Seven Virginia hemp businesses have asked a federal judge in the Western District of Virginia to block the state's new THC cap before it takes effect Friday, Aug. 15, arguing the 2-milligram-per-package limit will wipe out inventory, force layoffs, and shutter stores. This is now a countdown: if the judge grants a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction in the next few days, retailers keep current product on shelves past Friday; if not, the restrictions snap into place on schedule. The stakes go beyond Virginia — on Aug. 8, the U.S. Senate voted 61-32 to delay a parallel federal ban on intoxicating hemp, meaning delta-8 could survive nationally even as Virginia squeezes it out. Watch the docket this week for the ruling that decides whether Friday is business as usual or a fire sale.

A federal judge has ruled that the Shenandoah County School Board's 2024 decision to restore Confederate-era school names violated students' rights, and ordered the board to rename the two schools. The ruling forces a near-term compliance decision on a board that spent political capital reinstating those names — and reopens one of the county's most charged local fights. What to watch: the board's compliance timeline and whether it appeals rather than complies, which would send the whole dispute back up the federal ladder.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger is seeking intervenor status in the State Corporation Commission's review of Dominion Energy's proposed $67 billion sale to Florida-based NextEra — the first time a sitting Virginia governor has formally intervened in an SCC case. Intervenor status lets her administration question both companies, review documents, and push for conditions on customer bills and Virginia jobs, though the up-or-down decision still rests with the SCC. The deal would create the nation's largest utility: 10 million customers, 110 gigawatts of generation, and a 130-GW connection queue driven heavily by data centers. Lawmakers have separately called for a special session to debate it. Watch for the formal filing and whether it invites a wave of new parties — because more parties means a slower review, and a slower review pushes your electric bill into 2026 campaign territory.

In a July 31 final order, the State Corporation Commission directed Dominion Energy to develop a policy assigning transmission-infrastructure costs directly to data centers and other large users, rather than spreading them across ordinary customers. Dominion has 90 days to file amendments to its line-extension policy and 120 days to update regulators on a broader cost-assignment approach — with Deputy Chief Energy Officer Louise White testifying that upgrades triggered "but for" a large-load customer should land on that customer. The catch is in the fine print: if Dominion defines "but for" narrowly, most upgrades quietly slide back onto Northern Virginia families the order was meant to shield. Watch the tariff filing for how tightly that phrase is drawn.

National reporting says lenders are increasingly scrutinizing data-center financing, with at least 75 projects worth roughly $130 billion facing local opposition in the first quarter of 2026 alone, per research firm Data Center Watch. Virginia is among the most exposed markets, because county zoning, utility hookups, and transmission approvals in the Northern Virginia corridor can make or break a project overnight. Combined with the SCC's cost-shifting order, the financing math for new builds is tightening on two fronts at once. Watch for the next county board vote or utility filing in Loudoun or Prince William that becomes the flashpoint.

Gov. Spanberger announced that the Virginia Department of Corrections has launched an Intensive Reentry Program at Red Onion State Prison in Wise County — among the first of its kind in the nation at a maximum-security facility, and the 15th such program across VADOC. Built on a "Cognitive Community" model, it targets inmates 12 to 18 months from release who score Moderate or High on the recidivism scale. It's the latest move in a broader push at an agency dogged by understaffing and abuse allegations: Spanberger is also seeking public applicants — through September — for a new Governor's Community Partnership Council on Corrections. VADOC Director Joseph Walters framed reentry as "central to the VADOC's public safety mission." Watch whether the council fills out and whether Executive Order 12's officer-training reforms show up in retention numbers.

Virginia's delayed 2026 primary — pushed nearly two months past its usual June slot by the spring redistricting referendum — produced its marquee matchups. Per the Associated Press and 13News Now, Bert Mizusawa won the GOP Senate nomination, Elaine Luria took the 2nd District Democratic nod to face Rep. Jen Kiggans again, and Shannon Taylor is projected to win the 1st District Democratic nomination. The backdrop is the April constitutional amendment allowing mid-decade redistricting, drawn to potentially hand Democrats 10 of Virginia's 11 House seats. Results are being certified this week ahead of the Nov. 3 general. Watch whether national PACs open spending in the redrawn districts within days — that's the tell that both parties see Virginia as the cheapest route to a U.S. House majority.

• Man held in attempted Ballston bank robbery dies at county jail. Arlington police and county authorities are investigating the death of a man who had been held in connection with an attempted bank robbery in Ballston. ARLnow

• Fairfax County bus stop stabbing suspect tied to long criminal history. A violent crime case in Fairfax County is drawing scrutiny after NBC Washington reported the bus stop stabbing suspect has an extensive prior record, raising questions about repeat offending and local law-enforcement response. NBC Washington

• Firefighter injured battling commercial building fire in Vienna. A Fairfax County fire and rescue crew responded to a commercial building fire in Vienna, with at least one firefighter hospitalized during the effort. WJLA

• Manassas Architectural Review Board to weigh revised Center Street redevelopment plan. The Manassas Architectural Review Board is set to consider an updated proposal for the Center Street redevelopment project, with attention focused on how the revised plan balances the city's historic character with new development. InsideNova

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Trail Cleanup Friday Mornings Leopold's Preserve. Volunteer Fridays at Leopold's Preserve in Broad Run offer trail cleanup service hours in Northern Virginia.

• Severe storms knock out power to more than 29,000 across Central Virginia. Tens of thousands of homes and businesses lost power during Monday's storms, making it one of the most consequential public-safety and infrastructure events to hit the region this week. WRIC

• Chesterfield County homes and roadways hit hard by storm damage. Chesterfield County saw significant storm impacts on homes and roads, including damage reported along Winterpock Road, underscoring the breadth of Monday's severe weather across the region's largest counties. WRIC

• Hopewell City Public Schools closed Tuesday following severe storms. Hopewell City Public Schools shut down for the day after storm damage created safety concerns in the area. WRIC

• Murder suspect dies by suicide at Richmond's Oakwood Cemetery. Richmond police are investigating a homicide case that ended when the suspect died by suicide at Oakwood Cemetery, leaving investigators to piece together the full circumstances of the deadly incident. WRIC

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: End Alzheimer’s – Become a “Do What You Love to End ALZ” Volunteer Alzheimer's Association. Richmond volunteers can support the Alzheimer's Association through opportunities tied to the Do What You Love to End ALZ effort.

• Hampton police investigating fatal pedestrian crash on West Mercury Boulevard. Hampton police are looking into a deadly crash involving a pedestrian on the busy West Mercury Boulevard corridor. WAVY

• York-Poquoson Sheriff's Office investigating fatal shooting on Emma Rose Court. York-Poquoson sheriff's deputies are working a homicide case after an 18-year-old man was shot and killed on Emma Rose Court. WAVY

• Severe thunderstorms sweep through Hampton and Newport News. Strong storms moved through the region Monday evening, bringing damaging winds and prompting weather warnings across Hampton and Newport News. The Virginian-Pilot

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Hospice Volunteer Needed Enhabit Hospice ✨ Provide companionship and support to patients. Enhabit Hospice seeks a volunteer in Hampton Roads to offer companionship and support to patients.

• Two displaced after early-morning house fire in Stafford County. Stafford County fire crews responded to a house fire that forced two residents from their home. Potomac Local News

• Fredericksburg City Schools mark transition day today ahead of first day of classes Wednesday. Fredericksburg City Schools are welcoming kindergartners, sixth graders, and ninth graders for transition day Tuesday, with the first full day of school for all students set for August 12. Patch

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Administrative Assistance Community Touch, Inc.. Community Touch, Inc. seeks administrative assistance for its Fredericksburg area community service efforts.

• Roanoke City establishes rules for data centers ahead of developer interest. Roanoke's city government is putting land-use and regulatory guidelines in place for data center proposals before developers formally seek approvals, a proactive policy move for one of the region's largest cities. WSLS

• Radford hopes new power contract will bring fiscal relief and energy diversity. The financially strained city of Radford is pursuing a new power contract aimed at giving it greater control over its energy sources and easing pressure on municipal finances. Cardinal News

• Appalachian School of Law welcomes its largest incoming class in 15 years. The Grundy-based Appalachian School of Law is reporting a significant enrollment surge, with its biggest first-year class in a decade and a half signaling renewed momentum for the Southwest Virginia institution. Cardinal News

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Senior Food Box Kitting Feeding Southwest Virginia. It is a practical volunteer option for readers who want a concrete shift rather than a calendar outing.

• Historic Triangle: Healthy Food Pantry Re-Stocking of Shelves Bon Secours Community Health Team. It is a practical volunteer option for readers who want a concrete shift rather than a calendar outing.