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.

This week rubble from the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel project is being repurposed to create artificial reefs in the Chesapeake Bay. Consumers advocates are urging regulators to heavily scrutinize the nearly $70 billion deal struck between Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy in May. Finally, water-borne drones that swim or float are playing a major role in modern warfare. The Pentagon plans to spend billions of dollars on the burgeoning technology.

This week Old Dominion University President Brian Hemphill received a five-year extension this week despite a vote of no-confidence from the faculty senate back in March. Hampton Roads Transit riders be prepared; the organization announced a change in bus routes starting next year. Some routes will be nixed or absorbed into larger paths. Finally, VCIJ's Kunle Falayi teamed up with a Virginia Beach treasure hunter to help a Richmond-area couple locate a lost wedding ring on the Oceanfront's the sandy surf.

This week Williamsburg-James City County's superintendent came under fire for words he used in a meeting last week with high school students while discussing the school's potential redistricting. In recognition of Pride Month, WHRO takes a look at how a church flyer for a spaghetti dinner led to the creation of a LGBTQ newspaper in the latter half of the 20th Century. Finally, Virginia Tech researchers are in the midst of documenting gray foxes across the Commonwealth to learn more about their population numbers.

This week national data shows Black women are more likely to be treated differently when voicing concerns during pregnancy. One local mother turned her loss into support for families struggling with stillbirth and grief. The USS Gerald R. Ford is back in Norfolk. That means an overhaul of the plumbing system is underway after dealing with faulty toilets for a year at sea. Finally, the region's transportation group is figuring out how exactly driverless cars will impact traffic.

This week the Virginia Department of Health is urging folks to prioritize water safety as Hampton Roads heads into beach season. When Nathan Simms led Norfolk's Housing Authority it issued two no-bid contracts to a recruitment firm. That same firm landed Simms his next job, leading the housing authority in Charleston, South Carolina. Finally, we sit down WHRO's new education reporter Ashley White to recap the latest education news around the region.

This week Armed Forces Brewing Company shuttered its doors in 2025 after controversial statements from its CEO. Now, the brewery is back and it's suing a string of critics for $50 million. A national report says Virginia faces catastrophic shortages in community mental health. Providers in Norfolk say patients struggle to know where to go during a crisis. Finally, worms are essential to the ecosystem. So, one Norfolk nonprofit is showing folks how the critters are an essential part to a healthy garden.

This week data centers are popping up in communities all around the country. They aren't without controversy. Suffolk wants to put rules in place for any prospective centers. Dr. Valli Meeks became the first leader of a new clinic for people living with HIV and AIDS in the 1980s. Now, a musical about her work called "Dr. Smile" opens Friday in Virginia Beach. Finally, ICE arrests happen in a flash, typically without any warning. WHRO's Toby Cox speaks with one family who are still reeling from the sudden loss of a husband and father.

This week the fired Norfolk Housing Director Nathan Simms has taken over Charleston, South Carolina's housing authority one week after a WHRO investigation revealed he authorized millions of dollars in no-bid contracts. A new report shows Hampton Roads is home to the most well-funded joint military base. It also noted that the region hosts one of the least funded joint bases. Finally, Weekly Edition sits down with americana band The Lone Bellow to discuss their new album ahead of the group's show in Norfolk.

This week blue catfish are an invasive species that are rapidly spreading across the Chesapeake Bay. Virginia is urging folks to break out the fryers and utensils to eat the fish before they can damage marine ecosystems. A WHRO investigation found the fired leader of Norfolk's housing authority authorized millions of dollars in no-bid contracts usually reserved for emergencies. Finally, a parrot rescue in Virginia won't have its license renewed this August. Now, the owners are unsure where the birds will go.