Activate Virginia

Williams: Virginia faces data center overload Everything about the proliferation of data centers, and their potential impact on consumers, communities and our environment, is screaming for us to tap the brakes if not slam on them. This explosion ...

"This proliferation of data centers is happening too fast and too furiously, toward an end we can't readily predict."

Virginia needs gaming commission before expanding gambling options | Guest column There are bills to expand or pass new gaming legislation, but what we really need to do is to put the brakes on any new gaming in 2026. There is no rush. All these gaming expansion bills can wait unti...

"There are other bills to expand or pass new gaming legislation, but what we really need to do is to put the brakes on any new gaming in 2026. There is no rush."

Prosecutors: Hospital's actions hindered 2023 investigation of injured newborns Hospital leaders didn't report the injuries as potential abuse until seven weeks after they discovered the first injury. A hospital spokesperson said it contacted authorities once it suspected the pro...

"Unable to determine who caused the injuries, Child Protective Services and Henrico police closed their investigation in early 2024 and listed the abuser as an unknown staffer."

Virginia child poverty rates rising, advocacy group reports New data shows 230,000 children in the state lack basic needs.

"Child poverty rates in Virginia have increased from 9% to 12%, according to new data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation analyzed by Voices for Virginia’s Children."

Could a free school breakfast bill become law this year?  • Virginia Mercury Senate Bill 4 by Danica Roem, D-Prince William, and House Bill 96 by Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, D-Alexandria, narrows the scope of free meals provided to students to just breakfast, and would have...

""To be clear, I am using the School Breakfast bill to eventually get to breakfast and lunch,” she said, adding  that  she plans to introduce a free school lunch version next year."

Editorial: FBI raid on reporter’s Virginia home demands vigorous opposition Americans know that attempts to intimate members of the media are intended to limit what the public sees and hears.

"And while the loudest criticism should be coming from Bezos and the Post’s Opinion page, all Americans should join the chorus denouncing this extraordinary action and defending the rights of journalists to work free from government interference."

Redistricting update: Both sides have 10 days to prepare briefs for Tazewell judge On Wednesday, a circuit court judge in Tazewell gave both sides in the redistricting battle 10 days to submit briefs before making a ruling on the legality of the Democrats’ effort to redraw congressi...

"On Wednesday, a circuit court judge in Tazewell gave both sides in the redistricting battle 10 days to submit briefs before making a ruling on the legality of the Democrats’ effort to redraw congressional boundaries ahead of midterm elections."

Fundraising partner for Rudee Park ‘not authorized to solicit,’ according to state office A local nonprofit contracted by the city to solicit donations and sponsorships to build Rudee Park is not registered with a state regulatory office as required by Virginia law.

"A local nonprofit organization contracted by the city last month to solicit donations and sponsorships to build Rudee Park is not registered with a state regulatory office as required by Virginia law."

How Gov. Spanberger and a Democratic majority can make energy more affordable • Virginia Mercury An aggressive legislative agenda this year will demonstrate national leadership on managing the data center buildout while delivering climate, health and economic benefits to all Virginians, writes co...

How Gov. Spanberger and a Democratic majority can make energy more affordable

Fairfax County casino bill back on the table for 2026 session | FFXnow Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34) is once again rolling the dice on legislation to allow a casino in Fairfax County. A bill that would add the county to Virginia's list of localities eligib...

“Tysons is the economic engine of Fairfax County, and a casino would undermine the ambitious and award-winning Tysons Comprehensive Plan.”

“I Am the War on Drugs” by R. Anthony Harris

“The only people up and running like that,” he said, “are the big companies.”

Why the Tysons casino matters for the rest of Virginia | Guest column Tysons residents are not opposed to growth. We believe in development that is thoughtful, balanced and aligned with our community’s long-term vision. A casino imposed by the General Assembly is none o...

"If the General Assembly can impose a casino on Tysons over the objections of residents and local officials, it can do the same thing anywhere else in Virginia, with any type of large-scale development."

Richmond officials deny FOIA request for water bill projections Avula said he’s not in favor of releasing information that might lack context, saying it “doesn’t help the public conversation.”

"However, officials are refusing to release a financial planning document that shows how much Richmonders’ monthly water bills could potentially increase in order to fund the $1.4 billion in water infrastructure upgrades the city hopes to complete..."

When Virginia GOP senator’s solar farm stalled, the Youngkin admin got involved • Virginia Mercury Sen. Richard Stuart is planning a solar farm on his property that has ignited a fight over easements designed to protect land from development.

"Senior members of Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration helped Republican state Sen. Richard Stuart clear a major regulatory hurdle for a planned solar farm on his King George County property last year."

Skill games legalization is back in Virginia. In first bill hearing, a Senate subcommittee wasn’t in favor. Legislation that would legalize and regulate skill games will proceed to a full committee without the recommendation of the gaming subcommittee.

"The Senate Gaming subcommittee voted 5-3 Friday against recommending a bill that would permit skill gaming machines in places such as convenience stores and bars. However, the bill will appear before the full Committee on General Laws and Technology..."

Column: Skill games and casinos are a threat to affordability in Virginia Policymakers can help create a Virginia that hardworking people can afford by rejecting “skill” games and unwanted casinos, Freedom Virginia’s Rhena Hicks writes in a guest column.

"Policymakers can either stand by their commitment to create a Virginia that hardworking people can afford and reject “skill” games and unwanted casinos, or they can undermine that promise by allowing predatory actors to operate freely in communities across Virginia."

Richmond’s next lawmaker? A professor, protester, lawyer and librarian Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor Charlie Schmidt took it all the way. Once like many-a-VCU-student — riding the city bus lines and organizing anti-war protests — the academic turned activist, civil rig...

Richmond’s next lawmaker? A professor, protester, lawyer and librarian

Judge says Virginia violated Reconstruction Era law by disenfranchising certain felons The ruling, which held Virginia violated the terms of 1870's Virginia Readmission Act, could be a road map for other southern states that block certain felons from voting.

“While this decision applies only to Virginia, it provides a pathway for individuals in other former Confederate states across the South to have their voting rights protected,” Davidson said.

Flock cameras in Hampton Roads surveil Black communities more intensely than white ones, CNU study says Researchers say the placements follow longstanding patterns of overpolicing and the implications are “disturbing.”

“When you look at some of these census tracts, it's almost impossible to move in your daily life, whether it's going to the grocery store, going to work, going taking your kid to childcare, without getting tracked by these cameras,” he said.

4 Va. lawmakers target rising Appalachian Power bills The bipartisan group of legislators said Tuesday they will advocate for new laws to help Appalachian Power customers.

"McNamara echoed Deeds’ statement.

“Affordability is the big issue and when you drill down into affordability, what I hear about most often is electric rates,” he said."

Roanoke wants a casino. It’s going about that in a way no other Virginia city has done. Another challenge: Studies for the Danville and Petersburg casinos put the Roanoke Valley within their market areas.

"I am completely and totally opposed to a casino coming to Roanoke and I will oppose it viscerally and vehemently with every fiber of my being,” state Sen. Chris Head...has said. “I will work with everything I’ve got to make sure this doesn’t happen.”

Supreme Court will decide on use of warrants that collect the location history of cellphone users The Supreme Court has agreed to decide the constitutionality of broad search warrants that collect the location history of cellphone users to find people near crime scenes.

"The Supreme Court agreed Friday to decide the constitutionality of broad search warrants that collect the location history of cellphone users to find people near crime scenes."

Apple and Google Are the Gatekeepers. Our Virginia Senators Should Start There. by R. Anthony Harris

"Apple and Google sit at the center of today’s misinformation crisis, and Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine should focus there if they want real change."

Bipartisan group of lawmakers look to curb southwest Virginia utility bill costs • Virginia Mercury As utility bills surge for ratepayers in Virginia, bills are being considered to curb Appalachian Power Company costs on ratepayers.

"What an energy conglomerate can do is make deals essentially with itself to ensure that it is buying energy from its own subsidiaries, but that may not necessarily be in our best interest,” Rasoul said.

Richmond’s next lawmaker? A professor, protester, lawyer and librarian Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor Charlie Schmidt took it all the way. Once like many-a-VCU-student — riding the city bus lines and organizing anti-war protests — the academic turned activist, civil rig...

Richmond’s next lawmaker? A professor, protester, lawyer and librarian

4 Va. lawmakers target rising Appalachian Power bills The bipartisan group of legislators said Tuesday they will advocate for new laws to help Appalachian Power customers.

"McNamara echoed Deeds’ statement.

“Affordability is the big issue and when you drill down into affordability, what I hear about most often is electric rates,” he said."

Flock cameras in Hampton Roads surveil Black communities more intensely than white ones, CNU study says Researchers say the placements follow longstanding patterns of overpolicing and the implications are “disturbing.”

“When you look at some of these census tracts, it's almost impossible to move in your daily life, whether it's going to the grocery store, going to work, going taking your kid to childcare, without getting tracked by these cameras,” he said.

Will 2026 be the year General Assembly stops reckless data center development? | Guest column Over the past two years, the General Assembly has taken little action on data center legislation, this columnist writes. Meanwhile, other states have seen what happened here and are proactively implem...

"This oversight bill would require a certificate of operation from the State Corporation Commission (SCC) for any new high-load facilities exceeding 25 megawatts of electricity."

ICYMI: City code requires Richmond's city attorney to release legal opinions. She won't do it. Despite city code's requirement that the city attorney publish written legal advice given to officials, City Attorney Laura Drewry says that advice is protected by attorney-client privilege

"Despite that decision by City Council — which directly oversees the city attorney — Drewry’s office this week refused to turn over copies of written opinions issued to city officials in the past year."

Virginia lawmaker pushing for nursing home minimum staffing standard, ownership disclosure requirements A state legislator is attempting to create some new laws to address concerns surrounding transparency and staffing in Virginia nursing homes.

“The stories are incredibly troubling, and I think we shouldn’t need stories like that to take more action, but unfortunately what we learned is we did not have adequate oversight.”