FREDLINES
Eve Evans, EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Potomac Local News
Severe Storms Bring Damaging Winds, Tornado Risk This Afternoon
By Uriah Kiser, 08/20/2026
Numerous thunderstorms are expected today, roughly 3–9 p.m., across the region east of the Blue Ridge, with damaging wind gusts, a possible couple of tornadoes near northeast Maryland, and urban flash flooding risk highest near and northeast of Baltimore. Storms may continue lingering over southern Maryland into late evening before the severe weather and flash flood threat ends as daytime heating fades. Friday brings a lull, with more scattered showers and storms possible Friday night into the weekend as a coastal low develops, and drier, less humid air arrives early next week behind high pressure.
Police Blotter: Fatal Crash, Commercial Burglary Reported
By Uriah Kiser, 08/20/2026
A 74-year-old man died Aug. 18 from injuries suffered in a July 21 crash at Coverstone Drive and Aaron Lane in Manassas, where his scooter was struck by a car whose driver was charged with failing to yield. Elsewhere, Prince William police investigated a commercial burglary at Dumfries’ Oasis at Montclair Apartments, where a maintenance building was broken into and a container of refrigerant was stolen. In Stafford County, a Route 17 closure from an Aug. 19 crash has been cleared, deputies handled a fraud and a vandalism report, and the sheriff’s office renewed a warning about phone scammers impersonating deputies and demanding payment via gift cards or crypto.
The Free Lance Star
Stafford supervisors conflicted over proposed business tax (paywalled)
By Scott Shenk, 08/20/2026
Stafford County supervisors debated a proposed BPOL (business, professional and occupational license) tax that could generate an estimated $3.5–4 million a year, though officials cautioned that figure is uncertain since gross receipts data is hard to gather in advance. Board members voiced concerns about adding to residents’ and businesses’ tax burden, potentially losing businesses to localities without the tax, and a $40 million deficit tied to unfunded state mandates; motions to drop the proposal or gather more information both failed 4-2. The board ultimately voted to schedule a public hearing on the tax for its Sept. 15 meeting.
The Fredericksburg Free Press
Controversial Dominion Energy power-line proposal split into two projects
By Jonathan Hunley, 08/20/2026
Dominion Energy is splitting its controversial “Kraken Loop” 500-kilovolt transmission line — originally a single 70-mile project through Louisa, Spotsylvania, Caroline, Stafford and Fauquier counties—into two separate applications to Virginia’s State Corporation Commission. The North Anna to Thornburg portion will be filed this fall, while the Thornburg to Bristers section is planned for fall 2027, with Dominion saying the delay allows more time to review routes and technical considerations, particularly in Stafford County. Watchdog group Towering Concerns is calling it a partial win driven by community pressure, though its president cautioned the split could also help Dominion set an approval precedent with the less-contested southern segment before tackling the more disputed northern route. Dominion maintains the full project is needed for regional reliability amid growing data center demand, and plans additional public meetings next year.
ADVANCE READS
Bruce Saller, Phil Huber
Virginia Primaries in August? Republicans Won’t Want to do that Again
By Stephen J. Farnsworth, SPECIAL TO THE ADVANCE
August is a month for packing up the belongings of young adults and moving them into apartments and dorm rooms, for back-to-school sales and maybe for squeezing one more out-of-town trip into the summer calendar. A time for holding Republican primaries in Virginia? Well, not so much.
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What Are We Normalizing Before 2028?
By Phil Huber, ADVANCE COLUMNIST
Imagine it is October 2028. The presidential election is weeks away. Political tensions are high. No Kings demonstrations and other protests are drawing large crowds in major cities. The president says crime is threatening public safety, demonstrations could become dangerous, immigration laws must be enforced, or federal buildings need protection.
National Guard troops are mobilized. Military vehicles appear downtown. Armed troops are stationed near government buildings, transportation centers and demonstrations. Federal immigration agents are operating in the same communities. Then comes Election Day.
STATE OF THE STATE
VaNews/VIRGINIA PUBLIC ACCESS PROJECT
State revenues exceed forecast; Spanberger urges ‘prudent budgeting’
By ELIZABETH BEYER, Cardinal News
Gov. Abigail Spanberger urged “prudent budgeting” and “thoughtful long-term planning” in her first address to the General Assembly joint money committees on Wednesday, despite Virginia’s relative fiscal strength. The mid-August address to the joint money committee is an outline of the commonwealth’s financial status and seen as a precursor to the governor’s budget proposal, which is typically presented at the end of the year. Virginia’s general fund revenues grew $2.1 billion, or 6.7%, over the prior year, Spanberger told the committee Wednesday morning. That amount exceeded the official forecast by $938.8 million, or nearly 3%.
Virginia banned selling location data in July. Richmond is still buying it.
By SAMUEL B. PARKER, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Subscription Required)
The legislation, state Sen. Russet Perry said, is “pretty straightforward.” Under an amendment to the Consumer Data Protection Act patroned by Perry, D-Loudoun, and signed into law this year by Gov. Abigail Spanberger, the “controllers of personal data shall not sell or offer for sale precise geolocation data concerning a customer.” ... But despite the fact that the law went into effect July 1, [Richmond] City Hall remains under a deal with Placer.ai: an Israel- and U.S.-based location analytics company that purchases geolocation data on roughly 30 million cellphones across the U.S., bundles that data and then sells it to corporate and government clients alike.
Assistant state medical examiner fired over false certification; her murder cases being questioned
By NORI LEYBENGRUB AND PETER DUJARDIN, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
Officials at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia learned in January that an assistant chief medical examiner in the Tidewater district provided an inauthentic letter indicating she’d passed a board exam nearly two years ago when she had not. That, and her subsequent departure from the office, has raised questions about cases in which Dr. Fernanda da Silva Lameira was involved. Defense lawyers across the region are asking judges to reexamine cases in which Lameira performed autopsies — including homicide cases in which she provided testimony.
State pulls license of Goochland treatment center where escapes happened
By DAVE RESS, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Subscription Required)
The state has pulled the license of a Goochland County residential psychiatric treatment facility for children and teenagers. The revocation came in the wake of two incidents last month at Hallmark Youthcare, when a group of eight girls fled the facility, followed the next day by an escape by six boys. “Each incident reflects a direct failure of staff to intervene, supervise, or maintain professional boundaries,” the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services said in its letter formally revoking the license.
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