Independent
- Richmond Solar Deal for Nearly 40 City Buildings Heads to Full Council Amid $28M Exit-Fee Fight
Government Operations advanced a 25-year Secure Solar proposal with no recommendation after members demanded a fuller risk assessment before the Sept. 28 vote.
- The School Choice Programs have SAVED taxpayers up to $45 billion
Democrat legislators use fear tactics to claim that school choice would bankrupt their state.
- Survey Finds Majority of Virginia Families With Children Face Food Insecurity
State-commissioned poll fills gap left by ended USDA hunger survey; food banks report rising demand and thinner donations.
- Early voting begins in Virginia, as Trump mail-ballot restrictions remain blocked
Early voting for the Nov. 3 midterm elections begins Friday, with a U.S. Senate race, all 11 congressional seats, three proposed constitutional amendments and numerous local referendums on ballots across the commonwealth.
- Meeting Unconstrained Virginia Data-Center Power Demand Will Be “Very Difficult” — Households Face Rising System Costs
December 2024 JLARC Report 598 finds unconstrained demand could double Virginia power need in a decade, new build rates look unachievable, and Dominion residential customers could see $14–$37 more per month in generation and transmission costs by 2040.
- Warner, Kaine and Local Candidates Push to End NDAs on Data Center Deals
Senators urge voters to put officials on the record as secrecy surrounds projects like Wood Haven Technology Park.
- 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.
- Loudoun’s Data Center Loop: Democratic Supervisors Greenlit the Boom. Ratepayers and Homeowners Face the Lines.
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — Northern Virginia already hosts the densest cluster of data centers on the planet.
- PJM Market Monitor Warns FERC: New Data-Center Loads Risk Customer Blackouts — Ghiorzi Backs Complaint
Monitoring Analytics’ November 2025 EL26 complaint says PJM is interconnecting large loads it cannot serve reliably; Loudoun’s Theresa Ghiorzi’s December comments tie the docket to Data Center Alley’s Democrat-built demand surge.
- Russell County Eyes Three or Four Data Centers on Reclaimed Moss Number 3 Mine
Oasis Digital Properties says power and clients still must line up while the industrial authority cites a nondisclosure agreement.
- Arlington School Board Candidates Clash Over Teacher Support and Safety
Incumbent Bethany Zecher Sutton and challenger James Rives debated discipline, resource officers and enrollment at a civic forum.
- Attorney General Announces 353 Million for Virginia in Meta Child Safety Settlement
The multistate deal requires Instagram and Facebook time limits, nighttime blocks and stronger age checks pending federal court approval.
- Loudoun Supervisors Vote 7-1-1 to Advance Yearlong Data Center Application Pause
Staff must draft a resolution for a final October vote after Chair Randall frames the pause as time to rewrite local rules.
- Dominion and NextEra Pledge Extra Bill Credits and Jobs if Merger Is Approved
The utilities say average residential customers would get $10 monthly credits for four years under a revised package tied to their proposed $67 billion combination.
- Loudoun Supervisors Advance Proposed Yearlong Pause on New Data Centers
A temporary halt on new applications heads toward a final vote Oct. 13 as neighbors and electrical workers clash over growth.
- Virginia House Bill 1251 Fails in Subcommittee, Ending Push for Digital Right to Repair Act
House Bill 1251, the Digital Right to Repair Act, has stalled in the Virginia House of Delegates during the 2026 Regular Session.
- Loudoun County School Board Votes 5-3-1 Against Elementary School Resource Officers Expansion
Public commenters urged the board to support Sheriff Mike Chapman’s proposal, citing national statistics on mass shootings. Research from the Crime Prevention Research Center reports that 94 to 98 percent of mass public shootings occur in gun-free zones, where armed resistance is
- Data Center Bills Dominated This Year's General Assembly. Here's What Passed.
The rapid growth of Virginia’s data center industry was a key point of focus during the 2026 legislative session, as lawmakers sought to balance the sector’s benefits — including over $80 billion in state investments and thousands of jobs — against its enormous electricity and water needs, which are a growing concern for communities statewide. Legislators filed dozens of bills directly aimed at re
- Hemp businesses ask federal judge to block Virginia’s new THC cap
Seven Virginia hemp businesses are asking a federal judge to block new restrictions on consumable hemp products, arguing the changes will wipe out much of their inventory, trigger layoffs and force some companies to close when they take effect on Aug. 15. The lawsuit, filed July 31 in the U.S. District Court for the Western […]
- Independent report calls for campus safety overhaul at Old Dominion University after fatal shooting
An independent firm recommended Old Dominion University improve campus safety, threat assessment, emergency response, communications, and institutional processes in a report released Tuesday, after a fatal campus shooting killed an employee and injured multiple students in May. The report comes as the university prepares to welcome students back to Norfolk on Aug. 24, three months […]
- Advocacy Group Requests Steve Descano Recusal in Fairfax Supervisor Andres Jimenez Traffic Case
A local advocacy organization has formally requested the recusal of Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano from a pending reckless driving case. The case involves County Supervisor Andres Jimenez, who faces charges stemming from a May traffic stop where he was cited for driving 104 miles per hour in a 70-mile-per-hour zone. Virginians for Safe […]
- State Corporation Commission Chair Kelsey Bagot, Former NextEra Attorney, Declines to Recuse Herself From Merger Case
On Tuesday, Virginia lawmakers heard from utility regulation experts on the potential impact of the proposed merger between Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy. If approved, the merger would create the largest electric utility in the country. In the days preceding this week’s Commission on Electric Utility Regulation meeting, legislators asked State Corporation Commission Chair Kelsey […]
- More states ban child marriage, including Virginia, though it’s still legal in most of the United States
After authorities rescued 16 children last month who had been confined to a single room in a home in rural Ohio, attention turned to their mother, who had been 15 and pregnant when she married their father. The child endangerment case has recharged a national conversation around child marriage, which is defined by the United […]
- State Corporation Commission commissioner, former NextEra attorney declines to recuse herself from merger case
On Tuesday, Virginia lawmakers heard from utility regulation experts on the potential impact of the proposed merger between Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy. If approved, the merger would create the largest electric utility in the country. In the days preceding this week’s Commission on Electric Utility Regulation meeting, legislators asked State Corporation Commission Chair Kelsey […]
- Testimony Presented to Virginia Senate on Guardianship Issues
Yolanda Bell provided testimony to the Virginia Senate regarding her sister Anastasia’s experience in a guardianship proceeding. She described how her sister lost everything and noted that exploitation was alleged in the matter. Bell stated that no attorney was obtained for Anastasia throughout the process. The account included the detail that Anastasia did not ask […]
- Virginia Medical Freedom Alliance Prepares Health Choice Summit Amid Ongoing Debates Over Medical Autonomy
The Virginia Medical Freedom Alliance (VAMFA), a nonprofit organization based in the Commonwealth, is set to host its Health Choice Summit on September 12, 2026, at the Founders Inn Conference Center in Virginia Beach. Titled “Health Choice: Liberation from Mandates” and associated with the theme “Operation Save Our Children,” the event is organized in partnership […]
- Spanberger takes unprecedented step to intervene in $67B Dominion-NextEra merger
Gov. Abigail Spanberger is stepping directly into the regulatory fight over the proposed $67 billion sale of Dominion Energy to Florida-based NextEra Energy, becoming the first Virginia governor to formally intervene in a case before the State Corporation Commission. Spanberger announced Thursday that she will seek intervenor status in the case, giving her administration the […]
- Fairfax County FY2027 Budget Introduces Police Oversight Consolidation and Expanded Land Use System Funding
The Fairfax County government is preparing to implement notable administrative reorganizations within its upcoming fiscal year 2027 budget. Local officials have outlined specific financial allocations aimed at restructuring police oversight and modernizing digital land development platforms. These changes include the establishment of a consolidated Office of Police Accountability and increased fun
- Manassas Council Member Tom Osina Enters Mayor’s Race
Manassas City Council member Tom Osina has formally announced his candidacy for mayor in the 2027 municipal election. Osina, who has held his council seat since 2020, brings a record of local governance to the contest. The announcement was made public through local media outlets covering Prince William County and surrounding areas. In his statement, […]
- Expert Testimony Examines Electromagnetic Field Levels Near Data Centers
Theodora Scarato provided testimony at a Montgomery County Council public hearing focused on a proposed moratorium for data center projects. She outlined conclusions regarding electromagnetic field exposure and its documented associations with health outcomes. The presentation referenced cancers in general and breast cancer in particular along with environmental considerations. Scarato cited indep
- He Cannot Speak With His Voice. Virginia’s Schools Still Wouldn’t Listen
Noah does not speak with his voice. He speaks with his hands, with the careful shape of signs his family has worked hard to learn, with the urgency in his eyes when something is wrong, and with the full weight of a body that needs constant, skilled attention just to stay safe. At school, at […]
- She Asked for Help. The School Answered With Suspension
Maya is thirteen years old and already exhausted by the gap between who she is and what the school day demands of her. She is bright. She wants to do well. After one of her hardest moments she wrote an apology, asked for alternatives, and said she wanted to be a good leader. Yet the […]
- Federal judge in Virginia says certain abortion drug restrictions are unlawful
A lawsuit filed in 2023 by abortion providers in Kansas, Montana and Virginia challenges the FDA’s restrictions on mifepristone as excessive, unwarranted and inconsistent with other legal requirements. A federal judge ruled Thursday that the federal agency didn’t sufficiently justify the Biden-era rules. (Photo by Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent) A federal judge in Virginia ruled Thursday […]
- Virginia’s Children With Disabilities Keep Crying Out. Their Leaders Keep Looking Away
She is eleven years old and already carries a weight no child should have to bear. On some mornings she still wakes with the quiet hope that today might be different — that the classroom will feel manageable, that the adults will notice when her body starts to tighten, that someone will offer the support […]
- Fight-or-Flight at Six Years Old: One Girl’s Lawsuit Accuses Virginia of Betraying Children With Disabilities
Ava is six years old. On good days she can sit for a short stretch of time with a favorite book or a quiet activity, her small hands moving carefully, her focus intact for a few precious minutes. On harder days the world itself feels too loud, too bright, too unpredictable. Fluorescent lights hum. Classroom […]
- Virginia Senate Advances Budget Proposals Including Employee Salary Increases and Bonuses
The Virginia Senate has introduced budget measures that outline specific funding for compensation adjustments affecting state employees. Senate Bill 29 focuses on fiscal year 2026 while Senate Bill 30 covers the full biennium. These proposals include allocations for salary increases, a one-time bonus, and related benefits along with corresponding savings. ## Key Provisions in Senate […]
- Loudoun Parent Alleges Multi-Year Failure to Educate Son with Complex Disabilities, Seeks Private School Placement and Hundreds of Thousands in Relief
Thomas is a 10-year-old boy who lights up when he talks about fishing or riding his bike through the neighborhood. A brown-belt in taekwondo, he has a soft spot for animals—especially therapy dogs—and has spent hours learning to care for them. He is energetic, curious, and, by many accounts, eager to please when the conditions […]
- UVA study shows how housing affordability policy, civic engagement and voter turnout connect
A University of Virginia professor’s research aims to illuminate how federal policy that supports affordable homeownership intersects with civic engagement via the ballot box, as housing affordability and access remain top concerns for voters in Virginia and across America. A new study titled “Mortgage Refinancing and Political Participation” explored how remedies in the aftermath of […]
- Virginia Budget Expands State Spending With $500,000 Grant for School Defibrillators
Virginia lawmakers have allocated a substantial half-million dollars from the state general fund for the upcoming fiscal year to equip schools with medical emergency devices. This aggressive spending measure represents a massive expansion of state involvement in local educational infrastructure. While protecting the health and safety of students is a universal priority, fiscal conservatives are […
- Northern Virginia’s Data Center Boom Threatens Family Health with Expanding Power Lines and Substations
Rapid data center construction across Loudoun and Prince William Counties is forcing a massive expansion of high-voltage transmission lines and substations that scientific research associates with higher rates of childhood leukemia and other serious illnesses. Loudoun County already contains the world’s densest concentration of these facilities, with roughly 250 operational data centers and more t
- Virginia’s $1.4 Billion Education Budget Increase Raises Red Flags for Fiscal Conservatives
The latest Virginia state budget proposal includes a staggering $1.4 billion overall increase in K-12 public education funding compared to the previous budget cycle. Within this massive spending package, lawmakers have allocated $590 million specifically for rebenchmarking, high-need student groups, and, paradoxically, declining enrollment. For fiscally conservative taxpayers, pouring hundreds of
- Virginia Taxpayers Forced to Fund $20 Million Bureaucratic Expansion for Public Sector Unions
Virginia Taxpayers Face Massive Bill for New Union Bureaucracies The state budget for fiscal year 2027 includes a staggering $20 million allocation designed exclusively to fund the start-up costs for public sector collective bargaining. This massive expenditure will finance the creation of entirely new government entities, including the Public Employee Relations Board and the Virginia […]
- After years of effort, Chesapeake Bay-specific menhaden population study gets funding
With new state dollars granted by the General Assembly by way of a budget amendment from Gov. Abigail Spanberger, scientists and lawmakers plan to examine the menhaden population inside the Chesapeake Bay, the culmination of years of legislative efforts. The data will be essential to determine whether updated conservation standards and catch limits for the […]
- Virginia Taxpayers Face Millions in New Costs as 2027 and 2028 Home Care Wage Mandates Expand State Bureaucracy
Virginia taxpayers are bracing for a massive expansion of state spending following the recent approval of aggressive wage increases for home care workers scheduled for 2027 and 2028. Governor Abigail Spanberger recently finalized a series of controversial budget amendments that not only mandate artificially higher pay but also allocate millions of taxpayer dollars to establish […]
- Virginia Medicaid Budget Balloons as Accelerated Pay Hikes for Home Care Workers Cost Taxpayers Millions
The Virginia state budget continues to expand under new amendments that accelerate compensation increases for home care workers, putting additional strain on taxpayers. Governor Abigail Spanberger recently returned the state budget with fourteen amendments, specifically requesting earlier salary increases for Medicaid-funded care providers. This move shifts a previously planned eight percent incre
- Virginia’s $148.4 Million Special Education Expansion Sparks Calls for Stricter Fiscal Oversight
The upcoming fiscal year 2027 budget for the Commonwealth of Virginia includes a staggering $148.4 million allocation to more than double the Special Education Add-On. This massive financial injection expands per-pupil funding for special education students, representing a significant priority for state legislators. While providing adequate resources for vulnerable students is a shared moral value
- Virginia Taxpayers on the Hook for $10 Million Expansion of Renamed Special Education Bureaucracy
Virginia taxpayers are facing another significant budget expansion as state officials push forward a massive $10.0 million funding increase for the fiscal year 2027 education budget. The general fund appropriation specifically targets the newly rebranded Support for Students with Intense Support Needs Application, formerly known as the Special Education Regional Tuition program. This costly financ
- Virginia Allocates $127 Million for School Construction Amid Taxpayer Concerns Over Waste
The state of Virginia recently announced a massive allocation of one hundred twenty-seven million dollars dedicated to new school construction projects across the commonwealth. While providing safe educational environments is a universal priority, this staggering price tag raises immediate red flags for fiscal conservatives and hardworking taxpayers. Citizens are rightfully questioning whether thi
- Runaway Education Spending: The $98.4 Million Question in Virginia’s Budget
The Virginia state budget now includes a massive $98.4 million one-time supplement to the At-Risk Add-On program for public school divisions across the Commonwealth. This massive injection of taxpayer dollars is earmarked for local operating or capital needs while a legislative subcommittee continues to evaluate ongoing funding requirements. Fiscal conservatives are raising serious alarms over […]
- Rising Taxes and Enrollment Declines Highlight Need for Multi-Year Budget Projections in Manassas Park
Rising property values and a corresponding increase in tax bills are bringing local government finances into sharper focus for residents in Manassas Park, Virginia. While city and school leaders have outlined immediate budgetary needs, the apparent absence of comprehensive multi-year budget projections on official municipal websites is raising questions about long-term fiscal accountability. For a