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Ukrop's gets a bigger footprint inside Richmond-area Kroger

A renovated Midlothian Kroger will soon feature a dedicated section for Ukrop's favorites.

Business

The Kroger on Midlothian near Winterfield is getting a bigger and bolder section for Ukrop&#x27;s products. Why it matters: It&#x27;s like Ukrop&#x27;s Super Markets never left us.

Solo dining is surging in Virginia. Here's where to go in Richmond

Reservations for one are up 13% statewide, per OpenTable, and Richmonders are embracing the trend, too.

Food and Drink

Solo dining is having a moment in Virginia, with reservations for one up 13% year over year, per OpenTable data shared with Axios.Why it matters: That growth might look like another sign of America&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="loneliness" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/05/30/americans-eating-along-happiness-report" data-vars-content-id="322014c9-ca61-4caa-968a-85f8eb33e6b1" data-vars-headline="Solo dining is surging in Virginia. Here&#x27;s where to go in Richmond" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/05/30/americans-eating-along-happiness-report" target="_self">loneliness</a> <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="epidemic" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/05/03/surgeon-general-vivek-murthy-fights-loneliness" data-vars-content-id="322014c9-ca61-4caa-968a-85f8eb33e6b1" data-vars-headline="Solo dining is surging in Virginia. Here&#x27;s where to go in Richmond" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/05/03/surgeon-general-vivek-murthy-fights-loneliness" target="_self">epidemic</a>. But many solo diners say eating alone offers a rare chance to slow down, reflect and savor the small stuff, reports <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the Washington Post." data-vars-click-url="https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2026/07/16/want-truly-appreciate-dining-out-eat-alone/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzg0MjYwODAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzg1NjQzMTk5LCJpYXQiOjE3ODQyNjA4MDAsImp0aSI6IjY3NmQ2ZDQ5LWY2MzEtNGFiNy05Mjg0LTE0NmY5MGMxMDhhZSIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9mb29kLzIwMjYvMDcvMTYvd2FudC10cnVseS1hcHByZWNpYXRlLWRpbmluZy1vdXQtZWF0LWFsb25lLyJ9.Uiytd5gDDZOXZlEPzwCS_cs471ZgpDX1UunlBO27VyE" data-vars-content-id="322014c9-ca61-4caa-968a-85f8eb33e6b1" data-vars-headline="Solo dining is surging in Virginia. Here&#x27;s where to go in Richmond" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2026/07/16/want-truly-appreciate-dining-out-eat-alone/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzg0MjYwODAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzg1NjQzMTk5LCJpYXQiOjE3ODQyNjA4MDAsImp0aSI6IjY3NmQ2ZDQ5LWY2MzEtNGFiNy05Mjg0LTE0NmY5MGMxMDhhZSIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9mb29kLzIwMjYvMDcvMTYvd2FudC10cnVseS1hcHByZWNpYXRlLWRpbmluZy1vdXQtZWF0LWFsb25lLyJ9.Uiytd5gDDZOXZlEPzwCS_cs471ZgpDX1UunlBO27VyE" target="_blank">the Washington Post.</a>

Solo travel searches hit a record high in 2026

More people are embracing the freedom of going wherever they want, whenever they want — without waiting for someone else.

Travel

Google searches for &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="solo travel" data-vars-click-url="https://trends.google.com/explore?geo=US&amp;q=solo%2520travel&amp;date=all" data-vars-content-id="34ae642b-f4d6-4d58-8a63-dd6a43aaffa2" data-vars-headline="Solo travel searches hit a record high in 2026" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://trends.google.com/explore?geo=US&amp;q=solo%2520travel&amp;date=all" target="_blank">solo travel</a>&quot; hit a nationwide record high in 2026, including in metro Richmond, where searches peaked between May and June.Why it matters: Solo travel is booming as more people embrace the freedom of going wherever they want, whenever they want — without waiting for someone else&#x27;s PTO to line up.

Richmond restaurant hit with erroneous $60K water bill

Her usual bill is about $1,500, but a meter issue led to a $58,486 charge and a cash crunch.

News

A Richmond restaurant owner says the city mistakenly pulled roughly $60,000 from her bank account this week for a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="utility bill" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/07/08/richmond-dpu-utility-billing-problems-new-system-payments-account-numbers" data-vars-content-id="1c440395-771c-4e8c-bb8c-1adac040b2f5" data-vars-headline="Richmond restaurant hit with erroneous $60K water bill" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/07/08/richmond-dpu-utility-billing-problems-new-system-payments-account-numbers" target="_self">utility bill</a> that typically would&#x27;ve been around $1,500.Why it matters: The erroneous charge left <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Harry&#x27;s at Hofheimer" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2023/10/16/scotts-addition-speakeasy" data-vars-content-id="1c440395-771c-4e8c-bb8c-1adac040b2f5" data-vars-headline="Richmond restaurant hit with erroneous $60K water bill" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2023/10/16/scotts-addition-speakeasy" target="_self">Harry&#x27;s at Hofheimer</a> owner Natalie McNamara scrambling to get her money back and raised fresh questions about the city&#x27;s billing system amid ongoing problems.

How August became back-to-school season in Richmond

A longtime post-Labor Day rule has steadily given way to earlier starts across Virginia.

It&#x27;s back-to-school week for Richmond-area public school students. Why it matters: Late August starts have become the norm here, but that&#x27;s a relatively recent shift in Virginia — and state lawmakers just gave districts even more flexibility to start earlier.

Richmond film tells overlooked Black stories from America's founding

As America turns 250, Abraham Peyton Skipwith's story is getting a new national audience through VPM and PBS.

A new Richmond-made documentary centers Black Americans in its telling of the nation&#x27;s founding story as the U.S. marks its 250th anniversary.Why it matters: One of the film&#x27;s main figures is a Richmonder whose own history is <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="currently being restored" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/04/17/jackson-ward-skipwith-roper-cottage-homecoming" data-vars-content-id="612efd60-8118-4217-83b8-052a9e8baa84" data-vars-headline="Richmond film tells overlooked Black stories from America&#x27;s founding" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/04/17/jackson-ward-skipwith-roper-cottage-homecoming" target="_self">currently being restored</a> in Jackson Ward.

Former Richmond officials jump into sales tax referendum push

A former City Council president and former CAO just launched a statewide group to help navigate the November vote.

Two former Richmond officials just launched the first statewide advocacy group focused on Virginia’s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="school sales tax referendums" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/07/23/richmond-chesterfield-new-sales-tax-vote-tax-cuts" data-vars-content-id="72ee07a2-e170-447e-9ae0-dbcb2bb1f3a3" data-vars-headline="Former Richmond officials jump into sales tax referendum push" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/07/23/richmond-chesterfield-new-sales-tax-vote-tax-cuts" target="_self">school sales tax referendums</a>.Why it matters: More than 20 localities — including Richmond, Chesterfield and Powhatan — are asking voters in November to approve a 1% sales tax to fund school construction.

Chesterfield bucks Richmond-area trend with lower-density plan

Its draft plan would cut residential density 9.6% as neighboring localities embrace denser growth.

Chesterfield expects to add more than 100,000 residents by 2050. But its proposed <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="long-term plan" data-vars-click-url="https://online.encodeplus.com/regs/chesterfieldcounty-va-planmod/doc-viewer.aspx#secid-683" data-vars-content-id="ea6c7aba-aa20-4a0d-870b-0b7b2e055277" data-vars-headline="Chesterfield bucks Richmond-area trend with lower-density plan" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://online.encodeplus.com/regs/chesterfieldcounty-va-planmod/doc-viewer.aspx#secid-683" target="_blank">long-term plan</a> calls for less residential density countywide, not more. Why it matters: Chesterfield&#x27;s approach to growth stands out in the region. <ul><li>While <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Richmond" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/08/17/richmond-zoning-code-draft-three-duplexes-housing-corridors" data-vars-content-id="ea6c7aba-aa20-4a0d-870b-0b7b2e055277" data-vars-headline="Chesterfield bucks Richmond-area trend with lower-density plan" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/08/17/richmond-zoning-code-draft-three-duplexes-housing-corridors" target="_self">Richmond</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Henrico" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/08/06/lakeside-garden-district-mixed-use-development-traffic" data-vars-content-id="ea6c7aba-aa20-4a0d-870b-0b7b2e055277" data-vars-headline="Chesterfield bucks Richmond-area trend with lower-density plan" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/08/06/lakeside-garden-district-mixed-use-development-traffic" target="_self">Henrico</a> have explored adding more housing in neighborhoods and commercial corridors, Chesterfield is moving in the other direction.</li></ul>

After crashes, Henrico neighbors pushed for a roundabout

They heard the crashes from their homes. Then they gathered the receipts and pushed the county to act.

Claire Dee learned to recognize the sound from inside her Henrico home. A screech of tires. A bang.<ul><li>So her routine was to grab her phone, sometimes a blanket or water and head toward the Twin Hickory Drive intersection to help.</li></ul>Why it matters: Those crashes pushed Dee and neighbor Janna Kiseeva to document wrecks and collect about 350 signatures calling on Henrico to make the intersection safer, spurring the county to install a permanent roundabout last year.

Richmond tourism spends up to $40K a year on influencers

The region's tourism board pays creators for reels and posts designed to turn followers into visitors.

Richmond Region Tourism spends an average of $30,000 to $40,000 a year on social media influencers, the tourism agency tells Axios. Why it matters: Influencers have become part of the hotel-tax-funded effort to draw visitors to the region — as social media increasingly shapes where people vacation.

Richmond retreats on neighborhood density

The latest zoning draft limits most neighborhood lots to two units and shifts growth to major corridors.

The latest — and potentially final — draft of Richmond&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="zoning code rewrite" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/06/25/richmond-code-refresh-third-draft-duplexes-church-housing" data-vars-content-id="fcc06ae0-fe19-49f7-9dbd-f752eb4f32ee" data-vars-headline="Richmond retreats on neighborhood density" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/06/25/richmond-code-refresh-third-draft-duplexes-church-housing" target="_self">zoning code rewrite</a> backs away from allowing more density in largely single-family neighborhoods.<ul><li>The change came directly in response to residents&#x27; concerns, Mayor Danny Avula told reporters Monday. </li></ul>

Parents question VSU security after 5 people shot on campus

Families want answers about who can access VSU's campus and what changes are coming to prevent future shootings.

Parents and students are pressing Virginia State University for tighter security after five people were shot on campus early Saturday, just before the first day of classes.Why it matters: It was unclear whether VSU is planning any changes.

Trump deportation push could cost Virginia taxpayers $7.4B

Richmond, Henrico and Chesterfield could shoulder $747 million of the projected cost, according to EPI.

Virginia taxpayers could pay an estimated $7.4 billion toward President Trump&#x27;s mass deportation push — about $2,400 per taxpayer — according to a new calculator from the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Economic Policy Institute" data-vars-click-url="https://www.epi.org/deportation-calculator/" data-vars-content-id="9f8d881e-669d-4b74-a254-6862372412c6" data-vars-headline="Trump deportation push could cost Virginia taxpayers $7.4B" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.epi.org/deportation-calculator/" target="_blank">Economic Policy Institute</a>.Why it matters: The estimate puts a local price tag on Trump&#x27;s deportation agenda as thousands of Virginians receive removal orders, including over 2,000 in the Richmond area during the first half of 2026.

A choropleth map showing U.S. public school start dates before August 16. Darker-shaded states indicate a higher percentage of schools starting early, with most of the Southeast and part of the Southwest starting before this date. Lighter shades represent states with fewer schools starting before August 16, including several Northeast states with no schools opening prior to that date.

News 🗞

How August became back-to-school season in Richmond

Richmond film tells overlooked Black stories from America's founding

Former Richmond officials jump into sales tax referendum push

Chesterfield bucks Richmond-area trend with lower-density plan

Richmond restaurant hit with erroneous $60K water bill