Around 6:18 p.m. Monday, two naval aviators ejected from their aircraft during a recovery-operations mishap aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower off the Virginia coast, and both were rescued, per WAVY. Four other shipboard personnel were injured, with one sailor taken to a Norfolk-area hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening. For Hampton Roads — where the Navy is the region's economic backbone — flight-deck incidents are a reminder of the risks carried by the crews who cycle through Naval Station Norfolk. The Navy said the incident remains under investigation, so the cause, and whether the aircraft was lost, is what to watch. [DEVELOPING]

Loudoun County held the first of two open houses on its Data Center Standards and Locations process, with residents streaming into Broad Run High School in Ashburn to tell county staff what they think about proximity, heat, noise, water, and power — one resident, Anita Selino, showed staff a photo of a data center visible from her driveway and said she fears having to move if diesel generators run nearby. This is Phase 2, aimed at rewriting the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance to manage an industry that supplied $1.2 billion — 39% of the fiscal 2026 budget, per the Washington Times. The second open house runs 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 30, at the Douglass Community Center in Leesburg. Feedback shapes recommendations expected before the planning commission in 2027, per Fox 5 DC — so the fights taking shape now won't hit paper for over a year.

Frederick County's Board of Supervisors voted 6-1 to remove data centers as a permitted or conditional use countywide — the first Virginia locality to go this far, per the Northern Virginia Daily. Two live proposals survive because they predate the ordinance: the 220-acre Virginia Technology Park in Clear Brook and the 72-acre Winchester Gateway in Kernstown, both already recommended for denial by the planning commission. Supervisors unanimously grandfathered the pair but ordered their applicants before the board for a public hearing by Oct. 28. That hearing is the tell: if a board that just banned the entire use rejects the last two grandfathered projects, "vested rights" starts looking a lot thinner across the Commonwealth.

The State Corporation Commission set a public hearing for 6–8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9 at the Fairfax County Government Center on NextEra's proposed acquisition of Dominion Energy — a deal the companies say would create the world's largest regulated electric utility by market cap, per FFXnow. Ahead of the hearings, the utilities sweetened the pot: a shareholder-funded co-headquarters tower in downtown Richmond, 600 new jobs, more workforce money, and doubled residential bill credits. Governor Abigail Spanberger has taken the unprecedented step of intervening directly, calling herself "deeply skeptical" about whether the takeover is good for her constituents, per an SEC filing. Whether ratepayers see the sweeteners as a genuine offer or a pre-hearing charm campaign is what Northern Virginia gets to say into a live mic in ten days.

The contest between Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans of Virginia Beach and former Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District is now among the most closely watched races in the country ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm, per Virginia Mercury. The Hampton Roads seat has become one of the most competitive in America, putting local voters at the center of the national battle for House control. Early voting opened Sept. 18 and runs through Oct. 31. A companion Mercury piece warns that when Virginia's congressional candidates skip debates, voters get sound bites instead of substance — so watch whether these two agree to share a stage before ballots close.

A judge vacated a murder conviction and ordered a new trial after questions were raised about a medical examiner, setting aside the jury's verdict on the grounds that "fundamental fairness dictates" the defendant receive a new trial, per the Virginian-Pilot. When forensic testimony that helped convict someone is called into doubt, the ripple isn't limited to one case — it reaches every conviction that leaned on the same expert. The new trial is the immediate consequence; whether prosecutors, defense attorneys, or the state re-examine other cases tied to that examiner is the larger signal.

• Justin Wolfe freed after 25 years, including 13 on death row, in Prince William murder-for-hire case. Wolfe is set to be released after a new agreement reduced the 2001 killing of Daniel Petrole Jr. in Bristow to marijuana-distribution and criminal-solicitation pleas, with credit for time served. WTOP

• Michael C. Davis sentenced to 178 years for killing of Tatiana David. The Prince William-area case adds a major sentencing development to the region's public-safety record. Potomac Local

• Arlington parents rally to save Integration Station, a pre-K program for children with intellectual disabilities. About 20 supporters addressed the Arlington School Board urging it to preserve the specialized program, which the district has proposed eliminating. ARLnow

• Prince William County supervisors take landmark vote on data centers. The board is scheduled to decide Tuesday on a measure that could significantly shape future land use, infrastructure, and growth in the county. WTOP

• 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.

• Richmond launches tax-sale program to recover millions in overdue real estate taxes. City officials are developing the program after years of lax enforcement, a move that could affect property owners, city revenue, and neighborhood redevelopment. WRIC

• E-bike accidents rising in Chesterfield County, experts warn of serious injuries. Crashes are increasing across the Richmond region as e-bike use expands, with safety advocates calling for greater awareness. WRIC

• 69-year-old woman killed in Cumberland County crash. Investigators are examining the circumstances of the fatal collision. WRIC

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Volunteer at RRRC’s Thanksgiving Turkey Trot in Richmond Richmond Road Runners Club ✨ Assist with race day operations. Richmond Road Runners Club seeks volunteers to help with race day operations at RRRC’s Thanksgiving Turkey Trot in Richmond.

• At least four hurt, two pilots eject in aircraft mishap aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. The incident occurred during a recovery operation aboard the Hampton Roads-based carrier, making it a significant local story given the Navy's outsized presence in the region. WAVY

• Body of Dalton Heath recovered from Chickahominy River. Heath's family confirmed the recovery after a Coast Guard search drew attention across the Williamsburg–Hampton Roads area. WAVY

• Portsmouth police charge man in Elliott Avenue shooting. Officers arrested a suspect in connection with the shooting; additional details on charges and the victim's condition are in the full report. WAVY

• Overnight I-64 eastbound closures in Hampton begin Tuesday for Hampton Roads Express Lanes paving. VDOT plans a single-lane closure starting at 10 p.m., with a full closure from midnight to 4 a.m. between Rip Rap Road and Settlers Landing Road/Woodland Road. WAVY

• 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 seeks Norfolk volunteers in Hampton Roads to spend time with hospice patients, offering flexible hours and friendly companionship.

• David Storm appointed to Albemarle County School Board, filling vacancy left by Allison Spillman. The appointment shifts local public-school governance ahead of the next election cycle. Charlottesville Tomorrow

• Worth doing / ways to get involved: Administrative Support Volunteer Trinity Hospice ✨ Perform general office and administrative tasks. Trinity Hospice seeks volunteers in Charlottesville to help with general office and administrative tasks.

• Spotsylvania Planning Commission recommends approval of 555-acre data center campus. The commission voted 4–2 to find the project consistent with the county's comprehensive plan, advancing one of the region's most consequential development proposals. Fredericksburg Free Press

• Spotsylvania supervisors Tim McLaughlin and Drew Mullins face scrutiny over social-media posts and election filings. Residents have raised concerns about the board members' conduct and accountability in separate but concurrent disputes. Fredericksburg Free Press

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

• Rockingham County holds public meeting tonight on Lake Shenandoah Dam renovation plans. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Rockingham Recreation Center in Penn Laird. Augusta Free Press

• Kelvin Washington withdraws from Waynesboro Ward C School Board race. His departure changes the candidate field ahead of the upcoming election. Augusta Free Press

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

• Haysi Mayor Larry Yates to be released on bond, barred from town property, ahead of November court date. Yates faces eight charges including embezzlement, credit-card fraud, and misuse of public assets; the Town Council is also pursuing his removal from office. Cardinal News

• Haysi Town Council reveals it requested the state police investigation that led to fraud charges against Yates. Council members say they spent months questioning the mayor's spending and tightening town finances before calling in Virginia State Police. Cardinal News

• Researchers launch study of Hurricane Helene's damage to the Clinch River, two years after the storm. The work aims to document ecological impacts and could inform future recovery and resilience planning for Southwest Virginia. Cardinal News

• Blacksburg-based Luna Innovations completes sale to private equity firm. The deal follows financial difficulties and civil litigation stemming from accounting errors that had prevented the company from filing required financial reports. Cardinal News

• 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.

• Richmond: Volunteer at RRRC’s Thanksgiving Turkey Trot in Richmond Richmond Road Runners Club ✨ Assist with race day operations. Richmond Road Runners Club seeks volunteers to help with race day operations at RRRC’s Thanksgiving Turkey Trot in Richmond.