Virginia Economy Watch: A new “America’s Top States for Business” study puts North Carolina #1 overall (and #1 on Economy), while Texas ranks #2 on Economy but slips on Quality of Life—an early warning sign for states chasing growth without keeping living costs in check. Campaign & Policy: Sen. Mark Warner visited JMU to back Beth Macy in VA-06, tying the race to national stakes and warning that energy costs and agriculture pressures are hitting Virginia producers. Construction & Development: Developers say tariffs and labor tightness are slowing big builds, a theme that matters for Virginia projects competing for materials and crews. Data Centers & Power: The Dominion–NextEra merger cleared shareholder backing, setting up a major Southeast power-and-grid story as AI demand accelerates; meanwhile, new reporting highlights how data centers are reshaping local water and power planning. Housing Supply: ESC Homes is preparing homeowners for Virginia’s July 2027 ADU law, emphasizing by-right permits and removing the family-relation requirement. Local Business: Wawa opened a 24/7 store in Middletown, signaling continued retail expansion in the I-81 corridor. Public Safety & Fraud: BBB Scam Tracker shows multiple Virginia cities tied for high scam-report counts in July, underscoring ongoing consumer risk. Defense Industry: A Navy shortage story points to shipyard capacity and skilled-worker bottlenecks affecting submarine production timelines—relevant to Virginia’s Newport News ecosystem.