Join the WMRA Freelance Corps!
Sustainability Matters
Do you have journalism experience you'd like to put to work researching, reporting, and relaying local news stories with accuracy and context to local NPR listeners?
Apply to join the ranks of our freelance reporters!
Send a brief introduction and a few examples of your published work to Assistant News Editor, Randi B. Hagi (hagirb@jmu.edu) to be considered and learn more about our freelancer program.
We pay per-story for original, local, fact-checked radio pieces that illuminate the region's current events for our listeners.
Recent stories from our freelance reporters
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It’s wedding season across Virginia. That means bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinners, and, sometimes, IV infusions and energy shots for brides, grooms, and their guests, even as some experts warn that their risks outweigh their benefits. WMRA’s Christine Kueter reports. -
Hemp – the type of cannabis plant bred for its strong fibers and health benefits rather than psychoactive properties – has a long and storied history in the commonwealth. WMRA’s Sara Prince talked with local hemp businesses about how they process the crop and the regulatory challenges they face, and filed this report. -
A measles outbreak spreading through Buckingham County has infected at least 17 people as of Thursday, prompting health officials to warn that additional cases are likely still unidentified, and highlighting childhood vaccination gaps across parts of Central Virginia. WMRA’s Anjoleigh Schindler reports. -
Governor Abigail Spanberger signed new laws at ceremonies in Charlottesville on Tuesday, including one in the University of Virginia Rotunda just a few blocks away from the site of a 2022 triple murder. That legislation bans firearms on public college and university campuses, as WMRA’s Christine Kueter reports. -
Recent hikes in fast food prices have left many diners cold, but the average American still goes out to eat between five and six times a week. Where they’re choosing to go, though, amid economic uncertainty, high gas and grocery prices, might surprise you. WMRA's Christine Kueter reports. -
Electricity bills are rising across Virginia—and for many residents, it’s unclear why. WMRA’s Anjoleigh Schindler reports. -
The city of Staunton has reached a milestone in its efforts to protect the community from future flooding with the release of a first draft of the Staunton Flood Resilience Plan. WMRA's Meredith McCool reports. -
A silent disco fundraiser is coming to Charlottesville this weekend as part of the Tom Tom Festival—bringing together music, community, and support for survivors. WMRA’s Anjoleigh Schindler reports. -
Virginia’s electricity demand is rising rapidly—driven largely by data centers in Northern Virginia. As utilities expand the energy grid to keep up, new infrastructure projects are being proposed across Central Virginia—drawing pushback from environmentalists, and residents in communities such as Fluvanna County. WMRA’s Anjoleigh Schindler reports. -
An increasingly common allergy caused by tick bites continues to sweep across parts of the South and Mid-Atlantic, including Virginia, causing everything from rashes and hives to crippling gastro-intestinal upset, and, in rare cases, death. But some with the so-called “red meat allergy” are getting symptom relief with acupuncture. WMRA’s Christine Kueter reports.
