A flood watch is in effect from 2 p.m. until midnight on July 16, according to a recent alert from the National Weather Service.

WHAT: Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.

WHERE: Portions of Maryland, including the following areas, Central and Eastern Allegany, Eastern Garrett, Extreme Western Allegany, Washington and Western Garrett, Virginia, including the following areas, Augusta, Central Virginia Blue Ridge, Clarke, Eastern Highland, Frederick VA, Northern Virginia Blue Ridge, Page, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Warren and Western Highland, and West Virginia, including the following areas, Berkeley, Eastern Grant, Eastern Mineral, Eastern Pendleton, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Morgan, Western Grant, Western Mineral and Western Pendleton.

WHEN: 2 p.m. until midnight July 16

IMPACTS: Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS: Showers and thunderstorms will form and move across the area this afternoon into this evening. Storms will be capable of producing very heavy rainfall, with 1 to 3 inches possible in an hour where stationary cells or multiple rounds occur. Widespread rainfall totals near an inch are expected, with localized maxes of 2-5 inches.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS: You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should flash flood warnings be issued.

Visit www.weather.gov/safety/flood for flood safety and preparedness information.

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RESTON, Va. — Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced on Tuesday that Google will partner with his administration to provide free and low-cost artificial intelligence certification courses to Virginians as part of his office’s ongoing effort to connect citizens to new jobs amid changes to the state’s economy.

The partnership, which he has described as an AI career launchpad, will provide Google-sponsored AI training courses for up to 10,000 Virginians at any given time, officials said at Google’s office in the northern part of the state.

The training opportunities will be listed on a job website that Youngkin launched earlier this year, in response to significant layoffs among federal workers by the Trump administration, including many workers from Virginia.

“All fields, all career movements somewhere along the way, are going to incorporate this next generation of technology,” Youngkin said at the news conference.

The initiative comes with unemployment rising in Virginia, which has roughly 20,400 continued unemployment claims, state Secretary of Labor George’ Bryan’ Slater said after the news conference. Roughly 2,800 people initially filed unemployment claims during the first week of July, which is about 6.1 percent higher than the previous week.

The AI webpage will feature the free courses as well as some low-cost learning opportunities, ranging “from beginner friendly courses on AI fundamentals and practical workplace applications of artificial intelligence to bootcamps and degree programs offered by Virginia’s leading-edge community colleges and universities,” according to the governor’s office.

Nicole Overley, commissioner of Virginia Works, said businesses have told her office that AI proficiency has become increasingly necessary in their industries. She said the training would help Virginians become competitive in the job markets where these very businesses are hiring.

Overly confirmed that the training courses won’t cost taxpayers anything and are being donated by Google. Bronagh Friel, head of partnerships at Google, said she was proud of the collaboration with the state.

“Google is committed to championing economic growth and opportunity in Virginia,” she said.

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – Parents with children at Christ Chapel Academy tell FOX 5 they have eight days to decide if they’re going to keep their children at the school. The deadline comes protests over allegations the school is raising tuition to help pull its partner church out of trouble. 

There’s now a petition circulating online demanding the immediate resignation of Lead Pastor Bob Griffith at Christ Chapel Church. So far it has more than 200 signatures.

What we know:

Christ Chapel Academy is a private K-12 school with approximately 450 students.

Right now, tuition costs $12,000 a year and families reportedly have until July 22 to cancel their child’s enrollment without penalty.

What they’re saying:

Mom Jennifer Huber tells FOX 5 the church has lost a significant percent of its membership.

“The church has lost 30 percent of its membership under Pastor Bob, who’s been there the last four years,” Huber said. “It’s contracting. It’s having financial trouble. It’s never run in the black, it’s been in the red since he took over.

Huber and parent Verndell Robinson say in response the pastor is allegedly using money from the church’s school tuition to fund church activities.

“This one person is standing in our way of continuing our school the way it has been in this community,” mom Verndell Robinson said.

The other side:

FOX 5 reached out via phone and email to the church’s pastor and were awaiting a response.

FOX 5 reached out to Assemblies of God churches, which oversees the pastor and Christ Chapel Church. We have not yet heard back from them.