VA Senator Indicted for Marijuana Enterprise

Virginia state Sen. Lillie Louise Lucas, 82, of Portsmouth, was indicted Thursday on federal charges including drug trafficking, money laundering, fraud, and firearms offenses for allegedly leading a criminal marijuana distribution enterprise with family members.

Prosecutors say Lucas, president pro tempore and chair of the Senate Finance Committee, directed the “Lucas Enterprise,” which acquired and distributed over 100 kilograms of marijuana while using her influence to shield the operation and shape beneficial legislation. 

Co-defendants include her two daughters and grandson. FBI agents recovered marijuana and firearms during May searches of related shops.

Lucas, a Democrat who has served since 1991, proclaimed her innocence and vowed not to be intimidated. She was released on her own recognizance after an initial court appearance.

Report Urges Nursing Home Staffing Mandate

A new state report recommends Virginia require minimum staffing levels at nursing homes, after financial incentives produced mixed results.

Virginia ranked 50th of 53 states and territories for nurse-aide staffing and 38th for registered nurses, with turnover above the national average, the Joint Commission on Health Care found. The state has spent $52.7 million rewarding its worst-staffed homes, yet those facilities remain more profitable than better-staffed ones.

The report found 79 homes fall below its threshold; 72 are for-profit and tied to 10 corporate chains. It recommends a minimum of 3.09 nurse hours per resident per day starting fiscal year 2029, rising to 3.43 by fiscal year 2034.

The Virginia Health Care Association says it supports an “achievable” standard but cites the challenge of finding caregivers and the need for funding.

Roanoke-Blacksburg Airport Preps for Overhaul

Roanoke-Blacksburg Airport will reconfigure its passenger terminal in a project expected to cost $65 million to $70 million, with construction starting in 2027.

The nearly 40-year-old terminal predates post-9/11 security. Its TSA checkpoint, squeezed into a former gate, bottlenecks travelers. The plan moves screening into current office space, making room for up to four security lines instead of two.

A record 827,000 passengers flew through ROA in 2025, generating more than $613 million in economic impact, up over 20% from 2018. Travelers will also stop hauling their own bags to a scanner, something few U.S. airports still require.

Executive Director Mike Stewart is seeking up to $48.75 million from the state and has more than $20 million set aside to start. The General Assembly turned down the airport’s earlier funding requests this year.

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➤ Statewide: State lawmakers are pitching changes to Virginia’s building code, due for its next update in 2027, to boost housing supply and affordability, including ideas like allowing taller apartment buildings with a single staircase. (More)

➤ Northern VA: ATF agents arrested five people accused of running roughly 40 firearms from North Carolina into Washington, D.C., and the surrounding region, including Virginia. A 13-count federal indictment charges conspiracy, firearms trafficking, and lying to gun dealers. (More)

➤ Norfolk: Gov. Abigail Spanberger ordered flags lowered Thursday in memory of Maj. Bianca C. Wilkerson, a 37-year-old Norfolk native and Army officer who died Sept. 18 in a non-combat incident while supporting overseas operations in the Middle East. She was posthumously promoted to major. (More)

➤ Hampton Roads: Drivers blew past stopped school buses, stop-arms out and lights flashing, tens of thousands of times across the area last school year, according to public records. Virginia law requires drivers to stop, with rare exceptions on divided roads. (See Details)

➤ Richmond: A cybersecurity incident has disrupted Richmond Public Schools’ internet, phone, and email services, forcing systems offline while classes continue. Officials are investigating potential data impacts and working to restore operations securely. (More)

➤ Henrico: A former prosecutor, Nicholas Emmons, sued Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor, a Democrat running for Congress, alleging he was fired for reporting sexual harassment by a colleague. (More)

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➤ James Madison’s undefeated season ended Thursday as the Dukes fell 34-31 in overtime at App State, dropping to 7-1 after a hard-fought Sun Belt road loss. (See Stats)

➤ Liberty football defeated Kennesaw State 34-6 on Thursday night, as Jaylon Coleman scored twice—once on a 56-yard reception and once on a 9-yard run—to improve to 6-1. (See Stats)

➤ UVA football hosts Duke tonight at 7 p.m., a rematch of last season’s ACC Championship Game, opening a seven-game Week 8 ACC slate. Virginia Tech travels to Clemson for a 7 p.m. game on Saturday. (See Schedule)

➤ Roanoke College women’s soccer coach Phil Benne earned his 400th career win with Wednesday’s victory over Averett in his 38th season leading the Maroons to multiple ODAC titles and NCAA Tournament appearances. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NCAAF | NHL | NBA | Soccer | Golf

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➤ Top MD: Healthy foods are giving Americans “Grocery Store Belly” (do this now) Why are millions of Americans eating cleaner than ever…Yet still watching their stomachs get puffier and harder to flatten? Renowned surgeon Dr. Steven Gundry is calling this phenomenon “grocery store belly.” And it has nothing to do with hidden sugars, GMOs, or pesticides. Instead, it’s tied to a radical change in our food supply affecting your digestion, energy, and waistline. Click here to see how this kitchen trick can help with “grocery store belly” >>

➤ Amazon has withdrawn its data center plans for the former GWU campus in Ashburn, agreeing to donate 25 acres for community facilities, seek rezoning of the remaining land for housing, and contribute $5 million after talks with officials. (More) 

➤ Cumberland County supervisors approved Dominion Energy’s proposed Cumberland Energy Center, a multibillion-dollar, 3,000-megawatt natural gas plant that could power 750,000 homes. The project still needs state regulators’ sign-off and faces opposition from residents. (More)

➤ Gov. Abigail Spanberger is demanding public release of NextEra Energy’s confidential “Robo Memo,” which allegedly details political and market manipulation, before any approval of its proposed $67 billion acquisition of Dominion Energy. (More)

➤ RiverStreet Networks, a broadband provider that lost contracts to build out internet service in several Virginia localities, has filed for bankruptcy. The company says it will keep serving customers already connected to its network. (More)

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➤ Cosmic Baseball, a viral nighttime spectacle featuring black lights, UV-reactive gear, and a live DJ, is coming to Richmond’s CarMax Park June 18-19, 2027, as part of a 44-stadium Minor League Baseball tour. (Watch Video)

➤ A 33-year-old Alexandria man, Kareem Taylor, was arrested and held without bond after allegedly robbing a Safeway on Van Dorn Street on Sept. 20 with an airsoft gun made to look like a Glock 17, then trying to rob a Fairfax County Giant grocery store the next day. (More)

➤ David and Gwen Harris of Blacksburg set a Virginia state record with their 1,861.8-pound pumpkin, which placed second in the giant pumpkin competition at the 2026 North Carolina State Fair. (See Photo)

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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. 

➤ Russia is reportedly using fishing trawlers to spy on the undersea cables that keep Britain connected to the world. (Hear Details)

➤ Scientists in 1940s Maine spent 13 years trying to make a super dog, complete with millions in funding and a facility nicknamed the School for Dogs. (Listen Now)

➤ Amazon, UPS, and Spirit Halloween are racing to fill hundreds of thousands of holiday jobs even as broader hiring slows. (Hear Story)

Have you ever entered a fair competition?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Not yet
4. Can’t remember

Yesterday’s Results:

Is a roadside wildlife crossing detection system a good idea? 

1. Yes: 70%
2. Not sure: 23%
3. No: 7%

How is Maybelle Carter’s “Carter scratch” played on the guitar?

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