Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 19h

"You might think the state that is the undisputed epicenter of global internet traffic has a leg up on managing the challenges of the artificial intelligence arms race.

So far, it’s not working out that way."

Va. could show how to manage data center growth. So far, it’s a case study in stalling legislation • Virginia Mercury

The state with the most data centers is struggling to enact laws to protect electric customers and limit the energy and environmental impacts of their explosive growth.

virginiamercury.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 19h

“(Democrats are) paying the price for the political malpractice of Shannon Taylor’s campaign that didn’t even find out about the 116 mile-an-hour speeding ticket in the primary, which is just almost inconceivable that could happen...” Holsworth said.

Three sheriffs who backed Jay Jones silent on whether they still support him

Meantime, the Republican Attorneys General Association donates $2.5 million more to Republican incumbent Jason Miyares, bringing its contributions in the race to $8.5 million.

richmond.com

Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 19h

"And it’s worked exactly how the politicians and business lobbies wanted it to. It’s driven down wages, busted unions and kept Virginia at the bottom when it comes to worker protections."

Labor leader: It’s time to repeal so-called ‘right-to-work’ in Virginia

“Right-to-work” isn’t about freedom or choice. It’s a corporate scam dressed up in red, white and blue.

cardinalnews.org

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 22h

"The Speaker of Virginia's House of Delegates successfully delayed Abigail Spanberger's deposition release by relying on a special provision of Virginia law."

Speaker Scott Enters DPVA Defamation Suit, Delaying Release of Spanberger Answers Under Oath

The Speaker of Virginia's House of Delegates successfully delayed Abigail Spanberger's deposition release by relying on a special provision of Virginia law.

joshstanfield.substack.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 22h

"If all the data centers planned for REC’s territory are completed, the co-op, which has fewer than 170,000 customers, will need enough capacity to power the combined populations of New York, Los Angeles and Chicago."

Co-Op Risks

Rappahannock Electric opens door to building own power supply. It’s not ruling out nuclear power.

thenewenergycrisis.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 22h

"Times-Dispatch review of asbestos inspection records for Richmond Public Schools has revealed that officials between 2004 and 2021 missed at least 90 federally mandated inspections for the carcinogenic fibers across the district’s schools."

Records: RPS missed 90 federally mandated asbestos inspections

Records for 78 more inspections, which school officials say were performed in compliance with federal law, are missing, The Times-Dispatch found.

richmond.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 2d

"What Virginians saw Thursday night was easily the most exciting gubernatorial debate in Virginia history, but exciting only in the sense that a train wreck is exciting."

Virginia sees a debate like no other. That’s not a compliment.

This was an utter embarrassment that marks the end of any pretense that we still adhere to the mythical “Virginia Way” in our civic discourse.

cardinalnews.org

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 2d

Virginia Beach voters are being asked to pick their preferred local voting system during this year’s election.

Here’s what Virginia Beach’s ballot referendum on voting districts means

Virginia Beach voters are being asked to pick their preferred local voting system during this year’s election.

www.whro.org

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 2d

Still on the ballot – Kilgore acknowledges candidacy paperwork issues

Despite some filing errors, Virginia House of Delegates Terry Kilgore is still the Republican candidate for the 45th House District.

www.timesnews.net

Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 3d

"Virginia is one of the leading states in student loan debt, according to federal data. In Virginia, 55% of college graduates have student loan debt, and the average debt exceeds $40,000."

Virginia is No. 4 in student loan debt • Virginia Mercury

Debt-burdened Virginians in limbo with new payment plans, government shutdown

virginiamercury.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 3d

"A Virginia Beach grand jury indicted two police officers on charges of obtaining money under false pretenses, following an internal investigation prompted by an anonymous tip."

Grand jury indicts 2 Virginia Beach police officers for obtaining money under false pretenses

Virginia Beach officers Sgt. Rebecca Peyer and Officer Brian O’Connell indicted for fraud; both suspended pending review. Police stress accountability.

www.13newsnow.com

Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 3d

"I realize that many have called for Jay Jones to step aside...But, as a Republican officeholder, I have long held to the belief that it is not my place to tell the Democratic Party what candidates they should nominate or ask to step aside.”

Griffith is only Republican in Virginia delegation not to call for Jones to quit race

Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, said “as a Republican officeholder, I have long held to the belief that it is not my place to tell the Democratic Party what candidates they should nominate or …

cardinalnews.org

Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 3d

"Wise pointed out that the issue isn’t just the number of licenses, it’s the structure itself...

“It locks everyone else out,” she said. “They can control everything from seed to sale, and they already do.”"

Who Benefits From Virginia’s Cannabis Chaos? Small Businesses Want Answers

Virginia’s hemp and cannabis industries are caught between safety enforcement and market consolidation. As state regulators ramp up raids and restrict hemp flower sales, small businesses say complianc...

rvamag.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 3d

"The federal investigation into the death of convicted sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein was marred by significant lapses... including the failure by investigators to interview potential witnesses, properly preserve certain evidence and run basic...tests..."

In cell where Jeffrey Epstein died, a scene of disarray that never underwent thorough inspection, experts said

Photos of Jeffrey Epstein's cell show a scene of disarray that never underwent a proper inspection, according to experts.

www.cbsnews.com

Reposted by Activate Virginia

Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 3d

Clients of a Trump-connected lobbying firm keep landing no-bid ICE contracts

Ballard Partners is helping companies cash in on the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

www.motherjones.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 3d

“Rising fees and executive salaries contribute to the cost burden on students,” Jegeles stated. “Capping fees and salaries helps redirect sources towards student support and reinforces the idea of education as a public service not a profit-driven enterprise.”

Virginia faculty, students prepare legislative push to regain power at universities The Commonwealth Times

A coalition of faculty and human rights organizations are preparing a push to amend Virginia law to make universities more democratic and protect free speech in response to actions by Republicans and ...

commonwealthtimes.org

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 3d

"Jefferson and Vega fervently objected to the directive, with the former calling it “cowardly” to have a representative of the Prince William Chamber of Commerce in the audience without an advisory group presence."

'A gut punch:' Prince William supervisors disband resident-led data center advisory group

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors on Tuesday opted to disband the county’s resident-led Data Center Ordinance Advisory Group after months of restructuring and recent controversy, directin...

www.insidenova.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 3d

"She said she was shocked by the board’s move and said it felt like “payback” for the committee’s pushback against the data center interests.

“This is so dirty,” Kulick said. “Now the public’s voice has been silenced.”"

Supervisors dissolve county committee working on new rules for data centers

A special Prince William County committee working on new rules to deal with noise and other impacts of the exploding data center industry is no more.

www.princewilliamtimes.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 3d

"Each data center is equipped with sometimes dozens, sometimes hundreds of tractor trailer-sized generators largely running on diesel or natural gas. Burning these fossil fuels for power emits pollutants such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides..."

How could artificial intelligence impact air quality?

This series explores the impacts of data centers on water supply, energy use and air quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Data centers house the computer systems that enable internet

www.bayjournal.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 3d

"The faux outrage surrounding these 3-year-old text messages is political theater, meant to distract us from the horror of the here and now."

Williams: GOP hysteria over Jay Jones' texts is the epitome of hypocrisy

The party of MAGA does not get to lecture anyone about lawlessness, ethics or disqualifying behavior as it abides the destruction of the rule of law, the shredding of the Constitution, the siccing of ...

richmond.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 3d

"But the ongoing government shutdown has put the National Flood Insurance Program on hold, preventing it from issuing new policies or renewing existing ones."

Federal flood insurance is shut down. That could impact home sales in Hampton Roads.

The National Flood Insurance Program is on hold because of the government shutdown and cannot renew or issue new policies.

www.whro.org

Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 3d

"Culbertson, whose family is likely to make millions on the sale, declined to comment on how much he has been offered for the farm."

Daron Culbertson on why he's selling his family farm for a data center

Fauquier farmers face a changing landscape with shrinking margins.

www.fauquier.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 4d

"The athlete and VCU agree to keep the agreement confidential unless required otherwise by the law or NCAA rules. Speaking publicly about the deal could cause “irreparable harm.”"

VCU is paying its athletes now, but how much is a secret

The only financial information VCU has revealed about paying athletes is that the athletics department will budget between $4 million and $5 million for the initiative this year.

richmond.com

Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 4d

“That’s what I was expected to do as the FOIA officer, to hide evidence that was unfavorable to the city. So while I’m disappointed that they’re still doing it, I am not surprised at all.”

Officials won’t answer questions about Petula Burks’ missing cellphone

During a Sep. 24 hearing, Jimmy Robinson — an attorney representing the city — abruptly announced that Burks had lost her city-issued cellphone while traveling through a New York airport.

richmond.com

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Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 4d

"Cannabis operator-turned-analyst Max Jackson warned that giving medical incumbents an automatic head start is a policy choice with predictable outcomes: concentrated ownership, higher prices and a stubborn illicit market."

Virginia cannabis panel weighs retail roadmap against safety, access and equity concerns • Virginia Mercury

Virginia’s bipartisan Joint Commission to Oversee Transition of the Commonwealth into a Retail Cannabis Market spent Monday afternoon plowing through several dense presentations that, taken together, ...

virginiamercury.com

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