VISUALIZATION: MONEY IN THE BANK

A record 70 General Assembly incumbents face a major party challenger on Nov. 5. At the start of October, how many incumbents held a cash advantage? VPAP breaks down the cash-on-hand numbers for each of the 70 races.

OPEN SEAT PROFILE: SD 13 IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA

Sen. Dick Black's decision not to seek re-election this November created an open race for SD 13, which includes portions of Loudoun and Prince William counties in the outer suburbs of Washington, DC. VPAP brings together maps and charts to explain this district's demographics, history of voter participation and partisan tendencies in recent statewide elections.

FORMER DELEGATE ALAN DIAMONSTEIN, POWERFUL LAWMAKER FROM NEWPORT NEWS, DIES AT 88

From his desk in the back row on the center aisle of the House of Delegates, Alan A. Diamonstein, who died Wednesday at 88, worked for three decades to boost Virginia’s schools and colleges, stretch a helping hand to people with disabilities and insist that the state do its best to make sure Virginians had decent, affordable housing. One of the most powerful politicians in the state, Diamonstein represented Newport News in the House from 1968 to 2001.

TURPIN, KIGGANS DEBATE IN VIRGINIA BEACH SENATE RACE

The two candidates vying for a state Senate seat that hasn’t been up for grabs in 19 years made their cases to Virginia Beach business leaders on Thursday. Voters in the western part of the city will see two new names on their Nov. 5 ballot under the 7th Senate District — Cheryl Turpin and Jen Kiggans — and the outcome of the race could determine control of the entire chamber in Richmond.

HANGER, HYDE TALK MEDICAID EXPANSION, GUN LEGISLATION

Sen. Emmett Hanger, R-Mount Solon, and Democratic challenger Annette Hyde shared similar ideas during a debate for the Daily News-Record’s Valley Polity podcast, with few things creating disagreement between the two candidates. One topic that stirred the pot was whether college athletes should be able to hire agents and earn money from endorsement deals like professional athletes.

STANLEY PLEDGES TO CONTINUE EFFORTS TO BRING 24-HOUR HEALTHCARE TO PC

In Patrick County recently on campaign swings, State Sen. Bill Stanley said he is negotiating with a service provider to ensure 24-hour healthcare access in Patrick County. Stanley, R-Franklin County, declined to identify the potential providers or provide any specific details.

RASHID HOPES TO UNSEAT INCUMBENT STUART IN 28TH SENATE DISTRICT

The race for Virginia’s 28th District Senate seat pits a Republican incumbent who grew up in the district and has spent most of his life there against a Democratic challenger who immigrated to the United States as a child from Pakistan.

DEFEATED GOP DEL. CHRIS PEACE’S FATHER-IN-LAW STARTS PAC TO SUPPORT WRITE-IN EFFORT

Disgruntled Republican voters in a suburban Richmond district have created at least two political action committees to drum up write-in votes for Del. Chris Peace, R-Hanover, who lost his party’s nomination earlier this year to Hanover County Supervisor Scott Wyatt. One of the PACs, My Vote Matters Va, lists John Hopkins, Peace’s father-in-law, as its treasurer and custodian, according to paperwork filed with the Virginia Department of Elections.

IN 85TH VA. HOUSE RACE, ASKEW RESPONDS TO HOLCOMB’S ‘DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST’ ATTACKS

The word socialist is being thrown around in the 85th District House of Delegates race in Virginia Beach, democratic socialist to be specific. The Democrat, Alex Askew, worked for presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, who calls himself a “democratic socialist,” but the question is does that make Askew a “democratic socialist” too.

VA. ROUTE 28 A TOP PRIORITY IN 13TH DISTRICT RACE

Improvements to the commute in the Va. 28 corridor are on the ballot twice this November. There’s a $355 million road bond referendum that includes $200 million to either create a bypass or widen the busy commuter stretch between Manassas and Centreville. And voters in the 13th District of the House of Delegates will also be asked to choose the legislator who can bring state resources to the road project.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY CANDIDATES MAKE PITCH AT PUBLIC FORUM

Four candidates for the Virginia General Assembly spoke at a public forum at Danville Community College on Thursday night. For the 14th District, which includes pieces of Danville, Henry and Pittsylvania counties, Democratic challenger Eric Stamps and incumbent Republican Danny Marshall spoke about their platforms and goals.

CANDIDATES TALK POLICY AND WITH VOTERS AT MEET-AND-GREET

Local candidates talked policy and cracked jokes at a meet-and-greet with voters Wednesday evening at Williamsburg Regional Library. Seven candidates running for state and local offices spoke to a group of about a hundred people at the first of two events sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Williamsburg Area and Greater Williamsburg Tourism and Chamber Alliance Business Council.

AS VIRGINIA ELECTIONS DRAW NEAR, AMAZON SENDS THOUSANDS TO 26 STATE LAWMAKERS

Amazon.com Inc. just sent $23,000 in campaign contributions to a total of 26 Virginia lawmakers, resuming its political giving in the state for the first time in months as a crucial statehouse election draws near. The tech giant gave about equally across the two parties in September, sending donations to 14 Republicans and 12 Democrats, according to state campaign finance records compiled by the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project.

FOR BLACK REPUBLICANS, AN ELECTION COMPLICATED BY TRUMP

It’s a swampy evening in Richmond and Garrison Coward is starting to sweat. He’s making the rounds in a mostly white neighborhood called Windsor Farms, where the sidewalks are made of brick and streets are named after English universities.

GUN CONTROL LAWS EMERGE AS TOP ISSUE AHEAD OF VIRGINIA ELECTIONS

At the skeet shooting range at the Izaak Walton League, a group of men who call themselves The Geezers meets for a regular Friday morning session. They fire shotguns at orange clay pigeons that fly high against a background of trees and grass at the 100-acre recreational club in Centreville. Dave Chavez, 64, drove here from Front Royal, and he brought several firearms from his home collection, including a rifle he built himself and a shotgun he uses on the range.

VALLEY, STATE DEMOCRATS LEAD FUNDRAISING EFFORTS

With the opportunity to take the majority of both the state House and Senate next month, Democrats are out-raising Republicans, according to recent campaign finance reports. General Assembly candidates have raised $52.6 million since January, according to Virginia Public Access Project, and most funds have come from the Democratic Party — $31.7 million to be exact. The trend has carried into the Shenandoah Valley, with Democrats Annette Hyde and Brent Finnegan raising more than their Republican opponents

VIRGINIA PENSION CONTRIBUTION RATES LIKELY TO RISE AS INVESTMENT RETURNS DECLINE

Virginia and its local school systems would pay more in pension benefits for their employees in the next two-year budget under new contribution rates that reflect lower expectations for long-term investment gains by the $82.3 billion retirement system.

VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVES RULE CHANGES THAT WOULD REQUIRE NEARLY $1 BILLION MORE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS

The governing body for Virginia’s public education system wants state lawmakers to give schools an influx of nearly $1 billion. The Virginia Board of Education on Thursday unanimously approved changes to the state’s Standards of Quality, the base requirements public schools are expected to meet. The revised standards call for roughly $950 million in recurring funding

VIRGINIA CONSIDERS DEEMPHASIZING TEST SCORES IN TEACHER EVALUATIONS

Virginia teachers are cheering a proposal to make student test scores less of a consideration when evaluating how effective they are in the classroom. The proposal, which the Board of Education could approve next month, would let local school boards decide how much test scores factor into annual evaluations as long as it’s at least equal to other standards.

PRISON OFFICIALS ASK TO TOSS LAWSUIT ON EXECUTION ACCESS

The Virginia Department of Corrections has asked a federal judge to throw out a lawsuit that claims prison officials are unconstitutionally limiting public access to executions in Virginia.

SMYTH COUNTY WOMAN AMONG THOSE CELEBRATED AT WOMEN'S MONUMENT DEDICATION

A woman sketched the shrouded figures, capturing the seven before their images were revealed to the world. When the coverings were finally removed, the great-great-granddaughter of Laura Lu Copenhaver gave her bronze replica a kiss on the cheek. Surrounding the 3-year-old were hundreds of adults who hoped the work dedicated that day would make a difference in her life and all Virginia women to come.

TRADE AGREEMENT THE FOCUS OF ROUNDTABLE

U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger came to town Friday, Oct. 11, to talk about the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, which is commonly known as USMCA. The first-term congresswoman met for a roundtable of about 18 citizens and businesspeople at BizWorks, 2545 Bellwood Road. Spanberger is generally supportive of the agreement, and is focused on how it would impact prescription drugs.

CONGRESSMAN GETS DOWN WITH DR. SEUSS

Politics didn’t matter to the 3- to 5-year-olds in the Head Start class at STEP, Inc., in Rocky Mount last week when U.S. Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-Nelson) paid them a visit. The first-term congressman, who was there to learn more about the Head Start and Early Head Start programs, along with STEP’s other services, didn’t seem to mind, either.

WIND ENERGY STUDIED BEFORE ADVANCING ALTERNATIVE ENERGY PLAN

Gov. Ralph Northam’s 2050 goal for Virginia to be powered by 100% clean energy, including offshore wind, was not made before its potential effects on fishermen and marine life were studied, and the results were published in 2016. Dominion Energy, based in Richmond, Va., will contribute to Northam’s goal by leasing 112,800 acres approximately 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach for an offshore wind project, the largest of its kind in the U.S.

AMAZON PAYS MILLIONS FOR PERSPECTA PROPERTY NEAR DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

A subsidiary of Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) has acquired 57 acres on the Route 28 corridor in Herndon from a major federal IT contractor. Amazon Data Services Inc., otherwise known as Vadata, paid $54 million for the 2.4 million-square-foot site at 13600 EDS Drive in a deal that closed Oct. 4, according to public land records. The seller of the Herndon site, about five minutes from Dulles International Airport, was Perspecta Enterprise Solutions LLC, an affiliate of Perspecta Inc. Vadata is Amazon’s data center unit.

STIHL STRENGTHENS ROOTS IN VIRGINIA BEACH WITH NEW HEADQUARTERS

There’s an obvious metaphor in the 100 concrete piles, each driven 70 feet deep, bracing the new foundation of Stihl Inc.’s U.S. headquarters. “For me, this is not just a building, but a statement of intent,” said Nikolas Stihl, the advisory and supervisory board chairman for the German family-owned Stihl Group.

RETAIL SUPPLIER TO MAKE $1 MILLION INVESTMENT IN VIRGINIA BEACH, RELOCATE PORTIONS OF WAREHOUSE OPERATIONS

A 1.16 million investment will be made by SRP Companies in Virginia Beach. According to Gov. Ralph Northam’s office, one of the leading suppliers to more than 60,000 retailers nationwide will relocate a considerable portion of its warehouse operations in Philadelphia, Utah and Oklahoma, to the city.

SMITHFIELD TIMES TO BE SOLD

The Smithfield Times, first published in 1920, will have new owners as it enters its 101st year of service to the community. An agreement in principle has been reached between John and Anne Edwards, who have owned the paper since 1986, and veteran Virginia newspaper publisher Steve Stewart, principal owner of Smithfield Newsmedia LLC, a new Virginia entity, for Stewart to purchase the paper.

RICHMOND U.S. MAGISTRATE JUDGE CONFIRMED BY SENATE FOR FEDERAL JUDGESHIP

After an unsuccessful bid a dozen years ago, U.S. Magistrate Judge David J. Novak, who sits in Richmond, has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate as a federal judge in an 89-3 vote.

AMIDST COMMUNITY CONCERN, COUNTY BOARD APPROVES CAMPUS COMMONS PROJECT

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Campus Commons on Tuesday — the first major redevelopment project in a transit-oriented area in Reston near established neighborhoods. Although community criticism pushed developer TF Cornerstone to amend its plan, citizens and resident groups remained concerned about the scale and impact of the 12-acre development. TF Cornerstone plans to redevelop 1900-1902 Campus Commons Drive with two residential towers with 656 units, an office building, and seven public parks. Two office buildings will remain on the site.

FIXING STATE’S IT PROVIDER PROVES TO BE A CHALLENGE

Virginia residents shouldn’t have to give much thought to the state of the commonwealth’s information technology infrastructure. Their interaction through those systems should be seamless and unobtrusive, reliable and efficient. And yet, recent years have exposed instability in how the state purchases, deploys and maintains the various systems that enable government agencies to operate online,

ALAN DIAMONSTEIN LEAVES A LASTING LEGACY

Alan A. Diamonstein left his fingerprints throughout the Peninsula, created during his time in the General Assembly, as a philanthropist and through his legal work.

WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE SO UPSET BY HISTORY?

If you visit the Tower of London, the great fortress first built by William the Conqueror as a means to impose his rule on the city, you’ll see the glittering Crown Jewels that symbolize the British monarchy.

MOE: VIRGINIA’S TECHNOLOGY JOURNEY IS ONLY BEGINNING

In this modern world, technology is the backbone of how our citizens interact with government. As the commonwealth of Virginia’s chief information officer for the past four years, my organization, the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA), has been charged with finding new ways to deliver services to citizens faster.

Nelson Moe is chief information officer of the commonwealth and the agency head at VITA, which provides information technology services for 63 executive branch agencies and 55,000-plus state employees

IT'S ONLY $4.99. BUT COSTCO'S ROTISSERIE CHICKEN COMES AT A HUGE PRICE

At the back of Costco's stores, past the televisions, jewelry, jumbo-sized ketchup jugs and tubs of mixed nuts, is one of the retailer's most prized items: The rotisserie chicken that costs just $4.99. Cheap Kirkland Signature rotisserie chickens aren't only a quick way for families to get dinner on the table. For Costco, the chickens are a lure, pulling customers into stores and getting them to browse the aisles, adding sometimes hundreds of dollars worth of items to their shopping carts before they pick up that bird.