Podcast
Bold Dominion
Hosted by Virginia Audio Collective · EN
A state politics explainer for a changing Virginia
108episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
What’s the impact of solar farms on Virginia land?
Sep 13, 202400:34:41Tap to summarizeSolar has been getting a lot of attention in the past couple years and counties across Virginia have been passing stringent regulations on new solar developments. This week we spoke with Dr. Lee Daniels, Professor Emeritus of Land Rehabilitation and Dr. Ryan D. Stewart, Professor of Soil Physics & Hydrology, both at Virginia Tech about the effects of solar farms on the land and soil. And in the second half of the episode, Nathan Moore is back to talk about some other solar farm considerations. Read the white paper: Soil-Site Management Protocols & Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Utility Scale Solar Site (USS) Development and Management in Virginia https://www.deq.virginia.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/24050/638531957239470000
Transcribe →Why isn’t the VA minimum wage increasing in 2024?
Aug 31, 202400:23:18Tap to summarizeIn 2020, Virginia started on a path to incrementally increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2026. But this year the governor vetoed the annual increase. In this episode, we talk with Levi Goren, Director of Research & Education Policy at the Commonwealth Institute, about what the minimum wage is, how it is related to inflation, and who is impacted by its stagnation. Read Levi’s article: https://thecommonwealthinstitute.org/research/12-is-not-enough-virginia-policymakers-must-act-on-the-minimum-wage/
Transcribe →Does Virginia recycling actually get recycled?
Aug 17, 202400:33:18Tap to summarizeHundreds of thousands of Virginians take time every day to sort and clean their recyclable materials. As a consumer, maybe you even think about whether a material is recyclable before you buy it. But what happens after you put your bottles, cans, and boxes out by the curb? In this episode, Phil McKalips, Director of Solid Waste for the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority, and Lauren Cutlip, board member for the Virginia Recycling Association, take us on a journey through the afterlife of our trash. Learn more about VA recycling: https://www.deq.virginia.gov/our-programs/land-waste/recycling/recycling-data/recycling-rate-report#:~:text=The%20calendar%20year%202022%20Virginia,required%20to%20report%20for%202022
Transcribe →Why are school board meetings getting so divisive?
Aug 2, 202400:24:34Tap to summarizeThis week we’re talking about school boards. While many folks will associate their school board with local decisions about infrastructure or teacher salaries, many Virginia school boards have been forums for highly politicized debates and decisions about issues like book bans or transgender rights. Today we are joined by Breanna Diaz from the ACLU of Virginia to talk about what issues they’re hearing at School Board meetings across the state and what they mean for students, parents, and teachers.
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Food assistance is confusing! This episode can help
Jul 19, 202400:32:25Tap to summarizeFood is just more expensive than it was a few years ago. The rate of inflation for food has leveled off in 2024, but we’re still adjusting to the price increases we saw in 2022 and 2023. So in this episode, we look into food assistance programs like SNAP, WIC and food banks: how they work, how they’re funded, and how they’re coping with rising food prices. Our guests are Monica Kelly, Public Benefits Outreach Manager and Les Sinclair, Communications and PR Manager from the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. Access Food Assistance: https://www.brafb.org/find-help/ https://www.dss.virginia.gov/benefit/food.cgi Learn More and Sign up for Virginia Sun Bucks: https://virginiasunbucks.com/ Check out the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank’s Blog: https://www.brafb.org/blog-chew-on-this/
Transcribe →91 - What does local climate policy look like?
Oct 14, 202300:28:43Tap to summarizeEpisode Notes In the face of ever-worsening climate change, it takes more than paper straws and recycling to make a dent in our carbon emissions--it takes policy on a national, state, and local scale. So what does local climate action look like? How do cities and counties set policy in the realm of housing, transportation, and energy to reduce carbon emissions and prepare their communities for a changing climate? To answer that question, we talked to Bill Eger, Chief Climate Policy Officer for Arlington County, Virginia. He leads Arlington’s Office of Climate Coordination and Policy, whose mission is to "amplify, coordinate, and add capacity to the County’s ongoing responses to the climate crisis."
Transcribe →90 - What's the legacy of the Byrd Machine in Virginia?
Aug 18, 202300:29:26Tap to summarizeEpisode Notes We’ve all heard of machine politics. Tammany Hall. Boss Tweed. Right in the heart of New York City, the Gilded Age, an era synonymous with corruption in America’s history. But Virginia has its own slice of machine-politics history: under the control of Harry Byrd, Sr., the Byrd Machine controlled the state government for the better part of fifty years. Who was Harry Byrd? How did he gain total control of the government? And what are the lasting impacts we feel today? To answer these questions, we're joined by friend of the show Michael Pope, author of The Byrd Machine in Virginia: The Rise and Fall of a Conservative Political Organization.
Transcribe →89 - What's the takeaway from Virginia's 2023 primaries?
Jun 23, 202300:29:55Tap to summarizeEpisode Notes The 2023 primary results are in...and they're pretty interesting. Many incumbents held onto their seats, but some challengers won key victories--Democratic Senators Joe Morrissey and Chap Petersen were defeated by Lashrecse Aird and newcomer Saddam Salim, while Republican Senator Amanda Chase lost to Glen Sturtevant. If you're looking for a narrative to explain what happened, you'll probably find it somewhere in the results. And all of this comes against the backdrop of a huge shift in the General Assembly. New district lines, tons of retirements, and all one hundred and forty seats up for re-election in a few months. So what should we take away from this week’s results, and what should we look forward to in the November general election? To break it all down, we're joined by journalist Michael Pope and Democratic strategist Thomas Bowman. They're friends of the show and the hosts of Pod Virginia, a fellow podcast breaking down Virginia politics.
Transcribe →88 - How can we end gun violence in Virginia?
May 26, 202300:29:51Tap to summarizeEpisode Notes The United States saw over 44,300 deaths from guns in 2022. And as the last year has made painfully clear, Virginia is not immune. Our state has been rocked by the horrific shootings in Charlottesville, Chesapeake, and Newport News. But even so, almost no meaningful gun safety legislation passed the General Assembly in the 2023 session. House Bill 2387 established tax credits for people who purchase gun safety devices, but that was about it. That’s a departure from 2020 and 2021, when Democrats in the House and Senate passed a bevy of legislation aimed at reducing gun violence. Yet while those were important changes, there’s still a long way to go. So, what do Virginia’s gun laws look like now? And what can be done to end gun violence in the state? To help answer those questions, we talk to Andrew Goddard, Legislative Director at the Virginia Center for Public Safety, and Brian Moran, who served as Virginia Secretary of Public Safety from 2014 to 2022. To learn more, check out the Virginia Center for Public Safety's Research Resources.
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87 - How does immigration shape Virginia?
May 12, 202300:30:52Tap to summarizeEpisode Notes Whether coming for school, work, or to escape bad situations at home, immigrants are a vital part of Virginia’s culture and economy. So today we’re digging into the opportunities and the obstacles facing immigrants and refugees in the state. First, we talk with Freddy Mejia, Deputy Director of Policy at the Commonwealth Institute. His work covers state-level policies that affect marginalized groups in Virginia. He walks us through who’s immigrating to Virginia, and how they fit into the larger tapestry of the state. Then, we talk with Harriet Kuhr, Executive Director of the International Rescue Committee in Virginia, about what refugee resettlement looks like on the ground. Learn more about how immigration status can affect access to health coverage in Virginia Find out how you can volunteer with the International Rescue Committee, or learn more about their Charlottesville or Richmond offices. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.
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