Businessman Offered $5,000 if Candidates Quit

A Warrenton businessman offered to donate $5,000 to charity if two of the town’s three mayoral candidates dropped out of the race by Friday.

Jawad Sarsour, who supports Town Council member David McGuire, made the offer in a since-deleted video Monday: “I’ll write a $5,000 check … if you both step out of the race this Friday.” McGuire said he was unaware beforehand and asked Sarsour to remove the video.

Both candidates rejected the offer on Facebook. Renard Carlos called it “corrosive to the democratic process,” while Darine Barbour, who chairs the town’s Planning Commission, said no amount of money would make her compromise her morals, values, or ethics.

Sarsour later wrote that he takes the elections seriously and hopes neighbors “can still shake hands on Main Street.” The Fauquier Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office hasn’t commented, and all three candidates remain on the Nov. 3 ballot, with early voting underway.

Two Contractors Die after Port Accident

Two Maryland-based contractors died after a Wednesday workplace accident while performing maintenance work at Norfolk International Terminals. Emergency crews took both to local hospitals.

The Port of Virginia confirmed the deaths Friday and said the accident occurred at the South Berth. Both contractors worked for Maryland-based McLean Contracting Co. Their names have not been released.

McLean said its on-site emergency response team acted immediately. The company activated its incident response plan and is cooperating with OSHA and other authorities investigating the accident. Authorities have not said how the accident occurred.

Shot Twice, Now a Hall of Famer

A former Washington Times sports editor who survived being shot twice in the head in 1986 will be inducted Saturday into Emory & Henry University’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Mike Keating, then 27, was retrieving a windbreaker from his car outside his Woodbridge townhouse when Tony Albert Mackall put a gun to his head. Mackall, an escapee from a D.C. halfway house who had just fatally shot a woman at a nearby gas station, forced Keating inside and shot him twice.

Doctors did not remove the bullets because they were too close to arteries, and Keating was released from the hospital on the seventh day. He later testified during the sentencing phase of Mackall’s trial; Mackall was executed in 1998.

One bullet worked its way out about a month later and became evidence at the trial. The other remains in Keating’s head, and the 67-year-old Houston resident returned to his alma mater as the oldest member of its six-person class.

Flying together with our sponsor

Fresh fruits and vegetables are a healthy choice, but recent headlines about parasites and contaminants have many families taking a closer look at how they clean their produce.

PuriProduce uses a simple water-based cleaning process designed to help lift surface residues from fruits and vegetables without harsh chemicals. Give yourself extra peace of mind before every meal and help your family enjoy cleaner, fresher produce with every bite.

LEARN MORE

➤ Loudoun County: Roger Bradford, charged in the fatal shooting of his wife, Lisa, waived extradition from Pennsylvania. Friends planned a Sunday vigil at Hanson Park Nature Center. (More)

➤ Shenandoah National Park: Backcountry camping is closed until further notice along the Appalachian Trail between Lewis Mountain Campground and Big Meadows following recent wildlife interactions. The trail remains open for hiking. (More)

➤ Prince William County: Judge Kimberly Irving will allow news outlets to record the murder trial of Naresh Bhatt, who is charged in the death of his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, but livestreaming is prohibited. The trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 5. (More)

➤ Fairfax County: Malachi Morgan Thomas, 24, was sentenced Thursday to 40 years in federal prison for coercing approximately 41 girls ages 12 to 17 to produce explicit material using a Snapchat account he had hacked and stolen from a minor. Fairfax County police arrested him in 2020. (More)

➤ Hampton Roads: Coastal flooding affected roads across the region Saturday, while warnings remained in effect into Sunday. Drivers were urged to avoid standing water. (More)

Like The Virginia Flyover? Share it with a friend! ✈️

➤ The Washington Commanders will take on the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks today at 1 p.m. with 16 players already on the injury report—including star quarterback Jayden Daniels, who has been ruled out. (More)

➤ Virginia Tech rallied past Boston College 21-14 in a nor’easter as Jeffrey Overton Jr. ran 76 yards for the go-ahead score late. The Hokies are 4-0 in James Franklin’s first season, their best start since 2017. (More)

➤ Virginia bounced back from its first loss with a 42-3 rout of Delaware, as Beau Pribula accounted for five touchdowns. (More)

➤ James Madison dominated Old Dominion 46-20 in the Royal Rivalry after jumping out to a 14-0 lead. Camden Coleman threw four touchdown passes for the Dukes. (More)

➤ The Washington Mystics will take on the Atlanta Dream tonight at 7 p.m. for the first round of the WNBA playoffs. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NCAAF | MLB | Soccer | NHL | Golf | F1

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Protect your favorite photos and videos with Clickfree, the easy one-click backup solution. Simply plug it into your phone, tablet, Mac, or PC to automatically save and organize important files without monthly cloud fees. Free up valuable storage while keeping your memories securely backed up. Save 50% today!

Flying together with our sponsor

Protect you and your family. Give your fruits and vegetables a deeper clean with PuriProduce. Using a simple water-and-salt cleaning cycle, this compact, hands-free device helps clean produce in just minutes, no scrubbing required. Perfect for busy kitchens, it makes meal prep quicker, easier, and more convenient.

LEARN MORE

➤ Chesterfield County is home to 114 centenarians, who were honored at Wednesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. Lee Beale, 105, credits “the good lord upstairs,” while Maria Thomas, 106, completes one crossword puzzle a day. (More)

➤ A new accessible playground designed for children with a range of abilities was unveiled at ReadyKids on East High Street in Charlottesville. A city grant helped fund accessible paths, a chalk wall, and native plants. (More)

➤ Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! is running at Roanoke’s Mill Mountain Theatre through Oct. 4. Set in Oklahoma Territory before statehood, the musical follows clashing cowboys and farmers, romance, and a community on the brink of change. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Journey to Patmos, the island where John wrote the Book of Revelation, and explore the real history behind three of its seven churches. Times of Fire brings ancient prophecy to life through archaeology, history, and Scripture — free to watch from RevelationMedia.

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes, straight from the heart of the country. 

➤ France’s first papal visit in 18 years brought 700,000 people to a Paris Mass. (Hear More)

➤ Could your belly button hold clues to brain health? A small study found intriguing patterns. (Listen Now)

➤  A recruiter’s iced coffee rule stirred up a surprisingly heated hiring debate. (Podcast Available)

If you were in a musical, where would we find you?

1. Center stage
2. Singing in the chorus
3. Playing in the orchestra
4. Running things backstage
5. Happily in the audience

Yesterday’s Results:

What was your main way of celebrating Dolly Parton Day?

1. I didn’t celebrate: 74%
2. Played her music: 13%
3. Shared a favorite Dolly memory: 5%
4. Watched a Dolly movie or show: 4%
5. Read or donated a book: 3%
6. Attended an event: 1%

Which Virginia food must be processed within its namesake town to be labeled “genuine” under state law?

Show me the answer