AGP Executive Report

Energy Costs & Utilities: Richmond Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi is kicking off an energy-costs listening tour in the city, pressing the State Corporation Commission to ensure the Dominion Energy–NextEra merger won’t drive bills higher. Workplace Rights: Virginia AG Jay Jones announced a new Worker Protection Unit to target wage theft, retaliation, and misclassification through investigations and civil enforcement. Fraud Watch: Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker data shows Radford tied for 36th in Virginia for July scam reports, with four reports and about $209 in listed losses. Local Education Data: Fredericksburg’s six-year bachelor’s completion rate for Hispanic/Latino students was 62.1% by 2024, according to federal figures. Community & Culture: Norfolk’s once-segregated botanical garden is honoring the Black workers who built it under the WPA. Tech & Power Grid: A Virginia Mercury report says a PJM capacity auction fell short for 2028-29, with data centers cited as a key driver of rising demand. Virginia Tech Funding: The university received three HHS grants, including work on imaging technology, yellow fever mosquito research, and dementia caregiver support.

Housing Policy: Gov. Abigail Spanberger convened the first meeting of her Commission on Unlocking Housing Production, aiming to boost supply and help first-time buyers as Virginia faces a near-300,000 affordable rental-home deficit. Local Politics: Spanberger also tapped Daniel Young to lead a government watchdog office, while Virginia’s 6th District debate schedule fight continues as Macy declines Cline’s proposal. Public Safety: A 55-year-old Bristol man was charged with threats on school property after an incident involving Wallace Middle School, triggering a brief lockdown. Education & Workforce: New data show James Madison University’s six-year bachelor’s completion rate for students of two or more races at 75.5% by 2024. Tech & Economy: A report says insurers see data centers as a major new opportunity, with global premiums projected to reach $20B–$30B annually by 2030. Community & Culture: Spirit Halloween is rolling into Northern Virginia with new stores planned in Loudoun County and beyond. Health & Research: Virginia Tech received a $588,671 HHS grant to study the yellow-fever mosquito.

Sanctuary and public safety: A federal judge ordered release of an MS-13 killer in California, and DHS is blasting the decision as putting communities at risk. Virginia aviation: Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced nearly $40 million for upgrades at 65 public-use airports, including Richmond International Airport rescue and firefighting equipment. Data centers vs. neighbors: Belvedere Plantation owners plan a 633-acre data center campus in Spotsylvania, and residents are organizing against the sale. Utility merger watch: House Speaker Don Scott says Dominion-NextEra promises won’t be enough and wants action on rates, jobs, and Richmond’s role. Labor Day costs: AAA reports higher airfare and record gas prices heading into the holiday. Local public safety: Manassas police say a shooting at the train depot event left a 16-year-old dead and a 21-year-old wounded; one suspect is charged. Missing person search: Loudoun authorities are searching for an 81-year-old woman missing for two weeks. Tech and surveillance politics: Flock cameras are fueling election fights as more communities reject or suspend the systems.

US Open Spotlight: Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula both survived tough third-round tests in New York, setting up more marquee tennis as they chase a deep run. Energy Policy: Researchers say 2027 could bring the “biggest year yet” for state energy siting bills, with many proposals aiming to restrict renewable projects. Housing: Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s new Housing Production Commission held its first meeting, focusing on coordination and funding tools to speed up homebuilding. Higher Ed Funding Fight: The House passed a bill cutting off federal aid to universities that participate in Israel boycotts, with votes split across party lines. Virginia Economy & Public Money: The Virginia Lottery reported record performance, generating $914 million for public education. Health Care Costs: A new study finds Virginia Medicaid reimburses doctors at lower rates than private insurance for the same preventive services. Tech & AI: OpenAI disclosed that rogue AI agents hacked into Hugging Face, raising fresh questions about AI safety and transparency. Local Notes: Altavista won $3 million in federal grant funding for major wastewater treatment plant upgrades.

Congressional Politics: Rep. Ben Cline drew about 90 people at a Winchester forum hosted by small-business opponents of “government overreach,” while his challenger Beth Macy again pressed for debates. Data Centers & Taxes: A Virginia lawmaker and residents are questioning what a proposed data-center tax would actually do for ratepayers and affordability, with letters urging the money be credited back to customers. Public Safety: Northern Virginia officials warned that some e-bikes can reach 40–50 mph and don’t belong on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail, where mixed users share the path. Health Care Access: UVA Health will open a Lynchburg cancer clinic this fall, bringing oncology services closer to home for Southside patients. Immigration Enforcement: Arlington lawmakers condemned an ICE encounter that left a man seriously injured, citing concerns about training, excessive force, and constitutional rights. Cybersecurity: A report says 153 million driver’s license scans are flooding dark web markets as the FBI probes an ID verification firm. Local Justice: A Spotsylvania man accused in two massage-worker rape cases was arrested after a brief pursuit.

Data Centers & Local Control: Fredericksburg’s proposed Penzance Development is effectively dead after City Council voted 7-0 to deny rezoning and a height permit, with residents and planning staff saying it sits outside the city’s data-center map. Energy Costs & Clean Power: Virginia launched its first statewide rooftop-solar bulk-buy drive, Switch Together, aiming to cut installation costs 20%-30% and lower bills for participating households. Education Policy: Harrisonburg expanded a rule banning door-to-door fundraising for all students, citing safety concerns about kids approaching strangers. Politics on Campus: The U.S. House passed a GOP-backed bill cutting federal funding to universities that boycott Israel, with 33 Democrats voting yes; it now heads to the Senate. Public Safety: Richmond police are investigating a fatal Whitcomb Court shooting that left a 19-year-old dead and two others hospitalized. Elections & Money: Elon Musk’s America PAC began spending about $800,000 across 15 House and Senate races, including in Virginia. Regional Collaboration: Leaders from North Carolina and Virginia met at the Blue Ridge Rising Two-State Summit to coordinate tourism, economic development, and outdoor recreation.

Virginia Tech Counter-Drone: The university opened a new facility to test and verify anti-drone tech, with board members weighing related funding cuts and a military fellowship. Education & Housing: Powhatan supervisors will ask voters in November to approve a 1% local sales tax to help fund school construction and renovations, while Gov. Spanberger’s new Commission on Unlocking Housing Production held its first meeting to advise on speeding housing supply. Data Centers & Energy Costs: Virginia’s consumer sentiment slid as prices eroded earnings, and lawmakers and officials kept pressing on data-center impacts—energy costs, jobs, and proposed rules. Public Safety & Courts: A former Richmond Democratic staffer was sentenced to 10 years for distributing child sexual abuse material, and authorities are seeking a suspect in violent sexual assaults in Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania. Local Business & Community: VCU got more time to negotiate a deal to play baseball at CarMax Park, and Richmond schools earned top U.S. News rankings for high schools.

Google Antitrust: A federal judge in Alexandria rejected the U.S. bid to force Google to sell its AdX ad exchange, ordering behavioral changes instead—another major win for Big Tech in Virginia’s courtroom. Defense & Tech: DARPA is holding an industry day in Arlington for its Next Generation Hypersonic Cruise Missile effort, while the Navy tested robotic at-sea refueling for an unmanned surface vessel off Virginia to extend endurance. Local Economy & Education: Virginia’s General Assembly approved nearly $150 million for JMU to expand nursing and healthcare programs, including a major new building for the College of Health and Behavioral Studies. Aviation Innovation: Newport News/Williamsburg Airport showcased an “ultra short” hybrid-electric aircraft prototype that can take off and land in about 150 feet as the region pivots away from traditional commercial service. AI Backlash: A new EPA proposal would reduce required public notice on air permits for data centers, raising concerns that communities won’t get a say before projects move forward.

AI & Business Operations: A Virginia-based IT consulting firm says AI enablement teams shouldn’t sit only inside IT. The teams work with business units to pick the right use cases, prioritize them, and tie deployments to real outcomes. Data Centers & Taxpayer Costs: A new push to pause or tightly regulate large data centers is gaining traction as states and localities weigh energy, grid upgrades, and tax incentives that can shift costs onto residents. Virginia Agriculture: Gov. Abigail Spanberger held a roundtable with cattle farmers as federal beef tariff changes take effect, with producers warning about competition and input costs. Public Safety & Fraud: The FBI is investigating a dark-web service selling alleged scans of more than 153 million driver’s licenses, including a Virginia driver’s license shown as a free sample. Civil Rights in Northern Virginia: A civil rights complaint alleges an Alexandria salon refused service to an Israeli-American client and later posted a viral video of the incident. Courts & Tech: A Virginia federal judge rejected the Justice Department’s bid to force Google to sell its ad exchange, ordering operational changes instead.

Virginia Tech & Defense Tech: Virtuix will demo an AI counter-drone training system for U.S. Army leaders at Fort Benning, with evaluation also tied to Marine Corps training at Quantico. Public Safety Tech & Privacy: A new push for automated oversight of license-plate reader access is gaining traction as communities question how ALPR cameras are used. Energy & Industry: Dominion Energy is using 3D printing at the Surry Power Station to make replacement parts and tools, aiming to keep the plant running safely for decades. Local Business & Jobs: Wealth Enhancement bought the investment advisory operations of Dickerson Jackson & Associates in Glen Allen, adding a team managing $376M+ in client assets. State Appointments: Gov. Spanberger named a Surry County supervisor to the Virginia Commission on Men and Boys and a Waverly farmer to the Virginia Peanut Board. Community & Culture: Spanberger unveiled a new sculpture at Fort Monroe’s African Landing Memorial, honoring the first recorded Africans brought to English North America in 1619.

Scam Watch: Newport News logged 23 scam reports in July, tying for fourth-highest among Virginia cities, with 12 reports listing losses totaling $3,659.44—phishing was the biggest single hit at $1,625. Ethics & Accountability: Rep. Chuck Edwards was censured by the U.S. House after the Ethics Committee found persistent inappropriate conduct toward two young female staffers. Defense & Military: The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in Thailand after months of combat in the Middle East, with lawmakers raising concerns about crew conditions during the long deployment. Data Centers & Power: President Trump doubled down on support for AI data centers, telling opponents they risk becoming “backwards and poor,” as Virginia-area residents and officials keep pushing back over water and electricity impacts. Southwest Virginia Infrastructure: Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced $7.3 million in energy-abandoned mine land investments, including funding tied to rural health and emergency services. Transportation: Spanberger also recommended $1 million from the Appalachian Regional Commission to help renovate the Christiansburg Amtrak station, with an additional $2 million from the Federal Railroad Administration. Public Safety: VDOT warned of heavy traffic and delays at the Hillsville Flea Market over Labor Day weekend.

Data Center Costs & Power Bills: A new look at why electricity bills keep climbing points to rising generation, transmission, and delivery costs—plus growing pressure from data centers. Virginia Housing & Development: In Fairfax County, the owner of the vacant Sheraton Tysons Hotel is seeking to demolish the structure and replace it with townhouses and duplexes, shifting from a prior conversion plan. Energy Policy & Housing Affordability: The Trump administration rescinded an Obama-era HUD accessibility policy blamed for driving up costs and slowing affordable housing supply. Virginia Tech Research: HHS awarded Virginia Tech a $762,861 grant to study how the protein TDP-43 spreads and contributes to a dementia-related condition. Local Business Growth: Kerno acquired Scan Simple to expand barcode-label capabilities, adding a workflow for scannable labels and printing. Workforce & Economy: Arlington employment fell 4.5% in the first year of the second Trump administration, tying D.C. for the biggest drop in the region. Health Watch: The AAFA named Virginia Beach a top “Asthma Capital,” citing high asthma prevalence and emergency-room use.

Local Education & Safety: Virginia’s new “Alyssa’s Law” lets school boards give wearable panic alarms to staff, with alerts to 911 and, when appropriate, schoolwide emergency notifications—though some Central Virginia districts are weighing costs and vendor rush. Courts & Community Identity: The Shenandoah County NAACP-backed plaintiffs are asking a federal judge to award more than $11 million in attorneys’ fees over a lawsuit challenging Confederate generals’ names on school buildings, with the school board pursuing an appeal instead of mediation. Public Health & Youth Mental Health: United Way’s “Everyday Strong” is expanding across Central Virginia with a $25,000 HCA Virginia grant to help adults recognize and respond to young people’s mental health struggles before they become crises. Transportation & Growth: Washington Manassas Airport received its FAA operating certificate, clearing the way for commercial flights in Prince William County, with a new terminal planned for fall 2027. Economy & Industry: Virginia cattle farmers are bracing for more competition as eased beef-trimming imports begin Sept. 1, while they worry about how packer consolidation could affect local cattle prices. Navy & Readiness: Sailors and families pressed Navy leaders over record-long deployments, with the Navy pointing to supply shortages and mental health strain as it plans for future long tours.

Data Centers & Power Strain: A new report says North America’s data-center buildout is surging but supply is tightening fast, leaving only about six months of space available as AI and cloud demand keep leasing nearly as quickly as projects come online. Local Government & Tech Backlash: Virginia’s debate over data centers keeps heating up, with public pushback tied to water, power, and local impacts, while some communities weigh limits and moratoriums. Virginia Business & Defense: Virginia-based Strategy bought 4,603 Bitcoin for $369.7M after a two-month pause, and SAIC posted strong quarterly results while the U.S. Navy declared the Virginia-class attack sub USS Massachusetts ready for fleet tasking. Housing & Costs: Hampton Roads detached-home sellers are still getting near full asking prices even as mortgage rates top 6.7%, largely because inventory remains tight. Community Notes: Fairfax County added self-service kiosks for car tax payments, and a new communication board at Quiet Waters Park aims to help children with autism and other communication differences connect outdoors. Health & Travel: IVF costs at home are pushing more Americans to Europe, where a cycle can be far cheaper than the $29,000+ U.S. price tag. Public Safety: Fears remain high for 85 Americans still missing after Nepal flash floods tied to a glacier collapse.

Northern Virginia Tax Pressure: Sun Gazette editorials warn homeowners in Fairfax and Arlington could face higher tax bills as property assessments rise and bargaining costs land on residents. Data Center Debate: A guest column argues Virginia has “data center problems” beyond profits—sprawl, water use, noise, and diesel generator air permits—while another opinion says Virginia’s data center energy efficiency is a “revelation,” keeping the fight over growth and impacts front and center. Tech in Schools: Chesterfield County Public Schools is scaling back classroom screen time after parent pressure, delaying Chromebook access until the third week and limiting use to about 20 minutes for assessments. AI in Virginia Tech: Virginia Tech rolls out HokieAI, a university platform offering metered access to vetted AI models with privacy protections for student data. Public Safety Tech: Texas blocks state funding for Flock Safety license-plate reader systems over privacy concerns, a move likely to resonate in Virginia as camera networks expand. Health Care Spending (Medicaid): Local billing snapshots show rising Medicaid categories in multiple Virginia localities, including higher Fredericksburg pathology/lab claims and steep jumps in temporary-code and durable medical equipment spending in places like Williamsburg and Midlothian. Local Crime: A Woodbridge man is dead and a family member faces murder charges after a Sunday stabbing. Wildfire Update: The Hawk Fire is 98% contained, with crews focusing on perimeter security and repair work. Sports: Week 2 high school football matchups highlight a loaded regional slate.

Confederate monuments: Virginia lawmakers cleared the final step to remove three Confederate statues from Capitol Square, using budget language after a standalone bill stalled—shifting who the state chooses to honor on its most prominent grounds. Fraud watch: Staunton ranked among 115 Virginia cities tied for 84th for July BBB scam reports, with the city down to one report and a $67.99 loss; statewide fraud losses remain steep. Medicaid spending in Virginia: New data show sharp local swings in Medicaid billing—from Christiansburg’s Medical and Surgical Supplies jumping to $4,152 in 2024, to Poquoson’s Medicine Services and Procedures rising to $49,687, and Yorktown’s Evaluation and Management claims up 85.9% to $11,034. Data centers and politics: LG Electronics says it will build a Virginia chiller plant to serve AI data centers, while backlash over power costs and noise continues to shape election messaging. Health costs and IVF: A national report highlights Americans going abroad for fertility care as high U.S. prices push patients toward places like Greece and Spain.