The General Assembly passed the $205 billion biennial budget in bipartisan votes — 23-16, 71-22 in the House — and HB 30 is now in front of Gov. Abigail Spanberger with a July 1 shutdown deadline looming. The headline fight was settled with a new electricity consumption fee on data centers that lets the state collect up to $600 million a year for the general fund, roughly $1.2 billion over the cycle, according to WJLA and WRIC. "We had to get a budget; we were not gonna let the government be shut down," said lead Senate negotiator Sen. L. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth). Watch the reconvene next week: Spanberger has seven days to sign, amend, or veto, and she's expected to send back changes — possibly touching gun-safety provisions — meaning the deal isn't truly closed until lawmakers vote on her amendments.

Spanberger has billed the new levy as the first statewide energy-consumption tax on data centers anywhere in America — a direct shot at the Northern Virginia corridor that calls itself the data center capital of the world. House members defended the industry's tax breaks by citing the 74,000 jobs and local revenue data centers generate; Senate negotiators countered that the industry needed to pay its fair share, per Virginia Mercury. The stakes for ordinary Virginians are concrete: a February 2026 Clean Virginia report warns data centers' energy needs could double or triple in 15 years, and PJM forecasts the Dominion zone for the nation's biggest summer peak-demand jump through 2030, per the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The open question is whether the tax ultimately gets passed through to ratepayers — watch how the SCC handles Dominion's rate questions next.

Gov. Spanberger signed a bipartisan criminal-justice bill that sharply limits long-term solitary confinement, expands reentry services like job training and mental-health care, and requires the Department of Corrections to publish more about in-custody deaths. In a paired announcement at VADOC headquarters in Richmond, she created the Governor's Community Partnership Council on Corrections, bringing in advocacy groups, faith organizations, healthcare providers, and former prisoners. The administration cites real movement: from January through May, serious inmate-on-staff assaults fell 56%, use of force 39%, and confirmed overdoses 47% versus last year, per 12 On Your Side, with restorative-housing (the state's term for solitary) down 20%. The context is grim — the reforms follow the alleged killing of inmate Aubrey McKay by officers at Wallens Ridge State Prison, now under attorney general investigation — and the council's first stakeholder invitations go out in the coming days.

The Supreme Court of Virginia rejected a challenge from business and utility groups to the Spanberger administration's carbon-pollution limits on fossil-fuel power plants, leaving the rules in force. That preserves the Department of Environmental Quality's authority to set tougher emissions standards — a meaningful win for state climate policy. But it collides with the same forces driving the budget fight: surging data-center electricity demand and the proposed $67 billion Dominion–NextEra merger, which together push for more generation, not less. The signal to watch is whether utilities now lean harder on the SCC and the pending merger review to recover compliance costs from ratepayers.

The Virginia Board of Education advanced new K–12 history and social-science standards to a final adoption vote after a packed hearing where speakers clashed over how race, slavery, and LGBTQ topics should be taught. Supporters frame the revisions as modernized civics aligned with college and career readiness; critics split between those who say they "water down" systemic racism and those who say they inject "ideology" into classrooms. What changes for families: these standards will shape what every public-school student in the Commonwealth learns in social studies for years. Watch the final adoption vote — that's the moment the fight either resolves or escalates into local school-board battles.

Dominion Energy — which powers 3.6 million homes and businesses across Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina — agreed to be sold to Florida's NextEra Energy in a $67 billion all-stock deal that could create the world's largest regulated electric utility. The companies say large-load customers like data centers would pay a fair share through specialized tariffs, and NextEra is dangling $2.25 billion in bill credits over two years after closing, with Dominion keeping its Richmond headquarters and roughly 15,000 employees, per Technical.ly. For Virginians, the timing is the story: an unresolved merger, a brand-new data-center tax, and upheld carbon rules are all moving at once. The signal to watch is sequencing — if the SCC rules on Dominion's rates before settling who even owns the utility, ratepayers could absorb grid costs while the ownership question stays open.

• Manassas City Council commits $6M to affordable housing project. The council approved a $6 million local funding commitment to support the Landing at Cannon Branch, a proposed 100-unit affordable housing development as part of the broader Cannon Branch area redevelopment. Inside Nova

• Haymarket cracks down on e-bikes and scooters. The Town of Haymarket adopted a new ordinance restricting e-bikes and electric scooters on certain sidewalks and public spaces, responding to resident safety concerns about micromobility devices. Prince William Times

• Prince William supervisors delay vote on Nokesville substation tied to data centers. The Prince William Board of County Supervisors postponed a decision on a proposed Dominion Energy electrical substation in Nokesville after residents raised concerns about impacts on rural character, property values, and the environment. Prince William Times

• Kena Shriners launch new medical transport fleet for children. The Kena Shriners in Prince William County debuted a new fleet of vehicles dedicated to transporting local children to Shriners Hospitals and other specialized care facilities, expanding access for families across Northern Virginia. Inside Nova

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Outdoor Party Event Volunteer SERVICESOURCE INC. Northern Virginia volunteers can help with an outdoor party event through SERVICE SOURCE INC.

• Prince George County cyberattack may have exposed residents' personal data. Prince George County officials confirmed that a March cyberattack on county systems may have compromised personal information of residents and employees, with notifications underway and law enforcement and cybersecurity experts engaged. WRIC

• Drones used to smuggle drugs into Prince George federal prison complex. Federal prosecutors say a multi-year operation used drones to drop drugs and contraband into the Federal Correctional Complex in Prince George County and other facilities, resulting in multiple indictments. WRIC

• CARITAS unveils renovated Southside Richmond campus. Richmond nonprofit CARITAS showcased renovations to its South Richmond campus, expanding capacity for recovery, shelter, and workforce programs aimed at addressing homelessness and addiction in the region. WRIC

• Hanover County delays vote on higher data center equipment tax. Hanover County supervisors postponed a decision on raising the local tax rate for data center equipment, directing staff to further study potential economic and competitive impacts before revisiting the proposal. 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.

• Sinkhole swallows vehicle at Norfolk exit ramp. A vehicle was partially swallowed by a sinkhole that opened on a Norfolk exit ramp, prompting a response from city crews and temporarily disrupting traffic while officials assessed infrastructure damage. WAVY

• Virginia Beach police arrest man in Father's Day fatal shooting of his father. Virginia Beach Police report that a man has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of his father during a domestic incident on West Kendall Circle on Father's Day. WAVY

• Jamestown porcelain exhibition wins national history award. The Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg's exhibition "Porcelain in Jamestown? Remarkable Narratives of Virginia 1610–1660" received the National Council on Public History's 2025 Excellence in Exhibition Award, recognizing its innovative interpretation of early Jamestown material culture. WYDaily

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Looking for Crafting Volunteers to Knit/Crochet/Sew for Our Hospice Patients Gentiva Hospice. Gentiva Hospice seeks Hampton Roads volunteers who can knit, crochet, or sew items for hospice patients.

• ICE and Greene County Sheriff's deputies conduct large-scale arrest operation in Ruckersville. Federal ICE agents and Greene County deputies detained numerous Latino residents along U.S. 29 and nearby areas, prompting fear in the community and raising questions about local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Cville Tomorrow

• Two Albemarle County Public Schools staffers arrested on child sex crime charges. Following the arrests of two ACPS employees, local advocates and school officials are sharing counseling resources and guidance to help families talk with children and recognize signs of abuse. Cville Tomorrow

• Eight-story luxury student housing project on West Main Street advances despite opposition. Charlottesville's Planning Commission moved forward with plans for an eight-story luxury student housing building on West Main Street over strong objections from nearby residents concerned about displacement, building scale, and limited affordability. Cville Tomorrow

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Live Music Weekends. Saturday, June 27, 1:00 PM; Chiles Peach Orchard, Crozet. Chiles is in peach season, offering weekend live music with peach ice cream for a dependable family afternoon in Charlottesville.

• Stafford County shifts Rappahannock River crossing alignment away from subdivisions. Stafford County supervisors approved a major change to a future river crossing corridor in their comprehensive plan update, moving the planned alignment away from existing subdivisions with long-term implications for transportation and land use. Potomac Local

• Fredericksburg City Council approves $1M for canal pedestrian bridge improvements. The council approved $1 million for pedestrian bridge upgrades along the canal path, aimed at enhancing safety and connectivity for walkers and cyclists as part of broader trail infrastructure work. Fredericksburg, VA

• Fredericksburg prepares downtown Fourth of July celebration with road closures and fireworks. City officials and police have outlined traffic, parking, and safety plans for an Independence Day celebration featuring a parade and riverfront fireworks show. Potomac Local

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Do you need summer volunteer hours? Join us at Affinity Care Hospice. Affinity Care of Virginia is offering Fredericksburg volunteer opportunities for those seeking summer service hours.

• Roanoke pauses Flock Raven gunshot-detection installation after 16 devices placed in wrong locations. The city halted installation of the audio surveillance devices after discovering that 16 of 52 already-installed units were placed in locations not approved by City Council, raising oversight and privacy concerns. Cardinal News

• Roanoke Valley leaks nearly 5.5 million gallons of water daily as Google seeks 2 million for data center. As Google pursues 2 million gallons of water per day for its planned Montgomery County data center, aging infrastructure leaks across the Roanoke Valley are already losing nearly three times that amount daily, intensifying debate over regional water capacity. Cardinal News

• Virginia steps back from funding technical workforce training as demand grows in Roanoke and New River valleys. State leaders are pulling back support for a program that funded short-term technical training at community colleges, alarming local educators and employers in the Roanoke and New River valleys who are struggling to fill high-demand jobs in data centers, manufacturing, and energy. Cardinal News

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Meals on Wheels Driver Local Office on Aging. Volunteers in Roanoke can help the Local Office on Aging deliver hot weekday lunches to homebound seniors.

• Shenandoah Valley: Therapeutic Horsemanship Volunteers RIDE WITH PRIDE INC. RIDE WITH PRIDE INC seeks volunteers in the Shenandoah Valley to support therapeutic horsemanship service opportunities.

• Fredericksburg: Annual Spotsylvania Stars & Stripes Spectacular. Saturday, June 27, 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM; Spotsylvania Courthouse District. Spotsylvania County’s largest free evening event of the summer returns for its 20th year.

• Charlottesville: Live Music Weekends. Saturday, June 27, 1:00 PM; Chiles Peach Orchard, Crozet. Chiles is in peach season, offering weekend live music with peach ice cream for a dependable family afternoon in Charlottesville.