Friday, December 6, 2024

Good morning! On this day in 1606, three ships left England bound for Virginia. It would be months before the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery made landfall. When they arrived the following year, the 105 passengers founded Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America.

Robbing a store is never a good idea, but it’s incredibly ill-advised when scores of police officers are in the aisles. Read the details in our Et Cetera section.

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Today, we’re sponsored by New Sapience, offering an opportunity to invest in AI technology.

Cleaning Up After Hurricane Helene

It will take at least three months for the state’s Department of Transportation to finish clearing debris left by Hurricane Helene when it crossed Virginia this fall.

The cleanup could last as long as six months. “This is a methodical, route-by-route process to pick up debris, make areas safe from leaning trees and limbs, and remove mud, rock, soil resulting from slides,” a VDOT spokesperson said.

The financial toll from the storm is not yet known, but Gov. Glenn Youngkin has estimated it could surpass $4.4 billion statewide. Many state and federal agencies are taking part in the recovery efforts.

The state is also preparing for future emergencies. Youngkin said that $59 million from a pair of grants has been set aside for flood mitigation and hazard mitigation.

High School Football Semifinals Kick Off

There are 12 state high school football semifinal games across the Commonwealth tomorrow.

Games will be played on the home fields of the higher remaining seed. There are two games in each of the six classes.

The earliest game kicks off at 1 p.m. with Sherando of Stephens City visiting Hampton to face Phoebus.

Two later games will feature battles of undefeated teams: Green Run and Maury will face off in one semifinal, while Lafayette and Kettle Run will play in another.

Tomorrow’s winners advance to the championship games in Salem, Harrisonburg, and Lynchburg, on Dec. 14.

Virginia’s Christmas Parades On the March

‘Tis the season for Christmas parades, and there are plenty across Virginia this weekend.

Visitors to Alexandria have two options on Saturday: the annual walk through the streets of Old Town begins at 11 a.m., with a holiday boat parade on the water at 5:30 p.m.

On Saturday afternoon, those in Central Virginia can choose from several parades: Bridgewater at 4, Verona at 5, Waynesboro at 6, and Harrisonburg at 7.

The Spotsylvania Christmas parade marches off Saturday at 1 p.m., while Fredericksburg begins at 5:30.

Other Saturday events include parades in Manassas, Marshall, and Remington. Then, on Sunday, the Washington Commanders band heads to Williamsburg, where it will march for the first time in the city’s 5 p.m. parade.

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➤ Richmond: General Registrar Keith Balmer resigned rather than be fired by the city’s electoral board, which had just held a meeting about his future. A recent internal report found that Ballmer oversaw the violation of dozens of city policies and wasted almost $500,000 in taxpayer money. (Details)

➤ Henrico: Two students were hospitalized, one with life-threatening injuries, after a stabbing incident at Henrico High School. Detectives are investigating the incident. (More)

➤ Roanoke: Valmarie Turner will take over as city manager next month, replacing Bob Cowell, who was forced out of the position earlier this year. (Details)

➤ Lynchburg: A new heavy equipment operations program at Central Virginia Community College will teach students how to drive and operate heavy construction equipment such as bulldozers and graders. (More)

➤ Manassas: A judge set a September date for the murder trial of Naresh Bhatt, who is accused of killing his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, in July. Her body has not been found. (More)

➤ Bristol: The founding partners of the Hard Rock Bristol spent $7 million to buy a former industrial site across from their casino. (Details)

➤ Jayden Daniels was named the NFL’s Rookie of the Week for Week 13. It is the eighth time the Washington Commanders quarterback has won the award this season. (More)

➤ University of Virginia Athletic Director Carla Williams’ job status is unclear. Her contract, which pays $590,000 a year in base salary, expires at the end of May. (More)

➤ Washington Capitals legend Alex Ovechkin is skating again, just two weeks after fracturing his leg. His teammates visit Toronto tonight in a matchup of first-place teams. (Watch video)

➤ Yesterday’s results: NFL | NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | PGA

➤ Manufacturer Morgan Olson repaid a $500,000 state economic development grant that had been provided based on the company’s promise to create jobs. Instead, Morgan Olson ended up laying off some 574 employees. (Details)

➤ The new United Airlines concourse at Dulles Airport is on schedule. Concourse E is expected to open next year and provide 14 more gates, many for international travel. (More)

➤ Amazon opened a same-day fulfillment facility in Hampton for the holiday season. The company now has more than 39,000 full- and part-time employees in Virginia. (Details)

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➤ A man was easily detained when he picked the wrong day to try to shoplift more than $1,000 worth of goods at a Chesterfield Walmart. “The parking lot was full of marked police cars, and there were uniformed personnel throughout the entire store” because the annual “Shop With a Cop” event was underway. (Details)

➤ The USS Wasp Amphibious Ready Group is due back in Norfolk today after a seven-month deployment. (More)

➤ A state police sergeant is a dog’s best friend. The trooper rescued a husky from the median of I-81 and returned the animal to its owners. “Just another ruff day for the Virginia State Police!” the force quipped. (Details)

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