Gov. Abigail Spanberger released Virginia's long-range energy plan Thursday in Richmond, a nearly 200-page roadmap for meeting surging electricity demand — driven overwhelmingly by data centers — while holding to the Virginia Clean Economy Act's net-zero-by-2050 target. The headline provision: data centers would have to pay the infrastructure costs attributable to their own load, and utilities would have to share fuel costs that exceed approved forecasts, per WTVR CBS 6. Virginia currently imports 30% to 40% of its electricity, Chief Energy Officer Josephus Allmond noted, which is part of why the plan leans on demand flexibility, distributed energy, and non-combustion generation. This is a framework, not a rule — Spanberger said it will shape legislation for the 2027 General Assembly, and the State Corporation Commission, utilities, and lawmakers all have to act before any of it becomes enforceable. Watch whether the "data centers pay their own way" language survives contact with the industry's lobbyists come January.

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has notified officials tied to Google's "Project Peanut" data-center site in Chesterfield County of alleged unauthorized filling of surface waters and sediment discharges outside permitted areas, per Virginia Public Media. DEQ says it fielded seven complaints and ran five inspections between December 2025 and August 2026, and that polluted sediment affected nearly an acre of wetlands. Project Peanut is the first of three Google data centers planned for the county — so how this plays out sets the tone for the next two. Project officials have until Oct. 29 to respond and could face civil penalties of up to $32,500 per violation, per day. If the penalty math lands at the high end, it becomes a real number other localities will wave at developers.

The county that invented the modern data-center economy voted 7-1 to temporarily block new data-center applications for 12 months, per Data Center Dynamics. Supervisor Juli Briskman, who brought the proposals, called it "breathing room" to rewrite the county's regulations. The stakes are not small: data centers generated roughly $1.3 billion in local taxes this year, per Loudoun's own FY2027 budget — meaning the county is pausing its single biggest revenue engine to figure out how to tame it. County staff return to the board at its October 20 business meeting with a formal resolution memorializing the pause. That meeting is the next hard checkpoint on whether "breathing room" becomes a durable policy or a one-year speed bump.

Dominion Energy, Transource, and FirstEnergy unveiled revised route options for the Valley Link Transmission line, a proposed 765-kilovolt, 115-mile line running from Lynchburg to Culpeper across nine Central Virginia counties, per Virginia Mercury. The roughly $1 billion project, targeted for completion in 2029 if approved, is meant to move power toward demand — much of it Northern Virginia's data centers. Louisa County's board isn't budging: it has set aside $250,000 in legal fees to fight the project at the SCC and in court, with Chairman Duane Adams arguing that if the power is needed up north, the generation should be built up north. The developers are narrowing toward a preferred route to present to the SCC. Watch whether "build it where you need it" gains traction as a legal argument, because every county on a transmission map is listening.

The U.S. Navy and Hunt Military Communities agreed to a $1.7 billion plan to build or renovate 8,098 sailor beds across Hampton Roads, per Virginia Business. The package includes more than $450 million for two 17-story towers in downtown Newport News, plus 5,272 bedrooms at Naval Station Norfolk, 712 at Naval Air Station Oceana, and 614 at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story. Vice Adm. Scott Gray credited an interest-free loan from the Commonwealth to the city of Newport News as instrumental to closing the deal, per Stars and Stripes. The Navy estimates the contract saves taxpayers more than $325 million, which it says will flow into other quality-of-life projects. For a region whose economy runs on the fleet, this is both a housing fix and a jobs pipeline.

The automatic record-sealing provisions of Virginia's Clean Slate Act took effect Thursday, beginning the automatic and petition-based sealing of certain criminal records — including some misdemeanors, marijuana-possession offenses, and traffic infractions, per WSLS and DC News Now. For Virginians carrying old convictions, this can quietly change what shows up on a background check for a job, an apartment, or a license. The open question is execution: whether local court systems seal eligible records consistently, and whether residents get clear information on who qualifies and when. The real story isn't the law's passage — it's whether 120 court clerks across the Commonwealth can make it work the same way in Wise County as in Fairfax.

• Former Hayfield Secondary School principal charged with felony embezzlement. Fairfax County police allege Darin Thompson used a school-issued payment card for unauthorized personal travel and unrelated events; he turned himself in and was released on a $3,000 unsecured bond. WTOP

• Goodwill breaks ground on 128-unit affordable-housing project in Arlington. Demolition is complete at 10 S. Glebe Road, where the development will also include an on-site childcare facility and a new retail and donation center, with housing projected to open in 2028. ARLnow

• Dodona Manor, Gen. George C. Marshall's Leesburg home, receives National Park Service affiliated-area designation. The federal recognition adds a new layer of historic status to the site while preserving its local identity and connection to the community. Inside Nova

• Manassas Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger reflects on her tenure at farewell Council meeting. Now known as Michelle Parks, the outgoing mayor thanked residents and colleagues, with Council members highlighting her leadership and accessibility during her years in office. Inside Nova

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Pick Up and Drive Food Pantry donations, Friday mornings only. Centreville volunteers can spend about an hour Friday mornings helping collect and drive food pantry donations.

• Richmond City Council to consider revised solar project covering 17 buildings. After rejecting an initial plan spanning nearly 39 city-owned buildings, officials revised the proposal, which is now projected to save about $15 million over 25 years; a special meeting is scheduled for October 5. WRIC

• FBI offers up to $15,000 reward in killing of Richmond man Darryl Timothy Hines. Authorities say Kemondre Travis Daily is wanted in connection with the January homicide on Oakland Road in Henrico County and are asking anyone with information to contact the FBI Richmond Field Office at 804-261-1044. WRIC

• Trinity Episcopal School students face allegations of sexual misconduct and nonconsensual photo sharing. New details have emerged in the Richmond school matter; the allegations are not findings of wrongdoing. WRIC

• Child hospitalized after elementary school bus crash in Prince George County. The incident raises immediate concerns about student safety and school transportation in the region. WRIC

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: CCHASM Connecting Communities to Hope, Access, Support and Meals. It is a practical volunteer option for readers who want a concrete shift rather than a calendar outing.

• Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel to close westbound this weekend for repaving. The closure runs from Friday, Oct. 2 at 9 p.m. through Monday, Oct. 5 at 5 a.m. as crews repave the existing tunnels; drivers should use alternate routes. WTKR

• Portsmouth police find human remains in backyard of Elliott Avenue home; homeowner charged with murder. The investigation and related court proceedings remain active following the discovery at the residence. WAVY

• Phillips Corporation to open Portsmouth workforce-training center this fall. The facility, supported by Portsmouth Economic Development, is designed to address Hampton Roads' shortage of industrial-maintenance and mechatronics technicians, with initial programs beginning in October. WAVY

• Owners of Chesapeake's Eagle's Nest restaurant pursue legal action after ABC license suspension. The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority suspended the business's license, and the owners are now challenging the action in court. WAVY

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Volunteers Needed For Pop-Up Food Pantry For Governor's Pointe Where Is God Now Ministries, Inc.. It is a practical volunteer option for readers who want a concrete shift rather than a calendar outing.

• Albemarle County School Board unanimously appoints David Storm to fill at-large vacancy. Storm was selected from 13 candidates to replace Allison Spillman and will serve through December 2027, with his swearing-in scheduled for the Oct. 8 board meeting. Charlottesville Tomorrow

• Speed-enforcement cameras installed near Albemarle High School on Hydraulic Road. Albemarle County placed two school-zone cameras near the Lambs Lane campus serving Albemarle High School, Journey Middle School, and Greer Elementary School; $100 citations for drivers exceeding the limit by more than 10 mph are set to begin Oct. 21. Charlottesville Tomorrow

• Proffit Road bridge closed for emergency repairs after deterioration found in piers. The bridge over Norfolk Southern tracks in northern Albemarle County was shut down after officials identified structural deterioration, creating a transportation disruption in that part of the county. Daily Progress

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

• Stafford County supervisors to weigh eliminating data-center incentives and nondisclosure agreements. The board is set to discuss ending both financial incentives for technology companies and the confidentiality agreements that have shielded project details from the public. Fredericksburg Free Press

• Amazon moves forward with Birchwood data center after King George County settlement. The agreement recognizes Amazon's vested rights to the 869-acre property but bars construction of a data-center building immediately adjacent to the Rappahannock River. Fredericksburg Free Press

• Caroline County native Angela Roberts, Virginia's first Black female judge, honored at Local Heroes event. Roberts, who grew up in Bowling Green, was celebrated for her historic judicial career at the community recognition event. Fredericksburg Free Press

• Spotsylvania filmmakers Shamila and Vernon Beslow III to premiere locally shot thriller Oct. 24. When Fatal Attraction Hits Home was filmed at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania locations including Waterfront Park and the old Spotsylvania Courthouse, and will screen at Woodbridge's Alamo Drafthouse. Potomac Local News

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Administrative Assistance Community Touch, Inc.. Community Touch, Inc. is seeking administrative assistance volunteers in the Fredericksburg region.

• Community meeting held on renovation plans for Lake Shenandoah Dam. The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, local elected officials, and engineers gathered to discuss proposed infrastructure improvements to the dam. WHSV

• VDOT announces lane closures across the Valley for the week of October 2. Planned work includes restrictions on I-81, Route 250 in Staunton, Route 252 in Augusta County, and Route 33 in Harrisonburg, covering construction, paving, and signal work. Rocktown Now

• Frederick County Public Schools schedules second redistricting public input session. The school division is holding another community meeting on proposed attendance-boundary changes as part of its redistricting process. The Winchester Star

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Volunteer at Harrisonburg Gift and Thrift Gift and Thrift, Inc. ✨ Sort, clean, repair, price, and display items.. Harrisonburg Gift and Thrift seeks volunteers in the Shenandoah Valley to sort, clean, repair, price, and display donated items.

• Sale of Hotel Roanoke Conference Center to Virginia Tech Foundation finalized, netting city $14 million. The full proceeds from the sale will go to the City of Roanoke, and the facility's governing commission is expected to dissolve once its remaining obligations are complete. Cardinal News

• Grayson County confirms plans for $11 billion data center at Wildwood Commerce Park. The project, now publicly acknowledged by county officials, would represent a transformative investment with significant implications for local tax revenue and infrastructure. WDBJ7

• City of Roanoke announces downtown overnight paving beginning Oct. 11. Milling and paving will occur nightly from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. on multiple downtown streets through mid-November, and the city will enforce construction-zone towing to keep work areas clear. City of Roanoke

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

• Northern Virginia: Pick Up and Drive Food Pantry donations, Friday mornings only. Centreville volunteers can spend about an hour Friday mornings helping collect and drive food pantry donations.