Capital of Virginia, independent city since 1871
The Supreme Court has ruled that geofence warrants—used to identify suspects by collecting location data from people in a crime scene area—are subject to Fourth Amendment protections. The justices have affirmed that location data collected by third parties still warrants a warrant, focusing on privacy expectations in the digital age. The decision sends the case back to lower courts for further analysis.
Prolonged heat across the continental U.S. has continued into August, with nighttime temperatures remaining unusually high. NOAA reports record-setting July temperatures and a hotter-than-average pattern linked to climate change and a strengthening El Niño. Experts warn that heat will persist and intensify, contributing to drought, fires, and health risks.
Flock Safety has announced mandatory changes to its national license-plate camera network after reporting dozens of US officers misused the system. The company has shortened default data retention from 30 days to seven, will require case codes for searches and will force all customers to enable an audit tool that can lock out flagged users.
Five people have been wounded in a shooting near the Quad Annexes at Virginia State University. Police are investigating multiple suspects; a 19-year-old suspect is in custody. The campus lockdown has been lifted as authorities continue to search for others involved.
The deal proposes Virginia benefits including a new co-headquarters tower, 600 new jobs, extended residential bill credits, and a boosted low-income aid program as regulators review the NextEra-Dominion merger.