Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1608, many of the buildings inside the Jamestown fort were destroyed by fire, including the settlement’s first church. The blaze also wiped out most of the colonists’ stored food, with the next supply ship not scheduled to arrive until April 20.

The Virginia Flyover reported that police in Fairfax County are deploying drones to give officers a picture of the situation on the ground before they arrive at emergency calls. Readers think it’s a good approach.

“I absolutely would support this. Most anything that might help protect our men and women in blue from potential danger has my approval,” one wrote. Another supports drones but “only if they are used in accordance with strict guidelines.“

We always want to know what you think about the stories we cover. Just hit reply to get in touch.

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State Unemployment Drops

Virginia’s week-over-week unemployment claims plunged in the final report of 2025. The state agency Virginia Works announced that 1,756 people filed for benefits in the week that ended Dec. 27, down more than 37% from the previous week’s 2,790 claims.

Continuing claims dipped as well, down 2.5% week-over-week. However, such ongoing claims were 16.9% higher last week than at the end of 2024.

A report conducted for GO Virginia Region 3 showed there are plenty of jobs available in the southern regions of the Commonwealth—especially nursing jobs—but not enough workers trained to fill those roles.

Last year, the area had 3,854 healthcare jobs available, but fewer than 500 trained workers were seeking jobs. Meanwhile, the region had only 359 manufacturing jobs open, with more than 1,000 people seeking such work.

Spanberger Administration Takes Shape

Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger will be sworn in on Jan. 17, becoming the first woman to occupy the governor’s mansion. She promised that her administration will focus on affordability, especially when it comes to energy, housing, and healthcare.

After she takes the oath, the new governor will take part in the 2026 Inaugural Parade. Other participants will include first responders, the Virginia National Guard, and the Virginia Military Institute Corps of Cadets.

The Spanberger administration is taking shape. This week, she named her cabinet members, along with her senior advisors and those who will run state agencies.

One key pick is former Chesterfield County Police Chief Jeffrey Katz, who will take over as superintendent of the Virginia State Police.

Bank Robbery Suspect Shot

A Loudoun County Sheriff’s deputy shot a man in a Walmart parking lot, one day after the suspect allegedly tried to rob a bank in Sterling.

On Monday, the unidentified suspect reportedly walked into a Bank of America branch and told employees he had placed a bomb in the building. He escaped the scene before authorities arrived. No bomb was found.

“After a thorough search of the building and the surrounding area, the area has been deemed safe,” the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office announced on Monday.

A combined force of Loudoun detectives, deputies, and FBI special agents located the bank robbery suspect in the Walmart parking lot the next day. When he got out of a car carrying a handgun, an officer shot him. The suspect later died at the hospital.

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➤ Newport News: The city suffered 18 homicides last year, its fewest in more than a decade. Overall, gun violence has been cut almost in half since 2023. (Details)

➤ Statewide: Attorney General Jason Miyares asked all schools in the Commonwealth to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s explanation of antisemitism to guide their policies. In 2023, the General Assembly adopted the IHRA’s definition into Virginia law. (More)

➤ Richmond: State Sen. Danica Roem, D-Manassas, introduced a bill to limit how much state and local governments may charge those who request copies of public records through the state’s Freedom of Information Act. (Details)

➤ Farmville: The Commonwealth hosts two Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers. According to federal data, three in ten of the prisoners booked into those facilities in 2024 arrived with a criminal record, and about 1% arrived as an aggravated felon. (Details)

➤ Chantilly: The Space Shuttle Discovery is staying put—for now—at the Smithsonian’s aerospace museum. A federal law promoted by Republican Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz had attempted to relocate the craft to Texas, but Jared Isaacman, NASA’s new leader, said moving Discovery would be too expensive. (More)

➤ Chesterfield County: Carson Lambert, charged with crashing a stolen car into a fire station, was released on bail. The 18-year-old was the starting quarterback for the state champion Benedictine High School football team this season. He is scheduled to be back in court in March. (More)

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➤ Randolph-Macon men’s basketball, ranked No. 2 in Division III, visits Averett this evening. (Score)

➤ The Washington Wizards may be in the running for Hawks point guard Trae Young, who asked for a trade out of Atlanta earlier this week. (More)

➤ Virginia Tech brought in former Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer through the transfer portal. He won four of the seven games he started this season. (Details)

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➤ Some members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors are considering an increase in the sales tax, with the revenue to be earmarked for public transit in Northern Virginia. (Details)

➤ The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services reported that agriculture is the Commonwealth’s largest private industry and generated more than $82 billion in economic impact in 2024. (More)

➤ Lowenthal, a furrier in Virginia Beach since 1955, will close next month when its owners retire. (Details)

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➤ The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation will provide a $380,000 grant to allow scientists from Virginia Tech to attempt to stabilize the population of the Eastern hellbender salamander. (Details)

➤ Virginia State Police hosted a news conference to promote Drive Smart VA and the state’s Move Over law. (More)

➤ The National Civics Bee for Virginia middle school students is accepting applications. Students should submit a four-paragraph essay offering ideas to improve their communities. (More)

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