Landscape
- Fairfax County Counselor Addresses Concerns Over Excessive Screen Time for Young Children
Specifically, the counselor recounted experiences on a bus ride from the airport, while waiting in airport locations, and on planes, where every such child appeared to have a tablet in hand. ‘Stop handing tablets to kids everywhere,’ she urged, framing this as evidence of an unintended trend toward screen dependency from an early age. The […]
- Virginia officials urge hurricane preparedness as 2026 storm season begins
With the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season underway, Virginia officials are urging residents to prepare now for severe weather that can bring flooding, damaging winds, tornadoes and prolonged power outages across the commonwealth. State leaders gathered Wednesday at the Virginia Emergency Operations Center in Richmond for hurricane preparedness briefings and tabletop simulations meant to test coordi
- Separate Tax Rates for Land and Improvements in Fredericksburg
The 2026 Virginia General Assembly session featured the introduction of House Bill 72, a piece of legislation focused on modifying real property tax rules for the City of Fredericksburg. The bill was prefiled on December 31, 2025, and officially offered on January 14, 2026, after being ordered printed. Upon introduction, it was referred to the […]
- Local governments race to attract data centers, often in spite of concerns from their constituents
Marvell data center is one of eight newly approved data center campuses in Culpeper County. (Photo by Evan Visconti/Virginia Mercury). Data centers — proposed beside town centers, on generational farmlands, in view of cemeteries and next to Civil War battlegrounds across Virginia — are testing local governments’ ability to regulate industrial land use. Concurrently, the […]
- GOP’s hope to undo Virginia’s new redistricting power grows after judge halts maps
Supreme Court of Virginia in Richmond, Va. (Photo by Parker Michels-Boyce for The Virginia Mercury) After losing Tuesday’s closely watched redistricting referendum, Virginia Republicans are now shifting their focus to the courts, arguing the legal fight — not the ballot box — will ultimately determine whether the measure stands. That legal fight escalated late Wednesday, […]
- Hospitals are not closing down
This post was originally published on this site. The hospitals in the area say that they will continue to serve the region, despite possible cuts in Medicaid funding which were approved by Congress last year. Public Citizen, a report highlighted by Virginia U.S. Senators. Tim Kaine, Mark Warner and others stated that Sentara Halifax Regional […]
- 10 questions and answers about Virginia’s redistricting referendum
(Photo illustration by States Newsroom) Virginians will head to the polls Tuesday to approve or reject a closely watched constitutional amendment that could reshape the state’s congressional map ahead of the 2026 elections. The standalone spring referendum will cap months of legal battles, political messaging and unusually high early voting interest. The vote follows a […]
- Loudoun County Approves Zoning Amendments to Facilitate Reconstruction of Agricultural Buildings
Rural zoning in Loudoun County is designed to promote and protect agricultural land use. Essential structures like barns support daily farm activities, including crop storage and animal care. Under the former rules, however, farmers encountered barriers if prior activities on the property conflicted with zoning classifications, preventing rebuilds despite clear natural disaster origins. Board disc
- Oakhill Farm, Monroe’s Loudoun County estate on pause
Landscape near Oak Hill Farm in Loudoun County, the former seat of President James Monroe, where legislators are trying to create a public park. (Photo by Alessandra Caceres Mendoza/VCU Capital News Service) By Alessandra Caceres Mendoza/VCU Capital News Service RICHMOND, Va. — Legislation to purchase the former estate of the fifth Founding Father for use […]
- ‘Skill’ slot machines are a risky bet for Virginia
Skill games in a Richmond corner store. The games popped up in gas stations, convenience stores and bars around the state before they were outlawed. (Photo by Ned Oliver/Virginia Mercury) After 32 years in the United States Army and Virginia Army National Guard, I now spend my time managing my VFW Post’s charitable gaming activities. […]
- Watershed mapping project shows rapid loss of forests, offers new view of Va.’s changing landscapes
Approximately 60% of Virginia is located inside the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and those communities now have access to an updated map that shows precisely how their landscapes are changing over time.
- Loudoun County Supervisors shake up data centre regulations
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday night on major changes to the way the county regulates Data Centers. They eliminated them as an by-right usage.
- Virginia’s prime agricultural and forest land considered for solar
New rules for building solar energy projects on prime Virginia farmland and forested areas are part of the ongoing solar siting discussion in the state and are drawing ire from solar developers but support from the farmers and the forestry industry. The rules, known as House Bill 206 regulations, stem from legislation passed in the 2022 session […]