Lawmakers Advance New School Funding Formula

A Virginia legislative subcommittee voted Monday to hire an outside expert to study a new formula for funding the state’s public schools, giving the consultant up to 24 months to finish.

The vote advances a long effort to replace Virginia’s 52-year-old formula for funding the Standards of Quality, the state’s minimum requirements for public schools. A 2023 state review found localities spend far more on K-12 education than the state does.

Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, who chairs the joint subcommittee, said she hopes to finish well before the deadline, ideally before Gov. Abigail Spanberger submits her two-year budget in December 2027.

The Department of Education expects to publish a request for proposals, take bids for 30 days, and start the work during the General Assembly session that opens in January.

Spanberger Orders Plan Against AI Cyberattacks

Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed Executive Directive 6 on Friday, ordering Virginia to build a plan to prevent and respond to AI-driven cyberattacks and to review weaknesses across connected state data systems.

The directive orders the secretary of public safety and homeland security to form a Cyber Consortium of state agencies, universities, and private partners to draft a Commonwealth-wide prevention and infrastructure-hardening plan. It names no spending figure and no deadline.

Spanberger pointed to a recent incident in which Anthropic AI agents filed fake Freedom of Information Act requests through a Virginia Department of Education website. Spanberger said it was the state’s understanding that no sensitive information was accessed.

The order follows an Oct. 13 legislative review that found gaps in the state’s oversight of government AI use, and builds on the AI Task Force Spanberger created this year.

Roanoke Lab Failure Flags Thousands of Cases

Virginia’s Department of Forensic Science has flagged thousands of gun cases for review after two employees at its Roanoke lab failed proficiency tests meant to check their work.

The problem traces to 2024, when an examiner and a verifier at the lab failed proficiency tests. Both were retrained, and the lab stopped firearms comparisons entirely in April 2025. In all, about 2,670 cases were flagged. Danville has the most (500), followed by Roanoke (374) and Lynchburg (309).

Firearms testimony, like matching a bullet to a gun, often sways juries, especially in murder cases. 

Officials say each flagged case will be weighed for how much the analysis mattered. Former U.S. Attorney John Fishwick said the review won’t overturn every conviction but could strain courts, prosecutors, and defense lawyers sorting out which cases hinged on the lab’s work.

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➤ Newport News: State Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, said she will not resign and will plead not guilty to federal racketeering, drug trafficking, money laundering, and bribery-related charges tied to an alleged marijuana enterprise. She’s scheduled to be arraigned in Newport News on Nov. 16. (More)

➤ Portsmouth: Four people, including three juveniles and an 18-year-old, face charges after an alleged hazing incident at I.C. Norcom High School, according to the Portsmouth Sheriff’s Office. (More)

➤ Norton: The Islamic Leadership Institute of America’s plan to buy a former downtown bank for a community center drew objections from residents at an Oct. 20 council meeting. City officials say nothing has been filed or approved. (More)

➤ Wythe County Republicans and Democrats have united behind a proposed 1% sales tax increase to fund more than $72 million in school construction and renovation. Voters will consider the measure alongside similar referendums in 46 other Virginia localities. (More)

➤ Norfolk is seeking bids to uncover Newton’s Creek, the centerpiece of its 22-acre St. Paul’s Blue/Greenway. The $55 million park on the former Tidewater Gardens site is designed to absorb floodwaters, and the city hopes to open it in about two years. (More)

➤ Lynchburg: More than 9,400 residents have already voted early, about 2,000 more than at this point last November, according to Registrar Trish Jones. (More)

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➤ Virginia Tech climbed from seventh to fourth in the ACC power rankings after a fourth-down gamble fueled a road win at Clemson, clinching bowl eligibility in James Franklin’s first season. (More)

➤ Henrico’s Varina High School linebacker Raymond “RJ” Hudson flipped his commitment from Clemson to Texas. Hudson, a three-star Class of 2027 prospect, had 45 tackles and 13 sacks as a junior while helping Varina win the 2025 Class 4 state title. (More)

➤ Chance Mallory, UVA’s sophomore point guard, was one of 20 players named on Monday to the preseason watch list for the 2027 Bob Cousy Award, which honors the nation’s top Division I point guard. Mallory averaged 9.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists as a freshman. (More)

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

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➤ LewisGale Hospital Montgomery announced an $18 million investment to open a freestanding emergency room in Radford, which would become HCA Virginia’s fifth existing or planned freestanding ER in Southwest Virginia. It’s expected to open in 2028. (More)

➤ Montgomery County’s board of supervisors approved, on a split vote, a privately built wrestling facility in Prices Fork. Supporters called it a must-have amid growing interest in the sport, while opponents raised traffic and environmental concerns. (More)

➤ Chocolate maker Gearharts acquired Henrico candy bar maker Miss Maude’s. Miss Maude’s only store, on Three Chopt Road near Freeman High School, closed in recent weeks as part of the deal, but its bars are still sold in more than 40 stores. (More)

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➤ The Lexington and Rockbridge County communities have rallied around Jason White, a former Rockbridge County High School football coach and now director of operations and student services for Lexington City Schools, as he fights a recurrence of colorectal cancer. (See Details)

➤ Reston orthodontist Dr. Stephan Tisseront will host his annual Halloween Candy Buy Back on Nov. 2, 12:30–4:30 p.m. He’ll pay kids $1 per pound, donate another $1 per pound to Children’s National Hospital, and ship the candy to troops overseas. (More)

➤ Speaking of Halloween candy, Virginia’s standout is Hershey’s Milk Chocolate, which residents buy more often than the national average, according to Instacart’s October 2025 order data. (See Map)

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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. 

➤ The classic 4% retirement rule got a haircut, and new research is rewriting savings targets. (Listen Now)

➤ ACA premiums are slated for another double-digit jump, and new enrollment rules could slow sign-ups. (Hear Episode)

➤ About 80% of the seafood Americans eat is imported, and the White House has a new strategy to shrink that number. (Hear Details)

What’s your favorite Halloween chocolate?

1. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
2. Hershey’s Milk Chocolate
3. M&M’s
4. Snickers
5. Kit Kat
6. Other (reply to tell us)
7. I don’t like chocolate

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever ridden on the Metro? 

1. Yes: 77%
2. No: 17%
3. Not gonna happen: 4%
4. Not yet: 2%

In which U.S. military branch did Gearharts Fine Chocolates founder Tim Gearhart serve as a cook?

Show me the answer