TARGETED RACE: SD 12 IN WESTERN HENRICO AND HANOVER COUNTIES

Senate District 12 consists of the portions of suburban Henrico County that lie west of Interstate 95 and a rural section of Hanover County. First-term Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant (R-Henrico) faces Democratic Del. Deborah Rodman. VPAP provides maps and charts that explore the district's demographics, voter engagement and partisan performance in recent statewide elections.

TARGETED RACE: SD 10 IN RICHMOND, CHESTERFIELD, AND GOOCHLAND

Senate District 10 extends from deep blue urban precincts in Richmond to bright red rural Goochland County. In between is suburban Chesterfield County. First-term Sen. Glen Sturtevant (R-Chesterfield) is defending his seat against Democrat Ghazala Hashmi. VPAP provides maps and charts that explore the district's demographics, voter engagement and partisan performance in recent statewide elections.

ONE EMPLOYER TO ANOTHER, AS NORTHAM TALKS CHILD CARE

For a moment, it was one employer to another, as Gov. Ralph Northam took a tour through the Maximus Inc. call center off Mercury Boulevard in Hampton. Northam began grilling call center director Joseph Raposa about how hard it is to hire people when the state unemployment rate is just 2.7%.

VIRGINIA WANTS TO REQUIRE LICENSING FOR MUSIC THERAPISTS

The idea started when volunteer musicians went to hospitals after World War I to help veterans suffering from what we now call post-traumatic stress get back on their feet. Now, almost a century later, Virginia wants to make sure music therapists are recognized as clinical professionals.

REPUBLICAN DUNNAVANT DUELS WITH DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGER RODMAN IN BIG-MONEY SLUGFEST FOR SENATE

The race between Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant, R-Henrico, and her challenger, Del. Debra Rodman, D-Henrico, is a slugfest over health care, guns and abortion that is seeing more TV ad spending than any other Virginia Senate race.

STATE SENATE CANDIDATES HIGHLIGHT PARTISAN DIFFERENCES

As campaign season begins to wrap up, April Moore, D-Basye, appears comfortable in her embattled position running against long-time Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg. On Thursday evening, Moore continued her fight to displace the conservative Republican she ran against in 2015.

NEW CAMPAIGN AD USES VIRGINIA BEACH SHOOTING VICTIM’S FAMILY MEMBER WITHOUT HIS PERMISSION

"Politics have gotten out of control,” said Jason Nixon. Nixon is the husband of Kate Nixon, one of the 12 victims who lost their lives in the Virginia Beach mass shooting on May 31.

VA. SENATE CANDIDATES RAMP UP ATTACK ADS AHEAD OF ELECTION DAY

In attack ads running on television ahead of the Nov. 5 election, Republicans are characterizing their opponents as “radical” and “socialist,” and Democrats are criticizing Republicans for their stances on gun policy and health care. The attack ads and the spending are ratcheting up in the Election Day homestretch.

TWO YEARS AGO, THEIR RACE ENDED IN A TIE. NOW THEY’RE BACK FOR A REMATCH.

When cable news networks last focused on her, Shelly Simonds was America’s best-known political loser, her razor-thin defeat in a Virginia General Assembly race turning her into a human billboard for an age-old maxim. Every. Vote. Counts.

TO MOVE, OR NOT TO MOVE - A REDISTRICTING QUESTION

When a panel of federal judges this year moved the southern boundary of Newport News’ 94th House of Delegates district north from 50th Street to James River Drive, two fierce political rivals faced this question: Move or stay? The two, Newport News School Board member Shelly Simonds and Del. David Yancey, R-Newport News, lived about four blocks apart,

CHRIS JONES: DISTRICT, NOT APPROACH, HAS CHANGED

While the makeup of his district has changed, Chris Jones said he approaches his re-election campaign for the District 76 seat in the House of Delegates the same — talking about issues, what he’s accomplished, and what his focus will be.

CLINTON JENKINS: COMPELLED TO SERVE

Clinton Jenkins jokes that, as many times as he sees oversized versions of himself every day on billboards all over Suffolk, he doesn’t need any more reminders of what he looks like.

WITH FINANCIAL ADVANTAGE, DEL. DAWN ADAMS SEEKS TO HOLD OFF GOP CHALLENGER GARRISON COWARD

Republicans are seeking to take back a Richmond-area House of Delegates seat they lost in 2017, running a centrist, African American millennial. But as Election Day nears, a Democratic incumbent mired in a legal case has eight times as much money in the bank.

BOTH WANT TO TACKLE FLOODING, BUT CANDIDATES DIFFER ON GUNS

A freshman delegate who’s made tackling flooding a priority is fighting off a challenge this November by a former Virginia Beach councilwoman who says the delegate hasn’t done much to help the district. But Del. Kelly Convirs-Fowler, who represents the 21st House District, begs to differ. Yes, none of her bills passed during her first two General Assembly sessions. Blame her “junior” status as a first-term delegate, she said.

TWO HOUSE SEATS CONTESTED IN THE NEW RIVER VALLEY

Four candidates are competing in two races in the New River Valley for seats in the House of Delegates. Del. Chris Hurst, D-Blacksburg, is facing Republican Forrest Hite, and Del. Nick Rush, R-Christiansburg, is challenged by Democrat Rhonda Seltz.

HOUSE DISTRICT 15 RIVALS VOICE VIEWS ON EDA SCANDAL, GUNS

One house district race had both candidates show up to a forum on Thursday night hosted by the Front Royal-Warren County Chamber of Commerce. On paper, the race between Todd Gilbert, R-Mount Jackson, and Democrat Beverly Harrison of Woodstock, to represent Virginia’s 15th house district is the least competitive of the three distract races in Warren County.

VIRGINIA ELECTION OFFICIALS SEEING HIGH ABSENTEE VOTING NUMBERS

The Virginia Department of Elections is already seeing high turnout for absentee voting for a year officials say usually doesn’t get a lot of attention at the polls. Virginia is one of 19 states that requires a reason to vote early and there are about 20 acceptable reasons to vote absentee in Virginia. They include being a student from an out-of-state college or university, having business outside the city or county of residence on Election Day and more.

FOLLOWING THE FUNDS: EXPERT CALLS OUTSIDE INFLUENCE IN VA ELECTIONS “HISTORIC”

Unlike ever before, out of state political groups are donating large sums of cash to general assembly candidates and in some cases putting boots on the ground to help get out the vote. In just this year alone, state candidates with districts in Hampton Roads have accepting more than $3.5 million dollars in political contributions from out of state sources according to the latest campaign finance data from the Virginia Public Access Project.

REPUBLICANS SEEK TO INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT

J. Douglas McCarthy, the Gainesboro District representative on the Board of Supervisors, told the Frederick County Republican Committee this week that when it comes to the Nov. 5 election, “the fate of the Commonwealth is in the balance.” McCarthy’s statements were made at a committee meeting held Tuesday night at the county’s Public Safety Building. More than 30 committee members attended the meeting to strategize how they could get Republicans to turn out to the polls on Election Day.

DEMOCRATS HOPE TO FLIP BOTH HOUSES OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY

With less than two weeks until the Nov. 5 election, the Winchester Frederick County Democratic Committee is ramping up efforts to get voters to the polls. Del. Wendy Gooditis, D-Clarke County, told more than 30 committee members Thursday night at the Frederick County Public Safety Building that the Democrats can flip the Republican-controlled House of Delegates and state Senate this year.

AFTER MASS SHOOTING, GUNS KEY ISSUE IN VIRGINIA ELECTIONS

Chris Parker is the type of Virginian whom Democrats hope to get to the polls next month to help them flip the legislature and usher in a wave of stricter gun laws. Parker leans Democratic and believes there “definitely” needs to be more gun control

SCOPE OF JUDGE’S RULING ON MARRIAGE LICENSES QUESTIONED

A judge recently struck down a Virginia law requiring marriage applicants to disclose their race, but the two sides in the legal dispute disagree over what the judge’s ruling means. Earlier this month, federal judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. in Alexandria ruled that a Virginia law requiring marriage applicants to state their race is unconstitutional and can’t be enforced.

DRUG SMUGGLING OPERATION UNCOVERED AT RED ONION

A Virginia Department of Corrections Drug Task Force investigation has uncovered a drug smuggling operation at Red Onion State Prison, according to a Twitter post on Friday.

'HAIL MARY' - VIRGINIA DELIVERS VAN COMPANY, 700 JOBS TO FILL VOID FROM IKEA LOSS IN DANVILLE

Two days after Commerce and Trade Secretary Brian Ball learned that Ikea would close its furniture manufacturing plant in the Danville area and lay off 300 workers, he learned that a Michigan-based delivery van company was eliminating Virginia from its search for factory sites. “I said, ‘We might have another site for you,’ ” Ball remembered telling the owner of Morgan Olson, the manufacturer of step-in delivery vans for customers such as UPS, FedEx and the U.S. Postal Service. A whirlwind courtship ensued

IKEA REPLACEMENT MORGAN OLSON PROMISES 703 NEW JOBS

In a quick pivot that projects to result in 700 new jobs and a capital investment of nearly $58 million, Gov. Ralph Northam announced delivery van maker Morgan Olson LLC will move into the former Ikea facility and give “priority consideration” to the Ikea workers who are losing their jobs. “These are the kind of jobs that allow people to stay in their hometown ... these are the kind of jobs that help build a community,” Northam said

ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM BACKED BY REGIONAL GO VIRGINIA COUNCIL

A nonprofit group is poised to serve as the quarterback in a game plan to enhance the technology ecosystem in the Roanoke, New River and Lynchburg regions. The Valleys Innovation Council will coordinate the efforts under a proposal endorsed Thursday by a GO Virginia regional council, which recommended the organization receive nearly $300,000 in a state grant

MICROSOFT WINS PENTAGON’S $10 BILLION TECHNOLOGY CONTRACT, THWARTING AMAZON

The Department of Defense on Friday awarded a $10 billion technology contract to Microsoft over Amazon in a contest that was closely watched after President Trump ramped up his criticism of Amazon’s owner, Jeff Bezos, and said he might intervene....The decision was a surprise because Amazon had been considered a front-runner to win the contract, in part because it had built cloud services for the Central Intelligence Agency. But that was before Mr. Trump became publicly hostile to Mr. Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post. The president refers to the newspaper as the “Amazon Washington Post” and has accused it of spreading “fake news.”

NEW CARRIER HEADS TO SEA FOR TESTS AMID DEBATE OVER DELAYS

The nation’s newest aircraft carrier left a Virginia shipyard and returned to sea for more tests Friday, just days after fresh concerns were raised in Washington over when the highly advanced ship will be ready for combat. The USS Gerald R. Ford departed for sea trials in the wake of a public back-and-forth between a congresswoman and U.S. Navy leaders over delays, cost overruns and systems that aren’t fully operational.

MORE CLERGY WHO SERVED IN HAMPTON ROADS CONFIRMED TO HAVE “CREDIBLE” ABUSE ALLEGATIONS

Since February, the Richmond Catholic Diocese has added multiple names to its list of clergy with “credible" abuse allegations, including two with previous assignments in Hampton Roads. The list has been updated in June, September and most recently on Oct. 4.

JUDGE RULES AGAINST COLISEUM REFERENDUM

Any lingering hopes that a referendum to allow Richmond voters to weigh in on the Coliseum replacement project have been swept away by Judge Joi Jeter Taylor, chief judge of the Richmond Circuit Court. In a final ruling, Judge Taylor found that Paul Goldman, leader of the petition drive to get the Choosing Children Over Costly Coliseums initiative before voters, failed to submit a sufficient number of valid signatures of registered voters to get the initiative on the Nov. 5 ballot.

HENRICO OFFICIALS WEIGHING BOND REFERENDUM, STORMWATER TAX TO HANDLE PERSISTENT DRAINAGE ISSUES

After the wettest year for the Richmond metro area in more than a century, Henrico County officials are looking at what can be done to curb flooding on county homes and streets. The county over the summer transferred $100,000 to help vocal and needy homeowners concerned about the risk to their property and life better manage flooding by installing new drainage pipes or culverts. But the persistent complaints about drainage issues and mosquitoes all throughout the country may lead to more action.

STIFF COMPETITION FOR LITTLE-KNOWN AGRICULTURE BOARD IN VIRGINIA BEACH

After two decades working on an obscure agricultural board, Kathleen Sullivan has practically seen it all during election years. Some of the most notable examples include write-in campaigns for Mickey Mouse and too few candidates to fill the soil and water conservation district. Many times, candidates have run — and won — without knowing anything about the group....But this year has brought something new: a competitive race, with seven Virginia Beach candidates vying for just two director seats on the board.

WAYNESBORO FINISHES WETLANDS PROJECT TO PREVENT STORMWATER POLLUTION OF CHESAPEAKE BAY

The city of Waynesboro is making a positive impact on the Chesapeake Bay. Mulberry Run Wetlands is a 10-acre parcel of land behind Jefferson Park neighborhood, at the intersection of Randolph Avenue and Ohio Street. “These wetlands are a great example of what local government can accomplish with support from Virginia’s Stormwater Local Assistance Fund,” said Virginia Grassroots Field Specialist Robert Jennings, who is with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation,

STAUNTON, WAYNESBORO SCHOOLS HOPE STATE MENTAL HEALTH GRANT WILL 'FILL IN THE GAPS'

Staunton City Schools and Waynesboro Public Schools were selected for a statewide student mental health services program funded by a federal grant, according to a press release from the Virginia Department of Education.

SMYTH COUNTY LIBRARY FRIENDS ASK STATE SUPREME COURT TO MOVE CASE FORWARD

For 18 months, Friends of the library have waited for the Virginia Supreme Court to weigh in on their allegation that the Smyth County Board of Supervisors and County Administrator Michael Carter violated the commonwealth’s sunshine law when they discussed dissolving the Smyth-Bland Regional Library behind closed doors. However, the court has been unable to move forward with the case, missing a big piece of the puzzle – the county’s response to the Friends’ appeal.

SCHAPIRO: IN VIRGINIA, ENDORSEMENTS NOT WITHOUT RISKS

In the countdown to the 1981 gubernatorial election, Republican Marshall Coleman wangled a prized endorsement from Mills Godwin, the twice-elected former governor and embodiment of the conservative Establishment. Its control of Virginia politics was slipping. So were Coleman’s chances of victory.

BURNHAM: WHY IS THE U.S. LETTING CANADA TAKE OUR MENHADEN?

Fishing tourism is huge in Virginia. Last year, 990,905 anglers spent $998 million while fishing in Virginia. At the heart of our valuable fishing is the Chesapeake Bay and a politically charged bait fish called menhaden, which both cleans the water and feeds our valuable sportfish. Yet, every year, a Canadian company industrially harvests massive amounts of this critical fish, leaving our water dirtier and our rockfish and bluefish hungry.

Christopher Bancroft Burnham, who lives in McLean, is former assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of State, under-secretary general of the United Nations, and served three terms in the Connecticut House of Representatives