Bob Gibson of the Charlottesville Daily Progress joins Coy Barefoot each week for an update on Virginia politics. The General Assembly session is coming close to the halfway point, and this Monday’s discussion begins with a talk about cockfighting. A bill has advanced in the General Assembly to felonize the practice, which has picked up in popularity among immigrants in the state since North Carolina banned the sport last year. But Gibson says the practice has a long and storied tradition in Virginia.

This was supposed to be a General Assembly session that dealt with transportation. After an original declaration of a compromise between Republicans in the House and Senate, things are a little less clear.

“It’s still fragile, and no one knows exactly what’s going to come out,” says Bob. “They have a deadline of Thursday this week for committee action on the two bills.” At issue is how any road projects should be paid for. Taxes or debt financing? Follow the compromise on Richmond Sunlight.

There’s also an update on Sen. Creigh Deed’s anti-gerrymandering bill, which passed the Senate and now awaits action in the House. Waldo Jaquith has posted YouTube video of Deeds speaking just before passage. Coy and Bob also discuss efforts to shore up Virginia’s DNA database for criminals, and the selection process to replace Judge Peatross.

It’s a mix of crime and lawmaking on today’s installment of Media General’s Gateway Virginia Headlines. We produce it every day to keep you informed. Click below to hear in your browser, download the mp3, or subscribe in iTunes to make sure you get it every day.

Man will face charges of child neglect (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Man gets 10-year sentence in marijuana case (Lynchburg News-Advance)

Two UVa women attacked, police investigating (Charlottesville Daily Progress)

Slavery apology language altered (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Lawmakers take up fight against eminent domain (Lynchburg News-Advance) (HB2954)

County asks more of developers (Charlottesville Daily Progress)

Every weekday we produce a two-minute summary of the daily headlines from around Central Virginia, with the goal of keeping you informed of what’s going on. It’s an old-fashioned radio newscast, here on the Charlottesville Podcasting Network. You can listen by clicking the arrow below, downloading the mp3, or subscribing in iTunes.

Trial begins today in killing of Caspers (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Shootings, stabbings strike Charlottesville (Charlottesville Daily Progress)

Woman faces arson charge (Lynchburg News-Advance)

Coalition keeps tabs on homeless (Charlottesville Daily Progress)

Looking for a few good officers (Charlottesville Daily Progress)

Dave McNair is an author and reporter who published an article in the Hook last week about the fountains on the downtown mall. What fountains, you may ask? That’s because the fountains have been largely ignored in recent years, and the once-beautiful structures have become invisible to pedestrians.On this January 25th segment of Charlottesville–Right Now! with Coy Barefoot, McNair talks about the privatization of the downtown mall, and what has caused the fountains to become defunct. Would they be too dangerous? Should we take the risk? Leave a comment, and let us know what you think! Discuss this story on cvillenews.com.

Senator Creigh Deeds joins Coy Barefoot on the Thursday, January 25th edition of WINA’s Charlottesville–Right Now to give an update on the General Assembly session. Coy starts off the conversation by asking about Sen. Deeds about his bill to establish a Redistricting Commission. The resolution passed the Senate earlier this week on a close vote. “In general, the bill sets up a non-partisan redistricting commission, drawn from the New Jersey model, using the Iowa criteria which sets some pretty radical notions that people come before politics,” says Deeds. He says the bill has failed each year he’s submitted it, and he’s thankful it’s finally passed. He and Coy talk about the legislation’s chances in the Senate. Deeds, who sits on the Senate Transportation committee, also shares his thoughts on the Republican transportation plan that is currently being picked apart. He also laments the death of all of the bills that would have raised the minimum wage, and talks about SB1131, his bill to allow Charlottesville to create a housing fund to assist low-income residents. Deeds is also the patron of the now-dead SB891, which would have provided for reduced tuition for the children of university and college faculty.

John Redick is the president of the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation, and Holly Hatcher is the organization’s director of programs. CACF was originally created forty years ago by area banks to fund projects to improve the quality of life in Charlottesville and surrounding counties. These days CACF hands out over $3 million a year in grants to area organizations. Redick and Hatcher discuss the details on WINA’s Charlottesville–Right Now with Coy Barefoot. They also give details on the BAMA Works Fund, whose funds the CACF helps manage. The deadline for the next grant cycle is February 1. Hatcher also updates listeners on the progress of the Youth Service Award.

Ken White interviews SY student Deli Cole, who shares her insights into the planning of the school’s first Symposium on Poverty slated for Jan. 31. The symposium is organized by the Student Committee on Social Responsibility.