Linda Cirvello, a teacher assistant in Virginia Beach, and other educators hold signs seeking support during a rally Sunday, Aug. 24, at Town Center. (Photo by John-Henry Doucette)Virginia Beach School Board tries to identify solutions to rising employee health care costsVirginia Beach school officials are considering a stipend to help offset steep health care cost hikes for employees and retirees, though details about eligibility and funding remain unclear.
Some workers face hundreds more in monthly expenses starting in January, sparking backlash and a lawsuit from 112 employees who say the district withheld information.
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Desmyn Owens speaks with a parent during the Back-to-School Care Fair at the Virginia Beach Convention Center on Aug. 16, 2025. (Photo by John-Henry Doucette)Virginia Beach’s new 4-H agent wants to bring agriculture to kids across the cityDesmyn Owens is the new associate extension agent for 4-H youth development in Virginia Beach, filling a role vacant for more than a year.
A Brunswick County native who studied agricultural business, Owens said 4-H shaped her passion for agriculture and community leadership.
She hopes to expand programs such as livestock clubs, summer camps and classroom embryology projects, while also reaching more urban areas of the city.
READ MORE Local journalism is made possible only because of generous WHRO donorsDONATE NOW Access Virginia was started by Lois Boyle who wanted to help her friend, who suffered from hearing loss, see the show “The Lion King” at Chrysler Hall. (Photo courtesy of Access Virginia)Access VA helps the blind and hard of hearing ‘see’ and ‘hear’ the stageAccess Virginia is a local nonprofit that provides captioning for the deaf and audio description for the blind at theaters across Hampton Roads, helping people experience live performances they might otherwise miss.
Since launching in 2014, the nonprofit has grown to serve multiple regional theaters and recently added museum tours for the visually impaired.
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