Good morning from the Mercury.
From left to right: U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia Beach, Democrat Elaine Luria, and independents Bishop Staten and Matt Baker. (Photos courtesy campaigns)
By Charlotte Rene Woods
Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District has emerged as one of the most competitive in the country ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm election, with incumbent U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia Beach, working to hold her seat against Democrat and former representative Elaine Luria, whom Kiggans ousted in 2022.
Two independent candidates, Matt Baker and Bishop Staten, are also on the ballot to lead the district, which U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said "will determine the fate of the country,” as Republicans vie to maintain their slim majority in Congress.
Virginia lawmakers are weighing how increased penalties for public marijuana consumption could affect young people as the state prepares to launch legal retail sales in July 2027. (Photo Illustration by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
By Markus Schmidt
Youth advocates are urging Virginia lawmakers to reconsider stiffer penalties for public marijuana use before the state opens its legal adult-use market next summer, warning that the changes could place a disproportionate burden on young people, their families and Black communities.
The maximum civil penalty for consuming or offering marijuana in public is set to rise from $25 to $250 on July 1, 2027, the same day retail sales are scheduled to begin. A second offense also carries a $250 fine and requires substance-use education or treatment, or both, if available, while a third or subsequent offense is a Class 4 misdemeanor.
The customer service center at the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Headquarters in Richmond. (Photo courtesy of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles)
By Nathaniel Cline
Motor vehicle office wait times in the commonwealth fell to 8.3 minutes in 2026 from about 37 minutes in 2019, according to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, making access to essential government services faster and more convenient for drivers.
Virginia lawmakers previously directed analysts from the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, the state's monitor for government agencies, to assess DMV performance. Analysts found that the DMV’s average wait time at its high-volume offices was around 34 minutes in fiscal year 2014, compared with the DMV’s 20-minute target.
COMMENTARY
By Jim Spencer
The day after the Aug. 4 Democratic primary to choose a congressional candidate in Virginia’s 1st Congressional District, the Williamsburg area chapter of the Virginia League of Women Voters invited Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman and Democratic challenger Shannon Taylor to a joint appearance at a candidate forum.
Taylor’s campaign declined, said Denise Koch, co-chair of the local league’s voter services committee. Wittman’s campaign acknowledged getting the invitation, Koch added, but never provided an answer.
You might think, as I did, that face-to-face appearances would be mandatory to win voters’ support in a campaign deemed critical to control of the U.S. House of Representatives at a pivotal moment in American history.
If so, like me, you would be wrong.
NEWS TO KNOW
Our daily roundup of headlines from Virginia and elsewhere.
“Virginia’s energy mix may include fusion, but will require natural gas.” | The Daily Signal
“Maryland ramps up crackdown on Virginia tags October 1 as drivers face new fines.” | WMAR 2 News Baltimore
“Virginia man sentenced to 40 years for exploiting more than 40 girls on Snapchat, possessing CSAM.” | WRIC
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