Virginia Tourism Sets $36.2 Billion Record

Visitors spent a record $36.2 billion in Virginia in 2025, generating roughly $3.4 billion in state and local taxes—about $2.1 billion to localities and $1.36 billion to the state.

The total marks a 3.1% jump over the prior year and a fourth straight year of growth, Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s office announced Tuesday. The Commonwealth logged 117.1 million visitors, including a record 46.6 million who stayed overnight.

Tourism directly supported nearly 232,000 jobs and $10.6 billion in wages last year, according to a tourism economics analysis for the Virginia Tourism Corporation. Domestic travel drove the gains, while international visits fell 11.1%.

Officials cast the figures as household relief: the average Virginia family saved an estimated $1,020 in taxes it would otherwise owe. 

Coastal Projects Shape Key House Race

With the Aug. 4 primaries settled, Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans and Democrat Elaine Luria are locked into a rematch in Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District, one of the nation’s most closely watched House races.

The Virginia Beach-anchored, heavily Navy district lives with water-related issues: recurrent flooding, sinking land, and the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project that Dominion Energy says will power 660,000 homes. Both candidates, each a Navy veteran, support the wind farm.

When President Trump moved to pause the project, Kiggans joined House Republicans in a letter demanding an explanation. Luria said Kiggans’ appeals to the administration “did nothing.”

Kiggans points to her BEACH Act, which cleared the House unanimously to expand coastal-protection maps. Luria, who held the seat from 2019 to 2023, founded the congressional Offshore Wind Caucus in 2021.

32 Richmond Firms Make Inc. 5000

Thirty-two Richmond-area companies made this year’s Inc. 5000 ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S.

Leading locally was Tempo, an organ-transplant staffing agency founded in 2021, at 268th nationally on 1,260% three-year revenue growth. Manakin-Sabot hydroponic grower Greenswell Growers debuted at 858th and expects to harvest more than 900,000 pounds of lettuce this year.

Statewide, 247 Virginia firms made the list, down from 277. Fredericksburg’s Advanced Armor Research Group, which prototypes armor for military vehicles, ranked highest at 17th on 10,223% growth.

Northern Virginia’s defense economy performed well: Prince William federal contractor Terrestris ranked 26th, and Arlington water-infrastructure firm Burnham ranked 34th. Rankings track revenue growth from 2022 to 2025.

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➤ Statewide: Virginia health officials are assessing President Trump’s vaccine-related executive order while reaffirming the state’s commitment to evidence-based immunization requirements for schools and public programs. (More)

➤ Suffolk: Mosquitoes collected downtown near Freeney Avenue tested positive for West Nile virus, city officials said Tuesday, prompting reminders to dump standing water and use repellent. (More)

➤ Virginia Beach: Police honored 7-year-old Zayden Curran Herndon with the Citizen Lifesaving Award for calling 911 when his mother had a seizure while making breakfast July 21. He lifted his toddler sister from a toppled highchair, kept her calm, and stayed on the line with dispatchers. (More)

➤ Lynchburg City Schools will serve free breakfast and lunch to all students in 2026-27 through the federal Community Eligibility Provision, dropping the need for meal applications. (More)

➤ Arlington County is expanding its school-zone speed camera program, adding cameras that carry $100 fines for drivers caught speeding near schools. (More)

➤ Blacksburg: As Virginia Tech students head back to campus, the town is overhauling downtown parking, partnering with local businesses on validation vouchers to expand supply. The system, which isn’t live yet, comes after a decade of study. (More)

➤ Williamsburg: Fresh off opening the Greater Williamsburg Sports and Events Center, the Historic Triangle Recreational Facilities Authority is weighing development of a live performance venue. (More)

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➤ The Washington Commanders were valued at $9.64 billion in Sportico’s annual NFL franchise rankings, 11th among the league’s 32 teams. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, the Commanders signed linebacker Curtis Jacobs and defensive tackle Byron Cowart this week, waiving offensive lineman Sala Aumavae-Laulu and defensive back Robert McDaniel to clear roster space ahead of Friday’s preseason opener. (More)

➤ Liberty men’s basketball will tip off the college basketball season at midnight on Nov. 2 against High Point in Rock Hill, South Carolina, the opening game of the Field of 68’s revived 24-hour marathon. The two teams combined for a 57-13 record last season. (More)

➤ UVA sophomore Katie Rolls won the women’s singles title at the ITA National Summer Championships in Waco on Tuesday, beating Baylor’s Alian Zack 6-0, 7-5 in the final without dropping a set all tournament. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | Tennis | Soccer

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➤ The Virginia Beach City Council voted 9-2 to sell the National Golf Club to Dragas Companies for $17.9 million. Proceeds, plus $1.8 million from the Development Authority and $18.4 million in private investment, will fund a $38 million redesign and roughly 660 homes. (More)

➤ Richmond developer Keith Carter’s K.C. Enterprises plans a 24-home subdivision on Cottrell Road in South Richmond’s Cottrell Farms area, with two-story detached houses priced below $400,000. The project still needs a special-use permit. (More)

➤ Publix is set to build a location in Caroline County, adding a grocery anchor along the fast-growing I-95 corridor north of Richmond. (More)

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➤ Two Radford University graduates will launch their electric-truck company, Narro Trucks, on Aug. 20, marking the event by handing a ceremonial key to Pulaski County officials. (See Photos)

➤ Fine Creek Brewing in Powhatan was named Brewery of the Year at the Virginia Craft Beer Cup, taking the top honor on the strength of golds in the American Wild Ale and Strong Ale categories. (See Winners)

➤ A doorbell camera caught the moment lightning slammed a tree off Oak Knoll Court in Virginia Beach Monday night—a boom neighbors said sounded like an explosion. (See Video)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ These seven moments burned themselves into nearly every American’s memory. (See List)

➤ Party leaders spent weeks pressuring their own Senate nominee to quit ahead of a ballot deadline that could reshape a key race. (Hear Details)

➤ Video gamers are being hired by the thousands to guide real planes amid a deepening air traffic controller shortage. (Listen Now)

Has your home or property ever been struck by lightning?

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Has a bear ever wandered into your yard? 

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