Here are some of the highlights: The Lynchburg metro will add more people than the Roanoke and New River valleys combined. Loudoun will add more people in the next 25 than the past 25. But some localities will become shells of their former selves.
Projects
Posted inOpinion
Some localities in Southwest and Southside will lose more than 30% of their population over next 25 years
New population projections foresee almost every locality in Southwest and Southside Virginia losing population between now and 2050. Buchanan County is expected to lose almost half its population.
Posted inWeather
2 western Virginia counties now have flood warning systems to gather data and guide local officials during emergencies
Buchanan County, which has had three major floods in recent years, and Botetourt County, which has dealt with flash flooding, were chosen for the projects.
Posted inWeather
Southwest Virginia localities to get more than $1.86 million in grants for flood preparedness and mitigation projects
The region has been hit by four major flooding events since the summer of 2021.
Posted inWeather
U.S. 58 reopens, months after it was destroyed by floodwaters — and months ahead of schedule
A portion of the road through Washington County has been closed since the remnants of Hurricane Helene swept through the region in September, requiring motorists to take detours. It is traveled daily by about 400 vehicles.
Posted inOpinion
Is Fairfax County gaining population or losing population? Here’s why two estimates differ.
The Census Bureau says Fairfax is gaining. The Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia says it’s losing. This matters because Northern Virginia is the state’s economic engine that helps subsidize rural schools.
Posted inOpinion
Rural communities are keeping Virginia from becoming an exporter of people. That’s where the population growth is.
New census data confirms that Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads are continuing to lose people, but the influx of new residents into rural Virginia is keeping the state on the plus side.
Posted inOpinion
A myth busted: Our kids aren’t leaving for Charlotte and Atlanta. Not as many as we think, anyway.
Census data shows that job-related moves out of the western part of Virginia mostly involve people moving to other parts of the state.
Posted inWeather
IRS extends tax filing and payment deadlines for Virginia residents and businesses affected by February flooding
Taxpayers in 36 localities now have until Nov. 3 to file and pay their federal taxes.
Posted inWeather
7 months after Helene, couple has a new house, an old rocking chair, and each other
The area around Damascus was particularly hard-hit by flooding. To date, volunteers have repaired 80 homes and built four new ones — including the house that Carl and Linda McMurray are moving into.