Sunday, May 3, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1863, Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson was accidentally shot by his own troops near Chancellorsville. He died a week later—a loss many historians believe altered the course of the Civil War.

Welcome to the first Sunday edition of The Virginia Flyover, as we begin arriving in your inbox seven days a week.

Bourbon is usually associated with our neighboring Commonwealth, where it’s a key ingredient in mint juleps. But Virginia also has a history of liquor-making; in fact, Elijah Craig, the “Father of Bourbon,” was from Orange County.

What’s your favorite bourbon-related libation? Hit reply to let us know.

Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

Redistricting Clock Ticks Toward Deadline

Virginia’s Board of Elections was unable to certify the results of the April 21 redistricting referendum on Friday, blocked by an ongoing legal challenge preventing the new congressional map from taking effect.

The Virginia Supreme Court is weighing challenges to the referendum and has until May 6 to issue a ruling. If the court fails to do so, the new congressional map could be declared null and void, wiping out the redrawn district boundaries before a single 2026 general election ballot is cast.

The stakes couldn’t be higher for the Commonwealth’s fall campaigns: candidates have already begun filing for the redrawn districts ahead of the August primary, creating compounding the uncertainty for races up and down the ticket.

Data Centers Cost VA Schools $1B+

A new WUSA9 investigation finds Virginia’s decade-old sales tax exemption for data centers is costing the Commonwealth more than $1 billion per year in foregone revenue.

A separate analysis estimates the exemption has drained hundreds of millions of dollars in potential school funding, with Loudoun County alone projected to forgo $1.3 billion in data center–related tax revenue this year. The county’s public school CFO told WUSA9 the shortfall has forced cuts to STEM and career and technical education programs.

The dispute is stalling Virginia’s state budget: the Senate has proposed eliminating part of the exemption, while the House wants to preserve it with new performance requirements. Richmond has been unable to pass a budget in part because the two chambers remain far apart on the data center question.

Tech giants, including Amazon, Google, and Meta, have pushed hard to keep the full exemption, arguing the facilities create jobs and long-term economic growth—a case that school districts struggling for funding find increasingly hard to swallow.

Measles Alert at Dulles Airport

Virginia health officials are investigating a potential measles exposure at Dulles International Airport after a contagious international traveler passed through Concourse B, the Aerotrain, and baggage claim on the nights of April 23–24.

The exposure window was 10:30 p.m. Thursday through 1:30 a.m. Friday, and VDH is actively contacting potentially exposed passengers on specific flights. Anyone at those locations should check their vaccination status—two doses of MMR, or birth before 1957, means you’re fully protected.

Those who aren’t fully vaccinated should contact a healthcare provider or local health department promptly. Watch for symptoms—fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, then rash—through May 15, the outer edge of the 21-day incubation window.

Virginia has reported 21 measles cases in 2026, part of a national surge that topped 1,800 confirmed cases this year. A separate DC patient who rode Metro routes April 24–27 triggered exposure warnings across the broader region.

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➤ Statewide: The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority is pushing an aggressive licensing timeline to launch adult-use marijuana retail in 2027. Gov. Spanberger has until May 22 to sign or veto the bill. (More)

➤ Statewide: Severe drought is delaying spring planting across the Commonwealth, with extreme conditions hitting southeastern Virginia hardest. Some rain fell over the weekend, but conditions remain critically dry. (More)

➤ Statewide: Virginia State Police, with federal and local partners, completed a crime suppression operation April 22–28, recovering firearms and narcotics across multiple jurisdictions. (More)

➤ Prince William County: QTS Realty Trust is appealing to the Virginia Supreme Court after a lower court blocked its proposed 37-building Digital Gateway data center complex near a Civil War battlefield. (More)

➤ Richmond: May is shaping up with new restaurant openings, a revived antiques scene, and weekend markets. New spots in Scott’s Addition and the Fan are drawing locals back out. (More)

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➤ Incredibolt brought Virginia Derby momentum to the 152nd Kentucky Derby on Saturday, as trainer Riley Mott had the 3-year-old dark bay colt and Colonial Downs winner ready for Churchill Downs. (More)

➤ No. 17 Virginia Tech Softball crushed Syracuse 12-1 via mercy rule Friday to open its final ACC regular-season series. The Hokies need a series win to lock up NCAA regional hosting rights. (More)

➤ UVA men’s soccer coach George Gelnovatch signed a contract extension through December 2031, locking in one of the program’s longest-tenured coaches for five more seasons. (More)

➤ Virginia Tech’s James Franklin is reportedly closing in on a key recruiting flip in the Class of 2027, per On3 — a strong early sign for the new head coach’s first full recruiting cycle in Blacksburg. (More)

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➤ Virginia Beach u-pick farms are seeing early crowds as an unusually warm spring ripened strawberries weeks ahead of schedule — though rising costs are putting pressure on some farm operations. (More)

➤ The Flower Moon rises tonight, giving Virginians a vivid spring display as May’s full moon peaks while wildflowers bloom across the Commonwealth’s mountains and valleys. (More)

➤ Northern Virginia’s spring social calendar is filling fast, with First Fridays in Manassas and Leesburg and a summer concert series in Fredericksburg drawing out residents after a quieter winter. (More)

➤ Virginia Business magazine has unveiled its 2026 Forty Under 40 class, honoring rising professionals across the Commonwealth in sectors from tech and healthcare to public service. (More)