Sept. 22, 2026

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Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk was among the Hampton Roads hospitals flagged in a new report that found some negotiated rates in hospital price files were difficult to calculate. (Photo by Katherine Hafner)

Yiqing Wang

Health Reporter

A new report from PatientRightsAdvocate.org claims that several Hampton Roads hospitals are noncompliant with federal price transparency rules, despite their pricing files passing the government's technical validator. 

The advocacy group flagged Sentara Norfolk General, Riverside Regional and two Bon Secours facilities for publishing negotiated insurance rates as formulas without providing enough information for patients to calculate actual dollar amounts. 

Hospital representatives and the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association disputed the findings, arguing the group applied its own standards and that complex insurance negotiations make standard pricing difficult to publish.

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A site plan for Prime Storage's proposal, called an "edge inference data center" in James City County's documents. (Image via James City County)

A national self-storage company is looking to convert part of its James City County location into a 5-megawatt "micro AI factory," which would mark the county's first data center. 

The site in Norge is one of 347 spots across the country picked to help run AI applications closer to everyday users. 

Instead of the massive, power-hungry warehouses popping up elsewhere in Virginia, experts view this smaller edge center as a lightweight alternative that cuts lag for high-tech tech tools without overloading the local power grid. 

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Sailors of the destroyer USS Stout prepare to leave Norfolk for what could be a year-long deployment. (Photo by Steve Walsh)

The destroyer USS Stout left Norfolk on Monday, deploying independently with a crew of more than 300 sailors who have been instructed to prepare for up to 11 months at sea. 

The deployment comes amid an ongoing war with Iran, which Navy leadership warned has driven record-setting sea times and extended missions across the fleet. 

Command officials say that opening clear lines of communication helps ease anxiety for sailors and their families, who must navigate sudden long-term separations and domestic challenges.

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This Eastern Shore program wants to help people find forestry jobs Read More

Spanberger presents slate of data center regulation proposals, puts first directives in motion Read More

The Attucks Jazz Club series, with its national headliners, returns Saturday Read More

The VA is reaching out to female veterans, who sometimes are hesitant to identify as veterans at all Read More

Dr. Dana Stallings hugs Suffolk resident Barbara Smith, 66, who travels to Franklin for diabetes treatment. (Photo by Christopher Tyree)

Kunle Falayi

Data Reporter

About 1 in 5 residents in the city of Franklin is diagnosed with diabetes. Yet, only one healthcare clinic in the city is dedicated to treating the disease. 

Southside Diabetes opened four years ago to provide needed care for a town that’s part of what’s known as Virginia’s diabetes belt. The bustling practice draws patients from rural and suburban communities more than an hour away.

Despite the demand, the clinic is struggling with the impacts from last year’s changes to federal health care policies. The Trump Administration’s H.R. 1, also known as One Big Beautiful Bill, tightened federal policies and funding for Medicaid and Medicare patients.

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