Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Good Morning! On this day in 1864, outnumbered Confederate troops held off the advance of Union fighters at the strategic railroad town of Saltville in Smyth County. The Union troops included members of the 5th U.S. Colored Cavalry, commanded by General Stephen Burbridge.

Welcome to the first edition of The Virginia Flyover! We'd love to hear what you think of it; just hit reply and let us know.

Today, our Et Cetera section features a story about an indoor strawberry farm. If you have a favorite recipe that uses strawberries, send it our way and you might see it in Friday's edition!

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Strike Shutters Ports

The Port of Virginia and dozens of other ports halted all imports and exports when the 45,000 unionized East Coast dockworkers walked off the job. Worker pay is the main reason for the strike.

The International Longshoremen’s Association is demanding a 77% pay increase over the next six years, which the union says would allow it to match the pay of West Coast longshoremen. The U.S. Maritime Alliance, which manages the ports, is offering a 50% raise over the same timeframe.

It is unclear how long the strike could last. However, a prolonged shutdown could lead to higher prices for imported goods, which would have to come in through western ports. It could also hurt export sales.

The port says it handled $103.5 billion worth of goods in 2022, of which $15 billion were exports.

Cleaning Up After Helene

State and federal officials cooperated on recovery efforts in southwest Virginia, where many still feel the aftereffects of Hurricane Helene. State Sen. Todd Pillion warned, “The true scale of the damage caused by Hurricane Helene’s remnants ravaging the region may not be known for some time."

The commonwealth didn't suffer the direct hit that states such as Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina did, but several counties suffered widespread damage from rain, flooding, and wind.

The storm killed at least two Virginians, and rescue teams had to help out hundreds of others. The Virginia State Police, for example, worked with teams from Tennessee to pull some 54 people off the roof of a flooded hospital.

Many areas of the state remain under flood advisories as more rain is expected in already-saturated areas.

LEGO Building in Virginia

The LEGO Group is constructing a 1.7 million-square-foot factory in Chesterfield to make its toys and bricks.

The plant, slated to open in 2027, will include 13 buildings and will eventually employ more than 1,700 people.

Ahead of the opening, the Virginia Museum of History and Culture will celebrate the creativity of LEGO builders with an exhibition. The displays will include a replica of Titanic, a 10-foot-tall rocket, and a mockup of a Boeing 747.

The exhibit, Traveling Bricks, will run from October until January.

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➤ Statewide: A University of Mary Washington poll shows Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger are tied in a potential 2025 race for the governor’s mansion. (Details)

➤ West Point: The school board will pay $575,000 in damages and attorneys’ fees to settle a suit by a former French teacher who was fired for choosing not to refer to a transgender student by the requested pronouns. (More)

➤ Arlington: A county judge struck down the “Missing Middle Plan," an attempt to limit single-family-only zoning. (More)

➤ Albemarle: A U.S. District Court ruled that a man charged with threatening to kill Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Barack Obama could be released if he posts a $25,000 unsecured bond. (More)

➤ Virginia Beach: Police have identified the remains of all three swimmers who went missing in the ocean on September 21. (Details)

➤ Jarratt: The USDA may bring legal charges against Boar's Head after a listeria outbreak that killed 10 people and closed the company's Virginia plant. (More)

➤ University of Richmond cornerback CJ Fraser was named CAA Defensive Player of the Week after the Spiders topped Elon. (More)

➤ The Atlantic 10 Conference released its 2024-2025 basketball schedule, including George Mason, VCU, and Richmond. (Details)

➤ The Washington Commanders ranked last in a 70,000 person survey on favorite uniforms in the NFL. (Details)

➤ Yesterday's Results: MLB | NHL | WNBA

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➤ The Virginia Innovation Partnership Corp. announced that the commonwealth was No. 8 in the country for venture capital investment in 2023. (Details)

➤ The Rose Gaming Resort’s grand opening date remains unclear. A spokesperson for its owner, Churchill Downs, had said the resort in Dumfries would be open by the end of September. (More)

➤ President Tom Barkin of the Richmond Federal Reserve Bank said the nation's economy is showing "impressive strength," but he warned that inflation isn't defeated yet. (More)

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➤ The Plenty Richmond Farm is growing up. Literally. It is the world's first indoor facility to grow strawberries at scale vertically. (More)

➤ The Virginia Tourism Corporation said visitors spent $33.3 billion in the commonwealth last year, up 10% from 2022. (More)

➤ Congressional candidate Derrick Anderson went viral after a campaign ad showed him posing with people who appeared to be his wife and children. Anderson is not married and does not have children. (Details)

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