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Kings Dominion avoids Six Flags coaster shutdowns

Two of the Virginia park's coasters share a manufacturer with the Georgia ride involved in the fatal incident.

News

None of the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Kings Dominion" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2023/05/16/kings-dominion-the-grizzly" data-vars-content-id="fb6b519b-49e4-410a-9ac0-b4ef61b77a8f" data-vars-headline="Kings Dominion avoids Six Flags coaster shutdowns" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2023/05/16/kings-dominion-the-grizzly" target="_self">Kings Dominion</a> roller coasters were among the nine rides Six Flags temporarily closed this week after a man died at its Georgia park.Why it matters: Two coasters at the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Six Flags-owned" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2023/11/08/six-flags-merger-kings-dominion" data-vars-content-id="fb6b519b-49e4-410a-9ac0-b4ef61b77a8f" data-vars-headline="Kings Dominion avoids Six Flags coaster shutdowns" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2023/11/08/six-flags-merger-kings-dominion" target="_self">Six Flags-owned</a>, Richmond-area theme park were built by the same manufacturer as the Georgia ride, though neither is the same type.

Chesapeake Bay earns historic C+, but Richmond still has a problem

The James River earned a C+, but worsening water clarity and declining Lower James scores are raising alarms.

The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Chesapeake Bay" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/09/24/trump-chesapeake-bay-order-dc-potomac" data-vars-content-id="4c9c068e-ab22-4721-83ff-246724e8d4c3" data-vars-headline="Chesapeake Bay earns historic C+, but Richmond still has a problem" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/09/24/trump-chesapeake-bay-order-dc-potomac" target="_self">Chesapeake Bay</a> just earned its best report card in 40 years: a respectable — if not quite honor roll-worthy — C+.Why it matters: It&#x27;s encouraging progress for America&#x27;s largest estuary — a playground for boaters, a livelihood for watermen and a critical habitat for wildlife — after decades of efforts to clean up pollution and restore the Bay.

Things to do in Richmond this weekend: Garden Glow, Oktoberfest

Plus: Ghost stories, emo anthems and a General Tso's pizza collab.

Things to Do

Richmond is definitely getting into the Halloween spirit this weekend.

Richmond is on the front lines of the Sheetz-Wawa rivalry

New data shows where the gas station giants compete head-to-head — and who's winning locally.

Business

The Richmond area is on the front lines of the great <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Sheetz vs. Wawa" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2023/07/21/royal-farms-sheetz-wawa-richmond" data-vars-content-id="399941ea-6e0a-447b-af89-8a8ef350430a" data-vars-headline="Richmond is on the front lines of the Sheetz-Wawa rivalry" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2023/07/21/royal-farms-sheetz-wawa-richmond" target="_self">Sheetz vs. Wawa</a> rivalry.Why it matters: Richmonders have strong feelings about <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="gas station food" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2023/07/21/best-gas-station-food-richmond-virginia" data-vars-content-id="399941ea-6e0a-447b-af89-8a8ef350430a" data-vars-headline="Richmond is on the front lines of the Sheetz-Wawa rivalry" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2023/07/21/best-gas-station-food-richmond-virginia" target="_self">gas station food</a> and, therefore, chains. New data shows just how fierce the competition is in our backyard.

Hanover animal shelter takes on data center developer

The shelter says nearby data center construction is frightening rescue dogs. Another project could bring more noise.

Hanover&#x27;s latest development fight has an unlikely opponent: a shelter full of rescue dogs.Why it matters: The Humane Society says construction of a neighboring data center is already frightening its animals. Now <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="it fears" data-vars-click-url="https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0fSW1kXUMEiW2VrUcJLQ5akTfEHgHAaCP56hJTPDHHVQ5UdfDjBCxymT5dfcWWmDpl&amp;id=100044439789262" data-vars-content-id="1aaa39cb-84c3-46ac-af78-68c2ee867444" data-vars-headline="Hanover animal shelter takes on data center developer" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0fSW1kXUMEiW2VrUcJLQ5akTfEHgHAaCP56hJTPDHHVQ5UdfDjBCxymT5dfcWWmDpl&amp;id=100044439789262" target="_blank">it fears</a> two proposed warehouses could bring even more noise and truck traffic to its doorstep.

Chesterfield delays data center plan to cut car taxes

The county says the plan could save the average car owner about $400 a year. Some think the money should go elsewhere.

Chesterfield wants to turn its data center boom into cheaper car taxes, but the Board of Supervisors isn&#x27;t convinced it&#x27;s the right decision — yet.Why it matters: Data center revenue could mean hundreds of dollars in annual car-tax savings for residents. <ul><li>But some supervisors and residents are questioning whether that money is better spent on schools, infrastructure or housing.</li></ul>

Meet the man quietly helping reshape Richmond's Fulton

Culture

Ask Chuck D&#x27;Aprix about his role in reviving Richmond&#x27;s Fulton neighborhood, and he&#x27;ll instead brag about its people.<ul><li>The husband-and-wife team rebuilding Bono&#x27;s Caribbean on Williamsburg Road.</li><li>The owners of a fire-damaged Krispies&#x27; Fried Chicken inching toward reopening.</li><li>The doctor transforming a long-vacant funeral home into a community center.</li></ul>Why it matters: Ask anyone else in Fulton, and they&#x27;ll likely point to him.

VCU projects will transform Richmond's MCV campus

A new dental school and proposed hospital tower will bring years of construction near MCV.

VCU is preparing for two major construction projects on the MCV campus. Why it matters: Consider this your first warning for future traffic headaches around VCU Medical Center and a changing Richmond skyline.

Richmond's $50M street safety plan dividing City Hall gets green light

The Planning Commission voted to pass the Shockoe Valley project. Not all were happy about it.

Transit

Richmond&#x27;s Planning Commission approved a nearly $50 million project to make Shockoe Valley more walkable, despite objections from the city&#x27;s own planning staff.Why it matters: The fight dividing planners and transportation officials is the latest test of Richmond&#x27;s competing visions for how to build safer streets.

Henrico officials expect pause in new data centers

Among the reasons: new data center taxes, resident pushback and county leaders aren't interested.

Henrico officials don&#x27;t expect more data centers to come to the county anytime soon — signaling a dramatic shift after years of rapid growth in one of Virginia&#x27;s busiest hubs.Why it matters: Public opposition, a lack of appetite among county leaders to approve new projects and a recent state tax on data centers are among the reasons why, Axios has learned.

First look: New Diamond District park could open next summer

The Richmond public park will have a concert lawn, playground and a walkway honoring Arthur Ashe.

The Diamond District&#x27;s first major park is starting construction this fall and could open next summer, the developer tells Axios.Why it matters: The project will add over 2.2 acres of green space and include a lawn for concerts, a playground and a walkway honoring Richmond tennis legend Arthur Ashe.

Google confronts skepticism over Chesterfield data centers

At its first public open houses, Google answered questions. Many Chesterfield residents want more.

As Google prepares to build three massive <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="data center campuses" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/05/19/google-data-center-chesterfield-army-corps-permit" data-vars-content-id="00c5a901-7eb4-4e87-a60b-2c21163af894" data-vars-headline="Google confronts skepticism over Chesterfield data centers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/05/19/google-data-center-chesterfield-army-corps-permit" target="_self">data center campuses</a> in Chesterfield, it&#x27;s making its biggest public outreach effort yet. Why it matters: With county approvals in hand, its next battle is earning trust as residents call for more transparency.Catch up quick: Google&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="$9 billion Virginia expansion" data-vars-click-url="https://www.chesterfieldvadatacenter.com/" data-vars-content-id="00c5a901-7eb4-4e87-a60b-2c21163af894" data-vars-headline="Google confronts skepticism over Chesterfield data centers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.chesterfieldvadatacenter.com/" target="_blank">$9 billion Virginia expansion</a> includes Project Peanut in Chester, now under construction.<ul><li>The company is still working through state and federal permitting for the two other Chesterfield sites: Projects Skye and Loch.</li></ul>The latest: After years of behind-the-scenes planning, roughly 600 people showed up to Google&#x27;s two open houses in western Chesterfield last week.<ul><li>Residents bounced between stations staffed by engineers, consultants and Google representatives, with displays explaining water use, electricity costs, air quality and noise.</li></ul>What they&#x27;re saying: &quot;I&#x27;m not here to change anybody&#x27;s mind,&quot; Google public affairs manager Clay Allsop told Axios. &quot;I&#x27;m just here to provide the facts.&quot;Friction point: Google focused on how its data centers will operate, highlighting <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="workforce training" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/07/06/meta-google-data-center-jobs-skilled-trades-training-richmond-henrico-chesterfield" data-vars-content-id="00c5a901-7eb4-4e87-a60b-2c21163af894" data-vars-headline="Google confronts skepticism over Chesterfield data centers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/07/06/meta-google-data-center-jobs-skilled-trades-training-richmond-henrico-chesterfield" target="_self">workforce training</a>, community partnerships and its commitment to paying its own infrastructure costs so it doesn&#x27;t fall on ratepayers.<ul><li>But many residents wanted answers about how the projects reached this point — and how much water they&#x27;ll ultimately use. Allsop says Google won&#x27;t know the exact water demand until the campuses are operational.</li></ul><figure><img alt="Blue canopy tent set up in a parking lot outside a modern brick-and-glass building. Posters read &quot;PEOPLE OVER PROFIT&quot; and &quot;LESS SERVER FARMS, MORE REAL FARMS&quot; as people wait in line." height="2954" id="48a66aeb-6ca2-45eb-9388-d4293015bd85" src="https://images.axios.com/0_-ZAcnIPZH_3rNJD3s4LgWVlZU=/2026/07/17/1784317134402.jpeg" width="5253"/><figcaption>Data Center Defiance members chatting with residents outside of the open house. Photo: Sabrina Moreno/Axios</figcaption></figure>Zoom in: Opponents have long criticized Google and Chesterfield&#x27;s use of non-disclosure agreements during negotiations, arguing residents weren&#x27;t brought into the conversation until major approvals were in place — a claim the county has denied.<ul><li>&quot;A lot of people were blindsided when the Google announcement came out because the zoning was already done and packaged up,&quot; said Courtney Bernhardt, a Chesterfield resident and organizer with Data Center Defiance, a local opposition coalition.</li><li>And many left the open houses with the same questions they came with, said Katherine McMahon, a Midlothian resident with the coalition who lives between Project Skye and Project Loch.</li><li>The coalition wants a town hall instead. Allsop said Google believes the open house format reaches the most people. </li></ul>Meanwhile, construction labor unions stationed at the events made the economic case for the projects.<ul><li>&quot;There are thousands of families in the Richmond area who have food on their table and a roof over their head ... because of projects like this,&quot; said Walt Goree, an organizer with IBEW Local 666.</li></ul>What&#x27;s next: Data Center Defiance plans to bring its concerns to this week&#x27;s Chesterfield Board of Supervisors meeting and deliver a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="petition" data-vars-click-url="https://mstr.app/3785f83d-ab4a-4875-b3c9-693dad7b8074?fbclid=IwY2xjawSNNzBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE0NEl3V1ZWY2g4VjVlVGcyc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhpZPqHxR66j_Q00HEdjyjQvDLv2BPJxpvNIlagqex8BkTiCa_qzrC2xIZ_i_aem_3wRc7MfD2K9jV7urwFDmnA" data-vars-content-id="00c5a901-7eb4-4e87-a60b-2c21163af894" data-vars-headline="Google confronts skepticism over Chesterfield data centers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://mstr.app/3785f83d-ab4a-4875-b3c9-693dad7b8074?fbclid=IwY2xjawSNNzBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE0NEl3V1ZWY2g4VjVlVGcyc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhpZPqHxR66j_Q00HEdjyjQvDLv2BPJxpvNIlagqex8BkTiCa_qzrC2xIZ_i_aem_3wRc7MfD2K9jV7urwFDmnA" target="_blank">petition</a> with over 2,000 signatures calling for more transparency in future data center deals.

Richmond unveils design for $18M Lumpkin's Slave Jail Pavilion

The project will preserve one of the nation's most significant slave-trading sites.

Richmond unveiled the design for the Lumpkin&#x27;s Slave Jail Pavilion, the next major piece of the city&#x27;s long-planned <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Shockoe Project" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2024/02/29/richnmond-bfd-shockoe-project-slavery-museum" data-vars-content-id="a24220b6-96b5-43cc-b260-0850a860d086" data-vars-headline="Richmond unveils design for $18M Lumpkin&#x27;s Slave Jail Pavilion" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2024/02/29/richnmond-bfd-shockoe-project-slavery-museum" target="_self">Shockoe Project</a>.The big picture: The $18 million pavilion will preserve and tell the story of one of the nation&#x27;s most significant surviving slave-trading sites, where thousands of enslaved people were imprisoned before being sold.

Gilpin Court redevelopment moves ahead after yearslong fight

Richmond and RRHA have released a framework for redeveloping Gilpin, and the first apartment project has been proposed.

After more than a year of public feuding, City Council is poised to back a deal that would break Richmond&#x27;s standoff with its housing authority over the future of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Gilpin Court" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/04/02/gilpin-court-eviction-pause-redevelopment" data-vars-content-id="0dee1d41-d6d4-460e-a114-b040f9e45bd8" data-vars-headline="Gilpin Court redevelopment moves ahead after yearslong fight" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/04/02/gilpin-court-eviction-pause-redevelopment" target="_self">Gilpin Court</a>.Why it matters: A resolution introduced this week advances a plan to redevelop the city&#x27;s oldest public housing complex after political fighting left Gilpin&#x27;s 2,000-plus residents in limbo.

Development 🏗️

Hanover animal shelter takes on data center developer

Chesterfield delays data center plan to cut car taxes

Meet the man quietly helping reshape Richmond's Fulton

VCU projects will transform Richmond's MCV campus

Richmond's $50M street safety plan dividing City Hall gets green light