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Town Council votes to ban data centers from Warrenton
Warrenton's leaders have officially pushed the reset button on data centers. Just seven months after the citizens of Warrenton elected new council members opposed to the controversial developments, the Warrenton Town Council voted unanimously in favor of a zoning change that essentially erases data centers from the town code. . . . The move is just the latest attempt to turn the page on the special use permit the town council approved in February 2023 for the Amazon data center slated for Blackwell Road in Warrenton —a move which pulled the town into several lawsuits and cost some council members their seats.
Richmond has spent at least $6.7 million on water crisis
January’s water crisis is estimated to have cost the city of Richmond at least $6.7 million, according to a memo provided to Richmond City Council in late June. From Jan. 6 to Jan. 11, a widespread water crisis left residents and businesses throughout Richmond — as well as Henrico, Hanover and Goochland counties — with little to no water. In the wake of this event, both city leaders and regulatory agencies have been looking into how to prevent such a catastrophe from happening again.
Youngkin: Family is safe in Texas flooding
It was an emotionally overwhelming Fourth of July for Gov. Glenn Youngkin as floodwaters roared down the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country. Family and friends were vacationing there on Friday, and while they are now safe, “I have to say there were moments when they weren’t,” Youngkin told reporters Tuesday, after speaking at an event at 84 Lumber in Chesterfield County. Youngkin recalled that he hastened down to the little community of Hunt, Texas, after his morning speech July 4 at a naturalization ceremony at Fort Monroe, by the Chesapeake Bay.
Virginia advances plans for nuclear reactor in southwest region
Southwest Virginia may soon be home to one of the nation’s first advanced nuclear reactors, as state leaders accelerate efforts to bring the technology to the region. Backed by nearly $200,000 in state funding, the initiative represents a cornerstone of Governor Glenn Youngkin’s broader strategy for a more resilient and innovative energy future in the Commonwealth, according to a news release. The project has received a $100,000 grant from the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank (VCEIB) and a $97,500 GO Virginia grant.
Report outlines challenges of Va.’s special education compliance system, recommends improvements
After years of inconsistencies and complaints, Virginia has moved closer to revising its process for reporting issues with special education services, aiming to improve the structure and ensure that families receive the necessary services for their students with disabilities. The issues with the state’s dispute resolution system — an impartial procedure for parents and schools to resolve disagreements over issues with special education services — have created a divide among parents and public school leaders for at least the past five years. . . . Last year, Virginia recorded over 185,000 students receiving special education services during the 2024-25 school year.
Video visitation costs now decreased at state prisons
The Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) announced that, as of this month, the cost of video visitation has now reduced from 15 cents per minute to 12 cents per minute. Video visitation allows families and friends to meet with incarcerated people remotely. This includes at-home video visitation — using a computer, tablet or smartphone — and video visitation from visitor centers.
Kaine named to board at U.S. Military Academy at West Point
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., has joined the board of visitors at the United States Military Academy at West Point as a congressional appointee. Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services committee in his third Senate term, is one of 10 members of Congress — and five senators — appointed to the board. He was named to the board by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY. The board also includes five members of the House of Representatives and six presidential appointees.
Report says Virginia leads nation in coastal flooding events
The devastation left behind in Texas and North Carolina has left many flooded with emotions as that, too, could be a reality for thousands of coastal homeowners this hurricane season. Viewing those parts of the country underwater are an important reminder about the critical need for flood insurance, but many homeowners don’t have a policy to protect their property. Just 4% of U.S. homeowners have insurance, and only about 3% in Virginia. That’s a cause for concern as the Commonwealth leads the U.S. in coastal flooding events, and by a landslide, according to a Lending Tree report.
Yancey: Two Virginia districts would be good targets for Musk’s new party, but what he really needs is ranked choice voting
Elon Musk wants to start a new political party. Good luck with that, pal. I will hardly be the first to point out the difficulties in that. While we’ve occasionally had third parties pop up around a galvanizing figure — Theodore Roosevelt and the Bull Moose Party in 1912, George Wallace and the American Independent Party in 1968, Ross Perot and the Reform Party in 1992 and 1996 — none have lasted in any serious form.
City school board debate over professional development policy is a real trip
The only location specified in a new policy concerning professional development considered at Monday’s Fredericksburg City School Board meeting was Virginia. But school board member Jarvis Bailey (at-large) asserted that the proposed policy, which would require approval for school board members prior to attending conferences and other events, was motivated by his attendance at out-of-state conferences, including one such trip to Hawaii. “Much of this was precipitated, in my opinion, by back-office conversations about me going to Hawaii, . . . "