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Virginia awards $67M to fight flooding across the state
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation awarded $67 million in grants from the state’s Community Flood Preparedness Fund on July 1. The fund supports cities and counties across the state in their efforts to manage or prevent flooding. It used to be fueled partly by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), but Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin pulled the state out of the agreement in 2023. The initiative reduces emissions by making power plants pay a fee if they exceed their emission limits. In lieu of funds from RGGI, the Republican governor added $50 million directly to the Community Flood Preparedness Fund this past legislative session.
New “Blue Envelope” program in Virginia aims to ease traffic stops for drivers with autism
A new initiative across Virginia is working to make traffic stops less stressful for people on the autism spectrum. It’s called the Blue Envelope Program, and it’s now available at DMV customer service centers statewide. The envelope is designed to help bridge communication gaps between drivers with autism and law enforcement officers during traffic stops. . . . The Blue Envelope acts as a signal to officers that the person they’re interacting with may communicate in a different way — and that a little extra patience can go a long way.
Yancey: Virginia loses its CNBC ranking as the No. 1 state for business. Here’s why.
The champion has been dethroned. Virginia, which last year was CNBC’s “best state for business,” and which has occupied the No. 1 spot a record six times, has been demoted in this year’s rankings to fourth place. It’s the state’s worst showing since 2018. This is an awkward moment for Virginia Republicans.
As expansion proceeds, a light at the end of the (bridge-)tunnel
With the travel season in full swing, our region’s perpetually congested roads require a little extra patience from everyone. Frustrating as it may be, traffic congestion is as much a feature of life in Hampton Roads as the waterways that define our landscape. However, there’s good news for those who spend an inordinate amount of time idling on our highways: Some relief is on the way. Expansion of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel — long a regional goal and a sought-after dream of those who use it daily — is on schedule and, remarkably, on budget.
Bristol, Va. files complaint to start Virginia Intermont property transfer
The City of Bristol, Virginia has started the legal process to acquire the former Virginia Intermont College (VI) campus from its owner. After a massive fire destroyed a large part of the campus in December 2024, the city’s leadership has been exploring options to regain ownership of VI. State Sen. Todd Pillion filed a bill at the urging of the Bristol, Virginia City Council. The bill was later signed into law by Gov. Glenn Youngkin and allowed localities to petition the circuit court to appoint a special commissioner. That commissioner would then oversee and execute a transfer of ownership of a blighted and vacant property.
Residents look to historical tourism to preserve Cumberland County’s past and create economic opportunities for its future
Robin Stocks is 69 and lives in Midlothian but grew up in Cumberland County. A Black Army veteran, she said her life wouldn’t be what it is today if it weren’t for the Pine Grove School she was allowed to attend during the era of Jim Crow segregation. “Everything about the school molded us for the rest of our lives,” Stocks said. . . . That school’s history — as well as that of the other schools, churches and homes the African American community relied on in the central Virginia rural community — is what several community members are pushing to preserve as an economic driver in the region instead of a proposed landfill: historical tourism.
Richmond finance director Sheila White resigns
Sheila White, who oversaw Richmond's Department of Finance for the last four years, submitted her resignation on Thursday. Her last day will be July 25. White was appointed by former Mayor Levar Stoney, who said at the time that White was "the right (person) at the right time to continue the successful management and upward trajectory of our city.” However, her department has been in the middle of a number of controversies in recent months. Real estate tax refund checks were sent incorrectly, and then tax bills went out to mortgage holders instead of lenders.
Federal cuts claim new victim: Virginia’s status as top state for business
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) has faithfully defended President Donald Trump’s tariffs and cuts to the federal workforce despite their economic harm to the commonwealth, but on Thursday that allegiance deprived Youngkin of a favorite talking point. Virginia lost its coveted “Top State for Business” ranking from the CNBC financial news network, falling to No. 4 thanks to Trump administration action that the network said “hits The Old Dominion where it lives.” . . . “With economic anxiety rising, Virginia’s economic situation is just shaky enough to take it down a few pegs,” the network said. North Carolina took the top spot on the list.
Virginia drops multiple places in CNBC’s Top States for Business
After a year in the top spot, Virginia has dropped to No. 4 in America’s Top States for Business list, though the commonwealth remains a business powerhouse. Virginia’s neighbor, North Carolina, claimed the top spot for 2025, CNBC revealed Thursday. Last year, Virginia barely beat the No. 2 Tar Heel State. ... The study revealed that budget cuts and tariffs dropped Virginia to 14th for economy. CNBC special correspondent Scott Cohn said this is Virginia’s worst showing since 2018.
Support for Trump policies coincides with Virginia’s drop in business rankings
Gov. Glenn Youngkin has consistently backed former President Donald Trump’s policies, even as reports suggest those policies have harmed Virginia’s economy. Despite growing concern, Democratic leaders have urged Youngkin — along with Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Attorney General Jason Miyares, to break their silence and challenge the administration’s approach, warning that continued support could further damage the commonwealth’s economic outlook. On Thursday, a key economic indicator—one Youngkin has previously cited as a benchmark of success — delivered more evidence that Trump’s policies are taking a toll on Virginia’s economy. CNBC’s annual list of Top States for Business was released Thursday morning, and Virginia fell from first place last year to fourth this year.