THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2026

Good morning! On this day in 1824, civil engineer and Confederate brigadier general Gabriel Colvin Wharton was born in Culpeper County. He graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1847 and later helped develop railroads in Southwest Virginia. He lived in Radford until he died in 1906.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger is courting new business in Europe this week. Learn more in Top Stories.

Is the password you've been trusting for years already floating around in criminal databases? The Federal Trade Commission receives more than one million identity theft reports each year. Yet the strongest defense available isn't some pricey security service. It's a feature already built into your phone, one that most people have never turned on. In today's episode of The Flyover Podcast, Ayla walks through seven simple moves that can lock down your accounts before a hacker gets there first. So which of the seven have you already made, and which one is leaving you exposed? Tune in here!

Seven investing lessons from high net worth investors could change the way you think about retirement. Later today, watch for a message from our partner, Fisher Investments, with a free guide sharing each one.

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Spanberger Leads European Trade Mission

Gov. Abigail Spanberger flew to Europe this week to court new business investment for Virginia, with stops in the United Kingdom, Italy, and France

The delegation includes Secretary of Commerce and Trade Carrie Chenery, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier, and senior officials from the state’s economic development, tourism, and agriculture agencies.

Virginia already hosts European employers such as Britain’s BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce, Italy’s Selex Galileo, and France’s Airbus. The group is scheduled to attend the Farnborough International Airshow, a major aerospace and defense trade show.

“When global companies are considering where to invest in the United States, I always want Virginia to be their first choice,” Spanberger said. The delegation returns this weekend.

Flags Lowered for Fallen Soldier

Gov. Abigail Spanberger ordered flags across Virginia lowered to half-staff Wednesday for 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a 27-year-old Richmond soldier who died trying to rescue a fellow soldier off the coast of Morocco.

Key was deployed to Morocco in May for African Lion, a large multinational military exercise, and was present when a fellow soldier fell from the coastal cliffs of the Cap Draa Training Area into the Atlantic.

The platoon leader directed an improvised rescue and moved to secure her himself before both were lost in the ocean, the governor said. His remains were recovered days later.

For those actions, Key was posthumously awarded the Soldier’s Medal, the Army’s highest honor for heroism outside combat.

Virginia Growing, but More Slowly

A new University of Virginia projection has the state’s population climbing from about 8.9 million today to 9.5 million by 2050—real growth, but at a notably slower pace.

Researchers at UVA’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service tie the slowdown to falling birth rates and an aging population. The baby boom generation will all be over 65 by 2030, which keeps overall numbers rising for now, but the growth rate is projected to shrink between 2030 and 2040.

Virginia recorded a natural population gain of 13,817 between July 2024 and July 2025, with births outnumbering deaths, as the state continues to contribute to Southern growth.

Nationally, the South’s share of the population is expected to grow from 38.1% in 2020 to 42.7% by 2050. U.S. Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 estimates show the South’s population grew 6.0% from 2020 to 2025—nearly double the national 3.1% rate—with all age groups expanding, led by outlying metro counties.

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➤ Statewide: Adult adoptees in Virginia no longer need a court order to obtain a copy of their original birth certificate under a new state law, which now just requires an application with proof of identity and a fee to the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records. (More)

➤ Also Statewide: Virginia’s new budget sets aside nearly $15 million over two years to help Medicaid cover gene therapy for sickle cell disease, tied to a federal payment model. (More)

➤ Dulles: Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority officials are pursuing new routes to expand Dulles International Airport’s reach in Asia and Africa, building on recent nonstop service launches to South Korea and Taiwan plus strong passenger growth to African destinations. (More)

➤ Campbell County: The Board of Supervisors approved a $45 million renovation project for Altavista Combined School, including plumbing and bathroom upgrades, security improvements, and other modernization efforts to address the aging facility. (More)

➤ Newport News: The city’s fire department is adding 20 new positions, including 16 firefighter-medics and four lieutenants, to reduce mandatory overtime, improve emergency response times, and better serve the city’s growing population. (More)

➤ Charlottesville: A UVA study found that homeowners who refinanced mortgages after the 2008 recession via the Home Affordable Refinance Program were more likely to vote in 2012, especially independents, suggesting financial relief boosts civic engagement. (More)

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➤ Virginia football will open the 2027 season at home against Arkansas State on Aug. 28, giving the Cavaliers a “Week Zero” game for the second straight year. It’s the first meeting between the two programs. (More)

➤ Former Texas A&M wide receiver Demond Demas, once a five-star recruit, has committed to Virginia State out of the transfer portal. Demas originally left A&M after off-field incidents and has not played at the FBS level since 2021. (More)

➤ The Washington Nationals cut reliever Justin Lawrence this week, the third team to let him go this season. He pitched for a total of three teams in 2026, allowing runs at nearly three times the league average. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | MLS

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➤ Gun shops statewide resumed selling certain semi-automatic rifles and large-capacity magazines after a Washington County judge’s injunction blocked enforcement of Virginia’s new ban while courts weigh its constitutionality. (More)

➤ The Alliance for Building Better Medicine won a $15.9 million federal grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to launch an “end-to-end” drug-making operation for critical medicines like ketamine and midazolam in the Richmond-Petersburg region. (More)

➤ State regulators declined to delay Dominion’s $513 million Golden to Mars project—a 9-mile, high-voltage transmission line with 185-foot towers meant to power Loudoun County’s data centers—clearing the way for opponents to appeal to the Supreme Court of Virginia. (More)

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➤ UVA Health and Clemson University researchers have developed a framework to help hospitals evaluate and adopt artificial intelligence tools while keeping patient care and safety front and center. (More)

➤ Virginia ranks 12th nationally with a household debt-to-income ratio of 1.57 in the fourth quarter of 2025, reflecting mortgage burdens amid high home prices relative to incomes. (See Map)

➤ Downtown Norfolk Restaurant Week runs through July 26, with 15 participating restaurants offering $20 brunch and lunch menus plus $35 and $45 fixed-price dinners. (See Details)

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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:

➤ Stolen passwords fuel record identity theft, yet the strongest defense sits unused inside your phone. (Hear Details)

➤ Street protests and a rift inside Ukraine's leadership have forced a sweeping shakeup of the country's military command. (Hear Episode)

➤ One winning bid at a sight unseen foreclosure auction turned grim when the new owner found dead bodies inside. (Listen Now)