The spotted lanternfly has descended upon grape vines, fruit orchards, and maple trees in more than half of Virginia's counties, including the entire Shenandoah Valley. One local vineyard is arming their patrons to help swat out the invasive insects. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

In 1997, journalist David Poole launched a one-employee nonprofit to shine light on a blind spot in Virginia’s lax campaign finance system. Over the next quarter century, the Virginia Public Access Project assumed an increasingly larger role in state politics.

Makayla Venable is the Democratic candidate running to represent the 36th District in Virginia House of Delegates. The District – which includes Staunton, Waynesboro, and parts of Augusta County – is currently represented by incumbent Republican candidate Ellen Campbell. Venable is a first-time candidate but has a background working in healthcare which, as she told me, influenced her to run for office.

The Blue Ridge Abortion Fund provides resources to Virginians and people traveling into Virginia for abortions. They've seen an increase in out-of-state clients in the last three years. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi spoke with their executive director and filed this report.

In early March, WMRA submitted a FOIA request to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We received the results at the end of September. The data they released reveals the number of people arrested by ICE in our broadcast region in the first months of President Donald Trump's second presidency, as well as trends within those arrests. WMRA's Bob Leweke sat down with Randi B. Hagi to discuss these records.

The Super Gr8 Film Festival returns to Harrisonburg this weekend after a several-year hiatus. It’s chance for aspiring filmmakers to shoot a short movie with a Super 8 camcorder and a single roll of film, with the final product shown for the first time to participants and audiences alike. WMRA’s Calvin Pynn spoke with Paul Somers, one of Super Gr8’s founders, who detailed the festival’s return.

Cathy Rec is the democratic candidate running for Virginia’s House of Delegates representing the 33rd district, which includes Shenandoah and Page Counties.

Public schools in Virginia are now required to ban student cell phone usage during school hours, a result of legislation signed by Governor Glenn Youngkin in late May. But what does that mean now that school is back in session? WMRA’s Ayse Pirge reports.

Andrew Payton is the Democratic candidate running to represent Virginia’s 34th district, which includes the city of Harrisonburg and part of Rockingham County. He’s running against Republican incumbent Tony Wilt, who has represented the district since 2010. Payton is an educator and has long been a community organizer in Harrisonburg, although this is his first time as a political candidate. WMRA's Calvin Pynn asked him why he decided to run for office.

Tony Wilt is the incumbent candidate running to represent Virginia’s 34th District, which is comprised of the city of Harrisonburg and part of Rockingham County. A republican, Wilt has represented the district in Virginia’s House of Delegates since he was first elected in 2010. WMRA’s Calvin Pynn asked Wilt what he’s learned in his 15 years as Delegate.

Keisha Nicholson started the Love Forward Foundation in 2015 as a grassroots movement to help the families of the incarcerated heal and grow. Today, the foundation’s "Creative Haven" in downtown Staunton provides a space for creative coping. WMRA’s Meredith McCool paid a visit and filed this report.

WMRA previously reported on the arrests of two protesters on the Quicksburg I-81 overpass on Labor Day. Their accounts of the incident raised questions of whether due process was followed, and what motivated the state troopers involved. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi spoke with the local prosecutor and a retired state police officer, and filed this report.