In 2023, I reported for the Virginia Mercury on education, health care, and criminal justice across the state. My investigation of Virginia’s last private prison led to the state taking it back over months later, and my interactive map of Virginia school shootings that supplemented my report on AI-powered weapons detection systems drew over 28,600 views.
Below are some highlights from my Virginia Mercury work. You can view the full archives here.
In rural Virginia, communities struggle to find enough health care workers
On a sunny Tuesday in July, the blue door of Old Dominion University’s Medical Mobile Clinic opened onto a parking lot in Franklin, and a teenage boy went quickly down the steps.
Despite success, Va. public-private program for early childhood care still far from meeting need
Although almost 157,000 infants and toddlers in Virginia were eligible for publicly funded early childhood care and education services last year, data from the Virginia Department of Education shows over 90% lacked access to them. The same goes for more than half of the state’s approximately 128,000 eligible preschool-age children.
AI weapons detection startups compete with industry giant in expanding Va. school market
Demand from Virginia school divisions for better building security is on the rise following increases in school shootings over the past several years, including a high-profile case at a Newport News elementary in January.
Virginia considers private prison contract renewal despite $4.3 million in breaches
As Virginia weighs whether to renew its contract with GEO Group to run the Lawrenceville Correctional Center, the state’s only privately operated prison, records show persistent staffing shortages at the facility have cost the company $4.3 million since August 2018.
JW Caterine 