Gov. Abigail Spanberger did something governors almost never do: she waded directly into a utility rate case at the State Corporation Commission. Through a filing by her newly appointed Chief Energy Officer, published July 13 per Virginia Scope, her administration is pushing a "but for" standard — meaning data centers would pay for the transmission lines and substations their projects require, rather than spreading that cost across everyone's bill. The stakes are concrete: Dominion is seeking to recover $1.58 billion in costs, which would add an estimated $2.90 a month to a typical residential customer's "Rider T-1" charge (currently $11.79). Watch the Fairfax County project already testing this question, where commissioners approved a new transmission line but punted on who pays — the SCC's answer there will signal whether the governor's standard has teeth.

Every acre of Virginia is now in drought, affecting more than eight million residents, according to state data cited by FOX 5 DC — the worst dry spell recorded since 1941, arriving mid-heatwave. Spanberger has called for voluntary conservation and could declare a formal drought emergency by executive order if conditions hold. Here's the friction: the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter says the average Virginia data center uses four million gallons of water a day, and residents in Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, and Powhatan are being asked to cut back as James River Basin flows drop. The signal to watch is whether that executive order lands — and whether it says anything at all about the facilities using more water than the counties being asked to conserve.

Dozens gathered at the Bell Tower in Capitol Square over the weekend, days after a company filed a pre-application for a data center in Goochland, demanding more transparency from Spanberger and lawmakers. Grassroots groups from Hanover, Henrico, and Richmond cited figures that data centers now consume 26% of all electricity in the Commonwealth and over 2 billion gallons of water a year, per WWBT NBC12. Virginia has nearly 400 data centers running with about 300 more in the pipeline — more than any other state, and more than the entire United Kingdom. The observable next step is the Goochland pre-application: whether local officials fast-track it or open it to the public scrutiny the rally demanded.

Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi sent a letter urging the SCC to more closely scrutinize the proposed merger of Dominion Energy with Florida-based NextEra Energy — a deal that would create the nation's largest utility, per Virginia Mercury. The push comes alongside calls to examine NextEra's "spotty record in Florida" before Virginia signs off. This matters because the merger review is landing at the exact moment Dominion is fighting over data center costs, rising residential rates, and the Commonwealth's re-entry into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. If the SCC extends its review, every rate assumption baked into the deal gets re-litigated before it closes — not after.

The Arlington Planning Commission voted 8-0 on July 6 to back a plan converting two vacant 1980s office buildings at 601 and 701 12th Street S. in Pentagon City into 607 residential units plus nearly 30,000 square feet of retail, per ARLnow. The math is dramatic: removing 563,000 square feet of empty office space would cut the Pentagon City corridor's vacancy rate from 16.5% to just 2.3%, and drop countywide vacancy a full point. The County Board takes it up July 18. If approved, it's the clearest sign yet that National Landing is shifting from a legacy office district into dense, transit-oriented housing.

General Dynamics Information Technology notified Virginia's Rapid Response team that 174 workers "may experience layoffs" starting August 8 or within 14 days after, per Arlington Patch — with no stated reason. It follows earlier GDIT filings affecting 236 workers: 133 at Falls Church tied to a recompete in process, and 103 at 1401 South Clark St. in Arlington tied to the F-35 Joint Program Office contract's base year, scheduled to end July 31. The through-line is federal procurement timing — hundreds of Northern Virginia jobs riding on whether contracts renew. Watch that July 31 F-35 date and the August 8 trigger; if awards don't land, the layoffs become real.

The Supreme Court of Virginia ruled that Parole Board appointees are entitled to serve their full fixed terms absent specific statutory cause for removal, restricting how the governor can swap them out, per AP. That curbs executive influence over the board's composition — and by extension over how future governors shape criminal justice and clemency policy. The decision reaches beyond this administration: it sets a precedent that outlasts whoever holds the office. Watch whether it prompts a legislative response in the next General Assembly session to redefine "cause."

• Montclair Family Restaurant mourns employee who died on the job. A longtime worker at Montclair Family Restaurant in Prince William County died suddenly during her shift, prompting an outpouring of grief from coworkers and regulars and a memorial table set up in her honor. Inside Nova

• Manassas residents challenge Center Street redevelopment at ARB work session. Neighbors pressed the Architectural Review Board over a proposed Center Street project, arguing that planned building height and density threaten Old Town's historic character, while the developer and city staff contend the design meets adopted guidelines. Potomac Local News

• Power outage knocks out more than 4,000 customers along Columbia Pike. A major outage in Arlington left over 4,000 customers in the Columbia Pike corridor without electricity, disrupting traffic signals and local businesses while crews worked to restore service. ARLnow

• Fired Alexandria sheriff's deputy accused of agreeing to smuggle drugs into city jail for $500. A former Alexandria sheriff's deputy is facing federal allegations that he agreed to bring drugs to an inmate in exchange for $500, raising concerns about corruption and security within the local corrections system. ALXnow

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Trail Cleanup Friday Mornings Leopold's Preserve. It looks like a hands-on cleanup option with broad fit for students, families, or groups.

• Cleanup and closures continue after train derailment into Shockoe Bottom canal. A recent derailment in Richmond's Shockoe Bottom neighborhood is still affecting the area, with ongoing cleanup work and road closures disrupting access to the historic district. WRIC

• Man fighting for life after single-vehicle crash on Pinhook Road in Hanover County. Hanover County authorities responded to a serious crash that left one person in critical condition, prompting a major local public-safety response. WRIC

• Hopewell leaders push back against data center study report rumors. Hopewell officials are publicly rejecting circulating rumors about a data center study report, signaling ongoing concern over development plans and misinformation affecting city planning and public trust. WRIC

• Henrico County Public Schools to host Back-to-School Kickoff for 2026–27 year. Henrico County Public Schools is preparing for the upcoming school year with a districtwide kickoff event to welcome students, families, and staff back to campus. WRIC

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Volunteers to Spend Time With Hospice Patients Needed-FLEXIBLE HOURS Suncrest Hospice. Suncrest Hospice seeks volunteers in Richmond to spend time with hospice patients during flexible hours.

• Mass shooting in Northampton County leaves 2 dead, 3 injured; suspect in custody. Two people were killed and three others injured in a shooting on the Eastern Shore, with a suspect now in custody as law enforcement continues to investigate the circumstances and motive. WAVY

• Large fight reported at Surge Adventure Park in Virginia Beach. Virginia Beach police responded to a disorderly gathering and fight at Surge Adventure Park, leading to a significant law enforcement presence and raising concerns about safety at the popular indoor venue. WAVY

• James City County says Busch Gardens Williamsburg owes nearly $22 million in back taxes. James City County officials are pressing Busch Gardens Williamsburg over a disputed tax bill approaching $22 million, a conflict that could affect county revenue and the theme park's finances if unresolved. WAVY

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: SHARE SUMMERTIME JOY AS A HOSPICE VOLUNTEER (Virginia Beach area) Enhabit Hospice. Enhabit Hospice is seeking volunteers in the Virginia Beach area to share summertime joy through hospice service.

• Greene County Sheriff–ICE operation nets 49 arrests days before new state restrictions took effect. A joint operation between the Greene County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement resulted in 49 arrests just before a new Virginia law limiting local ICE cooperation took effect, raising questions about timing and impact on immigrant families. Charlottesville Tomorrow

• Hollymead Elementary principal will not return; Albemarle County schools to cut social-emotional learning coach role. Albemarle County Public Schools announced that Hollymead Elementary Principal Jennifer McCauley will not return and that the school will eliminate its social-emotional learning coach position, prompting questions from parents and staff about the district's direction. Charlottesville Tomorrow

• Fifeville residents continue fighting proposed seven-story luxury student housing project. Charlottesville's Fifeville neighborhood is contesting a seven-story luxury student housing development, with residents raising concerns about displacement, affordability, and neighborhood character as the project moves through local review. Charlottesville Tomorrow

• Cooling centers open across Charlottesville and surrounding counties amid extreme heat. Local governments and nonprofits have opened cooling centers and public spaces to help residents cope with dangerous temperatures, with guidance directed especially at vulnerable populations without reliable air conditioning. Charlottesville Tomorrow

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Clothing Center CVBA - Volunteer Hours Clothing Center CVBA. It is a practical volunteer option for readers who want a concrete shift rather than a calendar outing.

• Fredericksburg police investigating three assaults on city walking paths. Fredericksburg police are probing three separate assaults on local walking paths, have increased patrols in the area, and are offering a cash reward for tips leading to an arrest. DC News Now

• Fredericksburg City Council takes first steps on 300th anniversary funding. The Fredericksburg City Council has begun preliminary budget discussions and is exploring partnerships to fund and organize events marking the city's 300th anniversary in 2028. Potomac Local News

• River & Roots Collective opens in historic Stafford County home. A new venture combining a coffee shop, local artisan retail, and community gathering space has opened inside a renovated historic home in Stafford County, reflecting small-business growth and adaptive reuse in the Rappahannock region. Potomac Local News

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Hospice Volunteers~amazing opportunities, FLEXIBLE schedule. Affinity Care of Virginia is seeking Fredericksburg volunteers for hospice service opportunities with a flexible schedule.

• Radford University planning new Academic Health Sciences Building on Roanoke's Jefferson Street. Radford University is moving forward with plans for a new medical education facility on South Jefferson Street to house Radford University Carilion, with a possible opening by 2028 that would expand the city's growing health-sciences corridor. Roanoke Times

• Norfolk Southern to close Roanoke Distribution Center and shift locomotive shop work to Pennsylvania. Norfolk Southern announced it will eliminate the Roanoke Distribution Center and move work from the Roanoke Locomotive Shop to Altoona, Pa., while offering relocation support to affected employees and saying it will still employ more than 650 people in the Roanoke Valley. WTAJ

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Companionship Hospice Volunteer-FLEXIBLE HOURS Affinity Care of Virginia ✨ Provide companionship to a hospice patient. Affinity Care of Virginia seeks Roanoke volunteers to provide companionship to a hospice patient with flexible hours.

• Northern Virginia: Trail Cleanup Friday Mornings Leopold's Preserve. It looks like a hands-on cleanup option with broad fit for students, families, or groups.

• Shenandoah Valley: Therapeutic Horsemanship Volunteers RIDE WITH PRIDE INC ✨ Lead horses and support students.. Volunteers in the Shenandoah Valley can lead horses and assist students through Therapeutic Horsemanship Volunteers RIDE WITH PRIDE INC.