SUMMARY: The new Learning Trail at Taylor Farm Park in Henrico offers a unique educational experience for preschool-aged children and their families. Designed to promote learning wherever you go, the trail features interactive signs with games and activities that engage young kids. This addition aims to provide an enjoyable and educational outdoor environment, encouraging children to explore and learn in nature. The Learning Trail is a valuable resource for families seeking fun, hands-on learning opportunities while enjoying the park’s natural setting. It embodies the goal that learning can happen anytime and anywhere.

Taylor Farm Park introduces new ‘Born Learning Trail”
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SUMMARY: The heat index could reach or exceed 110 degrees this afternoon, prompting an excessive heat warning across most of Virginia and the Carolinas. Temperatures are expected around 99 to 101 degrees today, near the record of 102. Despite mostly sunny skies, a slight haze may slightly lower temperatures. Moist soil moisture and a strong high-pressure system contribute to the intense heat. Isolated showers or storms may occur late tonight and tomorrow afternoon, with a marginal risk for severe storms featuring gusty winds and heavy downpours. Temperatures and humidity will remain high but may gradually decline over the next several days.

An Extreme Heat Warning is in effect for the Piedmont and Tidewater until 8 p.m. Wednesday.

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by Charlotte Rene Woods, Virginia Mercury
June 24, 2025

Women Speak Out Virginia is sending 100 people out to knock on 150,000 doors in Richmond and Virginia Beach between now and late July. Their aim: influence voters to elect candidates this fall who oppose a proposed constitutional amendment to enshrine reproductive rights into Virginia’s constitution.

“As the largest pro-life voter contact program in the country, we are known for our impact on elections,” SBA Pro-Life America Virginia state director Marlene Downing said in a statement. “Our doorstep conversations change the minds of persuadable voters and energize pro-life Americans to go to the polls.” (SBA Pro-Life is a partner of Women Speak Out Virginia.)

Abortion and other reproductive health measures don’t always fall along partisan lines. Red, blue and purple states have sent reproductive rights messages in recent years with red states such as Kansas rejecting an amendment to strip residents of abortion rights and Ohio enshrining abortion rights in its constitution. Virginia’s amendment to do similarly has only advanced because of Democratic majorities in the House of Delegates and state Senate. 

It must pass again in the 2026 legislative session. From there, it would appear on statewide ballots for voters to finally approve or reject. But that depends on whether Democrats can retain their control in the House this year — where all 100 seats are up for election. A handful of competitive districts will be paramount to the amendment’s success or defeat — several of which SBA is focusing on this summer.

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia director Jamie Lockart said that opponents of the amendment “see this as their last attempt to stop this.”

That’s because amending the state’s constitution — be it adding something or taking something out — is harder to do than passing a single law. But it also means that enshrined protections are unable to be undone within a single legislative session.

In the years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a federal case that had protected access nationwide, states have sought restrictions and bans or placed protections in their constitutions. Other reproductive health choices like contraception or fertility treatments have been legislated on or challenged in courts. Amid this shifting landscape, Virginia is currently the least-restrictive southern state when it comes to abortion — and it’s seen a surge of out-of-state patients since the fall of Roe. 

This year, Virginia’s reproductive rights amendment will likely feature as a prominent selling point for candidates — whether they’re vowing to defend it or defeat it. 

What current law allows

Current state law allows most abortions up to around 26 weeks of pregnancy and later abortions require three physicians to attest that continuing a pregnancy would threaten the life of the parent or “irremediably impair” their physical or mental well-being. 

Later abortions make up about 1% of abortions, according to data from Kaiser Family Foundation, a health data nonprofit. About 4% of abortions in Virginia occur between 14 and 20 weeks of pregnancy — this is usually when severe fetal anomalies are more likely to be detected. Most abortions in Virginia happen under 13 weeks. 

A recent Pew Research Center poll noted support for abortion has remained fairly consistent in recent decades, with 62% of Americans surveyed agreeing that it should be legal in all or most cases. 

The amendment, if approved, would largely shore up Virginia’s existing protections for abortions and would remove the three physician thresholds needed for later abortions. 

Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, challenged the motion on the House floor earlier this year, calling it a “word salad” designed to “cloud the true intentions.”  He argued that lowering the doctor threshold to just one doctor removes safeguards.

“The abortion doctor can do that,” he said. Supporters of the amendment countered the change is intended to address barriers faced by rural patients.

He also accused Democrats of supporting infanticide with the amendment, and opponents of the state’s current abortion laws have argued the amendment would allow the procedure up to “the moment of birth.”

State and federal law prohibit infanticide and such accusations have been widely debunked by medical experts.

Still, SBA door-knockers are expected to focus on that message as they did in a press release announcing their campaign.

Director Downing asserted that Democrats are “determined to wipe away all limitations on abortion in Virginia” and said that they would repeal Virginia’s parental involvement laws. 

Republicans had sought changes to the amendment that could shore up existing state law regarding parental consent for minors seeking surgeries, including abortion. Democrats rejected the efforts with House Majority Leader Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, referencing both existing law and a judicial bypass option some minors can petition for. 

“The law is the law unless the court says it’s not,” she said at the time. 

Vulnerable candidates get Planned Parenthood support

While Herring’s seat is reliably Democratic leaning, Republicans and abortion opponent groups like SBA Pro-Life have their eyes on others. Between Richmond and Virginia Beach, the canvassing efforts will target potential voters with vulnerable Democratic candidates 

Targeted contests include incumbent delegates Nadarius Clark, D-Suffolk, and Michael Feggans, D-Virginia Beach, along with Democrats running in competitive districts near Richmond, Petersburg and Williamsburg.

May Nivar, is challenging Del. David Owen, R-Henrico. He secured his election by a little over 700 votes in 2023. Jessica Anderson and Kimberly Pope Adams face rematches with incumbents Del. Amanda Batten, R-James City County, and Del. Kim Taylor, R-Petersburg, the latter of which won by 53 votes last time. Meanwhile, challenger, Lindsey Dougherty will challenge Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Colonial Heights as well.

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia plans to support the Democratic candidates through door knocking and other campaign events throughout the rest of the year. Democrats can also expect support from ReproRising Virginia, whose executive director calls “reproductive freedom” a “winning issue.”

“Our organization will be doing everything we can to elect champions statewide, but especially to the House of Delegates,” Lockhart, of Planned Parenthood, said. “We’re confident that when voters have the ability to vote on protecting their rights, they will resoundingly do so.” 

Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.

The post Anti-abortion group targets Democrats to stop Va.’s reproductive rights constitutional amendment appeared first on virginiamercury.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Left

This article presents detailed coverage of Virginia’s reproductive rights debate, highlighting Democratic efforts to enshrine abortion protections in the state constitution while also including perspectives from Republican opponents. The framing tends to emphasize the challenges faced by pro-choice advocates and provides context on recent legal and political developments that favor reproductive rights. Although it reports views from both sides, the article leans slightly toward supporting reproductive freedoms, given the emphasis on Democratic initiatives and Planned Parenthood’s role. The balanced tone and factual presentation, however, avoid strong partisan language, placing it close to the center-left spectrum.