Wednesday, December 3, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1867, the post-Civil War constitutional convention met for the first time in Richmond, drafting the Underwood Constitution to help pave the way for Virginia to rejoin the United States in 1870.

George Washington supposedly couldn’t tell a lie, but today’s Virginians clearly can. A recent survey ranked Virginia as the second-most dishonest state in the country. We apparently admitted to telling 3.5 lies per week, which would equal 182 lies per year (assuming we’re being honest about our dishonesty).

Virginians admitted to lying most often about low-stakes things, such as whether they had seen a call or text, or whether they liked someone’s cooking or clothing.

So if you feel like being honest: How often do you lie, and what do you lie about? Is it ever good to lie? Hit reply and let us know.

If you’re fascinated by the future of entertainment and love spotting big opportunities early, this glimpse into today’s sponsor, Elf Labs’ groundbreaking princess franchises, is one you won’t want to miss.

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.

UVA, VMI Leaders Testify

The state Senate education subcommittee heard testimony from Paul Mahoney, interim president of the University of Virginia, as well as Lt. Gen. David Furness, superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute.

Mahoney defended a pact with the Trump administration that ended seven investigations and requires UVA to submit quarterly reports to the Justice Department. “I believe that signing the agreement was the best option available to us,” Mahoney told lawmakers.

The university is searching for a permanent president after its former leader, Jim Ryan, resigned under federal pressure.

Furness vowed to keep his alma mater off the front pages. “VMI strives to operate from the center,” the retired U.S. Marine Corps three-star general said. “Nonpartisan, steady, balanced, and leading along the center line.”

College Football Signing Day Dawns

Today is the beginning of the 72 hours during which high school football players may officially sign with a college program for next season.

Virginia Tech’s new head coach will be inking two key commitments: four-star quarterback Troy Huhn and three-star linebacker Mathieu Lamah. Each player flipped to the Hokies to play for James Franklin after initially committing to Penn State.

The Hokies boasted the No. 35 incoming class of recruits, according to Rivals. UVA was ranked at No. 68, and JMU at No. 75.

UVA plans to bring in a trio of four-star players, including cornerback Josiah Persinger of Salem. Most of the Commonwealth’s leading high school athletes plan to attend college out of state.

Winter Weather Pushes Through

The Virginia Department of Transportation warned drivers to be careful before an expansive winter storm covered much of the Commonwealth on Tuesday. Crews pretreated areas where snow was expected.

“We feel ready for this. It’s just a matter of getting it done,” Len Stevens, a VDOT communications manager, said ahead of the storm.

Poor weather conditions led to school closings and delays across Northern and Central Virginia on Tuesday. The storm is predicted to have pushed through by today, leaving clear but chilly weather in its wake.

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➤ Statewide: State Sen. Mark Peake will resign as chair of the Republican Party of Virginia at the end of the year after just eight months on the job. (More)

➤ Washington, D.C.: Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat serving his third term, announced he will run for re-election in 2026. “We need a vision to chart a new path and effective leadership to get it done,” he said. (Details)

➤ Richmond: The Virginia Department of Elections announced official vote totals from last month’s elections, saying governor-elect Abigail Spanberger topped Republican Winsome Earle-Sears by more than 520,000 votes. (More)

➤ Statewide: Local governments have approved 2,022 megawatts of solar projects and rejected just 711 megawatts so far this year. However, in 2024, governments rejected 1,378 proposed megawatts, more than the 1,095 megawatts that they approved. (Details)

➤ Norfolk: Adm. Karl Thomas took over as leader of U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFFC) during a ceremony presided over by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle aboard the USS Harry S. Truman. Thomas is the 44th commander of USFFC. (More)

➤ Alexandria: The Justice Department still listed Lindsey Halligan as “United States Attorney” for the Eastern District of Virginia as of Tuesday afternoon, more than one week after U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie ruled that Halligan had been illegally appointed to the job. Robert N. Tracci was listed as “Acting U.S. Attorney” in the Western District. (Details)

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➤ Virginia missed the 12-team cut for in this week’s College Football Playoff Rankings, coming in at No.15. James Madison also snuck into the Top 25 at No. 25. (See Full Rankings)

➤ Virginia’s sports betting handle hit $831.6 million in October, an all-time monthly high since the state legalized sports gambling in 2021. (More)

➤ UVA men’s basketball visits Texas tonight in the ACC/SEC Men’s Challenge. (Details)

➤ James Madison women’s basketball visits East Carolina tonight. The Dukes have won three straight. (Preview)

Yesterday’s Results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

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➤ Richmond’s newest store will deal in old merchandise. Rewind Vintage plans to offer VHS tapes and technologically ancient video games. (Details)

➤ K&W Cafeteria, an 88-year-old chain, shuttered all its locations—including those in Virginia—on Dec. 1. (More)

➤ The departing chief of the Virginia Port Authority, Stephen A. Edwards, will take over next year as CEO of Hornblower Group, a ferry transportation infrastructure provider. Edwards led VPA for almost five years. (Details)

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➤ Regenerate Virginia, a project funded by the American Farmland Trust, is accepting grant applications from Commonwealth farmers who will promise to invest in techniques that improve soil quality. (Details)

➤ Loudoun County supervisors received a report that found that “tiny houses could be a helpful tool as part of the county’s housing toolbox to address homelessness and housing needs.” Such small dwellings are usually less than 600 square feet. (More)

➤ The City of Norfolk will host a public meeting tomorrow to help nonprofits apply for Housing and Urban Development grants. (Details)

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