It's the holidays! The fire is delightful, chestnuts are roasting, people are wassailing (whatever that is). But for some folks, this is a time of year that hits hard, where the pain of addiction, of isolation, or even just loneliness, can make it much less joyful. So what can we do to close the loneliness gap in RVA?

Redlining has been illegal for more than half a century. But Black homeowners today are still feeling its impact through appraisals that undervalue their homes. Rich unpacks recent findings on appraisal bias in Richmond with two housing experts, as well as their undercover method for addressing housing discrimination today.

If you live in Henrico, chances are you pay bills! But have you ever wondered why those payments have to be mailed out of state? Shouldn’t we keep the money and jobs in our own community?

Finally, we look at a farmers market in Chesterfield that serves everything from arepas, to nopal, to fresh coquito. America DeLoach founded the Latino Farmers Market to help vendors who felt left out of other markets.

A flood of renewable energy projects are hitting the RVA region. What does it mean for households in the region? And is it enough to satiate our soaring energy demands?

A listener asks Rich: am I being gaslit by these door knockers? After a canvasser says a "no soliciting sign" doesn't apply to them, one listener is stumped about how to tell people to bug-off (although Rich hopes you don't do this to everyone)

If TV taught us anything, it's that when something bad happens, the only thing to do is put on a show. Tariq Karriem, a local Henrico high school graduate, took this to heart after feeling students of color were being left out of local theatre productions. So he and others started their own theatre group, the Black Virginia Theatre Alliance

In his very first sit-down interview since the election, mayor-elect Danny Avula joins Rich to discuss what Richmonders can expect from his administration.

What are his top priorities and how will he start to tackle them? How will he bring more people into the political process? And how will he advocate for the city on both the State and Federal level? 

Need some 11th hour candidate info for election day? We have you covered! Check out any of our recent episodes on the mayoral contest, what it takes to be on city council, a plan to shake up the school board race and much, much more. We'll be next week with a new episode. Until then, see you at the polls!

Our series "Who's Got Your Vote?" takes you inside Richmond's race for mayor. Rich talks with each candidate to bring you closer to the issues and faces that want to shape the future of Richmond.

For our final week of our series, Rich talks with Andreas Addison, the current Richmond City Council representative for the first district. Hear how his tutelage under Governor Wilder and Mayor Dwight Jones opened his eyes to what public leaders can accomplish, why the "karass" is an integral part of his political outlook, and how he plans to bring City Hall's technology up to speed.

Our series "Who's Got Your Vote?" takes you inside Richmond's race for mayor. Rich talks with each candidate to bring you closer to the issues and faces that want to shape the future of Richmond. So, who's got your vote?

This week Rich talks with Danny Avula, a pediatrician who was also recently the state commissioner for the the Virginia Department of Social Services. He says the connections he formed while overseeing the state's COVID rollout can help in amassing more financial support for the city and maintains his support for LGBTQ and abortion rights, despite support from prominent social conservatives in Richmond.

Our series "Who's Got Your Vote?" takes you inside Richmond's race for mayor. Rich talks with each candidate to bring you closer to the issues and faces that want to shape the future of Richmond. So, who's got your vote?

This week Rich talks with Michelle Mosby, Richmond City Council's first Black female president. She says she won't need training wheels to tackle the mayor's job. She also tells us how her past bouts with bankruptcy inform her financial views, and what she'll do to establish stronger oversight when it comes to dysfunction in City Hall.

Watch a longer version of this interview on VPM's YouTube channel.

Our series "Who's Got Your Vote?" takes you inside Richmond's race for mayor. Rich talks with each candidate to bring you closer to the issues and faces that want to shape the future of Richmond. So, who's got your vote?

This week Rich talks with Maurice Neblett, an entrepreneur and community leader in the city. Hear what being "a true son of Richmond" means to him, how he says a non-political background gives him an edge in the race, and why transparency and accountability mean so much to his campaign.

Watch a longer version of this interview on VPM's YouTube channel.

Our series "Who's Got Your Vote?" takes you inside Richmond's race for mayor. Rich talks with each candidate to bring you closer to the issues and faces that want to shape the future of Richmond. So, who's got your vote?

We kick off with Harrison Roday, a leader in the nonprofit and industrial manufacturing space. He says his "get things done" attitude, experience in politics under Senator Tim Kaine and his aptitude for budgeting and finance sets him apart from the other candidates.

Watch a longer version of this interview on VPM's YouTube channel.