This week extreme heat causes numerous issues to road and building infrastructure and the problem is likely to escalate as climate change persists. Local officials hope to solve the dilemma and the costs that come with it. Super Girl Surf Festival debuts in Virginia Beach this weekend with loads of local talent. WHRO has a rundown of the event. Finally, a group of programmers and developers in Hampton Roads are creating a community designed to foster skills and spark connections.

This week the Chief of Naval Operations says the Navy is still figuring out how to handle an extended blockade in the Middle East. That's amidst ships in the region still facing fire from Iran. The Virginia Department of Education released its annual standardized test scores, showing small increases in proficiency and areas of need. Finally, Dominion Energy's $67 billion merger with Florida's NextEra Energy has solar advocates on edge about the benefits homeowners could lose thanks to the deal.

This week the Department of Justice launched an investigation into William & Mary University for possible civil rights violations. The Trump administration opened similar investigations into George Mason University and the University of Virginia. A federal judge ruled that Shenandoah County must remove Confederate names from two schools in its district. WHRO reports what it could mean for Hampton Roads schools with similar naming conventions. Finally, high housing costs are hurting seniors in the area. Local leaders are suggesting people's spare bedrooms as a possible solution to the problem.

This week congressional analysts are skeptical that Newport News Shipbuilding has the surplus capacity needed to fulfill the Trump administration's mandate for new battleships. Volunteers around Hampton Roads spend each month lending time during their weekends to pick and arrange flowers that have been rescued from trash bins. Finally, a contract dispute between Sentara Health and Anthem Insurance could negatively affect nearly 380,000 Anthem members across Virginia.

This week a Northern Virginia farm is taking a leap by growing vegetables next to solar panels. The goal is to heal a rift between farmers and solar producers, while also testing future possibilities of state agriculture. WHRO sits down with Chesapeake Health Director Nancy Welch who announced her retirement after 50 years in public health. Finally, a new market in Norfolk's Berkley neighborhood is supplying Black-grown produce to a longtime food desert.

This week it was two years ago that the Navy released a plan to put all the barracks in Hampton Roads under a private company. Updates, however, have gone quiet since the announcement. The family of Miles Eason is celebrating his legacy with a reunion in Chesapeake more than 200 years after he was handed down as property in a slave owner's will. Finally, tick bites are climbing in Virginia, so researchers at Old Dominion University are using a tick robot to fight them.

This week a new study from Old Dominion University finds that smoking is still prevalent in Hampton Roads' public housing despite a federal ban on smoking in 2018. A Portsmouth firefighters union is urging the city to make good on a promise it made two years ago to allow collective bargaining for municipal employees. Finally, a Virginia Beach doctor living with Parkinson's Disease is advocating for hospitals to establish a universal protocol for handling Parkinson's patients.

This week Virginia Beach City Council postponed a planned vote to sell a publicly-owned golf course. WHRO sits down with reporter John Doucette to hear what's next for the site. An old, live oak tree is under threat of removal due to development in Norfolk, but one couple is taking steps to save the neighborhood hardwood. Finally, WHRO's Brian Saunders visits a Norfolk antique shop that's building a digital-age following with centuries of design history.

This week President Trump visited Turkey as part of the NATO summit. NATO officials are balancing the president's desires, while ensuring U.S. support. Trump reinforced his interest for the United States to take control of Greenland. Virginia's state budget earmarked $1 million for a museum in Portsmouth that honors the historical contributions of Black women. Finally, Hampton Roads community leaders are searching for ways to combat summer time gun violence.

This week NATO is showing signs of cooperation once again with a major exercise in Hampton Roads as leaders prepare for a shift in Norfolk. Virginia returned to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative this week, which attaches a price to the burning of fossil fuels. Finally, Virginia is exploring a degree model that would allow students to obtain a bachelor's degree in three years instead of four.