Friday, July 24, is the hard deadline to register or update your voter registration for the August 4 Dual Party Primary, and it's also the last day to request a mailed absentee ballot, per the City of Alexandria's Office of Voter Registration & Elections. Miss it, and you're not shut out entirely — starting tomorrow, July 25, you can register in person at early voting sites, but you'll be handed a provisional ballot instead of a regular one. On the August 4 ballot: a Democratic primary for the U.S. House 8th District and a Republican primary for the U.S. Senate nomination. The signal to watch is turnout: an off-cycle August primary favors the most motivated voters, which means a small, committed sliver could pick nominees the broader electorate never weighs in on.

Six Democrats competing for the 1st Congressional District nomination have escalated their fight with the Democratic Party of Virginia, pointing to a July 14 FEC filing that lists the DPVA as a participating committee in the Shannon Taylor Victory Fund — which they argue contradicts the party's claim of neutrality, per Virginia Mercury's Markus Schmidt. DPVA Chair Lamont Bagby insists the party has stayed neutral and defended its role in the coordinated fundraising effort. The stakes are real: national Democrats see the district — stretching from the Richmond suburbs through the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck to Hampton Roads — as one of their best shots at flipping a Republican-held seat. With registration closing today and the primary on August 4, the dispute is peaking exactly when the party can least afford disunity heading into a fall race against incumbent Rob Wittman.

A July 7 letter opinion from the Washington County Circuit Court in Santolla v. Katz extended an earlier injunction against Virginia's new "assault firearm" ban and magazine-capacity limit to the entire Commonwealth, per Virginia Mercury. As of July 21, every law-enforcement agency and Commonwealth's Attorney in Virginia is enjoined from enforcing the bans — the most sweeping ruling yet against a law Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed in May. Attorney General Jay Jones has vowed to seek an emergency stay from the Supreme Court of Virginia, and the Trump administration filed its own federal suit July 1 arguing the law violates the Second Amendment. The observable next move: whether Jones's emergency stay lands at the state high court — until it does, the law exists on paper but binds no one.

The Loudoun County Planning Commission held a public hearing on July 23 on the Spring Valley Tech Park proposal, a data center project off Evergreen Mill Road in Ashburn's transition area, per the Piedmont Environmental Council's tracker. The site is contested precisely because it sits at the edge of the county's designated growth boundary — the line between "build here" and "leave it be." Loudoun already hosts roughly 200 data centers and remains the reason Northern Virginia is called the world's data center capital, though new zoning rules and power constraints are pushing construction into other jurisdictions, per DC Byte. What to watch: whether the commission recommends approval for a transition-area site, which would tell every other data-center county how far the growth boundary really bends.

Virginia's budget negotiators are sparring over how to spend higher-than-expected revenues, with Democrats pushing to protect K-12 and mental health funding while Republicans emphasize tax relief and reserves, according to Richmond coverage over the past two days. Private talks between House and Senate leaders and Gov. Spanberger's team have grown tense as they try to settle education funding formulas, state employee raises, and whether to lock in any new permanent tax cuts. The timing is the whole story: every dollar committed now becomes a campaign talking point this fall. Watch whether a long-term education-funding deal emerges before the elections turn the negotiation into a referendum.

Virginia's Department of Corrections is facing renewed pressure after an incarcerated person's death at a state prison and a new report detailing severe officer shortages and rising violence, according to Washington Post coverage over the past 48 hours. Lawmakers on the Public Safety and Courts committees have called for hearings and demanded more transparency on use-of-force incidents and medical care. Advocates say the findings strengthen the case for sentencing reform and decarceration. The signal to watch is whether those committee hearings actually get scheduled — and whether the department releases its use-of-force data before it's forced to.

• QTS Data Centers to anchor planned Northern Virginia Science Center in Loudoun. QTS Data Centers has been named title partner for the future Northern Virginia Science Center at Loudoun County's Kincora development, providing private-sector backing for STEM programming for regional students and families. Inside Nova

• Arlington animal control officials defend handling of dangerous dog cases. Arlington County animal control and prosecutors are facing resident criticism over recent dangerous dog cases, with officials citing strict state and county guidelines that limit their options for euthanasia or stronger penalties. ARLnow

• Alexandria police chief speaks publicly on summer crime increase. The Alexandria police chief addressed a seasonal uptick in crime, outlining enforcement strategies, resource deployment, and community engagement efforts aimed at improving public safety. ALXnow

• Power outage hits roughly 1,000 Manassas customers. A power outage in Manassas affected approximately 1,082 customers, prompting utility crews to respond and restore service while officials investigated the cause. Potomac Local News

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: and Family Day Volunteer of Guest House ✨ Set up and take down event equipment.. Northern Virginia volunteers are needed for a family day at Guest House to help set up and later take down event equipment.

• Richmond asks voters to approve 1% sales tax to speed school renovations. Richmond leaders are seeking voter approval of a 1% sales tax increase to accelerate long-delayed renovations to city school facilities. WRIC

• Chesterfield parents raise alarms over data centers near schools. Parents in Chesterfield County are voicing concerns about the proximity of proposed data centers to local schools, citing potential impacts on neighborhoods and student communities. WRIC

• Hopewell lifts recreational water advisory following sewage spill near Bailey Bay. The city of Hopewell has lifted a recreational water advisory that was issued after a sewage spill near Bailey Bay, clearing the waterway for public use. WRIC

• Rabid raccoon confirmed on Richmond's North 25th Street. Richmond officials confirmed that an aggressive raccoon tested positive for rabies, prompting a public health alert for nearby residents and pet owners. WRIC

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Richmond ReStore Volunteer🛒♻️ Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity ✨ Process donations and assist store customers. Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity seeks volunteers at its ReStore to process donations and help customers in the Richmond area.

• Arrests made in fatal I-264 shooting in Norfolk. Norfolk police announced arrests in the case of a fatal shooting on Interstate 264, marking a significant break in a high-profile highway homicide investigation. WAVY

• Heavy rain triggers flooding concerns across Hampton Roads. Sustained rainfall has prompted flash flood warnings for parts of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Chesapeake, disrupting transportation and raising infrastructure concerns across the region. WAVY

• Norfolk City Council approves $400 million in airport bonds. Norfolk City Council voted to issue $400 million in bonds to finance major upgrade projects at Norfolk's airport, a significant infrastructure investment expected to expand regional air service capacity. Hampton Roads Report

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

• Charlottesville selects bronze baobab tree to replace melted Lee statue. Charlottesville City Council chose "Rooted," a bronze baobab tree sculpture cast from the melted Robert E. Lee statue, to be installed in Market Street Park, completing a major chapter in the city's post-Unite the Right public space redesign. Charlottesville Tomorrow

• Greene County Sheriff and ICE arrest 49 people days before new state law took effect. A joint operation between the Greene County Sheriff's Office and ICE resulted in 49 arrests — including local residents and farmworkers — just before a new Virginia law restricting local cooperation with federal immigration authorities was set to take effect. Charlottesville Tomorrow

• Hollymead Elementary principal will not return; SEL coach role eliminated. Albemarle County Public Schools announced that Hollymead Elementary Principal Michael McCauley will not return, and the school will cut its social emotional learning coach position, signaling a leadership and programming shift at the school. Charlottesville Tomorrow

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Food Equity Volunteer Bread Across Borders. Charlottesville volunteers can help support food equity efforts through Bread Across Borders.

• Bus driver charged in deadly Stafford crash granted bond pending second hearing. A school bus driver charged in connection with a fatal crash in Stafford County has been granted bond, though his release depends on the outcome of a second court hearing. Potomac Local News

• Rappahannock Canal Path closed for paving work. Fredericksburg officials temporarily closed the Rappahannock Canal Path for milling and paving, disrupting a popular recreation and commuter route along the riverfront. Potomac Local News

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

• Google to use electric cooling at Botetourt data center, easing water concerns. Google announced it will deploy electric cooling systems instead of water-based cooling in at least one of its three planned data centers at its Botetourt County campus, addressing local concerns about strain on the public water supply. Cardinal News

• Roanoke Democratic city council primary clouded by accusations and assault charge ahead of Aug. 4 vote. Roanoke's Democratic city council primary has grown contentious following a late accusation and apology involving one candidate and a separate assault charge against another, with voters set to decide the race on August 4. Cardinal News

• Galax cancels controversial downtown mural project. The city of Galax has scrapped a planned downtown mural after controversy over the proposed design and approval process, prompting broader questions about public art and community input in future city projects. Cardinal News

• Southwest Virginia nonprofit raises $2 million-plus to expand pediatric cancer care. A regional nonprofit has surpassed $2 million in fundraising to expand pediatric cancer treatment and support services in Southwest Virginia, potentially reducing the burden on families who must travel long distances for specialized care. Cardinal News

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Do you enjoy singing/playing hymns? Hospice Volunteers Needed Affinity Care of Virginia ✨ Sing hymns with hospice patien. Affinity Care of Virginia in Roanoke seeks volunteers to sing or play hymns with hospice patients.

• Northern Virginia: and Family Day Volunteer of Guest House ✨ Set up and take down event equipment.. Northern Virginia volunteers are needed for a family day at Guest House to help set up and later take down event equipment.

• Hampton Roads: SHARE SUMMERTIME JOY AS A HOSPICE VOLUNTEER (Virginia Beach area) Enhabit Hospice. Enhabit Hospice seeks volunteers in the Virginia Beach area to share summertime joy through service in Hampton Roads.