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Dean Mirshahi

@deanmirshahi.bsky.social
36 followers 17 following 11 posts

@vpm.org reporter. Email: dmirshahi@vpm.org

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Dean Mirshahi @deanmirshahi.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
NEW: Virginia shuttered an IT project to overhaul its outdated child support system after two years of work and spending millions (records show $50M) www.vpm.org/news/2026-06...
vpm.org
Virginia spent millions before shutting down child support system project
Documents indicate the existing system was not modernized from 2001 to 2023.
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Jahd Khalil @jahd.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Spanberger vetoes retail weed market bill, despite campaign pledge by @deanmirshahi.bsky.social www.vpm.org/generalassem...
vpm.org
Spanberger vetoes retail weed market bill, despite campaign pledge
Now, Virginia is likely to stay in marijuana purgatory through 2027.
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Jahd Khalil @jahd.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Yes: Virginia votes to redraw congressional maps, favoring Democrats by @deanmirshahi.bsky.social and I www.vpm.org/elections/20...
vpm.org
Yes: Virginia votes to redraw congressional maps, favoring Democrats
Now, Dems have to defend the measure in court.
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Jahd Khalil @jahd.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
Richmond City settles former FOIA officer lawsuit after hostile litigation @deanmirshahi.bsky.social @vpm.org www.vpm.org/news/2026-04...
vpm.org
Richmond City settles former FOIA officer lawsuit after hostile litigation
Connie Clay sought $250K in damages. The city spent over $670K fighting it.
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VPM News @vpm.org · 08/04/2026
Richmond has a new home for minor league baseball for the first time since The Diamond opened in 1985. The Flying Squirrels sent CarMax Park's first crowd ever home happy on Tuesday with a 3–2 win over the Altoona Curve. @deanmirshahi.bsky.social was on hand for the opener:
vpm.org
Richmond Flying Squirrels christen CarMax Park with a 3–2 victory
The new stadium replaces The Diamond after 40 years of baseball.
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VPM News @vpm.org · 14/03/2026
Retail marijuana is finally coming to Virginia. The yearslong-in-limbo legislation is expected to be signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger. via @deanmirshahi.bsky.social
vpm.org
Retail market for recreational weed passes Virginia General Assembly
The legislation is expected to be signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger.
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VPM News @vpm.org · 08/02/2026
“Every year, before the event, I would get a call or a text from Bill that said, ‘What's your pizza order?’” Many visitors to Bill Martin's memorial said what stood out to them was Martin’s daily acts of kindness, despite his packed schedule across the city. More from @deanmirshahi.bsky.social:
vpm.org
Hundreds gather at The Valentine to celebrate Bill Martin’s life and legacy
“Bill's life is a testament to the power of … showing up for our community.”
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Jahd Khalil @jahd.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Federal judge orders widespread voting rights restoration for Virginians by @deanmirshahi.bsky.social www.vpm.org/news/2026-01...
vpm.org
Federal judge orders widespread voting rights restoration for Virginians
District Court Judge John Gibney wrote that Virginia law violates a post-Civil War rule.
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Margaret Barthel @margaretbarthel.bsky.social · 05/11/2025
Big thanks to @jahd.bsky.social and @deanmirshahi.bsky.social for letting me crash the VPM news election night post party - always love a public media co-byline. Btw VPM is a treasure and their coverage of the election this year was the gold standard www.vpm.org/elections/20...
vpm.org
Democrats sweep Virginia's statewide offices, expand House majority
Voters sent Abigail Spanberger, Ghazala Hashmi and Jay Jones to the Capitol.
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Dean Mirshahi @deanmirshahi.bsky.social · 17/10/2025
New: The National Guard troops put on state active duty "may be employed as a unit to a single incident site, or by distributing squads to multiple incident sites, dependent on the needs of the supported agency," per an internal document obtained by @vpm.org www.vpm.org/news/2025-10...
vpm.org
Youngkin mobilizes Virginia National Guard for anti-Trump 'No Kings' protests
The governor's office is coordinating with both protest organizers and law enforcement.
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VPM News @vpm.org · 15/10/2025
Richmond City Council voted Monday to keep the real estate tax rate at $1.20 per $100 of assessed value for 2026. They postponed the vote back in September; read @deanmirshahi.bsky.social's related story for more! #RVA
vpm.org
Richmond City Council maintains real estate tax rates for 2026
Updated: Council ultimately backed Mayor Danny Avula's proposal.
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Sean McGoey @seanmcgoey.com · 06/10/2025
@deanmirshahi.bsky.social and i are back on the tavares floyd beat for @vpm.org. why are we covering a former city council candidate, you ask? oh, no particular reason:
vpm.org
Tavares Floyd indicted on election fraud charges
A grand jury determined Monday that the case against Floyd could move forward.
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Dean Mirshahi @deanmirshahi.bsky.social · 31/07/2025
New: Richmond police said a man who was reported missing and officers were looking for today was in ICE custody. RPD says they didn’t help. @vpm.org
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Jahd Khalil @jahd.bsky.social · 29/07/2025
AP:Virginia judge bars Youngkin's university board appointments rejected by Senate Democrats apnews.com/article/judg... Opinion: drive.google.com/file/d/1s06V...
The Senate of Virginia delegated to its Committee on Privileges and Elections the
responsibility of considering the resolution to confirm gubernatorial appointees to the governing
boards of George Mason University, the University of Virginia, and the Virginia Military Institute
and deciding whether (and how) to bring that resolution to the Senate floor for a vote. By voting
8-4 to not report the confirming resolution, the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections
rejected those appointees on behalf of the Senate.
Because confirmation of a gubernatorial appointee requires the majority vote of a quorum
of each chamber of the General Assembly, the action of the Senate committee manifested the
General Assembly’s “positive unwillingness” to make the requested confirmations and constituted
a refusal to confirm under the Constitution of Virginia. Accordingly, the Constitution of Virginia
required the rejected appointees to immediately cease their participation on their respective boards.
They have not done so.
Instead, following the legal advice of the Attorney General, the defendant Rectors of the
George Mason University and University of Virginia Boards of Visitors and President of the
Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors have continued to recognize the rejected appointees
as members of their respective governing boards. Moreover, they intend to continue to do so.
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VPM News @vpm.org · 28/07/2025
Hey, Central Virginia. It's really, really hot outside. Stay cool! www.vpm.org/news/2025-06...
vpm.org
Where are the cooling centers in Central Virginia?
Updated July 27: It's gonna be another set of scorchers this week, y'all.
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VPM News @vpm.org · 22/07/2025
A spokesperson for Gov. Glenn Youngkin pushed back on an estimate by the CFO of Virginia's Medicaid agency that federal cuts could cause “a macroeconomic financial shock" for the state, saying that “economic impacts should be evaluated by individuals with specific expertise in hospital finance.”
vpm.org
Virginia hospitals could lose up to $26B due to federal Medicaid cuts
Gov. Glenn Youngkin has called some estimates of the impact “literally made up.”
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Dean Mirshahi @deanmirshahi.bsky.social · 11/07/2025
New: James Murdoch, the son of media mogul and Fox News founder Rupert Murdoch, and his wife Kathryn each gave $50K to @abigailspanberger.com for her run for Virginia governor. @vpm.org
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VPM News @vpm.org · 11/07/2025
Tune in today for updated reporting from @deanmirshahi.bsky.social on Sheila White's resignation as Richmond finance director:
vpm.org
Breaking: Richmond finance director Sheila White resigns
A city spokesperson confirmed White's exit Thursday.
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Dean Mirshahi @deanmirshahi.bsky.social · 10/07/2025
Richmond finance director Shelia White has resigned, a city spokesperson says. Her last day is July 25. @vpm.org
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VPM News @vpm.org · 27/06/2025
BREAKING: UVA President Jim Ryan resigned Friday, according to news reports.
vpm.org
UVA president Jim Ryan resigns under pressure from Trump administration
The Justice Department has been investigating UVA over its diversity practices.
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Dean Mirshahi @deanmirshahi.bsky.social · 27/06/2025
New for @vpm.org: State lawmakers explore parole changes amid abuse claims at Red Onion www.vpm.org/news/2025-06...
vpm.org
State lawmakers explore parole changes amid abuse claims at Red Onion
Virginia has not allowed discretionary parole in 30 years.
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VPM News @vpm.org · 25/06/2025
Richmond’s audit of the staff P-card program found multiple issues: purchases with “missing or insufficient documentation,” unclear rules, inadequate training and inconsistent policy enforcement. www.vpm.org/news/2025-06... via @deanmirshahi.bsky.social #RVA
vpm.org
Richmond P-card audit finds at least $5M in 'questionable' spending
The review flagged about 25% of official purchases in a 23-month period.
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Dean Mirshahi @deanmirshahi.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
NEW: Levar Stoney concedes to Sen. Ghazala Hashmi in the Lieutenant Governor Democratic primary. @vpm.org
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Dean Mirshahi @deanmirshahi.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
New: Richmond's interim CAO Sabrina Joy-Hogg will resign, per the City. The national search for a permanent CAO is wrapping up and a candidate is "soon to be announced."
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Dean Mirshahi @deanmirshahi.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
New: After DOGE cut its AmeriCorps grant and 15 others in Virginia, Richmond says it will keep its program - the RVA Health Corps initiative - thru August by using matching funds from previous program years.
vpm.org
Trump’s AmeriCorps cuts end Virginia community service grants
Updated: The cuts affect more than 150 people serving in the commonwealth.
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