WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19. 2026

Good morning! On this day in 1969, weakened Hurricane Camille unexpectedly turned east over Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. By 10 p.m., torrential rains struck, dumping up to 27 inches in Nelson County overnight. Flash floods and landslides surprised sleeping residents, knocking out communications and trapping communities.

Former Gov. Glenn Youngkin is making school choice news today. Learn more in Top Stories, then answer our Poll to let us know what kind of school you attended.

Where did margarine go? Why did an entire country stop eating liver almost overnight? The food industry doesn't advertise these changes, but the answers are out there, buried in USDA consumption data, FDA rulings, and a peer-reviewed study that flipped decades of nutrition advice on its head. Today on The Flyover Podcast, Ayla counts down five foods that quietly vanished from the American table, and reveals the one swap science actually got backward. Tune in here!

Today's sponsor, Oricle Hearing Aids, is helping readers hear more clearly without the sky-high prices—offering a tiny, easy-to-use hearing aid with clear sound and all-day power for under $100.

DOJ Reviews William & Mary Scholarships

The U.S. Department of Justice opened a civil rights review Monday of the College of William & Mary, examining whether some scholarships and student benefits use race to decide who qualifies.

The Civil Rights Division is weighing whether the Williamsburg school violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said awarding aid “based on the color of their skin is illegal.“ The department flagged two law-school programs it said favor graduates of historically black colleges.

William & Mary said it is “committed to nondiscriminatory learning environments,” complying with all laws, and reviewing the information, but does not comment on pending legal matters.

The review adds the university to a list of Virginia schools the department has examined. UVA President Jim Ryan resigned in June 2025 amid a similar inquiry.

Spanberger Intervenes in Dominion-NextEra Merger

Gov. Abigail Spanberger formally intervened Monday in the proposed $67 billion merger of Dominion Energy and Florida-based NextEra Energy, filing with the State Corporation Commission that must approve the deal.

It is the first time a sitting Virginia governor has intervened at the SCC, which is weighing what would be the largest utility merger in U.S. history. Spanberger said she remains “skeptical of the benefits this merger would deliver to Virginia,” and laid out three priorities: lower bills, protection for utility workers, and progress toward local, clean power.

Dominion Chairman and CEO Robert Blue welcomed her involvement, pointing to $1.78 billion in NextEra-funded bill credits for Virginia customers and pledges to keep the company’s headquarters and jobs in the Commonwealth.

Republican lawmakers called last month for a special General Assembly session to scrutinize the deal.

Youngkin Group Pushes Federal School Choice

A new advocacy group founded by former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has launched a multimillion-dollar ad campaign pressing Pennsylvania and other states to opt into a federal school-choice tax credit.

The group, Empowering America's Parents, is promoting the Education Freedom Tax Credit, part of the 2025 federal tax law, which offers donors a credit of up to $1,700 for gifts to organizations that fund private-school scholarships.

Thirty states have opted in while 20 have not, Youngkin said, with nearly all of the holdouts led by Democrats. Teachers unions and groups such as the American Federation of Teachers oppose the credits, arguing they pull money away from public schools.

Youngkin, who left office in January and is viewed as a possible 2028 presidential contender, is targeting battleground states including Arizona, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

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➤ Ettrick: Virginia State University has kept an 11 p.m. curfew and other safety limits in place after a shooting outside campus dorms early Saturday wounded five people, only one a student. Police are still searching for additional suspects. (More)

➤ Fairfax County: Abdulloi Toshpulodzoda, a man committed to Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute after being found not guilty by reason of insanity in a 2019 killing, flew from Dulles to Tajikistan on July 6 during a weekend pass and never returned. A bench warrant was issued after he failed to return. (See Details)

➤ Richmond: The city released a third draft of its “Code Refresh” zoning overhaul, possibly the final version and Richmond's first rewrite since 1976. Mayor Danny Avula's team scaled back a plan for multiple homes per lot to a “1+1” provision and added height limits. (More)

➤ Caroline County: A 22-year-old Michigan State University club hockey captain, Preston Korytkowski, died early Saturday when his Honda CR-V struck a disabled tractor-trailer on the shoulder of I-95 North in Caroline County. The truck driver had minor injuries, and the crash remains under investigation. (More)

➤ Surry County: The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry will get a $68 million federal grant to replace one of its aging vessels with a lower-emission boat. The free, 24-hour ferry carries about 800,000 vehicles a year across the James River. (More)

➤ Spotsylvania County: Over 100 vehicles burned early Monday at Pick-A-Part salvage yard on Patriot Highway near Fredericksburg. More than 30 firefighters fought hot spots for hours after the 4 a.m. call. No one was hurt, and the cause is under investigation. (More)

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➤ Washington Nationals All-Star CJ Abrams’ agent said he’s not thrilled about the team’s decision to move Abrams from shortstop to second base. Abrams leads the majors with 19 errors at shortstop this season but started at the position in the MLB All-Star Game. (More)

➤ Virginia Tech football picked up 6 votes in the first preseason AP Top 25 poll, landing just outside the top 30. Three other Virginia schools also received votes: James Madison (3), Liberty (1), and UVA (1). (More)

➤ Chesapeake native Lauren Coughlin clinched a spot on the 2026 U.S. Solheim Cup team, her second selection after going 3-0-1 in her debut two years ago. The three-time LPGA Tour winner and UVA graduate was recently inducted into the Virginia Golf Hall of Fame. (More)

➤ The Washington Commanders signed veteran linebacker Krys Barnes and released kicker Jake Moody this week. The move hands the kicking job to undrafted rookie Drew Stevens, who’s outperformed Moody throughout preseason training camp. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | Tennis

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➤ Elbit Systems of America in Roanoke County is building night vision goggles for the U.S. military inside a high-security plant and is one of only two makers in the country trusted to do so. Rising global demand has the facility expanding and hiring hundreds locally. (More)

➤ More than 40 former patients have settled civil claims over abuse and neglect at Cumberland Hospital for Children and Adolescents in New Kent County, ending a six-year fight. (More)

➤ Onancock volunteers are dressing up empty storefronts, one filled with 1,000 butterflies and another with painted flowers, to lure new businesses downtown. The “Open for Business” push by Onancock Main Street has also handed out 13 grants for building improvements. (More)

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➤ Virginia’s apple harvest is expected to fall sharply this year, from about 149 million pounds in 2025 to an estimated 77 million pounds, the USDA reports. A hard late-spring freeze during bloom damaged orchards across the state. (More)

➤ A new ConsumerAffairs report ranks Virginia’s public schools 9th-best in the nation, down two spots from last year. The state scored 6th for K-12 academic outcomes but 30th for school safety. Massachusetts topped the list. (More)

➤ Virginia ranks 26th among the most fun states in America for 2026, according to a new report, scoring 38.24 overall with ranks of 25th in entertainment and recreation and 39th in nightlife. (See Rankings)

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➤ What Do These 7 Common Symptoms Have in Common? Muscle cramps, restless nights, and brain fog are often blamed on stress, aging, or lack of sleep. But researchers are exploring another factor that may connect these everyday complaints. Magnesium could be part of the picture, and certain medications may make the signs easier to overlook. Discover the 7 signs to watch for >>

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:

➤ Your childhood kitchen held these five staples that America has abandoned, and experts now say one is healthier than butter. (See Foods)

➤ Fraternity pledges were allegedly forced to cut and bag cocaine for a sprawling drug ring at Penn State. (Hear Details)

➤ Reports of worsening conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln are raising serious questions about life on the warship. (Listen Now)