Read more from VPM News: 

Extreme heat foils July 4th fireworks at Dogwood Dell 

Democrats Hylton, Crosby vie to complete Chesterfield board term 

Other links: 

How Virginia became the world’s data center capital and how it’s going (Virginia Mercury)  

City Council could weigh referendum to establish new tax to fund school construction (Richmond Times-Dispatch)* 

Former historic Black church tied to Richmond's Civil Rights Movement destroyed by fire (WTVR) 

Va. Supreme Court panel denies request to combine assault weapons ban cases (12 On Your Side) 

Styrofoam food containers now banned at all Virginia restaurants (WHRO) 

*This outlet uses a paywall. 

Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Read more from VPM News: 

State budget delivers unexpected $15M for Richmond Coliseum demolition 

Two Central Virginia school districts exit Head Start 

On the agenda: This week in Central Virginia public meetings 

Other links: 

Vindman, Spanberger secure federal Disaster Declaration for Virginia growers affected by ‘unprecedented’ spring freezes (Fredericksburg Free Press)

John Adams despised one Virginian in particular, calling him ‘obscene,’ ‘profane’ and ‘impious.’ It wasn’t Jefferson. (Cardinal News)

America Made in Virginia: 250 Years Together (PBS)

How Metro got its groove back (The 51st) 

*This outlet uses a paywall. 

Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.

‘Policy Matters’ is your window into Virginia politics with VPAP. It's our monthly roundup of the top political headlines from across Virginia, powered by VPAP’s daily e-newsletter, VaNews.

In this episode we chat with VPAP's Executive Director Cat Anthony about the newly approved state budget, the retail cannabis market, new guns laws, and the upcoming election.

You can follow along and stay up to date on the latest developments at vpap.org.

Read more from VPM News: 

Charlottesville celebrates a half-century of the Downtown Mall 

How to beat the heat during Central Virginia's early July heat wave 

WATCH: Virginia's Budget Deal in 60 Seconds? (YouTube)  

More from VPM PBS for America’s 250th: 

Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War 

Liberty or Death 

Wilder: An American First 

Witness to a Century 

*This outlet uses a paywall. 

Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Read more from VPM News: 

Richmond region enacts voluntary water restrictions amid ongoing drought 

Questions linger as Richmond’s Code Refresh nears final stages 

Other links: 

Cochiloco pauses World Cup watch parties after large crowd prompts Richmond police response (WTVR) 

Valley Link transmission line proposal advances despite pushback from rural Virginians (12 On Your Side) 

Mary Baldwin on probation, accreditation at risk over finances (Staunton News Leader)* 

Virginia budget funds long-awaited research on menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay (WHRO) 

Richmond was a hotbed of peach innovation in the late 1800s, but many are now lost to history (The Richmonder) 

*This outlet uses a paywall. 

Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Read more from VPM News: 

Virginia rejoins regional carbon emissions marketplace 

Capital Trees helps Henrico engage with residents on climate goals 

Other links: 

More red light cameras coming to Richmond as citations, warnings rack up (WRIC) 

Voluntary water conservation in Richmond starts July 1 amid statewide drought (WTVR) 

Virginia's law books swell with hundreds of new measures on July 1 (Richmond Times-Dispatch)* 

County With 37 Data Centers Asks Schools to ‘Conserve Electricity’ (404 Media)* 

US Supreme Court upholds transgender athlete ban in women and girls' sports (NPR) 

*This outlet uses a paywall. 

Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Read more from VPM News: 

Lawmakers accept Spanberger's budget amendments, averting state funding crisis 

Virginians on PrEP to gain protections from life insurance discrimination 

Other links: 

Chesterfield robbery case leads Supreme Court to restrict geofence warrants (NPR) 

Opponents of Code Refresh launch legal challenge of city-wide rezoning effort (Richmond Times-Dispatch)* 

Because of delayed primary, there’s no early voting location on Richmond’s Southside (The Richmonder) 

Virginia Task Force 1 conducts rescue missions in Venezuela following earthquakes (WAVY) 

Manatee spotted swimming in Appomattox River: 'It's like a unicorn' (WTVR) 

*This outlet uses a paywall. 

Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.

Read more from VPM News: 

Virginians are feeling the effects of spiking health insurance premiums 
Hanover supervisors mull raising equipment taxes on data centers 
On the agenda: Richmond zoning appeals, Hanover community meeting 

Other links: 

Virginia joins initiative to create three-year bachelor’s degree model (Virginia Mercury) 

Spanberger proposes digital team to tackle tech challenges facing state agencies (Richmond Times-Dispatch)* 

Duke's ends 'Hot Tomato Summer' after five-year run (The Richmonder) 

Richmond moves closer to new affordable housing development in Shockoe Bottom (WRIC) 

*This outlet uses a paywall. 

Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Read more from VPM News: 

State budget would eliminate Child Care Subsidy Program waitlist 

New regulations beef up data centers’ required water use reporting 

Other links: 

An exodus at the US Attorney's Office for the Western District of Virginia (The Roanoke Times)* 

Va. budget bill would allocate $7 million towards homeless services in Charlottesville (29News) 

Henrico 'keeping an eye on' low James River levels amid statewide drought warning (Henrico Citizen) 

Background checks for private firearm sales to resume July 1 (Cardinal News) 

Measles outbreak expands to include Cumberland (WRIC) 

*This outlet uses a paywall. 

Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism. 

Read more from VPM News: 

Voting rights court battle drags into primary election 

Negotiations stall between Richmond Public Schools, teachers union 

Other links: 

Henrico confirms fifth rabies case this year after bat tests positive (WRIC) 

Federal government scouts for interest in mineral mining off Virginia shores (Virginia Mercury) 

Greene County Sheriff’s Office stages mass immigration detention in concert with federal officials (C-Ville Weekly) 

Local farms face worker shortage as ICE raids continue (Daily News-Record)* 

The unending compromise of the Electoral College (Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO) 

*This outlet uses a paywall. 

Our award-winning work is made possible with your donations. Visit vpm.org/donate to support local journalism.