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Virginia falls out of top spot as CNBC's best state for business
Virginia is no longer the top state for doing business in CNBC’s annual ranking, reflecting an economy vulnerable to cuts in federal spending and employment under President Donald Trump. Virginia, named No. 1 last year, fell to fourth in the new ranking that the cable network unveiled on Thursday morning, based on declining scores in its economy, workforce and the cost of doing business here.
George Mason University faces investigation in Trump administration’s anti-DEI crackdown
The Trump administration on Thursday opened a civil rights investigation into the hiring practices at George Mason University, expanding a national campaign against diversity policies to Virginia’s largest public university. The Education Department said it is responding to a complaint from multiple professors at George Mason who accuse the university of favoring those from underrepresented groups. The complaint takes aim at the university’s president, Gregory Washington, saying he issued guidance that favors faculty candidates based on diversity considerations rather than their credentials, according to the department.
Judge slams Virginia Beach election referendum as ‘intentional effort’ to sidestep federal law
A federal judge lambasted city officials this week for what he described as Virginia Beach’s “intentional effort to avoid compliance with federal law” by pursuing an election system referendum question on the November ballot. In a memorandum opinion and order issued Tuesday, Judge Raymond Jackson of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia called the referendum effort “problematic,” in part because he said it invites the public to legitimize a voting system that would violate federal law. His written memo followed a hearing last month where Jackson rescinded his previous dismissal of the Holloway v. City of Virginia Beach case.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Friday Read What Ken Burns Won’t Say About the American Revolution
“If I have a problem with you,” Ken Burns said, “it’s my fault. If you have a problem with me, it’s still my fault. My mother taught me that.” It was startling to hear this ethos of humility and personal responsibility from a man who had won two Grammys, 15 Emmys, a Peabody and the National Humanities Medal. Not just because of the impossibly large burden this duty put on his shoulders, but because in that moment it was hard to imagine anyone having a problem with him. The documentarian was addressing a Colonial Williamsburg ballroom, crowded with a diverse group of civic educators looking up at him with reverence. They had gathered for A Common Cause to All, a convention organized to find fresh answers to a question as old as America itself: How to help the new generation find meaning in the country’s founding revolution?
Appalachian Power seeks state approval of measure to reduce electricity bills
Appalachian Power Co. is seeking state approval to spread out the cost for some of its assets, a move the company says will save its average residential customers about $11 a month. An application filed Thursday with the State Corporation Commission seeks to securitize the costs of restoring power cut off by bad weather, and the Virginia share of the debt and equity on two West Virginia coal-burning power plants that provide a large share of the electricity the utility sells.