A Virginia Supreme Court panel denied Attorney General Jay Jones's request to fold four separate challenges to the state's new assault weapons ban into a single case, per WWBT NBC12. After roughly 90 minutes of arguments in Charlottesville on Monday, the panel ruled the challenges will proceed in separate jurisdictions — which is exactly the messy outcome Jones was trying to avoid. Right now two judges have blocked the law with injunctions, one denied an injunction, and another ruling is still pending, meaning whether you can legally buy or transfer an assault weapon in Virginia depends on which courthouse you're standing near. Watch how the conflicting rulings shake out venue by venue this summer — and whether the U.S. Supreme Court, expected to weigh in on similar bans this fall, renders the whole state fight moot.

The U.S. Department of Justice filed suit in the Eastern District of Virginia challenging Senate Bill 749, naming the Commonwealth and the Virginia Department of State Police as defendants and asking the court to permanently block enforcement. The filing followed a Lancaster County judge's temporary injunction in Crump v. Katz, which already bars State Police from enforcing the law while that challenge proceeds. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, who leads the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, said flatly: "On April 10, I promised Governor Spanberger that we would sue Virginia if she signed this unconstitutional weapons ban into law. I keep my promises." So Jones is now defending the ban on two fronts at once — in fractured state courts and against the federal government in Alexandria — and the observable signal is whether he can secure a stay before either front produces a binding ruling.

The State Corporation Commission issued its final order approving Route 3A for the Golden-Mars transmission line, sending nearly 200-foot monopoles through the Loudoun Valley Estates subdivision — including directly through the yard of Ashburn resident Vicky Hu, who has lived there 20 years. Hours later, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution signed by Chair Phyllis Randall demanding the county School Board hold an emergency meeting before July 20 to consider offering its own property for an alternative route. That date isn't arbitrary: the SCC loses jurisdiction to change the order on July 20, exactly 21 days after issuance. Per the Piedmont Environmental Council, Golden-Mars is the final leg of a three-part loop built specifically to feed "Data Center Alley," so if the School Board doesn't act in time, the SCC's word becomes functionally final and Hu's backyard becomes infrastructure.

Richmond Public Schools leaders vented frustration Monday night after discovering an $8.9 million hole: they built their June budget on the House version of the state budget, which projected $20.1 million in state funding, but the final budget signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivered just $11.2 million. Board member Anne Holton, representing the 6th District, said the estimates "were way off the mark — it just doesn't make sense." The gap traces mostly to the elimination of a one-time flexible funding proposal the district had earmarked for 4% raises, special education investments, and school-funding-formula modernization. This lands on a district already closing Richmond Virtual Academy and cutting teacher coverage pay, so watch which of those promised investments RPS reverses first.

Virginia's new pay transparency law, from Senate Bill 215 and House Bill 636 and codified at Va. Code § 40.1-28.7:12, took effect July 1. Employers can no longer ask about or rely on a candidate's salary history, and every internal and external job posting must now include a wage or pay range set in "good faith." The catch, per Virginia Lawyers Weekly, is that "good faith" is a soft standard — the law requires a number, not necessarily a realistic one. Employers get 15 business days to fix a noncompliant posting and workers must give written notice before suing, so the early test will be whether posted ranges narrow into something useful or balloon into meaningless spreads.

Virginia Mercury published a deep-dive Monday tracing how Loudoun County came to house the world's largest concentration of data centers — a boom that now sends more than $100 million annually to Loudoun's schools and government and has let the county cut homeowner real estate rates for a decade straight. The counterweight arrived July 1: a new electricity consumption tax of $0.011 per kWh, which Kiplinger and Williams Mullen describe as the nation's first tax on data center power use. The budget keeps the industry's long-standing equipment sales-tax exemption intact but redirects the new revenue to absorb regional growth costs — closing transit deficits in Arlington and Alexandria and shoring up Fairfax County Public Schools and WMATA. The first collection period runs July 1 through September 1, with payment due in September — and a refund clause kicks in if collections top $600 million, so the question is whether Virginia's newest revenue stream is designed to grow or to cap itself.

• Northern Virginia doctor warns of peak Lyme disease risk. A Fairfax-area infectious disease physician is urging residents to maintain a high index of suspicion for Lyme disease during tick season's peak, recommending early testing and treatment for flu-like symptoms following possible tick exposure. Inside Nova

• Prince William supervisors vote on massive 1,940-acre data center proposal. The Prince William Board of County Supervisors is deciding today on a sweeping data center development that could significantly reshape the county's economy, traffic, and surrounding residential and environmental areas. Potomac Local

• House committee moves to compel testimony from Arlington Commonwealth's Attorney. A Virginia House committee is seeking to force Commonwealth's Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti to testify in an escalating dispute over her office's prosecutorial decisions. ARLnow

• Alexandria police release details on $35,000 Old Town jewelry smash-and-grab. Investigators have shared suspect descriptions and a timeline of the targeted robbery at an Old Town Alexandria jewelry store, asking the public for help identifying those responsible. ALXnow

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Donations- Oakton High School Pantry Oakton High School Pantry. This reads as a broad community-service option around Northern Virginia, not just another calendar event.

• Richmond business owner describes losses from CSX train derailment near Dock Street. A business owner near Dock Street says the CSX freight derailment — which sent rail cars into the canal and forced closures of nearby streets and the Capital Trail — has cost them revenue and access, as city stabilization and cleanup work continues. WRIC

• Richmond Department of Public Utilities repairs broken 36-inch water main along canal. Crews are working to fix a major water main break that caused low or no pressure for some city customers over the holiday weekend, with service largely restored but pressure still reduced in some areas. WRIC

• Elderly residents at Legacy at Imperial Village go days without air conditioning in summer heat. Tenants at the already-troubled Richmond senior apartment complex report relying on box fans and open windows as management faces pressure to restore functioning air conditioning. WRIC

• Large commercial fire on Val Park Drive draws dozens of Goochland County firefighters. Multiple agencies responded to a heavy blaze at a commercial building in Goochland County, containing the fire without serious injuries but leaving the property significantly damaged. 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.

• Suspect killed by police during hostage situation in Portsmouth. Portsmouth police responded to a hostage-related operation on Commonwealth Avenue that ended with officers fatally shooting the suspect. WAVY

• Virginia Beach veterinary hospital on heightened security after former client assaults staff. A former client allegedly attacked staff members and damaged property at a Virginia Beach veterinary hospital, prompting the facility to increase security measures. WAVY

• Norfolk's corpse flower "Lady Macdeath" nearing end of rare bloom. The corpse flower at a Norfolk venue is finishing its brief and pungent bloom cycle, drawing visitors who wanted a glimpse of the unusual botanical event before it closes for what could be years. WAVY

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: SHARE SUMMERTIME JOY AS A HOSPICE VOLUNTEER (Virginia Beach area) Enhabit Hospice ✨ Provide friendship and socialization. Enhabit Hospice in the Virginia Beach area is seeking volunteers in Hampton Roads to offer friendship and social connection during the summer.

• Hollymead Elementary principal Patrick McCauley will not return; social-emotional learning coach role cut. Albemarle County Public Schools interim superintendent confirmed McCauley's departure and the elimination of the school's social-emotional learning coach position, drawing concern from parents about leadership continuity and student support. Cville Tomorrow

• Fifeville neighbors press fight against seven-story luxury student housing project. Charlottesville's Fifeville neighborhood continues to oppose a proposed 228-unit luxury student housing complex, citing concerns about displacement, building height, and affordability as the project moves through city review. Cville Tomorrow

• Jefferson-Madison Regional Library eliminates most overdue fines. The library system serving Charlottesville, Albemarle, Greene, Louisa, and neighboring localities dropped overdue fees on most materials starting July 1 to lower barriers for low-income patrons, while retaining charges for lost or long-overdue items. Cville Tomorrow

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

• Fatal crash kills 19-year-old Spotsylvania man. The Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office is investigating an early-morning collision that claimed the life of a 19-year-old county resident. Potomac Local

• Fourth of July at Ferry Farm draws crowds to Stafford County. George Washington's Ferry Farm in Stafford County hosted a public Independence Day celebration, drawing community members to the historic site along the Rappahannock River. Potomac Local

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

• Dynamic Aviation faces federal discrimination lawsuit from former employee. A former employee has filed a federal suit against Rockingham County-based Dynamic Aviation, alleging discrimination and retaliation; the company has denied the claims as the case proceeds through court. Rocktown Now

• Weekend storms knock out power and down trees across Harrisonburg area. Severe storms brought down trees and power lines in Harrisonburg and surrounding counties, with utility crews working to restore service and clear debris in the days since. Rocktown Now

• Shenandoah 12U softball team wins state championship. The Shenandoah County 12U softball squad captured a state title in dominant fashion, with local families and officials planning recognition events to celebrate the young players. Page Valley News

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Volunteer at Harrisonburg Gift and Thrift Gift and Thrift, Inc.. Volunteer with Harrisonburg Gift and Thrift, Inc. in the Shenandoah Valley.

• Roanoke City Council votes to end gunshot audio detection program. Council members voted to discontinue the Raven gunshot audio device program following public complaints and revelations that dozens of sensors had been installed at locations not approved by the council. Cardinal News

• Morotock Lofts breaks ground in Roanoke's River District. A new apartment development has broken ground in the River District, adding housing supply to a part of downtown Roanoke that has seen steady redevelopment investment. Cardinal News

• Rosie's Gaming Emporium moves forward with Pulaski County location. Plans are advancing for a Rosie's Gaming Emporium in Pulaski County, a development that could bring new jobs and tax revenue while also generating the local debate that typically accompanies gaming proposals. Cardinal News

• Roanoke College launches AI training program for working professionals. The Salem-based college has introduced an artificial intelligence curriculum aimed at professionals already in the workforce, connecting higher education directly to regional workforce development needs. Cardinal News

• 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: Donations- Oakton High School Pantry Oakton High School Pantry. This reads as a broad community-service option around Northern Virginia, not just another calendar event.