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Gavin Stone

Gavin Stone is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He graduated from N.C. State University with a degree in communication media and went on to cover local government, crime and whatever else came up in the Sandhills region of North Carolina. A native of eastern N.C., he enjoys watching movies he's never seen and black coffee.

Examples of the types of books provided through Dolly Parton Imagination Library are shown here. The Chesapeake Public Library Foundation, a local partner with the Imagination Library, stopped deliveries in May. A generous donation changes that. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)

Free book deliveries with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to resume in Chesapeake after ‘generous’ donation

October 1, 2026 at 5:06 p.m.

The Chesapeake Public Library Foundation's ran out of funding to participate in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in May, but the Chesapeake-based Givens Foundation has stepped in to revive the program.

Bianca Wilkerson, of Norfolk, died on deployment Sept. 18. Here, she's pictured with her dog Brody. (Courtesy/Troy Wilkerson II)

Norfolk woman, an Army captain, dies on deployment, family says

September 24, 2026 at 7:13 p.m.

Capt. Bianca Wilkerson died Sept. 18 from a “coronary issue,” according to her brother.

Choppy water from the Lafayette River jumps onto the shore as a person rides down Mayflower Road in the Colonial Place neighborhood of Norfolk as the community prepares for incoming weather on Wednesday. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)

High tides across Hampton Roads expected to be ‘pretty rough’ in next days

September 23, 2026 at 6:05 p.m.

The National Weather Service issued a coastal flood warning along with wind advisories and marine advisories through Friday, though wet conditions will continue until Saturday.

This map shows the three-day coastal flood threat for Hampton Roads and northeast North Carolina as of Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026. (Courtesy/National Weather Service)

Nor’easter likely to bring major flooding to Hampton Roads this week

September 22, 2026 at 3:23 p.m.

There could be 2-3 feet of flooding Wednesday and into Thursday during high tide as the Hampton Roads region is hit by a nor'easter.

The property of Billy Don Farris II in Gloucester’s Ware Neck area. Farris filed a federal lawsuit against Gloucester County Sheriff Darrell Warren. (Courtesy of Pacific Legal Foundation)

Retired Army general files federal lawsuit against Gloucester sheriff in hunting dispute

September 21, 2026 at 11:25 a.m.

A yearslong dispute between a retired general and the Gloucester County sheriff over hunters accessing his land to retrieve their dogs has led to a federal lawsuit in which the...

Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander (second from right), Rep. Jackie Hope Glass (third from right), Williamsburg Mayor and Chair of HRTAC Doug Pons, and Virginia Secretary of Transportation Nick Donohue (fifth from left), among others, perform the groundbreaking ceremony on the final portion of the Norfolk segment of the Hampton Roads Express Lane Project held at Norfolk Premium Outlets. (Gavin Stone/The Virginian-Pilot)

Officials break ground on new I-64 express lanes in Norfolk

September 19, 2026 at 7:37 a.m.

This new segment of express lanes will convert an existing inside shoulder in both directions on about a 7-mile span of I-64 from Tidewater Drive to the I-264 interchange.

The Colonial Place neighborhood of Norfolk, seen in May 2026. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)

Virginia Beach, Norfolk urge residents and businesses to cut water use

September 11, 2026 at 4:38 p.m.

Both cities further asked residents to take voluntary steps to use less water such as shortening showers, turning off the tap while brushing teeth and doing dishes, using dishwashers and...

The former event coordinator for the Dukes Touchdown Club was arrested on eight felony charges.(Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)

Booster for Gloucester High’s football team charged with embezzlement

September 9, 2026 at 4:47 p.m.

The event coordinator for the Dukes Touchdown Club was arrested on eight felony charges related to embezzling funds from the nonprofit, the discovery of which led the school district to...

Kalin Webster, a Captain in the Hampton University ROTC program, stands next to the monument honoring Lt. Colonel Brandon Shah as Sgt. First Class Francis McMullen, also with the Hampton University ROTC, makes his photograph. Members of the Old Dominion University community and members of the military gathered outside Rollins Hall near the Northeast gate of S.B. Ballard Stadium Friday morning, Sept. 4, 2026, to unveil a permanent memorial honoring the life of Lt. Col.Brandon Shah. (Bill Tiernan/For The Virginian-Pilot)

Foundation formed in honor of slain ROTC leader to support future cadets

September 4, 2026 at 6:17 p.m.

The Lt. Col. Brandon A. Shah Leadership Foundation will provide scholarships for ROTC cadets and support the military community in other ways in honor of Shah, who was killed by...

Jupiter Smyre, 2, of Portsmouth reads “Over in the Garden” by Janna Matthies, which the Dolly Parton Imagination Library mailed to her for free. (Courtesy/Monique Smyre)

As Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library registrations surge in Virginia, Hampton Roads lags

September 3, 2026 at 8:08 p.m.

The Imagination Library doesn't partner with any programs in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and now Chesapeake, which ended its program in May.

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