VIRGINIA POLITICS




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Neighborhood Self-Determination And The Vision For Equity

I’m attending a conference in Washington, D.C and it’s finally lunch break. I’ve been inside one room all morning and this break is my first opportunity to grab a bite to eat and hopefully, sit near a window with some sun. Conference attendees are milling about, and...

Expanding the Geography Of Opportunity And Ownership

A racially equitable Richmond is a city that makes my dad feel comfortable and welcome. I grew up as the only child of my single-mother, Lydia Mercado. I had a complicated relationship with my biological father, Dimiter Gorchev, who was 23 years older than my mother....

Black and Brown Centered Placemaking Rooted in Identity & Ownership

As a Black woman who grew up in New York and has now lived in Virginia for 18 years, I’ve seen racial differences written into every landscape of my life for as long as I can remember. I began to notice these differences when I was around 8 years old. As I rode...

Seeking The Next Step

An Afghan family who left their home country years ago and resettled in Virginia attempt to help family members still stuck in Kabul, and grapple with the unavoidable question: With the US military gone, what happens to those attempting to leave Afghanistan now? Bahar...

An End Of An Era

This morning, over 130 years after it was installed, the Commonwealth of Virginia finally removed the statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee from Monument Avenue. RVA Mag's John Donegan and Branden Wilson were on hand to see history being made. Robert E. Lee,...

Norfolk City Council debates marijuana decriminalization

At last week's informal Norfolk city council meeting Councilman Paul Riddick called for a “total presentation” on marijuana decriminalization. At last week's informal Norfolk city council meeting Councilman Paul Riddick called for a “total presentation” on marijuana decriminalization. “I would like to have a presentation by professionals to let...

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McAuliffe Vetoes Bills Loosening Gun Restrictions

RICHMOND – Two bills that would have expanded gun rights in Virginia were vetoed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe this week. The measures were attempts to give Virginians more freedom to possess firearms in or around state office buildings. Though the bills made it all the way to the governor’s desk, McAuliffe decided to shoot them down on Thursday....

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Poll: Most Virginians think prisons cost too much

RICHMOND – Most Virginians agree that the prison population costs too much money, according to a recent poll by the Charles Koch Institute, an educational public-policy organization, and Prison Fellow RICHMOND – Most Virginians agree that the prison population costs too much money, according to a recent poll by the Charles Koch Institute, an...

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What’s alive and dead as bills ‘cross over’ in General Assembly

RICHMOND – Wednesday marked the midpoint of the General Assembly’s session – colloquially referred to as “crossover day.” From this day forward, the House can consider only bills passed by the Senate, RICHMOND – Wednesday marked the midpoint of the General Assembly’s session – colloquially referred to as “crossover day.” From this day forward,...

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McAuliffe restores civil and voting rights to 5,100 ex felons

Gov. McAuliffe today restored more voting rights to ex-felons than any other previous governor, according to a statement released by his office. Gov. McAuliffe today restored more voting rights to ex-felons than any other previous governor, according to a statement released by his office. “I have always believed that people who have served their...

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