Virginia Tops Workforce Training Rankings

Area Development, a national trade publication, ranked Virginia’s Talent Accelerator Program the nation’s top workforce training program in its 2026 business rankings.

The publication, which has tracked corporate site selection since 1965, surveyed 50 site consultants. Virginia placed eighth overall and first for workforce training, ahead of Georgia and South Carolina.

Created by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership with the Virginia Community College System, the program offers free, customized recruitment and training to companies opening or expanding in the commonwealth.

Since 2019, it has supported projects tied to more than 22,000 announced jobs. Companies using it include Merck, for its $3 billion expansion in Elkton, and Avio USA, for its planned factory in Hurt. “Virginia is building the best workforce in America, and industry is taking notice,” Gov. Abigail Spanberger said.

Poll Suggests School Investment Support

A statewide poll of 800 registered voters suggests there is broad support for spending more on Virginia’s public schools, with 97% calling the teacher shortage important to address.

The August survey for the Virginia Business-K12 Partnership found that more than 70% consider the schools well-run and a sound place for public dollars. Respondents split 41% Democrat, 37% Republican, and 22% independent.

Majorities backed specific investments: 91% said it’s important to address the roughly $2,000 gap between Virginia’s per-student spending and the national average, and 85% said more funding for school facilities is important.

The findings land as 47 localities put a 1% local sales tax for school construction on this fall’s ballot. Statewide, 78% of those polled said they’d support such a tax.

Hunting License Fees Go Up

Virginia hunters, anglers, and trappers began paying higher fees after increases approved by the Board of Wildlife Resources took effect Oct. 1. 

Resident one-year hunting licenses rose from $22 to $27, while multi-year options and the Sportsman License also increased. Nonresidents face steeper hikes, including general hunting licenses climbing to $135.

The Department of Wildlife Resources said the changes, the first broad adjustment since 2012, will generate about $6.39 million annually. Officials cited inflation and rising costs for wildlife management, habitat, enforcement, and safety programs. Fees for youth, apprentice, disabled veteran, and disabled licenses remain unchanged.

The department noted U.S. prices have risen since the last major update, while agency revenue stayed flat.

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➤ Northern Virginia: A slim majority of regional business leaders, 53%, say data centers will have a positive impact on the local economy, according to a Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce survey, even as the industry’s rapid growth fuels debate over power and water use. (More)

➤ Richmond: Car thefts have surged across the city, with at least a dozen Hondas stolen since Sept. 20. Police say none have been recovered and believe the thefts are connected. (More)

➤ Chesterfield County: The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality issued a Notice of Violation on Sept. 29 to Peanut LLC, the Google entity building a data center in the county, citing seven sediment-runoff incidents reported between December 2025 and August 2026. (More)

➤ Halifax County: Newly released records show two gates on the Banister River’s hydroelectric dam stayed open for weeks during the drought as the reservoir drained, before 837 fish died in mid-September. Operator KEI Power Management blamed the drought and a leak and has proposed new monitoring equipment and staff retraining. (More)

➤ Shenandoah County: A federal judge declined to pause his order requiring two county schools to drop the Confederate names Ashby-Lee Elementary and Stonewall Jackson High while the school board appeals to the Fourth Circuit. The board says changing the names now could waste money. (More)

➤ Virginia Beach: The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center is prioritizing repairs to its sea turtle rehabilitation systems after a Sept. 29 fire caused extensive smoke damage at its conservation center. Staff and first responders removed five turtles in rehab. (More)  

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➤ The ACC set a noon kickoff for Virginia’s Oct. 17 game at SMU, once billed as a clash of ACC title contenders but now likely an elimination game after both teams lost early conference matchups. First, Virginia (3-2) hosts Syracuse (2-2) in its Homecoming game this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. (More)

➤ Virginia Tech (4-1) faces Cal (2-3) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET in a West Coast road matchup, pitting the Hokies’ high-powered offense against a Golden Bears defense that has struggled recently. (Read Preview)

➤ Social media was flooded with tributes after the Washington Capitals’ captain Alex Ovechkin announced on Monday that the 2026-27 season will be his last. (See Posts)

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

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➤ Herbal tea maker Traditional Medicinals has started production at its $47 million plant in Franklin County’s Summit View Business Park, its second U.S. factory, beginning with Throat Coat tea. The all-electric operation employs 19 people so far, with 57 jobs planned over three years. (More)

➤ Richlands Dairy in Nottoway County has joined the Dairy Alliance’s virtual Adopt a Cow program, allowing classrooms to follow a calf through the school year, with updates and activities tied to a national dairy education effort. (More)

➤ Mabel’s, a milkshake shop and cafe in Powhatan County that has drawn a following for more than a decade, will close Oct. 17 as owners Denali Willis and Brittney Kirby step away to pursue other plans. (More)

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Memory Loss, Low Libido, Weak Bones

Not magnesium, and not calcium. A new study says memory loss and cognitive decline may be the result of a different mineral deficiency, one that can also cause stubborn weight gain, low energy, mood swings, a low libido, bleeding gums, and weaker bones.

An estimated 90% of adults over 60 may now be at risk. Soils have become depleted, and common medications such as blood pressure drugs, along with microplastics, strip it from the body.

There are seven warning signs that you might be running low. (See Warning Signs)

➤ Virginia’s Executive Mansion got a fall makeover with pumpkins and gourds from Richdale Farm, a 150-year-old family farm in Wytheville, as Gov. Abigail Spanberger declared October “Virginia Pumpkin Month.” The Southwest Virginia farm grows about 42 varieties. (Watch Video)

➤ Virginia Beach ranks as the 14th-best U.S. city for drivers in a new study, with Chesapeake at 22nd and Norfolk at 31st among the 100 largest cities evaluated. (See Rankings)

➤ Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources is seeking entries for its 2027 Restore the Wild Artwork Competition featuring the American woodcock, with submissions due by Jan. 8 for a March exhibition in Richmond. (See Details)

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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. 

➤ Stubborn neck pain often lacks a clear cause, but physical therapists say five simple exercises can bring real relief. (See Exercises)

➤ Apple News has been accused of suppressing months of coverage about the DNC’s mounting debt ahead of the midterms. (Hear Details)

➤ Some everyday habits are damaging your hearing in ways audiologists say you won’t notice until it’s permanent. (Listen Now)

Do you support spending more on Virginia’s public schools?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Not sure

Yesterday’s Results:

Would you sit down for a sommelier-led water tasting? 

1. I’ll stick with tap: 50%
2. Only if it’s free: 41%
3. Absolutely: 9%

What method does Virginia use to estimate its statewide deer population size before hunting season?

Show me the answer