Hearsay With Cathy Lewis

Today officially kicks off our coverage of local and state elections. We talk to the candidates for mayor in the City of Virginia Beach about why they think they deserve the job. But first we discuss challenges to schools during the COVID era.

HearSay is taking a look at how cities and counties in Hampton Roads are spending their CARES Act and other coronavirus relief money to address economic hardships related to the coronavirus pandemic. We start on the Peninsula with York County, James City County, Williamsburg and Newport News. Then, we discuss recent developments in the Portsmouth Police Department.

Last week, a Virginia House of Delegates committee halted legislative proposals that would have created exceptions for people who don’t want to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Gov. Ralph Northam’s office says that he does not plan for the state government to mandate that Virginians get vaccinated. If and when an approved vaccine were available, would you get it?

We talk about how the military keeps track of COVID-19 statistics, and what that means for Hampton Roads. Then, we check in with researchers and school officials as they plan for the fall.

The Confederate monument in Portsmouth came down. We discuss its history and the controversy and protests around it. Then, we talk to Sen. Lynwood Lewis about the General Assembly.

Colleges and universities across the country are struggling to decide how to carry out their fall semesters amid the coronavirus pandemic. We take a look at what the schools in our region are doing and discuss the health, educational and financial factors that are driving decisions.

The governor joins the show to discuss the ongoing pandemic, the voting process in Virginia, police reform, his legislative priorities and other challenges facing the state. We also discuss a variety of policy questions with the Chesapeake Registrar, a Chesapeake Public Schools official and WHRO's Sam Turken.

We talk about the court case involving protests in Portsmouth, and the history and controversy surrounding the Confederate monument there. After that, we talk about the new COVID-19 statistics in Hampton Roads, and what they mean for all of us.

We talk to Virginia's Attorney General Mark Herring about his priorities for police reform. Then we unpack what happened at the General Assembly.

How will COVID-19 change the future of offices, teleworking and everything in between? We will discuss the immediate issues and the long-term implications. Then a reporter from Politico will discuss the US Postal Service's role in the upcoming election

We discuss how the selection of Kamala Harris as Democratic V.P. nominee will change the races up and down the ballot. Then we talk about how flu season will impact a community already facing COVID-19. Finally, we look ahead to the state's General Assembly special session.

We talk about what makes a community resilient in the face of COVID-19, and what people have told researchers from ODU's "Life In Hampton Roads" survey. After that, we answer questions and discuss concerns about the upcoming election with Prof. Rebecca Green, co-director of the Election Law Program at William & Mary Law School.

Last week, Twitter and Facebook removed posts by President Trump and his campaign that they said violated their policy on spreading coronavirus misinformation. We discuss the issue of social media and censorship with author Suzanne Nossel and Heather Kelly of the Washington Post’s tech team. Then, we talk to someone trying to make things easier on Twitter.

First, we discuss the challenges facing the U.S. Postal Service. Then, we talk about Virginia’s new COVIDWISE app. Our state was the first to adopt an app aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19, and we learn all about how it works.

We discuss the damage Isaias did in Suffolk and an effort to help the elderly in Hampton Roads. Then Virginia Sen. Mark Warner joins the program to talk about the recent defense budget, his proposed bill to protect the elections and his discussions with people in the community.

How is your company dealing with the difficult discussions and decisions around the pandemic and the moment of racial reckoning? Do you feel safe? Do you feel heard? Our guests provide insights and perpectives on these challenges. Then, we check in with David Tolleris of Weather Risk about Hurricane Isaias.

We discuss the mechanics, and potential problems, of mail-in voting. Then we explore the issue of how COVID-19 is affecting political and economic inequality.

What does it feel like to recover from COVID-19? What is your life like afterwards? We talk about the experience, the medical effects, and what we can do as a community.

We talk about the effort to removed Confederate names from schools across Hampton Roads.

We talk about how the pandemic has brough unique childcare challenges. Then, WHRO reporter discusses his research on how hundreds of Black residents were forced out of East Ghent in the 1960's and early 1970's. Then, we discuss the St. Paul's redevelopment project with journalists and members of the community.