Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi became the first statewide elected official to formally oppose Florida-based NextEra Energy's $67 billion acquisition of Dominion, announcing her position Tuesday after a five-city listening tour across the utility's coverage area. The feedback she heard, she said, was blunt: Virginians fear the deal will send their electric bills skyrocketing. Dominion's CEO is defending the merger with promises of lower financing costs and $10 monthly bill credits, but the opposition now has a name at the top of the ticket. Watch whether Gov. Spanberger and Attorney General Jay Jones follow Hashmi's lead — and whether the State Corporation Commission's expanding discovery process stretches the deal's second-half-2027 closing timeline into something much longer.

The State Corporation Commission ruled that documents detailing NextEra's failed, scandal-shadowed attempt to seize Jacksonville's public utility can be dragged into the Dominion merger case. Chief Hearing Examiner Mathias Roussey Jr. wrote on October 2 that the material "is discoverable," ordering NextEra to hand it over within four days — a win for intervenor Clean Virginia, which argued the company's political history belongs on the record. For ratepayers, this means the single largest utility proceeding in Virginia in decades now includes a close look at how NextEra behaves when it wants to own something. The more discovery expands, the longer the clock runs — and every added month is runway for opponents.

Standing at Owens Market Deli and Truck Plaza in Bedford County — where diesel was selling for $5.99 a gallon — Republican leaders called on Gov. Spanberger to summon a special session and suspend Virginia's fuel taxes for 90 days. Sen. Terry Kilgore pitched it as bipartisan; Del. Scott Wyatt pegged the cost at roughly $410 million, arguing that revenue running ahead of projections gives the state room to swallow it. Virginia currently collects 32.6 cents per gallon on gasoline and 33.6 cents on diesel, and the holiday would aim relief at families, farmers, and truckers. A Spanberger spokesman said the governor is weighing options while blaming the price spike on President Trump's conflict with Iran — so watch whether she offers an administrative workaround that lets Republicans keep the talking point through Election Day, now 26 days out.

The U.S. Navy announced an agreement with Hunt Military Communities to build or renovate 8,098 sailor beds across Hampton Roads in a $1.7 billion project. The work spans 5,272 bedrooms at Naval Station Norfolk, 712 at Naval Air Station Oceana, 614 at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, and 1,500 new units in Newport News. The Navy says the arrangement saves taxpayers more than $325 million and boosts sustainment funding by 400 percent. With a term sheet already signed July 1, the observable signal is how fast ground breaks — housing quality has been a persistent sore point for the region's enlisted sailors, and this is the most concrete fix in years.

The Virginia Department of Education reported that 44% of schools earned a "distinguished" rating under the state's School Performance and Support Framework — nearly double last year's 23%, a 21-percentage-point jump. The department also said 99.7% of schools are fully accredited and chronic absenteeism fell to 11.5%. But the fine print matters: more than 1,000 schools still need additional support. The question educators and parents should track is whether the leap reflects genuine gains in growth and readiness or a recalibrated rating scale — because a framework that suddenly flatters everyone tells you less than one that discriminates.

A class-action lawsuit alleging that indefinite solitary confinement at Red Onion State Prison in Wise County amounted to cruel and unusual punishment has been settled, averting a three-week trial. The case involved allegations affecting hundreds of inmates at the supermax facility. For Virginia's corrections system, a settlement avoids a public airing of conditions but signals the state saw risk in letting a jury decide. Watch for the settlement terms — whether they mandate changes to solitary practices statewide, or simply close the case quietly.

• Three Manassas City Council members vie for interim mayor seat. Three council members are seeking appointment as interim mayor following Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger's planned departure, with the selection expected to shape city leadership amid ongoing debates over downtown development and public safety. InsideNoVa

• Manassas staff backs Old Town apartment and parking garage rezoning. City staff recommends approval of a rezoning at 9007 Center St. that would allow a 162-unit apartment building and a five-story, 536-space parking garage, with a first formal reading expected Oct. 26. InsideNoVa

• Prosecutors allege Naresh Bhatt tried to dispose of power saw linked to wife's death. Prosecutors say Bhatt attempted to get rid of a power saw after his wife Mamta Kafle Bhatt disappeared in 2024, with forensic testing reportedly connecting the saw to her presumed death in his ongoing first-degree murder trial. Prince William Times

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Pick Up and Drive Food Pantry donations, Friday mornings only. In Centreville, Virginia, volunteers are needed for about an hour on Friday mornings to help with food pantry donations.

• Richmond EDA orders Flying Squirrels to vacate The Diamond by Oct. 16. Richmond's Economic Development Authority says the Flying Squirrels' access to The Diamond ended when the team relocated to CarMax Park, and is threatening trespass action over an unresolved stadium-sharing dispute with VCU baseball. WRIC

• Arrests of former Shoosmith Landfill owners draw scrutiny from state leaders. The arrests of former owners of the Chesterfield County landfill have prompted renewed reactions from officials over the site's environmental and community impact. WRIC

• Henrico Fire mourns firefighter lost in the line of duty. Henrico Fire is honoring a firefighter who died in the line of duty, with colleagues describing the loss as that of a family member and the department pledging ongoing support for the fallen responder's loved ones. 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.

• Teen killed, another injured in shooting at Norview High School parking lot. A 16-year-old Norview High School student died and a second 16-year-old was injured after gunfire erupted in the school's parking lot following dismissal Wednesday, with Norfolk Police saying investigators have strong leads but no arrest has been reported. WAVY

• Body-camera footage released from aftermath of Richneck Elementary shooting. Newly released police body-camera footage shows the response after a 6-year-old student shot Richneck Elementary teacher Abigail Zwerner, who later received a $10 million verdict against former assistant principal Ebony Parker. WAVY

• 48th annual Suffolk Peanut Fest opens today. The Suffolk Peanut Fest runs October 8–11 at Suffolk Executive Airport, featuring concerts, rides, fireworks and a demolition derby. WAVY

• Hampton Roads Transit adds Wave trolley service for Virginia Beach Boardwalk Art Show. Hampton Roads Transit will operate the Virginia Beach Wave trolley along Atlantic Avenue October 9–11 to support the Virginia MOCA Boardwalk Art Show, with fares starting at $2 one way. 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.

• Gordonsville police resumed ICE partnership without notifying Town Council. Gordonsville police quietly rejoined an ICE 287(g) immigration-enforcement agreement about a month ago without the apparent knowledge of the Town Council, drawing concern from residents over transparency and local oversight. Charlottesville Tomorrow

• David Storm appointed to Albemarle County School Board. Albemarle County appointed David Storm to fill the seat vacated by Allison Spillman's resignation, following two rounds of candidate interviews ahead of the board's Oct. 8 meeting. Charlottesville Tomorrow

• Three Albemarle County Public Schools principals removed from their buildings. Parents are demanding answers after three Albemarle County school principals were placed away from regular duties, a situation unfolding amid broader district turmoil involving arrests, resignations and student walkouts. Charlottesville Tomorrow

• 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.

• Fredericksburg City Public Schools meets special-education standards for third straight year, but SOL scores trail region. Fredericksburg City Public Schools satisfied state special-education requirements for a third consecutive year, while student Standards of Learning performance continued to lag behind regional averages. Potomac Local

• Stafford County Public Schools breaks ground on Edward E. Drew, Jr. Middle School rebuild. Stafford County Public Schools launched construction on a replacement Edward E. Drew, Jr. Middle School, marking a significant local investment in school facilities and student capacity. Potomac Local

• House of Mercy raises $100,000 toward $350,000 storage campaign. The nonprofit House of Mercy has raised roughly $100,000 of the $350,000 needed to restore 75 lost pallet spaces, with the remaining shortfall threatening its ability to store and distribute donated goods. Potomac Local

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

• Harrisonburg City Public Schools joins nationwide lawsuit against social media companies. Harrisonburg City Public Schools and its school board voted to join a nationwide lawsuit against major social media companies, citing disruptions to classroom learning and school operations tied to student social media use. WHSV

• Federal judge denies Shenandoah County School Board's bid to pause Confederate school names order. A federal judge rejected the Shenandoah County School Board's request to pause a court order requiring two schools to remove names honoring Confederate leaders, as the board continues its legal challenge. WHSV

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

• Salem accounts for 44% of Roanoke Valley population growth since 2020. Salem added 522 residents between 2020 and 2025—a 2.1% increase—and was the only Roanoke Valley locality to see growth among children ages 0–14, while the city of Roanoke grew by just 75 people over the same period. Cardinal News

• Damascus debates its three Flock license-plate cameras. The town of Damascus, a community of about 800 residents with no traffic signals, is weighing the use of three Flock cameras that record license plates and monitor vehicles, as part of a broader regional debate over surveillance contracts and privacy. Cardinal News

• Sixty percent of Southwest Virginia schools earn top state rating. Of 148 schools in the state's Southwest Region 7, 60% received the top "distinguished" designation under Virginia's new accountability system, with Galax High, Pulaski County Public Schools Virtual School and Rural Retreat Middle among the high performers. Cardinal News

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

• Northern Virginia: Pick Up and Drive Food Pantry donations, Friday mornings only. In Centreville, Virginia, volunteers are needed for about an hour on Friday mornings to help with food pantry donations.

• Hampton Roads: 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.