Housing Bill Stalls After Trump Cancels Signing

A bipartisan federal housing bill that would supercharge a new Virginia manufactured-housing law was left in limbo Wednesday after President Trump abruptly scrapped the signing ceremony.

The Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream, or ROAD to Housing Act, would strip out decades-old federal rules requiring manufactured homes to sit on a permanent metal chassis. Backers say dropping the rule could cut thousands of dollars from a home’s price.

The change would clear the way for a state law that Democrat Gov. Abigail Spanberger championed and signed this year at a manufactured-home plant in Rocky Mount, which supporters say could expand Virginia’s housing supply.

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, D, said the bill should still become law without a signature after a set number of days. North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, R, was skeptical, telling the outlet NOTUS he doubts House members would override a veto of their own party’s president

Aerostar Confirms Balloons Over Hampton Roads

The high-altitude balloons that caught the eyes of Hampton Roads residents this week belong to a South Dakota company, according to 13News Now.

Aerostar, based in Sioux Falls, confirmed the craft was part of its operations. The company flies Thunderhead balloon systems that drift through the stratosphere carrying transponders coordinated with the FAA so other aircraft can track them.

Aerostar says the systems are used for communications relays, environmental monitoring, earth observation, and scientific work.

Sightings of the steerable, long-endurance balloons over coastal and military areas have drawn attention before, in part because they can hold position for days and appear to fly against the prevailing wind.

US Mint Unveils Declaration Quarter at Monticello

The U.S. Mint unveiled its new Declaration of Independence quarter on Wednesday at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, where the coin, which entered circulation June 1, was celebrated as part of the nation’s 250th-anniversary commemoration.

The quarter’s reverse features the Liberty Bell, sculpted by Mint medallic artist John McGraw. View images of it here.

Mint Director Paul Hollis and U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach delivered remarks, joined by a Thomas Jefferson reenactor and a Monticello representative.

The coin is one piece of a broader redesign of the quarter, dime, and half dollar. The Mint calls the Semiquincentennial Circulating Coin Program the most significant overhaul of the country’s circulating coins in a century.

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➤ Fairfax County: A Nicaraguan man in the country illegally, Moises Rico Rosales, 35, was charged with abduction with intent to defile and indecent exposure after two incidents at an Annandale park. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say the county failed to honor an earlier detainer. (More)

➤ Williamsburg: The $80 million, 200,000-square-foot Greater Williamsburg Sports & Events Center opened Wednesday on the Colonial Williamsburg Visitors Center property, with room for 12 basketball courts that convert to volleyball, pickleball, or turf. Three localities built it through a joint authority to attract sports tourism. (More)

➤ Roanoke: The city will pull 30 of its 41 newly installed Flock gunshot-detection sensors after a data-entry error placed them at wrong addresses, including one on a misspelled avenue. Flock is covering the removal at no cost to the city. (More)

➤ Henrico County: As Virginia undergoes its driest summer since 1941, the county has released about 1.4 billion gallons from a reservoir since June 1 to prop up the James River and avoid mandatory water restrictions. Officials expect conditions to tighten in July. (See Details)

➤ Richmond: A Richmond Circuit Court judge ruled that the city’s school board improperly redacted Freedom of Information Act documents on an investigation into a former facilities director’s alleged embezzlement and financial improprieties, ordering their full release and attorney fees paid to The Richmonder. (More)

➤ Portsmouth: The city council approved an ordinance imposing higher tax rates on blighted properties in an effort to push owners to fix up neglected buildings and slow neighborhood decline. (More)

➤ Page County: Destructive winds from a Monday thunderstorm in Luray gutted a family’s home while they were away on vacation, leaving it a total loss. A meteorologist said such storms can drive gusts of 80 to 90 mph or stronger. (See Photos)

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➤ The Washington Capitals hold the No. 18 pick in tonight’s first round of the NHL Draft. (More)

➤ Virginia finished fifth in the Learfield Directors’ Cup, which ranks the top overall athletics programs in the country, after winning national titles in women’s swimming and diving and men’s tennis. (More)

➤ Virginia Tech golf commit Kennedy MacCleery became the youngest winner and first Virginian to capture the Women’s Open of Virginia, winning in a playoff after her junior year at Western Albemarle High School. (More) 

➤ Yesterday’s Results: World Cup | MLB | WNBA | Golf

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➤ Norfolk’s MacArthur Center mall, a once-thriving 1999 landmark that has stood mostly vacant in recent years, will close for good this Saturday, paving the way for the city’s mixed-use redevelopment project that will encompass housing, hotels, and walkable urban connections. (More)

➤ Rio Cheesecakes chef Steve DeRaffele, who runs Pinky’s in Richmond, has signed a distribution deal with Performance Food Group to sell his gluten-free, single-serve frozen cheesecakes along the East Coast. He runs the startup out of the Hatch incubator in South Richmond. (More)

➤ Orvis will keep its Roanoke operation and 60 jobs in the city, moving into a 100,000-square-foot building with a $50,000 grant from the Roanoke Economic Development Authority. The company has operated in the area for nearly 40 years. (More)

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➤ The French and U.S. Navies are commemorating 250 years of alliance through FLEETEX250, a major multinational exercise in the Atlantic with ties via Norfolk-based U.S. Fleet Forces Command, highlighting historic bonds and maritime interoperability. (More)

➤ The Broadway musical 1776 returned to Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest retreat near Lynchburg for three nights starting yesterday, its final run after more than a decade. The staging, on the grounds where Jefferson summered, marks the country’s 250th anniversary. (See Photos)

➤ Virginia Beach native and Louis Vuitton men’s creative director Pharrell Williams showcased his spring-summer 2027 men’s collection at Paris Fashion Week, infusing the runway with coastal surf culture, a massive wave set, and beach-inspired looks celebrating his hometown roots. (More)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ The world’s first trillionaire held the title for less than two weeks. What knocked him back down to mere billionaire? (Press Play)

➤ A federal judge just blocked a major piece of the President’s mail-in voting overhaul, and it comes down to one constitutional question. (Hear the Ruling)

➤ It nearly went extinct, until one Missouri farmer admitted she’d been quietly growing it all along. Meet summer’s most star-studded fruit. (Take a Bite)

Do you still shop at malls?

1. Yes
2. No
3. I would if they were still around

Yesterday’s Results:

Did you play sports in high school? 

1. No high school sports for me: 39%
2. Yes, more than one: 37%
3. Just one: 24%

How did Mechanicsville, Virginia, get its name?

Show me the answer