The Cardinal: News of Virginia

This week’s episode dives headfirst into one of the most gripping stories Virginia has seen in years — the case of the missing baby giraffes from the Natural Bridge Zoo. What began as a routine state inquiry has spiraled into a full-blown criminal investigation, court orders, public outrage, and even a celebrity-backed reward. With the zoo’s manager choosing jail time over revealing the animals’ whereabouts, questions are mounting and patience is wearing thin.

Host Lisa Rowan sits down with Dwayne Yancey who has covered every turn of this unfolding saga. Together, they unpack the timeline, the legal stakes, the mystery at the center of it all, and why these young giraffes have captured statewide — and national — attention. From investigative findings to courtroom showdowns to that headline-grabbing offer from Alicia Silverstone, this episode pulls together everything we know so far and what’s likely to come next.

Host Lisa Rowan talks with reporter Grace Mamon about Halifax County’s ambitious proposal for a recovery campus that would provide housing, transportation, and other essential services for people in recovery from substance use disorder. They explore what’s driving the project, the challenges it faces, and how it could reshape recovery efforts in rural Virginia.

In this episode, Lisa Rowan and Samantha Verrelli explore how a breakdown in communication and enforcement allowed a major Roanoke property to operate without fire protection for more than a year. They unpack the policies that failed to prevent disaster, the timeline city leaders must now answer for, and how journalists bring transparency to local oversight systems that often go unseen.

Virginia’s abortion debate has gone hyper-local. Reporter Emma Malinak joins Lisa Rowan to break down Lynchburg’s proposed zoning changes, the arguments on both sides and what these local battles say about the future of reproductive policy in the Commonwealth.

It’s been one year since Hurricane Helene tore through Southwest Virginia, leaving behind collapsed bridges, vanished homes, and entire communities forced to start over. In this episode of The Cardinal: News of Virginia, host Lisa Rowan sits down with Southwest Virginia reporter Susan Cameron to revisit the towns hit hardest by the storm — and to hear how people are rebuilding not just their homes, but their lives.

From neighbors helping neighbors to the tireless volunteers still on the ground, this is a story of resilience, community, and hope amid the wreckage. And as recovery continues, Susan and Lisa also explore what can be done to prepare for future floods — and how lessons from Helene may help protect Virginia’s mountain communities the next time disaster strikes.

This week on The Cardinal: News of Virginia, host Dutchie Jessee sits down with politics and policy reporter Elizabeth Beyer and founding editor and columnist Dwayne Yancey to talk about how covering political campaigns has changed, especially in the age of social media.

With voters scrolling instead of rallying, and candidates now building their own digital megaphones, journalists face a new kind of challenge: how to cut through the noise and hold power to account when everyone has a platform.

From this year’s Virginia governor’s race to the evolving ways candidates communicate — or don’t — we explore how social media has reshaped the relationship between politicians, the press and the public.

Host Lisa Rowan sits down with Martinsville/Henry County reporter Dean-Paul Stephens to unpack the housing shortage hitting Martinsville and the surrounding area. While many cities across the U.S. are grappling with housing shortages, smaller communities face unique challenges. This shortage is driving up housing costs and creating roadblocks for workforce development programs trying to find homes for employees. Dean breaks down what’s behind the crisis and what it means for local families and workers.

In this episode, host Lisa Rowan sits down with reporter Tad Dickens to trace the unlikely journey of Roanoke’s biomedical transformation. What began 15 years ago with a single researcher and a question (“What if?”) has now ballooned into Fralin Biomedical Research Institute — a cornerstone of a region reborn as a hub for healthcare, life sciences and innovation.

Electricity demand in Virginia is climbing fast — fueled by data centers, AI, and a surge of everyday energy needs. But can the state’s grid keep up? Host Lisa Rowan sits down with Cardinal News business reporter Matt Busse to unpack how policymakers, utilities, and communities are grappling with rising demand for power. From new bills in Richmond to debates over data center growth, they break down the high-stakes choices shaping Virginia’s energy future, and what it all means for you.

Four years ago, a small team of journalists set out to change how news was covered in Southwest and Southside Virginia. Today, Cardinal News has grown into a trusted, independent newsroom that is paywall free, nonprofit, and committed to covering communities that are too often overlooked.

In this special anniversary episode, Lisa Rowan sits down with Executive Director and founder Luanne Rife to reflect on Cardinal’s beginnings, its growth, and the critical role it plays in Virginia’s news landscape. From launching with just three journalists to building a statewide presence, hear how Cardinal has filled a vital gap in coverage and get a glimpse of what is ahead in year five and beyond.

As we celebrate our fourth birthday, we invite you to support our growth by becoming a member. Help us reach our goal of 100 new members and ensure that independent, nonpartisan news continues to thrive in Virginia. Join here: https://cardinalnews.org/membership/