Volunteers Carry Hiker out of Wilderness

Volunteers carried an ailing hiker out of the wilderness after an SOS signal was fired from the Appalachian Trail near the Punchbowl Overlook in Amherst County Thursday morning.

Dispatchers could not reach the hiker by phone and sent crews from Monelison, Amherst, Pedlar, and Glasgow volunteer fire departments, plus the Amherst Sheriff’s Office. They hiked about 3.5 miles along the trail, making contact at 1:02 p.m., nearly two hours after the 11:15 a.m. alert.

A Virginia State Police helicopter was requested for evacuation, but storms prevented air lifting the hiker out of the wilderness.

Rescuers loaded the hiker into a Stokes basket and carried the person out on foot, completing the mission at 3:02 p.m. The hiker’s identity and condition have not been released. 

Judge Greenlights Military-Style Weapons Ban

A Spotsylvania County circuit judge denied a preliminary injunction in Curtis v. Katz against Virginia’s new military-style weapons ban on Thursday, leaving the law on track to take effect July 1.

The plaintiffs, led by former Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, argued the ban violates Article I, Section 13 of Virginia’s constitution, which protects the right of militia members to bear arms. The judge ruled they had not shown a likelihood of winning based on the case’s merits.

Multiple additional lawsuits from gun rights organizations remain pending in state and federal courts.

Enforcement is another matter. A growing list of commonwealth’s attorneys have publicly said they will not prosecute violations, citing constitutional concerns. The Virginia Supreme Court has convened a panel to consider consolidating the pending lawsuits.

IllumiNATION Lights Up Richmond

Richmond’s Virginia Museum of History & Culture will open a free, four-night IllumiNATION event on Thursday, June 25, projecting an 18,000-square-foot video onto the museum’s historic facade to mark America’s 250th anniversary.

The 20-minute nightly projection at 9 p.m.—accompanied by live music and pyrotechnics—traces the American story through light and historic imagery. Each evening from 6 to 9:30 p.m., the museum will also host a block party with after-hours gallery access, cultural demonstrations, a petting zoo, food trucks, and performances by local bands.

Virginia Folklife demonstrations each night include pottery, quilting, and instrument making, representing strands of Virginia’s cultural heritage.

The event, which runs through June 28 at 428 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., is free and open to the public.

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➤ Statewide: Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed the Right to Contraception Act and Contraception Equity Act, guaranteeing access to birth control and requiring insurance coverage to reduce costs. (More)

➤ Hanover County’s planning commission deferred a rezoning request for the Iron Horse data center proposal on Thursday after residents packed the meeting to oppose it. (More)

➤ Henrico County: A judge denied bond Thursday for John Daniel Bruehl, the man charged with felony DUI and hit-and-run in the death of 16-year-old Joshua Driver, who was struck on West Broad Street in May. (More)

➤ Woodstock Police launched a digital neighborhood watch program this week that connects residents directly with officers through Facebook groups divided by neighborhood sector. (More)

➤ Lynchburg: A new Virginia law eliminating out-of-pocket costs for breast cancer screenings took effect in January, but a patient in Lynchburg with a non-state-regulated plan received an unexpected bill she says she doesn’t owe. (More)

➤ Natural Bridge: A Rockbridge County judge ruled last week that the complex Natural Bridge Zoo animal cruelty case involving the Mogensen family and others will proceed in three separate trials. A gag order was also issued. (More)

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➤ UVA junior swimmer Anna Moesch set a US Open record at the TYR Pro Swim Series over the weekend with a 100-meter freestyle time of 52.11. (More)

➤ Washington Nationals center fielder Jacob Young was removed in the eighth inning of the team’s 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday after crashing into the left-center field wall at Tropicana Field following a game-saving catch. Young will avoid an IL stint and be considered day-to-day moving forward. (Watch Video)

➤ The Porsche Sprint Challenge North America, featuring the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, concluded its Round 5 weekend at Virginia International Raceway in Alton on Sunday. (More)

➤ Three-star quarterback prospect DJ Hunter committed to James Madison University on Saturday, choosing the Dukes over 20 schools that had also offered him DI scholarships. JMU’s 2027 recruiting class now ranks 77th nationally and second in the conference. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: World Cup | MLB | College World Series | U.S. Open | NASCAR | WNBA

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➤ The Cavalier Resort—three oceanfront hotels anchoring the Virginia Beach Oceanfront—sold last week to Connecticut-based Wheelock Street Capital in what the broker called the largest hotel transaction in Virginia history. (More)

➤ Heritage Golf Group, based in Northern Virginia, purchased The Palisades Country Club in Southwest Charlotte for nearly $7 million and plans multimillion-dollar renovations over 12 to 18 months. (More)

➤ A study conducted by the Virginia General Assembly’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission found the state’s data center tax exemption is Virginia’s second-most effective incentive, generating $6.10 in labor income for every $1 in tax exemptions. (More)

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➤ Bee Kirby, known as the Flower Fairy, transforms discarded wedding flowers into random acts of kindness through Floralanthropy, healing herself while brightening the lives of others in Lynchburg and beyond. (Watch Report)

➤ About 600 motorcyclists, many carrying teddy bears, rode through Henrico County to honor 9-year-old King Overton, who died in a SwimRVA pool incident, while calling for justice and water safety. (Watch Report)

➤ Virginia Aquarium opened Wildlife Rescue on June 13, an exhibit consisting of 12 life-size sculptures of species that once faced extinction, including a burrowing owl, leatherback sea turtle, and bald eagle. (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. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ An e-bike battery exploded while charging inside a Philadelphia home, and what happened next is every family’s nightmare. (Hear More)

➤ Single women are begging men to approach them at bars again, and the guys had a lot to say about why they stopped. (Listen Now)

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Is a neighborhood watch connecting residents with police via Facebook a good idea?

1. Absolutely
2. Maybe
3. No way

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever been to Williamsburg? 

1. Yes: 51%
2. No: 33%
3. Not Yet: 16%

Which Virginia city is known as “Data Center Alley”?

Show me the answer