Monday, April 27, 2026

Lemonade Stand Friendship, 91-Year-Old Gamer, American Idol Return

Good Morning!

Today’s sponsor, ICE Box, offers a simple, all-in-one system to securely organize and protect your most important documents and valuables so you’re prepared for anything life throws your way.

Today’s episode of The Feel Good Flyover Podcast with Amy Hess has a few Feel Good stories you won’t find in today’s emailed edition, only in the podcast episode, because not everything fits in an inbox.

Here's a sneak peek of what we're diving into in today's Feel Good Flyover Podcast Extra section:

➤ A Division I football player made a lifelong friendship after turning around to visit a boy’s roadside lemonade stand. (Listen Now)

➤ Police responded to a 91-year-old’s home after multiple unanswered automated wellness check calls, only to find her playing video games. (Hear Story)

➤ An American Idol standout was just welcomed home as a hero, singing the national anthem at a packed NHL arena. (Hear Details)

Hit play and get the full scoop.

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Prom King Surprise, Terrible Art Wins, and Library Cat Comfort

Monday, April 27, 2026

Good Afternoon! One dad’s hilariously “terrible” paintings have turned into an unexpectedly sweet success story, racking up hundreds of commissions from around the world. We have the details below in today’s Feel Good Flyover.

Have you ever discovered a hidden talent you didn’t know you had? Reply to this email and let us know.

Tune into today’s episode of The Feel Good Flyover, where Amy Hess returns to share stories you can only find in the podcast, including the amusing moment police were called to check on a 91-year-old woman, only to discover she was safe and busy trying to beat her high score in a video game. Plus, two more uplifting stories that are sure to leave you smiling. Listen here.

Today’s sponsor, Sonic Glow Tooth Brush, uses powerful sonic vibrations and built-in blue light technology to help remove plaque, protect sensitive gums, and promote a cleaner, brighter, healthier smile in just seconds a day.

Hero Principal Crowned Prom King

Students at Pauls Valley High School in Oklahoma surprised their principal, Kirk Moore, by crowning him prom king on Friday, April 17, just 10 days after he was shot in the leg while tackling and disarming a former student who opened fire inside the school.

Video from prom shows Kirk walking through the crowd to cheers and high-fives as the DJ declared him "our king" and played the Nickelback song Hero. No students were injured in the shooting, and officials credited Kirk's quick action with preventing a larger tragedy.

"There's not a doubt in my mind that he saved kids' lives," Pauls Valley Police Chief Don May said.

Dad Told He Didn’t Belong Now Inspires Millions

In 1973, Steve Wampler's parents were told he wouldn't be allowed to enroll in school because he was considered "not fit for the classroom." He has cerebral palsy and uses an electric wheelchair. He went on to defy those expectations: earning an engineering degree in 1992, starting a family, and in 2010 becoming the first person with cerebral palsy to climb El Capitan, completing 20,000 pull-ups over six days.

Now 57, Steve's story is reaching tens of millions after his son Joe started a social media account as a Christmas gift. One viral video traces a timeline of his life, captioned "Steve kept receipts," and some posts have surpassed 40 million views.

Steve also founded Camp Wamp, a free weeklong wilderness camp for children with physical disabilities in the California Sierra Nevada. “Watching that transformation happen is everything to me,” he said.

Dad's 'Terrible' Paintings Go Viral

What started as a bad wedding gift has turned into a thriving side hustle. Jamie Lee Matthias, 42, painted a portrait of his wife Kate that was so funny she posted it on social media. It went viral, and the dad of three from Cheshire, England, has since received more than 430 commission requests from 12 countries.

Operating under the name @TerribleArtByJamieLee, Matthias charges starting at about $60 per painting while juggling a full-time job. At his busiest, he was painting five hours a day. "I didn't expect it to become a big part of my life," he said.

He recently painted a portrait of actress Judi Dench, who signed it for a charity auction. His kids, meanwhile, remain unimpressed. "My kids say the paintings are terrible ... but deep down I know they love it."

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Feel Good Flyover Podcast. Clicking the link will take you directly there:

➤ A Division I football player made a lifelong friendship after turning around to visit a boy’s roadside lemonade stand. (Listen Now)

➤ Police responded to a 91-year-old’s home after multiple unanswered automated wellness check calls, only to find her playing video games. (Hear Story)

➤ An American Idol standout was just welcomed home as a hero, singing the national anthem at a packed NHL arena. (Hear Details)

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➤ At Oxford University's Lady Margaret Hall, a fluffy Siberian forest cat named Issy has become the college library's unofficial mascot. For six years, his librarian owner has brought him to work, where he offers comfort to students and draws a steady stream of attention. (See Photos)

➤ More than 6,500 volunteers packed a Charlotte convention center for a 24-hour marathon, aiming to hand-build 10,000 beds for children without one. The beds are set to go to 110 communities across 36 states. (More)

➤ A volunteer in Canada with Down syndrome set out to collect 200 jars of peanut butter to help a local charity working toward a 5,000-jar campaign for food-insecure children. (See Photos)

➤ After a family publicly pleaded for a kidney donor to save their teenage son, whose kidney function had dropped to 17%, a stranger in the area answered the call. (More)

➤ Walking into a Texas courtroom for his adoption day, an 11-year-old boy was stunned to find nearly 45 of his fifth grade classmates packed inside to cheer him on. Around 100 family and friends joined in, ending his two-year foster journey. (Watch Video)

➤ A 15-year-old cancer patient was too weak to take Elon Musk's call, so she left him a handwritten list of eight questions. After she passed, Musk answered all of them online, even agreeing to make her plush toy SpaceX's official mascot. (See Photos)

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Two runners stopped mid-race to help a cramping Boston Marathon runner reach the finish, showing grit and sportsmanship.

video via stryker.strides - Instagram

Which profession contains three consecutive double letters in its name?

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"You're enough! You're enough! You're enough!"

— Stephen J. Wampler’s son, responding after his father said he was sorry he couldn’t throw a baseball with him like other dads.

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Redistricting Paused, Apple Blossom Festival, and Bobcats Released

Friday, April 24, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1781, British forces under Major General William Phillips moved up the James River and landed at City Point. They would go on to capture Petersburg the next day after winning the Battle of Blandford.

A Virginia candidate for U.S. Senate is in hot water after he bet on himself—literally. Mark Moran is running as an independent challenger to Sen. Mark Warner. He also used the platform Kalshi to wager $100 on himself, which violates the platform's policies.

Kalshi fined Moran more than $6,000 and banned him for five years. What do you think? Is Moran a market manipulator, or a confident candidate making a smart wager? Hit reply to let us know.

Today's sponsor, Cytonics, is a pioneering biotech company developing a potential first-ever cure for osteoarthritis, offering investors a rare opportunity to get in early ahead of its next phase of clinical trials.

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.

Redistricting Referendum Moves to Courts

A Tazewell County judge blocked the certification of the constitutional referendum that voters passed on Tuesday. Judge Jack Hurley, who had twice tried to prevent the vote, ruled that the process was illegal on multiple counts.

The state Supreme Court is scheduled to consider the issue on Monday, and Attorney General Jay Jones vowed to appeal Hurley's latest decision. "Virginia voters have spoken, and an activist judge should not have veto power over the People's vote," he said in a statement.

The proposal to change the constitution to allow redistricting this year passed by about 3 percentage points out of nearly 3.1 million ballots cast, according to state data. If the referendum stands, Democrats would have an advantage in 10 of the state's 11 newly drawn districts.

Spanberger Names New VT Board Members

Gov. Abigail Spanberger named four new members to Virginia Tech's Board of Visitors this week.

"I look forward to having these highly qualified leaders included on the search committee as Virginia Tech works to identify a successor to President Sands," Spanberger said. University President Tim Sands said he will retire this year.

The two women and two men are all graduates of the university and live in the Commonwealth. Their terms begin July 1.

Spanberger will be on campus on May 15 to deliver the commencement address to the Class of 2026.

Apple Blossom Festival Blooms

The 99th Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival kicks off today in Winchester. The 10-day festival includes more than 50 events this year, with up to 250,000 people expected to attend.

Among the attractions will be a 10K run, a midway, and the coronation of Queen Shenandoah XCIX—21-year-old Annabelle Park, a recent Pace University graduate, who will be crowned by her parents at John Handley High School on May 1.

TV host and former NFL quarterback Jesse Palmer will serve as grand marshal, while Pro Football Hall of Famer Tim Brown returns to the festival for the first time since 1988, when he appeared as a sports guest following his 1987 Heisman Trophy win

New this year is a clear bag policy, developed with local law enforcement, limiting attendees to clear bags no larger than 14 by 9 inches for most events.

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The Next-Gen Treatment Targeting a $560 Billion Disease

It’s one of the world’s most common diseases, with over $560 billion spent managing its symptoms each year. But soon, its 500+ million patients may finally be able to do more than that.

Because an emerging biotech called Cytonics may have discovered what soon could be osteoarthritis’ first and only cure.

They successfully completed Phase 1 FDA trials on 10,000 patients with zero adverse effects. Now, Cytonics is gearing up for Phase 2 clinical trials on a version designed for global scale.

Potential medical breakthroughs like this are rare. Even rarer? You can invest in Cytonics at the pre-clinical stage. Become a Cytonics shareholder by 4/25 for exclusive early-stage bonus stock guarantees.

➤ Richmond: Lawmakers removed Gov. Abigail Spanberger's changes from some high-profile bills, including one that would create a marijuana marketplace and one that aims to promote the affordability of prescription drugs. The governor has 30 days to either veto the bills or allow them to become law. (Details)

➤ Virginia Beach: Scores of businesses at the Oceanfront plan to take part in a Take Back Our Beach Day tomorrow, after a temporary curfew that closed the area at 9:30 p.m. ends. (More)

➤ Radford: The city council is set to meet on Tuesday to vote on whether to enact increases in real estate taxes and utility rates. (Details)

➤ Keswick: The late-season overnight freeze this week damaged grape vines across Central Virginia. "Are we going to make as much wine as we normally would in a normal year? Absolutely not. I would say it is pretty significant," one winemaker said. (More)

➤ Blacksburg: A new position at Virginia Tech, the Coordinator to Support Virginia's Large Animal Veterinary Workforce, aims to improve medical care for the Commonwealth's livestock. (Details)

➤ Stafford and Fredericksburg: The Virginia Department of Health warned that two children with measles may have exposed others, including students at Grafton Village Elementary School. (More)

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➤ The Washington Commanders selected Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with the No. 7 pick in the first round of last night’s NFL draft. Rounds two and three continue today. (See Full Draft)

➤ Richmond won its second straight Atlantic 10 women's golf championship by 28 strokes this week, with Maya Beasley earning medalist honors and all five Spiders finishing in the top five individually. (More)

➤ Virginia Tech athletics director Whit Babcock announced he will retire after a 12-year tenure in Blacksburg, but will remain a special advisor to the university president. (More)

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➤ Why doctors are calling Berberine "Nature's Weight Loss Secret." In a 12-week study, participants taking berberine lost 5 pounds and 3.6% body fat. Research shows it reduces appetite, blocks new fat cell formation, and activates a key metabolism-regulating enzyme called AMPK—all without prescriptions or dangerous side effects. Learn More

➤ A new owner will end the production of Stone Brewing in Richmond, 10 years after the city crafted a multimillion-dollar package to lure the brewer. The local taproom will temporarily close and reopen under a new name. (Details)

➤ The Growth and Opportunity for Virginia grants announced recently include the $4.23 million Advanced Manufacturing Initiative in the Roanoke region, which will provide training and small-business support. (More)

➤ The system integration of Virginia Credit Union and Member One Credit Union went live this week and left some customers locked out of their accounts. (Details)

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They’re Challenging Big Pharma at a $560 Billion Game

Big Pharma companies spent billions trying to cure osteoarthritis. An upstart biotech called Cytonics may have actually done it.

Their first-gen therapy has already been used to treat 10,000+ patients successfully.

Now, after completing Phase 1 FDA trials, Cytonics is gearing up for a Phase 2 clinical trial for “CYT-108”, their next-gen drug candidate that's 200% more potent and built for global scale.

The opportunity? 500m+ people deal with osteoarthritis worldwide, with no treatment that can actually stop it. It’s a $560b market in total. It’s also why Cytonics has raised $25m from over 7,000 investors.

And you can join them ahead of Phase 2 trials. Invest in Cytonics by 4/24 to earn up to 18% bonus stock.

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➤ The Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center released two bobcats into the wild after nursing them back to health for almost a year. (Details)

➤ Nova Adventure Park teamed up with Virginia Beach police to crack down on trespassing. It will also share surveillance camera data with authorities. (More)

➤ The Virginia Breeze bus service launched the Tidewater Current line to serve 10 cities in five counties from Harrisonburg to Virginia Beach. (Details)

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