Richmond Restarts Tax-Sale Program

Richmond will restart its tax-sale program in November, three years after the city halted forced sales of properties with severely overdue real estate taxes.

The city has not held a sale since former Mayor Levar Stoney’s administration paused the program in 2023. As of Aug. 31, nearly 17,000 delinquent accounts owed more than $24 million.

The city attorney’s office is reviewing 85 properties for potential sale. Initial notices will prioritize blighted and vacant lots, along with properties owned by LLCs. The 85 properties are among 7,626 accounts flagged for review under the tax-sale criteria.

Mayor Danny Avula called the approach “enforcement with compassion,” noting that 85% of cases handled before 2023 ended with payment plans rather than auctions. The first annual tax sale is expected around June 2027.

Two Aviators Eject off Virginia Coast

Two Navy aviators ejected safely while attempting to land their aircraft on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower off the Virginia coast Monday evening.

The Navy said the mishap occurred around 6:18 p.m. during aircraft recovery operations. Search-and-rescue personnel recovered both aviators and returned them to the Norfolk-based carrier for medical evaluations.

Four sailors aboard the ship were injured. One was taken to a Norfolk-area hospital with injuries the Navy said were not life-threatening, while the others were treated aboard the carrier.

The Navy has not identified the aircraft type, disclosed what happened to it, or said what caused the mishap. “Carrier crews regularly train for emergencies and unexpected situations during flight operations, and that training enabled the crew to respond quickly and safely,” the Navy said.

University of Richmond Receives $150M Gift

An anonymous donor has pledged $150 million to the University of Richmond, the largest gift in the school’s history and possibly the largest single gift ever made to a Virginia university.

The commitment is part of Accelerate Richmond, a $600 million fundraising campaign focused on affordability, academics, student opportunities, and athletics. The university has already raised more than $425 million toward that goal.

Of the donor’s commitment, $50 million will match donations to endowed scholarships. The initiative is intended to help students from a range of financial backgrounds, including middle-income families that may not qualify for substantial need-based aid.

The remaining campaign funds will support faculty recruitment, advising, career services, internships, research, international travel, athletic facilities, and the university’s 17 Division I sports programs.

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➤ Hampton Roads: Visitors at Norfolk International and Newport News/Williamsburg airports could begin accompanying ticketed travelers past security without boarding passes as soon as Friday. Visitors will still have to complete TSA screening. (See Change)

➤ Chesapeake: City Council candidate Janelle St. Louis said her phone alerted her that an AirTag had been tracking her since Sept. 20, when she attended a church on Indian Creek Road. She said she had not known the device was present. (Read Account)

➤ Statewide: More than 300 Virginia doctors and other health care professionals endorsed a “yes” vote on Question 1, which would add constitutional protections for reproductive care decisions, including abortion. (See Endorsement)

➤ Petersburg: Police are searching for a man wanted on a first-degree murder charge in Saturday night’s fatal Perry Street shooting. Authorities warned the public not to approach him. (See Warning)

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➤ Virginia senior Claire Curzan was named ACC Women’s Swimmer of the Week after winning three individual events and helping two relay teams finish first at the College Swimming League meet. Curzan earned female MVP honors with 95 points as the top-ranked Cavaliers defeated No. 9 NC State, No. 12 Georgia, and No. 15 Alabama. (See Honor)

➤ Virginia men’s golf tied for 14th at the Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas. The Cavaliers finished at 43-over 883 after posting a 21-over 301 in Tuesday’s final round. (See Results)

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

The Flyover exists to call things what they are, fairly and objectively. We keep the spin out and trust you with the facts. So today we’re asking: if news that calls things what they are is something you want to see thrive, will you stand behind it? Support the news in plain words. Free, every morning. Will you make a generous donation to support The Flyover?
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➤ Virginia’s education board approved scoring and reporting rules for local alternative assessments, which are used in subjects without statewide SOL exams. Third-grade science and history are among the courses required to use them. (Read Rules)

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Colombia’s Most Prized Coffee Beans are Coming to America

70% of Americans prefer Colombian coffee. After six decades of dominating Colombia’s coffee scene, the world-renowned brand Juan Valdez is relaunching into the $100B US coffee market.

None of it would be possible without Green Coffee Company (GCC), which holds the exclusive distribution rights to Juan Valdez across the U.S. and Canada.

Juan Valdez pioneered the single-origin coffee category in the U.S., at one point garnering more brand recognition than Nike. Once GCC introduced it to American shelves, its presence grew 445% in Target locations, driven by consumer demand alone.

After beating its 3,000-store goal for the year early, GCC has hundreds more in the pipeline. Final call to invest at $1.10/share before the share price changes after tonight.

This is a paid advertisement for Green Coffee Company Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.greencoffeecompany.com

➤ Free monthly books reached more than 500 King William County children during the local Imagination Library program’s first year. About 1,000 county children younger than 5 are eligible. (See Program)

➤ Country-pop singer Avery Anna will bring her Blood Runs Thicker Tour to Richmond’s The National on Oct. 25. (See Tour Stop)

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➤ The #1 cause of heart attacks isn’t blood pressure. An ER nurse says the real problem is a hard buildup inside the artery that pills never touch. A doctor is showing a 7-second morning ritual that starts to break it apart. Learn More

➤ Streaming prices keep quietly climbing, and eight fixes can claw your monthly bill back down. (Hear Fixes)

➤ Lindsay Clancy’s defense now argues prosecutors never proved she killed her children, a sharp shift after her murder mistrial. (Hear Details)

➤ Homeowners are sitting on a record $11.5 trillion in home equity they could borrow against, and barely touching it. (Listen Now)

If you could direct a $150 million gift to a university, where should most of it go?

1. Scholarships and affordability
2. Academic programs and faculty
3. Campus facilities
4. Career and student opportunities
5. Athletics

Monday’s Results:

How many pancakes do you think you could eat in 10 minutes?

1. One to two: 35%
2. Three to five: 35%
3. I’d rather watch: 18%
4. Six to 10: 10%
5. More than 10: 2%

How many miles of the Appalachian Trail are in Virginia?

Show me the answer