Gas prices still dropping in Fredericksburg region, beyond — As summer heads into the final stretch, gas prices continue to fall. [Fredericksburg.com]
Offices have reopened. Persuading commuters to fill them isn’t so simple. — Two years into the pandemic this spring, Washington-area transportation experts spotted a new trend: After months of commuters returning as more offices reopened, the numbers had begun to stagnate. [Washington Post/Paywall]
Virginia ABC stores selling Virginia-based spirits at 20% off for month — To promote the consumption of Virginia-produced spirits, the state-run liquor stores are holding a month-long sale, which will let consumers buy certain products made in the commonwealth at a 20% discount through September. [The Center Square]
Democrat Mark Keam stepping down from Virginia House — State Del. Mark Keam announced Tuesday that he’s stepping down from the House of Delegates, setting up a possible special election this fall in a Democratic-leaning district in Northern Virginia. [Virginia Mercury]
Yesli Vega Earns Key Endorsement From Pro-Life Group in Campaign to Take Down Vulnerable Virginia Democrat — When it comes to races to watch for the upcoming November midterm elections, many of them will be in Virginia. [Townhall]
Cutting through the noise: Prince William County to review code — Prince William County is reviewing its noise ordinance after recent outcry about the sound generated by data centers. [Insidenova.com]
‘Bowtie intersection’ planned for busy Manassas corridor — Prince William County transportation planners are moving forward with their plan for a new “bowtie intersection” at Clover Hill Road and Prince William Parkway, entering into a $1.9 million agreement with the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority to cover design. [Insidenova.com]
Mudd Tavern Road widening project in Spostsylvania County could start later this year –– Traffic impact is one of the primary concerns officials have heard from residents regarding the planned Kalahari resort water park in Spotsylvania County. [Fredericksburg.com]
Free dinner? Free parking? Northern Virginia transportation leaders exploring creative options to incentivize commuter behavior — Imagine you’re getting ready to drive to work and suddenly an alert comes across your phone: There’s a disruption on your route causing back-ups, but if you alter your plans – maybe you take the bus or Metro, or you delay your trip slightly – you get free dinner on the higher transportation powers that be. [Insidenova.com]
Independent Hill Library story trail is a hidden gem — The Independence Hill Library’s story trail, which opened in the spring, is the first permanent story trail in Prince William County. The project was a collaborative effort between Prince William Public Libraries, Prince William County’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, and Keep Prince William Beautiful. [Prince William Times / Subscription Required]
Virginia Supreme Court OKs investigation of Loudoun County School Board — Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares can continue his investigation into how the Loudoun County School Board handled a sexual assault last year, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled. [The Center Square]
Candidates for Congress differ on how to boost caregivers’ ranks — During a recent online forum, four candidates vying to represent Prince William County in the U.S. Congress differed on ways to address an ongoing shortage in personal caregivers for people with disabilities. [Prince William Times]
Letting the light shine in: Unity Reed H.S. is 1 of 5 older county schools to get windows — After teaching in a windowless classroom for more than a decade, Unity Reed High School teacher Lori Sterne said she sometimes begins her days without switching on the overhead lights. That’s because this school year, she doesn’t have to. For the first time ever, her classroom has a huge, floor-to-ceiling window that bathes the room in natural light. [Prince William Times]
Prince William supervisors mull changes to public comment — Board Chair Ann Wheeler recently voiced concerns about the structure of public input as residents this year have frequently stretched the length of public meetings. Public comment was more limited in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but gradually became more robust throughout 2021. In the past year, it has primarily been driven by those supporting or opposing the PW Digital Gateway. [Insidenova.com]
Lawsuit filed in Prince William County alleges CVS fired employee over abortion stance — The lawsuit, filed in Prince William County Circuit Court, states that for the first three years of Paige Casey’s employment, she was given a religious accommodation allowing her to refuse to prescribe or administer abortion-causing drugs. [Insidenova.com]
Vodka is state’s top seller as Virginia ABC reports $1.4 billion in revenues — Virginians continued to booze it up last year with alcohol revenues grossing $1.4 billion, according to the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC). [Staunton News Leader]
Residents turn up the volume on data center noise complaints — A few months ago, residents of Great Oak, a 30-year-old enclave of about 300 single-family homes in Manassas, started noticing a constant mechanical buzzing whenever they worked in their yards or spent time outdoors. Earlier this week, they held a protest outside the source of that noise – a nearby Amazon Web Services data center campus – to warn fellow residents that the nuisance could soon be a problem heard in neighborhoods across Prince William County. [Prince William Times]
Youngkin’s approval rating climbs to 55% — About eight months into Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s term, his approval rating has increased slightly to 55%, from 53% in May, according to a new poll published Tuesday by the Institute for Policy and Opinion Research at Roanoke College. Youngkin’s disapproval rating remains at 35%. [Cardinal News]
Va. congresswoman seeks answers on next steps following IG report on January snowstorm — A Virginia congresswoman wants to know what steps are being taken to prevent future snow-related traffic backups such as the one that snarled traffic and stranded motorists on Interstate 95 last January. [WTOP-FM]
‘FARTCAR’: The license plates Virginia DMV won’t let you have — Blink and you’ll miss it: a bad pun, a cryptic joke, a reference to a favorite movie or hobby. Virginia vanity license plates blanket the roadways and have tested motorists’ wit and ingenuity since they were first introduced in 1981. [WCVE-FM]
Virginia’s Executive Mansion to reopen for public tours — Virginia’s Executive Mansion is reopening to the public for tours after being closed for over 2 years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [WWBT-TV]
Spotsylvania County middle school teacher is Region 3 Teacher of the Year — On Tuesday, Parker’s fellow educators and administrators at Thornburg Middle School–where she is in her second year as a teacher of English to speakers of other languages–as well as school division leaders and representatives from the VDOE surprised her with the news during an assembly. [Fredericksburg.com]
Meet Dashan Turner, North Stafford High School’s new principal — North Stafford High School, affectionately known as North Nation, started the school year with a new principal after saying goodbye to Daniel Hornick, who led the Wolverines for the past five years. [Insidenova.com]
Woodbridge graduate Da’Shawn Hand makes Tennessee’s final 53-man roster — Tennessee initially signed Hand to its practice squad Jan. 5. Hand became a free agent Jan. 30. Hand only played in the Titan’s regular-season finale, getting on the field for six snaps. [Insidenova.com]
Northern Virginia officials discuss affordable housing, transportation and education during a regional chamber forum — Housing was among the many topics touched on by top elected officials Thursday at the seventh annual Northern Virginia Regional Elected Leaders Summit at George Mason University in Arlington. [Insidenova.com]
Surprise: Borrowers May Face Up to $1,100 in State Taxes on Forgiven Student Loans — Residents of New York, Virginia and eleven other states could end up with a surprise tax hit of hundreds of dollars next year on forgiven student loans. [Bloomberg]
Dominion riders bring 15% boost to bills this year — When Shakespeare’s Hamlet said, “There are more things in heaven and earth … than are dreamt of in your philosophy,” he could have been talking about Virginians’ electric bills. That’s because there are two dozen moving pieces that determine the price per kilowatt-hour paid by Dominion Energy’s customers, even though the biggest single chunk of their bills has been frozen at 1992 levels. The 13 adjustments that the State Corporation Commission has approved so far this year add $18.78 to the benchmark monthly residential customer bill for 1,000 kilowatt hours. That is a 15.6% bump over what someone would have paid for the same amount of electricity for their final 2021 monthly bill, a Richmond Times-Dispatch analysis of regulatory filings shows. [Richmond Times-Dispatch]
Northern Virginia leaders move closer to bringing a satellite HBCU campus to the area — The Northern Virginia region is taking steps toward establishing a satellite campus in the area for Virginia’s two public historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). [Insidenova.com]
Dumfries trailblazer John Wilmer Porter recognized by new historical marker — The late John Wilmer Porter and his family left quite a legacy in Dumfries. The Prince William County Historical Commission recently erected a historical marker in his honor at the site of what was his Porter Brother’s Auto Body Shop. [Prince William Times]
Manassas seeks further protection for Liberia House — As Manassas officials aim to add density in and around the Mathis Avenue corridor, the city is working to maintain the green space around one of its historic assets. [Insidenova.com]
Two key Virginia congressional races could impact control of U.S. House — Voters from across the country will determine who controls the U.S. House of Representatives in November, and the outcome of two key Virginia races could affect the final result. [The Center Square]
Virginia expands monkeypox vaccine eligibility — More Virginians will be able to receive the monkeypox vaccine after the state expanded eligibility as a result of federal changes to how the shots can be administered. [Virginia Mercury]
Virginia spent most of surplus; Youngkin wants nearly $400 million for tax relief — Although Virginia has already earmarked most of its budget surplus for spending on government programs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin intends to set aside nearly $400 million for tax reduction. [The Center Square]
Former Stafford daycare provider sentenced to 16 years in infant’s death — A Stafford woman who was babysitting a 4-month-old boy when he died in her care in 2019 was ordered Thursday to serve 16 years in prison. [Fredericksbrug.com]
