Sen. Mark Peake, R-Lynchburg, looks up at the voting board as he votes in the Virginia Senate Chamber at the State Capitol in Richmond, VA Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025.
State Sen. Mark Peake, R-Lynchburg. Photo by Bob Brown.

Here are some of the top headlines from other news outlets around Virginia. Some content may be behind a metered paywall:

Politics:

Peake to step down as state GOP chairman as new General Assembly session nears. — The (Lynchburg) News & Advance (paywall).

Spanberger announces seasoned policy advisor as next health and human resources secretary. — Virginia Mercury.

Culture:

Bald eagle released at Smith Mountain Lake as sightings rise across the region. — Martinsville Bulletin (paywall).

Raccoon gets drunk at Ashland ABC store and passes out in bathroom. — Axios Richmond.

Local:

New owner of The Inn at Wise plans for transformation. — WJHL-TV.

Weather:

For more weather news, follow weather journalist Kevin Myatt on Twitter / X at @kevinmyattwx and sign up for his free weather email newsletter. His weekly column appears in Cardinal News each Wednesday afternoon.