The Virginia Mercury

The Virginia Mercury is a nonprofit online news platform that operates independently, focusing on Virginia's state government and policy matters. As the state undergoes significant changes—such as the removal of Confederate statues and transformations in healthcare and energy—The Mercury seeks to offer a unique viewpoint on these critical issues. This news organization employs four experienced journalists from Virginia’s newspaper industry, who work full-time to deliver original content and guest opinions on various subjects. Funding for The Mercury comes from the Hopewell Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity that aids donors, social entrepreneurs, and other innovators in quickly initiating new and impactful projects.

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Va. professors warn against governance boards politicizing tenure processes

1 week ago | virginiamercury.com | Nathaniel Cline

The Virginia Conference of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), the largest organization representing university professors in the commonwealth, is raising fresh concerns, after learning the George Mason University’s Board of Visitors inquired in February 2024 about their roles in reviewing promotion and tenure cases.
Senate draft of ‘big, beautiful bill’ could cut funds for Virginia hospitals, also affect Medicaid

1 week ago | virginiamercury.com | Charlotte Woods

Virginia’s hospitals are monitoring congressional budget proposals with concern. While the recently-passed U.S. House of Representatives’ version of the President Donald Trump-backed “big beautiful bill” retained federal mapping that preserves Medicaid access in Virginia, a new draft in the U.S. Senate could alter two critical funding mechanisms that support Virginia’s hospitals and their ability to bolster the state’s expanded Medicaid program.
Va. board of ed approves $83.4 million allocation for infrastructure grants

1 week ago | virginiamercury.com | Nathaniel Cline

After a competitive application process, multiple school divisions and a regional technical center will receive $83.4 million in grants for school construction projects, a move the Virginia Board of Education approved on Wednesday. A total of $80 million from the fiscal year 2025 application process will be allocated to 10 school divisions, including Lunenburg County for Central High School, the city of Richmond for Woodville Elementary School, and Massanutten Technical Center in Harrisonburg.
Virginia advocates, officials push for worker protections from heat

1 week ago | virginiamercury.com | Shannon Heckt

With summer officially kicking off on Friday, elected officials and worker advocates are pushing for more state legislation aimed to support people who have to work outside in the hot temperatures. When a person’s body can’t bring their internal temperature down in these warm climates, it can lead to heat stroke or heat exhaustion.
John Reid would vote ‘no, no, no’ on in-progress constitutional amendments

1 week ago | virginiamercury.com | Charlotte Woods

by Charlotte Rene Woods, Virginia Mercury June 18, 2025 After Tuesday’s primary election cemented state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi as the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, her opponent Republican lieutenant governor candidate John Reid on Wednesday laid out his goals if elected to the state’s second-highest office.
With official results pending, Hashmi declares victory in Democratic lieutenant governor primary

1 week ago | virginiamercury.com | Samantha Willis

Richmond-based state Senator Ghazala Hashmi declared victory in Virginia’s Democratic lieutenant governor primary Tuesday night, although the official results of the six-way contest are yet to be determined. As of Wednesday morning, Hashmi remained the frontrunner in the contest, with 27.49% of 477,845 votes total. Her closest competitors were former Richmond mayor Levar Stoney, with 26.65%, and Aaron Rouse, a state senator representing Virginia Beach who earned 26.16%.
With federal funding uncertain, Va. faces $8 million gap for attendance, teacher retention programs

1 week ago | virginiamercury.com | Nathaniel Cline

Virginia could be on the hook for $8 million to cover two initiatives to address student attendance and teacher retention if the federal government denies the commonwealth’s appeals, House lawmakers learned on Monday.
Louisa County landowner caught up in solar farm regulation debate

1 week ago | virginiamercury.com | Shannon Heckt

A landowner in Louisa County is tangled up in disputes over how her land should be developed, reflecting an ongoing debate over the state’s role in solar energy development in rural areas. She wants a solar project to be built on her property, but local authorities want her land to stay agricultural use-only.
Coalitions in Va., 16 states challenge restrictions on federal grants for domestic violence victims

1 week ago | virginiamercury.com | Charlotte Woods

by Charlotte Rene Woods, Virginia Mercury June 16, 2025 Amid new restrictions imposed on federal grants that aid victims of sexual or domestic violence, multiple groups from 17 states including Virginia signed onto a complaint challenging its legality. In a complaint filed this week against the U.S. Department of Justice and others, several victims’ service groups from multiple states are seeking an injunction on new restrictions that the federal government has placed on the grants.
Virginia Primary Preview: 10 House of Delegates contests to watch Tuesday

1 week ago | virginiamercury.com | Markus Schmidt |Nathaniel Cline |Charlotte Woods

With early voting already underway and primary day set for Tuesday, Virginia’s House of Delegates races are shaping up to be a revealing test of party identity, grassroots energy, and electoral ambition. For the first time in many years, Democrats have fielded candidates in all 100 House districts — a feat that underscores just how determined the party is to hold the majority it won back two years ago, and how fired up its base has become heading into another high-stakes election year.