Monday, December 30, 2024

Good morning! On this day in 1831, residents of Loudoun County put out a resolution that called for the emancipation of the state's black population. It stated, in part, "the continuation of slavery is forbidden by the true policy of Virginia, repugnant to her political theory and Christian professions."

As 2024 nears its end, the Washington Commanders are in the NFL playoff hunt. Because of their success so far, the league rewarded them with a prime-time game against Atlanta yesterday. If you didn't join us at The Virginia Flyover in staying up late to watch, just scroll down to Sports to see whether they bested the Falcons.

Virginia A.G. Wants TikTok Ban Upheld

Attorney General Jason Miyares joined 21 other states on an amicus brief that asked the Supreme Court to uphold a federal law that would ban the TikTok app in the U.S. unless its Chinese owner sells it.

TikTok's owner, ByteDance, sued the U.S. government, claiming that the law blocks its First Amendment rights. A federal court upheld the ban's legality, and the Supreme Court has agreed to hear the appeal on Jan. 10.

The ban enjoys bipartisan support among Virginia's lawmakers. Democratic Sen. Mark Warner said an adversarial nation shouldn't own TikTok, while Republican Rep. Morgan Griffith said the earlier appeals court ruling "underscores the legitimacy of this law which prevents foreign surveillance of Americans."

A lawyer for President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court to hold off on ruling until after Jan. 20.

"President Trump alone possesses the consummate dealmaking expertise, the electoral mandate, and the political will to negotiate a resolution to save the platform while addressing the national security concerns," D. John Sauer, Trump's nominee to be U.S. solicitor general, wrote.

Teacher Vacancies Drop

Virginia had slightly more than 3,200 unfilled teacher slots this school year, a job vacancy rate of almost 4%.

The Commonwealth has 12% fewer teaching vacancies than it had in the 2023-2024 school year.

The Department of Education reported that the specialties that face a "critical shortage" include Elementary Education PreK-6, Special Education PreK-12, and Middle Education Grades 6-8.

The state defines "critical" as "shortages by subject matter as designated from the top ten academic disciplines identified in an annual survey of school divisions; or a school personnel vacancy for which a school division receives three or fewer qualified candidates for a position."

When lawmakers reconvene next month, they are expected to consider joining a multi-state compact that would make it easier for those with licenses from out-of-state to teach in Virginia.

Help Name Richmond's Baby Hippo

A rare pygmy hippo was born at the Richmond Zoo this month, just in time to weigh in at 15 pounds and be up and around for Christmas.

This hippo was born in the water, while her two sisters, who were also born at the zoo in recent years, were born on land.

The pygmy hippo is an endangered species usually found near water in western Africa. Only 2,500 mature pygmy hippos are in the wild.

The zoo invited animal lovers to vote on a name for the hippo: 1) Poppy (flower), 2) Juniper (bush), 3) Hammie Mae (as in "Virginia ham"), or 4) Omi ("water" in an African language). Voting ends on Tuesday afternoon, and a winner will be announced on New Year's Day.

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Dear Reader,

A few months ago, The Virginia Flyover didn’t exist!

Now, we’re at 70,000 people.

How did we make it this far together in just a year? Simply put, we got here because of you.

We supply the elbow grease, the late nights, and about 1,500 words per day, sure.

But none of it would matter if you weren’t with us. The Virginia Flyover would crash and burn without the direct support of our readers, and we appreciate you.

Now, we’re turning our attention to 2025.

We have big plans, and we need lots of help to accomplish them. If you enjoy reading The Virginia Flyover in the mornings, would you consider giving us a year-end gift?

Despite all those big numbers, we’re still a small operation. I would really appreciate your support!

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I’m grateful for all your support in 2024, and I’m excited to grow together in 2025.
Thank you!

-Cole, CEO

➤ Richmond: Virginia will no longer comply with California's EV mandate as of Wednesday. Attorney General Jason Miyares called California's Clean Cars standard, which was implemented in the Commonwealth in 2021 during former Gov. Ralph Northam's administration, "unworkable and out of touch with reality." (More)

➤ Statewide: The Commonwealth will provide more than $800,000 in matching funds to 81 special events and festivals scheduled for next year. "This year's grant recipients have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to growing their event footprint, increasing visitation, and enhancing the visitor experience in 2025," Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced. (Details)

➤ Arlington: County schools will enforce a "bell-to-bell" ban on using cell phones by students starting when the school year resumes next week. The rules will allow high school students a brief window to use their phones with the approval of their school's principal. (More)

➤ Norfolk: The Army Corp of Engineers is preparing to work with civic leaders in 2025 to design a flood wall that protects the city from flooding without damaging historically important sites. (Details)

➤ Manassas: American Legion Post 1799 launched a "Respect Our Fallen Vets" committee to place plaques on the unmarked graves of servicemembers at a local cemetery. (More)

➤ Shenandoah National Park: Bill Kingrea, an 88-year-old hiker from Virginia, completed his "Hike for Hope" by walking a segment of the Appalachian Trail within the park. He hiked in 100-mile segments over three months and raised $5,000 for the food bank Hope Distributed. (Details)

➤ The Washington Commanders topped the Atlanta Falcons in overtime 30-24 to earn their way into the NFL playoffs. QB Jayden Daniels ran for several big gains on the final drive, and he threw his third touchdown to Zach Ertz to seal the deal. (Details)

➤ William & Mary toppled Navy 82-76 in men's basketball to remain undefeated at home and improve to 6-7 on the season. (More)

➤ Jillian Dorghoud, a 2004 Potomac High School graduate, is on track to earn a spot on the first U.S. Women's Futsal National Team at the age of 38. (Her Story)

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➤ Virginia-based Food City will pay an $8.5 million settlement to resolve a federal lawsuit that accused the grocery store chain of illegally dispensing opioids from 2011-2018. (More)

➤ The median homeowner in Virginia pays $2,754 in property taxes, while the median home in the state is worth $382,900. (Details)

➤ Nine retailers shuttered locations across the Commonwealth in 2024. The closures include all Party City and Big Lots locations, as those companies are going out of business. (The List)

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Dear Reader,

The Flyover wouldn't exist without you.

It might sound like a cliche, but it's true. If you didn't tell your friends & family about us, we wouldn't grow. If you didn't support us directly, we couldn't keep the lights on.

The Flyover is all about you!

We're grateful for all your support this year, and we're excited to make this even better in 2025. Would you help us with a year-end gift? I would truly appreciate it!

Give $15
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➤ A Virginia Beach checkout clerk named Heaven made a Christmas dream come true by paying $150 to buy shoes for twin eight-year-old girls. Heaven's generosity has gone viral on TikTok. (Details)

➤ The Leesburg Movement, an all-volunteer nonprofit that works to enhance the downtown area, will be part of the state's 2025-26 Mobilizing Main Street Program. (Details)

➤ Virginia Tech invests almost $600 million each year in research, and almost half of that is federally funded. (More)

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