VPM

1 day ago | vpm.org | Joel Rose

The fragile state of the U.S. air traffic control system was easy to see during the recent outages in Newark. But it will be a lot harder to make up for decades of underinvestment and other mistakes. Copyright 2025 NPR

4 days ago | vpm.org | Keyris Manzanares

In a 6–2 vote Monday night, Richmond City Council passed a proposal to institute a 5-cent tax per plastic bag on purchases at grocery, drug and convenience stores in the city starting January 1, 2026. 6th District Councilor Ellen Robertson and 8th District Councilor Reva Trammell voted against the proposal, while 9th District Councilor Nicole Jones abstained.

5 days ago | vpm.org | Adrienne McGibbon

The US Senate is set to take up a budget bill that’s become the legislative focus of President Donald Trump’s agenda this week after Congress returns from a Memorial Day recess. Before leaving, the US House of Representatives voted 215–214 to pass its version of a tax and spending bill. The legislation put restrictions on who will be eligible for Medicaid coverage. Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D–4th) voted against the bill.

1 week ago | vpm.org | Lydia McFarlane

Rob Kennedy mingled with about a dozen other people in a community space in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania. The room, decorated with an under-the-sea theme, had a balloon arch decked out with streamers meant to look like jellyfish and a cloud of clear balloons mimicking ocean bubbles. Kennedy comes to this memory cafe twice a month since being diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease in his late 50s. Everyone here has a degree of memory loss or is a caregiver for someone with memory loss.

1 week ago | vpm.org | Lyndon German

The Hanover County Board of Supervisors appointed two new members to the county’s school board Wednesday, marking another shift in a year of transition for the division’s leadership. William Sroufe and Frank Shelp were unanimously selected to represent the Cold Harbor and South Anna districts, respectively. Sroufe replaces current Vice Chair Steve Ikenberry, while Shelp takes the seat held by Bob May, the board’s current chair.