Never miss another story with our free, daily newsletter
Bar association says newly created judgeship was filled without its input
State Sen. Mark Obenshain of Rockingham County was admonished by the local bar association for not notifying it before the 26th Judicial District judgeship was created and filled.
Politics
Republicans protested the number of tax bills introduced during the 2026 legislative session. Few passed the Democrat-controlled General Assembly.
Democrats hold a trifecta of power but axed most of the bills that could raise taxes or establish new taxes as they seek to alleviate the impact of the nationwide affordability crisis on Virginians.
Local
New special prosecutor named in case seeking to remove Martinsville mayor
Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney Bethany Harrison will also handle the criminal investigation into Martinsville city spending, Martinsville’s top prosecutor announced.
Culture
Parkway foundation sees bright future for dark sky tourism
The nonprofit Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, headquartered in Winston-Salem, is partnering with universities to conduct a comprehensive light pollution survey from the parkway’s northern gate at Rockfish Gap to its southern terminus near Cherokee, N.C.
education
Roanoke City School Board approves preliminary budget in preparation of cuts
The school board’s budget is not final and does not yet detail cuts to programs or personnel that will need to be made in the upcoming fiscal year, but it did include 2% raises for RCPS employees.
eCONOMY
Cybersecurity projects at colleges and universities go from the lab to the people
Multiple colleges and universities in Southwest Virginia are connected to the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative, which funds cybersecurity research and projects.
OPinion
Across Europe and the Mideast, the star of TV news coverage is a former Virginia legislator with ties to Franklin County
Former Del. David Ramadan, who grew up in Lebanon and now teaches part-time at George Mason University, is an in-demand analyst about Middle Eastern news.
Health Care
The Pulse: Community resources and dental care expand; researchers raise safety concerns related to unregulated kratom
Catch up on this week’s health news.
news briefs
Headlines from across the state: Virginia higher education takes hit from drop in foreign students; more …
From elsewhere: ICE made nearly 9,000 arrests in Virginia in 2025; it’s on pace to beat that this year. An inside look at CarMax Park, Richmond’s ballpark rich with amenities. Groups file legal challenge on Southgate pipeline.
Sports
‘Martinsville Missile’ sets a new land speed record for a stock car
With a Henry County driver behind the wheel, the car designed and built in Martinsville broke the record of 244.9 mph with a top speed of 253 mph.
WEATHER
Some foolish (but totally true) regional weather facts on April 1
Every day is April Fools’ Day on the internet. However, some real but weird statistics can show how dry, warm and snowy (or not) it’s been in our region recently.
Cardinal 250
Freedom was paved with confiscation
Virginia eventually seized and sold off an estimated 53,000 acres, plus personal property, which in some cases included enslaved Africans.
Do you have a news tip or story idea? Send us your tip anonymously by clicking on the “Submit A Tip” button.