Monitoring Drought Conditions

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality issued a drought watch covering 44 counties.

Groundwater levels are below normal in several regions, including Northern Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. Parts of the Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula, and Roanoke River Basin also have reduced water levels.

Some rain yesterday helped, but precipitation in much of Virginia has been below average over the past 60 days. “This is the third year in a row, potentially, we could be going into the summer, and a drought situation,” noted Jeff Ishee, host of On the Farm Radio.

The Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force is set to meet again on May 13.

Governor Nixes Data Center Bill

Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed HB1601, a bill lawmakers passed this year to regulate the expansion of data centers in Virginia.

Had it become law, the measure would have required data center site applicants to examine how much noise their projects would generate and what effect that noise would have on residents and schools within 500 feet of the property.

“While well-intentioned, the legislation imposes a one-size-fits-all approach on communities that are best positioned to make their own decisions,” Youngkin wrote in his veto message.

Northern Virginia hosts 25 percent of the country’s data center capacity, and more projects are expected to be developed across the state in the coming years.

Virginia’s Top Baby Names

For the fifth year running, Liam and Charlotte were the most popular baby names in the Commonwealth last year, according to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH).

The rest of the top 5 most popular names for 2024 include Noah, James, Oliver, and William for boys, and Olivia, Emma, Sophia, and Amelia for girls.

Other interesting facts from the VDH report: 8,370 babies were born in August last year, more than in any other month. And the most common day to be born was Friday, with 14,274 births, while the least common day was Sunday, with 8,778 births.

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➤ Farmville: A federal judge dismissed the only remaining charge against Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos, a 24-year-old arrested in March who is accused of being a leader of the MS-13 gang. He will remain in federal custody and has an immigration hearing scheduled for June 3. (Details)

➤ Statewide: The Virginia High School League Executive Committee is expected to finalize restrictions limiting participation in girls’ sports to students whose biological sex at birth was female. (More)

➤ Newport News: Local elected officials said President Trump’s proposed military buildup could drive economic growth throughout the Hampton Roads area. (Details)

➤ Bristol: Virginia Intermont College graduates gathered for a bittersweet reunion and to bid farewell to the school’s campus, which closed in 2014. Most of the remaining buildings were destroyed by fire in December. (More)

➤ Statewide: Businesses operating in Virginia will soon be required to disclose the total price of services and products before the customer makes a purchase. The new law, which aims to reduce so-called junk fees, takes effect July 1. (Details)

➤ Loudoun County: Eight men accused of attempting to exploit children online were arrested after a sting operation last month. The suspects believed they were communicating with minors while actually chatting with officers in the county sheriff’s office. (More)

➤ The Washington Commanders will host the 2027 NFL draft around the National Mall in D.C. (Details)

➤ The Washington Capitals open their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series tonight at home against the Carolina Hurricanes. Game 2, also in D.C., will be on Thursday. (Preview)

➤ The ACC softball tournament starts on Wednesday with UVA, a 7-seed, playing No. 10-seed Louisville. No. 3-seed Virginia Tech plays on Thursday. (Details)

➤ Yesterday’s results: MLB | NBA | NHL | Soccer

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➤ The average price of a gallon of gas in Virginia was $3.01 yesterday, according to AAA. That’s seven cents per gallon less than last month and 46 cents less than at this time last year. (Details)

➤ The University of Virginia announced an alliance with Texas-based public safety consultants Lexipol to collaborate on research, education, networking, and thought leadership. (More)

➤ HII, a shipbuilder headquartered in the Commonwealth, received a contract modification to build two additional Virginia-class submarines. (Details)

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➤ The Dome, a new concert venue at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, will open Friday with a concert by Three Dog Night, the same act that performed the final concert at the old Dome in 1993. (Details)

➤ This is Correctional Officers Week in the Commonwealth, according to a proclamation from Gov. Glenn Youngkin. (More)

➤ Virginia became the third state to enact legislation to protect babies from dangerous contaminants. The new laws require baby food makers to test for toxic heavy metals and display those test results on labels. (Details)

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Did you attend a concert at the original Dome in Virginia Beach?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Maybe?

Monday’s Results:

Have you seen a spotted lanternfly in your area? 

1. Yes: 28%
2. No: 37%
3. Don’t know 35%

How many times have the Capitals faced the Hurricanes in the NHL playoffs?

Show me the answer