Virginia Insider

Happy 4th of July! On this Independence Day weekend 2026, Virginia residents just scored a major victory for their communities and historic heritage.

QTS has officially withdrawn its Virginia Supreme Court appeal, killing the proposed Prince William Digital Gateway — once billed as the world's largest data center campus right next to Manassas National Battlefield Park. After years of fierce opposition, Compass Data Centers had already pulled out, and now the entire project is dead.

Uriah Kiser breaks down how local residents banded together — attending marathon public hearings (including one that lasted 27 hours), organizing, going to court, and ultimately defeating two powerful data center giants. The proposed complex would have brought tens of thousands of square feet of industrial development equivalent to 175 Super Walmarts on land adjacent to one of America's most important Civil War battlefields.

This story highlights the real impacts of Virginia's data center boom: soaring power bills for residents who subsidize grid connections, massive water usage for cooling, limited long-term jobs, and ongoing fights over billions in tax breaks. Meanwhile, Democrats are in a civil war over data center policy, with Governor Abigail Spanberger and House leaders protecting breaks worth $2 billion annually while Senate Democrats push for change.

No one is saying data centers aren't needed for America's AI leadership, but Virginians deserve a voice in where they go. This is a powerful example of what organized residents can achieve.

Source: https://www.potomaclocal.com/2026/07/03/qts-withdraws-supreme-court-appeal-ending-proposed-digital-gateway-data-center-project/

If you're in Virginia and care about taxes, energy costs, historic preservation, and smart growth, this is must-watch news.

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Richmond is out of water again — right as temperatures soar over 100 degrees and Independence Day weekend begins. In this urgent update from Virginia Insider, Uriah Kiser breaks down the latest water main break that dropped pressure across the city and affected parts of Henrico County, just months after the major winter 2025 crisis.

Temporary repairs restored some service, but full fixes could take weeks. The timing couldn't be worse: record heat, a canceled 4th of July fireworks display at Bird Park, and frustrated residents heading into America's 250th anniversary celebrations.

Uriah reports live from the Northern Neck, highlighting how this Democrat-led city continues to struggle with basic infrastructure while Virginians swelter.

Will Richmond's water system hold up? What does this mean for residents and the broader failures in local governance? We dive into the alerts, the inaccurate initial reports, impacts on the Country Club of Virginia, and the weather forecast showing dangerous heat index values.

If you're in the affected areas, stay safe, conserve water, and stay informed. Like, comment with your experiences in Richmond or Henrico, subscribe for more statewide Virginia news, and hit the notification bell so you never miss an update on these critical issues.

Buckle up, Virginia – another massive data center complex is coming, and residents in Goochland County just outside Richmond are already suing their own Board of Supervisors over it.

The proposed Tuckahoe Creek project spans 872 acres with 900 megawatts of capacity – enough electricity to power roughly 750,000 average U.S. homes. That’s far more than the entire county’s roughly 10,000 homes. The development includes diesel backup generators that fire up during peak demand, raising serious concerns about air quality, property values, drinking water competition, and skyrocketing power bills passed on to ratepayers.

Governor Spanberger frames continued data center expansion as an “equity” issue, arguing other parts of Virginia deserve the same benefits as Northern Virginia while preserving tax breaks worth nearly $2 billion annually. But locals say this isn’t about fairness – it’s about quality of life and corporate giveaways subsidized by Virginia families.

This isn’t just a NIMBY or environmentalist fight anymore. Conservatives and Republicans nationwide are pushing back hard. In Utah, a Republican Senate President lost his primary over a massive data center. In Florida and Texas, GOP governors like Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott are demanding data centers pay full freight for power, water, and infrastructure.

Uriah Kiser breaks down the Virginian-Pilot reporting, the bipartisan backlash, and what this means for your electricity rates and communities across the Commonwealth.

If you care about Virginia’s future, like this video, drop a comment with your thoughts on data centers, and subscribe with notifications on. What’s happening in your county?

Sources:

https://www.pilotonline.com/2026/06/27/goochland-data-center-campus/

https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/06/28/are-republicans-souring-on-data-centers/

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Charlottesville's Freebridge encampment along the Rivanna River has transformed a beloved 20-year community trail into a site of tents, trash, human waste, and discarded needles. Once a place for families to walk, run, and enjoy nature, the area now poses serious public health and safety risks.

Local news outlets have documented the worsening conditions for months. The city has responded with portable toilets, hand-washing stations, and a dumpster – all at taxpayer expense. Now, state funding of $7 million is headed to Charlottesville for a low-barrier shelter at 2000 Holiday Drive, part of a larger $10 million retrofit project. Critics question whether this approach truly addresses addiction, mental health, and personal responsibility or simply moves the problems indoors.

Uriah Kiser breaks down the reality on the ground, city spokesperson statements, police concerns about needles and calls for service, and the disconnect between elected officials and residents. Is providing amenities and "out of sight" housing compassionate – or does it enable the very issues destroying public spaces?

Virginia voters deserve accountability from city leaders in Charlottesville. What do you think should be done about encampments like Freebridge? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

If you're tired of spin and want straight talk on Virginia news and politics, like this video, subscribe, and hit the notification bell. Share with fellow Virginians who care about our communities.

Sources:

https://www.29news.com/2026/06/24/city-adds-portable-toilets-hand-washing-stations-near-rivanna-river-encampment/

https://www.29news.com/2026/06/24/va-budget-bill-would-allocate-7-million-towards-homeless-services-charlottesville/

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A second court injunction has blocked Virginia State Police and multiple localities from enforcing the controversial assault weapons ban and magazine restrictions — but it’s far from a clean victory. In this breaking analysis, we break down today’s ruling from Washington County Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey L. Campbell and what the developing patchwork of enforcement means for Virginia gun owners.

The NRA-backed lawsuit secured a preliminary injunction against Virginia State Police Superintendent Jeffrey Katz and Commonwealth’s Attorneys in Washington County, Chesterfield County, Frederick County, York County, Giles County, and the City of Chesapeake.

The order, which runs through July 1, 2027, cites Article I, Section 13 of the Virginia Constitution — affirming the right of the people (the militia) to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

This follows a similar injunction out of Lancaster County last week. While these are significant wins for 2A supporters, the ruling creates confusion: enforcement now varies by jurisdiction, with many areas (including populous Northern Virginia localities) still able to pursue charges. The underlying law — Senate Bill 749 (assault firearms ban) and House Bill 217 (magazine capacity limits) — remains on the books and takes effect July 1, creating sales, transfer, and compliance headaches for dealers and owners alike.

Attorney Tim Anderson and the VCDL highlighted the strong constitutional language in the opinion while warning of the messy real-world impact. The Commonwealth has already signaled it will appeal.

This is exactly why we track these stories at Virginia Insider — providing the context Virginia voters and gun owners need. Like, comment with your thoughts on this patchwork enforcement, and subscribe for more unfiltered statewide coverage.

Sources:

https://app.associationsphere.com/Template/PreviewInBrowser?prm=vUNnuCyPkYOO4dLnpnWTr5u4BA4fi72SjHE-SciVu-BqeEyWJH2V1GXuz9Jq0DrywIAMBi0iFtPQCbLWAkEDK09297RvoUE0whC5yMP1-fnU2ibbbbrbOj28gXHPB6D-RpiKW_jmfAo3givGrJsoyjArLlmm6XlZeZyKqjfj8LGrJSg6NHryAoa0kqEJ_OHp0

https://x.com/AssocAnderson/status/2071601445858882044?s=20

https://x.com/AssocAnderson/status/2071725712457998753?s=20

https://x.com/joedodson16/status/2071724585121096146?s=20https://x.com/VaNewsVanguard/status/2071753007599923202?s=20

https://x.com/NRA/status/2071714010844573899?s=20

https://x.com/VCDL_ORG/status/2071723063515967850?s=20

In a 5-4 Supreme Court ruling, states can continue counting mail-in ballots arriving after Election Day, raising fresh concerns about election timelines and integrity in Virginia and nationwide. Uriah Kiser breaks down the decision, its ties to controversial California practices, and what it means for the Commonwealth.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett authored the majority opinion, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Democrat-appointed justices. The case centered on Mississippi’s policy allowing ballots up to five days late, but it affects practices in at least 17 states plus D.C., with some allowing ballots as many as 14 days after Election Day if postmarked on time.

Virginia offers 45 days of early in-person and mail voting—plenty of time for voters to participate responsibly. Yet the ruling raises questions about why ballots arriving days or weeks later should still count, especially when results drag on for days or weeks. The video connects this to Virginia’s recent gerrymandering battles and the three major constitutional referenda Virginians will face this fall: abortion access and parental notification, equal marriage protections (including gender identity implications), and automatic restoration of felon voting rights.

Uriah discusses how these policies affect transparency, voter confidence, and the constitutional republic we live in. From endless ballot counting to shifting candidate slates mid-process, the stakes for Virginia families and representation are high.

If you care about fair elections, timely results, and protecting parental rights and school safety, this is must-watch analysis.

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The Virginia House has passed the state budget along with Governor Abigail Spanberger's amendments, averting a government shutdown just before the June 30, 2026 deadline. Now it heads to the Senate for final approval.

Key changes include clarifications on Medicaid, personal care rates, water supply planning, and data center cooling. But the big stories involve gun rights and a new tax on data centers amid deep Democrat infighting.

Spanberger's amendment delays statewide public carry restrictions on "assault firearms" (defined as centerfire rifles, pistols, and shotguns with 15+ round magazines) until July 1, 2027. Previously set for this year, the measure would ban carrying such firearms in public streets, parks, and rights-of-way across Virginia — expanding from select cities and counties like Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, and others.

Another amendment tweaks Spanberger's facial coverings bill, which targets federal ICE operations while allowing state and local undercover law enforcement to continue using masks. Critics call it a challenge to federal authority reminiscent of states' rights disputes.

On data centers, Senate Democrats led by Louise Lucas pushed hard against tax breaks, but the House prevailed with a new electricity tax expected to raise $600 million annually — far short of the nearly $2 billion in yearly incentives going to the industry. Environmental groups and some Republicans are uniting against unchecked expansion.

Uriah Kiser breaks down the budget drama, party fractures, and what it means for Virginia gun owners, taxpayers, and communities facing rapid development.

What do you think about the gun carry delay and data center compromise? Drop your thoughts below.

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In this Virginia Insider Podcast, Uriah Kiser sits down with data center watchdog and author Bill Wright for a hard-hitting discussion on Virginia’s escalating data center war.

Democrats are openly divided as Governor Abigail Spanberger and allies fight to preserve massive tax breaks for Amazon, Google, and other tech giants through 2035 — breaks that could cost Virginia nearly $2 billion per year in lost revenue. Meanwhile, Senator Louise Lucas and others push to end the corporate welfare.

Instead of closing the loopholes, lawmakers settled on a new electricity consumption tax expected to bring in just $600 million — a half-measure that leaves environmental groups, ratepayers, and a growing bipartisan coalition unsatisfied. Wright, a longtime fighter from Prince William County, breaks down the impacts: skyrocketing electric bills, water resource competition, secretive NDAs with local officials, and grid connection costs passed directly to Virginia families.

From the Prince William County supervisor shakeup to statewide budget battles, this episode exposes how Big Tech’s influence shapes Virginia politics and what it means for everyday Virginians across Northern Virginia, Southwest, and beyond.

If you’re concerned about taxes, energy costs, and unchecked development in the Commonwealth, this is essential listening.

What do you think — should Virginia end the data center tax breaks entirely? Drop your thoughts in the comments, and tag your friends in Virginia who need to hear this.

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A major victory for Virginia gun owners just days before the July 1 deadline: A Lancaster County judge issued a statewide preliminary injunction blocking Governor Abigail Spanberger’s assault firearms ban and magazine restrictions. The order remains in effect until December 31, 2026, or until a final ruling.

Attorney General Jay Jones quickly announced the Commonwealth will appeal, stating the ruling is “disappointing” and puts communities at risk. Republicans and Second Amendment groups celebrated the decision as a stand against an unconstitutional law.

In a notable exchange, the state argued the injunction should apply only to Lancaster County in the Northern Neck. The judge rejected that selective approach and also denied the state’s request to stay the ruling. The case is Crump v. Katz, challenging the gun control package.

This development comes alongside reinstated background checks for private sales, which are reportedly causing significant backlogs. Host Uriah Kiser breaks down the Second Amendment implications, the risk of gradual disarmament through transfer/sale restrictions, and the broader pattern of Democratic governance via special sessions.

Sources:

Virginia News Vanguard: https://x.com/VaNewsVanguard/status/2070480948182004041

Ammoland: https://www.ammoland.com/2026/06/virginia-assault-firearms-ban-blocked-crump-katz/

Attorney General Jay Jones Official Statement: https://www.oag.state.va.us/media-center/news-releases/3055-attorney-general-jones-shares-statement-following-ruling-in-crump-v-katz-regarding-virginias-assault-weapons-ban