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Northern Virginia residents protest Dominion Energy’s transmission line
Residents of western Prince William gathered Thursday alongside lawmakers outside Patriot High School to protest Dominion Energy’s pending Morrisville–Wishing Star 500 kV and 230 kV transmission line as the utility provider simultaneously held a community meeting inside the Nokesville school. The Coalition to Protect Prince William County hosted the event, where around 35 residents were joined by state and local elected officials. Dominion’s proposed 36.5-mile transmission line would begin in southern Fauquier County and run through Prince William and Loudoun counties.
Petrine and Pace: What’s driving Virginia’s economy? It’s the talent.
Graduation season is upon us as carloads of family and friends made their way on Interstate 81 to Blacksburg and Radford to cheer on a new generation. They’re celebrating a milestone as thousands of Virginia students prepare to step into the workforce full of potential to shape their communities. Because they are products of Virginia’s higher education system, their chances of success are greater than their counterparts in other states.
Local leaders say they’ll pay $5.6 billion to automate Metro
A fully automated D.C. Metro in the next two decades is closer to becoming a reality, as local leaders found agreement at a region-wide meeting Friday on adding hundreds of millions of dollars in annual support to the system’s coffers starting in 2027. But the idea of a regional sales tax to raise the funds was quickly rejected by local officials who said they would rather figure out where to find the money on their own. ... Other suggested options included higher vehicle registration fees, fuel and sales taxes as well as higher property taxes and real estate fees.
Harrisonburg declares state of emergency amid water issues
Harrisonburg has declared a state of emergency after heavy rains stirred up sediment in the city’s water supply, leading to decreased output from the city’s water treatment plant and lower water supply. In a unanimous vote during a specially called meeting on Friday, the council voted to declare a state of emergency. City manager Ande Banks said that although Rockingham County was helping to supply the city with its own water supply, the county would no longer be able to assist.
McClellan: Let me tell you what the Republican budget means for Virginia
Tuesday afternoon, I walked into a House Energy and Commerce Committee meeting to address federal funding for health care, energy, the environment and communications agencies and programs. More than 26 hours later, committee Republicans voted for a bill the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office confirmed will kick millions of Americans off their health insurance. This bill puts Medicaid at risk for hundreds of thousands of Virginians and raises health care costs for the rest of us. Meanwhile, House Republicans on the Agriculture Committee voted to strip food assistance away from millions of children and families to pay for House Ways and Means Republicans’ tax cuts for the wealthy just a few doors down.
‘We are not broke’: Mount Jackson officials push back on financial concerns amid deficits
Facing questions from concerned residents, Mount Jackson officials defended the town’s financial position Monday night, insisting that despite back-to-back budget deficits and a shrinking reserve fund the town remains in good fiscal health. Mount Jackson’s general fund reserve balance is projected to drop from $2 million to $1.3 million by the end of fiscal year 2025 after covering an unexpected $700,000 shortfall. Another $737,000 gap looms for fiscal year 2026.
Prosecutor Taylor, former Del. Jones vie for Democratic attorney general nomination
In a contest that pits prosecutorial vs. legislative experience, former Del. Jay Jones and Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor are vying for the Democratic nomination for attorney general. Both Democrats say they bring compelling résumés and hometown credibility, yet they draw clear contrasts between courtroom gravitas and the hustle of a political trailblazer. The winner in the June 17 primary will face Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican who is seeking reelection in November.
Fort Eustis’ Army training headquarters to relocate to Texas
The Army Training and Doctrine Command headquarters is set to move to Austin, Texas, after more than a decade at Fort Eustis. The plan is part of a larger reorganization effort by the Defense Department which will see several bases around the country consolidate and combine with the Army Transformation Command — which was created during the first Trump administration and operates in Austin — to create a new Army Transformation and Training Command. . . . Roughly 10,000-13,000 soldiers and civilians live on the Army base. It remains unclear how many soldiers will leave under the transformation plan.
Pharrell’s canceled movie about Virginia Beach childhood never sought $12M in state incentives
Shortly after Pharrell Williams began production on a musical biopic about his upbringing in the Atlantis apartment complex in Virginia Beach, Virginia offered the project more than $12 million in state incentives aimed at enticing producers to shoot it in the state. However, Williams’ production team never submitted documentation for the incentives, according to state officials. The project, originally called “Atlantis,” filmed scenes in Richmond and at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. But the project was canceled during post-production, Variety reported in February.
Seven Virginia governors celebrate Brown v. Board of Education; Wilder skips event
Virginia governors, past and present, gathered Saturday to mark the 71st anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling that was supposed to end school segregation, saying there’s still more work to do. The reason the governors, corralled by former Gov. Bob McDonnell, were there, he said, is in the preamble to the U.S. Constitution, “to form a more perfect union.” ... Doug Wilder, the nation’s first elected Black governor, skipped the event. He said in an interview that he is dismayed that Virginia’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is fading under Gov. Glenn Youngkin.