A worker opened fire at the United Rentals location on Wellington Road in Manassas on Tuesday, killing Richard Lamot, 48, and Christopher Serrano, 33, and critically injuring a third coworker, according to NBC Washington. The suspect, 37-year-old Marvin Grant, fled the scene and triggered a statewide manhunt before dying by suicide in Augusta County — meaning a Northern Virginia workplace shooting played out across half the Commonwealth before it ended. The response pulled in law enforcement from multiple jurisdictions, and the investigation into motive remains open. Watch for the condition of the surviving victim and any details on what preceded the shooting.

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As of Wednesday, Virginia's Clean Slate Act automatically seals certain misdemeanor records — including specified trespassing, petit-larceny and disorderly-conduct convictions, plus prior marijuana-possession records — without the person having to petition a court, per FOX 5 DC. On the same day, oversight and retail licensing for tobacco and nicotine products shifted to the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority, putting vape shops and tobacco retailers under a new regulator. The sealing affects eligible residents whose old convictions have followed them into job and housing applications; the licensing change gives ABC fresh enforcement power over a category it didn't control last week. The open question is implementation speed — how fast courts and record systems actually scrub the data, and whether ABC flags early compliance failures that expose retailers to penalties.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced Tuesday that $16.5 million in Defense Community Infrastructure Program grants will flow into Hampton Roads, with the largest share — $13.1 million — going to the Hampton Roads Sanitation District for sewer work tied to Naval Station Norfolk, per WAVY. Portsmouth gets $3 million for wastewater upgrades linked to Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, and York County receives $313,000 for a pedestrian crosswalk near Joint Base Langley-Eustis. With state and local matches, the package underwrites $23.5 million in projects — a reminder that the region's civilian water and road systems and its military bases are financially inseparable. The signal to watch is whether these DCIP awards keep pace as federal defense priorities shift under a Pentagon actively restructuring its command.

Loudoun Supervisor Laura TeKrony testified Tuesday before the State Corporation Commission that the proposed Morrisville-to-Wishing Star transmission line is driven by data centers, not ordinary growth — citing Dominion's own statement to the county board that data centers account for roughly 90% of Northern Virginia's load growth. She urged regulators to verify Dominion's forecasts before approving the 500 kV line, pointing to data-center projects that have been withdrawn, denied, or paused. The 500 kV line would run from Fauquier County's Morrisville Substation north through Prince William to the Wishing Star Substation near Arcola. The SCC extended the public comment deadline to October 30 — so the paper fight over whether the demand is even real continues for another month.

Dominion Energy, Transource and FirstEnergy announced route changes Tuesday for the Valley Link project, a planned 765-kilovolt line running roughly 115 miles from Lynchburg to Culpeper, according to Virginia Mercury. The companies are winnowing their alternatives before presenting a preferred route to the SCC, which means landowners along the corridor are learning whether the towers now miss — or newly cross — their property. For communities between Lynchburg and Culpeper, the shift turns an abstract map into a concrete question about easements and sightlines. Watch for the preferred-route filing at the SCC, the moment the alternatives collapse into one proposal residents can formally fight.

Richmond officials are assembling a 2027 General Assembly agenda that seeks $100 million in fiscal 2028 for combined-sewer-overflow work, plus renter protections, anti-displacement programs, and a constitutional amendment enabling a long-term owner-occupancy program, per Virginia Public Media. The sewer money targets a federally mandated cleanup that's been draining city budgets for years; the housing measures aim at displacement pressure in a tightening market. City Council is expected to approve the final plan October 13, before members meet their state delegation at an October 19 legislative summit. Whether a city request survives contact with the legislature depends on that summit — the first test of how much appetite Richmond's delegation has for a nine-figure sewer bill.

Bishop Michael Burbidge asked Virginia Catholics to spend October fasting and praying to defeat two proposed constitutional amendments — one protecting abortion rights, one protecting same-sex marriage — that appear on the November 3 ballot, per the Daily Signal. Both cleared the General Assembly in two consecutive sessions, the procedural bar required to reach voters, so the ballot is set and the fight is now purely over turnout and persuasion. For Virginians, this is the rare year when rights that have lived in statute or court rulings get written into — or kept out of — the constitution itself. The observable signal is the November 3 result; the voter registration deadline is October 23.

• Garbage truck driver charged in fatal Fairfax City bicycle crash. Lawrence Onley, 46, was charged with careless driving and infliction of injury or death on a vulnerable road user after a Sept. 9 crash killed a 13-year-old bicyclist in Fairfax City. WTOP

• Two killed, one wounded in Manassas workplace shooting. A man fatally shot two co-workers and wounded a third at a Manassas-area business before killing himself, according to police. WTOP

• Alexandria releases draft land-use plan for Duke Street corridor. The city's draft plan could reshape transportation, housing, commercial development, and public spaces along one of Alexandria's major east-west corridors. ALXnow

• Prince William survivor speaks out against hearing involving the "Ocean View Rapist." A Prince William County survivor said she was "beyond horrified" by a public board hearing involving the convicted serial offender, raising concerns about how violent-crime victims are treated in official proceedings. Potomac Local

• 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.

• Man critically injured in Richmond Northside shooting. A man was shot on St. John Street and is fighting for his life, with Richmond police investigating the circumstances. WRIC

• Virginia State University sued over alleged discrimination against Christian student groups. A lawsuit claims VSU discriminated against Christian student organizations in how it handles campus group recognition, a case that could affect student-group policies at the Chesterfield County university. WRIC

• Rabid bat found inside Hopewell resident's bedroom. A bat discovered inside a Hopewell home tested positive for rabies, prompting public-health reminders that bat bites can be difficult to detect and require prompt medical evaluation. WRIC

• Sylvia's Sisters supplies Richmond-area schools with period products. The Richmond nonprofit is distributing menstrual products to area schools to support student health and reduce attendance barriers tied to lack of access. WRIC

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Respite Care Volunteers — Giving Caregivers Relief ACG Hospice Virginia ✨ Provide companionship and emotional support. ACG Hospice Virginia seeks volunteers in Richmond to offer companionship and emotional support, helping give caregivers a needed break.

• Portsmouth police find human remains in backyard, homeowner charged with murder. Officers executing a search warrant at an Elliott Avenue home discovered what were reported as dismembered and burned human remains; the homeowner has been charged with murder. WAVY

• Norfolk Fire-Rescue pulls two people from water near Norfolk International Terminals. Crews rescued two individuals after their Jet Ski became disabled in the waters near the terminal, highlighting a notable maritime emergency in the port area. WAVY

• Phillips Corp. to open $2 million industrial-training center in Portsmouth. The facility, set to open October 28 near Norfolk Naval Shipyard, will offer hands-on industrial-maintenance and mechatronics training to help address Hampton Roads' shortage of skilled technicians. The Virginian-Pilot

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Volunteers Needed in Norfolk to Spend Time with Hospice Patients - FLEXIBLE HOURS Suncrest Hospice ✨ Provide friendly vi. Suncrest Hospice in Norfolk seeks volunteers in Hampton Roads for flexible hours to spend time with hospice patients and offer friendly visits.

• David Storm appointed to Albemarle County School Board. The board unanimously selected Storm to fill the at-large vacancy left by Allison Spillman; he will serve through December 2027 and is set to be sworn in at the Oct. 8 meeting. Charlottesville Tomorrow

• Speed cameras activated on Hydraulic Road near Albemarle High School. Two new school-zone enforcement cameras near the Lambs Lane campus — which also serves Journey Middle School and Greer Elementary School — will issue warnings now, with $100 civil citations beginning Oct. 21 for drivers exceeding the limit by more than 10 mph. Charlottesville Tomorrow

• Fluvanna food pantry serves residents with few other options. A report on the county's food pantry highlights how rural geography and the absence of public transportation make it a lifeline, especially for older residents who struggle to reach other assistance. Charlottesville Tomorrow

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Kid-friendly volunteers needed at Virginia Discovery Museum Virginia Discovery Museum ✨ Maintain galleries and run museu. The Virginia Discovery Museum in Charlottesville seeks kid-friendly volunteers to help maintain galleries and support museum activities.

• Staunton police chief issues statement on officer-involved Walmart shooting. Chief Jim Williams publicly addressed the Sept. 22 shooting at the Staunton Walmart on Richmond Road that killed a 39-year-old Portsmouth man. Augusta Free Press

• Harrisonburg considers converting former Artisan Packaging facility into indoor sports complex. City Council approved a proposal that could transform the vacant West Wolfe Street industrial building into an indoor recreation and sports venue. Harrisonburg Citizen

• Page County weighs rules for booming short-term rental market. Officials in the county — widely known as Virginia's cabin-rental destination — are grappling with how to govern the rapid growth of short-term rentals. Daily News-Record

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Volunteer at Harrisonburg Gift and Thrift Gift and Thrift, Inc. ✨ Sort, clean, repair, price, and display items.. Volunteer at Harrisonburg Gift and Thrift in the Shenandoah Valley by sorting, cleaning, repairing, pricing, and displaying items.

• Flooding shuts Mathews schools, shifts Gloucester to virtual learning. High tides made roads potentially unsafe for buses in Gloucester County, prompting a switch to virtual instruction, while Mathews County schools closed entirely and canceled extracurricular activities. Middle Neck News

• Former Williamsburg-James City County Schools employee charged with felony forgery. James City County detectives allege the former employee falsified documents to obtain school funds, resulting in two felony counts each of forgery and uttering. James City County

• Gloucester County issues water-conservation warning as reservoir drops. The county urged residents to reduce water use after the Beaverdam Reservoir fell below the 38.9-foot threshold. Gazette-Journal

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: James House - Domestic Violence Emergency Shelter. It is a practical volunteer option for readers who want a concrete shift rather than a calendar outing.

• Hotel Roanoke Conference Center sale finalized, full $14 million going to the city. The completed transaction delivers the entire sale proceeds to Roanoke, marking a significant moment for the city's finances and economic development. Cardinal News

• Blacksburg college students help offset declining volunteer firefighter numbers. Blacksburg's fire department is recruiting Virginia Tech students to fill gaps left by a nationwide decline in volunteer firefighters, offering a local model for addressing the public-safety challenge. Cardinal News

• Inmate at Roanoke detention center found unresponsive, later dies. Virginia State Police will investigate the death, which is a significant public-safety and oversight matter for the facility. Roanoke Times

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Hospice Volunteer Agape Care Group ✨ Provide companionship and support to patients. Agape Care Group seeks volunteers in Roanoke to offer companionship and support to hospice patients.

• 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.

• Historic Triangle: James House - Domestic Violence Emergency Shelter. It is a practical volunteer option for readers who want a concrete shift rather than a calendar outing.