Cold Case Arrest in Culpeper

Virginia State Police arrested a man in connection with a 27-year-old cold case.

Officers charged 56-year-old Daniel E. Pompell with the murder of Sylena Jo Dalton, who was found stabbed to death inside her Strasburg apartment in July of 1998.

The victim and Pompell had a 10-week-old daughter together at the time of the killing. That person, Allyson Kathleen Dalton, is still unaccounted for.

Pompell originally told investigators he knocked on the apartment door the morning she was found, but left when no one answered. A friend found Dalton’s body later that day.

Generating Virginia’s Energy Future 

The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project is expected to come online next year and produce enough clean electricity to power up to 660,000 homes in Virginia.

The State Corporation Commission, however, recently warned that it is unlikely “that renewable energy development alone will suffice to serve the Company’s forthcoming energy and capacity needs caused by data center demand.” New data centers are expected to come online alongside the 638 that are already operating in the Commonwealth.

Other electricity projects are possible. The Goochland Planning Commission signed off on a Technology Overlay District proposal that could include a Small Modular Nuclear Reactor. Dominion Energy wants to construct as many as six gas-fired power plants to connect to the regional electric grid.

In the longer term, Commonwealth Fusion Systems—a spinoff from MIT—hopes to open a grid-scale fusion power plant in Chesterfield County. If the technology proves successful, the plant would open in the 2030s and generate enough electricity to power approximately 150,000 homes.

October Events in Virginia

The arrival of October brings a new month of activities around Virginia.

This Saturday, Vienna hosts a free Oktoberfest with live entertainment, activities, and, of course, beer.

There’s also the Graves Mountain Apple Harvest Festival, celebrating its 56th year in Madison County. It runs across the first three weekends of the month. In Suffolk, the 47th annual Peanut Fest cracks open on Oct. 9.

Mount Vernon hosts a wine festival featuring vintages from more than 20 vineyards from Oct. 10-12. Guests can also take a candlelit tour of George Washington’s stately home. Then, on Oct. 18, swing through Patrick County for the Apple Dumpling Festival. 

As the end of the month approaches, so does Fall-O-Ween in Old Town Manassas on Oct. 26, featuring a Kids Halloween Costume Parade at 1 p.m.

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➤ Statewide: The federal government is scheduled to shut down at midnight unless leaders can reach an agreement to pass a continuing resolution. A shutdown would mean furloughs or possibly even layoffs for hundreds of thousands of Virginians who work for Uncle Sam. (Details)

➤ Virginia Beach: The members of Virginia Task Force 2—originally deployed to Columbia, South Carolina, to assist with the response to Tropical Depression 9, which became Tropical Storm Imelda—returned home when the storm shifted and posed a potential threat to the Commonwealth. (More)

➤ Washington, D.C.: The National Park Service said 1.7 million people visited Shenandoah National Park last year, pumping $175 million into nearby communities. (Details)

➤ Richmond County: Seven passengers were injured when their Amish buggy was hit by a car along Route 3. Two of the passengers were flown to a hospital in serious condition. (More)

➤ Roanoke: The county’s public school system hosted a Topping Out ceremony as the final beam of the future Roanoke County Career & Technology Center was put into place. It is expected to open by 2027. (More)

➤ Statewide: The Virginia Talent Accelerator Program earned accolades as a top workforce training program nationwide. “For many companies, this program is a major factor in choosing to invest in Virginia,” Gov. Glenn Youngkin said. (Details)

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➤ No. 12 UVA men’s soccer played to a scoreless draw against North Carolina this weekend, remaining undefeated in ACC play through four matches. (More)

➤ Longtime Washington Nationals broadcaster Bob Carpenter won’t have to call any more bad baseball. He retired after Sunday’s season-ending loss to the White Sox left the Nats at 66-96, their sixth straight losing season. (Exit Interview)

➤ UVA football climbed into the Top 25 (No. 24) of the AP college football poll for the first time since 2019 after its home win over Florida State. (Details)

Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NHL | Soccer

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➤ Average gas prices in Virginia decreased 7.1 cents per gallon over the last week, according to GasBuddy. The average yesterday was $2.91 per gallon, down 9.5 cents from last month and 8.6 cents from last year. (Details)

➤ At least nine Starbucks locations across the Commonwealth are expected to close soon, including two in Arlington, two in Richmond, and one each in Virginia Beach, Martinsville, Lynchburg, Fairfax, and Alexandria. (More)

➤ The Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly will reportedly be transformed, with most of the space becoming an Ikea. (Details)

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The AI Restaurant Brands Are Demanding

Sellouts are good for business, and Miso sold out initial units of its newest AI-powered kitchen robot, Flippy Fry Station, in one week. 

Why? The $1T fast-food industry faces 144% worker turnover and $20/hour minimum wages in places like California. But these units can boost industry profits by up to $24B. Brands like White Castle already use them. 

With partnerships in place with NVIDIA and Uber AI to refine its robots and AI, Miso is currently ramping up its U.S.-based manufacturing to capture a $4B/year annual revenue opportunity. 

There are 100,000+ U.S. fast food locations in need. And you can join as an investor before these pivotal next steps. 

Just don’t wait. Invest before bonus shares change on 10/9.

➤ Liberty Mills Farm in Somerset features a 34-acre corn maze, one of the largest in the United States. (How it Happened)

➤ The Norfolk Cultural and Convention Center and the Daily Press Building in Newport News were among 10 sites added to the Virginia Landmarks Register. (More)

➤ Virginia Humanities announced it will hand out $60,000 in grants to 12 nonprofits across the Commonwealth. (Details)

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Have you ever been lost in a corn maze?

1. Yes
2. No
3. I’m in one now!

Monday’s Results:

Will you attend the State Fair of Virginia this year? 

1. No: 39%
2. Yes: 31%
3. Already did!: 30%

What year did the Washington Nationals baseball team begin playing in D.C.?

Show me the answer