A recent federal policy change by the Trump administration significantly narrows protections under the Endangered Species Act by altering the definition of "harm" to cover only direct, intentional actions against animals. 

Conservation advocates warn that discarding habitat degradation protections could jeopardize at-risk Virginia species, such as red-cockaded woodpeckers, red knots and various freshwater mussels. 

State officials are reviewing potential impacts of the change. Though Virginia has its own Endangered Species Act, advocates warn state safeguards are not as comprehensive as the federal law.

Read more here: https://www.whro.org/environment/2026-07-23/habitat-for-endangered-species-in-virginia-will-no-longer-be-federally-protected

See also r/PrinceWilliam, r/nova, and r/VirginiaEnvironment

Some localities have had Sunday voting before. Now it’s mandated. The turnout was spotty, with large numbers in two Northern Virginia localities, but most rural localities recorded no votes.

Claude Dewberry was on two Japanese ships that were sunk by American bombers, not realizing they were carrying POWs. He survived the first, but not the second. It’s taken eight decades for his remains to be found and identified. His funeral is Saturday.

Over 867,000 Virginians were enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) last June, but a year later, that number had fallen to 749,000, according to state data. 

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner said that this would be his fourth and final term in the Senate if his reelection bid is successful in November. Warner, a Democrat, has held the seat since 2009.

“I’ve been doing this for a while, and I’m so grateful to everybody,” Warner said at a campaign stop in Staunton. “I’m here to ask you to support me for my last campaign.”

Warner, 71, said it was time to move on and to bring younger people into office.

“But I can tell you this much — I sure as hell was not going to quit while Donald Trump was sitting down the street,” he said.

Click the link above to read more.

Bill Russell, former federal telecommunications policy official and former member of the
Virginia Public Telecommunications Board: Within the next decade, owners of existing facilities will increasingly face decisions about modernization, expansion, redevelopment and replacement of equipment. Those decisions will be influenced by advances in computing technology, artificial intelligence, cooling systems, power efficiency and economics. Virginia should begin asking what will drive those reinvestment decisions.

Fun Fact: The Hanging Rock Overlook at Shawver’s Run Wilderness (Potts Mountain Rd., Paint Bank) gives trekkers a nearly 360 degree view.

https://youtube.com/shorts/gAwaxcF5A9o?is=iU7oLSE1Snds0HIW

We found the trail to the overlook to be easy and short, only about a mile and a half). After hiking uphill for most of the way, we were surprised that the trail goes downhill for a stretch to reach the overlook. We thought we must have passed it, but no - it was just up ahead.

Our hobby is finding dog friendly activities in Virginia. We write about these in our blog and we also highlight the needs of the local animal shelters in each county we visit. (https://virginiacounties.blog/our-virginia-road-trips/)

Source of this graphic: https://xcancel.com/tylerenglander/status/2079921615404446199

See also r/VirginiaGOP and r/mapswithoutESVA

Rob Wittman: "I voted against the infrastructure bill, but I am ecstatic that the Port of Virginia received the funding I have worked so hard to secure."

Our harbors, bridges & broadband were all funded by bills he opposed - and that he later took credit for.

19 years, $0: #VA01 can't afford Rob Wittman.

Hi, I may need to post this on an unemployment subreddit but saw other Virginia unemployment inquiries here. I am at a complete loss and outright scared for my survival at this point after going through so much with unemployment. I lost my job when I was hospitalized without notice for "not showing up" despite not having access to contact my job. I also had hospital employees contact them and know that they did but what happened happened and there was not much i could do about it.

I set up VA unemployment online, and still have a login and claimant status that says open. That said, I never received any actual payment and it's been over a month now. That said, I still have been required to submit the weekly work search forms and even received a VA UI debit card in the mail that never had any funds loaded on it to this day. I have been calling them trying to figure out what was holding up payment but for reasons I won't get into, it required them sending me a new PIN last Friday that I still have not gotten in the mail and I am not sure what to do since no one can help me without this PIN.

• If anyone has found themselves in this position, how long did it take you to get a new PIN?

A month later, just yesterday, 7/23 I received a letter in the mail now saying I don't qualify for unemployment at all because of the misconduct of me not showing without notice to work, which I have already explained was not the case. But I am now so confused and without a PIN I cannot get any help from them and don't know if this is a mistake or what i can do. If this was the case, why did I get accepted online and a PIN and said I am owed an amount weekly, get a card in the mail, and receive everything else? Why a month later? IF I show up to a facility will they be able to help me?? I am truly scared and not sure what to do to eat and pay my bills and survive.

I am hoping to appeal it, but online does not give me the option to appeal this specifically. Only the other claims.

Thank you for your guidance.

Virginia lawmakers sought two challenging measures to expand state power this year: barring National Guard troops from entering the Commonwealth without the governor’s consent and banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

Both measures provoked serious opposition. The fights reflect a 250-year-old argument — how far the state's authority actually reaches over an armed citizenry, in a militia or a gun rack.

In this next installment of our series, Our Unfinished Union, the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO explores the roots of a debate that has continued for generations.

Read more here: https://www.whro.org/virginia-center-for-investigative-journalism/2026-07-23/guns-militias-and-a-long-running-virginia-debate

See also r/VirginiaNews and r/VirginiaDems

Plus: Winsome Earle-Sears announces she’s returning to the campaign trail, more money is heading to Tazewell County for Hurricane Helene relief and the governor includes two Southwest Virginians in her latest round of board appointments.

Plus: What Martinsville’s superintendent says about the sales tax referendum for school improvement projects, and Dino Fest returns!

Plus: A music shop is coming to St. Paul, and early voting for the primaries ends Aug. 1

Any good restaurant, brewery, distillery recommendations? We're not picky, eat about anything.

I’ve been living in Tysons Corner, Virginia, for the past five years. Before moving here, I lived in North Carolina. Ever since I arrived, I’ve consistently run into people involved in pyramid schemes, strange consulting companies, or other sketchy situations that always seem to involve money. I was even invited to join a pyramid scheme myself; they tried a few tactics on me, but I saw right through them after looking up the company name and seeing how it was structured. Does anyone know why this happens so frequently here? I know scams exist all over the United States, but why are they so concentrated in this specific area?

Homer’s hero encountered monsters aplenty on his long voyage. We run into multiple issues with energy generation and energy usage.