Michael Pope
Virginia Public Radio ReporterMichael Pope is an author and journalist who lives in Old Town Alexandria. He has reported for NPR, the New York Daily News and the Alexandria Gazette Packet. He has a master's degree in American Studies from Florida State University, and he is a former adjunct professor at Tallahassee Community College. He is the author of four books.
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Governor Glenn Youngkin is sending National Guard troops to the southern border in Texas next month, a move that critics say is politically motivated. A previous governor who used his powers as the commander-in-chief in a way that still invites controversy.
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So, here's a head-scratcher for labor economists: productivity is down in Virginia, but the number of hours worked has gone up. That's according to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which compared 2021 to 2022.
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Negotiations seem to have stalled for now, and no action is expected until after the primary on June 20th.
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A recent Supreme Court decision might have environmental impacts in Virginia for years to come.
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Northern Virginia is the global hub of data centers. But that notoriety is causing friction in some communities.
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Four years ago, a group of Commonwealth's Attorneys were elected and started taking a new approach to law and order. They called themselves the Progressive Prosecutors for Justice, and they advocated for things like the abolition of the death penalty, ending cash bail and getting rid of mandatory minimum sentences. Now, a few of their most prominent members have challengers in the Democratic primary in Fairfax and Loudoun and in Arlington.
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School board candidates do not have an R or a D next to their name, but many are hoping that an endorsement from a political party will be their ticket to victory.
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Virginia currently incarcerates about 400 people even though their sentences have already been completed. It's part of a system called civil commitment, which allows the state to detain people who have been convicted of sexual offenses until they can prove that they are no longer a danger.
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The governor has a list of candidates he's endorsing. The folks at Planned Parenthood have a list of candidates they're supporting. And labor groups have their preferred candidates.
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Earlier this year, members of the General Assembly gave unanimous approval for funding an underground transmission line in Fauquier County and an underground distribution line in Fairfax County.