Since a 2024 law went into effect requiring an autopsy after any in-custody death at a state prison facility, Virginia’s medical examiner has failed to complete the procedure almost half of the time. During the first year of the requirement, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner completed autopsies about 44% of the time, according to data from OCME and information obtained through a records request from the Department of Criminal Justice Services. The following year, preliminary information shows the number rose to 57%.

This year’s InterCity Visit — a fact-finding trip to Phoenix, Arizona, organized by the city’s chamber of commerce — cost taxpayers at least $60,533, according to records obtained by the Times-Dispatch. The purpose of the annual InterCity Visits is to “break ground when it comes to creating an environment where the Richmond region’s leaders can engage in meaningful dialogue and generate innovative ideas from peer cities,” according to ChamberRVA’s website. … Among the hundreds of attendees representing Richmond-area governments, corporations, nonprofits and civic groups were 16 Richmond officials: five from City Hall, five from City Council, three from Richmond Public Schools and three from the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority. Under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, the Times-Dispatch requested invoices, purchase orders and receipts connected to officials’ expenses for the trip. Here’s who spent what.

The public comment portion of the King George County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday night turned into an impromptu town hall. In King George, like most other localities, supervisors typically don’t respond directly to speakers who voice concerns about various issues. But the board made an exception Tuesday, providing feedback to a group of concerned citizens who showed up to voice their displeasure about three data center projects already approved by the county. … Superivosr William Davis implored residents to get involved civically, so they don’t miss their opportunity to speak out and make a difference. He suggested starting a podcast discussing county news and inviting developers interested in coming to the county. … Davis had Amy Southall, the county’s community engagement director, explain to speakers how they can sign up for alerts on public hearings and other county business. … “It’s painful we’re getting this months late,” James Madison District Supervisor Ken Stroud said. “This should’ve happened last year.”

The newly operational Trump Presidential Library, the entity responsible for preserving records from the White House, says that it cannot find a single Twitter direct message sent by a president who tweeted more than 25,000 times during his first administration. This no-records response to a Freedom of Information Act request from The Washington Post comes as the Trump administration argues it does not need to follow the Presidential Records Act, a law designed to ensure the public has access to records of the president after he leaves office. On Jan. 20, The Washington Post filed a FOIA request with the Trump library for all direct messages sent from the president’s Twitter accounts @realDonaldTrump and @POTUS during his first term. Despite evidence that the president did use the messaging feature, the library, a division of the National Archives and Records Administration, told The Post that “[w]e have been unable to locate any records related to” any direct message, or DM, sent by Trump during his first term as president.