Jan. 15, 2026
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Tyrell Brooks, a machinist apprentice at Sumitomo Drive Technologies in Chesapeake, talks to Gov. Glenn Youngkin during his tour of the manufacturing company in May 2025. (Photo courtesy of Sumitomo Drive Technologies)Apprenticeship programs are growing in Virginia, but some say not fast enough to meet demandApprenticeships are expanding across Hampton Roads, offering paid training and a debt-free path to high-demand careers with long-term job security.
State data also show registered apprenticeships generate a $3 return for every $1 invested, benefiting local economies and employers.
Still, experts say Virginia lags behind other states and Europe. They argue building a stronger apprenticeship culture will require sustained funding, employer investment and broader public buy-in.READ MORE
More headlinesWhat limited maternity care means for families in northeastern North Carolina Read more-AUDIO: James City County residents talk taxes, school funds during pre-budget hearing Listen here-Virginia Symphony’s free concerts honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy Read more-Del.-elect Jessica Anderson: Funding education makes communities economically ‘robust’ Read more
A wetland and stream ecosystem in Surry County. (Photo by Rob Monroe, courtesy of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality)Virginia launches website to make wetland credits more transparentVirginia has rolled out a new website aimed at bringing transparency to mitigation banking, the system used to offset development impacts on wetlands and streams.
The Stream, Wetland and Nutrient Credit Exchange platform lets users explore available credits through an interactive map and dashboard.
State officials say the platform does not change permitting rules but is intended to make the process faster and more accessible for developers and the public.READ MORE Local journalism is made possible only because of generous WHRO donorsDONATE NOW Today on Another View
(Image by WHRO Public Media)’Uprooted’: An updateIn 2023, award-winning investigative journalist Brandi Kellam published “Uprooted,” a collaboration between ProPublica and the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO. The series revealed how American universities expanded campuses while systematically displacing Black and marginalized communities. It exposed historic injustices as well as the present-day consequences of university-led displacement.
The investigation helped spur the creation of a Virginia legislative commission now exploring potential redress. It also sparked the creation of a local Newport News task force to examine the role Christopher Newport University played in displacing dismantling a historic Black community over the last 60 years.
On the next Another View, Kellam updates us on the state and local investigations and what steps will be taken to right a wrong.
Join us for the next Another View, today at noon on 89.5 WHRV-FM.Stream the latest episode HERE, subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Weekend events with Kayda PlusTune in every Thursday!Join WHRO’s Chuck Doud and local podcast host Kayda Plus as they share a list of curiously curated and intriguing events happening each weekend in Hampton Roads. –Thursday: 42nd Regional Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration DinnerVirginia Beach Convention Center
The annual Urban League of Hampton Roads dinner themed “Becoming Beloved CommUNITY,” honoring Dr. King’s legacy with keynote remarks by Carly Fiorina and recognition of regional leaders.-Jan. 16 – 25: Virginia Beach Restaurant Week 2026Participating restaurants throughout Virginia Beach
More than 25 restaurants offer special prix fixe menus celebrating the city’s culinary heritage with the theme “Tastes & Traditions, A Culinary Celebration by Land and by Sea.”-For more events…Stream the latest episode HERE, subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.Thank you for being a part of the WHRO journalism community! If you benefited from this email, forward it to a friend. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Sign up here to be one of the first people to get the most important local news every weekday.