VPM Daily Newscast

The VPM Daily Newscast contains all your Central Virginia news in just 5 to 10 minutes. Episodes are recorded the night before.

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Here’s a recap of the top stories on the morning of Aug. 5, 2025:

The University of Virginia's Board of Visitors announced law professor Paul Mahoney as the public university's interim president in a meeting on Monday.

Mahoney, who has been a member of the UVA School of Law faculty since 1990 and served as its dean from 2008–16, will hold the role while the board conducts a nationwide search for a permanent successor to Jim Ryan.

Ryan departed July 11 after unexpectedly announcing his resignation in late June, amid a pressure campaign from the US Department of Justice over an investigation into UVA's diversity, equity and inclusion practices.

The search, which Rector Rachel Sheridan said would likely start officially in late August or early September, takes place against a contentious political backdrop at the state and federal levels.

An ongoing lawsuit filed by nine state Senate Democrats against the rectors of three universities — including UVA — alleges that it’s illegal for eight board members appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, but rejected by a Senate committee, to participate in board activities.

The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush sat pierside at Naval Station Norfolk last Friday. But for the past several days, the operations team for the carrier strike group has been virtually transported to the Mediterranean Sea.

"Everything that we see on our screens, everything that we see in our displays are exactly like what we would see if we were out operating and steaming," said Rear Adm. Alexis Walker, commander of Strike Group 10.

Large Scale Exercise 2025, run by Fleet Forces in Norfolk, includes seven Navy fleets stretched over 22 time zones, training for scenarios that involve several global threats happening at the same time.

The Navy has increasingly incorporated virtual exercises in order to train its commanders together in real time, around the world, said Vice Adm. John Gumbleton, deputy commander of Fleet Forces.

"We're seeing an uncertain future, and we recognize that, and we also recognize it'll be a global scale. Therefore, we understand that we are going to have to synergize across the globe," he said.

News you might have missed from around the commonwealth:

Trump says he’d endorse Earle-Sears for Virginia governor, months into race (The Washington Post)*

Virginia House in the balance: 5 key races to watch this fall (Virginia Mercury)

*This outlet utilizes a paywall.

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VPM Daily Newscast: UVA announces interim president