Meta To Pay Virginia $353M

Attorney General Jay Jones announced Wednesday that Virginia will receive at least $353 million from Meta under a proposed nationwide settlement over harms to children.

The deal could reach $17.1 billion nationwide, one of the largest state consumer-protection settlements outside the Big Tobacco cases, and still needs a federal judge’s approval. Virginia’s share could exceed $500 million if TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat agree to similar terms.

Under the deal, children on Facebook and Instagram would face a combined two-hour daily limit, lose access between midnight and 6 a.m., and see beauty filters and visible “like” counts restricted. Meta would also strengthen age checks for users under age 13.

Jones said the changes could matter more than the money and stressed the case was bipartisan. Meta said the deal builds on its teen-safety work, and called a safe experience for teens “an absolute imperative.”

Localities Pull Back on Flock Cameras

Christiansburg’s Town Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to scrap the town’s Flock license-plate cameras after a packed public hearing ended in applause.

The vote reflects a broader Virginia retreat from automated license-plate readers. Lynchburg shut off all 15 of its fixed Flock cameras last week pending an independent review, and Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, and Staunton have already moved to end their programs.

Communities are weighing the readers’ crime-fighting value against privacy and data-sharing concerns, as well as compliance with a state law that took effect in July 2025. A State Crime Commission survey found 137 agencies relied on Flock, and some were not following the new rules.

Christiansburg Police Chief Chris Ramsey defended the cameras, crediting them with recovering stolen vehicles and locating missing people, but said public trust mattered more. Flock CEO Garrett Langley has rejected privacy fears, saying his company does not sell data or work with ICE.

VA Digital IDs Come to Apple Wallet

Virginia residents can now load their driver’s licenses and state ID cards into Apple Wallet and use an iPhone or Apple Watch to prove their identity.

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles announced the option Wednesday, making the Commonwealth the latest state to offer a digital ID. The credentials work at more than 250 TSA checkpoints nationwide, including Richmond International, Dulles, Reagan National, and Norfolk International airports.

They will also work at DMV offices, participating ABC stores, with Virginia State Police, and at venues like CarMax Park in Richmond and Ocean Breeze in Virginia Beach. Officials said residents should still carry a physical card as a backup, especially when driving.

The system shares only what a transaction requires; someone buying age-restricted goods can confirm being over 21 without revealing a name, address, or birthdate. ID data is encrypted on the device, and the DMV says Apple cannot track where or when a card is used.

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➤ Statewide: Engineers with the American Society of Civil Engineers gave Virginia’s infrastructure an overall grade of C in a report this week, citing improvements in roads and bridges but stating that the system still needs work. (More)

➤ Fairfax County: Officials are reconsidering plans to cut crossing guards at high schools after parents and community members raised safety concerns as students head back to class. (More)

➤ Hampton Roads: Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao has directed sailors, civilians, and their families to make social media accounts private and strip out ties to the Navy, citing threats from adversaries mining personal data. (More)

➤ Blacksburg: Virginia Tech’s Board of Visitors approved new on-campus housing plans, including new dorms and accelerated renovations to be finished over nine years, after scrapping an earlier Student Life Village proposal. (More)

➤ Norfolk: Old Dominion University has turned the Constant Hall classroom where a deadly attack occurred in March into an open student space called the Loft, a change students have met with mixed feelings. (More)

➤ Lynchburg: The city’s historic Diamond Hill neighborhood is slowly being revitalized through community-led projects, including a new mural on 12th Street created by local artists Christina Davis and Jawansa Hall. (See Mural)

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➤ Virginia Tech men’s basketball signed former Clemson guard Efrem “Butta” Johnson, who started nine games for the Tigers last season, as an experienced backcourt addition for 2026-27. (More)

➤ Virginia football unveiled an orange-heavy uniform combination for the Week Zero opener against NC State tomorrow, featuring orange jerseys and pants. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, UVA quarterback Beau Pribula is one of nine college football players featured in Sling TV’s largest NIL campaign. The streaming service signed players from across the country to promote flexible game-day viewing options this fall. (More)

➤ William & Mary football makes its Patriot League debut tomorrow at No. 8 Villanova, ending a run that dates to 2007 as a Colonial Athletic Association member. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | MLB | Golf | U.S. Open | Soccer | WNBA | Little League World Series

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➤ PJM Interconnection, a regional grid operator, asked federal regulators to require new large electricity users, chiefly data centers, to bring their own power supply before connecting, a rule that would affect Virginia and 12 other states. (More)

➤ Lynchburg-based BWX Technologies was picked to build a 20-megawatt nuclear microreactor at Fort Campbell on the Kentucky-Tennessee line under the Army’s Janus program, with construction expected to start in 2028. (More)

➤ LS Cable & System is planning a $689 million advanced-materials manufacturing complex in the Greenbrier area of Chesapeake. (More)

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➤ Richmond gastroenterologist Dr. Krista Edelman went public after she woke up with a bat in her mouth, prompting state health officials to spell out when a bat encounter calls for rabies shots. (More)

➤ The Virginia Zoo in Norfolk is smashing watermelons and other treats for its animals as it marks its 125th anniversary, building toward a public celebration Saturday with keeper talks and enrichment activities. (See Video)

➤ A Richmond Rocky Horror Picture Show shadow-cast troupe is planning a tribute to Tim Curry, the British actor who died Tuesday at age 80 and starred in the cult classic. (More)

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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. 

➤ A military judge has finally set a trial date for the accused leader of the Sept. 11 attacks after decades of delays and setbacks. (Full Story)

➤ The Army will build nuclear reactors at five major bases to protect its power supply from vulnerable outside grids. (Hear Details)

➤ A Virginia doctor woke up to a bat trying to crawl into her mouth, and now she has an urgent warning. (Hear Warning)

Have you noticed Flock cameras in your area?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Not sure what I’m looking for

Yesterday’s Results:

Would you try a “smart pillow” that detects snoring and then repositions your head?

1. No: 50%
2. Yes: 29%
3. Wish my spouse would: 12%
4. I don’t snore: 9%

What was the original name of the Virginia Zoo?

Show me the answer