It's Monday!

• And the second day of November. Where did that come from?

⛅ Today's weather: Partly sunny, with a high of 70 and a low of 49.

🎧 Sounds like: "Sweet November" by SZA.

🎂 Happy birthday to our members Daniel Key and Jamie Hoover!

• And happy belated to our members Kenda Knight and Amelia Walters!

Today’s newsletter is 1,059 words — a 4-minute read.

Google is eyeing a 1,000-acre data center campus in Goochland as residents across the Richmond region push back against projects they fear they have little power to stop.

Why it matters: The backlash is crossing county lines, with Henrico residents pressing their own officials to intervene in Goochland's development decisions.

Driving the news: Heated public meetings, newly disclosed plans and proposed zoning changes fueled tensions last week.

The latest: Google's interest in Goochland's West Creek Business Park became public after the company and county agreed to lift an NDA dating to January 2024.

• The site has allowed data centers without new public zoning hearings since 1987.

Meanwhile in Chesterfield: Hundreds attended a contentious forum Tuesday, pressing Google, Dominion Energy and other industry representatives about transparency, electricity costs and environmental impacts.

• Google said it would limit its use of NDAs, while officials pledged continued community engagement.

Along the Henrico-Goochland border: Henrico residents are fighting at least four proposed data centers in neighboring Goochland, including a nearly 900-acre campus along Patterson.

• They're concerned about pollution, noise and their limited say over projects outside their county.
• Residents urged Henrico supervisors to oppose the developments last month, and Del. May Nivar called on Goochland to reject them.

Back in Goochland: County officials proposed new rules to restrict data centers to three designated areas and require large facilities to study noise impacts.

• The county wants to approve its existing data center zoning district again, partly to address a lawsuit alleging Goochland failed to properly notify the public when the rules were first adopted.

What's next: Goochland residents can weigh in on the proposed zoning changes at a Nov. 10 community meeting at Goochland High School.

Full story

Goochland students could one day graduate from high school and head straight into jobs at Eli Lilly's $5 billion pharmaceutical plant.

Why it matters: As Virginia works to turn billions in pharmaceutical investments into jobs, Goochland wants students to benefit from the 650 permanent positions Lilly plans to create.

State of play: Goochland County Administrator Jeremy Raley told Axios that officials have discussed creating direct hiring pathways with Lilly and local K-12 partners.

• Lilly has expressed support for the idea, Raley said, though details remain unclear.

Catch up quick: Lilly broke ground last month, and plans to hire engineers, scientists, and manufacturing workers.

• Its $40 million workforce commitment includes a Goochland training center planned for 2028.

The intrigue: Raley envisions introducing students to pharmaceutical careers as early as kindergarten.

• Goochland is also pursuing a $30 million career and technical education expansion, with $18 million already authorized.
• Virginia is helping Lilly recruit and train workers through its Talent Accelerator Program, VEDP's Megan Healy told Axios.

What we're watching: Goochland is courting more pharmaceutical manufacturers, Raley told Axios.

More on Virginia's plans

💻 Richmond Public Schools said Friday it's still experiencing system disruptions following last month's cybersecurity incident. (News release)

• The district is working with the FBI and Virginia State Police but didn't say whether the original threat has been contained or when systems will be fully restored.

Portsmouth's police chief says he warned state Sen. Louise Lucas years ago about rumors she was illegally selling marijuana, long before her federal indictment on drug trafficking and corruption charges. (Virginian-Pilot)

• He said police had no evidence of wrongdoing at the time.

👑 Prince Harry has partnered with Richmond-based nonprofit Comfort Zone Camp for a new Masterclass on grief. (The Richmonder)

🫗 Savory Grain restaurant closed over the weekend after 13 years in business. (Instagram)

• "This industry is no joke. We tried our hardest but it's time to say goodbye," per the post.
  

Remediation efforts are underway in Henrico after three recent sewer main breaks dumped 1.4 million gallons of sewage into Gillies Creek, which flows into the James.

Why it matters: For once, it wasn't Richmond.

State of play: The trio of leaks happened Oct. 23 and 26 in eastern Henrico, where crews found two holes in a sewer pipe — one the size of a golf ball — per the county's report.

• Henrico said impacts were minimal and repairs are complete, but the county is urging people to avoid recreational water activities in the area.
• That includes where the creek flows into the James.

Flashback: Sewage leaks aren't new in RVA, but usually it's the city — not the counties — battling muck that's flowing into waterways.

What's next: Henrico says it'll conduct regular creek inspections for the next few weeks while investigating what caused the breaks.

Warn a friend

🗳️ Your local reporters are working to help you understand the races, candidates and issues shaping your community.

📍 Become a member today and support journalism that keeps voters informed.

Thank you for reading and supporting local election coverage.

🏛️ There's nothing our publisher Nicholas Johnston loves more than a good state capitol, and when he was in town last week for our biopharma event he checked out ours — the 19th he's visited in his travels.

Here are his thoughts:

• 🌳 The park is very nice and the large statue has the right general atop a horse (Washington! Not the other guy...)
• 🤏 The capitol itself seemed very small and dome-lacking but all design criticism is hereby withdrawn upon learning the architect was Thomas Jefferson. No notes!
• 🕳️ Not a fan of entering underground instead of through the building itself. Alas this is what visitors do at the U.S. Capitol now as well.
• 🏗️ Ya gotta knock down some buildings between the front steps and the river to give the place a nice view.

🚂 Bonus Amtrak thought bubble: Come on, Richmond you need more regular trains from D.C. and what the heck, don't have them stop out in the middle of nowhere at a parking lot.

• Main Street Station is awesome, you should use it! Hourly Acelas to Washington and points north.
  

🚆 Karri is kinda sick of explaining to outsiders Richmond's weird train situation. She agrees with the above. Do better, trains.

🧩 Sabrina is reading about this VCU doctoral student who created a 138-clue crossword puzzle featured in the New York Times this summer.

Thanks to Alexa Mencia Orozco for editing today's edition