The developer behind the Prince William Digital Gateway has withdrawn its legal challenge and walked away from the project after losing in the Virginia Court of Appeals, per the Washington Post — effectively killing one of the largest planned data center complexes in the country, sited near Manassas National Battlefield Park. That leaves Prince William County with stranded zoning expectations and residents who spent years fighting over noise, transmission lines, and property values with no project left to fight. The pressure doesn't vanish, though; it relocates, and speculative land buyers are expected to pivot toward Fauquier, Culpeper, and Spotsylvania. Watch whether the Board of County Supervisors' staff quietly narrow the technology-zoning overlays that made the Gateway possible — and whether Dominion rewrites its substation and transmission filings to the State Corporation Commission to match a map that just changed overnight.

Loudoun supervisors have directed staff to draft an item pausing new data center applications while the county rewrites its regulations, per Virginia Business — a striking move from the county that is, by its own count, home to roughly 250 data centers with more than 100 more in the pipeline. Supervisor Juli Briskman introduced the motion on July 22, citing residents "tired of the visual impacts, the noise impacts" who want growth "significantly constrained or stopped entirely." The catch: nobody's sure Virginia law even permits a local moratorium on applications, so the county attorney will deliver a legal review first. The matter is expected to reach the board for a vote in September — and because Data Center Alley runs through Loudoun, whatever the county attorney concludes about the legality of a pause could become the template every other Virginia locality copies.

Virginia's new "assault firearm" and magazine-capacity ban remains enjoined across the entire Commonwealth while Attorney General Jay Jones appeals, per Virginia Mercury — meaning as of July 21, every law-enforcement agency and Commonwealth's Attorney in the state is barred from enforcing the law the General Assembly passed this year. Jones has vowed to fight on: "We will continue fulfilling our responsibility to defend Virginia's magazine capacity restrictions, the assault weapons ban, and uphold laws designed to keep Virginians safe." The NRA secured the original injunction, a three-judge panel declined to consolidate the competing lawsuits, and the federal government has filed suit of its own. The signal to watch is Jones's promised emergency stay request to the Supreme Court of Virginia — if that court grants it, the ban flips from unenforceable back to binding overnight, statewide.

Early in-person voting for Virginia's August 4 primary runs through 5:00 p.m. Saturday, August 1, per the Virginia Department of Elections — after that, there's no walk-up early vote to cushion low turnout. In the 7th District, Democratic Rep. Eugene Vindman faces no primary drama, but three Republicans are competing for the right to challenge him in November, and a small, hardcore slice of the base will decide which one, per Virginia Mercury. Layered underneath all of it: the Supreme Court of Virginia voided April's redistricting referendum in May, so the actual shape of Virginia's congressional map for the fall general remains legally unsettled even as voters pick nominees. Watch the raw turnout numbers over the next four days — the thinner they run, the more the fall's competitive Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia races get shaped by the few who bothered to show up in August.

Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi has urged the State Corporation Commission in a letter to more closely scrutinize the proposed merger of Dominion Energy and Florida's NextEra Energy — a deal that, per Virginia Mercury, would create the largest utility company in the nation. That matters to nearly every Virginian, because Dominion powers the Northern Virginia data center corridor, Hampton Roads' military installations, and millions of residential meters. The SCC review is the last real regulatory checkpoint before the merger can proceed. If Hashmi's push forces a deeper review, ratepayers get a rare look under the hood of a deal that would otherwise move quietly — and the timing collides with HB 921's new retail-choice rules, now letting hyperscale data centers over 5 MW buy power on the open market and reshuffle Dominion's rate base as of July 1.

A fire broke out at the Hampton steam plant that supplies steam to NASA Langley Research Center, sparked from a debris pit, with Hampton Fire & Rescue on scene and damage assessments still underway, per WTKR. Because the plant feeds federal research facilities, any real disruption ripples out to NASA operations and the local contractors who depend on them — and older steam plants carry their own air-quality questions for the surrounding Hampton neighborhoods. [DEVELOPING] Over the next day or two, watch whether NASA Langley or the City of Hampton issues an operational-status update or signals any temporary rerouting of loads; a statement about extended or structural changes would point to a modernization funding fight down the road.

• Prince William County residents press officials on data center taxes, water, and transparency. Attendees at a community forum warned that rapid data center expansion could drive up local taxes and strain water resources, demanding stronger oversight from county officials. Potomac Local

• Prince William County defends absence of cultural specialist at data center hearing amid unmarked graves concerns. County officials called it "standard practice" not to have a cultural resources specialist present at a key hearing for a proposed data center site where residents raised fears about possible unmarked graves. Potomac Local

• Alexandria jury convicts driver of reckless driving in five-vehicle crash that killed a woman. The verdict follows a case that drew attention to traffic safety enforcement on city roadways. ALXnow

• National Weather Service issues tornado watch for Fairfax County. Local emergency management officials urged residents to review safety plans as the watch raised the threat of severe storms, high winds, and localized damage. FFXnow

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: FRESHFARM Farmers Market Volunteer - Arlington & Fairfax FRESHFARM Markets ✨ Assist with farmers market operations. Volunteers are needed to help with farmers market operations at FRESHFARM markets in Arlington and Fairfax.

• Richmond judge denies bond for James Edward Blount, charged with stabbing a special task force member. Prosecutors described Blount as a danger to the community after he allegedly stabbed an officer serving him with an emergency custody order. WRIC

• Henrico County honors more than 60 first responders for their work at the Darby House apartment fire. Officials formally recognized the coordinated rescue effort and highlighted ongoing support for displaced residents. WRIC

• Richmond Department of Public Utilities warns hundreds of customers may have received incorrect electronic bills. The city says a third-party error caused the problem and is issuing corrected statements, noting that actual account balances were not affected. WRIC

• Former Chesterfield County Public Schools employee sues over termination tied to Charlie Kirk Facebook post. The lawsuit alleges her First Amendment rights were violated when she was fired after sharing the post, and seeks damages and reinstatement. WRIC

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Richmond ReStore Volunteer🛒♻️ Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity. Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity seeks volunteers for its ReStore in the Richmond area to help support its service efforts.

• New report recommends safety changes following Old Dominion University shooting. The report adds fresh scrutiny to campus security in Norfolk, framing the recommendations as both a public safety and higher education issue. WAVY

• Virginia Beach police arrest man in connection with fatal July 9 shooting on Hampshire Lane. Investigators say the arrest marks a significant development in the homicide case. WAVY

• Portsmouth police investigate shooting that injured a juvenile on Jamestown Avenue. The Portsmouth Police Department says the case remains under active investigation. WAVY

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Become a Hospice Pen Pal Volunteer: Share Kindness and Comfort Through Letters Amedisys Hospice Chesapeake. Amedisys Hospice Chesapeake is seeking volunteers in Hampton Roads to share kindness and comfort with hospice patients through letters.

• Charlottesville selects "Rooted" proposal to transform melted Lee statue into a bronze baobab tree. The city chose the design for Market Street Park following a public voting process, though final siting details and timelines are still being worked out. Cville Tomorrow

• Greene County Sheriff and ICE arrested 49 people just days before a new Virginia law would have restricted such cooperation. Local officials and advocates are sharply divided over the operation's timing and its impact on immigrant families in the county. Cville Tomorrow

• Charlottesville advocates launch a new summer count of people experiencing homelessness. The effort aims to supplement the traditional January Point-in-Time count and better inform shelter and housing funding decisions by the city and Albemarle County. Cville Tomorrow

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Habitat for Humanity - Volunteer with Us Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville, VA. This reads as a broad community-service option around Charlottesville, not just another calendar event.

• Fredericksburg City Council approves $1.9 million Axon contract for AI-enhanced police body cameras. The five-year deal adds AI-assisted report drafting, multilingual translation, and expanded in-car cameras, with city attorneys directed to craft civil-liberties safeguards around data use and retention. Fredericksburg Free Press

• Fredericksburg launches citywide sewer cleaning and inspection program. Work begins in the Mayfield neighborhood and continues through October, with officials warning of brief lane closures and minor household plumbing disturbances. Patch

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Administrative Assistance Community Touch, Inc.. Community Touch, Inc. is seeking administrative assistance opportunities in the Fredericksburg region.

• Storms knock out power and down trees across the Central Shenandoah Valley. Public works and utility crews responded to infrastructure damage and blocked roads following the weekend storms. Rocktown Now

• Former Dynamic Aviation employee files lawsuit against the Bridgewater company and two executives. The suit alleges wrongful conduct in employment practices, adding to legal scrutiny of the Rockingham County aviation firm. Rocktown Now

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Volunteer at Harrisonburg Gift and Thrift Gift and Thrift, Inc. ✨ Sort, clean, repair, price, and display items.. Volunteers in Harrisonburg can sort, clean, repair, price, and display items at Gift and Thrift, Inc.

• Roanoke City Council adopts data center ordinance ahead of any formal development proposals. The new rules set zoning standards and design expectations to balance economic development with neighborhood and infrastructure concerns. WSLS

• Western Virginia Water Authority activates first stage of Drought Contingency Plan for the Roanoke area. The authority is asking customers in Roanoke and surrounding localities to voluntarily conserve water as reservoir levels decline. WSLS

• Roanoke police identify officers involved in fatal shooting of man who allegedly cut a woman with a knife. The department released the officers' names as its investigation continues and public attention focuses on use-of-force accountability. Roanoke Times

• Bedford County Board of Supervisors votes to join the Roanoke Regional Partnership. The move aligns Bedford County with the regional economic development group as it works to attract business investment across the Roanoke metro area. WSLS

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Hospice Volunteer Agape Care Group. Agape Care Group in Roanoke is seeking volunteers to support hospice services.

• Hampton Roads: Become a Hospice Pen Pal Volunteer: Share Kindness and Comfort Through Letters Amedisys Hospice Chesapeake. Amedisys Hospice Chesapeake is seeking volunteers in Hampton Roads to share kindness and comfort with hospice patients through letters.