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Louisa County landowner caught up in solar farm regulation debate
A landowner in Louisa County is tangled up in disputes over how her land should be developed, reflecting an ongoing debate over the state’s role in solar energy development in rural areas. She wants a solar project to be built on her property, but local authorities want her land to stay agricultural use-only. Two years into the process she’s still waiting for a resolution, as legislation addressing solar ordinances, which could help mitigate the situation, failed again in the General Assembly this year.
Spanberger to launch 40-stop bus tour across Virginia
Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, is launching a 40-plus-stop, eight-day bus tour across Virginia in her campaign for governor, beginning on Saturday in Richmond and ending on June 28 in Virginia Beach. Spanberger, who was unopposed for the Democratic nomination, expects to appear at several campaign stops with her running mates, once voters determine the party nominees for lieutenant governor and attorney general in primary elections on Tuesday.
Federal judge to consider revival of Virginia Beach election lawsuit
A federal lawsuit that led the city to change to its election system is once again in play as Virginia Beach prepares to hold a referendum vote on how it elects its City Council and School Board members. On Monday, Judge Raymond Jackson, of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, rescinded his previous dismissal of the Holloway v. City of Virginia Beach case and plans to issue a memorandum and opinion on the matter later this week.
Acoustical Sheetmetal Co. to invest $46M in Virginia Beach expansion
Virginia Beach-based Acoustical Sheetmetal Co. will invest $45.8 million to expand its operations, with plans to add 350 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Friday. Acoustical Sheetmetal is a manufacturer of steel and aluminum enclosures for the power generation industry, providing on-site power integration for large-scale data centers. It plans to build an additional 250,000-square-foot building and add significant machinery on 21.1 acres of land it purchased at the Virginia Beach Innovation Park from the City of Virginia Beach.
Southside House of Delegates race draws interest from both Democrats, Republicans
House District 49 is one of only two delegate races in the state that feature primaries among both Democrats and Republicans. The Danville-centered district includes portions of Pittsylvania and Halifax counties. Republican Del. Danny Marshall is retiring after representing the area in Richmond for more than two decades and the GOP is seeking to hold onto the seat.
Prince William County board chairs clash on plan to build data centers behind Four Seasons
Deshundra Jefferson, the chair of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, and the former chair, Corey Stewart, are at odds over a proposal to rezone land behind Four Seasons, one of the county’s largest over-55 communities, for as many as five large data centers. Stewart, 56, spent 16 years on the board of supervisors and left in 2019, when he declined to run for reelection. He’s now an attorney working with landowners interested in rezoning their properties for lucrative data center deals.
From VPAP June Primary Election Results
See results from yesterday's primary elections, including Democratic nomination contests for lieutenant governor and attorney general, and both Republican and Democratic primaries for the House of Delegates and local offices.
Sierra Club’s Virginia chapter says data center growth is unsustainable
In a new report, the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter said business as usual on data centers is unsustainable. Lead author and researcher Ann Bennett used publicly available data on existing facilities, as well as those under construction or proposed to be built. She said that wasn’t an easy task because data was not available for all facilities due to a lack of transparency from developers and state and local governments. The Sierra Club’s estimate of total data center square footage either built or in the development pipeline is roughly 390,000,000 square feet, split among 1,295 facilities.
Spencer: Despite Medicaid pledges, Wittman and Kiggans folded
“We cannot and will not support a final reconciliation bill that includes any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations.” That is what U.S. Reps. Rob Wittman and Jen Kiggans, along with 10 other Republican House members, wrote in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson on April 14. On May 22, Wittman and Kiggans voted for a House budget reconciliation bill that the Congressional Budget Office says could leave 16 million people without health insurance over the next decade. Millions of those people will lose coverage because of $803 billion in cuts to Medicaid ...
New documents show Averett’s finances in dire straits in 2024, but optimism in 2025
Averett University’s financial situation last summer raised serious concerns about its ability to operate, according to a draft audit prepared for the university. But the private university in Danville has had recent fundraising successes that may help pave its path forward. ... The Danville school started cutting costs a year ago, at the tail end of fiscal 2024, in response to its discovery of a budget shortfall caused by what Averett officials have said were unauthorized withdrawals from its endowment. Averett has laid off staff, eliminated academic programs and begun selling property to keep the university afloat.