Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1842, Josiah Thomas Walls was born into slavery in Winchester. He was the first black man elected to Congress from Florida and served three terms from 1871 to 1876.

The Virginia Flyover recently asked whether readers would be willing or able to give up their smartphones, as some UVA students did.

A former helicopter pilot wrote to say the devices are "too demanding and cumbersome" and have become "an addiction that few people can control, and the victims range from children to 80-year-old grandmothers."

Hit reply to this email to tell us why you would (or wouldn't) be willing to switch back to a flip phone in 2026.

In today's Flyover Podcast, Ayla Brown takes a closer look at a handful of pivotal Senate races that could shape control of the chamber in 2026, breaking down the candidates and key dynamics to watch. Watch the episode here.

Today's sponsor, American Hartford Gold, is urging readers to take a hard look at whether their retirement savings are truly prepared for rising healthcare costs, market volatility, and an uncertain economic future.

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.

Child Exploitation Arrest

Prince William County police arrested Bryan Barahona-Peraza and charged him with the production of child pornography.

The 34-year-old is accused of soliciting underage minors online to engage in inappropriate acts.

Detectives raided his Bristow home last week as part of an "ongoing child pornography investigation" and seized additional evidence.

No court date has been set, and Barahona-Peraza is being held without bail.

Museum Director Killed

William "Bill" Martin, the 71-year-old director of The Valentine in Richmond, was killed when he was hit by a car over the weekend.

Police said the driver struck Martin, who was in a crosswalk, while turning left onto Broad Street. The driver remained at the scene and is expected to face charges.

"Bill was a Richmond icon, an historian who worked tirelessly to tell Richmond's stories in new and lasting ways, with a particular passion for telling the fullness of our City's complex history, but always pointing us forward," Richmond Mayor Danny Avula said.

Martin ran The Valentine for 32 years. The facility put out a statement lauding his commitment "to telling Richmond's stories with care, integrity and a deep love for this community."

New Year's Eve Happenings

New Year's Eve is tomorrow, but there's still time to make plans, and Virginia offers plenty of options.

Portsmouth is home to some early celebrations, including the Olde Towne Scottish Walk, which begins at 4 p.m., and the Children's Museum of Virginia's Noon New Year's Eve at 11 a.m.

In Roanoke, the Taubman Museum of Art will host a celebration that also marks the kickoff of the facility's 75th anniversary. The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center offers a New Year's Eve Gala Celebration.

Richmonders may want to check out A Wicked New Years Eve at the Quirk Hotel. The event features themes from the movie, including a yellow brick road and flying monkeys.

Fans of the classic Patrick Swayze film can celebrate at the Dancing Through the Decades event in Pembroke, hosted at the resort where Dirty Dancing was filmed in the 1980s.

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Americans Greatly Underestimate Their Retirement Needs

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➤ Washington, D.C.: Brian Cole Jr., the Woodbridge resident suspected of placing pipe bombs outside DNC and RNC headquarters on Jan. 5, 2021, reportedly told prosecutors that "something just snapped" as he followed news about the election, and that he was infuriated with both political parties. (Details)

➤ Orange: State Sen. Bryce Reeves ended his short-lived campaign for the U.S. Senate, citing a "serious family health matter." His withdrawal means there is no high-profile Republican set to face three-term incumbent Sen. Mark Warner. (More)

➤ Pittsylvania County: A state police officer shot and killed Jacob Wesley Adkins, 25, who had allegedly fired a rifle at the officer after his vehicle was disabled during a chase. The trooper suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. (More)

➤ Statewide: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is expected to decide by the end of the year whether to approve the VA Rural Vitality program. The proposal could result in the Commonwealth receiving $1 billion from the federal Rural Health Transformation Fund. (Details)

➤ Springfield: The family of Mary Wong, killed in a hit-and-run while walking near her home two years ago, asked anyone with information about the incident to come forward. Fairfax County police think she was struck by a Dodge Avenger, but have no other details about the vehicle or driver. (Details)

➤ Virginia Beach: First responders are proceeding more quietly under a policy implemented last month. Ambulances are operating without flashing lights and sirens unless they are deemed medically necessary. (More)

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➤ James Madison men's basketball faced a tough challenge last night on the road at No. 18 Arkansas. (More)

➤ UVA women's basketball opened ACC play at home last night against SMU. (See Score)

➤ Virginia Tech tried to hire South Carolina defensive backs coach Torrian Gray, but the Gamecocks convinced him to stay by promoting him and giving him a raise. (Details)

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➤ Direct Meds makes medically supervised weight-loss simple by connecting you with licensed U.S. doctors online who can prescribe real GLP-1 medications like semaglutide or tirzepatide and deliver them to your door, helping reduce appetite and support your weight-management goals without insurance or clinic visits. (LEARN MORE)

➤ The average price of gasoline edged up over the last week in Virginia, coming in at $2.72 per gallon yesterday, according to GasBuddy. That is 11.8 cents less than last month and 15.9 cents less than this time last year. (Details)

➤ Virginia's minimum wage will increase to $12.77 per hour for 2026, a 36-cent increase. The jump is tied to the 2.9% increase in the Consumer Price Index in 2024. (More)

➤ The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality approved an air permit for the Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center, a natural gas-fired electricity plant that would be located on the site of a retired coal plant. (Details)

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➤ HousingForward Virginia and the National Zoning Atlas published a report suggesting ways to increase the amount of housing available in the Commonwealth. (What It Found)

➤ A five-year-old raised $2,700 for the Patrick County Animal Shelter with his second-annual fundraiser. "I want them to have a Merry Christmas, too," Noah Beasley explained. (More)

➤ The Virginia Zoo will host its annual Noon Year's Eve celebration tomorrow morning. (Details)

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➤ Scientists discovered that men with early prostate infection have this ONE thing in common...The tests done on 2,398 men revealed that the urine of those with early prostate problems had the same color...98% of the experts believe that this can put your life at risk. Watch this video presenting a simple 3-minute ritual that will quickly fix any prostate problems.