5/7/26 - FBI raid targets Sen. Louise Lucas’ Portsmouth business

The VPM Daily Newscast is sponsored by Dominion Energy. When your small business keeps you busy, don't sweat the energy bill. Budget billing is a free program that provides consistent monthly bills so you can focus on running your business instead of worrying about higher summer bills. Enjoy more stable expenses without the seasonal ups and downs. Learn more about the free program at dominionenergy.com slash budget billing.

You're listening to you're listening to to the VPM Daily Newscast, the recap of today's top stories in Central Virginia. From the VPM Newsroom in Richmond, I'm Kim Strother. The FBI searched the Portsmouth, Virginia Business Office of State Senator Louise Lucas Wednesday. VPN News requested further details from the FBI about the search. In an emailed statement, the agency said that it's, quote, executing a court-authorized federal search warrant and that there is no threat to public safety. The FBI did not confirm the search was of Lucas's property or which court authorized the warrant.

The Washington Post reports the search involves an investigation of possible corruption and bribery related to marijuana businesses. Despite months of public pressure, Richmond Police is moving to renew its contract for flock cameras. VPM news reporter Kairus Manzanaris has more. Richmond police rely on nearly 100 flock cameras that scan vehicle plates and record when and where cars pass by. Mayor Danny Abula supports the use of flock in Richmond and has emphasized a risk benefit approach. The benefits of what the technology has provided, the ability to close cases very quickly. I mean, we just week in, week out, we have case after case that ends up getting aided by. the license plate reader technology. And so I think it's something that we're going to continue

dodge background checks. Federal law has banned the transport of certain firearms by mail for 100 years. In January, President Donald Trump's administration said it would no longer enforce that law. Service providers in Charlottesville report that the area's housing needs are climbing. Shaila Washington is executive director of Blue Ridge Area Coalition for the homeless. She presented the latest data to the City Council this week. It's hard for folks to find work. It's hard for folks to find units that they can afford. And so it just leads to burnout for the staff who are trying to support folks who have really high needs.

and a lot of barriers to getting into housing and very limited landlord stock. Washington says over the past 12 months, the organization has identified more than 700 unhoused members of the community. That's up from last year's total of 620. Enrico County plans to invest $900,000 in a planned housing shelter in Richmond operated by the Salvation Army. VPM News reporter Lyndon German has more. The initiative will transform one of Richmond's 10,000. temporary emergency shelters on Chamberlain Avenue into a permanent one. The project dubbed the Center of Hope will double the shelter's capacity from 50 to 100 beds

and provide on-site case management, dining, and access to wraparound services year-round. The Center of Hope is the focus of the Salvation Army's $15 million capital campaign. Richmond committed a matching grant of $7 million to this project, but the match must be secured by the end of December 2026. With Henrico's commitment, the campaign has just under $2 million left to raise. Linden German VPM News. Lawyers for the city of Richmond say Mayor Danny Avula did not defame former public utilities director April Bingham in the wake of last year's water crisis, the Richminder reports. Bingham, who was fired last year, is suing Avula and the city for $1 million. She claims she was unfairly blamed for issues at Richmond's water treatment plant

that left the city without water for days. In a response filed, in late April. The city said comments made about Bingham by Avula and other city officials, including current utilities director Scott Morris, were expressions of opinion. The Chester Public Library will close this summer for about eight months. Chesterfield County recently announced the library will be replacing the roof and getting a new HVAC system in addition to some interior upgrades. The county says many of the regular programs at the library will be moved to other locations, including the Perkinson Center for the Arts and Education. The library is expected to reopen next spring.

The commission that manages fishery resources along the Atlantic coast delayed a vote Tuesday to further limit fishing of Menhaden until August. The small fish are reduced to oil and meal at Virginia's reduction fishery. There are reports from smaller fisheries who use Menhaden for bait that catches R.D.E.E. declining, and species like Osprey that rely on menhaden are struggling to get enough food. But there hasn't been a direct study of the menhaden population in years. Reduction fishery operator ocean harvesters blames other factors than overfishing, like climate change. This has been the VPM Daily Newscast.