VIRGINIA BUSINESS HIGHER EDUCATION COUNCIL

Jun 08 2026POLITICS

Small Businesses vs. Credit Card Fees

Business owners in Maine have long complained about the high costs of swipe fees. A former entrepreneur who helped local shops sell gift cards has seen how these charges eat into profits. He sold his company but kept the lessons learned. Now he urges lawmakers to reject a new bill that would let cr

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Jun 03 2026BUSINESS

Trade Shake‑Ups: New Tariff Rules Stir Business Fears

Business leaders quickly voiced worries after the U. S. administration unveiled plans to rebuild tariff barriers that the Supreme Court had largely dismissed in February. The proposal, announced late Tuesday, would introduce two new tariff levels—10% and 12. 5%—on goods from roughly sixty countries

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May 28 2026EDUCATION

Balancing screens and learning in Virginia Beach schools

Virginia Beach’s school board is rethinking how young students use computers in class. A new plan would stop pre-K through first graders from using school laptops during lessons next year. Second graders couldn’t take their devices home except in special cases, though they’d still use them at school

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May 26 2026EDUCATION

California Schools: The Quiet Battle for Better Funding

Education is the state’s biggest budget item, costing around 91 billion dollars for K‑12 and another 60 billion from local and federal sources. These funds shape the future of nearly six million students, and they also determine California’s economic health. Because of this, education is a top prior

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May 26 2026BUSINESS

New Tax Rules Make Giving to Charity Harder for Businesses

Businesses that donate money will find the rules tougher from January 2026. A new law, called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), adds limits that cut into how much a company can claim as a tax deduction for charitable gifts. The effect is simple: a donation that once lowered the tax bill dollar

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May 20 2026POLITICS

Data Centers, Power and Politics: Virginia’s Growing Debate

Virginia is becoming the world’s hub for data centers, with a concentration so dense that it consumes enough electricity to light almost 900, 000 homes. These facilities promise hefty tax income for counties and a boost to the local workforce, yet they also raise serious questions about energy use a

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May 19 2026POLITICS

New Virginia Laws Aim to Close Gaps in Mother and Baby Healthcare

Virginia recently took another step forward in improving care for mothers and infants with a set of new laws signed in April. These laws expand on last year’s "Momnibus" package, which was the first major effort to tackle long-standing issues in maternal and infant health across the state. While the

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May 18 2026LIFESTYLE

A Fresh Spot for Creatives in Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach just got a new spot that’s all about helping small businesses and artists shine. A pair of business owners, who know the struggle of finding the right workspace, decided to fix that problem themselves. They opened a place called The Void, a blank canvas-style studio where creatives ca

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May 14 2026TECHNOLOGY

The AI race heats up as businesses switch to a new leader

Businesses in the U. S. are now more likely to pay for Anthropic’s AI tool than OpenAI’s. In April 2026, Anthropic’s adoption hit 34. 4%, while OpenAI’s dropped to 32. 3%. The shift happened quickly—just a year ago, OpenAI led with 32%, and Anthropic barely registered. What changed? Anthropic’s codi

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May 10 2026TECHNOLOGY

Why CEOs Need to Start Thinking About AI That Works in the Real World

Business leaders have spent years focused on AI that helps with office work and data analysis. Now, a wave of new AI is emerging—one that moves, interacts, and performs tasks in warehouses, factories, and even dangerous places. Unlike the AI that answers customer service chats, this technology blend

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