The Virginia State Corporation Commission has cleared the final regulatory hurdle for Dominion Energy's Golden-to-Mars transmission line, approving a route that runs directly through the backyards of Ashburn residents like Vicky Hu. The eleventh-hour maneuver — the HOA and Loudoun County Public Schools trying to transfer the Route 3A land to a governmental owner immune from condemnation — appears to have collapsed, with the SCC signaling in its June 29 order that LCPS is not immune from condemnation of this particular parcel. Under Virginia law, the SCC's ruling can be appealed only directly to the Supreme Court of Virginia, and Hu told WUSA9 she intends to file. A public meeting ran at the Leesburg Government Center from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Monday — but the observable signal now is whether that appeal lands, and whether the state's highest court wants to touch the question of who gets to say no to the power lines feeding Virginia's data centers.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed the Commonwealth's 2026 biennial budget on June 30, creating a Data Center Electricity Consumption Tax that took effect July 1 — $0.011 per kilowatt-hour, capped at $600 million per fiscal year, with anything above that returned to operators. Williams Mullen and Greenberg Traurig peg the two-year haul at $1.2 billion, and the budget also orders the Department of Environmental Quality to define "Cooling Water Scarcity Areas" by July 1, 2027, where cooling-water evaporation could threaten local water supplies. The catch, flagged in The American Prospect's July 6 analysis: the sales-and-use tax exemption that let data centers pocket $2 billion last year survived untouched. As Ben Verschoor of the Southwest Virginia Data Center Transparency Alliance put it, "It doesn't totally surprise me that there was some kind of compromise... but it is still just extremely disappointing." Watch fiscal 2027 collections — if they overshoot $600 million, the refund clause means faster growth yields Virginia zero extra revenue.

Buried in Spanberger's June 26 budget amendments — since adopted and enacted — was a change moving the effective date of the new assault-firearm carry-and-transport ban (SB727/HB1524) all the way to July 1, 2027. Per NRA-ILA, the delay appears driven by a drafting quirk: as written, the law would have unintentionally expanded gun rights in a narrow set of circumstances. That buys the General Assembly a year to fix the language — and buys Virginians a year before restrictions on moving semi-automatic firearms around the state kick in. It stacks on top of an already-fractured landscape, where the companion transfer ban sits under statewide injunctions and a federal challenge.

The Washington County Circuit Court has issued a statewide preliminary injunction halting enforcement of Virginia's newly enacted "assault firearm" and magazine bans, with Judge Jeffrey L. Campbell finding the laws likely violate Article I, Section 13 of the Virginia Constitution. That ruling in Santolla v. Katz came just four days after Lancaster County Judge John Martin issued a one-month injunction in Crump v. Katz — and the NRA, Second Amendment Foundation, and Firearms Policy Coalition have a federal suit, McDonald v. Katz, running in the Eastern District. Attorney General Jay Jones announced an appeal to the Virginia Court of Appeals on June 26. The fight is now proceeding on at least four tracks at once; the signal to watch is whether these cases consolidate or stay a patchwork, with the same law blocked in some courts and litigated in others.

Virginia's pay transparency law (SB 215/HB 636) took effect July 1, requiring employers to post a wage, salary, or pay range in every public and internal job listing and barring them from asking about or relying on a candidate's salary history. It also blocks retaliation against applicants who won't hand over their wage history and mandates written notice before a lawsuit, giving employers 15 business days to fix a noncompliant posting. The wrinkle Virginia Lawyers Weekly flags: the statute demands a "good faith" number, not a realistic one — so job seekers get a figure, but not always a meaningful one. For anyone applying for a job in the Commonwealth this summer, that posted range is now a legal artifact worth reading closely.

A Flood Watch took hold across central, eastern, and northern Virginia through Monday night, ending Alexandria's six-day dangerous-heat stretch but swapping one hazard for another. The National Weather Service warned that "a very moist air mass and slow storm motions will allow for heavy rain rates and potential flash flooding," with localized totals topping 3–4 inches possible where storms train over the same ground; the watch covers Arlington, Falls Church, Alexandria, Eastern Loudoun, Fairfax, and much of Central Virginia. Meanwhile, the NWS Wakefield office circulated a decision-support briefing to state and local agencies warning of a prolonged, widespread heat wave later in the week — heat index values potentially hitting 105–110+ degrees Thursday through Saturday. The whipsaw matters: flooded roads now, grid strain and cooling-center demand by the weekend, and vulnerable residents caught between both.

• Fairfax doctor warns of rising Lyme disease risk as tick season peaks. A Fairfax-based infectious disease specialist is urging Northern Virginia residents to maintain a high index of suspicion for Lyme disease symptoms, warning that early recognition and treatment are critical to preventing serious complications. Inside Nova

• Prince William County opens $1.6M sprayground at Catharpin Regional Park. The new water-play facility opens today, giving families a way to beat the summer heat and expanding public recreation options in the county. Prince William Times

• Prince William County police stations serving as cooling centers amid dangerous heat. With temperatures posing health risks, Prince William County police stations have opened their doors as cooling centers while local health officials warn residents — particularly vulnerable populations — about heat-related illness. Prince William Times

• Sprouts Farmers Market sets September opening on Arlington's Langston Boulevard. The new grocery store will bring an additional retail option to the corridor as redevelopment along Langston Boulevard continues to take shape. ARLnow

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Loudoun Youth - Community Builders - Claude Moore. Sterling’s Claude Moore Community Builders program matches teen participants with local nonprofits for volunteer internships.

• Fire destroys former Good Shepherd Baptist Church in Richmond's Church Hill. A large blaze heavily damaged the historic structure, drawing a multi-unit response from Richmond Fire as investigators work to determine the cause and neighbors mourn the loss of a longstanding community landmark. 8News WRIC

• 80-year-old killed, Richmond man charged in head-on crash in Nottoway County. Virginia State Police say the collision on Route 460 near Plum Street shut down the roadway and remains under active investigation. 8News WRIC

• Goochland County resident pushes back on proposed shooting range location. A county resident is asking local officials to reconsider the site of a planned shooting range, citing concerns about noise, safety, and proximity to homes as the project moves through the zoning review process. 8News WRIC

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Hygiene drive - From the Heart Stitchers. From the Heart Stitchers is collecting donated items for hygiene bags for unsheltered people in Chesterfield County.

• Suspect killed by Portsmouth police during hostage standoff on Commonwealth Avenue. Officers fatally shot a male suspect who had allegedly held a woman inside a home; the woman was safely rescued and no officers were injured. WAVY

• Four shot, including a juvenile, in Chesapeake. Chesapeake Police say three men and a juvenile were injured in a residential-area shooting, with all victims hospitalized and investigators still working to establish what led to the incident. WAVY

• Man seriously injured in shooting on North Armistead Avenue in Hampton. Hampton Police are investigating after a man was found with serious gunshot wounds and transported to a local hospital; no suspect information has been released. WAVY

• 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 help share summertime joy through service in Hampton Roads.

• Hollymead Elementary principal not returning; Albemarle County schools to cut social-emotional learning coach role. Interim Superintendent announced that Principal Michael McCauley will not be back next year and that the school's social-emotional learning coach position will be eliminated, drawing concern from parents about leadership stability and student support. Cville Tomorrow

• Fifeville residents continue fighting proposed seven-story luxury student housing project. Neighbors are organizing against the West Main Street development over concerns about displacement, affordability, and neighborhood character as the project advances through Charlottesville's review process. Cville Tomorrow

• Jefferson-Madison Regional Library drops most overdue fines starting July 1. The library system, serving Charlottesville, Albemarle, and surrounding counties, eliminated the fees to reduce financial barriers and promote more equitable access to library materials. Cville Tomorrow

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

• 19-year-old Spotsylvania man killed in early-morning crash. Virginia State Police are investigating the single-vehicle crash, with speed and roadway conditions among the factors under review. Potomac Local News

• Fredericksburg seeks private partners to redevelop historic Renwick Courthouse complex. The city has issued a request for qualifications for an adaptive reuse project that would preserve the landmark while introducing new civic, cultural, or commercial uses. 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.

• 17-year-old James City County driver charged with DUI manslaughter in fatal motorcycle crash. The teenager faces multiple charges after a Sunday morning crash that killed a motorcyclist, according to local authorities. Virginia Gazette

• James City County deputy cleared after shooting suspect who fired into SUV carrying three children. An investigative report found the deputy justified in using force during the May incident, in which a suspect discharged a weapon into an occupied vehicle. Virginia Gazette

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

• Rosie's Gaming Emporium advances plans for new locations in Pulaski and Amherst counties. Local officials are weighing the economic development potential — including jobs and tourism revenue — against community concerns about gambling and land use as the projects move forward. Cardinal News

• Roanoke College launches artificial intelligence program for working professionals. The Salem institution is expanding its workforce development offerings with a new AI-focused program aimed at regional employers and adults seeking to build technology skills. Cardinal News

• Morotock Lofts breaks ground in the River District. The new apartment project marks another step in ongoing redevelopment efforts aimed at expanding downtown housing and mixed-use investment in the region. Cardinal News

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Meals on Wheels Driver Local Office on Aging. Local Office on Aging in Roanoke seeks volunteers to deliver weekday lunches to homebound older adults.

• Roanoke: Meals on Wheels Driver Local Office on Aging. Local Office on Aging in Roanoke seeks volunteers to deliver weekday lunches to homebound older adults.