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Vote Yes. What’s Missing From the “Vote No” Argument

I had a friend ask me about redistricting. He was trying to figure out how to vote and admitted he did not really understand what was happening. He leans left, so the fact that he was unsure says something about how this issue is being presented right now.  Virginia...

New Bill to Allow Psilocybin Treatment, per FDA Approval

Lawmakers are clearing the way for use of the psychedelic mushroom compound psilocybin as a potential medical treatment, once a formulation is approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Senate Bill 379 directs the state Board of Pharmacy to reschedule psilocybin...

Sen. Warner Warns of Election Power Grab. Now What?

Senator Mark Warner went to the pages of The New York Times this week to warn that the biggest threat to American elections may no longer be foreign interference, but the federal government itself. That sounds dramatic until you realize we’ve been heading in this...

Hemp Retailers Say New Virginia Cannabis Law Would Shut Them Down

With a major cannabis bill now awaiting Governor Abigail Spanberger’s decision, Virginia hemp retailers, farmers, and small business advocates are urging her to step in before it becomes law. The Cannabis Small Business Association (CSBA) and a coalition of hemp...

2 Killed, 9 Shot in Shockoe Bottom After Bars Closed

On the first warm weekend of 2026, in the early hours of Saturday, Feb. 21, at least nine people were shot on North 18th Street in Shockoe Bottom. Two people, 23-year-old Genesis Tamar Jones and 42-year-old Dominic Antoine Jackson, were killed, and seven others were...

Prison Work And Court Fines: A Reform Proposal For Virginia

Editor’s Note: This article is based on reporting by Julianna Brown of Capital News Service, a student-powered newsroom at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Robertson School of Communication. RVA Magazine has edited and expanded the reporting for our audience. For...

Sen. Warner Warns of Election Power Grab. Now What?

Senator Mark Warner went to the pages of The New York Times this week to warn that the biggest threat to American elections may no longer be foreign interference, but the federal government itself. That sounds dramatic until you realize we’ve been heading in this direction for a while now.  Warner lays out a scenario in which a president...

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Hemp Retailers Say New Virginia Cannabis Law Would Shut Them Down

With a major cannabis bill now awaiting Governor Abigail Spanberger’s decision, Virginia hemp retailers, farmers, and small business advocates are urging her to step in before it becomes law. The Cannabis Small Business Association (CSBA) and a coalition of hemp businesses are calling on the governor to use her amendatory authority to revise key...

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2 Killed, 9 Shot in Shockoe Bottom After Bars Closed

On the first warm weekend of 2026, in the early hours of Saturday, Feb. 21, at least nine people were shot on North 18th Street in Shockoe Bottom. Two people, 23-year-old Genesis Tamar Jones and 42-year-old Dominic Antoine Jackson, were killed, and seven others were wounded. Police say the shooting began as an argument between two groups after...

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Prison Work And Court Fines: A Reform Proposal For Virginia

Editor’s Note: This article is based on reporting by Julianna Brown of Capital News Service, a student-powered newsroom at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Robertson School of Communication. RVA Magazine has edited and expanded the reporting for our audience. For years, Virginia has allowed community service to count toward court fines and...

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As Virginia Legalizes Cannabis, New Penalties Spark Backlash

Virginia’s long-running effort to build a regulated cannabis marketplace has hit a new turning point this legislative session. Since adult possession became legal in 2021, lawmakers and stakeholders have spent years negotiating a retail framework to replace the unlicensed gray market with a structured, licensed system. Much of that work appeared...

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Buddhist Monks Enter Virginia on Walk for Peace, Richmond Ahead

UPDATE February 1st, 2026: The monks are in Chester, VA today. You can see that HERE. The Buddhist monks participating in the Walk for Peace, a 2,300 mile walking pilgrimage across the United States, crossed into Virginia on January 28, marking Day 95 of their journey As of Wednesday, the group is traveling through Gasburg, Virginia, after...

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