Close Call Near DCA

A commercial flight leaving Reagan National Airport passed within a few hundred feet of a U.S. Air Force T-38 military aircraft shortly after takeoff on Friday.

The Delta pilot asked controllers, “Was there an actual aircraft about 500 ft below us as we came off of DCA?” The tower answered “affirmative.” The flight made it safely to Minneapolis.

Military planes were in the area to conduct a flyover at Arlington National Cemetery. They had flown in from Langley Air Force Base in Hampton and returned safely.

Some military flights near DCA have been restricted since a January 29 collision killed 67 people.

Alleged Gang Member Due in Court

Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos, the MS-13 gang leader arrested last week in Dale City, is scheduled to appear in court tomorrow. 

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the suspect was first recruited into gang life when he was in middle school.

The 24-year-old suspect was charged with being an undocumented immigrant in possession of a firearm. “He is an illegal alien from El Salvador, and he will not be living in our country much longer,” Bondi said.

Agents said that when they searched the residence that Santos shared with his mother, they found at least four firearms, ammunition, and two suppressors.

‘Zombie Deer’ Identified at Manassas

The National Park Service said a white-tailed deer at Manassas National Battlefield Park tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD). It’s the first such case found at the 5,100-acre federal park.

The infected animal had been put down as part of a program to reduce the number of deer in the park. Too many deer can destroy native plants, reduce diversity in the forest, and damage historic landscapes.

CWD is called “zombie deer disease” because it destroys the animal’s nervous system. It has not been shown to infect humans.

The National Park Service stated that deer in nearby Maryland and West Virginia have also tested positive for CWD within the past year.

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➤ Richmond: Gov. Glenn Youngkin appointed Juan Pablo Segura to be Secretary of Commerce and Trade, replacing Caren Merrick. (Details)

➤ Statewide: Virginia State Police announced that they confiscated 91 pounds of narcotics and 19 guns during investigations in the last week. The weapons were reported to have a street value of $14,000. (More)

➤ Norfolk: The Navy’s MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter is being retired after 35 years of service. The HM-12 squadron honored the craft during a sundown ceremony this month. (Details)

➤ Carroll County: Two deputies were wounded when they exchanged gunfire at a truck stop with 29-year-old Edmond Johnson, who was wanted in Maryland and North Carolina. The officers are recovering, and Johnson was killed. (More)

➤ Chesapeake: A woman was bitten by a rabid cat she was attempting to rescue. The health department said it is the third case of rabies identified in the region this month and is warning people to avoid unknown animals. (Details)

➤ Martinsville: A new Mustang hit the track at Martinsville Speedway this weekend, but not to race. Virginia State Police were showing off their latest squad car in an attempt to boost recruiting. (See Photo)

➤ UVA, ranked No. 20 in men’s lacrosse, lost a close ACC game in Charlottesville to No. 9 Syracuse. (Details)

➤ UVA baseball, trying to climb back into the national rankings, swept three games from No. 20 Stanford. (More)

➤ Virginia Tech’s Cori McMillan hit a walk-off homer in the 7th to deliver the No. 12 Hokies a three-game softball sweep against No. 16 Stanford. (Details)

➤ Denny Hamlin took the checkered flag in the Cook Out 400 in Martinsville as NASCAR opened a new series of short track races. (Details)

➤ College sports fans know the future is being shaped by name, image, and likeness policies. Sign up for NIL Wire and stay informed.

➤ Yesterday’s results: MLB | NBA | NHL | PGA | LPGA | NCAAM | NCAAW | NCAABB | NCAASB | Soccer | NASCAR 

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➤ An expert from Virginia Tech warned that Commonwealth farmers and importers would face “higher expenses and operational delays” if tariffs are imposed this week. (Details)

➤ Tom Barkin, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, delivered a lecture at Washington and Lee University. (Read the Speech)

➤ Aircraft owners can continue to benefit from a tax exemption that will save them $175 to $500 on average in annual maintenance expenses. (Details)

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➤ The Virginia Department of Education is set to begin unveiling new instructional guides with updated history and social studies standards on April 7. (Details)

➤ A Virginia Beach restaurant wants its cow statue back. The establishment is offering a $500 reward for the return of the stolen bovine sculpture. (See Photo)

➤ The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services lifted the state’s Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine. Officials decided the quarantine was not effective at slowing the spread of the pest. (Details)

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Which is the better Virginia short track for motorsports?

1. Richmond
2. Martinsville

Friday’s Results:

What’s your favorite Star Trek series? 

1. The Original Series: 26%
2. Next Generation: 17%
3. Other: 15%
4. Enterprise: 14%
5. Deep Space Nine: 14%
6. Voyager: 14%

When was the First Battle of Manassas?

Show me the answer