The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region is sponsored by (434) 793-0884. Virginia state grant opportunity: The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region.

#### General Assembly is a ‘yes’ on ‘Yes in God’s Backyard’ housing legislation By KATE SELTZER, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month) The General Assembly passed legislation Saturday that would make it easier for faith communities to turn under-utilized property into affordable housing in an effort sometimes called “Yes in God’s Backyard.

” Park Place Baptist Church in Norfolk once housed a thriving congregation — about 2,300 members at its peak in the 1950s. But the numbers dwindled over the years. Its last service was in 2012, when a little more than a dozen members remained.

#### VPAP Visual Party Unity in General Assembly Votes With a nearly two-to-one majority in the House of Delegates, voting unity among Democrats declined slightly compared to recent sessions, while Republican voting unity had a sharp increase, based on analysis of highly contested votes during the 2026 session. In the state Senate, party unity remained at the same levels.

#### From VPAP Now Live: Campaign Finance Reports from Inaugural Committees The Virginia Public Access Project VPAP has posted the campaign finance disclosures filed by committees that raised money for the inaugural celebrations of Gov. Abigail Spanberger, Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi and Attorney General Jay Jones.

For each committee, you can get top-level numbers (total raised/spent) and a sortable list of donors and expenditures through February. #### Former U.S. Attorney for western Virginia appointed to state judgeship By LAURENCE HAMMACK, Roanoke Times (Subscription Required) Todd Gilbert, a former U.S. attorney for the Western District of Virginia, has found a new job as a judge in the Shenandoah Valley.

The General Assembly appointed Gilbert Friday to a judgeship in General District Court for the 26th Judicial Circuit, about a half-year after his sudden resignation as the interim head of the Roanoke-based U.S. Attorney’s Office.

#### For safety, JROTC students told not to wear uniforms in two Hampton Roads school districts By COLIN WARREN-HICKS, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month) Even before last week’s attack against a ROTC classroom at Old Dominion University, the U.S. military had been showing some concern.

Students enrolled in JROTC programs within Hampton schools had been told not to wear their uniforms more than a week prior to the shooting at ODU. The school district implemented its temporary suspension based on counsel provided by the military. From Red Oak to Greenville, Bluefield to Orange, and Goldvein to Silver Beach, VaNews delivers headlines from every corner of Virginia that would be hard to find on your own.

This free, nonprofit resource relies entirely on voluntary contributions from readers like you. Please donate now! 25 articles, 19 publications #### Housing bills to boost supply, protect tenants on way to Spanberger’s desk By CHARLOTTE RENE WOODS, Virginia Mercury #### Fairfax Co.

supervisors urge Spanberger to veto casino bill By ANGELA WOOLSEY, FFXnow Despite weeks of debate and revisions, the Senate Bill 756 that the Virginia General Assembly sent to Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s desk before adjourning on Saturday (March 14) wound up being exactly the same as the one introduced when the legislative session began in January.

After requesting a second conference to some groans from his colleagues, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34) reverted to his original language for a new substitute bill to allow casino gaming in Fairfax County, limiting potential sites to a 1. 5-million-square-foot mixed-use development in Tysons but otherwise treating Fairfax the same as the five cities in Virginia already eligible to host a casino.

#### Casino feud erupts between Tysons and state lawmakers Local leaders around Tysons are digging in to fight a casino from being built there — slamming state lawmakers who greenlit a hurried casino bill over the weekend. Boosters see a lucrative Tysons mall-sized mixed use development, but a powerful county official stands in the way, siding with many neighbors who sniff at the thought of slot machines down the street.

It took years of trying, but the Virginia legislature approved the casino bill on Saturday, thanks to supporters like Scott Surovell, an influential state senator who represents Fairfax. The legislation calls for a 1. 5 million-square-foot project just outside the Beltway, within a quarter-mile from an existing Silver Line Metro station.

#### Progressives tout Va. wins as key to ‘affordability’ message By NICK NIEDZWIADEK, Politico Progressive labor advocates are bullish on the potential for a group of bills passed by Virginia state lawmakers as a template for nationwide Democratic success in the upcoming midterm elections.

The state’s General Assembly ended its session over the weekend after passing legislation highlighted by moves to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 by 2028, establish a paid family and medical leave system, expand a non-compete ban to include health care workers and repeal a prohibition on collective bargaining for public-sector workers. #### Data center bills dominated this year’s General Assembly. Here’s what passed.

By SHANNON HECKT, Virginia Mercury The rapid growth of Virginia’s data center industry was a key point of focus during the 2026 legislative session, as lawmakers sought to balance the sector’s benefits — including over $80 billion in state investments and thousands of jobs — against its enormous electricity and water needs, which are a growing concern for communities statewide.

Legislators filed dozens of bills directly aimed at regulating the industry but only a handful passed, with some significant changes.

#### From artificial intelligence to zoos, here’s what happened to some of the key bills in Richmond By ELIZABETH BEYER, MATT BUSSE, TAD DICKENS, GRACE MAMON, EMILY SCHABACKER AND DWAYNE YANCEY, Cardinal News The General Assembly adjourned Saturday, having completed action on more than 3,000 bills, but not the state budget.

The bills that passed now go to Gov. Abigail Spanberger; the legislature will return for a special session in April to take up the budget and address any vetoes or amendments the governor has. ... Below are some of the highlights.

#### Special election today for House District 98 in Virginia Beach By STACY PARKER, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month) Voters in Virginia’s Beach House District 98 can vote Tuesday to elect a new representative. Polls will be open from 6 a. m.

to 7 p. m. Republican Andrew Rice, a Virginia Beach Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney, and Democrat Cheryl Smith, a retired teacher, are running for the seat, which was left vacant after the death last month of longtime Del.

Barry Knight. The winner will serve the remainder of Knight’s two-year term.

#### Anti-redistricting sign stolen from Petersburg registrar’s office By BILL ATKINSON, Progress Index (Metered paywall - 10 articles a month) Petersburg’s election registrar wants to assure the city’s voters that her office is completely safe and secure after someone drove off last week with a “Vote No” yard sign against the upcoming redistricting referendum that had been posted nearby.

The sign was referencing the April 21 redistricting referendum ... #### Andrews announces another bid for 10th Congressional District By LIAM BOWMAN, Loudoun Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month) A former Youngkin administration official who challenged Rep. Jennifer Wexton in 2020 is once again seeking the Republican nomination for Virginia’s 10th Congressional District.

Aliscia Andrews, who most recently served as the state deputy secretary for homeland security, joins a crowded field of candidates who have announced bids for the seat which has been held by Wexton, a Democrat, since 2019. Andrews was the GOP nominee in 2020, losing to Wexton by 13 percentage points. Wexton is retiring at the end of this year because of a medical condition.

#### Warner files for reelection, launching bid for fourth U.S. Senate term By MARKUS SCHMIDT, Virginia Mercury U.S. Sen. Mark Warner formally launched his campaign for a fourth term this week, filing the paperwork and voter petitions required to appear on Virginia’s 2026 U.S. Senate ballot after a five-day swing across the state aimed at highlighting his record and economic priorities.

Warner, a Democrat who has represented Virginia in the Senate since 2009, said his campaign kickoff tour focused on listening to voters concerned about rising costs and the future of the economy. #### Virginia reports casino revenues topped record $95 million in February By DAVID MCGEE, Bristol Herald Courier (Subscription Required) Virginia reported single-month records of $95.

15 million in adjusted gaming revenues and over $17 million in gaming taxes in February. Virginia now has five functioning casinos – three permanent and two temporary locations as Live! Petersburg came online earlier this year, according to a new report from the Virginia Lottery, which oversees gaming in Virginia.

#### As Virginia makes five-year plan to tackle HIV, those living with the virus fear setbacks The Virginia Department of Health is drafting its new five-year plan for tackling the HIV epidemic in the state in the face of multi-million dollar funding cuts for HIV care. Due to a billing mistake by VDH, Virginia lost roughly 50% of one of its largest sources of funding for HIV care — rebates from its HIV drug purchases — in 2024.

VDH met earlier this month with healthcare providers, people living with HIV and others concerned about HIV care in Virginia for input on the plan, which would guide HIV treatment and prevention efforts in Virginia from 2027 through 2031. Everyone who spoke at the meeting feared that service cuts could set back wins against the HIV epidemic in Virginia.

#### Plan moving ahead for future Mayo River State Park By BILL WYATT, Martinsville Bulletin (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month) After more than two decades of planning and collaboration between local advocates and state officials, Virginia’s long-envisioned Mayo River State Park is moving closer to becoming a reality, and residents are being asked to help shape its future.

Virginia State Parks and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) hosted a virtual Master Plan Public Meeting on Thursday to present draft concepts for the park’s development and to gather public feedback on how the site should be managed and used over the next 10 years.

#### Virginia awards funding for port projects in Norfolk, Portsmouth and Newport News By KATHLEEN LUNDY, WVEC-TV Abigail Spanberger announced Monday that more than $1. 5 million will go toward redevelopment and infrastructure projects in several Hampton Roads port communities. The $1.

53 million investment comes through Virginia’s Port Host Communities Revitalization Fund and will support projects in Portsmouth, Norfolk and Newport News. According to the governor’s office, the funding will help renovate industrial and commercial buildings and repair aging maritime infrastructure tied to the region’s working waterfront.

#### Tracci’s time as Western Virginia’s top federal prosecutor comes to a close By HAWES SPENCER, Daily Progress (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month) Robert Tracci’s stint as the top federal prosecutor for much of Virginia is nearing its end — not with a White House nomination or with a judicial extension, but with a vacancy.

In a brief notice issued this past Friday, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia announced that the district’s judges have unanimously decided not to appoint anyone to replace Tracci when his term as acting U.S. attorney expires Wednesday. ...

The decision leaves Tracci — a former Albemarle County commonwealth’s attorney who has been leading the federal office since last summer — without a clear path to remain in the job. #### Va. church group stuck in Israel got home with help from Warner’s office By MICHAEL MARTZ, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Subscription Required) The first siren sounded when the Rev.

Gabe Turner was speaking to his Virginia church group on the Mount of Olives, a ridge outside of Jerusalem where the New Testament says Jesus ascended to heaven three days after his crucifixion. Little did the group from The Point Church, based in Charlottesville, know that they were in the middle of a new war in the Middle East after military forces from the United States and Israel bombed Iran on Feb.

28, a Saturday and Sabbath day in Israel. #### Arlington County Board extends ranked-choice voting but declines to make it permanent By SCOTT MCCAFFREY, ArlNow Arlington County Board elections will continue to use ranked-choice voting through at least 2027.

County Board members unanimously opted for a two-year extension of the pilot program that has been in place since 2024 — coming up short of advocates’ requests to make the switch permanent for all future general elections. “I know that’s not satisfying” to proponents of using the method permanently, Board Chair Matt de Ferranti acknowledged.

However, he said limiting the extension would provide more time to conduct outreach and gather public input. #### More Than 65 Automated License Plate Readers Being Used in Loudoun By PATRICK LEWIS, Loudoun Now At least 66 automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) are being used across Loudoun County, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and Leesburg Police.

County supervisors asked questions about the technology during the fiscal year 2027 budget process. Last year, questions arose about which agencies Sheriff’s Office data from Flock Safety cameras might be shared with. At that time, LCSO said it had four Flock cameras.

Now LCSO has confirmed it operates 58 additional ALPRs. #### Culpeper planners deny solar plan— for the fourth time By ALLISON BROPHY CHAMPION, Culpeper Star Exponent (Metered Paywall - 20 articles a month) Third time was not a charm and neither was the fourth time the county planning commission recommended denial of a request from Strata Solar to build a utility scale solar project in Stevensburg.

The vote was unanimous at Wednesday night's meeting to deny supporting a conditional use permit for Maroon Solar on agriculturally-zoned forest tracts ... #### Forensic audit reveals multiple problems with Halifax County finances By MIRANDA BAINES, Gazette Virginian A forensic audit of Halifax County’s finances revealed multiple operational problems.

The Premier Group, the Maryland-based financial consulting firm the county hired to conduct the forensic audit, shared the results with the Halifax County Board of Supervisors during a Thursday evening special called board meeting. Haiyan Qi, senior accounting associate with the Premier Group, gave the virtual presentation on the 12 major findings of the audit of the county’s finances for the 2021 through 2025 fiscal years.

“All 12 findings are significant insufficiency and noncompliance,” Qi told the board. #### Botetourt County Board of Supervisors Chair addresses Google concerns By COLBY JOHNSON, WDBJ-TV Google plans to build a large data center in Botetourt County, and local leaders say the project could significantly change the county’s financial future.

Board of Supervisors Chair Dr. Mac Scothorn sat down for an exclusive interview with WDBJ7 to discuss the deal, including questions about water use, infrastructure costs, taxes, and transparency. ... He said Google was drawn to Botetourt County for three reasons.

#### Regulation of ‘forever chemicals’ is a reasonable step forward Virginian-Pilot Editorial (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month) Like most compromises, the legislative deal to address a dangerous class of “forever chemicals” in the biosolids widely used as fertilizer in Virginia doesn’t make anyone completely happy.

The good news, though, is that it’s a workable start toward monitoring and, when necessary, restricting the use of biosolids on farms. Those who are rightly concerned about the risks to human health and the environment wanted an outright ban. That was called for in the original bill introduced into the legislature by Sen.

Richard Stuart, R-King George. But many farmers wanted continued access to this fertilizer, which is sustainable, relatively inexpensive and, in some ways, a good way to enrich soil.

#### Yancey: Russia apprehends former Salem man at sea, sentences him to 5 years in prison By DWAYNE YANCEY, Cardinal News When Robin Stultz got the text from her brother one morning last June, she thought he was joking; he’d always had a playful sense of humor. “Great, I’m with the Russian Navy now,” he texted.

At the time, Chuck Zimmerman was sailing from the United States to New Zealand, the culmination of a lifelong ambition to sail the world. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing? ” Robin texted back.

Then, perhaps wondering if her brother wasn’t joking, she added: “You ok? ” Zimmerman replied: “So far so good. ” More sibling banter continued until Zimmerman texted: “Following me all the way — 22 miles.

In a 150-ft ship with guns. ” #### Smith: Expanded access needed for non-opioid medications By JOSEPH SMITH, published in Richmond Times-Dispatch (Subscription Required) As medical director of an ambulatory surgery center and a practicing anesthesiologist, I know well the risks associated with prescribing opioids. This is especially true with opioid naïve patients.

That’s why I prioritize non-opioid approaches to pain management. I know that most of my colleagues lack access to non-opioid options. ...

there is an opportunity for the Virginia General Assembly to address the financial advantage that opioids have over FDA-approved non-opioids through budget amendment Item 291 #11s which would make non-opioid approaches as accessible to Virginia Medicaid patients as opioids currently are. _Dr. Smith completed his residency in anesthesiology at Georgetown University Medical Center and has been in practice for 28 years.

Smith is the medical director of the Inova Loudoun Ambulatory Surgery Center in Leesburg. _ #### Bland: Tuition Assistance Grant is delivering results for students By GILBERT T. BLAND, published in Richmond Times-Dispatch (Subscription Required) Virginia has long recognized that access to higher education is not just a personal aspiration; it is a public good.

The Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (TAG), created in 1972 to help state residents attend nonprofit independent colleges, embodies that understanding in practice. TAG awards go exclusively to Virginians, ensuring that public dollars follow them to Virginia-based institutions. More than 50 years later, TAG remains an essential engine of opportunity and deserves continued support.

_Bland is president & CEO of the Urban League of Hampton Roads and former chair of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. _