Virginia Measles Outbreak Hits 77 Cases

Virginia’s measles outbreak has grown to 77 confirmed cases, with 55 in Central Virginia and much of the outbreak centered on a cluster in Buckingham County that began in April.

Health officials link what they’re calling the largest measles surge in the Commonwealth in years to declining vaccination rates.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. traveled to Virginia on Wednesday for an event at the Virginia State Fairgrounds, where he answered reporters’ questions about the outbreak and urged residents to check their vaccination status and get immunized if they haven’t already.

The MMR vaccine is given in two doses and is considered the most effective form of protection. Virginia’s outbreak is unfolding against the backdrop of a broader global measles resurgence.

Driver Charged with DUI in Fatal I-95 Crash

Jing Sheng Dong, a non-English-speaking naturalized U.S. citizen from China who is a commercial bus driver in Staten Island, faces DUI and manslaughter charges after plowing into slowing construction traffic on I-95 in Stafford County on May 29, killing five people and injuring 44. 

Dong was driving a motorcoach from New York toward North Carolina when he failed to slow for a work zone near Fredericksburg. He was held without bond after Stafford County charged him with five counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of reckless driving.

Authorities say Dong was also operating the vehicle without a valid driver’s license. A DHS spokesperson confirmed Tuesday that DUI charges were added to the existing manslaughter counts. Each felony manslaughter count carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.

VT Researchers ID Heart Recovery Protein

Researchers at Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and the University of Utah have identified a protein called PERM1 that may explain why some failing hearts recover while others don’t.

The team studied patients who received left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), mechanical pumps that support weakened hearts. PERM1 was fully restored in patients whose hearts bounced back after LVAD support, but remained unchanged in those who didn’t recover.

The finding offers a potential biomarker to predict which heart failure patients are candidates for LVAD removal and could guide future treatment decisions.

Heart failure affects more than 6 million Americans, and LVADs have become increasingly common as a bridge to transplant or long-term support. 

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➤ Statewide: Virginia is experiencing a surge in gun background checks, with May 2026 recording 72,956 checks—more than double the previous year—as residents rush to buy firearms ahead of the July 1 assault weapons ban. (More)

➤ VA Coast: Gov. Spanberger kicked off the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season with a visit to the state’s Emergency Operations Center, urging Virginians to build emergency kits and review evacuation plans. (More)

➤ NoVA: The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments declared a drought watch on Wednesday for Northern Virginia, D.C., and southern Maryland following persistently dry conditions across the region. (More)

➤ Norfolk: The USS Iwo Jima is returning to Naval Station Norfolk on Saturday after a 10-month deployment, one of the largest single-ship homecomings for the Hampton Roads naval community this year. (More)

➤ Bristol: Feeding Southwest Virginia has announced summer meal sites across the region, offering free meals through the federal Summer Food Service Program on a first-come, first-served basis while school is out. (See Locations)

➤ Roanoke County: Plantation Road, ranked among Virginia’s top 1% most dangerous pedestrian corridors, is getting a safety overhaul targeting a stretch with a concentration of fatal and serious crashes recorded over four years. (More)

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➤ Virginia greats D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Heath Miller landed on the 2027 College Football Hall of Fame ballot. Both were standouts from the Cavaliers’ Al Groh era. (More)

➤ UVA basketball picked up its first commitment of the 2027 class, landing 6-foot-10-inch international big man Mahamadou Landoure of Real Madrid. (More)

➤ Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, a Penn State transfer who followed coach James Franklin to Virginia Tech, came in at No. 37 on ESPN’s top 100 newcomers list. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NHL | MLB | Soccer | NCAASB | WNBA | Tennis

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➤ USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins unveiled the Small Processor Action Plan during a Virginia farm visit in Caroline County, aiming to bolster small meat processors and help local farmers. (More)

➤ Forty Virginia companies made the 2026 Fortune 1000, including 24 on the Fortune 500, reflecting the Commonwealth’s deep concentration of major employers in defense contracting, technology, and financial services. (See List)

➤ SAIC, headquartered in Reston, won a $50.6 million Navy task order to modernize torpedo defense systems—including the “Nixie” decoy—using digital engineering, with work directly supporting Hampton Roads naval operations. (More)

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BOXABL’s Growth Story Is Drawing Investor Attention

This company has raised more than $235M from investors as it works toward its goal of transforming the housing industry with factory-built homes.

The company’s foldable housing system is designed to reduce shipping costs and speed up installation. Its flagship Casita unfolds on-site in less than one hour.

The company has announced a proposed merger with FG Merger II Corp. (NASDAQ: FGMC), which could result in BOXABL trading publicly on Nasdaq under the ticker $BXBL.

Shareholder meetings related to the proposed transaction are expected on June 9, 2026.

FGMC on Yahoo Finance: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/FGMC/ 

Find important information related to the proposed merger here.

BOXABL and FGMC have extended their merger deadline to June 30, 2026, pending shareholder approvals, see SEC Exhibit 99 for further details https://www.sec.gov/edgar/browse/?CIK=1816937

➤ Sail250 is bringing world-class tall ships and naval vessels from 20 countries to Virginia and Maryland ports June 12-30 for America’s 250th anniversary. The event will feature parades, ship tours, festivals, and waterfront events. (See Schedule)

➤ Virginia Tech veterinary graduates launched a new commencement tradition this year: dressing their dogs, cats, and other pets in custom miniature doctoral caps for class portrait photos. (See Photos)

➤ Virginia’s congressional delegation is collecting photo submissions for a time capsule to be sealed at the U.S. Capitol on July 4th—not to be opened until America’s 500th anniversary in 2276. (See Details)

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Are you vacationing at a beach this summer?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Not sure

Wednesday’s Results:

Have you ever worked at a fast-food restaurant?

1. Yes: 32%
2. No: 68%

Which Virginia city is home to the oldest naval shipyard in the U.S.?

Show me the answer