Trump administration expands scrutiny of George Mason University
The U.S. Justice Department announced an investigation into the alleged use of race in hiring and promotions at George Mason University on Thursday, adding to a recent string of Trump administration probes into the institution. The investigation is the third launched by the administration in recent weeks into the policies and practices at the Northern Virginia university, and the first inquiry into the school led by the Justice Department. The escalating scrutiny follows a pattern that recently played out at the University of Virginia and comes amid the administration’s broader efforts to reshape American higher education.
State agencies leaving Monroe Building will scatter across Richmond
When state government employees leave the James Monroe Building next year, they will disperse to about a dozen different office spaces downtown and outside Richmond. The Department of General Services, which manages real estate for the Virginia government, recently agreed to leases with landlords of local office buildings. The 29-story Monroe building is considered no longer functional — employees have gotten stuck in elevators and restrooms are not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. State leaders expect the tower to be vacant by next spring. The new homes won’t be permanent. Eventually, state leaders plan to move government employees to a yet-to-be-built office at 1401 E. Broad St.
Youngkin touts Va. record in Iowa, land of presidential hope
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) made a campaign-style visit to the Iowa state GOP Thursday night — a logical first step toward a 2028 presidential run, though he insisted his full attention is focused on finishing his term as governor. “The invitation is humbling. … It is just a wonderful Iowa trait for you all to be so warm in the way you greeted me,” Youngkin said to a crowd of several hundred as the featured guest speaker for the Iowa Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Dinner. With its traditional first-in-the-nation Republican caucuses every four years, Iowa usually plays a leading role in selecting the party’s presidential contenders.
VPAP Visual Fundraising Outside Virginia
How much have candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general raised from donors outside of Virginia? Toggle among offices to see the share of total donations from outside Virginia, and compare donations from each state.
Newport News, Hampton and Franklin residents no longer qualify for free toll trips
Free trips through the Downtown and Midtown tunnels are no longer available to residents living in three municipalities after changes were made to the state’s toll relief program. Initially, the state’s two-year budget signed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin allowed drivers making less than $50,000 a year and living in either Norfolk, Newport News, Hampton, Portsmouth or Franklin, to sign up for up to 14 free trips each week with Elizabeth River Crossings, the operators of the tunnels. ... However in May, when Youngkin signed the amendments to the budget, Newport News, Hampton and Franklin were removed.
Virginia is for … data centers? Residents are increasingly saying no
The two dozen or so nondescript gray, white and blue buildings lining Virginia State Route 625 could be large warehouses. But community activist Elena Schlossberg can identify them literally a mile away by their telltale rows of backup diesel generators. The buildings are data centers. ... All internet data goes through facilities like these: massive, sometimes multistoried warehouses filled with servers where every webpage and shred of data lives. Demand for these centers has skyrocketed in the last two years as artificial intelligence usage has gone mainstream. Virginia is a data hot spot. It has the world's highest concentration of data centers — nearly 600 facilities of varying sizes, including roughly 150 of the largest kind, known as hyperscale data centers. Not all residents are happy about that.
Friday Read An 1880 schoolhouse for Black children in Pittsylvania is still standing because of one former student
Annie Mosby sat at her desk inside the one-room schoolhouse where she was once a student before Pittsylvania County schools were integrated. Back when she was a student in the 1950s, a large potbelly stove used to warm the schoolhouse in the winters. But on a sunny Monday afternoon in June, Mosby didn’t miss the stove’s absence. At 79 years old, she still comes back to her hometown once a year for several weeks over the summer, flying from California where she lives now, to catch up with family and spend time in the schoolhouse that she and her husband fixed up.
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EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Youngkin speaks in Iowa on education, 2021 election win
Though Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has not said whether he is planning a run for president in 2028, he said during the Iowa GOP Lincoln Dinner on Thursday that he supports keeping the Iowa caucuses first in the nation. Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kaufmann asked Youngkin during a “fireside chat” at the fundraiser if he likes the current presidential nominating system that starts with the Iowa Republican caucuses — and Youngkin responded he “absolutely” supports the current system.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin says he supports Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who's seen as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, said the Democratic Party made a "massive mistake" in booting Iowa from the leadoff spot on the presidential nominating calendar after the error-riddled 2020 caucuses. Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kaufmann asked Youngkin during the Republican Party of Iowa's annual Lincoln Dinner Thursday, July 17, if he supports the presidential nominating process with Iowa at the forefront, and the Virginia governor said "absolutely."
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Virginia Dels. Surovell, Webert to lead new energy subcommittee
Virginia House Majority Leader Scott Surovell, a Democrat representing eastern Fairfax County, has been tapped to chair a newly formed General Assembly subcommittee dubbed “Promoting New Advanced Energy Sources in Virginia: Advanced Nuclear, Geothermal, and Energy Storage.” State Del. Michael Webert, a Fauquier Republican, has been named vice chair. The subcommittee is one of the “few truly bipartisan efforts within the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation,” states a news release from Webert’s office.
STATE ELECTIONS
RNC Chairman Michael Whatley talks about Va. elections
With Election Day a little more than 100 days away, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley said the GOP is committed to ensuring Winsome Earle-Sears is the next governor of Virginia. Whatley said a lot of the RNC’s resources in Virginia will be used on a get-out-the-vote campaign. “When you think about grassroots and you think about the victory teams that are gonna be on the ground, where we’re recruiting and training volunteers to make phone calls, knocking on doors, and getting out literature,” Whatley told 8News in an exclusive interview.
Sears, Spanberger offer their take on Virginia’s data center-driven future
Data centers, the massive, power-hungry facilities that make the internet and AI work, continue to pop up across the Commonwealth. They bring billions in revenue for Virginia and its localities, but they can also bring neighborhood complaints, development concerns and drains on natural resources. The current landscape leaves open lots of options for how Virginia’s candidates for governor say they’d shape the data center future.
Earle-Sears’ campaign manager leaves post
In a shakeup in Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears‘ bid to be Virginia’s next governor, her campaign manager has lost his post. The campaign will announce a replacement for campaign manager Will Archer in the days to come, said general consultant Mark Harris. “We are at the very beginning of this campaign. We have only spent about 5% or less of our total media budget talking to voters. We are at the very beginning of this fight,” Harris told reporters on Thursday.
Va. GOP House incumbent Kim Taylor outraised opponent in reporting period
The latest campaign finance reports show Republican House of Delegates incumbent Kim Taylor raised more money in the most recent recording period than Democratic challenger Kimberly Pope Adams, but Pope Adams’ cash-on-hand amount remains almost three times that of Taylor’s. ... Taylor and Pope Adams are vying for the 82nd House District seat that stretches from eastern Dinwiddie County to Surry County, and includes all of the city of Petersburg. It is a rerun of the tightly fought 2023 race that saw Taylor win re-election by a whisker-thin 53 votes over Pope Adams after a recount.
FEDERAL ELECTIONS
$2.2M Spent By Democrats In 11th District Congressional Primary
Democratic Party candidates who ran in the June 28 firehouse primary in the 11th District congressional race reported spending more than $2.2 million on their campaigns. That's about $339,000 more than they raised in political donations, according to the latest financial filings with the Federal Election Commission. Nine Democratic candidates reported receiving a combined $1,949,763.60 in donations for the primary, but spent a total of $2,288,768.21.
STATE GOVERNMENT
State Supreme Court Upholds Denial of Dulles Greenway Rate Hikes
The Supreme Court of Virginia today upheld the State Corporation Commission’s denial of rate increases sought by the owners of the Dulles Greenway last year. The company applied to raise tolls on two-axle vehicles on the highway to $8.10 during rush hour and $6.40 in off-peak hours. Currently, the toll is $5.80 in peak hours and $5.25 in off-peak hours. The SCC in September denied the request, finding that the higher rates would “materially discourage use of the Greenway” and were “contrary to the public interest” in violation of a state law enacted by the General Assembly.
Virginia Supreme Court upholds denial of Dulles Greenway toll increase
Toll rates on the Dulles Greenway will remain the same. In a July 17 ruling, the Virginia State Supreme Court denied an appeal by the the Greenway operator, TRIP II, short for Toll Road Investors Partnership II, to raise rates. TRIP II is a subsidiary of an Australian company that owns the 14-mile, privately-owned toll road from Leesburg to Dulles International Airport in Sterling. It sought to reverse a State Corporation Commission denial of a rate increase in September.
Elections agency stays mum on campaign finance audit
No one involved in Virginia’s first campaign finance audit, released earlier this month, has yet to declare the process a success. Some of the seven local candidates included in the audit say they were not given the courtesy to review any deficiencies before the report was released to the public. The law’s patron is reserving judgment until he learns more from the Department of Elections, which paid $122,000 to a Maryland-based consulting firm hired to conduct the audits.
Virginia takes steps to bring advanced nuclear reactor to Wise County
As Virginia wrestles with high energy demands and deadlines to switch to zero-carbon emission energy production, Gov. Glenn Youngkin last week announced funding to take the first steps towards building an advanced nuclear reactor in the southwest region of the state. Wise County is the focus of a combined grant of $197,500 to search for private investment and federal funding to prepare the area for an advanced nuclear reactor. The area will be studied to find what kind of advanced nuclear reactor would best serve the region, how it would be funded, and if it could be used for research and power at the University of Virginia Wise.
Prince Edward County has to pay back state after missing deadline
Back in January 2020, the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) agreed to give Prince Edward County $650,000. This was to be used to build a new access road to the Prince Edward County Business Park. There was one stipulation, however. In order for the money in this program to remain a grant, the CTB requires counties to show investment within a specific timeline. “In our case, we have to document $3.25 million worth of investment in the park,” Prince Edward County Administrator Doug Stanley said. Speaking to the board of supervisors during their Tuesday, July 8 meeting, Stanley said the county had been given five years by the CTB to produce that $3.25 million in investment. That time is up and the county has not met the requirement.
Virginia hospitals receive $8.5 million in grants for violence intervention programming
Virginia hospitals that provide wraparound services and care for violently injured people will receive millions in grant funding for the next two years to support their programs, officials announced this week. Hospital-based violence intervention programs bring trauma-informed care and resources to patients in the hospital while they are recovering physically from violence-induced injuries. ... The $8.5 million dollar funding stems from Virginia’s Department of Criminal Justice Services.
Virginia offers ‘historic’ funding for farm practices
Virginia cost-share programs intended to help farmers implement pollution prevention practices are getting a significant funding boost at the state level. The state Department of Conservation and Recreation said it will be funneling $223 million toward cost-share funding for fiscal year 2026, which began on July 1. This represents the highest level of funding in the history of the Virginia Agricultural Best Management Practices Cost-Share Program (VACS). The funding represents a $16 million increase over the fiscal year 2025 level, marking a fourth consecutive year of increases as the state strains to meet its pollution reduction goals on agricultural lands.
CONGRESS
McClellan wants answers on ICE raids in Chesterfield
A Virginia congresswoman is asking the Trump Administration to explain why Immigration & Customs Enforcement officers showed up unannounced at the courthouse in Chesterfield County and detained 15 people who were there on court business. In a July 16 letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-Virginia, accused the administration of “eroding trust in law enforcement and the judicial system” by going after people complying with the law rather than breaking it.
Warner: Trump’s foreign aid cuts hand China global influence ‘for pennies on the dollar’
Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) sharply criticized the Trump administration’s successful effort to cut $9 billion in previously approved federal spending, warning that the reductions will damage America’s global influence and national security interests. Speaking to Virginia media Thursday (July 17), Senator Warner said the Senate’s late-night passage of what’s known as a rescission package represents a dangerous retreat from decades of American leadership worldwide. The legislation strips about $8 billion from foreign assistance programs and more than $1 billion from public broadcasting.
ECONOMY/BUSINESS
Nuclear power company celebrates expansion with $50M investment, 500 new jobs
Framatome officially unveiled its newly expanded facility on Mill Ridge Road with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday morning, signaling both a bold investment in the future of nuclear power and a commitment to the Lynchburg community. ... Framatome’s North American President and CEO Tony Robinson said the ribbon cutting is not just opening a new facility but a testament to the shared vision and commitment to nuclear energy and its unwavering commitment to Lynchburg and Virginia. The upgraded site is part of Framatome’s broader $50 million investment to expand capacity, modernize its facilities and add up to 500 new jobs in Central Virginia.
Youngkin and Framatome leaders officially open $50 million Lynchburg expansion
Framatome celebrated the opening of its $50 million expansion in Lynchburg Thursday, a development that promises to bring 500 new jobs to the area. Governor Glenn Youngkin and Framatome leaders spoke at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Governor Youngkin emphasized the significance of such expansions for the state's economic growth.
N. Va. business leaders report impacts from federal spending cuts in new survey
Despite continued concerns about inflation, federal worker layoffs and other issues, business leaders in Northern Virginia are feeling more upbeat about their own economic prospects and those of the region than they were this spring, a new survey found. The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce (NVC) worked with the marketing firm Pinkston to survey 135 corporate executives and business owners about their experiences with the Trump administration’s efforts to downsize the federal government, their expectations for the near-future and their policy priorities.
AI data centers require massive amounts of power. Is new infrastructure driving up energy costs for everyone?
It’s a staggering statistic: Around 70% of the world’s internet traffic flows through Virginia. The state’s data centers, some of which feature hallways nearly a mile long with thousands of thrumming servers on either side, make possible the billions of retail transactions, videos streams, and artificial intelligence queries that happen around the world each day. But as more data centers are built to accommodate AI and other data-intensive processes, energy demand is expected to skyrocket. A single hyperscale data center can use the same amount of energy as a large city, and the stress this is placing on local power grids is expected to drive up energy costs for residents in Virginia—and around the country.
U.S. Department of Energy Grid Reliability Report Is Unreliable, Virginia Renewable Advocates Say
Advocates for renewable energy in Virginia took aim at a report that the U.S. Department of Energy issued last week on the reliability and security of the nation’s electric grid, faulting it for dated reliance on fossil fuels to meet skyrocketing energy demands from data centers and lacking public input. They noted that the 73-page report–an evaluation ordered by President Trump that champions coal, oil and gas–came at a time when a Dominion Energy-owned Mount Storm coal plant in West Virginia is costing Virginia ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars and exacerbating problems from the climate crisis.
Virginia casinos report $78.5M in June revenue
June gaming revenues from Virginia’s three casinos totaled $78.5 million, down $6.9 million from May, according to a Virginia Lottery report. Last month, Hard Rock Bristol casino reported about $21.44 million in adjusted gaming revenues (wagers minus winnings), of which about $17.24 million came from its 1,397 slots and about $4.2 million came from its 73 table games. ... Rivers Casino Portsmouth ... generated about $18.6 million in June from its 1422 slots and about $7.85 million from its 84 table games, for a total adjusted gaming revenues of about $26.46 million. The state’s newest permanent casino, the Caesars Virginia resort in Danville, reported almost $30.57 million in adjusted gaming revenues ...
HIGHER EDUCATION
U.S. DOJ launches employment discrimination probe into George Mason University
The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday said it had launched an employment discrimination probe into George Mason University in Virginia, making it the latest college to be targeted by the Trump administration. The civil rights probe will examine whether George Mason, a state university, "is engaged in discriminatory practices" based on race and sex, the department said. It said the investigation was spawned by comments made by George Mason's president and policies "which indicate that race and sex are motivating factors in faculty hiring" in order to achieve diversity goals.
VIRGINIA OTHER
Immigration arrests have surged 470% in Virginia so far this year — with majority now having no criminal record
Immigration arrests have skyrocketed across the DMV region since President Donald Trump's inauguration, and a new WUSA9 analysis shows an increasing share of those arrests are of people with no criminal history beyond their status in the country. Arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Maryland have jumped 290% year-over-year, while Virginia has seen a staggering 470% increase, according to WUSA9's analysis of ICE data from the Deportation Data Project. Washington D.C. has also experienced rising numbers, though not to the dramatic extent seen in Maryland and Virginia.
Virginia public media stations brace for impact of federal funding cuts
A bill granting a White House request to claw back $9 billion in federal spending on public broadcasting and foreign aid will likely shutter at least 80 NPR and PBS member stations nationwide, according to NPR CEO Katherine Maher. The rescission package, which the US Senate passed Thursday morning, withdraws all funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in fiscal years 2026 and 2027, leaving even stations that remain operational scrambling to restore their budgets. ... Bert Schmidt, president and CEO of WHRO, says the Norfolk-based station will lose $2 million in federal funding.
Hundreds of Richmond residents participate in nationwide ‘Good Trouble’ protest
The sound of car horns honking and people shouting filled the air as Richmonders took their activism to the streets yet again, this time hoping to get into some “good trouble.” “Good trouble is saying what you mean and what you feel,” said one of the demonstrators, Jane Ward. Hundreds were scattered on medians on Monument Avenue between Lombardy Street and Willow Lawn. It’s just one of 1,600 Good Trouble protests that began nationwide on Thursday. The phrase was dubbed by the late Congressman John Lewis, who encouraged people to get into “good trouble” to fight for justice and equality. Thursday marked the fifth anniversary of his passing.
‘Good Trouble Lives On’ protests across Hampton Roads in honor of John Lewis
Thursday marks the fifth anniversary of the death of Congressman and Civil Rights Leader John Lewis. In his honor, across the nation, tens of thousands of people participated in what they are calling "Good Trouble Lives On" protests. "Good trouble is giving somebody a ride to the polls. Good trouble is registering a voter, talking to a young person about why it's important for them to have a voice in the government that is over them. That's good trouble," said Leslie Rinaldi, chairwoman of the Suffolk Democratic Committee.
Indivisible Lynchburg rallies with ‘Good Trouble Lives On’ protest for civil rights
Over a hundred passionate and concerned voters gathered at Lynchburg's Miller Park to march in protest against what they call an attack on civil and human rights from the Trump Administration. Indivisible Lynchburg hosted the 'Good Trouble Lives On' protest and march on Thursday night. According to the group, the Good Trouble Lives On movement pays homage to the late Congressman John Lewis, who fought for the protection of human and civil rights.
How a parasitic worm could help revive the Chesapeake Bay blue crab population
If you catch a female blue crab in the Chesapeake Bay — and know where to look — there’s a good chance you might find a tiny, parasitic worm embedded in its spongelike egg mass. The worm, scientifically known as Carcinonemertes carcinophila, relies on crab eggs to grow and survive. “They have a really interesting symbiotic relationship, where the worm cannot reach sexual maturity without consuming the eggs of its host, which is the blue crab,” said Alex Schneider, who recently earned a doctoral degree in marine science from William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science.
LOCAL
Spotsylvania’s recycled water supply at capacity for data center cooling
Any data center developer without an application on file with the Spotsylvania County Planning and Zoning Department, may face water concerns in the future. Spotsylvania Director of Planning and Zoning Kimberly Pomatto said during a planning commission meeting Wednesday night that the county is at capacity for reusable water based on data center projects that are approved or awaiting approval from the county. Scott Phelps, who represents the Lee Hill District, said the county needs to inform developers that the capacity for reusable water reached its limit.
Chesapeake City Council reverses course, approves Virginia Natural Gas project
After denying a natural gas compressor station project that had drawn the ire of many Chesapeake residents, city leaders reversed course Tuesday and approved it. On June 17, Chesapeake City Council denied a request from Virginia Natural Gas to push back a vote on its project, which was a rezoning request of 23 acres on South Military Highway to create a light industrial district for a new compressor station. ... It was on Tuesday’s agenda, and council members ultimately approved the project along partisan and racial lines.
Newport News’ sheriff says his office doesn’t honor ICE detainers
The first time President Donald Trump took office, Gabe Morgan was a decade into his role as Newport News sheriff and leading the Virginia Sheriff’s Association. It was his job to help create a consensus on how 123 sheriffs across the commonwealth would handle a growing desire to crack down on illegal immigration. “Depending on where you may be the sheriff, politically, it was kind of like herding cats,” Morgan said.
‘Somebody needs to be fired’: Petersburg vice mayor sharply critical of vape-shop opening
Petersburg’s vice mayor, Darrin Hill, is not known for public outbursts of anger or frustration. So, when he dressed down the city staff during City Council’s July 15 meeting, many ears in the room pricked up. A high concentration of vape and tobacco shops in Petersburg prompted the planning department last year to recommend restricting them to neighborhood business, commercial and industrial districts. Council voted in July 2024 to limit them to industrial-zoned districts. Hill, who represents Ward 2, took planners to the mat after a vape shop opened on South Crater Road after he and his colleagues voted last April to deny a rezoning request that would have allowed it.
2 western Va. counties chosen for flood warning systems
As the death toll continues to climb and questions persist about whether there were adequate warnings of catastrophic flooding in Texas on July 4, pilot flooding emergency warning systems have been deployed in two flood-prone counties in western Virginia. Buchanan County, which is mountainous and has had three major flooding events over four years, and Botetourt County, which has dealt with flash flooding, were chosen for the projects.
EDITORIALS
Tweak campaign finance law to boost accountability in Va.
For years, Virginia has largely operated under the premise that everyone who runs for public office in the state is a fine, upstanding citizen who meticulously and accurately reports all campaign contributions and explains precisely where the money went. It’s Virginia, after all, where honor and integrity course through the veins of our distinguished, selfless leaders. Well, maybe. But a bit of salient advice from the late Ronald Reagan also pops to mind: “Trust but verify.” Three years ago, the General Assembly wisely passed a bill to add a layer of verification to all that trust. From now on, all candidates for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general will have their campaign finances reports audited by an independent firm ...
COLUMNISTS
Yancey: Election? What election? Most of our local offices are unopposed this year.
Nine weeks from today, the first votes will be cast in Virginia’s 2025 elections. With early voting, we can no longer call these “fall elections” because the voting actually begins in what are technically the last days of summer. While anything other than a presidential election is often considered an “off-year” election, this is actually one of the busiest election cycles Virginia has. This year we’ll not only elect a governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general, we’ll also pick 100 members of the House of Delegates, plus lots of local offices — some (but not all) boards of supervisors, city councils, town councils, school boards and the so-called “constitutional offices” of commonwealth’s attorney, sheriff, commissioner of revenue and treasurer.
Chesley: Paucity of details on immigration arrests highlights Youngkin’s pattern of misstatements
Gov. Glenn Youngkin, when it comes to culture war issues including immigration, rarely misses a chance to stretch – or even obliterate – the truth. The governor’s office noted this month that more than 2,500 people arrested by the Virginia Homeland Security Task Force for being in the country illegally were “violent criminals.” Then Youngkin, in a news conference July 2 about the state-federal entity, added: “Two-thousand five-hundred violent criminals who are here illegally — MS-13 members, Tren de Aragua, others, international violent gang members.”
OP-ED
Spanberger: ‘Don’t fret’ response to massive job losses in Virginia under Trump won’t cut it for me
Virginians recently learned that our commonwealth has lost our spot as "America’s Top State for Business." One major factor was singled out as leading to the downgrade — the widespread economic impact of DOGE’s attacks on the jobs of thousands of Virginians. I’ve always supported responsible efforts to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse — as well as corruption. In the U.S. House of Representatives, I even led the bipartisan push to ban members of Congress and their spouses from trading individual stocks. I believe that our leaders have a responsibility to restore trust in our government, make sure taxpayer dollars are used efficiently, and keep more money in people’s pockets.
Hashmi: For Va., drop in business rankings a wakeup call
CNBC’s latest “Top States for Business” report shows Virginia tumbling from the top spot to fourth place — our worst ranking since 2018. The primary culprit? Sharp federal workforce reductions that have hit the commonwealth disproportionately hard, and that will have long-term impacts on Virginia’s entire economy. With over 144,000 federal jobs in the commonwealth — and nearly 300,000 positions when federal contractors and commuters from D.C. and Maryland are included — Virginia feels every cut firsthand. Experts have warned that this federal downsizing could cost the state up to 32,000 jobs this year alone, dragging Virginia’s GDP and tax revenue into negative territory.