Wang has lived in Northern Virginia for over three decades and remembers the vision for the streetcar along Columbia Pike. He often thinks about ways he can improve the community he grew up in. Public transit is an area he reflects on often.

In a 40-page report, titled 鈥淎rlington鈥檚 Langston Boulevard is Due for an Unconventional Public Transit Upgrade,鈥� Wang makes a pitch for an aerial cable car to stretch through several neighborhoods. It鈥檚 an idea, he said, that could be cheaper than alternatives and connect areas with few public transit options with Metro.

ARL Now first reported the details of his proposal.

鈥淚t would be very helpful for people to have other public transit options that bypasses traffic, not just have buses that sit in traffic, that get stuck when there鈥檚 road work or if there鈥檚 an accident,鈥� Wang said.

Wang鈥檚 concept calls for a cable car from Georgetown to the Rosslyn Metro station, and then connected to the East Falls Church Metro up Langston Boulevard, 鈥渁nd just have the two Metros connected through Langston Boulevard,鈥� he said.

Both the Langston Boulevard corridor and Columbia Pike are areas that have many great businesses, Wang said, but 鈥渄on鈥檛 have a great way to get to it, other than cars. You鈥檙e going to have to find parking, you鈥檙e going to have to drive there and potentially stay in traffic.鈥�

In a statement, a spokeswoman for Arlington鈥檚 Department of Environmental Services said the county government hasn鈥檛 studied or proposed an aerial gondola for Langston Boulevard or other commercial corridors.

鈥淲e appreciate the creativity and the enthusiasm of our residents,鈥� the statement said. 鈥淎erial gondolas can be a useful, though very niche, transportation tool typically suited for places with limited surface options or significant geographic barriers like steep hills or valleys.”

The statement went on to say Langston Boulevard and Arlington’s other commercial corridors already have a functioning street network that “cannot be replaced by any off-street transportation mode.”

But gondolas, Wang said, are 鈥済enerally a lot cheaper than the other options that we have here in the DMV.鈥�

The proposal, he said, took about two months to write, and he鈥檇 been thinking about it for two months before that.

鈥淲hat I really want to know is, would people actually ride this?鈥� Wang said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not trying to force this down anybody鈥檚 throat. I just think it鈥檚 a good idea. I鈥檓 passionate about it, but I want to know, would people ride this? What would be their concerns about it?鈥�

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During a June 23 meeting, Fairfax County鈥檚 Board of Supervisors directed County Executive Bryan Hill to review past studies of the concept and work with Visit Fairfax and the county鈥檚 economic development authority on determining 鈥渢he feasibility of pursuing a conference center in Tysons.鈥�

Chairman Jeff McKay gave county staff until the end of the year to present their findings.

鈥淭his is not approving this,鈥� McKay said at the meeting. 鈥淭his is asking that we review the studies that have been done, look at the viability and come back and have a discussion about this.鈥�

Local news site FFX Now first reported details of the discussion.

The step comes about three months after Gov. Abigail Spanberger vetoed a plan that would have allowed voters to weigh in on whether to bring a casino and entertainment district to Tysons. State officials said the proposal would have included a convention center.

A conference center has been envisioned for Fairfax County since 1984, McKay said. The county’s聽comprehensive plan envisions Tysons as a destination to host conferences. Also, a 2011 study for the county found there would be demand for a conference center, and 鈥渢he most appropriate location for one would be in Tysons,鈥� he said.

Tysons Community Alliance conducted a comparable study last year and recommended a full-service hotel and mid-sized regional conference facility, McKay said.

In a statement to 小萝莉影视, alliance spokeswoman Monique Blyther, said as the area evolves, 鈥渁 flexible events facility has the potential to strengthen the local economy while enhancing the experience for residents, workers and visitors alike.鈥�

(Blyther also works as a traffic anchor at 小萝莉影视, but shared the statement in her official capacity as an employee of TCA.)

鈥淣ow is the time to make sure that we all can reaffirm the findings of this study and begin looking toward models that might produce a conference center in the Tysons area, as it has matured. And again, this has been envisioned for a long time,鈥� McKay said.

鈥淭his is, I think, very much an appropriate time to take a hard look at this and see where there might be an opportunity,鈥� Supervisor Walter Alcorn said.

It鈥檚 unclear where exactly a Tysons conference center could be built.

During the 2026 legislative session, Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell said two locations could have hosted a planned casino and entertainment district 鈥� one near the Spring Hill Metro station and another in a parking lot where Cirque du Soleil performs.

Any conference center in Tysons would be smaller than the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C. and Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center at National Harbor in Maryland, McKay said.

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The project, which is expected to feature 230 and 500-kilovolt lines, aims to 鈥渒eep electricity reliable in your community,鈥� according to Dominion鈥檚 website.

In April, Virginia鈥檚 State Corporation Commission selected what鈥檚 called Route 4, a path for the line that would have been near Rock Ridge High and Rosa Lee Carter Elementary schools. School board approval would have been required for that option but hasn鈥檛 been provided.

Instead, on Monday, the state agency said the path would be the one that proceeds. However, Loudoun鈥檚 school board recently accepted land donated from the Loudoun Valley Estates homeowner鈥檚 association, meaning Route 3A also includes school land.

The board asked the State Corporation Commission, abbreviated SCC, to hold off on issuing its order, a request that was denied.

, the SCC said Route 3A is “clearly inferior” to Route 4 “by almost every objective measure.”

Community members and elected officials both maintained the preferred option for the was having it underground, but the SCC said 鈥渁n underground route for the Golden-Mars Project is not feasible.鈥�

鈥淭he Commission finds that continued delay in ordering a final route for this project unreasonably jeopardizes the provision of reliable electric service within the Commonwealth,鈥� the SCC said in its filing this week.

Meanwhile, Loudoun County鈥檚 supervisors are urging the school board to host an emergency meeting to discuss the possibilities for the transmission line project.

But in a statement Wednesday, the board said it hasn鈥檛 made any final decision on the proposed routes that would cross school board property and anticipated a joint public meeting scheduled for July 29.

鈥淭he School Board recognizes the regional importance of the proposed project and the need to adhere to the established regulatory timeline,鈥� the statement said. 鈥淎t the same time, the Board expects that the concerns of residents, families, and invested parties will be fully considered as decisions move forward.鈥�

Within 30 days of its order, the SCC said Dominion has to provide an electronic map that shows the route of the approved transmission line.

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Officer Irving Rodriguez, spokesman for Vienna鈥檚 Police Department, said some kids are removing an e-bike鈥檚 speed limiter or, in some cases, turn it off completely. It鈥檚 something that can be easily researched on YouTube, he said, and parents often don’t know the modification has been made.

, which focus on keeping trails, parks, neighborhoods and streets safe, are the latest in a broader push to address e-bike trends across the D.C. region.

Loudoun County鈥檚 School Board has considered partnerships to address troubling e-bike trends near campuses, and the sheriff鈥檚 office there is hosting an e-bike safety class in July.

Haymarket, meanwhile, recently banned electric vehicles from the town鈥檚 sidewalks.

And during a Board of Supervisors meeting last week, Chairman Jeff McKay said Fairfax County police are proactively speaking to kids riding e-bikes in the community, even if they鈥檙e not doing anything wrong.

鈥淭hey do travel at an extremely high rate of speed,鈥� Rodriguez said. 鈥淭hey are known to be extremely quiet, and if you combine that with pedestrians on a sidewalk or on the street, or in a busy park, that could lead to somebody getting seriously injured.鈥�

Virginia classifies different types of e-bikes into categories based on their features. Class 1 e-bikes only have a pedal-assist function, with a maximum motor power of 750 watts. There鈥檚 no throttle, and the maximum assisted speed is 20 miles per hour.

Class 2 e-bikes have a maximum motor power of 750 watts, but may also feature a throttle.

Class 3 e-bikes have a pedal assist function and could travel up to 28 miles per hour.

Anyone riding a Class 3 e-bike has to be at least 14 years old and is required to wear a helmet. A driver鈥檚 license or plates aren鈥檛 required, but motors have to be 750 watts or less. Class 3 e-bikes aren鈥檛 allowed on the W&OD Trail.

Once someone tampers with the maximum speed of a bike, Rodriguez said it鈥檚 not considered an e-bike anymore. Vehicles that go faster than the Class 3 standard 鈥渁re classified as mopeds or motorcycles,鈥� according to Fairfax County Government.

鈥淧arents don鈥檛 know that the children are modifying these class 1, 2 or 3. e-bikes, and that鈥檚 the biggest issue we鈥檙e having at the moment,鈥� Rodriguez said.

Through Vienna鈥檚 campaign, police have cracked down on off-road vehicles, and as a result, there have been fewer of them around the town, Rodriguez said.

In some cases, 鈥渨e鈥檝e seen reckless driving, we鈥檝e seen stunts, we鈥檝e seen riders traveling at a high rate of speed, or sometimes juveniles not wearing helmets when they are required to,鈥� Rodriguez said.

Police in Vienna have been stopping e-bike riders, teaching them about the necessary safety equipment and Virginia traffic laws. They鈥檝e been contacting parents too.

They鈥檝e also identified some hotspots, including near the Vienna Community Center, or other areas near the W&OD trail. Some riders use the sidewalks, but Rodriguez said the e-bikes are mainly appearing on the roads.

If a rider is traveling faster than the posted speed limit, performing stunts or riding unsafely near people, they can be stopped and possibly receive a fine, Rodriguez said.

In one case, on June 17, Vienna police stopped a juvenile riding an electric dirt bike on the sidewalk without a helmet. An investigation revealed the e-bike didn鈥檛 meet Class 1, 2 or 3 criteria, and a guardian 鈥渞esponded, took custody of the juvenile and e-bike, and both were educated on e-bike regulations, off-road style electric dirt bikes, classification requirements, and helmet use,鈥� according to police documents.

Separately, Loudoun County School Board Member Deana Griffiths has been advocating for increased collaboration with the sheriff鈥檚 office and Board of Supervisors to crack down on e-bikes near schools.

In Fairfax, Supervisor Walter Alcorn feared there could soon be incidents involving e-bikes that result in 鈥渟erious injuries and worse.鈥�

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In a statement, the organization is calling for stronger trainings and oversight for teachers and administrators, timely review of bias and discrimination complaints and clear communication about the process for reporting such complaints for families and students.

The statement followed the group鈥檚 forum with Superintendent Michelle Reid earlier this month. For over 90 minutes, some families expressed frustration with a lack of communication or transparency.

Ashleigh Williams, whose son attends Thoreau Middle School, said during the meeting that he 鈥渉as been handed bananas and called a monkey. My son has had the N-word said out loud repeatedly in front of staff, and in a few instances, one most recently, staff did nothing because they claimed they couldn鈥檛 identify who the student was in the group.鈥�

In response to the community session, Niki Zimmerman, president of Fairfax County鈥檚 NAACP, said there鈥檚 hope changes and accountability will result.

鈥淲e鈥檝e always gotten complaints about FCPS, but my takeaway was, I got the feeling that they got it,鈥� Zimmerman said. 鈥淭hey understood the seriousness of these concerns from parents.鈥�

The group, Zimmerman said, encourages families to report incidents to school leadership, but 鈥渟ometimes parents get ignored, and that鈥檚 why they come to us.鈥�

Many of the complaints are about racial or disabilities discrimination, Zimmerman said. Sometimes, teachers have concerns about the way colleagues have been treating them.

The school division has rolled out an online form for complaints about harassment or discrimination, but Zimmerman said it鈥檚 unclear to parents about 鈥渨ho鈥檚 on the other side looking at it. Who鈥檚 determining the viability of your complaints? Or are they looking at it in order to just survey it and then nothing happens.鈥�

In a statement, the district said it鈥檚 engaging directly with families to 鈥渓isten to their experiences, better understand their concerns, and ensure their voices help inform our next steps. We also value our partnership with the NAACP and appreciate their advocacy on behalf of students and families.鈥�

Meanwhile, Zimmerman said sometimes, 鈥渟chool administrators provide top cover a lot of times for each other, and that is why nothing gets done.鈥� In certain cases, she said, rap music lyrics or the political climate have been used as excuses for some students鈥� behavior.

At the June 18 forum, Reid told the room the district is 鈥渨orking hard at upholding a standard, and a clear standard. It鈥檚 clear we can continue to work harder. We can do better.鈥�

Soon, Zimmerman said the organization will release a series of guidelines it thinks Fairfax County schools should start using. For one, they鈥檙e recommending a clear timeline for handling issues that arise, to prevent them from lingering for months at a time.

鈥淭here is a contrast in how our Black students are being treated versus any other protected group, how their complaints and their concerns are being looked at,鈥� Zimmerman said.

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The funding package includes a new tax on data centers and a plan to launch retail marijuana stores.

On Monday, both chambers put the final touches on it, approving 14 changes Gov. Abigail Spanberger wanted to see made to the version passed last week.

“By finalizing our budget, Virginia is charting a path toward a stronger, more secure, and more affordable future for every family who calls our commonwealth home,” Spanberger said.

Examples cited by Spanberger include adding a new exemption to a ban on law enforcement officers wearing masks and investing $2 million each year to establish a new grant program to support localities in providing cancer screenings for career firefighters.

There are also 4% raises for teachers and school support staff, and 3.5% raises for state employees in each year. Additionally included is $577 million for childcare and early childhood education for Virginia families.

鈥淎dditionally, we are investing more than $100 million to make housing more affordable, lower energy costs, and make sure every Virginian can build a stable future without being crushed by rising costs,” Spanberger said. “These investments will not only save Virginia families money, but they will keep Virginia鈥檚 workforce and businesses competitive for decades to come.”

One of the biggest holdups in the process was the debate over whether to keep the tax break for data centers in place. The exemption will remain, though data centers will now face that new tax.

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Throughout June, 小萝莉影视 is recognizing and honoring the rich history and diversity of the LGBTQ+ community in the region. Find聽stories celebrating Pride聽on air, online and on the聽小萝莉影视 小萝莉影视 app.

Despite federal cuts to HIV funding and community grant programs, the LGBTQ+ community is fighting to ensure its voices remain heard, a Human Rights Campaign executive told 小萝莉影视.

In the D.C. region, the organization is working to mobilize 5 million voters with a focus on better laws and safer schools and workplaces.

It has also launched a national playbook for elected officials and political candidates across the country, “about what is a winning issue and not falling into the traps of letting queer and trans people be scapegoats,” said Jonathan Lovitz, senior vice president of campaigns and communications of the .

Though conversations about transgender bathroom and sports policies appear in advertisements and political rallies, including during last year’s gubernatorial election in Virginia, Lovitz said the LGBTQ+ community feels heard. It’s working to ensure LGBTQ+ rights aren’t pushed to the side in the current political environment.

“The biggest thing that we have to fight right now is the erasure of our voices in the marketplace of ideas,” Lovitz said. “It’s why LGBTQ+ people have to show up in the huge numbers we’re expecting in the midterms.”

In many cases, the issues facing the LGBTQ+ community are “universal American issues,” Lovitz said, adding, “We want safe places to work, safe schools for our kids, lower prices, more affordable housing, more work opportunities.”

The organization, Lovitz said, is routinely speaking to and collaborating with members of Congress, and “there is more bipartisan courage to support equality than people realize.”

Lovitz said they’re “always grateful when Congress re-ups ,” and other pieces of legislation that address inequities.

“Even if those don’t move forward right now, to know that that is on the mind and lips and hearts of so many of the members,” Lovitz said, “who again realize that LGBTQ people live in every one of their zip codes that they oversee.”

As the midterms approach, Lovitz said LGBTQ+ issues are only a small part of what’s motivating people to vote. Instead, he said, it’s a focus on things such as the cost of living.

“You don’t think we’re heard, look at the millions and I mean tens of millions of people who are showing up at Pride events all over the country this month and are going to continue that message all summer long, right up to the midterms, to remind people we’re here, we’re queer and we are not going anywhere,” Lovitz said.

Close margins in political races across the country, Lovitz said, suggest, “people are returning back to the fold and saying we have gotten way too off the path of what really makes America work and part of that answer is making sure that everyone is included and represented to that and that includes queer people.”

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The D.C. government鈥檚 website is getting a complete revamp, a step city leaders hope will make it easier for residents, visitors and business owners to access the help they need.

The District unveiled a beta version of the new DC.gov 鈥� 鈥� and plans to have the redesigned site ready to launch before the end of the year.

The website’s overhaul is the first in more than a decade. It comes in response to feedback that it鈥檚 hard to find information on the current site without being efficient at using Google or other search tools.

鈥淭his website, it’s really going to eliminate the alphabet soup that you have to remember every day,鈥� said Stephen Miller, the District’s chief technology officer. 鈥淪o, do you need to know that it’s DPW that’s picking up your trash, or you just need to know that it’s dc.gov?鈥�

The site is built on Drupal 11, which the city said has stronger built-in security features. It includes an integrated calendar and sections for seasonal government services.

Popular searches, based on site traffic data, will also be featured prominently on the main page.

鈥淚t’s going to show you, here’s popular services today, based on being a resident, based on being a new resident, based on being a job seeker, based on being a business owner, or based on just being a general resident of the city,鈥� Miller said.

The project cost about $500,000 in dedicated funds.

鈥淲e鈥檙e setting this up so that you can just go in, say, 鈥楳y trash was missed,鈥� and it鈥檚 going to tell you exactly how to fix that problem,鈥� Miller said.

D.C.’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer is collecting feedback. Residents can leave comments on the beta site and at Haynes Senior Wellness Center and Eastern Market, among others, in the coming weeks.

An artificial intelligence-powered search tool, built using Google鈥檚 AI technology, will be included on the new DC.gov site after its official launch.

The District, Miller said, is 鈥渢rying to clean up our content, because what we want to make sure is when we put AI into this site, it鈥檚 giving you the right information.鈥�

鈥淲e see a lot of future use with AI,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淚鈥檇 love to get to a point where it鈥檚, 鈥楬ey Siri, renew my driver鈥檚 license,鈥� and we鈥檝e laid out the foundation for something like that to happen in the future.鈥�

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Virginia Task Force 1, which includes the Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue Team, has been deployed, as has a similar group from California.

John Morrison, a spokesman for the Virginia suburb鈥檚 Urban Search and Rescue Team, said Thursday afternoon the State Department is still working to coordinate transportation because of potential damage to the main airport in Caracas.

The group, Morrison said, is bringing about 80 people and six dogs. To avoid requiring assistance from Venezuelan authorities, they鈥檙e traveling with 70,000 pounds of equipment, which includes shelter, food, water, rescue and medical equipment, communications gear and computers.

鈥淲e hope to get to Venezuela as quickly as possible, and then work with the local emergency management authorities to figure out where they need our capabilities and capacity the most, and go to work,鈥� Morrison told 小萝莉影视. 鈥淎nd hopefully rescue some victims that are trapped in buildings after the earthquakes.鈥�

At least 180 people have died after the earthquakes, The Associated Press reported.

The team specializes in 鈥渞escuing the deeply entombed from collapsed reinforced concrete structures post-earthquake,鈥� Morrison said.

It was deployed to Haiti and Nepal after earthquakes in those countries, and last month, it simulated response and rescue after a large earthquake in an urban area during a joint exercise with responders from Los Angeles.

It鈥檚 unclear exactly how long Virginia Task Force 1 will remain in Venezuela. It鈥檚 dependent on how long the host government needs the extra help and resources, and 鈥渢hey鈥檙e the ones that would take a rescue phase and declare it a recovery phase, so we鈥檒l be there as long as we鈥檙e needed,鈥� Morrison said.

The 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes injured about 1,500 people, and thousands have been reported missing, The Associated Press reported.

Fairfax County鈥檚 Fire and Rescue department sponsors Virginia Task Force 1, which has about 200 trains responders.

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Within a week of starting her job at the Columbia Heights Educational Campus in Northwest D.C., Kiesha Lewis saw a rat sprint under her office door and into a wall.

She shared the space with a colleague who was unbothered by the rodents. Lewis bought sticky rat traps and the coworker put them in corners of the office. He would often ensure the room was free of rodents before Lewis, the middle school community development coordinator, arrived.

When that coworker left the school this spring, Lewis worked from the one part of the large middle and high school campus where she never saw an animal or droppings: the front of the cafeteria.

Despite pleas to school and city leadership, Lewis said the broader issue has lingered. She isn鈥檛 planning to return to the school campus in the fall.

鈥淩odents do carry diseases and even if you don鈥檛 come in contact with the rodent, if you come in contact with their droppings or their urine, it has the potential to have people get sick,鈥� Lewis told 小萝莉影视.

Lewis doesn鈥檛 know how many rats the office traps caught, because her colleague would throw them away and put down new ones, assuring her it was OK. Other co-workers, she said, shared 鈥渢hat this problem with the rodents has been going on for years and that it hasn鈥檛 been addressed.鈥�

In one adult bathroom, there were holes in the walls. Sticky traps, Lewis said, were used to patch them.

She alerted the city鈥檚 Department of General Services directly, writing in a late April email that in her time at the school, 鈥渕ore than seven rodents have been captured in my work area alone.鈥� She stressed that the issue isn鈥檛 related to the operations or maintenance staff, and the 鈥渟ituation is clearly beyond what routine maintenance can address.鈥�

The result, she said, was a 鈥渕ass trapping effort.鈥�

In a statement, D.C. Public Schools said campuses routinely get preventive pest control services, and the school system works with the Department of General Services to 鈥渁ddress any concerns between scheduled visits.鈥�

The Department of General Services, meanwhile, said there have been biweekly service visits, trapping efforts and installation of bait stations at the Columbia Heights campus, home to Lincoln Multicultural Middle School and Bell Multicultural High School.

鈥淒GS has identified gaps in existing cabinetry that may be allowing rodent movement and will begin exclusion work in July to seal these passageways and address the source of the activity,鈥� the statement said. 鈥淒GS also identified opportunities to strengthen housekeeping and pest prevention practices and has encouraged staff to sanitize workstations daily, properly store food, and reduce clutter, particularly in areas where food is prepared and stored.鈥�

A D.C. Health food establishment inspection report from mid-May found rodent droppings and dead insects in glue traps in the school cafeteria.

The school, Lewis said, doesn鈥檛 have a policy preventing students from eating in other parts of the campus.

鈥淭hat doesn鈥檛 help their efforts to try to mitigate rodents,鈥� Lewis said.

For students, Lewis said 鈥渋t鈥檚 almost an expectation鈥� that rodents or droppings are going to be present. Some co-workers are afraid to sound the alarm because of a fear of retaliation, she said.

The building, Lewis said, needs remediation, 鈥渘ot only to kill the rodents that are there, that are living in that walls and the ceiling, but also to find the points of entry.鈥�

Lewis said she鈥檚 afraid of the rodents, so the possibility of their presence made it hard for her to concentrate. Friday will be her last day with the school.

鈥淚 have no interest of going back in the building because I do have a phobia of them,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to take the chance of seeing another one or one crawling into my belongings.鈥�

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Mengtong Xiang learned about all the celebrations in advance of America鈥檚 250th birthday through news reports.

Her curiosity prompted her to learn more about America250, the bipartisan organization that Congress created to help plan for and celebrate the milestone.

Inspired by the events, the Montgomery Blair High School student crafted a poem for the America鈥檚 Field Trip contest. The competition, open to kids in grades 3-12 across the country, asked students to respond to the question 鈥淲hat does America mean to you?鈥�

Xiang reflected on her parents鈥� experiences, spent about a week crafting her submission, and then forgot about it, leveling her expectations.

But then, she got an email with 鈥淎merica250鈥� in the subject line. It announced she was one of the contest鈥檚 winners.

The competition drew over 10,000 submissions, but Xiang was named one of the 250 awardees. She鈥檚 also one of five Montgomery County, Maryland, students to be recognized through the contest.

鈥淭o put it in writing and then submit it, and to receive recognition for it, it felt very rewarding,鈥� Xiang told 小萝莉影视. 鈥淚t definitely pushes me to think more about how I can share my own stories and struggles to other people, and hopefully they鈥檙e able to relate to it.鈥�

The competition allowed students to submit either an essay or artwork.

Xiang was one of 125 first-place winners who won trips to selected places across the country. The other 125 earned $500 awards.

Winston Churchill High School鈥檚 Vivaan Samaraweera also won a first-place award at the high school level, and Angela Zhang earned a second-place award.

Naomi Song and Rithika Ayyalasomayajula were first-place winners in the grades 3 to 5 category.

Xiang titled her poem 鈥淧ractice Test for the American Dream Form I Exam.鈥� It aims to mimic a student taking an exam and draws on her parents鈥� lived experiences.

As immigrants, Xiang said her parents 鈥渄efinitely had a lot of challenges with assimilating into the culture, trying to find the balance between Chinese culture as well as American culture, as well as learning a whole new language. That鈥檚 something that was pretty much unseen by me, primarily.鈥�

The goal, Xiang said, was to describe a feeling of always having to prove yourself. She considered how easy it is to take 鈥測our parents鈥� experiences for granted.鈥�

鈥淵ou can be introduced into this environment where not all the pieces fall into place for you,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here might not be opportunities that are super easily accessible to you. There might be a lot of challenges.鈥�

After learning she was named a winner, Xiang called her dad, who had encouraged her to consider entering the contest. They celebrated the possibility of a paid-for trip to Yellowstone.

As a Maryland resident, Xiang said she鈥檚 been to many East Coast destinations, but none out west. She picked Yellowstone because it 鈥渉as a lot of cool thermal features, especially like geothermal features.鈥�

Their trip is scheduled for next month.

鈥淲riting and expressing your thoughts on paper is a great emotional outlet, and I really got to understand myself and my family, as well as the dynamic for immigrants in the United States, better,鈥� Xiang said.

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Virginia lawmakers approved a two-year spending plan Monday, ending months of negotiations as the deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown approached.

The Senate approved the plan with a 23-16 vote, and the House of Delegates passed it 71-22. Now, it heads to Gov. Abigail Spanberger鈥檚 desk.

The votes end a saga that included name-calling and finger-pointing, as senators hoped to end a sales tax exemption for data centers. The House and Spanberger expressed concerns about the potential consequence of taking that step, hoping to keep existing agreements in tact.

The compromise, detailed late last week, keeps the sales tax exemption in place but calls for a new data center electricity consumption tax.

鈥淭his conference report took longer than most, but the senate conferees and I spent a lot of time trying to find the right balance between compromising with the House and the governor and having something that made the data centers pay their fair share,鈥� Sen. Louise Lucas said. 鈥淭his budget achieves that right balance, and the Senate and House and the governor鈥檚 office all had input into this final project.鈥�

Under the approved budget, there’s an $0.011 fee per kilowatt-hour of electricity used. It’s expected to create $600 million in additional revenue in each of the next two fiscal years, according to state projections.

In a statement after both chambers approved the budget, Spanberger called the statewide energy consumption tax the first of its kind in America, and an “idea I first proposed this spring, to ensure this industry pays its fair share and does not drive up costs for Virginia families.”

At least one group, Data Center Coalition, criticized it.

While Lucas said the budget package includes protections related to noise pollution and water conservation, she stressed the details of the proposed compromise, adding “expiring the data center sales and use tax exemption would be the best plan forward. However, this conference report provides an alternative path where data centers pay their fair share to support services for Virginia and ensure structural balance.”

Separately, the package includes a 4% raise for teachers and a 3.5% raise for other state workers.

It also paves the way for Virginia to create a retail marijuana market, an effort that former Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed several times. The marketplace, Spanberger said during an announcement last week, will open July 1, 2027. There will be 350 retail licenses available, though they won’t all be available at once.

“There’s a lot of good in the budget as it relates to pay raises for teachers, pay raises for our state employees, some much needed investments in our infrastructures and things of that nature, as well as raising the standard deduction,” Del. Terry Kilgore said Monday.

The plan increases the standard deduction to $9,200 for single filers and $18,400 for joint filers.

The debate over the tax exemption for data centers, which isn’t scheduled to expire until 2035, escalated in recent weeks. In a social media post, Lucas referred to Spanberger as “Data Center Diva” and House Speaker Don Scott as “Amazon Don.”

For weeks, Virginia faced its first ever government shutdown as July 1 approached. In a statement, Spanberger called the budget a compromise and added, “Failing to pass a budget would have been unprecedented in the history of our Commonwealth 鈥� and it was never an option.”

If Spanberger proposes changes to the budget package, lawmakers would have to return to Richmond for another special session.

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William Kinne鈥檚 mom was a safety patrol while she was a student in Fairfax County, and he admired his older sister, who served as a safety patrol at Canterbury Woods Elementary School where he attends.

He described her efforts as 鈥渃ool,鈥� and noticed she emerged as a leader on the Annandale school campus. He hoped to be a leader too.

Kinne filled out an application and received a recommendation from a teacher. He eventually emerged as one of the over 100 kids at the school who seek to help during the bus and car arrival and dismissal process in the mornings and afternoons.

On Tuesday night, Kinne was recognized as AAA鈥檚 Safety Patroller of the Year. It marks the second consecutive year a student at the school has received the honor.

鈥淚 get to know that I鈥檓 making a difference in my school and keeping people safe,鈥� Kinne told 小萝莉影视.

As a sixth grader, Kinne finished his last-ever safety patrol shift Wednesday afternoon. He shouted call numbers into a crowd of students, escorting them to their parents鈥� cars and wishing them a great summer break.

In the mornings, he oversaw the unloading process and stopped cars in line from moving when students need to cross the street to enter the school building. In the afternoons, he shouted numbers and alerted school staff if a student hadn鈥檛 responded to being called.

Other safety patrols ride the bus and report anything of concern to the driver. Some hold signs so students know where their bus is physically located or work with crossing guards to make sure kids are crossing safely.

鈥淭hey listen to him,鈥� Principal Leslie Malkowski said. 鈥淵ou can tell that he is a leader because the way he can talk to the students and the way that they respond when he says something just shows that he has that natural leadership.鈥�

School staff is still struck by how Kinne handled working with students in the aftermath of January鈥檚 winter storm, which left snowcrete behind. Some kids picked up the snow and threw it at cars, Kinne said.

鈥淥ne time I had to jump in front of a car, so it would stop for the kids, because they couldn鈥檛 really see them, so that was kind of scary,鈥� he said.

In another instance, school was dismissed early 鈥渇or some crazy wind, and for that, we kind of had to rush everyone out, which got a little crazy,鈥� Kinne said.

The school鈥檚 safety patrol sponsor recommended Kinne for the AAA award as he was honored during the sixth grade promotion ceremony. School leaders learned about the recognition in advance, as did his parents.

But when Kinne stood up to accept the award, he was overcome with joy.

鈥淗is peers all erupted and cheered for him, because you could tell that he鈥檚 very deserving, and all of his peers felt the same,鈥� Malkowski said.

Meanwhile, his mom, Lauren Kinne, said the experience as a safety patrol helped Will realize the importance of helping others.

鈥淏eing kind, being helpful, being empathetic are just some of the most important qualities you can have,鈥� Lauren Kinne said.

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Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced a deal Tuesday to allow retail marijuana sales across the Commonwealth starting next summer, a step some advocates say will help the illicit market begin to dissipate.

During a news conference, Spanberger, Del. Paul Krizek and Sen. Lashrecse Aird called their agreement a compromise. Retail sales would begin July 1, 2027, and there’d be 350 retail licenses available across the state, though they all wouldn’t be rolled out at once.

The fate of the plan is dependent on the state’s ongoing budget process, but Aird expressed optimism that an agreement can be reached before the start of the new fiscal year next month. The plan comes after former Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed the idea twice, and Spanberger did the same after the General Assembly rejected her proposed amendments.

Rodney Holcombe, vice president of public policy and communications at the marijuana wholesale platform LeafLink, said the longer the wait to establish a retail market, “the more entrenched the illicit market gets.”

“We can advance efforts to go after and shut down illicit operations and illicit stores, but I mean, to some degree, it’s a game of whack-a-mole,” Holcombe said. “You, of course, need to provide an alternative to consumers, and that alternative is the regulated market. Let’s give consumers an opportunity to purchase legal, tested, age-gated products.”

The agreement detailed Tuesday calls for a 6% state tax on marijuana products, increasing to 8% in 2029. Local jurisdictions will also have the ability to introduce an additional tax of 1-3.5%. Still, Holcombe said the total tax rate for Virginia’s plan is about 14.8%, “and what we see in some jurisdictions is that they go much further than that 14.8%, so much so that it deters legal market purchases.”

Initially, Spanberger had proposed making the penalty for public consumption a Class 4 misdemeanor. Under the updated plan, though, it would be a $250 civil fine starting next year, up from the current $25 civil fine.

Chelsea Higgs Wise, executive director of the group Marijuana Justice, said it’s the result of conversations comparing cannabis to alcohol.

“There are racial disparities where Black and low-income people, unhoused people, renters feel this fine the most, and when people are not able to pay their fines and fees, what happens with those collateral consequences?” Wise said. “We do see a space for there to be shifting, but we’re still really concerned that this is a conversation we’re having to revisit again.”

Wise said the compromise is “something that we can support,” touting the removal of many of the criminal penalties from the plan and redistribution into Cannabis Equity Reinvestment fund, a program that invests money in communities harmed by previous marijuana enforcement.

In a statement, JM Pedini, executive director of Virginia’s chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana laws, said, “This compromise represents a meaningful step toward bringing Virginia鈥檚 cannabis laws in line with public opinion and moving the Commonwealth closer to a marketplace that consumers have long demanded.鈥�

In a news release, Spanberger said revenue from marijuana sales will be used for K-12 education, early childcare and education and behavioral health and public health programs.

Maryland, according to the State Comptroller’s Office, brought in about $26 million in tax revenue from marijuana sales from January to March. There’s a 12% state tax on those sales in Maryland.

Meanwhile, in a statement, JM Pedini, executive director of Virginia’s chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana laws, said, “This compromise represents a meaningful step toward bringing Virginia鈥檚 cannabis laws in line with public opinion and moving the Commonwealth closer to a marketplace that consumers have long demanded.鈥�

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Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced Tuesday a plan for a retail marijuana marketplace to open in the commonwealth, a deal described as a compromise after months of ongoing discussions.

As part of the agreement, the marketplace will open July 1, 2027. The state tax on cannabis products will begin at 6% and increase to 8% in 2029.

The plan, which is tied to the state’s lingering budget process, comes after Spanberger vetoed the proposal that made it through the General Assembly. But the conversations continued, and the latest legislation will be included in any budget package that Spanberger reviews.

Though the concept of a legalized marijuana market had previously passed in Richmond, former Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed the idea twice.

“In the end, we all wanted to deliver a marketplace that the Commonwealth could implement effectively for the long term,” Spanberger said at a news conference. “We have always had this same end goal, an end goal that has been years in the making.”

In one of the biggest differences, the plan unveiled Tuesday includes a $250 civil penalty for public consumption, which will go into effect next year. That’s an increase from the current fine, but Spanberger had initially proposed making public consumption a Class 4 misdemeanor.

There will be 350 retail locations across the commonwealth, the same number that elected officials agreed upon in the vetoed legislation. Spanberger proposed reducing that to 200, but the new agreement restores the 350 licenses and calls for a phased approach, so they all won’t be released initially.

The shift, state Sen. Lashrecse Aird said, gives the retail market “a real opportunity to meet demand across Virginia.”

By not releasing 350 all at once or right away, Aird said, “it will allow us to assess, geographically and otherwise, the regulators that is, how that should be rolled out.”

Virginia’s Cannabis Control Authority will be tasked with overseeing the process.

Local jurisdictions, Del. Paul Krizek said, will be able to install a 1-3.5% tax on cannabis products.

Part of the agreement, Aird said, includes a focus on “emphasizing enforcement of individuals that will bring harm to young people.”

Spanberger echoed that sentiment, adding, “The place where we clearly found common ground was in ensuring that the penalties are significant and clear for those who sell to underage young people.”

Under the deal, Virginians will be able to buy up to 2 ounces of marijuana per transaction.

While lawmakers had hoped to start the market Jan. 1, the new agreement allows for retail stores to operate beginning July 1, 2027.

The deal includes strict testing and safety standards and calls for a geographically balanced approach in determining where the stores will be located.

Meanwhile, the plan calls for the authority to give out up to 100 microbusiness licenses by May 1, 2027, a step Krizek said is key to ensure small businesses aren’t an afterthought.

A Cannabis Impact Business Support Team will help “businesses and communities most affected by past cannabis enforcement,” Krizek said.

Krizek previously told 小萝莉影视 some studies have found that a legalized marijuana marketplace could produce about $100 million annually. Revenue will be used to help pay for early childcare and education, K-12 schools and behavioral health programs for substance use disorder prevention and treatment programs, among other things, according to a news release.

After the General Assembly passed the framework earlier this year, Spanberger returned it with dozens of amendments. State leaders opposed over 40 of them and sent it back to her desk, prompting her to veto the plan.

The new agreement is tied Virginia’s ongoing budget process. Lawmakers remain at odds over whether to end a sales tax exemption for data centers.

Asked about the fate of the plan being tied to the budget, Aird cited a Tuesday morning Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee meeting and said, “I believe that the Senate is very much interested in also getting us a budget and that we have shared goals on how to get there.”

Lawmakers are working to approve a new budget package before July 1 to prevent the commonwealth’s first-ever partial government shutdown.

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