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BOEM seeks public input on possible wind energy areas
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management officials are asking for feedback on possible commercial wind energy development in areas totaling 13.47 million acres off the coasts of North Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, or Central Atlantic 2. BOEM announced Wednesday that it will publish in the Federal Register on...
Virginia sees drop in chronic absenteeism, state focuses on student recovery
Chronic absenteeism, a long-standing issue in Virginia's education system, is experiencing a decline, according to recent data from the Virginia Department of Education. The data illustrates a 16% drop this year compared to last year.
Grocery inflation and end of federal aid strain local food banks
Pandemic-era food aid from the federal government ended earlier this year, and inflation has also taken its toll. Those are just two reasons why visits to local food pantries are way up. WMRA’s Ayse Pirge reports. Les Sinclair is the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank’s communications and PR manager....
Home Sales Pick Up in Virginia as Mortgage Rates Drop and Inventory Grows
As we head into fall, buyers see more options coming to market across the state According to the July 2024 Virginia Home Sales Report released by Virginia REALTORS®, there were 9,947 homes sold throughout the state in July 2024, an influx of 962 sales from last July, reflecting a 10.7% increase. Inventory continues to expand in […]
AARP Virginia, Mercy Chefs to host free Zoom series spotlighting healthy recipes on a budget
Portsmouth-based Mercy Chefs and AARP Virginia have announced a new partnership to spotlight food insecurity while also helping people cook healthy meals on a budget. The organizations will host “Dinner in a SNAP!” – an online series of free cooking demonstrations that will take place each Wednesday in September, from 5 p.m. to 5:45 p.m., on Zoom. The series will demonstrate how to cook healthy meals using ingredients that can be purchased with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (or SNAP) benefits.
Hear Together: Little Hands VA Big Diaper Drive
Little Hands VA is a Richmond based nonprofit serving families and children in Central Virginia as the region’s diaper bank. In Central Virginia, 1 in 2 families experience diaper need, so this September 23-October 23, they are hosting their Big Diaper Drive in efforts to help wipe out diaper need and ensure that Virginia’s littlest ones are clean, happy and healthy.
Watershed Moment for Survival of Imperiled Appalachian Salamanders
William Hopkins and Erin Hotchkiss are creating a watershed moment for the conservation of the eastern hellbender salamander in Virginia. In partnership with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, their $2 million award is one of 10 research projects funded by the Partnership to Advance Conservation Science and Practice program, a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the National […]
Woman asking for help locating mother’s ashes after they were mistakenly donated to Lowcountry Goodwill
BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - A Virginia woman is asking the Lowcountry community to help locate her mother’s ashes after she says they were mistakenly donated to a Goodwill thrift store. Sarah Liberti tells WTOC that her father and mother were living together in Sun City before her mother...
Food Lion invests $365M to remodel stores in North Carolina, Virginia
Fueled by a $365 million capital investment, Food Lion is ready to unveil remodeled stores in the greater Raleigh-Durham, N.C., area and in Mecklenburg County, Va., the company announced. The Salisbury, N.C.-based grocery retailer will hold ribbon-cutting events at 167 stores on Aug. 21. The upgraded stores include a new,...
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