The Constitution’s framers battled over the structure of the U.S. Senate and how its members would be chosen
Read moreIn Winchester, the truth about a local news website is the city’s best-kept secret
The Winchester Gazette launched its website in August 2023. Questions about its owners and journalism have persisted ever since. Photo illustration
As the hometown newspaper cut staff and TV stations left one small Virginia town, a website appeared touting a new, trusted source of local news. But the who, what, when, where and why of it have baffled residents.
Read moreThe centuries-old question of Rights on Virginia’s ballot
Adam Jennison, 13, of NW DC, middle, and Madeleine Joseph, 13, of Northwest Washington, take their first peek at the actual Bill of Rights document at the National Archives. File Photo/Alamy
Two November ballot issues for Virginia voters have deep roots in human rights
Read moreSoaring electric bills, energy demand a top concern for Virginians
Credit: Embold Research
As regulators consider a proposed NextEra and Dominion merger, a new poll shows growing anxiety among voters
Read moreDominion ratepayers on the hook again as give turns into take
Ice from Winter Storm Fern clings to power lines in Tennessee on January 25, 2026. The storm brought extended subzero temperatures and ice to the Mid-Atlantic for more than a week, causing energy consumption to spike. Photo by Reuters Connect
Virginia’s largest utility is asking regulators to OK a long-term plan to recoup costs for high fuel prices. The new charges could wipe out a proposed customer rebate from a NextEra acquisition.
Read moreCrops and solar power? Virginia farms are ripe for the combo.
Onions planted near and under 42 solar panels at Piedmont Environmental Council’s Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows in Aldie, VA, are ready to harvest. The site is a pilot project by PEC to integrate solar energy and crop farming.
A new Virginia law encourages farmers to mix solar generation with crops and cattle. A rural pilot program shows promise.
Read moreVirginia’s endless war - Voting rights
A restoration of rights form that Richard Walker used to check a former convict’s voting rights status during a fish fry in Richmond. File Photo by Cianna Morales/WHRO
A constitutional amendment on November’s ballot could enshrine the right to vote for ex-felons. It’s the latest chapter in the Commonwealth’s centuries-old fight over a foundational question.
Read moreInside Virginia’s city halls, concerns, confusion rise with Flock protests
A protester outside Richmond City Hall during a demonstration against Flock cameras before a City Council meeting on July 27, 2026. Photo by Jaysun Silver // VCIJ
A VCIJ review of thousands of public records shows widespread misunderstanding and mistrust of Flock Safety – even inside city halls and police headquarters.
Read moreResearching a dark history, Virginia lawmakers seek more from universities
A view of Vinegar Hill in the early 1960s — before Charlottesville city leaders uprooted the thriving Black community — looking north at the intersection of Main and Ridge streets. (Charlottesville Housing Authority)
A General Assembly commission is probing public universities' disruption of Black communities across the Commonwealth
Read moreCould a Dominion-NextEra marriage be bad news for rooftop solar?
A worker installs rooftop solar panels on a home in Northern Virginia. (Image via Shutterstock)
Both energy giants have a history of trying to make small, independent solar projects more costly for homeowners and businesses.
Read moreGuns, militias and a long-running Virginia debate
U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the Virginia Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team march to their posts near the U.S Capitol building Jan. 17, 2021, in Washington, D.C. At least 25,000 National Guard men and women conduct security, communication and logistical missions leading up to the 59th Presidential Inauguration. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Lucretia Cunningham)
The Founders argued over the state’s authority to control armed forces. It remains a flashpoint.
Read moreWill a new Virginia law boost energy storage?
A rendering of East Point Energy's proposed Mill Stone Energy Center in Chesapeake, Virginia. The company hopes to build an energy storage project that will connect to an existing transmission line near the Fentress Substation. Photo Courtesy East Point Energy
A proposed battery storage plant in Chesapeake meets the city’s requirements. Neighbors don’t see it that way.
Read moreSearch our Virginia salary database
The Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO compiled salary data for 170,000 state employees in 2025.
Read moreVirginia’s highest public earners come with a whistle or a corner office
Tony Elliott displays the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl trophy after UVA’s 13-7 win over Missouri on Dec. 27 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. The victory capped the Cavaliers’ 2025 season with an 11-3 record, the most victories ever for a UVA football team. Photo Couresty // Grace Landini/Virginia Athletics
A comprehensive analysis by VCIJ at WHRO of Virginia’s public salaries data shows who earns the most – and who lags behind.
Read moreThe unending compromise of the Electoral College
Voters fill out their ballots at the early voting location at the Long Bridge Aquatics and Fitness Center on October 21, 2024 in Arlington, Virginia., DC. Photo bySamuel Corum/Sipa USA
The Founders deadlocked over how a President should be elected. Virginia’s leaders feared a popular vote.
Read moreA new CEO for Virginia - Chief Energy Officer
Virginia’s new Chief Energy Officer Josephus Allmond delivers the keynote address at a Coalition for Community Solar Access on May 29 at the Westin Hotel in downtown Washington, D.C. Photos by Elizabeth McGowan // VCIJ
Environmental lawyer Josephus Allmond takes on a new cabinet position created by Gov. Spanberger. His task? Manage energy policy amidst rising consumer costs and growing demand
Read moreVirginia energy watchdogs urge caution as Dominion-NextEra deal moves ahead
Tony Smith, CEO of Secure Solar Futures at his office in Staunton, Monday, June 8, 2026. Photo by Christopher Tyree // VCIJ
Advocates for consumers and clean energy see opportunities – and risks – to remake energy policy and practice in Virginia
Read moreVirginia Beach tech startup falls to earth
Former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced an expansion of DroneUp's headquarters on Newtown Road in Virginia Beach in 2022. It was expected to create more than 500 jobs. Photo by John-Henry Doucette // VCIJ
DroneUp, started by a Navy veteran, launched with high praise – and up to $6 million in incentives – from state and local leaders. But the commercial drone company has failed to rise to expectations.
Read moreWhat can consumers expect from the proposed Dominion deal?
Marshall, Michigan - The Cereal City Solar project, a 100 MW solar farm. It is a project of NextEra Energy Resources, a major developer of renewable energy
The planned acquisition of Dominion Energy by NextEra Energy brings together two multi-billion-dollar utilities. Here’s how they compare, and what consumers might see ahead.
Read moreThe unchecked President and the Virginian debate
U.S. President Donald Trump signs executive orders during an indoor inauguration parade at Capital One Arena on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Pool/Sipa USA
A strong executive worried the nation’s Founders. Centuries later, the debate continues.
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