Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Good morning! On this day in 1888, the Blizzard of ’88, also known as the White Hurricane, moved into Virginia. The storm’s powerful winds emptied the Potomac River’s Tidal Basin and caused heavy flooding along the coast. Following the storm, the melting snow caused rivers throughout the region to flood.

A passenger recently brought Virginia’s first documented case of measles to Dulles Airport. The Virginia Flyover has an update in our Top Stories, along with details about today’s tornado drill.

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Measles Case Lands in Virginia

A passenger on a flight that landed at Dulles Airport last week tested positive for measles, according to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). It’s the first confirmed case in the Commonwealth this year.

The sick passenger, a Howard County, Maryland resident, passed through Terminal A, took ground transportation to the main terminal, and was in the baggage claim area between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5.

“Health officials are coordinating an effort to identify people who might have been exposed, including contacting potentially exposed passengers on specific flights,” VDH announced. Those who may have been exposed to the infected flier should be on the lookout for potential symptoms until March 26.

In better news, the CDC said Virginia has dropped out of the “very high” category for flu rates and is trending downward, while the number of COVID-19 and RSV cases remains stable.

College Student Missing in Dominican Republic

A college student from Loudoun County is missing and feared dead in the Dominican Republic.

The 20-year-old student, Sudiksha Konanki, is studying pre-med at the University of Pittsburgh.

She was last seen early Thursday on a beach with five fellow students and two men. She apparently remained behind with one of the men while her friends and the other man left the area.

Dominican authorities suspect she was caught up by a wave while swimming and possibly drowned. Her father suspects potential foul play and has urged authorities to consider all possibilities in their investigation.

Tornado Drill Highlights Severe Weather Week

A statewide tornado drill is scheduled for this morning at 9:45 a.m., and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) strongly encourages schools and other organizations to take part.

The drill is part of Severe Weather Awareness Week, scheduled by VDEM and the National Weather Service.

The Commonwealth is subject to many different types of severe weather events, which include tornadoes, thunderstorms, and hurricanes.

Events throughout the week will emphasize preparing for severe thunderstorms, flash flooding, and outdoor weather safety.

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➤ Statewide: The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) said it will use artificial intelligence to help plan and manage maintenance projects. The state maintains nearly 60,000 miles of roads as well as an additional 10,000 miles in cities and towns. (More)

➤ Virginia Beach: A motorcycle group called the Boneshakers Social Club held a fundraiser to benefit the families of two officers killed in the line of duty last month. Almost 200 people took part in the event, which raised $7,000. (More)

➤ Richmond: Legislation that passed both houses unanimously last month would provide advanced professional development opportunities for educators who work with autistic students. The bill is awaiting Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s signature. (Details)

➤ Statewide: Virginia State Police said Operation Snow Eagle, which ended earlier this month, seized more than $11.5 million of narcotics and led to more than 600 felony and 136 misdemeanor arrests. The operation also rounded up 134 fugitives. (More)

➤ Portsmouth: Alaila Everett, the I.C. Norcom High School runner who was disqualified at the state indoor track championships last week for hitting a competitor with a baton, said the contact was accidental. “I know my intentions, and I would never hit someone on purpose,” she said. (Watch Video)

➤ Virginia Tech captured the ACC wrestling championship, racking up 91.5 points as a team. Nine individual Hokies qualified for the NCAA Wrestling Championships later this month. (Details)

➤ JMU’s women’s basketball team lost 86-79 to Arkansas State in overtime in the Sun Belt tournament championship game. (More)

➤ Liberty softball, ranked No. 24, visits Marshall today, coming off a weekend sweep of Kennesaw State. (Details)

➤ Virginia Tech opens play in the ACC men’s basketball tournament today as the No. 10 seed. (Bracket)

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➤ The average price of a gallon of gas in Virginia dropped to $2.85 on Monday, down 7 cents from a week before. The website GasBuddy reported the average is down 18.8 cents per gallon since last month and 38.7 cents since last March. (Details)

➤ ViDARR Inc. said it will invest $2.69 million over the next three years to open a defense manufacturing facility in Virginia Beach, creating 40 new jobs. (More)

➤ Virginia Tech’s Innovation Campus in Alexandria is doing cutting-edge research on quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and wireless technology. The research is supported by high-tech companies, including Boeing and Northrop Grumman. (Details)

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➤ The Virginia War Memorial hosted a ceremony on Saturday to honor some of the dogs that have served our country faithfully alongside American troops. (Details)

➤ The UVA Health System opened a clinic to increase access to parent-child interaction therapy, a treatment that can help young children with behavioral difficulties. (More)

➤ The Library of Virginia’s Circuit Court Records Preservation Program gave more than $2 million in grants to help preserve legal records across the state. (Details)

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