Thursday, October 31, 2024

Happy Halloween! On this day in 1698, Jamestown burned to the ground. After the fire, very few people remained in the town. The colonial government moved to Williamsburg the next year.

Welcome to The Virginia Flyover. Today, we're talking "news deserts," the latest election information, and we explain why there is only one Richmond Fashion Week.

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Supreme Court Allows Voter Roll Cleanup

The U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked an order by a federal judge that said the Commonwealth had to reinstate some 1,600 voters it has purged from its rolls since August.

The Justices granted Virginia's emergency request for a stay by a 6-3 vote and they remanded the case to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals for further consideration.

A three-judge panel from that circuit had upheld the judge's order over the weekend, but the entire panel may now be called on to hear the state's appeal. Even if the full circuit court ruled against it, Virginia could still appeal to the Supreme Court.

The issue stems from a pair of federal lawsuits, one filed by the Justice Department, the other by nonprofit groups, that accuse Virginia of violating the 90-day "quiet period" before an election by systematically removing voters it suspects may not be citizens.

Because of the Supreme Court decision, "Virginians can cast their ballots on Election Day knowing that Virginia's elections are fair, secure, and free from politically-motivated interference," Gov. Glenn Youngkin said.

The State of the Race

Former President Donald Trump will make one of the final appearances of his campaign at the Salem Civic Center this Saturday. It will be the Republican candidate's first appearance in Virginia since June.

Vice President Kamala Harris hasn't come to the Old Dominion since she became the Democratic nominee over the summer.

The Commonwealth may or may not be in play on Election Day.

Together, the campaigns have spent only about $1.5 million on ads here in this cycle, far less than the $11 million spent on ads during the 2020 presidential race.

Recent polls are all over the map: the Washington Post/Schar School survey showed Harris with a comfortable six-point lead. Rasmussen Reports, however, called the race a virtual tie.

Virginia will begin providing a rolling tally of unofficial results as soon as the polls close.

Covering Our 'News Deserts'

Virginia has 12 counties with no source for local news and 81 counties with just a single source, according to a report from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

Some of those areas are close enough to another city or county that they have access to local television and newspaper coverage. Chesterfield County, for example, has no local paper, but residents rely on several Richmond outlets.

Others are finding information on their own, such as the woman in Richlands who filed more than 1,000 requests for public records and was able to compel her local government to address her concerns.

Digital publishers, including the Fredericksburg Free Press, are covering local events. There are also plenty of state and local blogs, including Bacon's Rebellion.

Weekly papers also survive, including The Recorder in Monterey, printed continuously since 1877. The Virginia Flyover scours as many of these news sites as we can daily, making us your one-stop location for a cool drink of water even if you live in a "news desert."

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➤ Norfolk: The federal government will provide $380 million for the Virginia Port Authority to acquire new infrastructure, including zero-emission cargo handling equipment and charging stations. (Details)

➤ Richmond: City Council members postponed, for the fourth time, a vote on whether to reduce the real estate tax rate by four cents or leave it unchanged. The next council meeting is scheduled for Nov. 12, after Election Day. (More)

➤ Statewide: As the dry month of October throughout the Commonwealth ends, the Department of Forestry issued guidelines for how to avoid triggering a wildfire. (Details)

➤ Lexington: Washington and Lee University "will no longer consider students’ or families’ ability to pay" as part of its admission policies. The school recently accepted a $132 million gift from alum Bill Miller. (More)

➤ Chesapeake Bay: A workgroup tasked with making recommendations about how to boost the menhaden population said it needs more time to collect and review the history of fish and bird species in the region. (Details)

➤ Richmond: Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order that he said would help prevent gangs from recruiting young people. (Read it)

➤ Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is nominated for Pepsi Rookie of the Week for the seventh time in eight weeks. (Cast your vote here)

➤ The Washington Capitals host the Montreal Canadians tonight, after Alex Ovechkin lit the lamp twice in a win against the Rangers. (Highlights)

➤ The ACC updated its football broadcast schedule for the weekend. Virginia Tech visits Syracuse at noon, while UVA has a bye. (Details)

If you're passionate about college sports and want to stay updated on all things name, image, and likeness, check out NIL-Wire! Sign up here with one click!

➤ John Asbury, CEO of Richmond-based Atlantic Union Bank, has been tapped to chair the American Bankers Association next year. (Details)

➤ Electro-Mechanical, which manufactures products used in electricity distribution, plans to expand in Washington County and hire 100 more people. (More)

➤ The Virginia Department of Energy established a Clean Energy Innovation Bank that its director says will augment private capital and support projects that are considered a bit too risky by investors. (Details)

➤ Did you miss our donation opportunity yesterday? I checked our revenue numbers last night, and we're in danger of missing our target for October. If you've ever wanted to help The Flyover cover its expenses, this is your chance. I would appreciate your support! -Cole, CEO

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➤ Richmond Fashion Week said it will no longer put on a fall event, but will instead focus on one annual event, its Spring Fashion Week. (Details)

➤ A pair of pandas are settling in at the Smithsonian National Zoo. Keepers released video of the animals and announced that the Giant Panda Cam will return on Jan. 24. (Watch)

➤ The Virginia Holocaust Museum will use Artificial Intelligence to share the stories of survivors. (More)

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