Monday, May 11, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1864, Confederate cavalry leader J.E.B. Stuart was mortally wounded at the Battle of Yellow Tavern, north of Richmond. He died the next day.

Virginia has plenty of lore, including the story behind Front Royal. After the British king visited last week, we offered a legend about how the town got its name. A reader offered a different version:

“There was a huge tree known as The Royal Oak. The local militia used it as a training ground for marching and maneuvering, and one of the commands used to help recruits learn the basics of marching was ‘front to Royal Oak.’ The term became associated with the area and then the town that later grew up there.“

How did your town get its name? Hit reply if you know and want to share.

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Democrats Appeal Court Ruling

Democratic politicians, including House Speaker Don Scott and Attorney General Jay Jones, asked the state Supreme Court to pause its ruling that throws out the April 21 redistricting referendum as they appeal for an emergency hearing before the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Today’s action is an imperative step in the process we promised to pursue to explore every available option to restore the will of the voters,” a spokesperson for Jones said.

More than 3.1 million Virginians participated in the referendum, with 51.7% voting to allow congressional redistricting this year. The court’s 4-3 decision on Friday set that election aside on narrow procedural grounds.

Former Gov. Glenn Youngkin cheered the result. “Abigail Spanberger and Democrats in Richmond knowingly violated our constitution to disenfranchise millions of Virginians,” he said after the vote.

No. 6 in Electricity Disconnects

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that more than 460,000 electricity customers were disconnected in Virginia in 2024, ranking the Commonwealth No. 6 in the nation for shut-offs.

“If you are behind on your utility bill, whether you owe five cents or $100, you could be at risk of losing your utility service because we do not have strong protections in place,” Shelby Green of the Energy and Policy Institute warned.

State law prevents utilities from shutting the power off during extreme weather. There are also assistance programs available for low-income households.

Demand for electricity is booming in Virginia. The federal government report said commercial demand jumped by nearly 30 million megawatthours between 2019 and 2025, driven mostly by data centers.

Virginia Wesleyan Softball Wins Conference

Virginia Wesleyan softball capped off an undefeated season with a 12-2 win over Bridgewater College to capture its third straight Old Dominion Athletic Conference title.

The Marlins moved to 45-0 on the campaign. The school will change its name to Batten University in July.

“It’s kind of sentimental to go out as Virginia Wesleyan with the last ODAC title, but we’re on the hunt for something bigger,” pitcher Emma Adams said.

The NCAA DIII championship bracket will be revealed today, and play begins on Thursday.

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➤ Statewide: Gov. Abigail Spanberger plans to host a ceremony today to sign a paid family and medical leave program passed by the legislature this year. (Details)

➤ Blacksburg: The Virginia Tech Presidential Search Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 2 p.m. today. The session will be livestreamed. (More)

➤ Henrico County: Zachary Jordan Alam was sentenced to 7 years in prison on burglary and larceny charges after he broke into a home last year. Alam was previously sentenced to 8 years in prison for his role in the events at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, but was granted clemency by President Trump last year. (Details)

➤ Botetourt County: Residents raised questions about a proposed data center after concerns that the facility could strain the Western Virginia Water Authority and raise rates. (More)

➤ Campbell County: Deputies arrested 48-year-old Todd Christopher Torrence in connection with a months-long string of property thefts. “The stolen property, with an estimated value of $150,000, was recovered,” the department reported. (Details)

➤ Roanoke: Virginia Tech’s medical school graduated its 13th class over the weekend. “Your immersion in research will support habits of curiosity, critical thinking, and appraisal of new evidence to inform practice,” Dean Lee Learman told the 54 graduates. (More)

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➤ The Washington Wizards were awarded the top pick in the NBA draft lottery. BYU star freshman AJ Dybantsa is the favorite to be Washington’s selection. (Details)

➤ UVA baseball, ranked No. 23, lost two of three at home after an 8-7 defeat by ACC foe Cal on Sunday. (More)

➤ VMI baseball dropped to 27-23 overall and 3-15 in the Southern Conference after being swept on the road at Mercer. (More)

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➤ HawkEye 360, a Herndon-based space analytics firm, hosted its IPO last week. (Details)

➤ Short Pump Town Center in Henrico unveiled additions and expansions to several stores. (More)

➤ The Port of Virginia appointed Sarah McCoy as its permanent chief executive. She had been serving in an interim role since January. (Details)

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➤ A Constitutional Chat webinar is scheduled for tomorrow with a deep dive into the Fifth Virginia Convention. (Register)

➤ Virginia provided $2.2 million in matching grants and sponsorship funds to support 143 local tourism programs this year. (More)

➤ Virginia Tech student Simba Srivastava conducted research that used a fossil to uncover the story of Ptychotherates bucculentus, a meat-eating dinosaur. (Details)

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