Monday, October 26, 2026

Erika Kirk Visits Liberty, Best College Town, and a Skeleton Festival

Erika Kirk, CEO and Chairwoman of Turning Point USA, told thousands of students at Liberty University's convocation Friday that returning to the Lynchburg campus “feels like coming home.”

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Article Icon 1Erika Kirk Speaks at Liberty Convocation

Erika Kirk, CEO and Chairwoman of Turning Point USA, told thousands of students at Liberty University's convocation Friday that returning to the Lynchburg campus “feels like coming home.”

Kirk, who earned a graduate degree from Liberty in 2019, reflected on the year since her husband, conservative activist Charlie Kirk, was killed while speaking at a Utah university in September 2025.

She urged students toward humility and service over online outrage, closing with a prayer: “Less of me, more of him. Here I am, Lord. Send me.”

Charlie Kirk, who helped found what is now Liberty’s Standing for Freedom Center, was a frequent convocation guest. Erika Kirk was a keynote speaker at the center’s Freedom Uncensored conference on campus over the weekend, where Liberty awarded her an honorary doctorate.

Article Icon 1Democrats Question Lucas Indictment Timing

Gov. Abigail Spanberger and other Democrats are questioning the timing of a federal indictment against state Sen. Louise Lucas, the Senate’s president pro tempore and a Portsmouth Democrat.

The indictment was unsealed Thursday, less than two weeks before Election Day, and charges her with racketeering conspiracy, marijuana distribution, and money laundering.

Lucas, 82, surrendered and was released on her own recognizance. She and six others, including two daughters and a grandson, face charges in what prosecutors describe as a marijuana-trafficking and money-laundering scheme.

Spanberger and fellow Democrats said the unsealing broke with the Justice Department’s long-standing custom of avoiding charges so close to an election.

U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche rejected claims of political payback, saying the investigation began years ago and that there was “nothing improper” about the timing. Lucas, who is not on the ballot, is set to be arraigned Nov. 16.

Article Icon 1Williamsburg Porch Collapse Injures 28

A porch collapsed at a Williamsburg home during a homecoming gathering late Friday, injuring 28 people, including William & Mary students.

Crews were called to the 200 block of Matoaka Court around 10 p.m., where members of the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity and Delta Gamma sorority had gathered to celebrate Homecoming weekend, and found the porch had given way.

Thirteen people were taken to hospitals by ambulance and 15 more sought treatment on their own. None of the injuries were life-threatening, and officials said the count could rise as more people come forward. William & Mary confirmed its students were among the injured and said it would support them.

The city sent its Code Compliance Division to inspect the site. The cause of the collapse was not immediately clear.

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Around Virginia

➤ Augusta County: Prosecutors rested their case Friday on Day 4 of the trial of former Nexus executives Michael Donovan and Richard Moore, charged with stealing over $400,000 from Zachary Cruz, after calling final witnesses. (More)

➤ Norfolk: Norfolk State University senior Semaj Richelle Coleman, 22, was killed Saturday night in what police say was an accidental shooting in a parking lot on East Virginia Beach Boulevard. A 23-year-old man faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and reckless handling of a firearm. (More)

➤ Virginia Beach: Thousands of breast cancer survivors and supporters walked the Virginia Beach Oceanfront on Saturday morning for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. (See Photos)

➤ Richmond: Two men were wounded in a shooting near Virginia Union University during homecoming Saturday night after an altercation near Henderson Hall escalated, according to Richmond Police. Neither man’s injuries were life-threatening. (More)

➤ Bedford County: A hiker who fell on Sharp Top Mountain was carried out and taken to a hospital Saturday evening with injuries that were not life-threatening, according to the Bedford Fire Department. (More)

➤ Charlottesville ranks as the third-best college town in America in a new study, trailing only Austin, Texas, and Ann Arbor, Michigan. It also placed second among small cities. (See Rankings)


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Virginia Sports

➤ The Washington Commanders look to address their struggling defense, which holds the NFL’s worst success rate on first downs this season, as they come off their bye this week. (More)

➤ Washington Capitals forward Alex Tuch led the team to a comeback victory over the Buffalo Sabres, his former team, on Saturday, scoring two goals, including a game-winner in overtime. (See Highlight)

➤ The Washington Wizards held a 21-point lead early in the fourth quarter of their weekend matchup against the Chicago Bulls, but a late comeback forced a tight game before Washington prevailed 124-120 to earn their second win of the young season. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NHL | NBA | Soccer | Golf | NASCAR | F1

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In case you missed it, last week’s Flyover Focus counted down 10 small towns that changed American history. (Watch Now)

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Virginia Business

➤ Home sales across Virginia are cooling, with 8,410 homes sold in September, a 4.2% drop from a year ago. Pending sales are down 14.3%, active listings jumped 20.4%, and the median price held at $420,000. (More)

➤ Maximus will acquire Agile Defense for $660 million in cash, expanding its defense and national security capabilities with cybersecurity, AI, and digital expertise from the McLean-based firm. (More)

➤ Whole Foods will open its first Chesterfield store on Nov. 19 at Midlothian Depot, a 37,636-square-foot location that becomes the organic grocer’s third in the Richmond region. (More)

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Et Cetera

➤ Ghosts, goblins, and ghouls filled downtown Harrisonburg on Saturday for the 15th annual Skeleton Festival, a family-friendly fall celebration hosted by Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance. (Watch Report)

➤ G.W. Carver High’s class of 1976, the first in Henry County to spend all five years in an integrated high school, gathered recently for a 50th reunion in Martinsville. When the county integrated, it kept the historically black school open and sent white students there. (See Photos)

➤ The Franklin County bluegrass band Lost & Found was inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame Thursday at this year’s International Bluegrass Music Association awards in Chattanooga, Tennessee, months after the death of founding member Allen Mills. (See Photos)

The Flyover Podcast

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. 

➤ Eleven people, six of them children, were shot after Florida A&M’s homecoming game, and police say a fight between two or three people set it off. (Hear Details)

➤ Clocks fall back this weekend, and three different plans to stop the twice-a-year switch all stalled in Congress. One would have split the difference by 30 minutes. (Hear Why)

➤ Most of what America streams was released five or more years ago, and a 2015 pop song is one of this year’s biggest hits. (Listen Now)

  

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Do you shop at Whole Foods?

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Have you been to Portsmouth?

  1. Yes: 66%
  2. No: 26%
  3. Not yet: 7%
  4. I live there: 1%
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Erika Kirk Visits Liberty, Best College Town, and a Skeleton Festival

Erika Kirk, CEO and Chairwoman of Turning Point USA, told thousands of students at Liberty University's convocation Friday that retur...