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- New guidance limits voting disqualifications to murder, manslaughter convictions
Among Virginians who are no longer incarcerated, only those convicted of murder and voluntary or involuntary manslaughter remain disqualified from voting under new guidance from the Virginia Department of Elections.
- Richard Bland College and Live Casino Hotel Virginia Launch Workforce Training Initiative in Petersburg
Richard Bland College, in partnership with Live!
- Peter Francisco, the ‘Hercules of American independence’
The year 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
- Petersburg Sets $60,000 Starting Teacher Pay After City Council Funds Salary Overhaul
FY2027 budget advances Phase I of a compensation study, with recurring city dollars aimed at filling vacancies and slowing exits to higher-paying neighbors.
- Virginia confronts $1.7 billion shortfall in highway maintenance funding
Construction work along the Dulles Connector in Northern Virginia, with roadwork equipment and activity visible along the roadway.
- Arlington Explores Space for Metro-Linked Northern Virginia Community College Campus
County leaders discuss adding a Northern Virginia Community College presence during a capital planning work session to improve education access and transit connections.
- House Bill 436 Sparks Concerns Over University Project Financing
A higher education representative outlines potential challenges House Bill 436 could create for existing debt commitments on campus facilities while supporting ongoing affordability talks.
- Century-Old Law Gives Virginia Legislator-Lawyers Broad Power to Delay Court Cases
State law allows attorneys serving in the General Assembly to obtain continuances in court proceedings when legislative duties interfere.
- Dominion’s SCC Filing: 70 GW of Large-Load Requests — Nearly Triple the DOM Zone Peak — Feed the Transmission Fight
RICHMOND — Dominion Energy Virginia’s PUR-2026-00011 large-load connection queue application tells the State Corporation Commission that about 70,000 MW of data-center-scale delivery-point requests are advancing — nearly triple the Dominion Zone’s 24,678 MW all-time peak — with 2,000–3,000 MW more arriving most months.
- State Corporation Commission Orders Three In-Person Hearings on NextEra-Dominion Merger
Commissioner Samuel Towell cites unprecedented public interest as the SCC adds regional witness sessions beginning November 5 in Richmond atop telephonic testimony days.
- Loudoun Sheriff Issues Letter Clarifying ICE Cooperation Practices
Loudoun County is governed by a nine-member Board of Supervisors that includes Chair At-Large Phyllis Randall, Vice Chair Michael Turner of the Ashburn District, Juli Briskman of the Algonkian District, Sylvia Glass of the Broad Run District, Caleb Kershner of the Catoctin District, Matthew Letourneau of the Dulles District, Kristen Umstattd of the Leesburg District, Laura TeKrony of the Little River District, and Koran Saines of the Sterling District.
- If you enjoy Virginia’s wildlife, thank a hunter or angler
Cyrus Baird, seen here, is a lifelong Virginia hunter and conservationist who serves as a member of the Board of Wildlife Resources.
- States take action against ‘claim sharks,’ who charge veterans for disability assistance
Consultants who charge military veterans to help them file their disability claims at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs make millions of dollars each year.
- The next piece of Chesterfield’s Springline development is a new mixed-use building worth $80 million.
Collins Enterprises has begun construction on its second mixed-use development at Springline in Chesterfield.
- MARL Price Tag Climbs Toward $1.46 Billion After Loudoun Reroute and NextEra Cost Doubling
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — The Mid-Atlantic Reliability Link corridor into Data Center Alley is getting more expensive — and Loudoun’s own routing politics are part of the reason.
- NextEra and Dominion sweeten $67 billion merger with longer Virginia bill credits
The state Capitol.
- Virginia Advances Pathway for Foreign-Trained Chiropractors Under HB 1026
House Bill 1026 creates an endorsement route for qualified foreign-trained chiropractors to address workforce shortages while preserving existing licensure standards.
- Want to weigh in on the Dominion-NextEra merger? Here’s where public hearings will be held.
Virginia State Corporation Commission members hear testimony concerning Dominion Energy's proposed rate increase and plan to create a new rate class for data centers on September 2, 2025 in Richmond.
- Dental Hygiene Group Cites Pilot Studies in Testimony Against Scope Expansion Measure
Virginia Dental Hygiene Association representative references Missouri and Johns Hopkins findings showing no capacity gains from expanded dental assistant roles during Health Professions Subcommittee hearing.
- Loudoun Board Member Praises Head Start Team for Preschool Access
Lauren Shernoff highlights the dedication of Loudoun County Head Start staff and urges families to pursue open registration for qualifying preschoolers.
- MARL Power Line Is Generation Delivery for Data Centers, Not Grid Reliability, Filings Argue
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — The Mid-Atlantic Reliability Link project — the multi-state 500-kilovolt corridor also described as MARL / Gore-Doubs-Goose Creek — is being sold as a reliability upgrade.
- More Than a Dozen Southwest and Southside Schools Win State Construction Grants
The Board of Education approved more than $132 million for 34 projects statewide, including 16 in Southwest and Southside.
- Virginia Panel Weighs Amendment on Foreign-Trained Chiropractors
Health professions subcommittee reviews proposed changes to HB 1026 aimed at broader inclusion of previously licensed professionals while upholding patient safety standards.
- Hampton Roads Voters Face November 1 Percent Sales Tax Votes for School Construction
Norfolk, Newport News, York, Portsmouth, Isle of Wight and neighboring localities put new statewide school-construction sales-tax authority on the Nov. 3 ballot with sunsets near 2046.
- Virginia Advances Uniform Licensure Path for Foreign-Trained Chiropractors
Health Professions Subcommittee reviews HB 1026 criteria requiring foreign-trained chiropractors to meet national exam and continuing education standards identical to those for domestic graduates.
- Clean Virginia: NextEra’s utility takeover attempts, alleged political moves relevant to merger case
A protester displays a sign opposing the Dominion-NextEra merger outside the Virginia General Assembly on Aug. 18, 2026.
- Seven Rural Virginia Community Colleges Receive $5.93 Million for Health Care Training
A new state grant will help seven rural Virginia community colleges expand nursing, allied health and other training programs tied to local workforce needs.
- Loudoun Board Member Proposes Moving Summer School Before Fall Term
Kari LaBell urges the Loudoun County School Board to consider relocating summer school sessions to the weeks just prior to the new academic year to curb learning loss.
- Dental Hygienists Oppose Virginia Bill on International Dentist Licensing Path
The Virginia Dental Hygienists Association objects to HB 1036 over curriculum differences, lack of work group consensus, and reduced public input on regulations.
- Spanberger declares drought emergency to speed hay deliveries for Virginia livestock
Dairy cows graze in Stanley, Va. (Photo by Parker Michels-Boyce/Virginia Mercury) Virginia farmers struggling with drought-damaged pastures will be able to receive larger hay deliveries under a state of emergency declared by Gov. Abigail Spanberger Wednesday.
- PJM Shortlists Dominion’s Heritage-to-Mosby Underground HVDC as Southern Backbone for Northern Virginia Load
RICHMOND / LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — PJM’s 2025 Window 1 southern-cluster shortlist puts four Dominion +/- 525 kV HVDC variants from Heritage to Mosby — about 185 miles and roughly $4.8–$5.0 billion — against cheaper 765 kV and 500 kV overhead portfolios, with proposal 275 leading incremental transfer into NOVA.
- Data Center Fight Moves Into Greater Richmond as 17 Campuses Advance Across Eight Counties
Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, and Dinwiddie hearings fill with water, power, and tax-base arguments while Spanberger’s September directives and moratorium petitions set the statewide backdrop.
- Virginia Bill Targets Nitrous Oxide Sales to Curb Recreational Abuse
Proposed legislation in the House of Delegates would restrict nitrous oxide sales except for approved culinary and industrial uses to address intoxication risks.
- Could Virginia’s new law allowing 1% sales tax for school construction need a fix?
The historic facade of Virginia's new General Assembly Building in Richmond.
- Loudoun County Weighs Speed Cameras for School Zone Safety
School Board member Jon Pepper raises speed camera options for school zones amid talks with the Sheriff's Office and local precedents in Leesburg and Fairfax.
- Data Center Load Is Driving Capacity Costs — and Risk of Blackouts
WASHINGTON / RICHMOND — The Independent Market Monitor for PJM told federal energy regulators that the region’s capacity crisis is not a mystery.
- Trump administration moves to steer homelessness grants toward treatment and enforcement
A campsite is seen in Anchorage, Alaska, last year.
- Virginia House Panel Weighs Scope of Inhalant Sales Limits
A Criminal Subcommittee of the Virginia House of Delegates reviews a bill restricting retail sales of canister products with inhalant potential amid concerns it is overly broad.
- Virginia Public Entities Prepare for 2026 Federal Web Accessibility Rules
Department of Justice standards under 28 CFR Part 35 require larger public bodies to make websites and mobile apps accessible by April 24, 2026.
- Zoning Request Filed for Proposed 200-Acre Nunnally Village Project in Western Chesterfield County
A conceptual plan of the Nunnally Village project.
- Testimony Opposes Virginia HB 1036 Over Dental Hygiene Training Standards
An internationally trained dentist's path to U.S. licensure is cited in arguments against a bill aimed at expanding oral health access.
- Virginia Panel Advances Plan for a Licensed Nurse in Every School by 2028
School Health Services Committee backs a nurse-per-building or per-325-students rule with two-year hiring waivers; November 18 vote would send the proposal to the 2027 General Assembly.
- Loudoun Officials Address Latino Student Representation in Equity Efforts
A Loudoun County School Board discussion highlights concerns over equitable inclusion of Latino students and Title I schools in Sterling Park across district councils.
- Names of Criminal Aliens Arlington Released Instead of Transferring to ICE
Judiciary staff detail Ricardo Castro Ramirez, Soukouly Mohammad Hashi, Johslin Ariel Lopez-Rodas, a gang member with a 57-page history, a felony hit-and-run case, and an abduction/family-assault defendant released under Democrat sanctuary rules.
- Virginia Voters Face November Ballot Questions on Abortions and Marriage Equality
Two Article I amendments ask whether abortions and baby killing decisions and same-sex marriage should be locked into the state bill of rights beyond ordinary politics.
- Line 514 Was Sold as Rusting Towers. Loudoun’s Data Center Alley Needs the Power Anyway.
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — Before the Golden-Mars 500-kilovolt project became the latest fight at the State Corporation Commission, another line
- Loudoun County Board Approves Temporary Pause on Data Center Applications
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors approved a plan during its September 15, 2026, meeting to temporarily pause final action on data center and electrical substation applications requiring legislative approval.
- Fairfax Resident Flags Displacement Risks Near Tysons Development
A Fairfax County resident told the Planning Commission that modernization near Tysons and Dunn Loring Station apartments is creating anxiety over possible displacement of longtime renters amid heavy traffic.
- Jones Asks SCC to Restart Clock on Dominion-NextEra Merger After New Commitments
Attorney general says expanded bill credits, job protections and a Richmond tower create a different deal that needs fresh notice and discovery.
- Dominion Pitches Fully Underground HVDC Into Loudoun as PJM Answer to Data Center Load
RICHMOND / LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — Dominion Energy Virginia is asking the PJM Board to greenlight a High Voltage Direct Current project the