RVA’s Got Issues

RVA’s Got Issues

RVA’s Got Issues delves into politics and big issues in the news that are defining life in and around Richmond, Virginia. Should taxes be raised to build a new baseball stadium? Should old schools get a makeover or be replaced? Are more bike lanes a good idea? Host Rich Meagher will speak with guests who shed light on the present, past and future implications of these questions. And in a time when faith in government is at an all-time low, many people say they can’t make a difference in politics. RVA’s Got Issues will counter this feeling of civic alienation by featuring guests who share stories of how they are making a difference. Listeners will gain new insights and ideas for how to become more engaged in their communities. The upshot is a podcast that helps listeners understand not only what’s happening around them but what they can do about it.

Episodes

Odie Donald: Richmond’s New CAO

December 24, 2025 • 31 mins
Richmond’s had a good run lately, but it always seems like it prospers in spite of city government, not because of it. Can Mayor Avula and his new Chief Administrative Officer, Odie Donald, finally be the ones who turn that around? Rich sits down with Odie to find out. RVA's Got Issues will be taking a break for the holidays, but will be back with new episodes early in the new year. Guest: Odie Donald, Chief Administrative Offi...
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Bobby Vincent on Fixing Richmond's Roads

December 17, 2025 • 31 mins
When is that pothole or broken sidewalk going to get fixed? To get answers, Rich sits down with Bobby Vincent of Richmond's Department of Public Works, or DPW. But just a warning: those answers may be more complicated than you think. Guest: Bobby Vincent, Richmond Department of Public Works
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What's New on the Richmond School Board?

December 10, 2025 • 30 mins
There seems to be new vibes on the Richmond City School Board. Certainly things have quieted down. But the public schools are still vitally important to our city, still under scrutiny, and still making news. Rich sits down with School Board Chair Shavonda Fernandez to ask: What's with the new vibes, and what do they mean for the future of Richmond Public Schools – and our city? Guest: Shavonda Fernandez, Richmond City School Boar...
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The Tattoo Capital of Virginia?

December 3, 2025 • 30 mins
What is it about Richmond that makes it a Tattoo City, maybe THE Tattoo City? Rich talks to working artists about the RVA tattoo scene. He also does something he hasn’t done in years: get his own tattoo. Guests: Amy Black, Amy Black Tattoos amyblacktattoos.com Roman Walston, Black Rabbit Tattoos www.blackrabbitrva.com Jen Bean, Loose Screw Tattoo www.loosescrewtattoo.com
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Giving Thanks in RVA

November 26, 2025 • 31 mins
It’s almost Thanksgiving, so Rich shares three stories about all the things we’re thankful for: about birthday parties; about getting up off the couch; and about kids reading poetry – specifically, Rich's kid. We’re highlighting the members of our community making RVA just a little bit brighter, a little bit happier, a little bit stronger. Guests: - Julia Warren Mattingly, founder of Celebrate RVA https://www.celebraterva.org/ ...
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Kenya Gibson on Transparency and Politics

November 19, 2025 • 30 mins
Ever since she started in Richmond politics, Rich had been hearing about Kenya Gibson. First on the Richmond School Board, now on the City Council, she always seems like she has something important to say. And she is going to say it, even if it ruffles some feathers. Rich finally sits down with her to find out: what makes her tick? Guest: Kenya Gibson, Councilwoman in Richmond's 3rd district.
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The Persistent Problem of Gun Violence

November 12, 2025 • 31 mins
Richmond has come a long way since our "murder capital" days, but the problem of gun violence persists, challenging our assumptions about how it happens. Can new data, new approaches – and a new city office – end gun violence in Richmond? Plus: we hear from an after-school program for kids that might be part of the solution. Guests: Greg Hopkins, Office of Gun Violence Prevention https://rva.gov/human-services/gun-violence-prev...
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Richmond vs. Poverty

November 5, 2025 • 31 mins
In Richmond, the poverty rate has gone down pretty dramatically in the past few years. That’s hard to do, and it’s not getting any easier in this environment of federal cuts and chaos. So a lot of folks are looking at our city and asking, how are we doing it? Rich sits down with the head of the city’s Office of Community Wealth Building to find out. Then, we visit with graduates from that office's guaranteed income pilot program. ...
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Detainments and Trust Policies: ICE in Richmond

October 29, 2025 • 30 mins
Immigration enforcement seems to be changing in RVA, so Rich sits down with VPM News reporter Keyris Manzanares about the human costs of those changes. Plus: some activists want Richmond to implement a "trust policy" - how do we trust that's the right move? Guests: VPM News reporter Keyris Manzanares https://www.vpm.org/people/keyris-manzanares Josue Castillo, New Virginia Majority https://www.newvirginiamajority.org/ Miriam Ai...
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A Lifetime Lost to Bad Evidence

October 22, 2025 • 30 mins
Marvin Grimm spent nearly 50 years behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit. The city of Richmond recently paid him millions for this error. But what about the reason he was incarcerated in the first place? Rich sits down with Tessa Kramer, host of the VPM podcast, Admissible: Shreds of Evidence, to talk about faulty evidence from Virginia’s crime lab. Is that what's driving wrongful convictions in the Commonwealth? This episode ...
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The State of the Arts in Richmond

October 15, 2025 • 41 mins
What is the state of the arts in RVA? We asked a panel of experts, and a live audience, about everything from youth programs to city government support to equity and accessibility.This episode was recorded LIVE at the Firehouse Theatre in Richmond as part of FWD: RVA, a curated week of free arts and culture programming presented by Style Weekly in conjunction with artoberVA. This episode’s guests: Maura Sinnenberg, Director of...
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Without a Net: RVA Healthcare

October 8, 2025 • 30 mins
Local health clinics care for our most vulnerable residents. But federal and state funding cuts have them facing huge budget shortfalls, just as thousands of Virginians are projected to lose healthcare coverage. How sick is this going to make us here in Richmond? Plus: despite all the bad news, we’ll talk with a cancer survivor who has made at least one small part of our healthcare system shine a little brighter. This episode’s g...
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Mayor Avula on What’s Next

October 1, 2025 • 30 mins
Danny Avula has been Mayor of Richmond for almost 9 full months. He inherited a city with some significant challenges – water crisis, anyone? But at some point, you can’t look backwards anymore. You have to go forward, lay out your priorities, and fight to make them happen. So what is Mayor Avula trying to change? Who will he have to battle to get it done? And if he does do it, will anybody notice? This episode's guest is Danny A...
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Vaper Trails

September 24, 2025 • 30 mins
Why are there so many vape shops in Richmond? Authorities are starting to crack down. But the shops seem to keep coming, and in the absence of clear explanations, it’s hard to know why. Are they legal? Are they safe? And if they aren’t, what is the city doing about it? On this episode, what IS with all the vape shops? This episode’s guest is Anthony Harris, co-publisher of RVA Mag. Read Anthony's article: https://rvamag.com/news-...
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Code Refresh Report

September 17, 2025 • 31 mins
The City of Richmond is updating its housing code for the first time in decades. What are people getting right and wrong about the Code Refresh? And what will it do in RVA to shape the future of housing – and, well, everything? Listeners can add comments to proposed zoning maps and rules until September 28 here: https://www.rva.gov/planning-development-review/code-refresh
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The Future of Gilpin Court

September 10, 2025 • 29 mins
The Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority is pushing ahead with bold plans to redevelop the city’s public housing communities, but city leaders and community residents have questions. In light of federal funding cuts and local concerns, are we still on the right path? Housing Authority CEO Steven Nesmith returns to the show to provide answers.
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RVA's Got Issues: Season 3

September 3, 2025 • 3 mins
RVA's Got Issues returns for its third season, bringing you stories about the important issues shaping Richmond, Virginia. Hear directly from key leaders; discover how the federal government impacts your community; and listen to inspiring stories about the people in your own backyard who are making change. Download and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Wednesday.
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RVA Revisited: A World First in Chesterfield County: Nuclear Fusion

August 27, 2025 • 28 mins
While we gear up for Season 3, we invite you to revisit some of our favorite episodes from previous seasons. --- What is nuclear fusion, and why is it coming to Chesterfield County? Virginia's energy needs are growing exponentially, and we are going to need every kilowatt we can get if we don’t want our energy bills to grow with them. Adam Sledd of the Dominion Energy Innovation Center returns to the pod to talk with Rich about ...
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RVA Revisited: Why Are Black Homeowners Being Lowballed?

August 20, 2025 • 29 mins
While we gear up for Season 3, we invite you to revisit some of our favorite episodes from previous seasons. --- Redlining has been illegal for more than half a century. But Black homeowners today are still feeling its impact through appraisals that undervalue their homes. Rich unpacks recent findings on appraisal bias in Richmond with two housing experts, as well as their undercover method for addressing housing discrimination t...
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RVA Revisited: Addiction to Evictions

August 13, 2025 • 18 mins
While we gear up for Season 3, we invite you to revisit some of our favorite episodes from previous seasons. --- Evictions seem like a simple issue. Renters should pay their rent. When they don't, they need to leave. But the realities of renting and leaving are much more complicated than that. Today, Rich talks with a housing expert to learn why eviction court is rarely a winning prospect for renters. The city's plan? Pair tenant...
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