8/13/26 - Richmond Public Schools still in negotiations with teachers union

You're listening 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. Richmond Public Schools are nearly ready for students to return, but one key issue has yet to be settled. Here's VPM news reporter Karas Manzanaris. School board members learned during a work session Monday that teacher vacancies are down to 1% with less than two weeks to go until the first day of school. That's way down from a 6.3 vacancy rate at the same time last year. But there's been no word on a new contract for educators and school support staff since negotiations between the district and the Richmond Education Association reached an impasse in June. In a statement, RIA's lead negotiator told VPM news, continues to fight for fair wages, safe working conditions, and autonomy. The district and REA are currently in mediation, which is expected to conclude at the end of August. K. Rus Manzanaris, VPM News. Governor Abigail Spanberger is reshaping two advisory panels that help determine how much money goes into Virginia's budget. On Monday, Abigail Spanberger announced more than two dozen appointees to the Joint Advisory Board of Economists and Governor's Advisory Council on Revenue Estimates, including Tom Barkin, president and CEO of the Richmond branch of the Federal Reserve. The Richmond Times Dispatch reports the governor will meet with the General Assembly's money committees next one. week. A raccoon has tested positive for rabies in Henriko. It's the county's eighth confirmed case of 2026. Officers were called last Saturday to a reported exposure near the intersection of East Parham and Woodman Roads. The county's next rabies vaccination clinic is scheduled for October 17th at the Western Henrico Government Center. People in Virginia's eastern shore are pushing back against a federal proposal for offshore seabed mining. Catherine Hafner from our partner station, WHRO, has more. Shinkatik resident Jim Dawson has been fishing these waters for more than 40 years. He worries digging up the seafloor would disturb the complex microscopic world that dwells there and helps feed his livelihood. It's just a very diverse. phenomenal amount of species that are all together out there. And when you mess with one thing, you know, it all sets the other. Jill Bieri with the Nature Conservancy says mining could threaten 60 years of conservation work in the area, like restoring seagrass. Not only has there been millions and millions of dollars invested in protecting this place, but it is a huge driver in our culture here on the eastern shore. It's just too important a place to embark on something that might have a negative impact. The counties of Acomac and Northampton formally opposed the proposal. That was Catherine Hafner for WHRO News.

Harrisonburg has removed its flock safety license plate readers after terminating its contract with the company last month. City Council passed a policy banning the use of any mounted plate readers and less authorized by the council. The city started its contract with flock in 2023 under then police chief Kelly Warner. The Daily News record reports that the city did not give notice to or seek feedback from residents at the time. More than 117 million people visited Virginia in 2025, according to a new report from the Virginia Tourism Corporation. Those visitors spent a record $32.6 billion last year. That's a roughly 3% increase over 2024, and it generated nearly $3.5 billion in state and local tax revenue. VTC told WRIC that 2026 is on track for even more visitor activity. This has been the VPM Daily Newscast. VPM.