Monday, February 10, 2025

Good morning! On this day in 1684, Francis Howard, the recently appointed royal governor, anchored in the York River for his initial meeting with the colony’s leaders. During his five-year term, Howard worked to diminish their General Assembly and strengthen the office of governor-general, the crown’s representative in Virginia.

The Virginia Flyover is keeping an eye on this year’s governor’s race. See our update in Top Stories, along with a story about the Commonwealth’s winning Puppy Bowl contestants.

If you’re looking for your next investment opportunity, look no further than today’s sponsor, New Sapience.

The Governor’s Race Takes Shape

Virginia and New Jersey are the only two states that have governor’s elections this year, and the race to replace term-limited Gov. Glenn Youngkin has been gaining national attention.

On the Republican side, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears is the front-runner and will face Merle Rutledge in a June primary. For the Democrats, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger is the only declared candidate, although Rep. Bobby Scott has hinted at entering the race.

Earle-Sears is expected to focus on parents’ rights issues—such as students participating in sports according to their biological sex—as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion policies statewide. Spanberger has discussed how Virginia should react if the federal government cuts federal jobs in the state, which could slow the state’s booming economy.

The most recent opinion polls, which date from last month, indicate the women are running neck-and-neck.

Project VITAL Aims to Boost Biotech

Virginia Tech is playing a leading role in the statewide $14.3 million Project VITAL (Virginia Innovations and Technology Advancements in Life Sciences).

Project VITAL is expected to create more than 1,300 jobs over the next five years and generate around $40.8 million in economic growth.

The goal is to turn research into action. “This program offers what is needed to ensure that the innovations in the university’s labs are moved into the commercial sector for human and economic impact,” said Brandy Salmon, associate vice president for innovation and partnerships.

Other state universities are also involved. VCU will lead efforts in Region 4, while UVA and CvilleBioHub will lead Region 9.

Virginia Dogs Win in Puppy Bowl

Once again, Animal Planet hosted its own version of the Super Bowl. This year, 14 canines from Virginia participated in the 21st annual Puppy Bowl, which tries to find forever homes for rescue dogs.

Two of the pups were rescued by the Southside SPCA in Meherrin. They have been adopted and renamed, and they will watch the program with their new families.

Another pair of pups were housed at Operation Paws for Homes, which has rescued 12,526 dogs and cats in the last 15 years. Those dogs are also now in forever homes.

Ollie, a dog being cared for by Shar-Pei Rescue of Virginia, has yet to join his foster family because he needs more medical care.

The Puppy Bowl was taped in October, so please: no wagering—but lots of adopting.

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➤ Arlington: The NTSB said all the major pieces of wreckage from last month’s air collision over the Potomac River have been recovered. The debris will be examined as part of the government’s investigation of the disaster. (Details)

➤ Richmond: State lawmakers have proposed budget amendments that would change the funding process for Medicaid if the federal government reduces its contribution to the program. “We have to be prepared to respond,” Sen. Creigh Deeds said. There are 630,000 state residents on Medicaid. (More)

➤ Statewide: A winter storm is forecast to bring snow and freezing precipitation to much of the Commonwealth throughout the day tomorrow. (Details)

➤ Virginia Beach: Site preparation has begun for a memorial for the 12 people killed in a mass shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center in 2019. (More)

➤ Statewide: The state police added 48 new troopers to the force. The officers in the latest graduating class have spent more than 1,300 hours on classroom and field instruction. (Details)

➤ Petersburg: Accounting students from Virginia State University are offering free tax prep help to area residents who make $70,000 a year or less. It’s the 38th year the university has partnered with the IRS to provide help. (More)

➤ Virginia Tech crushed UVA 87-62 in women’s basketball on Sunday. The Hokies and the Cavs split this season’s Commonwealth Clash, with each team winning on the other’s court. (Recap)

➤ Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels was named Offensive Rookie of the Year for 2024, receiving 49 of the possible 50 first-place votes. (Details)

➤ The Virginia High School League (VHSL) has not yet taken steps to ban biological males from women’s and girls’ sports. “We will follow whatever the law requires us to do,” VHSL’s executive director said. (More)

➤ The University of Virginia’s women’s swimming team, ranked No. 1 in the country, has piled up individual victories, as well, including five pool records at the Cavalier Invitational. The ACC Championships begin Feb. 18. (Details)

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➤ Serioplast, an Italian plastic maker, announced it will spend $25.7 million to build an industrial facility in Shenandoah County. The project is expected to create dozens of jobs. (Details)

➤ Richmond International Airport is set to offer its first foreign route in more than a decade. BermudAir plans to offer non-stop service to the North Atlantic island starting in June. (More)

➤ The Virginia Brownfields Restoration and Economic Redevelopment Assistance Fund will provide $1.76 million to six communities to help them clean and improve polluted areas. (Details)

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➤ The Virginia Institute of Autism in Charlottesville has announced plans to build a new school that will allow it to teach twice as many students. The school has reported that it is $650,000 short of the $5.5 million it needs. (Details)

➤ The annual Polar Plunge in Virginia Beach on Saturday raised $1.7 million to sponsor more than 20,000 Special Olympics athletes. Dozens of people dove into the chilly Atlantic. (More)

➤ Dominion Energy and the Library of Virginia have named the 2025 Strong Men & Women in Virginia History honorees. The list includes Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates Don Scott, and Virginia Young Lee (posthumous), a librarian from Roanoke. (Details)

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