Where is Tavares Floyd? Months after being indicted, court records still list him as a fugitive (Richmond Times-Dispatch)* City ends Flock pilot program over federal data base concerns (Cville Right Now) *This outlet utilizes a paywall. Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.

Read more: Charlie Schmidt wins firehouse primary in House of Delegates District 77 Other links:George Washington’s mansion at Mt. Vernon reopens after 2-year, $40M renovation (AP) Brown shooting victim was pursuing dream of becoming brain surgeon (The Washington Post)* The Mysterious Life and Afterlife of Private Fitz Lee (The New York Times)* What is a 'tent casino'? Petersburg prepares for temporary facility to open (The Richmonder) Faculty Senate passes resolution calling for presidential search finalists to ask for pause (The Cavalier Daily) Va. considers nearly $700 million rail and trail plan in Shenandoah Valley (Virginia Mercury) Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.

Read more Hanover supervisors approve 10-year parks system plan Who's running in Virginia's 5th Congressional District in 2026? On the agenda: Richmond transparency proposals, Henrico vape shop regulations Other links National Weather Service: Richmond forecast; Charlottesville forecast; Harrisonburg forecast Most Va. schools meeting new state expectations, Va. education department reports (Virginia Mercury) Kaine still sees small chance Senate could vote to extend health care subsidies (FFXNow) Richmond’s Scott’s Addition to reinstate parking enforcement after years without (WRIC) Trial over Confederate school names in Shenandoah County gets underway (WMRA) Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.

VPM News Host Lyndon German and BizSense Reporter Mike Platania discuss Greater Richmond's top business stories. This week's stories include information on the mystery tenants moving to CoStar's riverfront headquarters and a new restaurant moving into a familiar building in the Fan.

Read more VanValkenburg looks to return Virginia to multistate voter data partnership  Joe Casey, longtime Chesterfield County administrator, announces retirement  Other links Spanberger names Del. David Bulova to lead natural, historic resources (Richmond Times-Dispatch)* Dog attacks persist in Virginia prisons despite 2024 law change (Virginia Mercury) Virginia to remove ‘sweetened beverages’ from SNAP in April 2026 (WRIC) Virginia Beach school system is making teletherapy free for some students (WHRO News)  Then & Now: The Roanoke River Greenway inched closer to completion this year, with the opening of almost 3 more miles of trail (Cardinal News) *This outlet utilizes a paywall.  Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Read more: Richmond Public Schools could lose valuable Southside site to land sale State Crime Commission has reviewed 85% of Mary Jane Burton’s cases    Other links:  Virginia researchers help track migrating monarch butterflies in more detail than ever (WHRO News)    Spanberger taps Del. Candi Mundon King as Virginia’s next secretary of the commonwealth (Virginia Mercury)    Spanberger's energy, health care, housing bills coming next week (Richmond Times-Dispatch)*    VUU’s accrediting probation lifted, accreditation ‘reaffirmed’ (The Richmonder)    Rasoul to explore run for Congress as Virginia eyes redrawing district lines (Cardinal News)  *This outlet utilizes a paywall.  Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.