14 Schools Exit ‘Improvement’ Status

Fourteen Virginia schools exited federal “comprehensive support and improvement” status this year, the most ever in a single year, including six in Richmond, the Virginia Department of Education reported Wednesday.

The milestone came in the second year of Virginia’s School Performance and Support Framework, which rates every school as distinguished, meets expectations, approaching expectations, or needs intensive support. Statewide, 44% earned the top “distinguished” rating, up from 23% last year.

In Richmond, the six schools leaving that bottom tier included Armstrong High and Martin Luther King Jr. Middle, while George W. Carver Elementary, River City Middle, and Southampton Elementary remain in it.

Southwest Virginia posted standout numbers, with 60% of its schools rated distinguished and all 11 schools in Wise County earning the top rating.

Hashmi Opposes $67B Utility Merger

Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi came out against the proposed $67 billion sale of Dominion Energy to Florida-based NextEra on Tuesday, going further than Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who has called herself “deeply skeptical” of the deal but hasn’t taken a final position.

She announced her position after a five-city “Energy Costs Listening Tour” through Loudoun County, Norfolk, Richmond, Charlottesville, and Roanoke. The takeover “does not provide the protections Virginians demand and should not be approved,” she said.

Dominion and NextEra counter that the deal would include $1.78 billion in shareholder-funded bill credits for Virginia customers, employment protections, and a pledge to keep the company’s headquarters and leadership in the Commonwealth.

The merger would be the largest utility deal in U.S. history and still needs approval from the State Corporation Commission, where Spanberger has formally intervened.

Yorktown Dig Unearths Revolutionary Relics

Archaeologists at Colonial National Historical Park spent July digging around Yorktown’s Victory Monument and pulled Revolutionary War-era artifacts out of ground no one had touched in centuries.

The park has long staged events at the monument without knowing what lay beneath it, said park archaeologist Ronald Grayson. The site once hosted indigenous tribes, Revolutionary and Civil War soldiers, and the crews who built the monument in the 1800s.

Among the finds: a French musket ball identifiable by its Revolutionary War-era caliber, a piece of a Civil War-era clay tobacco pipe, flintlocks, buckles, and other small objects. “It’s always exciting finding anything that someone hasn’t really touched for hundreds of years,” Grayson said.

The park plans to keep mapping the grounds with non-invasive radar so it can host gatherings without disturbing history. The monument marks Cornwallis’ 1781 surrender at Yorktown, the battle that effectively won American independence.

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➤ Bedford County: Republican legislative leaders gathered at Owens Market Deli and Truck Plaza to press Gov. Abigail Spanberger to call a special session and suspend Virginia’s gasoline and diesel taxes for 90 days, arguing stronger-than-expected state revenues could cover the lost collections and ease high pump prices. (More)

➤ Richmond: A federal judge dismissed the Trump administration’s lawsuit challenging Virginia’s policy of granting in-state tuition to some illegal immigrants, allowing the 2020 law to stand. (More)

➤ Alexandria: Former CIA official David Rush pleaded guilty in federal court to wire fraud, admitting he defrauded the government of nearly $194 million. Investigators who searched his Ashburn home found roughly 300 gold bars worth more than $40 million, about $2 million in cash, and 35 luxury watches. (More)

➤ Prince William County: The public school system added boys’ varsity volleyball at all 13 of its high schools this fall. Player Roman Cervone had spent years competing on girls’ travel squads for lack of a boys’ program. (More)

➤ Fairfax County: The public school system began rolling out a browser extension at 11 elementary and middle schools that hides Google’s AI-generated search summaries on student Chromebooks. (More)

➤ Goochland County: Supervisors postponed a vote on a permit for a contested shooting range and sports park until Feb. 2, 2027, at the developer’s request, as neighbors continue to object over noise. (More) 

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➤ The Liberty Flames, favored by 13.5 points, are predicted to defeat Sam Houston 35-17 tonight in Conference USA action as their ground game continues to dominate. (More)

➤ UVA football coach Tony Elliott said he isn’t weighing a quarterback change “at this point,” and will stick with Beau Pribula, the starter he settled on over the summer as the Cavaliers prepare for Syracuse. (More)

➤ UVA athletics will honor 2026 College Football Hall of Fame electee Herman Moore during Saturday’s game against Syracuse. The 1990 All-American is Virginia’s sixth player inductee. (More) 

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | NCAAF | WNBA | NHL | Soccer | NBA

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➤ A 20-home subdivision is proposed by StyleCraft Homes to replace the landmark “Cactus House” on Staples Mill Road in Henrico County, with a rezoning request heading to the planning commission on Oct. 15. (More)

➤ Charlotte-based Geenex Power used a public-comment slot at an Amherst County meeting to unveil the Beck Creek Energy project, an advanced nuclear plant that would use small modular reactors to generate up to 650 megawatts. (See Details)

➤ Customer donations at Panda Express paid for new equipment, including a rock-climbing wall and monkey bars, at Carilion Children’s therapy gym in Roanoke. The Panda Cares Foundation has pledged $500,000 over eight years to the center. (More)

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➤ Tech For Troops hosts Shredtoberfest on Friday in Richmond, where attendees can shred a hard drive for free while enjoying bratwurst, pretzels, and beer. Donated technology gets refurbished or recycled to benefit veterans. (See Details)

➤ Virginia Tech researchers are developing a smart microneedle patch that detects fentanyl overdoses and automatically releases naloxone, potentially saving the lives of those who use drugs alone. It has worked in mice, but researchers say human use is still a long way off. (Read Story)

➤ Norfolk Southern and the Elizabeth River Project finished restoring 1,500 feet of shoreline at Lambert’s Point, turning nearly 9 acres of eroded riverbank into marsh, native grasses, and a 7-acre oyster reef that fights erosion and filters the river. (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. 

➤ One of the most popular glucose monitors failed an accuracy test against the gold standard. (Hear Which One)

➤ A new report breaks down which states Gen Z adults are leaving and where they’re landing instead. (Hear Details)

➤ Spain is mourning the 87-year-old woman whose eviction ignited nationwide protests and pushed the country toward early elections. (Listen Now)

What do you do with old electronics?

1. Recycle them
2. Trash them
3. Put them in storage
4. Other (reply to tell us)

Yesterday’s Results:

Do you support spending more on Virginia’s public schools?

1. Yes: 44%
2. No: 35%
3. Not sure: 21%

What did Virginia’s first railroads compete with to move agricultural products?

Show me the answer