Richmond's Morning News with Rich Herrera

Hard to believe that we're already to the end of the first month of 2024! Our first guest of the week is our occasional guest host Karen Michael, who calls in to talk about her most recent Richmond Times-Dispatch article, the subject of which is DEI.

Movie time!  Following a tribute to the late film composer Elmer Bernstein (The Magnificent Seven, To Kill a Mockingbird, Airplane!), our "Movie Guy" Mike Mayo joins John to review George Clooney's latest directorial effort The Boys in the Boat.  

"Are you ready for some [playoff] football?!"  It's Friday, which means that the time has come for  . . . "Picking & Grinning"!  Former Virginia Governor and U.S. Senator George Allen joins, John, Gary, and Dan to pick the NFL semifinal/conference championship games.  Afterward, Governor Allen sticks around to talk with John about prudent energy policy. 

"What the world needs now [except for convicted murderers awaiting execution by nitrogen on death row] is love, sweet love. . . ."  Well, following one of the more awkward 180-degree transitions during my six months as executive producer of Richmond's Morning News, John welcomes Lythos Studios' Clay Hamner to the show -- for a conversation about what folks can do in and around Richmond this weekend.

In the wake of John's interview with former Virginia Governor Doug Wilder earlier this week, we welcome Richmond BizSense reporter Jonathan Spiers back to the show.  John and Jonathan have a conversation about the latest news regarding VCU's $100 million financial loss resulting from a failed development project last year, and the two discuss Jonathan's ongoing coverage of the story.

(As of this writing, VCU's administration and President Rao have declined requests for an interview about the matter.)

Next up this Friday morning, John talks to White House Correspondent for Gray Television, Jon Decker -- who talks about his travels with the President and what he's been up to, essentially on the 2024 campaign trail.

As we wait on a ruling from the International Court of Justice regarding whether a cease fire should occur in Israel, ABC's Jordana Miller calls in to the show for her weekly segment -- so as to talk to John about the merits of South Africa's petition to the Court/claim of genocide.

Returning to the show at 8:30 this AM for his weekly segment is former Virginia Governor and European Ambassador Jim Gilmore; Governor Gilmore and John have a wide-ranging discussion that covers U.S. border security, the VCU $100 million financial loss, and war in Ukraine.

Joining John atop the 8 o'clock hour this morning is longtime House of Delegates member Terry Kilgore.  Delegate Kilgore and John enjoy a wide-ranging conversation about numerous issues and measures under consideration during the ongoing General Assembly session this winter.

Next up this Thursday is CEO of the Virginia Apartment Management Association ("VAMA"), Patrick McCloud.  Patrick joins John for a conversation about Democrats' efforts to impose rent controls -- and VAMA's attempts to thwart those efforts (and why).