Monday, April 14, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1865, Virginian John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C. After shooting Lincoln, Booth jumped to the stage and escaped—but broke his leg in the process.

Virginia is for football lovers, and several teams gave fans a preview of next season. The Virginia Flyover wraps up the weekend’s spring football games in our Top Stories.

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International Student Visas Revoked

Federal immigration authorities revoked the visas of at least 20 international students at Virginia’s state universities last week, typically requiring them to leave the United States immediately. The students attended four schools: VCU, UVA, Virginia Tech, and George Mason.

“We do not know why the terminations occurred and are seeking additional information from the State Department and Department of Homeland Security,” Virginia Tech President Tim Sands wrote after seven students and two alumni had their visas revoked.

At VCU, two students and one recent graduate also had their visas revoked. The university encouraged foreign students to always carry their papers with them.

One UVA student had a visa revoked. In a letter to the university’s international community, UVA officials wrote, “We recognize and sympathize with the alarm and anxiety that many of you experience when witnessing the sudden detention and threatened deportation of international students, scholars, and faculty.”

Spring Games Bring Fall Hopes

The state’s college football teams have struggled on the national stage recently, but their annual spring games offer all five FBS programs in the Commonwealth a chance to reset and develop heading into the fall.

At Virginia Tech, Head Coach Brent Pry unveiled what he calls Phase Two of the program’s development. The team’s defense forced turnovers and scored touchdowns while the offense worked on some trick plays.

In Charlottesville, the Cavs scrimmaged as Blue and White teams, with White winning 17-9. “A lot of good work from my perspective and a lot of situations that are hard for us to recreate,” Coach Tony Elliott said.

For its part, JMU used a scoring system that awarded points for plays, and the Dukes’ offense outscored the defense 40-38. Liberty held its spring game last month, and Old Dominion hosts its game next Saturday.

Nine Places with Friendly Faces

This spring and summer, Virginians will have many opportunities to show off our world-famous hospitality to visitors.

WorldAtlas has recommended nine of the “most hospitable” towns in the Commonwealth, from the Eastern Shore to the mountains.

Walkability added to the survey scores, with Staunton, Onancock, Lexington, and Charlottesville earning high marks. Smithfield, Williamsburg, and Cape Charles were noted for their abundant history.

Chincoteague was praised for its perch on the water, while Abingdon was lauded as a mountain gateway. Check out the list, then hit reply to let us know your favorite friendly getaway in the state.

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➤ Harrisonburg: James Madison University’s Board of Visitors unanimously voted last week to close the school’s Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, following the lead of other state universities. Four positions will be eliminated immediately. (Details)

➤ Virginia Beach: A police chase turned into a water rescue when the suspect jumped into a cold lake. Footage obtained last week shows officers pulling the man from the water. (Watch Video)

➤ Bristol: The city council cut property tax rates but boosted real estate valuations last week, resulting in about a 16% increase in taxes. (Details)

➤ Richmond: Almost 25,000 runners competed in the Monument Avenue 10k. The race’s founder is stepping down after 32 years—and ran it for the first time. (Details)

➤ Statewide: As the number of data centers in the Commonwealth grows, experts are warning that their electricity demand could overwhelm the grid in the years ahead, perhaps leading to rolling blackouts. (More)

➤ Purcellville: The town council voted in favor of taking steps to shut down its 16-member police department just hours after the department received official reaccreditation from the state. A final vote is scheduled for April 22. (Details)

➤ The Washington Nationals begin a four-game series in Pittsburgh today after losing two of three against the Marlins. (Schedule)

➤ JMU’s women’s lacrosse team beat Temple to remain unbeaten in the AAC. The Dukes have won three straight and will host Liberty on Wednesday. (Details)

➤ Liberty’s softball team, ranked No. 21, took two of three from New Mexico State to move to 36-9. (More)

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➤ Boar’s Head agreed to a $3.1 million settlement to compensate for last year’s listeria outbreak linked to its former plant in Jarratt. Consumers have until May 16 to file a claim. (Details)

➤ Unemployment claims jumped 7.1% between January and February in Northern Virginia, with more than 53,000 people out of work. That’s up 18.6% from the same time last year. (More)

➤ Wine drinkers should expect higher prices because retailers cannot avoid federal tariffs. “In Virginia, due to the three-tier distribution system, I’m required to buy through distributors rather than directly from wineries,” a store owner noted. (Details)

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➤ The Kickin’ It Coalition soccer camp at the University of Richmond gives children with autism an opportunity to compete on the pitch. (Details)

➤ Woodbridge is the fastest-growing suburb in the nation, according to a new study by GOBankingRates. The population increased by nearly 900% between 2018 and 2023. (More)

➤ Virginia Beach paused its beach replenishment project due to concerns about the quality of sand the Army Corps of Engineers has been able to bring in. (Details)

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