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Virginia ABC insisted it would phase out counter stores. A new one is opening in Portsmouth.
A closed Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority store in Portsmouth with a history of “high level theft” will reopen this year with its products behind bulletproof glass as part of a broader push to reduce retail theft at state stores approved by the authority’s board Friday. The new efforts don’t include measures to address internal […]
As opioid deaths rise, Roanoke substance use program expands to other Virginia free clinics
Virginians grappling with substance use disorder will soon have greater access to help through an expansion of a peer recovery program launched in Roanoke to other free and charitable clinics in the state. According to the Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance of Virginia, nearly 500,000 adults in Virginia have a substance abuse disorder. Statewide […]
Virginia Medicaid programs poised to receive more funding under budget deal
Greater funding and changes to several of Virginia’s Medicaid programs may be on their way after the General Assembly adopted long-delayed amendments to the state’s two-year budget last Wednesday. The changes range from an increase in disability waiver slots and higher reimbursement rates for health care and disability service providers to modifying an emergency room […]
Invasive plants have spread all over Virginia. Some groups say that needs to stop.
Bradford pear trees’ delicate white petals and odor of rotting fish or urine didn’t always signal the start of spring throughout Virginia. Beginning in the 1960s, the Asia native’s attractive flowers made it increasingly popular, resulting in its rapid spread through the commonwealth, said Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation biologist Kevin Heffernan. But while […]
Virginians can soon go nuts for state acorn collection program
As the fall season approaches, Mike Ortmeier is preparing to break out his broom, dustpan and new portable leaf blower to add to the nearly 8,000 pounds of acorns he’s collected for Virginia over the past 13 years. The dedication shown by Ortmeier, an Arlington native and retiree, to the nuts has earned him notoriety […]
92% of Virginia babies born out of wedlock have fathers IDed on their birth certificates
Each year, Virginia must make sure at least 90% of children born out of wedlock have fathers identified on their birth certificates in order to receive maximum federal funding for low-income families living in the commonwealth. According to the Virginia Paternity Establishment Program, the state has been exceeding these requirements for at least a decade, […]
Many pornography websites aren’t complying with new Va. age verification law
Since a new law went into effect this July, pornography websites in Virginia have been required to more rigorously verify whether a person is 18 or over before allowing them to access adult content. However, an analysis by the Virginia Mercury shows the majority of these websites are not using age verification methods as mandated. […]
Virginia increases training requirements for students in tattoo schools
Starting Sept. 1, Virginia students seeking a tattooing license through a school will have to undergo more hours of training following regulatory changes. Those changes increase the hours students must spend in training from 750 to 1000 hours, with the additional 250 hours to be used solely for hands-on training. Requirements for a permanent cosmetic […]
As Medicaid review continues, many Virginians have lost coverage for procedural reasons
Since the start of April, nearly 140,000 Virginians have lost Medicaid coverage as part of the state’s return to normal enrollment processes following the end of the COVID-19 federal public health emergency. For the past three years, anyone enrolled in Medicaid was allowed to keep their coverage regardless of whether or not they still met […]
Virginians weigh in on new telehealth proposal for controlled substances
In Virginia, most provisions from the now-expired federal public health emergency granting expanded access to health care services through telehealth remain active under state law. This week, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced it is considering whether provisions not under the state’s control allowing flexibility for prescribing controlled substances via telehealth should also remain in […]
TV and movie strike ignites calls for greater Virginia film incentives
With appearances in nearly 80 television shows spanning a 30-year career, actor and Virginia Beach native Keith Flippen’s current role involves donning his acting union’s “SAG-AFTRA strong” shirt and publicizing the ongoing nationwide strike by screenwriters and actors. “We’re trying to share with people that we are not Hollywood. We are people that work right […]
Ten Virginia species closer to gaining federal protections after lawsuit agreement
Virginia’s aptly named overlooked cave beetle is one of 10 species found in the state scheduled to be considered for protections under the Endangered Species Act. In response to a federal lawsuit filed by the national environmental nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agreed July 24 to expedite its decisions […]