Lisa Rowan

Virginia voters approved redistricting reform in 2020 to end partisan gerrymandering and take map-drawing power away from the General Assembly. But when the bipartisan commission deadlocked, the Virginia Supreme Court stepped in to create the current…

Cardinal News is expanding into the New River Valley in a big way — and this is just the beginning.In this episode of The Cardinal: News of Virginia, host Lisa Rowan talks with Audience Engagement and Retention Manager Laura Kebede-Twumasi about the…

This episode digs into one of Virginia’s most persistent legends: the claim that 70 French soldiers are buried in Kingsville near Hampden-Sydney College after dying of smallpox during the American …

Lynchburg is getting its highest level of soccer yet — and it’s not just about goals and game days. Host Lisa Rowan sits down with Cardinal News reporter Emma Malinak to unpack the arrival of Hill City FC, a new USL 2 team bringing elite competition,…

Host Lisa Rowan sits down with Cardinal News reporter Grace Mamon to explore Echo Valley, a new micro resort coming to Pittsylvania County that’s bringing glamping — glamorous camping — to southern Virginia. The resort will feature dome-style units,…

Roanoke just got a major new player in its live music scene — and it’s housed inside a century-old bank vault.In this episode of the Cardinal News of Virginia podcast, host Lisa Rowan sits down with technology reporter Tad Dickens to explore the…

What happens when the cost of caring for a pet rises faster than families can afford, and animal shelters are left to absorb the impact?In this episode of The Cardinal: News of Virginia, host Lisa Rowan speaks with Cardinal News reporters Emma…

Host Lisa Rowan and Cardinal News Executive Editor Jeff Schwaner look back at the stories that mattered most in 2025. From accountability reporting to investigative work, they discuss how Cardinal News covers power, policy, and people across the…

Dive into the Battle of Great Bridge and its significance in the American Revolutionary War in our latest Cardinal 250 podcast. Host Lisa Rowan is joined by Richard Fisher, a volunteer with the Gre…

Virginia landfills millions of tons of waste each year — much of it food. In this episode, host Lisa Rowan talks with Cardinal News reporter Samantha Verrelli about what really happens to food scraps, why composting struggles to gain traction, and…

Virginia has made a big bet on cybersecurity—and it’s paying off in some surprising places. In this episode of the Cardinal News podcast, host Lisa Rowan talks with technology reporter Tad Dickens about his deep dive into the Commonwealth Cyber…

Cardinal talks with author Andrew Lawler, who has researched the destruction of the port city.

Virginia politics is heading into winter with a historic shift — and things are about to get busy in Richmond. Host Lisa Rowan sits down with political reporter Elizabeth Beyer, Cardinal News’ one-woman bureau in the capital, to break down what’s…

Rural maternity care in Virginia is shrinking — and fast.In this week’s episode of The Cardinal: News of Virginia, host Lisa Rowan sits down with health care reporter Emily Schabacker to unpack the closure of the obstetrics and gynecology department…

Historian Andrew Lawler talks with Cardinal 250 podcast host Lisa Rowan.

Host Lisa Rowan talks with reporter Grace Mamon about Halifax County’s ambitious proposal for a recovery campus that would provide housing, transportation, and other essential services for people in recovery from substance use disorder. They explore…

In this episode, Lisa Rowan and Samantha Verrelli explore how a breakdown in communication and enforcement allowed a major Roanoke property to operate without fire protection for more than a year. They unpack the policies that failed to prevent…

Virginia’s abortion debate has gone hyper-local. Reporter Emma Malinak joins Lisa Rowan to break down Lynchburg’s proposed zoning changes, the arguments on both sides and what these local battles say about the future of reproductive policy in the…

It’s been one year since Hurricane Helene tore through Southwest Virginia, leaving behind collapsed bridges, vanished homes, and entire communities forced to start over. In this episode of The Cardinal: News of Virginia, host Lisa Rowan sits down…

This week on The Cardinal: News of Virginia, host Dutchie Jessee sits down with politics and policy reporter Elizabeth Beyer and founding editor and columnist Dwayne Yancey to talk about how covering political campaigns has changed, especially in the…