Firefighters Union Censures Spanberger

The nation’s largest firefighters union (IAFF) voted to formally censure Democrat Gov. Abigail Spanberger over her veto of a public-sector collective bargaining bill.

The International Association of Fire Fighters passed the censure unanimously at its biennial convention—a public rebuke of a governor the union had endorsed. IAFF General President Edward Kelly said Spanberger “turned her back on the very workers who helped put her in the governor’s mansion.”

The vetoed legislation would have extended collective bargaining rights to roughly 500,000 Virginia public employees, including firefighters, teachers, and police. Spanberger proposed amendments in April, lawmakers rejected them, and she vetoed the bills in May.

She said then that she supports establishing bargaining rights but believed “additional amendments” were needed. A 2021 law still lets localities decide whether to allow public-sector bargaining.

Virginia Holds to Vaccine Schedule

The Virginia Department of Health is sticking with the standard childhood vaccine schedule after President Trump signed an executive order directing a federal overhaul of childhood immunization guidance.

The order, signed Monday, calls for splitting the combined measles-mumps-rubella vaccine into three separate shots given at different visits, and it trims the list of recommended childhood diseases from 18 to 11. Trump signed it alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and linked vaccines to autism.

The Virginia Department of Health said Tuesday it will keep following the American Academy of Pediatrics’ 2026 schedule and that the order does not change the state’s school immunization requirements.

Both the department and the AAP say the science does not support spacing the shots out—and that single-disease measles, mumps, and rubella shots aren’t even available in the U.S. right now.

Python Turns Up at School Fire

When firefighters pushed into a burning classroom at Forest Middle School early Thursday, they found an 8-foot python waiting inside.

Crews were called to the Bedford County school around 12:45 a.m. and arrived to find water pouring from the second floor amid fire and heavy smoke. They secured the snake then knocked down the flames.

With the fire out, crews shut off the sprinkler system to stop the flooding and ran ventilation fans to clear the smoke. Eight classrooms took water damage.

Bedford County Public Schools staff were on site working with cleanup contractors and preparing to relocate affected classrooms if needed. The county fire investigator is leading the investigation.

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➤ Richmond: A judge declared a mistrial in the murder trial of Xavier Brown, charged in two 2023 Richmond killings, after a defense question on cross-examination referenced a co-defendant’s separate Brunswick County homicide case that had been ruled off-limits. (More)

➤ Fairfax County: A masked ICE agent pointed a gun at Carolina Molina, 36, a U.S. citizen, after she yelled at officers making arrests near Bailey’s Crossroads. Molina denies nearly hitting agents with her car; ICE says she could face charges. (More)

➤ Virginia Beach: City officials warned Thursday that Verizon customers may have trouble reaching 911 during an ongoing mobile-service disruption. (More)

➤ Roanoke: A federal judge declined Wednesday to rule on hemp sellers’ bid to block new state THC limits, saying he needs more time. The rules cap consumable hemp at 2 milligrams of THC per package. (More)

➤ Southwest Virginia: A new report warns black lung disease cases among coal miners are nearing a 50-year high in Southwest Virginia, with even younger workers affected, prompting calls for stronger silica dust protections and improved benefits. (More)

➤ Salem: Sixteen U.S. senators, including Virginia’s Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, urged the Trump administration to designate several Americans held in Russia as “wrongfully detained,” among them Salem native Chuck Zimmerman, 59, who was seized while sailing the Black Sea. (More)

➤ Washington County: Emory & Henry University welcomed the largest incoming class in its 190-year history, with 492 new students—a nearly 30% jump over last fall—pushing total enrollment past 1,200 across its Emory and Marion campuses. (More)

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➤ UVA sophomore Sara Curtis broke the world record in the 50-meter backstroke at the European Swimming Championships in Paris this week, clocking a 26.63 to shatter the previous mark by more than two-tenths of a second. (More)

➤ Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels told LSU the school can no longer use his name, image, or likeness after it gave his Heisman-era No. 5 jersey to cornerback DJ Pickett. No player had worn the number since Daniels left. (More)

➤ Capital One extended its naming rights for the home of the Washington Wizards and Capitals through 2047. The D.C. arena is in the middle of a billion-dollar-plus renovation expected to be finished by the 2027-28 season. (More)

➤ Former Washington Wizards guard Russell Westbrook announced his retirement after 18 NBA seasons. Washington reportedly tried to sign him for a second stint this offseason, but he declined the offer. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | MLB | Golf | Tennis | WNBA | Soccer

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➤ A 300,000-square-foot FedEx shipping and logistics facility will open along Emmaus Church Road near I-64 in New Kent County in 2028, bringing about 40 full-time and 300 part-time jobs. The county offered up to $1.1 million in tax rebates tied to the company hitting investment benchmarks. (More)

➤ Unionized workers at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Henrico County rejected management’s “best, last, and final” contract offer, extending a yearlong fight over their first contract. The union says wages—averaging $17.52 an hour—are the sticking point. (More)

➤ Dominion Energy asked the State Corporation Commission to recover an extra $922 million in fuel costs over several years, blaming a January cold snap and higher gas prices. (More)

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➤ A programming glitch in an Alexandria school-zone speed camera on Seminary Road wrongly issued 115 tickets outside the legal enforcement window between August and February. Alexandria police have dismissed the citations and are refunding drivers who paid for them. (More)

➤ Group-buying Solarize programs—a Costco-style bulk approach to rooftop solar—are drawing strong interest from Virginians. The nonprofit-run Solarize Virginia campaign has extended its sign-up deadline through tomorrow. (More)

➤ The Konnarock Crew wrapped up its 44th season of building and maintaining the Appalachian Trail from Virginia to Georgia, recently carving 200 feet of new path and 12 campsite pads near McAfee Knob. (See Photos)

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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:

➤ Hawaii’s Big Island is under a hurricane watch as a strengthening Pacific storm threatens heavy rain and flooding. (Hear Details)

➤ Luigi Mangione is reportedly weighing a courtroom move that could upend his murder trial in New York. (Hear Episode)

➤ Tech executives are cloning themselves with artificial intelligence, and some of the digital doubles are already going rogue. (Listen Now)

Have you hiked any part of the Appalachian Trail?

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Yesterday’s Results:

Has your home or property ever been struck by lightning? 

1. Yes, it was scary: 36%
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3. No, not yet: 28%

Where are the two high schools named after the James River located in Virginia?

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