Wednesday, October 14, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1781, Alexander Hamilton led 400 light infantrymen in a nighttime bayonet charge that stormed Redoubt 10 at Yorktown while French troops seized Redoubt 9. The British surrender came five days later.

Three World War II veterans, who happen to be centenarians, celebrated their birthdays together in Roanoke. Learn more in Top Stories, then reply to let us know if your family claims a centenarian or two.

How long will you live? Researchers have tracked tens of thousands of people for decades and found a few simple at-home tests that predict it surprisingly well. They’re quick, ordinary movements, and your time or score on each one tracks with how many healthy years you have ahead. The test with the most dramatic results is one most adults haven’t tried since childhood. So how do you measure up? Ayla counts down all seven tests, shows you how to try each one safely, and explains what your score means on today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast. Tune in here!

Tired of ads following you around online? Later today, watch for a message from our partner, Surfshark, about blocking ads and trackers, plus a special offer for Flyover readers.

Today’s sponsor, Audien, is making better hearing more affordable with its new Atom Air hearing aids, offering advanced features, all-day battery life, and a discreet design for just $149.

Navy Pours $18M into VA Beach Barracks

The Navy is spending more than $18 million to overhaul aging barracks at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek in Virginia Beach.

The project replaces heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems and upgrades other infrastructure for single sailors who live on base, with construction expected to finish by January 2027.

It’s part of a broader push to fix living conditions across Hampton Roads, where the Navy has documented barracks with collapsed roofs, broken air conditioning, and mold. Last month, it announced a $1.7 billion deal to turn the region’s barracks over to private operator Hunt Military Communities.

The work is part of roughly $375 million the Navy set aside nationwide last December under its Barracks Task Force to improve “unaccompanied housing” for junior enlisted troops.

Virginia Tech Tests Next-Gen Aircraft

Virginia Tech flew two experimental aircraft, one autonomous and one hybrid-electric, between landing pads across Southwest Virginia this summer as part of a project called Smart Airspace.

One was a fully autonomous Textron drone that takes off like a helicopter; the other, Electra’s Ultra Short, is a hybrid-electric plane built to carry passengers from strips shorter than a football field.

The flights, run by the university’s Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership at the FAA’s request, tested landing pads in Blackstone, Roanoke, and Blacksburg as part of a federal pilot program. Vertiports cost a fraction of what a full airport does.

Project director Tombo Jones said the aircraft could carry doctors to rural clinics or ease commutes between Hampton Roads, Richmond, and Washington. The next phase aims to expand the network and tackle busier airspace.

Roanoke Honors 3 Centenarian WWII Veterans

Three World War II veterans, ages 101, 102, and 103, gathered in Roanoke to mark their birthdays together, a combined 306 years of life among them.

Marion Noel, 101, served aboard a Navy landing ship at Iwo Jima and Okinawa; his vessel helped deliver the flag famously raised over Mount Suribachi.

James Flinchum, 103, was an Army Air Force engineer in England who pulled downed pilots from burning planes and later fought in the Battle of the Bulge. John Eakin, 102, served on the front lines in Italy.

Eakin and Flinchum offered the same advice for younger generations: Stay off drugs and alcohol, with Eakin adding, “Just try to live a good life.”

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➤ Statewide: Attorney General Jay Jones launched a Voter Protection Section inside his office to enforce Virginia’s voting-rights laws, investigate threats to ballot access, and review proposed election changes. (More)

➤ Danville: Thousands of jobs expected from a lithium-ion battery separator plant and a planned AI data center at the Berry Hill megasite are driving housing demand in the city and Pittsylvania County, prompting major new residential developments. (More)

➤ Newport News: A new study says an 80-foot fence could reduce the number of coal dust particles escaping the city’s export terminals by up to 89%, but neither Kinder Morgan nor Dominion Terminal Associates has committed to the $12 million to $22 million project. (More and See Study)

➤ Virginia Beach: The city council will consider closing its three Oceanfront parks at 17th, 24th, and 31st streets from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. year-round. All are currently open 24 hours. (More)

➤ Roanoke: Nidal Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist who grew up in the Roanoke Valley and killed 13 people in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, is set to be executed by firing squad Dec. 3, the first U.S. military execution in more than 60 years. (More)

➤ Richmond: The city will not renew its Flock Safety license plate camera contract, Mayor Danny Avula announced, following Henrico County’s exit over privacy concerns. Richmond’s agreement expires June 30, 2027. (More)

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➤ Despite early leads from Boone Jenner and Justin Holl, the Washington Capitals fell 4-2 to the Carolina Hurricanes Tuesday night as Andrei Svechnikov’s third-period power-play goal and an empty-netter sealed Washington’s second straight loss. (See Stats)

➤ A Cardinal News analysis notes that JMU’s $3,036 mandatory student athletic fee covers about 74% of its $78.46 million sports budget, more money from student fees than any other Division I school collects. (More)

➤ UVA punter Daniel Sparks was named the ACC’s specialist of the week after averaging 52.2 yards on 6 punts, with a long of 72, in the Cavaliers’ 28-25 comeback win over Syracuse. He ranks third nationally at 49.9 yards per punt. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | NHL | NBA | Tennis

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➤ The State Corporation Commission’s chief hearing examiner limited access to a disputed memo in its review of NextEra Energy’s proposed $67 billion acquisition of Dominion Energy. Attorneys can view it only in person, without copies or notes. (More)

➤ Stafford County supervisors approved a 121-acre data center campus with two buildings and a substation, reducing the county’s 750-foot residential setback to 550 feet along several boundaries and 399 feet in one spot. (More)

➤ Southwest Airlines will add weekly nonstop service from Richmond International Airport to Dallas Love Field starting on June 5, 2027, its eighth nonstop route out of Richmond. (More)

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Hearing clearly shouldn’t come with a four-figure price tag. Audien’s new Atom Air hearing aids are available for just $149, featuring amplified sound, background noise cancellation, four listening modes, and up to 24 hours of battery life. Designed for mild to moderate hearing loss, they also include lifetime hearing support, a one-year warranty, and a 45-day money-back guarantee.

➤ A SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying supplies to the International Space Station lit up skies across Virginia and North Carolina early Tuesday after its 6:33 a.m. launch from Cape Canaveral, leaving a glowing “jellyfish” trail visible from the coast to the mountains. (See Video)

➤ Two years after Hurricane Helene destroyed the upper Virginia Creeper Trail, invasive species like kudzu and Japanese knotweed are spreading along the path, prompting a multi-year U.S. Forest Service and partner response ahead of its March 31 reopening. (See Photos)

➤ More than 30 restaurants are serving prix fixe menus starting at $15 through Oct. 18 during Chesapeake Restaurant Week, an annual dining showcase held across the city. (See List)

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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.

➤ Seven simple at-home tests may reveal your risk of death, and most take under a minute. (See Tests)

➤ Pope Leo XIV has lung cancer, the Vatican confirmed after surgeons removed part of his right lung, the first major health crisis of his 17-month papacy. (Hear Episode)

➤ German police have seized a humanoid robot after it allegedly groped a teenage girl while two suspects reportedly livestreamed the encounter. (Hear Details)