The VPM Daily Newscast contains all your Central Virginia news in just 5 to 10 minutes. Episodes are recorded the night before.
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Here’s a recap of the top stories on the morning of June 17, 2025:
The VPM News 2025 Primary Voter Guide
Reported by VPM News
Every year is an election year in Virginia, and polls open at 6 a.m. Tuesday for voters to cast their primary ballots in person. Democratic primary races for lieutenant governor and attorney general are on the ballot across the commonwealth, along with several nominating contests for seats in the House of Delegates and local races in the Richmond and Charlottesville areas.
Winners of Tuesday’s primaries will advance to the general election later this year.
Notably, there is no primary race for Virginia’s next governor, as Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and former Democratic Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger are the only balloted candidates. The same is true for the GOP attorney general and lieutenant governor nominees; incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares and John Reid will face the winning Democrats in the fall.
VPM News has compiled the information you need to know for Tuesday, whether you are voting or simply keeping track of the results — from who’s on the ballot to what you should do if you experience problems while attempting to vote.
Sierra Club’s Virginia chapter says data center growth is unsustainable
Reported by VPM News’ Patrick Larsen
In a new report, the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter said business as usual on data centers is unsustainable.
Lead author and researcher Ann Bennett used publicly available data on existing facilities, as well as those under construction or proposed to be built. She said that wasn’t an easy task because data was not available for all facilities due to a lack of transparency from developers and state and local governments.
The Sierra Club’s estimate of total data center square footage either built or in the development pipeline is roughly 390,000,000 square feet, split among 1,295 facilities.
“Most of the data center buildout has yet to occur, and unfettered or unconstrained growth is no longer really an option,” Bennett said. “Even with this massive expansion, almost no impactful regulation has been implemented at the state or local levels.”
Data centers bring tax revenue to localities, but Bennett said the lack of transparency makes it hard to figure out the true impact of the industry on water supplies, the electric grid and land use.
News you might have missed from around the commonwealth:
- Vindman, Kiggans cross aisle in bid to get phones out of classrooms (Richmond Times-Dispatch)*
- This locally built tool lets you explore Charlottesville public safety trends (Charlottesville Tomorrow)
- Top 40 Under 40: Who's Next? (Style Weekly)
- Appeals for federal relief funds for Virginia schools remain uncertain (Virginia Mercury)
*This outlet utilizes a paywall.