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Danish manufacturer Topsoe files formal plans for $400M plant in Chesterfield
While it navigates an uncertain outlook for federal clean-energy financial incentives, Danish company Topsoe continues to take incremental steps toward building a nine-figure manufacturing facility in Chesterfield. The company last week submitted formal site plans with the county for a $400 million plant that would make electrolyzer cells for “clean hydrogen” fuel. Documents show a 300,000-square-foot, two-story facility to be built on a 43-acre site at Meadowville Technology Park.
Calls made for Northumberland School administrators to be put on leave
As Northumberland pushes for a Virginia State Police investigation of the school system, the Board of Supervisors and School Board agreed that the School Board needs to consider placing the superintendent, Dr. Holly Wargo, and the finance director, Tara Booth, on administrative leave.
Virginia High School League ratifies transgender student participation policy
The Virginia High School League ratified its transgender student participation policy Wednesday as its executive committee meeting. The league's executive committee voted Feb. 10 to change the policy in compliance with President Donald Trump's executive order to keep transgender women from playing on women’s high school sports teams. Since the policy had already been changed, there was no vote or discussion on the changes Wednesday by the VHSL's executive committee. The new policy only affects trans girls.
Pushback in Petersburg City Council after planning commission asks for pay
“This is a don't shoot the messenger item,” City Manager John "March" Altman cautioned city council Tuesday evening. He did so before Planning and Community Development Director Naomi Siodmok began her presentation on the Planning Commission’s request to be paid for the work they do for the city — a contentious item that caused some debate during the city council meeting’s public comment period.
Fairfax County teachers’ union blames supervisors after budget crushes labor agreement
Fairfax County teachers’ elation at securing a collective bargaining agreement, the first of its kind in nearly 50 years for the district, has proven short-lived. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is set to adopt a budget for fiscal year 2026 that transfers $2.93 billion to Fairfax County Public Schools — up $119 million from the current fiscal year, but well short of the $248 million increase that Superintendent Michelle Reid requested primarily to cover employee pay raises promised by the union contract.
Manassas leaders voice concerns over data center tenant not subject to business property taxes
City leaders in Manassas are expressing bewilderment after learning a tenant inside a new data center won’t have to pay business personal property taxes, drastically shrinking the revenue the city expected from the property. The tenant inside the Brickyard data center at 9905 Godwin Drive, operated by Digital Realty Trust, filed tax paperwork on April 14 identifying itself as a bank, Commissioner of the Revenue Tim Demeria told City Council April 30.
Spanberger condemns ‘shocking’ ICE raid in Charlottesville
Abigail Spanberger, Virginia's Democratic candidate for governor, is calling out federal immigration authorities after two men were detained during a raid on a courthouse in downtown Charlottesville last month. On April 22, three plainclothes U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents — one masking his face with a balaclava — entered the Albemarle County Courthouse, arrested two men and whisked them away in unmarked vehicles to a detention center in Farmville. The incident has sparked pushback from Charlottesville residents and officials alike. Now Spanberger is pushing back.
Yancey: A myth busted: Our kids aren’t leaving for Charlotte and Atlanta. Not as many as we think, anyway.
For all the time I’ve lived in the Roanoke Valley, which is now more than four decades, I’ve heard a constant lament: We lose people to Charlotte and Atlanta. Our young adults leave for there. Our mid-career adults leave for there. From time to time, our major employers have left for there. The latter is certainly true: The railroad that turned a salt lick into a boomtown is now in Atlanta, by way of Norfolk. The former, though, is not, at least not in appreciable numbers.
Former VCU diversity staffers: ‘It’s hard to even process’
Trevon Straughter recounted the moment he found out his job was being eliminated. It was Friday, March 21. He was working from home and had just picked up some Southern Kitchen for lunch. Then he got the feeling that he should check his email quickly before returning to work. Straughter had been working as a program and event specialist in VCU’s Division of Inclusive Excellence, which focused on initiatives of diversity and inclusion. He saw an email from Alison Miller, Virginia Commonwealth University’s chief human resources officer, sent at 2:43 p.m. which said, “the university must follow federal and state laws regarding discrimination and perceived discrimination.”
Democrats reach historic goal: A full slate in Virginia House races
For the first time in recent memory, Virginia Democrats have candidates running in all 100 House of Delegates districts — a milestone party leaders and grassroots organizers say reflects rising momentum as President Donald Trump’s second term continues to galvanize opposition. Rocco DeBellis, a 57-year-old chef, Bronx native, and Cape Charles resident, filed this week to run in House District 100, making it the final district to be contested and completing the Democrats’ full slate.