A three-judge panel of the Supreme Court of Virginia declined Attorney General Jay Jones's request to merge four lawsuits — filed in Washington, Lancaster, Fauquier, and Spotsylvania counties — challenging the state's assault-weapons ban, after roughly 90 minutes of arguments in Charlottesville on Tuesday. That means the cases now proceed separately, in venues that have already split: two judges have blocked the law with injunctions, one denied an injunction, and another ruling is still pending. The practical result is a legal geography rather than a law — enforceable in some jurisdictions, enjoined in others, all while the Trump Justice Department pursues its own federal suit. Jones told the Virginia Mercury his office "will continue to fight to enforce the bills that were passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Spanberger"; watch the pending Fauquier ruling for whether the enjoined map grows large enough to make enforcement the exception.

Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi formally asked the State Corporation Commission on Monday to require Dominion Energy and Florida-based NextEra Energy to answer 64 questions about their proposed $67 billion merger before the deal is even filed. The combination would create the largest regulated electric utility in the nation, and Hashmi argues the standard six-month review window is far too short to scrutinize a company that would set rates for most of the Commonwealth. Some lawmakers have flagged NextEra's failed prior bids in Texas, South Carolina, and Hawaii as reason for caution. The signal to watch: whether the SCC agrees to extend the review period — if it does, every ratepayer in Dominion territory gets a longer look at who controls their power bill, and the deal's timeline slips.

The City of Lynchburg has been awarded a $24.5 million U.S. Department of Transportation BUILD grant — roughly 98 percent of its $25 million request — to redesign the US 501/US 221 intersection using a split one-way pair configuration. The project adds roadway capacity, a new flyover bridge over Old Forest Road, and enhanced pedestrian, bike, and transit access; Virginia received $76 million in BUILD funds this year across four projects. For Lynchburg drivers, this is the difference between a chronic bottleneck and a rebuilt corridor — though the payoff is years out, with crews set to break ground in spring 2029. Watch for the city's design and public-comment phases to fill the gap between award and shovel.

Richmond Public Schools leaders voiced frustration Monday night over an $8.9 million shortfall after the final state budget signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger came in well below what the district had planned for. The gap now threatens programming and staffing decisions heading into the 2026–27 school year. This is the downstream cost of the data-center tax fight that derailed budget negotiations and nearly triggered a government shutdown before a late-June compromise. The decision RPS now faces is stark — cut programs or cut people — and whichever it chooses will define the coming school year; watch the board's next meeting for which side of that line they land on.

Virginia Mercury's deep-dive traces how a 2008 sales-tax exemption — originally projected to save the industry about $1.5 million a year — helped make the Commonwealth the backbone of the internet economy, and how that break has now ballooned to roughly $1.9 billion annually in foregone state revenue. Debate over whether to end that incentive is exactly what brought Virginia to the brink of a government shutdown this summer. The tension is now permanent: the industry drives investment and soaring energy demand, while its tax break drains the same treasury that funds schools like Richmond's. What to watch is whether the 2027 session reopens the incentive — because every dollar of exemption is now a dollar someone in Richmond has to explain.

Virginia Task Force One, the Fairfax County-based urban search and rescue team, returned home Monday night after 10 days responding to two earthquakes that struck the Venezuelan coast north of Caracas. The roughly 80 first responders and half-dozen dogs worked over 186 continuous hours across 41 locations, pulling off five live rescues — including a mother and her 9-month-old baby lifted from a collapsed building in a video that went viral. It's a reminder that one of the world's premier disaster teams is headquartered in Northern Virginia and answers when the State Department calls. The deployment is over; what it leaves behind is the neon-green helmet as a Virginia export.

• Prince William County rejects Dulles South data center in Gainesville. The Prince William County Board of Supervisors voted down a proposed data center project in Gainesville, the latest flashpoint in the region's ongoing debate over land use and the rapid expansion of data center development. Potomac Local News

• Alexandria implements new school boundaries and walk zones. The City of Alexandria has put updated school attendance boundaries and walk-zone designations into effect, reshaping where many students will attend school and how they commute to class. ALXnow

• Cherrydale Library supporters push for accessibility upgrades. Arlington advocates are calling for accessibility improvements at Cherrydale Library, arguing the upgrades are essential to securing the branch's long-term future. ARLnow

• Northern Virginia doctor warns of rising Lyme disease risk as tick season peaks. A Northern Virginia physician is urging residents to maintain a high index of suspicion for Lyme disease symptoms as tick activity reaches its seasonal high point. InsideNova

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Adopt-A-Student Program. It is a practical volunteer option for readers who want a concrete shift rather than a calendar outing.

• Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia opens new exhibit for America's 250th. The Richmond museum has debuted an exhibit highlighting Black Virginians' contributions to the nation's history, timed to the approaching 250th anniversary of the United States. WRIC

• Displaced Henrico seniors moving to more permanent housing. Senior residents uprooted by a Henrico County apartment fire are being relocated into more stable, longer-term housing arrangements after months of temporary placements coordinated by county officials and partner agencies. WRIC

• Community continues supporting elderly Petersburg residents after evacuation. After being allowed to return to their apartment complex following a safety-related evacuation, elderly Petersburg residents are still receiving food, supplies, and advocacy from community groups pushing for lasting improvements to living conditions. WRIC

• Richmond towing company warns drivers away from flood-prone Magnolia Street. A Richmond towing company is urging motorists to avoid Magnolia Street after repeated rescues and tows of vehicles stranded by flooding have renewed concerns about the area's drainage infrastructure and signage. WRIC

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

• Greene County Sheriff and ICE arrest 49 people in Ruckersville operation, days before new state law took effect. A joint operation by the Greene County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement resulted in 49 arrests — mostly Latino residents — sparking community fear and sharp debate over racial profiling and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Cville Tomorrow

• Know Your Rights event planned in Ruckersville for July 10. Local advocates are hosting an immigration information session in Ruckersville on Thursday to help residents — particularly those affected by last week's arrests — understand their legal rights and available resources. Cville Tomorrow

• Albemarle County interim superintendent says Hollymead principal will not return, SEL coach role to be cut. Albemarle County Public Schools' interim superintendent announced that Hollymead Elementary principal Kimberly McCauley will not be back next school year and that the school's social-emotional learning coach position is being eliminated, raising concerns among families about student support services. Cville Tomorrow

• Fifeville residents keep fighting proposed seven-story student housing project. Neighbors in Charlottesville's historically Black Fifeville community are continuing to organize against a luxury student housing development near West Main Street, citing fears of displacement, traffic impacts, and the erosion of neighborhood affordability. Cville 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 service opportunities.

• King George Sheriff Steve Giles retiring, asks court to appoint Maj. David Dockery as successor. Sheriff Giles announced he will step down at the end of 2026 and has petitioned the King George Circuit Court to appoint Major David Dockery to serve out the remainder of his term, setting up a leadership transition for the county's law enforcement. Fredericksburg Free Press

• Rappahannock River expected to crest near 15.8 feet at Fredericksburg City Dock. The National Weather Service is projecting the Rappahannock River to reach approximately 15.8 feet at the City Dock early Friday, prompting local emergency officials to closely monitor conditions along the riverfront. Patch

• Stafford County weighs return of BPOL business tax amid pushback. Supervisor Crystal Vanuch raised strong objections at a Stafford County Board of Supervisors meeting to reimplementing the Business, Professional and Occupational License tax, warning it could "crush" small business growth ahead of a public hearing on the proposal. 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 service opportunities with a flexible schedule.

• Grand jury to hear murder case in Williamsburg teenager's shooting death. A local grand jury is set to consider charges in the killing of a Williamsburg teen, advancing the case through the court system following the investigation by area law enforcement. Williamsburg Yorktown Daily

• James City County teen faces DUI manslaughter charge in fatal motorcycle crash. James City County Police announced that a 16-year-old county resident faces multiple charges — including DUI manslaughter and underage possession of alcohol — in connection with a June 28 fatal crash on Riverview Road. James City County

• Drought Warning Advisory issued for James City County. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has extended a Drought Warning Advisory to James City County, with local officials urging residents and businesses to conserve water and prepare for potential restrictions. James City County

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Meal Delivery Drivers Needed! Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, and VA Beach Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia. Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia needs meal delivery drivers in Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach to support older adults in the region.

• Roanoke City Council sends zoning amendments back for a fourth review. Despite warnings from staff and planning officials that repeated delays are creating complications for development, Roanoke City Council again returned a package of proposed zoning ordinance amendments for additional review. Cardinal News

• Virginia Tech prepares for projected decline in graduate student enrollment. Virginia Tech is examining demographic shifts, competition, and programmatic strategies as it braces for an expected drop in graduate enrollment at its Blacksburg campus. Cardinal News

• Mountain Empire Community College closing off-site workforce center, consolidating programs on campus. Mountain Empire Community College will shut its off-campus workforce development center and relocate those job-training programs to its main campus in a cost-cutting restructuring aimed at better serving far Southwest Virginia. Cardinal News

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Companionship Hospice Volunteer-FLEXIBLE HOURS. Affinity Care of Virginia seeks volunteers in Roanoke to provide companionship hospice support with flexible hours.

• Northern Virginia: Adopt-A-Student Program. It is a practical volunteer option for readers who want a concrete shift rather than a calendar outing.

• Hampton Roads: Meal Delivery Drivers Needed! Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, and VA Beach Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia. Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia seeks volunteers in Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach to deliver meals and support older residents.