Thursday, April 30, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1863, the Battle of Chancellorsville began as Union Gen. Joseph Hooker marched three army corps toward Gen. Robert E. Lee’s defenders. The battle ended days later with Hooker in retreat, but the Confederates lost Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, a key tactical commander who was hit by friendly fire.

Yesterday, The Virginia Flyover told you about the fundraising success of the Commonwealth’s Blue Ridge Parkway license plate, and that got us wondering about the many other vanity plates rolling around on our highways. Virginia is famous for such plates, including hockey legend Alex Ovechkin’s “AO GR8” tag.

Does your ride sport a vanity plate? Scroll down to our Poll to let us know, and if you have one, hit reply to tell us what it says.

Jimmy Kimmel and President Trump are feuding again. But how far back does this actually go and how did it start? What happened when Trump was first booked on Kimmel’s show? And what roles are ABC, the FCC and major news affiliates playing? It’s a story nearly a decade in the making, and host Ayla Brown breaks down the entire feud, what started it, what they have said and where it stands in today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast. Listen here.

Our 2026 Mother’s Day Gift Guide has great picks for every mom on your list, and a few you’ll want to keep for yourself. No judgment.

Car repairs are one of the most unpredictable expenses drivers face, and they rarely come at a convenient time. That’s why today’s sponsor, CarShield, is here to help. As vehicles age, even minor issues can turn into major, costly fixes. That’s why more drivers are turning to options like CarShield to plan ahead and avoid surprise repair bills.

Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

Data Center Policies

Lawmakers in the General Assembly haven’t been able to agree on a two-year state budget because the Senate version eliminates a 5.6% tax exemption for data centers, while the House version maintains the exemption but imposes new environmental standards for data centers.

Protesters from Botetourt County rallied in Roanoke this week to tell Gov. Abigail Spanberger that they oppose the state’s tax policies in this area. “It’s a net loss for the state of Virginia, and that’s what’s driving all the data centers and all the data center talk in this area,” protester Danny Goad said.

Officials in Hanover County are considering whether to increase the tax rate for data centers from 45 cents per $100 of assessed value to as much as $3 per $100.

In Loudoun County, the state’s Department of Environmental Quality placed seven air monitoring sensors to determine whether the region’s proliferation of data centers endangers air quality. Loudoun has more data centers than anywhere else in the world.

Train Derails On the Border

A Norfolk Southern tanker train jumped the rails near the Commonwealth’s border with West Virginia on Tuesday. Thirteen cars derailed in the incident near Giles County.

No injuries were reported in the accident.

The derailment caused a soybean oil leak, but no hazardous substances were reportedly leaking from the wrecked cars. Virginia emergency personnel deployed water booms in the East River as a precautionary measure to contain any oil that reaches the water.

Cleanup was expected to be wrapped up overnight.

Front Royal Welcomes Royalty

The King and Queen of the United Kingdom will pay a visit to the former colony of Virginia today. Charles III and Camilla are expected to attend Front Royal’s 250th Celebration Parade that marks America’s semiquincentennial.

Guests can expect tight security, including bag restrictions, identification checks, and security screening.

The couple is also expected to visit a national park in Virginia. King Charles has a history of environmental activism.

Queen Camilla will tour a horse farm to tout the racing industry, which has long-term ties with the sport in the United Kingdom. The visit is part of the royals’ four-day trip to the U.S.

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➤ Richmond: Election officials are scheduled to certify last week’s constitutional redistricting referendum tomorrow, but will not be able to do so until the state’s Supreme Court issues a ruling as to whether the vote was legal. The final day for certification is Tuesday. (Details)

➤ Virginia Beach: Business owners will be able to obtain compensation from the city for any profits lost as a result of the full curfew at the Oceanfront the weekend of April 17 and 18. Applicants must file a claim through the Risk Management Office. (Details)

➤ Eastern Virginia: As most of the Commonwealth is enduring a severe drought, the Department of Environmental Quality released a report showing that the net rate of replenishment of the Potomac Aquifer is slowing down. (More)

➤ Statewide: Rideshare drivers will be subjected to more thorough background checks beginning in July under two new laws signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger. (Details)

➤ Lorton: A garbage truck smashed into a house on Tuesday morning. No individuals were inside the home at the time of the crash, according to fire crews. Because the truck came to rest on the home’s utility systems, crews had to cut off gas and electrical service to the neighborhood for a time. (Photos)

➤ Alexandria: James Comey appeared in court in the Eastern District of Virginia and left without entering a plea. The former FBI Director faces two federal charges that a photo he took of seashells represented a threat to assassinate President Trump. (More)

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➤ Ryan Morneau, a senior at JMU, won the men’s singles gold medal at the College Pickleball Nationals, battling through seven consecutive matches in a single day. The win keeps him No. 1 in the collegiate rankings. (Details)

➤ Four Virginia schools are ranked in this week’s Division III baseball top 25, led by No. 2 Lynchburg at 31-4. No. 6 Shenandoah, No. 9 Bridgewater, and No. 24 Christopher Newport also made the list. (More)

➤ UVA softball, ranked No. 23, heads to next week’s ACC Tournament with a 37-12 record after closing the regular season with a 4-0 shutout at Liberty. (Details)

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➤ Carly Fiorina took over as president of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, replacing Cliff Fleet. (Details)

➤ Richmond International Airport plans to add a VIP lounge in the next year as part of its $253 million renovation project. (More)

➤ The Laurel Hotel in Danville opened in the historic Schoolfield District. The facility was formerly the Dan River Company office building. (Details)

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➤ John B. Gordon III, the leader of Suffolk Public Schools, was honored as Virginia Superintendent of the Year. Gordon has led the district since 2019. (Details)

➤ As warmer spring weather arrives, so does the spread of tick-borne illnesses, including Alpha-Gal Syndrome. (More)

➤ Virginia State University hosted its Greater Scholarship Gala, raising more than $1 million for student scholarships. (Details)

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