Thursday, January 8, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1996, the snow finally stopped falling over the Commonwealth, ending a three-day blizzard that had dropped more than 2 feet of snow on large parts of the state. It was the last time the city of Richmond was under a blizzard warning.

Where do you think is the best place to live in Virginia? WorldAtlas listed its top five as Bridgewater, Falls Church, Roanoke, Lexington, and Williamsburg. Hit reply to give us your top five.

The Flyover Podcast shares how millions of Americans could get money back following a $2.5 billion settlement over Amazon Prime’s subscription practices. On today’s episode, host Ayla Brown breaks down how much you could receive and what to do next. Tune in here!

If you’re interested in where the next real wave of AI growth is happening beyond the hype, today’s sponsor, RAD Intel, is building performance-driven AI that’s already delivering results for major brands.

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.

Data Center Hearings Taking Place

The Campbell County Board of Supervisors voted 4-3 to wait four months before potentially changing its zoning ordinances to make it more difficult to build data centers.

Last month, the supervisors implemented an emergency ordinance that requires data center developers to apply for a special-use permit, rather than allowing them to build by right. The board will return in 120 days to vote on whether to make that change permanent.

The Hanover County Planning Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing next week to discuss the proposed Hunting Hawk Data Center. According to the county website, the commission’s chair will allow sufficient time for pre-registered supporters and opponents of the project to be heard.

Despite overwhelming public opposition, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality will allow data centers to run on emergency generators if the facility receives less than two weeks’ notice of a planned outage.

Traffic Deaths Down in 2025

Virginia’s roads were safer last year.

The state Department of Motor Vehicles reported a preliminary figure of 747 traffic fatalities on the roads last year, down from 918 traffic deaths in 2024. The numbers may be updated in the weeks ahead.

Despite the progress, many dangers remain. According to a report from a law firm, the Commonwealth ranks 18th in the country in deaths caused by drowsy drivers.

Richmond also promised to improve pedestrian safety along its streets after three people were killed in just over a week. Over the past year, 15 pedestrians were killed by drivers.

Special Election Results

Former Del. Mike Jones, a Democrat, won a special election to fill the Richmond-area state senate seat that will be vacated by Lt. Gov.-elect Ghazala Hashmi when she is sworn in on Jan. 17.

His fellow Democrat, Charlie Schmidt, will take Jones’ place in the House of Delegates after he defeated Republican Richard Stonage in a separate special election this week.

Several Democrats have resigned from the Assembly to take roles in the incoming Spanberger administration. Three more special elections have been scheduled or will be soon, but Democrats are expected to retain control of both legislative houses.

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➤ Washington, D.C.: The federal government indicted Brian Cole Jr. of Woodbridge on charges of interstate transportation of explosives and malicious attempt to use explosives. The 30-year-old allegedly planted pipe bombs at the offices of the Democratic and Republican National Committees on Jan. 5, 2021. (Details)

➤ Richmond: The Virginia Department of Workforce Development reported 255,000 open positions in the state in October, the most recent month for which federal data are available. Job openings increased from September to October, but lagged year-over-year. (More)

➤ Virginia Beach: A task force recommended ways to improve Atlantic Avenue. Suggestions included installing fresh pavement, raised crosswalks, better lighting, and new sidewalks. (More)

➤ Danville: Florin Doroiman, a 35-year-old Romanian who pleaded guilty last month in Lynchburg to credit card skimming, was indicted on another 62 counts of credit card theft by a grand jury. (Details)

➤ Prince William County: The number of homicides in the county plummeted by almost two-thirds year-over-year. Eight people were killed last year, down from 22 in 2024. Police Chief Peter Newsham noted that officers solved all eight slayings. (Details)

➤ Hampton: The 45th edition of the Virginia Duals wrestling tournament begins tomorrow, featuring college teams from around the country and high school teams from across the Commonwealth. (Brackets)

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➤ The Washington Commanders fired offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. this week after a disappointing 5-12 season. (Details)

➤ Liberty men’s basketball, 3-0 in Conference USA, visits Louisiana Tech tonight. (Stats)

➤ UVA women’s basketball, unbeaten in the ACC, visits Georgia Tech tonight. (Preview)

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➤ A D.C.-based developer unveiled plans to build Potomac Overlook, a 1,775-unit residential project along the river in Rosslyn. (Details)

➤ Elephant Insurance Company, based in Richmond, was purchased by J.C. Flowers & Co., a global private investment firm. (More)

➤ Feather ‘N’ Fin and Pollard’s Chicken have closed their Ballentine Boulevard locations. (Details)

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RAD Intel is still private at $0.85/share, with $RADI reserved

The loud AI names took the headlines. The quiet AI names take the budgets. That’s where the gap still exists for early investors.

RAD Intel helps brands and agencies pick the creators and angles people actually want to watch, so ads feel less like interruptions and more like content that fits the feed. That performance edge has translated into up to 3.5× ROI on campaigns.

RAD has recurring 7-figure contracts, a 2x sales growth projection into 2026, and has raised over $60M from more than 14,000 shareholders. Still private with Nasdaq ticker $RADI reserved. Shares are open at $0.85/share while allocation lasts.

Invest at $0.85/share

This is a paid advertisement for RAD Intel made pursuant to Regulation A+ offering and involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. The valuation is set by the Company, and there is currently no public market for the Company’s Common Stock. Nasdaq ticker “RADI” has been reserved by RAD Intel, and any potential listing is subject to future regulatory approval and market conditions. Please read the offering circular and related risks at invest.radintel.ai.

➤ The Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service published a report to highlight the multibillion-dollar economic impact that the University of Virginia has across the state. (Details)

➤ The Fairfax County Park Authority will remove an array of boulders that it recently scattered across a field at Roundtree Park to prevent people from playing games there. “It isn’t the soccer games that are the cause of the trash, it is drinking in the park,” a resident said. (More)

➤ Riverside Smithfield Hospital opened this week, bringing an ER, surgical suites, an intensive care unit, and other services to Isle of Wight County. (Details)

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