Charlotte Rene Woods

And shoutout to my former newsroom, @cvilletomorrow.bsky.social. I was able to link to some of their coverage in my story!

New UVA research recommends gun violence prevention strategies for state, local governments • Virginia Mercury New qualitative research from University of Virginia professors and law students explores contributing factors to youth gun violence in Virginia as well as solutions at the state and local levels.

I know there are some other UVA-related things making news today, but a qualitative research study that just dropped reveals some gun violence prevention strategies. People living in "hotspots" around the state were also interviewed for their insights. virginiamercury.com/2025/11/14/n...

Centra South Side Community Hospital to close labor and delivery unit in Farmville • Virginia Mercury Starting on Dec. 19, Farmville-area expectant parents will need to travel to Centra Virginia Baptist Hospital in Lynchburg — a roughly hour-long drive west.

Virginia’s South Side maternal health care desert is about to get a little drier as a Farmville hospital is closing its labor & delivery unit.

Longstanding challenges paired with federal funding changes in health care were among the reasons.

virginiamercury.com/2025/11/07/c...

Youngkin, Spanberger talk administrative transition with an eye on food security and health care • Virginia Mercury Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger and Gov. Glenn Youngkin stepped out of the Executive Mansion on Thursday with their spouses, smiling as they paused to talk with reporters. The couples had just shared a ...

🚨Transition in motion: Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger and outgoing Gov. Glenn Youngkin meet at the Executive Mansion to focus on food security, health care and living costs as Virginia gears up for "Day One" of the new administration.

virginiamercury.com/2025/11/06/y...

Democrats sweep Virginia’s statewide races, reclaiming full control of executive branch • Virginia Mercury Democrats completed a clean statewide sweep in Virginia on Tuesday night, as former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger defeated Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears for governor, Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Richmond,…

BREAKING: Democrat Jay Jones defeated Republican incumbent Jason Miyares in the attorney general race, completing the party's full sweep of statewide office elections in Virginia. virginiamercury.com/2025/11/04/d...

BREAKING: Democrat Abigail Spanberger wins Virginia governor's race • Virginia Mercury The Associated Press has called the Virginia governor’s race in Democrat Abigail Spanberger’s favor, as of 8:00 p.m. Spanberger clenched a victory over Republican opponent Winsome Earle-Sears,…

“It's a big deal that the girls and the young women I have met along the campaign trail now know with certainty that they can achieve anything,” Democrat Abigail Spanberger said after defeating Republican nominee Winsome Earle-Sears in the Virginia governor race. virginiamercury.com/2025/11/04/b...

Va. launches statewide food drive to counter federal government shutdown, delayed SNAP benefits • Virginia Mercury Building on a temporary state-level version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) announced last week, state agencies are collaborating on a food drive effort to further bols...

Updates for now on SNAP and Virginia's state-level temporary version of it:
virginiamercury.com/2025/11/04/y...

Scenes from Saturday in Norfolk, Virginia as former president Barack Obama campaigned for Abigail Spanberger.

Check out @charlottewords.bsky.social's dispatch from today's Spanberger rally: 👇🏾
#VaGOV

‘It goes quick’: Virginians stretch dollars and hope as SNAP funding freezes • Virginia Mercury Each month, when his Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funds arrive, Daniel Garratt stocks up meats and pantry staples like canned goods in bulk at Walmart. He then visits local discount or do...

Some SNAP recipients walked me through how they stretch their dollars to feed themselves and their families. But worry grows amid the federal shutdown and new restrictions.

A Gov. Youngkin order could provide temporary relief if the shutdown lasts past October.

virginiamercury.com/2025/10/27/i...

Va. registrars share how they keep rolls accurate, reflect on their role in the democratic process • Virginia Mercury Security is paramount, the registrars said, as they broke down how they pre-test voting equipment, create protocols for election worker conduct and access to ballots, and how  they participate in the ...

New story from @virginiamercury.com @charlottewords.bsky.social discusses how Virginia registrars secure our votes, build trust & handle challenges on the frontlines of democracy.

These insights come from our new video series Behind the Ballot

Read here: virginiamercury.com/2025/10/27/v...

Virginia patients, nonprofits cope with loss of federal funding for HIV/AIDS patients • Virginia Mercury This article, Part Three of the Mercury’s Pulse Check series, was produced as a project for the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2025 Impact Fund for Reporting on Health Equity and Health ...

In Pt. 3, orgs supporting HIV/AIDS patients experienced funding losses this year too. Norfolk's Shay Tucker and Richmond's Kelly Garrett told me how they stay cheerful, despite growing concerns for themselves & their communities. 🧵 4/4
virginiamercury.com/2025/10/22/v...

Virginia hospitals, clinics brace for federal health care changes • Virginia Mercury Ballad Health’s chief operations officer Eric Deaton characterized the forthcoming challenges as “pretty scary.” He predicts Ballad could lose around $25 million in the first year the reconciliation b...

In Pt. 2, hospitals, free clinics and nonprofit organizations relayed their current struggles and how they're bracing for funding and Medicaid changes in the reconciliation bill Congress passed this summer. 🧵 3/4
virginiamercury.com/2025/10/21/v...

How the Virginia Department of Health is healing internal issues amid federal funding cuts • Virginia Mercury In Part One of the Mercury’s Pulse Check series, we examine the challenges that were roiling the state health department even before this year’s federal cuts introduced new hurdles, and how officials ...

Prior to the federal changes, Va. Health Dept. had its own internal issues to heal: financial mismanagement and staffing issues. I explore their progress as they adjust to federal changes in Pt. 1 of "Pulse Check." 🧵 2/4
virginiamercury.com/2025/10/20/p...

Pulse Check Archives • Virginia Mercury This series examines the state of health care in Virginia

I traveled the state this summer exploring how federal funding changes affect Virginia's hospitals, clinics, nonprofits, and the state health department. The three-part series launched this week. 🧵 1/4
virginiamercury.com/category/pul...

Fairfax County Public Schools lawyers’ internal probe refutes school-assisted abortion allegations Allegations that Centreville High School staff coerced minors into getting abortions and assisted them in undergoing the procedure without their parents’ knowledge are “likely untrue,” Oct. 16 finding...

Allegations that Centreville High School staff coerced minors into getting abortions and helped them get the procedure without their parents’ knowledge are “likely untrue,” per the Virginia school district's legal probe, by @charlottewords.bsky.social www.newsfromthestates.com/article/fair...

Jones text scandal reshapes Virginia’s attorney general race — and tests Spanberger’s ticket • Virginia Mercury Thursday’s attorney general debate will likely offer voters their clearest look yet at how both men defend their records — and how they define the office in a sharply divided Virginia.

Democratic attorneys general remain one of a few checks on power against Republican majorities in Congress and the White House. Meanwhile, Jones' text scandal also looms over his race against Miyares.

Voters can glean more from both men in tonight's debate.
virginiamercury.com/2025/10/15/j...

Hundreds of thousands of federal employees face furloughs under Trump shutdown plans • Virginia Mercury WASHINGTON — The Trump administration began posting plans over the weekend that detail how hundreds of thousands of federal workers will be furloughed during a government shutdown, while others will…

Under plans the Trump administration posted this weekend, hundreds of thousands of federal workers will be furloughed during a government shutdown, while others will keep working without being paid. virginiamercury.com/2025/09/29/r...

Federal funding for research to prevent maternal deaths in Va., nationwide set to expire Sept. 30 • Virginia Mercury Seven years ago, Congress’ Preventing Maternal Deaths Act was signed into law by President Donald Trump — but the funding it provides to states to address maternal health disparities is set to expire ...

Federal funding for research that helps prevent maternal deaths nationwide is set to expire Sep. 30. virginiamercury.com/2025/09/29/f...

Democrats (and some Republicans) want to extend special tax credits people use to buy ACA marketplace health insurance. The proposals come as a potential government shutdown looms.

virginiamercury.com/2025/09/23/v...

Trump and RFK Jr. are making claims about autism. What do medical experts say? WASHINGTON — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stirred up major concerns and considerable speculation earlier this year when he announced the administration would release a rep...

I spoke with three medical experts to better understand the basics about autism, including how it's diagnosed, what the research shows and the biggest misconceptions.

www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trum...

Sentence-trimming program inmates can earn under fresh scrutiny amid Va. attorney general race • Virginia Mercury Beneficiaries watch with worry as Republican incumbent Miyares ignites fresh push to change it and challenges Democrat nominee Jones over support when the law passed

Ex-felons that earned an early release through a state program told me how they're not wasting their 2nd chance. With 19% of people released last year being re-convicted, AG Jason Miyares has ignited fresh opposition to the program in his reelection campaign.

virginiamercury.com/2025/09/17/s...

Story update: VDH told me today that people without underlying conditions should consult with their healthcare providers. It's not much, but at least without prescription requirements there might be less bottlenecking at PCPs. I also spoke with a pharmacist today.

This was a breaking story to note the order had dropped but I too have plenty of questions and they're still pending with VDH by the time I'm responding to you. I plan to update the story when more details emerge.

Va. Department of Health issues order to ease COVID-19 vaccine access, as federal guidance shifts • Virginia Mercury An order the Virginia Department of Health issued Wednesday now makes it easier for eligible Virginians to get vaccines in the weeks ahead.

Breaking: Virginia Department of Health issues order to ease COVID-19 vaccine access as federal guidance shifts. (I asked VDH and the governor about this yesterday, as other states have done so in the interim)
virginiamercury.com/briefs/virgi...

Federal COVID vaccine access shifts reverberate statewide, Va. advocates, health care workers say • Virginia Mercury The U.S. Food and Drug Administration ended broad emergency authorizations for COVID vaccines in recent weeks, which had allowed people to be able to walk into pharmacies without prescriptions to get…

To get a COVID vaccine in Virginia, you now need a prescription or must be 65 or older. The change, triggered by shifting federal guidelines, is posing challenges for COVID shot seekers statewide. virginiamercury.com/2025/09/10/f...

On the record: Abigail Spanberger • Virginia Mercury Part two of The Virginia Mercury’s On the Record series examines Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger’s positions on some of the state’s most pressing issues: immigration, education,…

Part two of our On the Record series: a deep dive into Democratic governor candidate Abigail Spanberger's stances on immigration, education, energy and environment, health care, housing, criminal justice and policing, voting rights and elections. virginiamercury.com/2025/09/09/o...

On the record: Winsome Earle-Sears • Virginia Mercury Part one of The Virginia Mercury’s On the Record series examines Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears’ positions on some of the state’s most pressing issues: immigration, education,…

Part one of our On the Record series examines Republican governor candidate Winsome Earle-Sears’ positions on key Virginia issues: immigration, education, energy, environment, health care, housing, criminal justice and policing, voting rights and elections.

Federal, state lawmakers call on Va. hospitals to ‘be transparent’ about federal funding changes • Virginia Mercury Alongside local health care workers and government leaders, Democrat Mark Warner, who represents Virginia in the U.S. Senate,and Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, delivered ...

Because politics never stops, hospitals' concerns can support Dem arguments against the "Big Beautiful Bill" Meanwhile, GOP majorities in congress kicked the controversial changes until after next year's midterms -- providing cover to incumbents 🧵3/3 virginiamercury.com/2025/09/03/f...

Federal, state lawmakers call on Va. hospitals to ‘be transparent’ about federal funding changes • Virginia Mercury Alongside local health care workers and government leaders, Democrat Mark Warner, who represents Virginia in the U.S. Senate,and Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, delivered ...

While some systems are more tight-lipped, others like Ballad have been vocal online or spoken with me throughout the summer. Warner and Scott say hospitals need to "be transparent" with their communities.🧵2/3 virginiamercury.com/2025/09/03/f...