Budget Deadline Looms for Virginia

Virginia’s General Assembly is returning to Richmond for another special session, with the Commonwealth’s two-year budget still unresolved and the June 30 deadline just weeks away.

The House of Delegates reconvenes June 18, followed by the Senate on June 22—the third attempt after two failed sessions. Democrats control both chambers but remain divided over a Senate proposal to accelerate the phase-out of data center tax exemptions.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger has called missing the deadline “absolutely unacceptable,” warning of a government shutdown affecting agencies and schools statewide. Senate Finance Chair Louise Lucas wants the tax change accelerated, and House Appropriations Chair Luke Torian argues it would undermine Virginia’s business reputation.

Education leaders say K-12 funding for special education, at-risk students, and educator pay all hinge on a deal—and districts say uncertainty is already complicating fall hiring and planning.

Virginia Braces as U.S. Bombs Iran

Military families across the Commonwealth—from Norfolk’s naval station to the Pentagon in Northern Virginia—are bracing for escalation after the U.S. military struck Iranian radar and drone sites over the weekend, the sharpest action yet in the standoff with Tehran.

Norfolk Naval Station, the world’s largest naval base, homeports 75-plus ships and 134 aircraft. Quantico’s Marines, Langley Air Force Base in Hampton Roads, and the Pentagon are among the installations that would surge if the conflict widens.

U.S. Central Command said the strikes were in self-defense after Iran shot down an American MQ-1 Predator drone this weekend.

Tehran retaliated by firing drones and missiles toward Kuwait and claimed it separately hit a U.S. air base used in the attacks.

Virginia Drought Second-Worst in 130+ Years

Virginia is experiencing its second-worst precipitation deficit since recordkeeping began in the 1890s, and a week of late-May showers didn’t appear to make much of a dent.

From October 2025 through April, the Commonwealth fell at least 7.5 inches below average rainfall. Twelve of the state’s 13 watershed regions remain under a drought warning, and officials say a mandatory emergency declaration is still possible depending on summer weather.

Agriculture is taking a serious hit: corn, soybean, and tobacco planting was delayed. Dozens of Virginia counties now qualify for federal drought disaster assistance, and a regional hay shortage is developing.

Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Ed Olsen says gardeners can still plant this season if they water early in the morning, mulch around stems, and lean on drought-tolerant natives like spicebush or elderberry over thirstier introduced species.

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➤ Statewide: Gov. Abigail Spanberger surprised bipartisan lawmakers with vetoes of higher education governance bills dealing with university board structure, part of her broader rejection of 31 bills this session. (More)

➤ Also, statewide: Virginia’s statewide gas price average fell by double digits recently, dropping faster than the national average, as motorists head into the summer driving season. (More)

➤ Blacksburg: Virginia Tech Board of Visitors Rector John Rocovich is refusing to step down after Gov. Abigail Spanberger removed him over alleged ethics violations, calling the action legally unsupported and politically motivated. (More)

➤ Blue Ridge Parkway: During 2025, the parkway recorded 12 fatalities, ranking it second-deadliest in the National Park System, while also claiming the title of most-visited NPS site nationwide. (More)

➤ Arlington: Rep. Don Beyer, D-Virginia, introduced legislation to block President Trump’s proposed 250-foot arch near Arlington National Cemetery, calling the project illegal, unauthorized, and a desecration of sacred ground. (More)

➤ Roanoke: A 56-year-old man accused of intentionally igniting gasoline inside a duplex died from severe burns, days after the resulting fire and explosion displaced a family and damaged neighboring properties. (More)

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➤ UVA rowing finished fourth at the NCAA Championships this weekend, the program’s best showing since 2016. (More)

➤ Virginia men’s basketball coach Ryan Odom promoted Matt Hart to general manager and director of player development. He’s the first GM in program history. (More)

➤ Virginia baseball’s season ended with a 7-6 loss to Jacksonville State in the Hattiesburg Regional. (More)

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➤ Washington Dulles International Airport is accelerating its plan to build Concourse E as it targets more than 30 million annual passengers. Scheduled to open Sept. 30, the new 435,000-square-foot concourse will add up to 14 gates serviced by United Airlines, which has a hub there. (More)

➤ Virginia is on track for its second straight year of job losses in 2026, with 17,800 positions projected to vanish as manufacturing, professional services, and other sectors decline beyond federal cutbacks alone. (More)

➤ Chesapeake Regional Healthcare President and CEO Reese Jackson has departed after 10 years, with Chief Operating and Nursing Officer Amber Egyud named interim CEO effective immediately, amid the health system’s ongoing $6 billion lawsuit and federal indictment. (More)

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➤ The Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond is showcasing how sloths, box turtles, and tortoises outlasted faster competition in a new summer exhibit called Survival of the Slowest, which runs through Sept. 7. (More)

➤ A 220-pound loggerhead sea turtle named Diamond was released back into the ocean after eight months of rehabilitation at Virginia Beach’s aquarium, where he recovered from a stingray barb lodged in his tongue and a sand-clogged airway. (See Photo)

➤ Virginia’s annual Virginia Resolved program returns to Stratford Hall on June 6, bringing historians, authors, and civic leaders together to explore the nation’s founding ideals and their relevance to modern democracy. (See Details)

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Who established Arlington Estate, which was later designated as Arlington National Cemetery?

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