Oct. 13, 2026

news@whro.org | 757-889-9312

Liana Courts, chair of the visual arts department at the Governor's School for the Arts, helps her students paint a mural on Olney Avenue in an undated photo. (Photo courtesy of Liana Courts)

Kate Nowak

Freelance Reporter

The Z Creativity Honors recognizes people in nontraditional performance fields, such as medicine, government and education, who make an impact in the arts community.

Liana Courts is one of this year's honorees. She organized students to put on a fashion show at the Chrysler Museum of Art, which has become one of the museum's biggest nights of the year.

The ceremony returns to Zeiders American Dream Theater in Virginia Beach to celebrate the creative problem-solvers across industries in Hampton Roads.

Read More

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth prays with service members in Panama City, Panama Aug. 12, 2026 during a multinational field training exercise. (Photo courtesy of Crystal Burgess, U.S. Coast Guard)

American Homefront Project

In Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's military, few things have stepped into the spotlight the way religion has.

Under his leadership, the Pentagon has slashed its official list of recognized religions from more than 200 to 30. Military chaplains' ranks have been stripped from their uniforms, replaced with a marking of their religion.

Hegseth also announced the creation of an Office of Religious Affairs, which he said will directly oversee chaplains and report to him.

Read More

Spanberger blames Trump for Virginia cutting Medicaid coverage for trans youth healthcare Read More

AUDIO: During high tide, volunteers collect floodwater to 'Measure the Muck' Listen Here

A student hated reading for years. Her podcast explores finding the right diagnosis. Read More

The U.S. last held a public execution in the 1930s. The Pentagon wants to change that. Read More

Local journalism is made
possible only because of
generous WHRO donors

Alexis Mitchell

Digital Producer

Thank you for being a part of the WHRO journalism community! If you benefited from this email, forward it to a friend. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Sign up here to be one of the first people get the most important local news every weekday.