Economic, job, and education changes are luring more young people to skilled trades such as construction, electrical work, plumbing, and auto maintenance. In part one of our three-part series, we'll explore who’s opting in and why. WMRA’s Christine Kueter digs in.

In 1990, Earl Swift backpacked the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia. Early on his trek, he spent time with a friendly couple who were murdered weeks later at a mountaintop campsite. Earl’s new book, Up On Cove Mountain, chronicles that hike and his return to the trail thirty years later to make sense of the violence.

Virginia legalized sports betting, and casino gambling for some cities, in 2020. Since then, demand for help with gambling addiction has ballooned. A statewide initiative launched treatment services in 2022 to help people struggling with problem gambling. WMRA’s Ayse Pirge reports.

Newtown is a small cluster of homes a couple miles from Crozet in western Albemarle County. At one point, Newtown had a school, a community center, a church, and a general store. It was also home to Greenwood Chemical Company, where a 1985 explosion killed four workers and stunned the community. The land became a Superfund site, and soon Albemarle County will try to auction it off to the highest bidder. WMRA’s Christine Kueter continues the story.

Virginia Fresh Match, which allows people to double their SNAP benefits on fresh produce in partner locations, has lost its federal funding this year. But the organization still retains its funding from the state. WMRA’s Ayse Pirge has more.

In 1985, an explosion at a Newtown chemical plant killed four men in their 30s. Now, Albemarle County is searching for anyone with a claim on the 33-acre property, now a Superfund site, to pay back taxes by October 30, before the parcel is auctioned off. WMRA’s Christine Kueter reports in the first of a two-part story.

Nine Valley chefs went head-to-head Monday night in Staunton, cooking with local ingredients and a little pressure, all to raise money for a community gardening project working to make fresh, affordable produce more accessible in Staunton. WMRA’s Bridget Manley reports.

The Inthrive Film Festival showcases films made by and featuring people who have survived incarceration so they can tell their stories about life behind bars on their terms. Now in its third year, the festival started in Richmond and branched out to other parts of the country, with screenings this week in the Shenandoah Valley. David Smith started Inthrive following his own incarceration. WMRA’s Calvin Pynn asked him how that experience led him to create the film festival.

As Radio IQ previously reported, in the 5th Congressional District, Democratic challenger Tom Perriello has almost three times as much cash on hand as incumbent Republican John McGuire. But what do those numbers mean for this November’s election? WMRA’s Meredith McCool reports.

In Virginia's reliably red 6th District, encompassing the Interstate 81 corridor from Frederick County to Roanoke, Democratic challenger Beth Macy has raised nearly $1.7 million as of currently available data – ahead of Republican incumbent Ben Cline's $1.4 million – and with a very different donor portfolio. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

Virginia Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi brought her Energy Costs Listening Tour to Charlottesville Monday night, where residents pressed state lawmakers over the proposed merger between Dominion Energy and Florida-based NextEra Energy. WMRA’s Anjoleigh Schindler reports.

Given the extraordinary nature of the 2026 election cycle, Virginia's five public media news stations are partnering to ensure voters across the state get the full breadth of the federal midterms, state and local elections. This coverage includes questionnaires for the congressional races across the state.