Friday, July 17, 2026

Drone Missile Test, State Tourism, and Best Regional Food

Friday, July 17, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1917, pioneering stand-up comedian and frequent Bob Hope co-star Phyllis Diller was born in Lima.

🧥 In today’s Et Cetera section, read how followers of a local sneaker shop tracked down and confronted an alleged shoplifter, leading to the return of the stolen merchandise.

Today's sponsor is Miso Robotics, offering investors the opportunity to get in early on an AI-powered restaurant automation company before it goes public.

Ohio Drone Maker Completes First Missile Test

A prototype of an unmanned fighter drone—the same type now in production at a new factory south of Columbus—has completed the Air Force’s first live-fire test of a collaborative combat aircraft.

During the test over California’s Mojave Desert, the semiautonomous YFQ-44A Fury fired an inert air-to-air missile at a simulated target. A human operator retained control of the weapon throughout the test.

Production began this spring at Anduril’s Arsenal-1 plant in Pickaway County. The company expects the facility to employ 250 workers by year’s end and has said it could support as many as 4,000 jobs over the next decade.

The drone is designed to fly alongside crewed fighters, including the F-35. Rival manufacturer General Atomics is scheduled to test-fire its competing aircraft this fall.

Couple Accused of Fraud Believed To Be in Africa

A former Powell couple accused of defrauding Ohio’s Medicaid program of $9.3 million is believed to have left the U.S. for Africa.

Attorney General Andy Wilson said Roberta Acheampong, 39, and her husband, Godfred Owusu-Sekyere, 46, are believed to be living in Kenya or Ghana and could face extradition. A Franklin County grand jury indicted the couple this week on 12 felony counts.

Investigators said the couple operated a behavioral health clinic that billed Medicaid for services that were never provided. They allegedly exploited refugees seeking resettlement assistance, forged documents, and stole the identities of translation and transportation workers to submit fraudulent claims.

Authorities said bank records showed the allegedly stolen Medicaid funds were funneled through multiple accounts to finance real estate purchases and a Porsche.

In separate cases, 10 other Ohio Medicaid providers were indicted this week and accused of stealing a combined $563,860 from the taxpayer-funded program.

Ohio Tourism Reaches Record High

Ohio welcomed a record 245 million visitors in 2025, generating nearly $58 billion for the state’s economy, tourism officials announced.

Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel pointed to the figures as evidence of the attractions available throughout the state. Ohio’s tourism industry now supports more than 447,000 jobs.

Overnight visitors spend approximately three times more than day-trippers, according to the state. Officials said new flights from carriers such as JetBlue, Southwest, and Air Canada are opening Ohio to additional markets. Visitation has increased every year since 2021.

Officials also announced a marketing partnership with the Greater Columbus Convention Center designed to encourage its more than 1 million annual guests to visit destinations across Ohio.

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Big Money Gets In Pre-IPO in AI

AI stocks now make up about 45% of the S&P 500. But, in AI, the smart money increasingly moves sooner because the biggest breakout gains often happen when investors get in before companies go public. In fact, last year, a whopping 67% of private-stage investments were in AI companies, up from 9% in 2022.

And yet, those opportunities are almost always reserved for the 1%.

Restaurant robotics pioneer Miso Robotics isn’t, and 40K everyday folks like you have already joined big money players like industry powerhouse Ecolab as investors.

Miso’s Flippy Fry Station AI robot has logged 200K+ hours in kitchens across the $1T fast-food industry. Its tech is used by big-name customers like White Castle, Jersey Mike’s, Cinnabon, and more. And Miso just acquired ~300 patents from Zume Pizza, a food robotics pioneer that raised $450 million.

Flippy alone represents a $4B/year revenue opportunity in the US. Become an early-stage shareholder in Miso today. Hurry to earn bonus shares.

➤ Statewide: Democrat Sherrod Brown outraised Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted for the fourth consecutive quarter, collecting $17.1 million compared with Husted’s $7.7 million ahead of the Nov. 3 special election. (More)

➤ Also Statewide: An air quality alert will remain in effect across Ohio through today as smoke from more than 830 Canadian wildfires drifts over the state. Health officials are urging older adults and people with respiratory conditions to limit their time outdoors. (More)

➤ Sunbury: The city council placed a resident-backed charter amendment on the Nov. 3 ballot that would ban large data centers following opposition to a proposed $2 billion Amazon campus. (More)

➤ Ironton: A city council member is proposing an ordinance that would prohibit Ironton from contracting with mass-surveillance camera companies such as Flock, citing privacy concerns. (See Details)

➤ Central Ohio: Two men accused of planning a drone-and-sniper attack on a White House UFC event, including 19-year-old Tycen Proper of Danville, pleaded not guilty in federal court. (More)

➤ Clarksville: The village’s former mayor and his ex-wife face felony charges alleging they pocketed utility payments after auditors found that $70,000 never reached village accounts. (More)

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➤ Cincinnati Reds All-Star right-hander Chase Burns agreed to a seven-year, $105 million contract that runs through 2033 and contains no club options. The 23-year-old is 11-1 with 118 strikeouts through 18 starts this season. (More)

➤ Myles Garrett, the former Cleveland Browns star, won two ESPYs, including Best Record-Breaking Performance for the single-season record of 23 sacks he set with Cleveland in 2025. (See Details)

➤ Cleveland’s incoming WNBA franchise named KeyBank its first founding partner ahead of the team’s 2028 debut at Rocket Arena. The partnership will sponsor a fan membership platform and game-day features, including the High-Five Tunnel. (More)

➤ Matt Ponatoski, a Moeller graduate, reported to the University of Kentucky to begin his college football career but hasn’t ruled out signing with the Cincinnati Reds after the team drafted him. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: The Open | MLB | WNBA

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➤ Schwebel Baking Co., the 120-year-old Youngstown bread maker, has ended efforts to sell the company and begun winding down operations. (More)

➤ Power costs across Ohio are expected to remain high after a regional grid auction again reached its price cap of $325 per megawatt-day for 2028-29. Officials attributed the result to surging demand from new data centers. (See Details)

➤ A Toledo bar can reopen after a state appeals court ruled that the city improperly extended a post-shooting closure beyond the one-year legal limit. The owner said the prolonged shutdown cost 26 employees their jobs. (More)

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“Cobots” Are Transforming This $1T Market

They’re not replacing humans; they’re working with them. That’s the promise of “cobots,” or collaborative robots.

In a robotics market NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang called “one of the largest industries ever,” the cobot segment is projected to grow 15X by 2035.

And Miso Robotics is proving its value in the $1T fast-food industry.

Their Flippy fry station AI robot boosts restaurant profits up to 4X, already logging 200K hours in live kitchens alongside human employees for brands like White Castle.

Flippy carries $4B/year in U.S. revenue potential on its own. And that's just one piece of Miso’s platform.

Big-name brands like Jersey Mike’s and Cinnabon just became customers. Industry powerhouse Ecolab already invested. Join them as an early-stage shareholder in Miso today. Hurry for bonus shares.

This is a paid advertisement for Miso Robotics’ Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.misorobotics.com

➤ The U.S. Navy Blue Angels will headline the 2027 Columbus Air Show at Rickenbacker International Airport from July 9-11, marking their third Ohio appearance in five years. (See Details)

➤ Cincinnati-based Skyline Chili and Akron’s Swensons Drive-In made USA Today’s fan-voted ranking of America’s 10 best regional fast-food chains. (See Ranking)

➤ A sneaker shop in Columbus’ Short North turned to social media after surveillance footage captured a man allegedly stealing a pink jacket. Local followers spotted him downtown, helping the store recover the jacket within six hours. (More)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ President Trump's longtime teleprompter operator is accused of using inside knowledge of the president's speeches to win $100,000 in bets. (Hear Details)

➤ Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth is now mandating annual testosterone screening for service members over 30 years old across the entire military. (Hear Episode)

➤ The Trump administration is moving to fence off a historic public square beside the White House, escalating a broader security overhaul. (Listen Now)

Should the U.S. military use autonomous fighter jets?

Yesterday's Results:

Are the skies hazy where you live?

Yes—in Ohio: 27%
Maybe a little: 19%
No—in Ohio: 19%
No—outside Ohio: 18%
Yes—outside Ohio: 17%

In which television drama about military attorneys did actress Karri Turner portray Ohio native Phyllis Diller?

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Crime Drops, Canadian Haze, and Pickle Palooza

FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2026

Good morning! On this day in 1775, Virginia’s Third Revolutionary Convention convened at St. John’s Church in Richmond amid the collapse of royal authority. Delegates formed a military structure for defense, created the influential Committee of Safety as an executive body, and solidified the colony’s transition toward self-governance and independence.

Virginia State Police issued a report stating that violent crime has dropped to a five-year low across the Commonwealth. Learn more in Top Stories.

Today’s sponsor is Miso Robotics, offering investors the opportunity to get in early on an AI-powered restaurant automation company before it goes public.

Violent Crime Drops to 5-Year Low

Violent crime in Virginia fell 5.9% in 2025 to its lowest level in five years, according to the Virginia State Police’s annual Crime in Virginia report.

The state logged 18,693 victims of violent crime, which includes murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault—down from the prior year. Reported homicides dropped 13.9%, from 439 to 378, and reported rapes saw the steepest decline at roughly 16%.

Firearms were involved in 73.7% of homicides, and nearly half occurred in a home, state police said. Petersburg, Newport News, Roanoke, and Richmond ranked highest for violent crime.

Motor vehicle thefts fell 21%, and drug offenses dropped 6%. The agency published the figures in an online dashboard for the first time this year.

Canadian Smoke Hazes Virginia Skies

Smoke from Canadian wildfires spread over Virginia this week, turning skies a hazy yellow-orange that forecasters expect to linger today.

The Washington region, including Northern Virginia, fell under a Code Orange air-quality alert as smoke settled closer to the ground, with feels-like temperatures pushing toward 105 degrees.

While much of the smoke remained at thousands of feet above Central Virginia, sparing ground-level air quality for a time, experts urged residents with asthma or heart conditions to keep windows closed and limit time outside.

Fine-particle pollution, or PM2.5, poses the greatest risk to children, older adults, and people with respiratory illness.

Canada has seen roughly 4.5 million acres burn so far this season, and the fires show no sign of easing.

Diarrhea Parasite Cases Climb

Virginia has recorded 37 cases of cyclosporiasis, a parasite that causes weeks of watery diarrhea, with the Virginia Department of Health reporting a rise in cases this week. The cases aren’t clustered in any one area.

Nationally, the CDC has counted more than 7,000 cases and calls it one of its largest foodborne outbreaks in years, far above the 249 confirmed by this time in 2025. No single food source has been identified.

The parasite spreads through contaminated food or water, not person to person, and is often tied to fresh produce. Health officials urge Virginians to wash produce thoroughly, though only cooking reliably kills it.

Symptoms include watery diarrhea, bloating, and nausea, and they can persist for weeks without treatment. Severe cases can lead to dehydration.

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Big Money Gets In Pre-IPO in AI

And yet, those opportunities are almost always reserved for the 1%.

Restaurant robotics pioneer Miso Robotics isn’t, and 40K everyday folks like you have already joined big money players like industry powerhouse Ecolab as investors.

Flippy alone represents a $4B/year revenue opportunity in the US. Become an early-stage shareholder in Miso today. Hurry to earn bonus shares.

➤ Statewide: Virginia closed fiscal year 2026 with a preliminary $936.3 million General Fund surplus, as tax collections beat expectations on strong payroll withholding and higher income-tax payments. (More)

➤ Fairfax County: Police are deploying AI-enabled body cameras and response drones, including Axon Body 4 cameras that translate 57 languages in real time, useful in a county where more than 180 languages are spoken. (More)

➤ Harrisonburg: The city council pledged to remove Flock Safety license plate cameras and end its contract in late July, after residents packed a council meeting to protest the cameras. (More)

➤ Roanoke: Residents and businesses are pressing the city to address a growing deer population they say is causing significant problems around town. (More)

➤ McLean: Former Gov. Glenn Youngkin joined McLean-based venture studio Red Cell Partners as partner and chairman, returning to private investment after leaving office in January. The firm builds national security, cyber, and healthcare startups. (More)

➤ Virginia Beach: The city council advanced the long-stalled Historic Kempsville project, approving a survey of the 10-acre site near Princess Anne and Witchduck roads to pursue development that preserves the area’s historic character. (More)

Like The Virginia Flyover? Share it with a friend! ✈️

➤ The ACC overhauled its football tiebreaker rules for 2026 after last season’s five-way tie sent five-loss Duke to the conference championship game over higher-ranked Miami. Duke went on to defeat Virginia for the title. (More)

➤ UVA football coach Tony Elliott named Missouri transfer Beau Pribula the Cavaliers’ starting quarterback entering preseason camp, following the program’s record-setting 11-win season in 2025. (More)

➤ Liberty University field hockey standout Bethany Dykema earned a place on the U.S. women’s national team roster for the FIH Women’s World Cup. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: The Open | MLB | WNBA

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➤ Dominion Energy and Florida-based NextEra Energy filed for regulatory approval of their roughly $67 billion merger. The deal would create the largest U.S. regulated electric utility, serving about 10 million accounts. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, Dominion Energy is moving ahead with a proposed 3-gigawatt natural gas plant in Cumberland County, a project that has divided nearby residents. (More)

➤ Emerson Intelligent Platforms will close its Albemarle County facility near Charlottesville, cutting 139 jobs as it folds the unit into parent Emerson’s DeltaV platform. An earlier round cut 87 jobs last year. (More)

➤ Virginia dropped RiverStreet Networks from several rural broadband projects after years of delays, once the company told the state’s broadband office it couldn’t secure funding to connect more than 30,000 potential customers. (More)

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“Cobots” Are Transforming This $1T Market

They’re not replacing humans; they’re working with them. That’s the promise of “cobots,” or collaborative robots.

In a robotics market NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang called “one of the largest industries ever,” the cobot segment is projected to grow 15X by 2035.

And Miso Robotics is proving its value in the $1T fast-food industry.

Big-name brands like Jersey Mike’s and Cinnabon just became customers. Industry powerhouse Ecolab already invested. Join them as an early-stage shareholder in Miso today. Hurry for bonus shares.

This is a paid advertisement for Miso Robotics’ Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.misorobotics.com

➤ A bald eagle rescued from a Smithfield pool with life-threatening lead poisoning was successfully released back into the wild July 10 at Chippokes State Park after six weeks of treatment and rehabilitation by the Wildlife Center of Virginia. (See Photo)

➤ A Tudor’s Biscuit World deposit bag holding more than $430, sealed in a wall since 1992, surfaced during renovations at the Western Virginia Water Authority. The authority donated the cash to Tudor House, a mental-health nonprofit, for crisis comfort bags. (See Photo)

➤ The 2nd Annual Suffolk Pickle Palooza returns to Downtown Festival Park this Sunday, offering free pickle-inspired foods, live music, craft vendors, and family fun from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (More)

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➤ President Trump's longtime teleprompter operator is accused of using inside knowledge of the president's speeches to win $100,000 in bets. (Hear Details)

➤ Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth is now mandating annual testosterone screening for service members over 30 years old across the entire military. (Hear Episode)

➤ The Trump administration is moving to fence off a historic public square beside the White House, escalating a broader security overhaul. (Listen Now)