Amanda Chase previously served eight years in the State Senate.

West Virginia Republican Gov. Jim Justice broke with the GOP-majority Legislature to veto a bill that would have loosened one of the country’s strictest school vaccination policies.

Washington state's governor has called for the state to develop best practices on how agencies use generative artificial intelligence as it continues to incorporate the technology into government operations.

Chris Head served in the House of Delegates for the last 12 years and now is looking to move on to State Senate.

A Kansas judge has put a new state law on medication abortions on hold and blocked the state from enforcing older abortion restrictions.

Myanmar’s military-controlled government has extended the state of emergency it imposed when the army seized power from an elected government 2 1/2 years ago, forcing a further delay in elections it promised when it took over.

A nonprofit that describes itself as a collection of doctors and others uniting to “protect healthcare from a radical, divisive, and discriminatory ideology” has become a significant presence in statehouses.

A Roanoke City Councilmember wants to represent Southwest Virginia in Richmond.

The Blue Ridge District shined in Thursday night’s Region 3D Semifinals action.

In the Commonwealth, September is celebrated as Virginia Spirits Month. This is a time to recognize the State’s rich history of spirits and highlight local distilleries.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed a bill prohibiting the use of nonbinary gender markers on state birth certificates.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a new law to make abortions cheaper for people on private insurance plans.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has signed a bill to limit how race can be discussed in classrooms.

Gov. Bill Lee says he supports placing more scrutiny over school libraries so that students consume “age appropriate” content.

Gov. Jim Justice has a message for singer and actress Bette Midler, who called West Virginians "poor, illiterate and strung out" in a tweet after Sen. Joe Manchin refused to support President Joe Biden's Build Back Better Act.

California’s unemployment rate dipped a half-percentage point in December as the most populous state added 50,700 nonfarm jobs.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made clear in his State of the State speech that he likes teachers, first responders and freedom and he doesn’t like Dr. Anthony Fauci, critical race theory, abortion, illegal immigration and Burmese pythons.

LCA cruised to another victory as they moved two wins from a state crown.

The Senate has confirmed two prominent anti-Trump Republicans to serve in the Biden administration.

The youngest daughter of New York’s governor used a social media post Thursday to share her “queer” identity and call for allies to speak up against homophobia.

– Mississippi will increase the lowest monthly welfare payments in the nation under a bill signed into law Wednesday by the state's Republican governor. The payments in Mississippi have been $146 for a family of two, $170 for a family of three and $194 for a family of four. AdEven with the increase, the Mississippi welfare payments will still be only a fraction of the federal poverty level, according to the liberal-leaning Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. Brandon Jones, a Democratic former Mississippi House member and current policy director for the Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund in Mississippi, called the increase long overdue. “This $90 increase gets Mississippi off the bottom and is desperately needed by struggling families throughout the state."

Newsom and his Democratic allies launched a political committee Monday, March 15 to stop a proposed recall election that could oust him from office. Orrin Heatlie, a retired county sheriff's sergeant who filed the recall petition, said Newsom is engaging in a “smear campaign" about the recall organizers because he can't defend his record. Defeating the recall “will be one of the most important priorities for Democrats this year,” Booker said in a statement. Newsom for months sidestepped questions about the recall but has more recently started to ramp up his political operation and strategy. AdResponding to Newsom’s campaign, the California Republican Party pointed to a slew of issues beyond the coronavirus.

Tate Reeves signs the first state bill in the U.S. this year to ban transgender athletes from competing on female sports teams, as supporting lawmakers gather behind him, Thursday, March 11, 2021, at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss. Tate Reeves signed a bill Thursday to ban transgender athletes from competing on girls or women’s sports teams. “This law is a solution in search of a problem, and legislators in Mississippi have not provided any examples of Mississippi transgender athletes gaming the system for a competitive advantage because none exist,” David said. In a statement Thursday, Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Christiana Holcomb praised the Mississippi law. AdRepublican legislators who pushed the bill gave no evidence of any transgender athletes competing in Mississippi schools or universities.

– Mississippi is on track to become the first state this year to enact a law banning transgender athletes from competing on girls or women's sports teams. Tate Reeves said Thursday that he will sign a bill that the Republican-controlled Mississippi Legislature has passed. AdRepublican legislators who pushed the bill gave no evidence of any transgender athletes competing in Mississippi schools or universities. A Mississippi mother with a transgender daughter spoke Thursday during the Human Rights Campaign news conference. AdSupporters of bills such as the one in Mississippi argue that transgender girls, because they were born male, are naturally stronger, faster and bigger than those born female.

New York's attorney general said she's moving forward with an investigation into sexual harassment allegations against Gov. Andrew Cuomo after receiving a letter from his office Monday, March 1, 2021, authorizing her to take charge of the probe. AdAttorney General Letitia James received a letter Monday from Cuomo’s office authorizing her to take charge of the probe after a weekend of wrangling over who should investigate. The harassment allegations come on the heels of accusations he covered up the true death toll of coronavirus on nursing home residents. Cuomo senior adviser Beth Garvey said she would facilitate interviews with witness and requests for documents from Cuomo’s office.

Kelly championed Medicaid expansion in her first race in 2018 and promised to sign legislation legalizing medical marijuana, though she has not pushed that issue aggressively so far. But University of Kansas political scientist Patrick Miller said he wonders why any Kansas politician still opposes medical marijuana. The Legislature has taken only relatively small steps toward legalizing medical marijuana even as most other states have done it. She said legalizing medical marijuana could raise up to $50 million a year and her proposal “eliminates the argument” that Kansas can't afford Medicaid expansion. AdBut Republican lawmakers remained skeptical that medical marijuana could raise much money or cover Medicaid expansion costs.

FILE - In this Jan. 13, 2020, file photo Cindy McCain, wife of former Arizona Sen. John McCain, waves to the crowd after being acknowledged by Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey during his State of the State address on the opening day of the legislative session at the Capitol in Phoenix. Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden said Sept. 22 that Cindy McCain plans to endorse him for president. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 13, 2020, file photo Cindy McCain, wife of former Arizona Sen. John McCain, waves to the crowd after being acknowledged by Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey during his State of the State address on the opening day of the legislative session at the Capitol in Phoenix. Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden said Sept. 22 that Cindy McCain plans to endorse him for president. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

PEMBROKE – Mountain Lake Lodge in Pembroke has been named “Hotel of the Year” by the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association which annually recognizes the best among the State’s hospitality and tourism industry. In addition to the lodge being named 'Hotel of the Year,' Mountain Lake’s General Manager, Heidi Stone, has been named 'Hotelier of the Year'. “We stand in awe of our ‘Miracle on the Mountain.’ It’s a real comeback story where Heidi Stone and her hard-working team, along with the Mountain Lake Board of Directors, have kept Mountain Lake and the 'Dirty Dancing' spirit alive," said Betty Massey, executive director of the Mary Moody Northen Endowment, the private foundation based in Texas that owns Mountain Lake Lodge. The property’s turnaround includes a complete overhaul inside and out, but Stone said it wasn’t big money that saved Mountain Lake Lodge. “Mountain Lake Lodge would not exist today if it weren’t for Heidi Stone.