Tuesday, October 27, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1895, a fire gutted the Rotunda at the University of Virginia, the centerpiece Thomas Jefferson designed in Charlottesville. Students and faculty rushed into the flames to rescue the library’s books and a marble statue of Jefferson.

The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation is taking action to raise funds for restoring a different historic item that was recently damaged. Learn more in Top Stories.

Which cars lose the most value in their first five years, and which ones barely drop at all? Tesla owners swear their cars are the future. Toyota drivers brag theirs run forever. Porsche people say you’re making an investment. What about Nissan, Ford, and BMW? A study of more than 950,000 used cars ranked the 10 vehicles that lose value fastest and the 10 that hold their value best. So where does your car land? Amy has the story on today’s Flyover Podcast. Tune in here.

Later today, you'll receive a special email from our sponsor Incogni about how to remove your personal information from hundreds of data broker sites, plus an exclusive offer to save 55%.

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Fundraiser Aims to Restore Iwo Jima Monument

The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation has launched a public fundraiser to restore the historic Iwo Jima monument outside Marine Corps Base Quantico after severe vandalism by an illegal alien left one figure headless and caused extensive damage estimated at hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Donations from Marines, veterans, families, and the public will support the effort to repair the limestone sculpture by Felix de Weldon, a smaller version of the iconic Marine Corps War Memorial depicting the flag-raising on Mount Suribachi.

The attack occurred the evening of Oct. 21 when police found Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano, 27, striking the statue with a sledgehammer. He was arrested at the scene and charged with felony destruction of property, trespass with intent to damage property, and felony injury to a monument. He was granted bond Monday.

Federal sources confirmed he is a Mexican national who was brought to the U.S. illegally as a child and whose Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) protection lapsed in August.

Ex-FBI Officials Charged over Hunter Biden Testimony

Federal prosecutors charged two former senior FBI officials, including Alexandria resident Nikki Floris, with lying to Congress about their roles in the bureau’s Hunter Biden investigations.

Floris, 46, and Bradley Benavides, 56, of Aiken, South Carolina, surrendered Friday on arrest warrants, and each faces one count of making false statements. Both served on the FBI’s now-dissolved Foreign Influence Task Force.

Prosecutors say both testified in 2023 that the task force had no role in the Hunter Biden investigations, and that Benavides told Congress he learned the FBI had Biden’s laptop only after reading about it on Wikipedia. The complaint alleges internal documents and messages contradict their accounts.

Floris’ attorneys dispute the allegations, calling her “a patriot” and saying they look forward to her day in court. Prosecutors charged the two by criminal complaint rather than grand-jury indictment.

VA Student Unearths Ancient Spear Point

A Mary Baldwin University biology student from Hampton discovered a 3,000- to 4,500-year-old stone spear point on a Virginia Eastern Shore barrier island Sept. 21. Brooklyn Rolph, a junior, spotted the roughly 6-inch artifact while hunting for shark teeth on the last day of an ecology field trip.

Rolph found it in an intertidal inlet as the tide was coming in and sprinted to show her professors. State archaeologists identified it as a Lehigh/Koens-Crispin point, and Rolph said the archaeologist who examined it had never seen one in such good condition.

Because the island is state preserve land, the point belongs to Virginia and is now with the Department of Historic Resources for analysis. Rolph says she has no regrets, joking that keeping it is “how you get cursed.”

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➤ Portsmouth: Days after her federal indictment, Democrat state Sen. Louise Lucas hosted a Get Out the Vote event on Sunday offering voter registration on site and free rides to Portsmouth City Hall to vote. (More)

➤ Arlington: Nearly 30,000 runners started the 51st Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday, a 26.2-mile course that starts in Arlington, loops through D.C., and finishes at the Marine Corps War Memorial. (More)

➤ Alexandria: Police are seeking a person of interest after graffiti reading “ICE” and “REPORT TO DEPORT” appeared overnight along the Mount Jefferson Park pathway. Investigators believe it took place between 11 p.m. Friday and 6:30 a.m. Saturday. (More)

➤ Carroll County: Supervisors travel to Alabama this week to tour a data center as they weigh “Project Lightning,” proposed for Wildwood Commerce Park off I-77. (More)

➤ Hampton: The King Street Bridge and gate at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton closed Monday for planned infrastructure maintenance, rerouting all base traffic to the LaSalle and Armistead avenues gates. The closure is expected to last into next year. (More)

➤ Richmond: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development designated the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority “troubled” after it scored 58 out of 100 in a review of fiscal 2024. Mayor Danny Avula called it “concerning.” (More)

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➤ The Washington Capitals have allowed forward Ivan Miroshnichenko, a 2022 first-round pick, to seek a trade but will only deal him for a legitimate return, Sportsnet reported. (More)

➤ Clara Luvanga put the Washington Spirit ahead early, but the Kansas City Current answered with two goals in three minutes and won 2-1 Sunday. The loss eliminated the Spirit from NWSL Shield contention. (More)

➤ Gabby Ciocca scored in the 57th minute, and goalkeeper Julianna Trujillo made a career-high eight saves, but Clemson equalized with an 83rd-minute header, and Virginia Tech women’s soccer settled for a 1-1 draw Sunday in Blacksburg. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | NFL | NBA | NHL

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➤ What will you discover on this Amazon gadget list? Whether you’re browsing for yourself or looking for a gift, DealWatchdogs rounds up gadgets available on Amazon for you to explore. Take a look through the picks and see if something earns a spot on your wish list. LEARN MORE

➤ A federal judge dismissed most claims by four UVA physicians against former CEO Craig Kent and others, but allowed two whistleblower retaliation claims under the False Claims Act to proceed against UVA Physicians Group. (More)

➤ Norfolk-based Sentara Health says all 12 of its hospitals use Regard, an AI tool that scans patient records to flag changes in a patient’s condition and help plan discharges, as Virginia lawmakers weigh how to regulate AI in health care. (More)

➤ Wawa opened a new 24-hour store on Wards Road in Lynchburg, across from River Ridge Mall and next to Cook Out. Grand opening festivities are set for tomorrow. (More)

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➤ Could your next grocery trip cost less? When checkout totals squeeze your budget, a few changes to your shopping routine may help. Explore The Penny Hoarder’s grocery savings tips for ideas to try before your next store run. See which tips could work for your household.

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➤ Costumed pugs packed Richmond’s 16th annual Pug-O-Ween over the weekend, competing in costume contests and other festivities for the flat-faced breed and its fans. (See Photos)

➤ PeruFest returned to Henrico County on Sunday, celebrating Peruvian culture with food, dance, and other activities. (See Photos)

➤ Washington’s Metro system wants to run its Red Line without an operator at the controls as early as 2032 or 2033, if federal funding comes through. (More)

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➤ They Did Everything Right. They Still Had Heart Attacks. Nicole, 57, ate clean and walked daily. Frank, 66, was told his numbers looked great. Both had blood pressure and cholesterol “under control.” What went wrong? Researchers are examining the tiny energy engines inside heart cells and how they change with age. See the three overlooked nutrients tied to heart strength →