Latest Virginia Headlines

All the headlines from our Virginia Topic Page, ordered by recency.

West Virginia Jail Authority Moves to Curb Lawsuits

Jun 18 2012 // The West Virginia Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority is now housing all state-sentenced female inmates at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail as part of an effort to avoid prisoner lawsuits officials say are...

West Virginia to Start Auto Coverage Verification Program

Jun 18 2012 // The West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is taking steps to educate motorists about electronic verification of insurance coverage. Vehicle owners will soon begin receiving an informational insert when they get...

Climate Change Coverage Opinion Affirmed, Again

Jun 18 2012 // The Final Round in Steadfast, But the Opening of a Broader Debate? It is hard to say whether one should be surprised that the Virginia Supreme Court recently reaffirmed in Steadfast Insurance Company v. The AES Corporation...

West Virginia Man Claims Contractor, Construction Dust Caused Mom’s Death

Jun 15 2012 // The son of a Tucker County employee who died after inhaling dust from a construction project has filed a wrongful death lawsuit and wants the courthouse closed for a thorough cleanup. The Inter-Mountain of Elkins reported...

West Virginia Mine Boss to Be Sentenced

Jun 15 2012 // The former superintendent of the Upper Big Branch Mine will be sentenced Oct. 4 for his actions before the disaster that killed 29 men. U.S. District Judge Irene Berger had scheduled Gary May’s sentencing for August...

500 School Officials to Attend Bullying Prevention Conference in Va.

Jun 14 2012 // Nearly 500 school officials from across Virginia are expected to attend a conference on bullying prevention next week. The conference is set for June 20 at Charlottesville High School. Experts from Clemson University and...

West Virginia Residents Settle Final Slurry Pollution Claims with Massey

Jun 14 2012 // Hundreds of Boone County residents who blame coal companies for contaminating their water supplies settled their last remaining lawsuit with Massey Energy and four subsidiaries this week just as a trial was set to begin...

Study: Florida, Virginia Have Best Building Codes

Jun 12 2012 // Florida and Virginia have received good marks in a survey that looks at building codes in hurricane-prone states. The Tampa-based Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety conducted an analysis, evaluation, and...

W.Va. Families Head to U.S. Capitol Over Mine Safety

Jun 8 2012 // Relatives of three miners killed in West Virginia’s Upper Big Branch disaster are in Washington, D.C., to press for the passage of long-stalled mine safety legislation by July 4. Gary Quarles lost son Gary Wayne in...

West Virginia Ban on Drivers’ Texting Begins June 1

Jun 7 2012 // The days of legally driving while texting in West Virginia are numbered. A new ban on texting that also targets hands-on cell phone chatter becomes law Friday. It’s among nearly 70 legislative bills taking effect...

Hampton, Virginia, Declares Local Emergency for Areas Hit by Tornado

Jun 6 2012 // The city of Hampton, Virginia, has declared a local emergency for the areas affected by last Friday’s tornado.A tornado caused over $4.3 million in damages in Hampton, Va., last Friday. Photo credit: the city of...

Virginia Activists Press Banks for Foreclosure Aid

Jun 5 2012 // Nearly 1,000 homeowners in Prince William County and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park, Virginia, have been identified as eligible for assistance in the $25 billion national mortgage settlement announced this year,...

Tornadoes Damage Areas in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland

Jun 4 2012 // Tornadoes swept through several counties in Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland last Friday, knocking down trees and power lines and damaging dozens of structures and homes. Here are the latest reports from The Associated...

West Virginia Mines Cited During May Safety Inspections

Jun 4 2012 // The Mine Safety and Health Administration says it issued 254 citations, 19 orders and one safeguard during special inspections at West Virginia coal mines last month. Among those targeted was Argus Energy’s Deep Mine...

West Virginia Gears Up for Auto Insurance Verification Program

May 31 2012 // The West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is taking steps to educate motorists about electronic verification of insurance coverage. The DMV said vehicle owners will soon begin receiving an informational insert when...

Virginia’s Sales-Tax Holiday on Hurricane-Prep Items Begins Today

May 25 2012 // Virginia residents can prepare for the upcoming hurricane season and save money at the same time. The Virginia Department of Taxation says the state’s sales-tax holiday on emergency items such as batteries,...

Mediation Fails, West Virginia Slurry Pollution Case Going to Trial

May 25 2012 // Mediation has failed to settle a lawsuit by hundreds of Boone County residents who blame coal companies for contaminating their water supplies. Attorney Roger Decanio said this week that the case against Massey Energy and...

West Virginia Coal Miner Claims Alpha Fired Him Over Safety

May 24 2012 // A coal miner who says he was fired for enforcing safety standards that slowed down both production and the sealing of the Upper Big Branch mine in southern West Virginia is suing Alpha Natural Resources. The State Journal...

How States Rank in Injury Prevention

May 24 2012 // On a set of 10 steps states can take to prevent injuries , 24 states scored a five or lower. Two states, California and New York, received the highest score of nine out of a possible 10, while two states scored the lowest,...

Country Singer Alan Jackson Raises $150K for Quake-Damaged Va. County

May 22 2012 // Country singer Alan Jackson has raised more than $150,000 to help a Virginia county rebuild schools damaged by last year’s earthquake.Alan Jackson. Photo credit: Wikimedia CommonsA benefit concert by Jackson drew...