Randy Batista, who was mentored by the late Jerry Uelsmann, was recognized along well-known stars such as Eva Longoria, Steven Spielberg and Spike Lee.

President Joe Biden gave Virginia treasure and hip-hop legend Missy Elliott the National Medal of Arts this week. Why it matters: It's the highest honor that the U.S. government can give an artist. The big picture: The Portsmouth-born singer was among a list of 20 recipients,

President Joe Biden handed out the prestigious arts and humanities awards to 39 recipients including Queen Latifah, Missy Elliott and Selena Quintanilla.