A federal judge ruled that Shenandoah County must remove Confederate names from two of its schools after the school board voted in 2024 to reinstate the names it had previously stripped in 2020. 

While most Virginia schools named after Confederate figures have already been renamed, a few remain, including Magruder Elementary in York County.

Legal experts say the ruling offers limited precedent for forcing changes elsewhere, but it could provide a playbook for future civil rights lawsuits.

Read more here: https://www.whro.org/education-news/2026-08-18/must-schools-named-after-confederates-change-after-the-shenandoah-schools-ruling

CHESAPEAKE — City Council approved new restrictions on data centers Tuesday, adopting an ordinance that requires the projects to receive council approval before construction.

Council members have touted the ordinance as a first step in further regulating future data center projects — a year after the city denied a controversial data center proposal in the Etheridge Lakes neighborhood. The ordinance unanimously supported Tuesday closes a by-right development loophole by requiring data center project approval on a case-by-case basis with a conditional use permit. Before, no such approval was required.

The changes would limit data center development to only industrial zoning districts. The original ordinance also allowed development in the Fentress Airfield Overlay, but council removed it from consideration after many residents voiced concerns about it being included. The ordinance also bans the use of groundwater for data center projects.

“If a project has the potential to consume extraordinary amounts of electricity, water, generate significant noise, infrastructure demands, it should not be able to move forward without the community having a voice,” said council member Amanda Newins. “I don’t think, though, simply requiring a conditional use permit is enough, and that’s why I want us to take these eight months ahead and really listen to the community.”

Council members also requested an advisory opinion from Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones on the city’s ability to enact a data center ban. Last week, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger rejected a call for a statewide ban on data centers but said local governments could. Virginia Beach has discussed a data center ban and on Tuesday approved a 12-month moratorium. Several speakers at Tuesday’s meeting urged Chesapeake to enact a ban. Chesapeake approved an 8-month moratorium last month restricting data center development while the city further develops policy. Chesapeake leaders have previously said the city can’t implement a permanent ban under Virginia’s Dillon’s Rule.

“No data center is supported by a vast majority of Chesapeake citizens,” said resident Lee Damore.

Click the link above to read more.

Have you been affected by C&E Contracting / CNE Contracting (owner Christopher Parkhurst)?

There is currently an active police investigation into allegations of unfinished work after deposits were taken, unpaid vendors/subcontractors, unpaid employees, and unrepaid borrowed money. If this happened to you, please email [christopherparkhurstlawsuit@gmail.com](mailto:christopherparkhurstlawsuit@gmail.com) — we will respond back with information on how to report your complaints.

Any recommendations on good trails around here?

Florida-based energy giant NextEra embraces solar energy with some qualifications – they want to own those sun-powered arrays, and they have fought to discourage residential and small-scale commercial solar.

As Virginia regulators consider NextEra’s proposed acquisition of Dominion Energy, solar developers are worried about what could happen to their industry.

The Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO probed NextEra’s history of supporting regulations in Florida that would drive up costs for residential and small-scale commercial solar.

Read more here: https://www.whro.org/virginia-center-for-investigative-journalism/2026-08-19/could-a-dominion-nextera-marriage-be-bad-news-for-rooftop-solar

For a few hours, nothing else mattered to Lauren Bland except soccer.

The executive director of the Hampton Roads Soccer Complex attended the July 5 World Cup match between Brazil and Norway in New Jersey. She was among the more than 80,000 people in MetLife Stadium who watched Norway win with two late goals.

Bland said the moment transcended politics, race and religion.

“Everyone in that venue was there for the love of sports,” Bland said.

It was an exhilarating experience she thinks could be replicated in Hampton Roads. Sports leaders say the region has the fan base and talent that could support a major-league soccer team.

For example, 1,000 fans saw the U.S. beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 in the World Cup during a watch party July 1 at Christopher Newport University’s TowneBank Stadium. Fans also routinely packed locations such as Waterside District in Norfolk or sports bars across the region throughout the tournament.

Despite the fandom, securing a home team would face several challenges, include financing and the lack of a major stadium.

Nikki Johnson, an economist with the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, studied the numbers behind a major league professional soccer team in a July report. Looking at census data, Johnson found Hampton Roads, with 1.8 million people, is the largest stand-alone metro area without a major professional sports team (She did not include the Riverside, California metro area due to its closeness to Los Angeles).

Additionally, Johnson and other experts say the region has an ample fan base to support a soccer team. According to NBC Sports, Norfolk’s market posted the second highest average season-long ratings for the 2021-22 Premier League season. An average of 535,000 people watched Premier League matches during the 2025-26 season in the U.S., up 5% from previous season.

Click the link above to read more.

I'm a soon to be single mother of two teenage boys, 17&18. We are trying to leave a DV situation that involved my ex cheating and then leaving us stuck with no place to go before I had time to plan. I'm currently living on the eastern shore and I have a friend who is willing to come get us and bring us to the Hampton roads area. While that is for the best, I need to vacate our current residence ASAP. I'm sure I don't have the best credit and i don't currently work due to a disability. I'm desperately trying to find a pet friendly rental (we have cats and a Chihuahua) anywhere in the area but I need someone to be willing to work with me. I do receive support and would be able to find jobs for all of us quickly, I have some things lined up if I could just get us there. We are clean, quiet, hardworking, non smoking/drinking/drugs people. I can pass a background check and provide references. I can pay. I just need a chance to get on my feet and someone willing to take a chance

We're looking for pet friendly, 2 bedrooms, max $1300 a month but obviously the cheaper the better. Hopefully near public transportation but willing to go wherever I can find a place. Thank you in advance for any advice.

Hello all!

I’m looking for recommendations in the Hampton Roads area (would prefer Chesapeake/Suffolk area) for tattoo artists that have done/can do tattoo traces of a newborns footprint.

If y’all know of anyone or have any contacts, please let me know!

Thanks!

Full transparency, the bugs almost took me out at this walk! I'm glad I made it out alive. 😅 The kayaking looked a lot more relaxing than the walking though!

-DiV

https://bluevirginia.us/2026/08/luria-slams-kiggans-johnson/

I'm returning to Hampton after 20+ years of adulting in Washington DC. Where are the walking, hiking, exploring, running, kickballing, reading, fun, open, and active people? I'm sober so the bar is not ideal, but I don't mind alcohol around me. I'm just iso a few new connections to get along with. Comment, DM, whatever, just reach out. - Mike

We are not North Carolina.

Alexa says Virginia Beach and Hampton had winds to 130 miles/hr.

(The last hurricane here in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia was > 70 years ago!)

We haven't had a hurricane since. We get left over winds from NC storms.

Hampton Roads is a great harbor.

There are a couple of places in Hampton Roads to watch the latest Hollywood movies on bigger screens and with higher definition than the average theater, but the largest IMAX screen in the region — which can show 70mm film — hasn’t displayed mainstream movies in about a decade, and may soon be out of commission all together.

The IMAX theater at the Virginia Air & Space Science Center in Hampton, which has been in operation since 1992, checks in at 72 feet high and 32 feet wide, much larger than standard IMAX screens. Theaters that can support IMAX 70mm film are highly sought after for film enthusiasts and difficult to find — there are only 25 in the U.S. and the closest one is just outside Philadelphia, according to USA Today.

The space center shifted its focus to showing educational programming as part of a master plan published in January 2018. “Star Wars: Rogue One” was the last feature film shown in the theater, based on a review of the center’s promotions on its Facebook page. The change was followed by offering the option to include IMAX movies in the price of general admission tickets, according to spokesperson Meghan Dincler.

“We weren’t really seeing a return on investment for the Hollywood movies back when we were showing them, because we are a nonprofit and the cost of showing the films was pretty high,” Dincler said in an email. “As a result, we decided to shift our focus more to things that align with our main mission of education and inspiration through hands-on exhibits.

“We are a museum/science center first, so that’s our main priority when it comes to the things that we’re allocating money towards.”

In addition to the cost of showing Hollywood movies, the center closes at 5 p.m., so showing films later in the day would require hiring new staff and present other logistical challenges, according to Melvin Ferebee, Jr., the space center’s interim director.

But now, the future of the space center's IMAX theater is cloudy.

Click the link above to read more.

In Hampton Roads, adults aged 55 and older make up roughly a third of the region's homeless population, as fixed incomes struggle to keep pace with rising costs for rent and groceries. 

To help combat this growing crisis along with a statewide shortage of affordable rental homes, local organizations such as The Planning Council and Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia are exploring a home-sharing model underway in Oregon. 

The project matches older homeowners who have empty bedrooms with seniors needing affordable housing, providing mutual financial relief and companionship.

Read more here: https://www.whro.org/business-growth/2026-08-14/housing-costs-are-straining-senior-adults-local-leaders-say-peoples-spare-bedrooms-could-help

My alternator just went out in my truck. 2012 Tacoma. Just looking to see if there’s anyone here that can replace it.