TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2026

Good morning! On this day in 1865, Annie Jones was born in Marion. She grew a beard as a small child and became P.T. Barnum's famous “Bearded Lady,” a sideshow star who campaigned against the word “freak” before dying of tuberculosis at 37.

Thomas Jefferson’s boyhood home just went on the market. Learn more in Top Stories, then let us know if you’d consider buying it by replying to our Poll or this email.

Are you frustrated with a phone battery that never seems to last the day? You are not alone, and the fix usually is not a trip to the store or a few hundred dollars for a new device. A handful of settings buried in your phone are quietly draining power all day long, and most of them are switched on by default without you ever knowing. In today's episode of The Flyover Podcast, Ayla walks through seven quick changes that can stretch your battery well past what you are getting now. Tune in here to learn more.

Today's sponsor, hear.com, introduces the nearly invisible Horizon IX hearing aids, designed to deliver crystal-clear conversations in noisy environments with advanced dual-processing technology, and backed by a 45-day no-risk trial.

Virginia Leaders Pay Tribute to Graham

Virginia Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine paid tribute to South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham on Sunday, a day after Graham died at 71, following a brief, sudden illness that a medical examiner attributed to an aortic tear.

Warner, the state’s senior senator and a Democrat, said he was “heartbroken,” adding that while the two “disagreed on plenty over the years,” he never doubted Graham's love of country or his commitment to the armed forces.

Kaine, also a Democrat, wrote on X that he was shocked by the news, praised Graham’s support for Ukraine, and urged the Senate to pass the Russia sanctions bill Graham had championed.

His death sets a South Carolina special election in motion. Gov. Henry McMaster will appoint a temporary replacement, and Rep. Nancy Mace is weighing a run for the seat.

Jefferson’s Boyhood Home Lists for $17M

Historic Tuckahoe, the roughly 300-year-old Goochland estate where a young Thomas Jefferson spent seven years of his childhood, hit the market Sunday with a $17 million asking price.

The listing marks the first time in nearly a century that the 557-acre property along the James River has been for sale. The Thompson family has owned it since 1935.

The two-story main house, built in 1712 and expanded in the 1730s, spans 6,500 square feet with five bedrooms and eight fireplaces. The plantation was established by the Randolph family, and its surviving outbuildings include the schoolhouse where Jefferson was taught and two former slave quarters.

Listing agent Murdoch Matheson called the house "a jewel of Virginia" and said it is in "remarkably excellent shape." The price is the highest for a Richmond-area home in years.

Electric Aircraft Program Launches in Charlottesville

Virginia hosted the first flight of a federal advanced air mobility pilot program in Charlottesville on Friday, using a BETA Technologies electric aircraft to carry organs through the national airspace.

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration designed the program to fold electric aircraft into the national airspace system, and Friday’s demonstration flew a corridor linking Virginia and Maryland. Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania jointly won the federal award.

BETA Technologies CEO Kyle Clark called the low-cost electric flights "a massive, massive unlock" for the thousands of small airports across the country.

Officials said future demonstrations will move to other parts of the state and carry passengers, medical supplies, and cargo, with the program set to expand to at least 26 states. Lawmakers have committed $1.5 million toward a state advanced air mobility test site.

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➤ Northern Virginia: The U.S. Department of Justice will send federal election monitors to Fairfax and Prince William counties for Virginia’s Aug. 4 congressional primaries, part of a plan covering 15 localities in six states. (More)

➤ Fairfax County: Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are seeking custody of Juan Arevalo Mendez—who was arrested on rape and kidnapping charges—should he be released from local jail. ICE has already lodged an immigration detainer. (More)

➤ Suffolk: Hundreds rallied in Suffolk on Sunday to protest the ICE detention of Victor Alfredo Perez Martin, whose arrest was captured in a video that spread widely online days earlier. (More)

➤ Southwest Virginia: Eight school-based health clinics have closed across the region as federally qualified health centers face mounting financial pressure and shrinking savings from the federal 340B drug-pricing program. The Virginia Community Healthcare Association is urging federal lawmakers to step in. (See Details)

➤ Petersburg: State lawmakers again delayed a vote on closing Hiram Davis Medical Center, a state-run facility that currently cares for 22 residents with complex medical and behavioral needs. Legislators want answers about where the at-risk patients would go before the planned 2027 closure. (More)

➤ Hampton Roads: A large weekend gathering of teenagers at Virginia Beach’s Surge Adventure Park has renewed concerns about meetups organized on social media, prompting staff to call police. (More)

➤ Potomac River: Scientists have blamed a combination of record heat, drought, and pollution for massive fish kills in Virginia and Maryland, with water in the river reaching 96 degrees. (More)

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➤ As the 2026 MLB Draft wrapped up Sunday, UVA, Virginia Tech, Liberty, George Mason, and VCU all had players selected—led by UVA’s AJ Gracia to the Braves. (See Final Picks)

➤ The New York Yankees completed a three-game sweep with a 5-3 win at Nationals Park on Sunday, sending Washington into the All-Star break on a skid. (More)

➤ The 2026 USA Cycling Endurance Mountain Bike National Championships got underway in the Roanoke Valley over the weekend, opening a week of racing that USA Cycling has committed to bringing back to the Star City through 2027. (More)

➤ A new hockey venue with an NHL-sized rink has opened in Chesterfield, operated by Chesterfield Sports Enterprises, an entity tied to hockey booster Fred Festa. Festa also owns the Powhatan Ice Den and has pushed to bring minor league hockey back to the Richmond area. (More)

➤ Yesterday's Results: WNBA

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➤ Powhatan County Planning Commission deferred a vote on a proposed 700-acre motorsports park southwest of Rocky Ford Road, where the company wants to build a family-oriented area for ATV and dirt-bike riding. The company already operates a similar park in Orange County. (More)

➤ Chesterfield County residents get their first chance during open house meetings on Wednesday and Thursday to question Google about three planned data center campuses, amid concerns over water use, electricity demand, noise, and closeness to homes. (More)

➤ A new study reveals that the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, which opened in 1991 and supports 148 regional jobs, generates about $30 million a year for the local economy. (More)

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➤ Virginia Beach oceanfront sand hit nearly 130 degrees on a partly cloudy mid-July day with 90-degree air temperatures, hot enough to cause first-degree burns in seconds. (More)

➤ Newport News model Trinity Tatum and her partner, Bryce Dettloff, won Season 8 of Love Island USA, taking the most fan votes and splitting a $100,000 prize. (More)

➤ Brittany Mills became the first graduate of the Excel Center in Roanoke, Virginia's first high school for adults, earning her diploma 19 years after a car accident forced her to drop out. The school offers childcare and tutoring to help adult learners. (See Photo)

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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:

➤ How can you make your phone battery last significantly longer without buying a new device? (Hear More)

➤ Homeless encampments have taken over 12 blocks near a popular New York City museum, and workers say the city has stopped clearing them. (Hear Episode)

➤ A fire tore through a crowded bar in Thailand this weekend, killing dozens. (Listen Now)