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Guns, wages, weed: The bills Virginia GA sent to Spanberger

How she handles them could define how far Democrats will be able to push their agenda under unified control.

News

The General Assembly may have adjourned this weekend without a budget deal, but it also passed and sent hundreds of other bills to Gov. Spanberger. Why it matters: How she handles them could define how far state Democrats will be able to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="push their agenda" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/02/19/virginia-minimum-wage-gun-ban-paid-leave-bills?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axioslocal_richmond&amp;stream=top" data-vars-content-id="bdfb8d6d-e3ab-49f3-8072-14903adca5c2" data-vars-headline="Guns, wages, weed: The bills Virginia GA sent to Spanberger" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/02/19/virginia-minimum-wage-gun-ban-paid-leave-bills?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axioslocal_richmond&amp;stream=top" target="_self">push their agenda</a> under unified control.

Virginia's quirkiest bills: Porn tax, fungi and more

It's once again time to look at some of the interesting bills lawmakers proposed this session.

It&#x27;s once again time to look at some of the quirky or interesting bills lawmakers proposed this session. Why it matters: Hidden among the more than 3,000 bills filed are a few gems, like ones aimed at taxing porn, studying fungi and more.

Lawmakers launch caucus to save Virginia's NASCAR tracks

From Richmond Raceway to Martinsville, racing leaders warn Virginia's tracks are under threat.

Sports

Virginia gave NASCAR some of its <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="earliest speedways" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nascar.com/gallery/historic-moments-at-martinsville/" data-vars-content-id="f596d3ba-c260-43a0-8500-dd4087d4888b" data-vars-headline="Lawmakers launch caucus to save Virginia&#x27;s NASCAR tracks" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nascar.com/gallery/historic-moments-at-martinsville/" target="_blank">earliest speedways</a>, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="legendary short tracks" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2025/03/11/southside-speedway-racing-returns-chesterfield" data-vars-content-id="f596d3ba-c260-43a0-8500-dd4087d4888b" data-vars-headline="Lawmakers launch caucus to save Virginia&#x27;s NASCAR tracks" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2025/03/11/southside-speedway-racing-returns-chesterfield" target="_self">legendary short tracks</a> and its first Black champion: Wendell Scott. Why it matters: Now the state is trying to figure out how to keep the struggling sport alive for the next generation of Virginians.

Richmond police issue 200+ tickets in illegal parking crackdown

And that was just in the Fan and surrounding neighborhoods within a roughly two-month period.

Richmond police issued more than 200 citations in a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="recent enforcement push" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/03/09/richmond-illegal-parking-enforcement-2026" data-vars-content-id="39808113-2555-411d-867c-8d9b8ac6f2e6" data-vars-headline="Richmond police issue 200+ tickets in illegal parking crackdown" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/03/09/richmond-illegal-parking-enforcement-2026" target="_self">recent enforcement push</a> targeting drivers who park too close to intersections and crosswalks, according to RPD data shared with Axios. Why it matters: That was just for people illegally parking in the Fan and surrounding neighborhoods, showing how common the violations are in one of the busiest parts of the city.

There are 500 trout in Byrd Park waiting to be caught

Here's what to know about the spot state officials call "one of the best-kept secrets" for trout fishing.

Things to Do

State officials (and yours truly) delivered a fresh batch of about 500 rainbow and brown trout into <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Byrd Park&#x27;s Shields Lake" data-vars-click-url="https://dwr.virginia.gov/waterbody/shields-lake/" data-vars-content-id="969c42ce-b7d1-470b-bf06-1723c1064fb3" data-vars-headline="There are 500 trout in Byrd Park waiting to be caught" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://dwr.virginia.gov/waterbody/shields-lake/" target="_blank">Byrd Park&#x27;s Shields Lake</a> on Monday.Why it matters: Trout stocking season in Richmond has begun.

New Virginia law requires water emergency alerts within 2 hours

It was partly prompted by Richmond's water crisis and goes into effect July 1.

A <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new Virginia law" data-vars-click-url="https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/HB2749" data-vars-content-id="decf1381-d896-4543-8fbf-3e980b3225d3" data-vars-headline="New Virginia law requires water emergency alerts within 2 hours" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/HB2749" target="_blank">new Virginia law</a> will require waterworks operators to tell state officials of severe water emergencies within two hours of finding the problem.Why it matters: The legislation was partly prompted by — you guessed it – the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="January crisis " data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2025/01/13/richmond-water-crisis-timeline" data-vars-content-id="decf1381-d896-4543-8fbf-3e980b3225d3" data-vars-headline="New Virginia law requires water emergency alerts within 2 hours" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2025/01/13/richmond-water-crisis-timeline" target="_self">January crisis </a>that had hundreds of thousands of residents in the Richmond area without running water for days.

April Bingham breaks silence on Richmond water crisis

In an interview with WTVR, she said "You needed a scapegoat and April Bingham was it."

April Bingham, Richmond&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="former public utilities director" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2025/01/15/richmond-department-utilities-director-resigns" data-vars-content-id="586f24ad-32c0-46c1-8899-047d938d2baa" data-vars-headline="April Bingham breaks silence on Richmond water crisis" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2025/01/15/richmond-department-utilities-director-resigns" target="_self">former public utilities director</a>, sat down with <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="WTVR" data-vars-click-url="https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/tyler-layne-april-bingham-interview-march-19-2025" data-vars-content-id="586f24ad-32c0-46c1-8899-047d938d2baa" data-vars-headline="April Bingham breaks silence on Richmond water crisis" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/tyler-layne-april-bingham-interview-march-19-2025" target="_blank">WTVR</a> to share her side of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the water crisis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2025/01/13/richmond-water-crisis-timeline" data-vars-content-id="586f24ad-32c0-46c1-8899-047d938d2baa" data-vars-headline="April Bingham breaks silence on Richmond water crisis" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2025/01/13/richmond-water-crisis-timeline" target="_self">the water crisis</a> for the first time.The big picture: Her version of the events that <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="left residents without water" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2025/01/13/richmond-water-crisis-timeline" data-vars-content-id="586f24ad-32c0-46c1-8899-047d938d2baa" data-vars-headline="April Bingham breaks silence on Richmond water crisis" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2025/01/13/richmond-water-crisis-timeline" target="_self">left residents without water</a> for nearly three days, and ultimately led to her firing, can be summed up with one of her quotes: &quot;You needed a scapegoat, and April Bingham was it.&quot;

Stove explosion goes viral for creating Virginia-shaped shard

By Monday afternoon, the TikTok from Richmond resident Daisy Charette had over 3.3 million views.

Water

When a Richmonder went to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="boil the tap water" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2025/01/11/richmond-henrico-lift-boil-water-advisory-ends" data-vars-content-id="580d953a-044e-4932-b535-a36d563af4be" data-vars-headline="Stove explosion goes viral for creating Virginia-shaped shard" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2025/01/11/richmond-henrico-lift-boil-water-advisory-ends" target="_self">boil the tap water</a> last week, the electric stove blew up.Why it matters: One of the pieces shattered into a shard shaped like Virginia sans the Eastern Shore, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="per a TikTok" data-vars-click-url="https://bitly.cx/3xDD" data-vars-content-id="580d953a-044e-4932-b535-a36d563af4be" data-vars-headline="Stove explosion goes viral for creating Virginia-shaped shard" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://bitly.cx/3xDD" target="_blank">per a TikTok</a> — and people can&#x27;t get enough of it.

From pooping outside to brushing with La Croix: how Richmonders survived the water crisis

Some pooped outside, brushed their teeth with La Croix and questioned whether to boil their bong water.

When Richmond&#x27;s<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" running water" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2025/01/08/richmond-water-crisis-update-hanover-henrico" data-vars-content-id="3a543628-5e7c-426f-9695-7b2e85005226" data-vars-headline="From pooping outside to brushing with La Croix: how Richmonders survived the water crisis" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2025/01/08/richmond-water-crisis-update-hanover-henrico" target="_self"> running water</a> ran out last week, people resorted to pooping in bags, throwing snow in <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="toilet tanks" data-vars-click-url="https://bitly.cx/gQoLu" data-vars-content-id="3a543628-5e7c-426f-9695-7b2e85005226" data-vars-headline="From pooping outside to brushing with La Croix: how Richmonders survived the water crisis" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://bitly.cx/gQoLu" target="_blank">toilet tanks</a> and brushing their teeth with <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="La Croix" data-vars-click-url="https://bitly.cx/c8gD" data-vars-content-id="3a543628-5e7c-426f-9695-7b2e85005226" data-vars-headline="From pooping outside to brushing with La Croix: how Richmonders survived the water crisis" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://bitly.cx/c8gD" target="_blank">La Croix</a>.