Overnight thunderstorms tore across Central and Eastern Virginia, cutting power to more than 100,000 Dominion Energy customers and damaging both distribution lines and some transmission equipment from the Richmond metro through the Tri-Cities and into Hampton Roads. Dominion spokesperson Jeremy Slayton warned that heavily damaged pockets could stay dark for more than 24 hours, with hospitals, public safety facilities and critical infrastructure prioritized for repair. The timing could not be worse: crews are racing to restore service just as forecasters warn of heat index values near 115 degrees through the weekend, meaning air conditioning failures collide with the most dangerous heat of the year. Watch how quickly Dominion clears the worst pockets — outages lingering into Saturday would turn a storm story into a heat-emergency one.

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday in the Eastern District of Virginia challenging SB 749 — the state's new ban on the import, sale, manufacture, purchase and transfer of "assault firearms" — arguing it violates the Second Amendment. The suit lands atop a tangle already unfolding in state courts: judges in Lancaster and Washington counties issued preliminary injunctions, a Spotsylvania judge declined to block enforcement, and a Fauquier judge hasn't ruled. Because the Virginia State Police superintendent is a defendant in the Lancaster case, Attorney General Jay Jones's office says state police won't enforce the ban statewide "in the interest of uniformity and certainty" — but stressed the laws remain in force and don't bind local police who weren't named. The signal to watch is Monday, July 6, when a Virginia Supreme Court panel hears whether to consolidate the four circuit-court cases into one — the fastest path to a definitive answer on whether the ban is real.

A federal judge in Alexandria issued a preliminary injunction stopping the Department of Homeland Security from enforcing new immigration-related data-sharing requirements on local governments, including Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties. The counties and advocacy groups argued the rules would force them to hand over extensive resident information and erode trust with immigrant communities. For now, those localities are not required to turn over the data while the case proceeds — a meaningful reprieve for Northern Virginia's large immigrant population. The Eastern District of Virginia has become a recurring venue for federal-power fights; watch whether DHS appeals, which would push the question toward the Fourth Circuit.

A federal judge blocked enforcement of Virginia's new statute barring law-enforcement officers from wearing masks during public demonstrations, after the DOJ backed a DHS challenge arguing the law unconstitutionally regulates federal personnel. The injunction prevents the state from applying the restriction to federal officers while the case proceeds. The Supremacy Clause logic here — a state can't dictate how federal agents operate — mirrors the argument in the gun-ban fight, and it puts Attorney General Jay Jones's office in the position of defending multiple state statutes against parallel federal suits at once. Watch whether the same reasoning is aimed next at Virginia's other laws touching federal operations.

In an emergency session that ran late Thursday into early Friday, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted to expedite land-use approvals for two Dominion Energy substations serving the Ashburn data center corridor. Dominion told supervisors that without new infrastructure, rapid hyperscale expansion could trigger localized reliability problems during extreme heat — affecting data centers and nearby homes alike. Chair Phyllis Randall framed the move as balancing Loudoun's role carrying the bulk of global internet traffic against the risk of neighborhood brownouts. With this week's heat wave straining the grid, the observable signal is simple: whether the corridor makes it through the weekend without conservation advisories.

One aircrewman remains missing after an MH-60S helicopter assigned to USS George H.W. Bush made an emergency landing Wednesday at 3:30 a.m. Eastern in the Arabian Sea; three of the four crew members were recovered and are in stable condition aboard the carrier. The squadron is HSC-5, the "Nightdippers," embarked as part of Carrier Air Wing 7 out of Naval Air Station Norfolk — making this a Hampton Roads story as much as a Middle East one. The Navy says there's no indication of hostile action, and the cause is under investigation. [DEVELOPING] — U.S. assets in the region continue searching, and it marks the second U.S. military helicopter crash requiring a crew rescue in the region in recent weeks.

Lawmakers approved a roughly $205 billion biennial budget after a monthslong standoff, ultimately keeping Virginia's data center tax exemption in place — with the issue slated to return in 2028. Gov. Abigail Spanberger also added a budget amendment establishing Oak Hill State Park in Loudoun County, though that piece still needs General Assembly approval. The outcome matters most in Loudoun and Prince William, where the corridor carries the bulk of global internet traffic and will keep operating under the existing incentive framework. Watch the 2028 revisit — and whether grid strain like this week's forces the debate open sooner than the calendar suggests.

• McLean cul-de-sac plants 507 flags for America's 250th. A McLean neighborhood community marked the upcoming semiquincentennial by lining streets and yards with 507 American flags, reflecting grassroots civic organizing around the commemoration. Inside Nova

• Sheetz opens its 10th Loudoun County location. The convenience store chain continues its expansion along Northern Virginia commuter corridors, adding fuel, food, and employment options in the county. Inside Nova

• Stafford County reviews 11 data center applications amid state incentive fight. Stafford County officials are weighing traffic, noise, and tax impacts from 11 pending data center proposals as a state-level budget dispute over industry incentives threatens to reshape how such projects are financed and regulated. Potomac Local

• Alexandria's Community Police Review Board rejects "incomplete" in-custody death report. The board sent back an internal police report on an in-custody death, demanding more information and underscoring local concerns about accountability and transparency. ALXnow

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Volunteer to Save Arlington Deer No Killing Deer in Arlington. Northern Virginia volunteers can help support Arlington deer conservation efforts through a local service opportunity focused on preventing deer killings.

• Richmond cancels July 4 fireworks and Dogwood Dell celebration over extreme heat. City officials called off the annual Fourth of July event, citing unacceptable health and safety risks from expected triple-digit temperatures. The Richmonder

• Henrico and Chesterfield shift July 4 event timing as heat wave persists. Both counties moved their Independence Day celebrations earlier in the day to reduce heat exposure for attendees, according to local reporting on the regional response to the heat emergency. The Richmonder

• Two Chesterfield County officers shot in domestic dispute return home. The officers, who were injured responding to a domestic disturbance and spent an extended period hospitalized, have been discharged, marking a significant milestone in their recovery. WRIC

• Chippenham Hospital burn unit warns of fireworks dangers ahead of holiday. With the region under extreme heat and holiday fireworks use peaking, Chippenham's burn unit issued a public safety reminder about preventable injuries from improper fireworks handling. WRIC

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Hygiene drive - From the Heart Stitchers. It is a practical volunteer option for readers who want a concrete shift rather than a calendar outing.

• Amazon denies unsafe heat conditions at Suffolk fulfillment center. Amazon disputed workers' allegations that months-long cooling failures have turned the Suffolk warehouse into a dangerous "hot box," while employees describe frequent medical calls and sweltering conditions. WAVY

• Four children injured after fire pit flames spread in Virginia Beach backyard. Virginia Beach Fire Department responded to the accident and transported the injured children to a local hospital, reminding residents about outdoor fire safety ahead of the holiday weekend. WAVY

• Hampton man shot multiple times on Shell Road. Hampton Police report the victim was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, and investigators are working to identify suspects in the altercation. 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 help share summertime joy as part of hospice service opportunities.

• Hollymead Elementary principal not returning; SEL coach position eliminated. Albemarle County Public Schools interim superintendent announced that principal John McCauley will not return next school year and that the school's social emotional learning coach role will be cut, raising community concerns about student support and leadership stability. Cville Tomorrow

• Fifeville residents keep fighting proposed seven-story student housing complex. Charlottesville's Fifeville neighborhood is pushing back against a 240-plus-unit luxury student housing project near UVA, with residents citing displacement, building height, and affordability concerns as the proposal returns to city review. Cville Tomorrow

• Jefferson-Madison Regional Library drops most overdue fines starting July 1. The library system, serving Charlottesville and surrounding Piedmont counties, eliminated overdue fees for most materials to reduce barriers for low-income patrons, though replacement costs for lost items still apply. Cville Tomorrow

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Food Equity Volunteer Bread Across Borders ✨ Sort and deliver food boxes. Volunteers in Charlottesville can sort and deliver food boxes as part of a food equity service opportunity.

• Extreme heat cuts short Ferry Farm 250th anniversary event; local July 4 plans adjusted. A 250th anniversary celebration at George Washington's Ferry Farm in Stafford was curtailed due to dangerous temperatures, prompting Stafford County and Fredericksburg officials to add cooling precautions to upcoming Fourth of July festivities. Potomac Local

• Stafford County School Board restores deferred spending after receiving $30.4 million in new state aid. The board voted to reinstate previously deferred staffing and program items and reduce its local funding request to the Board of Supervisors following an infusion of additional state education dollars. Potomac Local

• Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources patrols Occoquan River for Operation Dry Water. Officers conducted sobriety checks and safety inspections on the Occoquan River ahead of the holiday weekend as part of the statewide effort to reduce alcohol-related boating incidents. Potomac Local

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

• Roanoke named an All-America City for the ninth time. The national honor recognizes the city's civic engagement, economic opportunity, and community resilience initiatives, with Cardinal News detailing the local partnerships that secured the award. Cardinal News

• Carilion Clinic launches new cancer treatment clinical trial in Roanoke. The Roanoke-based health system has opened enrollment in a new oncology clinical trial, expanding access to cutting-edge therapies for Southwest Virginia patients. Cardinal News

• Roanoke County charges 19-year-old Jazaria English in malicious wounding case. English, of Roanoke City, and a juvenile have both been charged in connection with the incident, according to the county's latest public safety update. Roanoke County

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Meals on Wheels Driver Local Office on Aging. Volunteer drivers for the Local Office on Aging in Roanoke deliver weekday hot lunches to seniors who cannot leave home.

• Northern Virginia: Volunteer to Save Arlington Deer No Killing Deer in Arlington. Northern Virginia volunteers can help support Arlington deer conservation efforts through a local service opportunity focused on preventing deer killings.

• Charlottesville: Food Equity Volunteer Bread Across Borders ✨ Sort and deliver food boxes. Volunteers in Charlottesville can sort and deliver food boxes as part of a food equity service opportunity.