Category: Virginia Mercury

• “Northern Virginia Republicans vie to take on US Sen. Mark Warner.” — WTOP • “New study lists Virginia Beach as America’s safest large city.” — WAVY • “Crops and solar power? Virginia farms are ripe for the combo.” — WHRO • “Danville’s Black history center is ‘without walls’ for

WASHINGTON — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pledged during his confirmation hearing to do everything in his “power to put the health of America back on track.” Kennedy testified that when he worked as a lawyer he “learned that human health and environmental health are intertwined

Virginia is creating an enforcement unit to oversee the rapidly expanding market for vaping products, hemp-derived intoxicants, THC and kratom, consolidating several regulatory responsibilities within the attorney general’s office.  Attorney General Jay Jones announced the Regulated Products Enforcement Unit on Thursday, saying it will handle civil enforcement, retail compliance, product

As U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, D-Alexandria, seeks his seventh term, the prominent Democrat is facing four primary opponents who say it’s time for their Northern Virginia district to have fresh representation in Congress.  The 8th Congressional District’s Democratic primary represents a fissure between the party’s candidates and voters, who are

The Virginia Department of Education took the next step toward replacing its student assessment system, a move estimated to cost the commonwealth at least $30 million a year, after criticism over delayed results, technology access concerns and frequent changes. State and federal laws require all students to take state assessments,

Virginia is on track to become the sixth and final early-voting state in the 2028 Democratic presidential nominating calendar under a proposal unveiled last week, a move that could bring presidential candidates, campaign spending and national attention to the commonwealth in the weeks before Super Tuesday.  The Democratic National Committee’s

• “Richmond leads Virginia in 2026 home sales growth.” — Axios • “Virginia study on groundwater, data centers calls for tighter water regulations.” — VPM • “Spanberger taps career regulator to lead Virginia energy department.” — E&E News by Politico • “Federal funding for SNAP at risk in Virginia due

Medicaid waiver slots have increased in Virginia, expanding services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have lost school-based special education services.  Even so, thousands of disabled Virginians are still waiting, because demand continues to outpace available slots. When people with certain disabilities graduate or reach age 22, they

Loudoun County, ground zero of Data Center Alley and home to over 250 of the power-hungry digital warehouse facilities, is considering a pause on all new data center project applications, officials said this week. “The community has basically been begging us to do something about the unchecked growth of data

• “What’s on the minds of Virginia voters ahead of the August primary election?” — WTOP • “Equipment donations from Northern Virginia are making a difference at Southwest fire departments.” — Cardinal News • “Indigenous food program to bring culturally appropriate lunches to Virginia schools.” — VPM • “Arlington’s ban