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How a simple fix could double the size of the U.S. electricity grid
There is one big thing holding the United States back from a pollution-free electricity grid running on wind, solar and battery power: not enough power lines. As developers rush to install wind farms and solar plants to power data centers, AI systems and electric vehicles, the nation’s sagging, out-of-date power lines are getting overwhelmed — slowing the transition to clean energy and the fight against climate change.
Youngkin joins veterans, families in commemorating Memorial Day at Virginia War Memorial
Hundreds of Virginians joined veterans, their families and Gov. Glenn Youngkin at the Virginia War Memorial on Monday for the Commonwealth’s 68th Annual Memorial Day Ceremony. “On Memorial Day, it is not the death of our service members, but it is how they lived their lives, that we must celebrate,” Youngkin said. Youngkin was joined by Major General James Wing, who served as the Adjutant General of Virginia.
Toxic sediment cleanup at Chesapeake’s Money Point finally entering last leg
The industrial area of Money Point in Chesapeake was once the most contaminated section of the Elizabeth River, and among the worst in the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed. Visitors could smell toxic creosote that covered the river bottom feet-thick, a tar-based substance used by industrial plants to preserve lumber coming from places like the Great Dismal Swamp. By the 1990s and early 2000s, the ecosystem was pretty much dead, said Marjorie Mayfield Jackson, executive director of the nonprofit Elizabeth River Project.
12,000 Virginians who died in combat honored at War Memorial ceremony
Charles T. Lewis went 80 years without recognition. But last month, that clerical mistake was corrected, and Lewis, a Norfolk soldier who died fighting in Normandy during World War II, finally had his name etched in the Virginia War Memorial’s glass Shrine of Memory. His legacy — and that of nearly 12,000 other Virginians who died in combat — was at the heart of the 68th Memorial Day Ceremony held by the Virginia War Memorial.
New flights are coming to Reagan National Airport. Where will they go?
An aviation law signed by President Biden this month will add five new round-trip flights to Reagan National Airport. The move followed a year of political struggle, with backers citing the benefits of adding nonstop destinations and boosting competition and critics warning of new delays and safety risks on the airport’s already overused primary runway in Arlington, Va.
There’s a Shortage of OB-GYNS Locally, Statewide, and Nationally
In mid-February, Dakota Richardson went to the emergency room at Stafford Hospital for abdominal pain. Ultrasound imaging revealed a large cyst on one of her ovaries. “They told me they were not going to remove it right away because it wasn’t an emergency yet,” Richardson told the Advance. “But they said, we want you to go to your gynecologist.” She did, and a follow-up ultrasound showed that the cyst was still there. She and her doctor decided to move forward with surgery at Mary Washington Hospital to remove it.
Data center boom takes central Virginia by storm with recent large-scale project approvals
Virginia is talking world domination — at least, when it comes to data centers. According to the Virginia Economic Development Project, the state hosts about 35% of the world’s hyperscale data center market, with the majority of those sites located in Northern Virginia. Now, all eyes on Central Virginia as it follows suit. If it feels like you’re hearing about new plans or proposals for data centers in the region almost every couple of weeks, that’s probably because you are.
Tobacco Commission approves $500,000 for Southern Virginia Megasite at Berry Hill
The Virginia Tobacco Commission voted to approve a $500,000 grant toward engineering and design of an improved natural gas gate at the Southern Virginia Megasite at Berry Hill in Pittsylvania County. The commission approved the grant during its meeting Wednesday in Ewing in southwest Virginia. "Prospect interest in the Southern Virginia Megasite at Berry Hill makes it imperative that engineering design for the natural gas gate to proceed so that the required gas gate infrastructure can be constructed to provide natural gas service to the property," according to staff comments on the commission agenda.
Stoney talks economy, education during visit to Bristol
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney said residents of Southwest Virginia have more in common with residents of the capital city than one might think. Stoney, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor in the 2025 general election, visited Bristol and Abingdon last Friday. A former Secretary of the Commonwealth under Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Stoney also served as head of the state Democratic party.
Fairfax Co. schools staff eligible for maternity, paternity leave benefits starting this summer
Fairfax County Public Schools teachers and staff will be eligible to get maternity or paternity leave starting July 1. School Board Member Melanie Meren said Virginia’s largest school district is expected to learn more details about the county’s program this summer. Information on human resources-related matters is usually shared in July, she said. … The maternity and paternity leave, Meren said, gives the district an added recruitment advantage.