Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Good morning! On this day in 1869, the Virginia General Assembly sat to ratify the 14th and 15th Amendments of the Constitution, a step the state had to take before it could rejoin the Union after the Civil War.

We at The Virginia Flyover are happy to meet with you every morning and share what is happening across our Commonwealth. Read on for the latest from Norfolk to Roanoke.

We’re flying today with Paingone Plus, pocket-sized fast-acting pain relief.

School Pronoun Trouble Back in Court

Three Virginia teachers have filed suit against the Harrisonburg City School Board, claiming it has violated their religious freedom by "forcing them to use pronouns inconsistent with students’ sex and prohibiting them from notifying parents or seeking their consent."

Elsewhere in the Commonwealth, late last year, the state Supreme Court reinstated a case filed by a teacher who the West Point School Board fired after he chose not to address students by their preferred pronouns.

That teacher, Peter Vlaming, recently won a $575,000 lawsuit against the district.

Virginia Department of Education policy, released last year, says that students should be called by pronouns that match the sex listed in the student’s official record and that students should only use the restroom that matches that same sex.

Closures from Helene

Virginia suffered less damage from Hurricane Helene than other states. However, it will take time for the state's southwestern corner to reopen.

Several state parks in that area are closed, as is the entire Blue Ridge Parkway—all 469 miles—in North Carolina and Virginia.

Along with state and federal officials, business owners are working to clean up and recover from the storm's flooding, while others from across the Commonwealth are sending food and supplies to those in greater need.

"The way Virginians across our Commonwealth are mobilizing to help those impacted by Hurricane Helene is inspiring," Gov. Glenn Youngkin wrote on social media.

Checking in on ACC Expansion

The Atlantic Coast Conference added three schools from west of the Mississippi this year, as Cal, Stanford, and SMU signed on just in time for football season.

The league's 17 teams expected long road trips, but fans might prefer traditional rivalries. For example, Virginia Tech traveled across the country last weekend to play at Stanford, but only a sparse crowd turned out.

In nearby Berkley, Cal announced a sellout crowd for its matchup with league leader Miami, a game that ESPN featured on its "College Game Day" broadcast.

For its part, UVA benefitted from favorable scheduling this season, as its only game against an ACC newcomer is at home against SMU next month.

Like The Virginia Flyover? Share it with a friend!

Flying together with our sponsor

Relieve Pain FAST – Wherever You Are!

Paingone Plus is the pocket-sized pain relief pen that delivers targeted relief for your acute or chronic pain in less than 1 minute.

Paingone Plus brings proven TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) technology to the palm of your hand! TENS eases pain by stimulating your nerves, which safely tells your body’s natural opioids and serotonin to “turn off” your chronic or acute pain.

This trusted therapy has been used for decades to quickly relieve pain in hospitals, but now Paingone Plus finally makes it available to everyone in an easy-to-use, fast-acting, pocket-sized pen that you can take anywhere.

Paingone Plus is a safe and fast way to relieve your pain!

➤ Charlottesville: UVA Health canceled most of its elective surgeries because of a shortage of IV fluids in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. (Details)

➤ Fairfax: A jury acquitted a former police officer who had been accused of involuntary manslaughter for shooting a suspected shoplifter outside a mall. (Details)

➤ Statewide: The Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority expects no revenue growth this year, well below the 5% growth VABC predicted just last year. (More)

➤ Norfolk: The Virginia Zoo euthanized a Watusi cattle named Gamba, the second such animal it had to put down this year. (More)

➤ Montgomery County: A truck fire closed the northbound lanes of I-81 for hours. (Photo)

➤ Richmond: Authorities dropped charges against nine of the 13 people arrested during pro-Palestinian protests at VCU earlier this year. (Details)

➤ Yorktown High School’s Bruce Hanson became the eighth football coach in Virginia history to win 300 games in a career. (Details)

➤ The Washington Capitals open their season at home against New Jersey on Saturday. (See the Schedule)

➤ Virginians wagered more than $400 million on sports in August, up 30.6% over the previous year. (Details)

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

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ The TheraICE Headache Relief Hat is a patent-pending hot and cold therapy device that provides natural relief for all types of headaches – tension, sinus, cluster, migraines, and more. (See It Here)

➤ Six Virginia billionaires, including two members of the Mars family, made the latest Forbes 400 list of the world’s richest people. (Details)

➤ VCU is holding talks to possibly purchase the Altria Center for Research and Technology building in Richmond. (More)

➤ Roanoke businesses sent a tractor-trailer full of food and water to help Hurricane Helene survivors. (Details)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ GoDonut is a clever and convenient stand for phones, tablets, and e-readers that makes it easy to enjoy your mobile devices anywhere, hands-free. (See It Here)

Flying together with our sponsor

Relieves Pain FAST — And It’s So EASY!

Traditional TENS machines are great, but they require at least 15 minutes of treatment … and that’s after you figure out how to correctly place the sticky electrodes!

Paingone Plus fits the power of TENS into a tiny, portable pen that anyone can use. And it only takes 60-90 seconds of treatment time! With zero setup and zero troubleshooting to place the sticky pads, you’ll be feeling better ASAP.

➤ The Corniest Fall Fest brought maize (but not a corn maze) to the heart of Richmond. (Photos)

➤ Authorities and volunteers in Hopewell helped rescue a dog that was stuck on a log in the Appomattox River. (See the Dog)

➤ Fall foliage is near its peak in western Virginia. (View the Map)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Stop your loved ones from choking! LifeVac has already saved almost 2,000 lives and counting. It’s easy to use and works in seconds. When all else fails, LifeVac won’t. (See It Here)