Michael Lee Pope is an award-winning journalist who lives in Old Town Alexandria. He has reported for NPR, the New York Daily News and Northern Virginia Magazine. He has a master's degree in American Studies from Florida State University, and he is a former adjunct professor at Tallahassee Community College. Pope is the author of four books.
Recent Stories
Reconsidering Marijuana
Pot is still legal, but the plan to regulate its sale is in jeopardy.
Marijuana
Republican Sweep
Democrats lose statewide for the first time since 2009.
Virginia has a long tradition of offering a counterpoint to presidential elections starting after the election of Democrat Jimmy Carter for president in 1976.
Facing Eviction
Virginia has new protections for renters, but temporary measures expire next year.
The clock is ticking for renters across Virginia who are in danger of being evicted. People of color and low-income Virginians are most at risk.
Big Money for Big Biz, Not as Much for Poor
Lawmakers go on a spending spree with billions of dollars from Uncle Sam.
Big business cleaned up this week, taking home the biggest prizes in the special session to spend $3 billion in stimulus cash. Meanwhile, low-income Virginians didn't fare quite as well.
Spending Spree
General Assembly returns to Richmond to appropriate federal stimulus cash
In the 1985 hit movie "Brewster's Millions," Richard Pryor is given the task of spending $30 million in 30 days.
Marijuana Is Now Legal
The long strange trip from a failed war on drugs to social equity licenses
Smoke 'em if you've got 'em because pot is now legal in the commonwealth of Virginia.
Democrats Choose Northern Virginia Ticket
Primary voters select candidates with gender and racial diversity but lacking in regional balance.
As election returns started rolling in from the Democratic primary Tuesday, Republicans started boasting about having the most diverse statewide ticket in Virginia history.
Democrats Decide
Voters to determine direction of party in June 8 primary
The June 8 primary will determine the direction of the Democratic Party in Virginia at a critical time, when the commonwealth is emerging from the pandemic and trying to recast itself as something other than a party in opposition to former President Donald Trump.
Convention Done, Primary Ahead
Republicans get a head start in the general election; Democrats still fighting each other
The way Democrats talk about Donald Trump, you'd think he was on the ballot in 2021. And in many ways, he is. The former president may be out of the White House and kicked off of social media, but he's still eager to see himself as a kingmaker.
Seven Republicans Running for Governor
May 8 convention to determine direction of party heading into November.
Republicans haven’t won a statewide race since 2009, when Attorney General Bob McDonnell received 59 percent of the vote against Democrat Creigh Deeds. Since then, Republicans have been shut out of the Executive Mansion. Ken Cuccinelli lost to Terry McAuliffe in 2013, and Ed Gillespie lost to Ralph Northam in 2017. Now Republicans are about to determine their statewide candidates in a May 8 convention, which will take place at 37 locations.