Monday, April 21, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1865, John Singleton Mosby disbanded the 43rd Battalion of Virginia Cavalry near Salem rather than surrender to Union troops. Mosby was eventually granted parole by Ulysses S. Grant.

This is an abbreviated edition of The Virginia Flyover, shortened so our team has more time to spend on Easter Sunday with our families. We wish you a wonderful holiday and will return with a full edition on Tuesday!

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Legislating License Plate Data

Gov. Glenn Youngkin has until May 2 to act on a bill that would limit how long law enforcement agencies can retain data from license plate readers.

Lawmakers want the information deleted after 21 days. Earlier this month, the legislature rejected Youngkin’s proposal to extend the deadline to 30 days.

The Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police said 21 days isn’t long enough. "We actually preferred 60 days, that was what was requested by a number of chiefs around the state," the group’s Dana Schrad said.

The proposal would also limit the use of the data collected to criminal investigations, investigations related to missing or endangered persons, or notifications about missing people or stolen property.

Remembering 'Easters' at UVA

Today is sometimes called Easter Monday, a holiday observed by some Christians. It was also once part of a post-Easter week "holiday" that wasn’t always celebrated very soberly on the University of Virginia campus.

Starting in 1898, UVA celebrated the week, which was dubbed "Easters," with events that included dances students could only attend if they vowed not to drink.

Decorum declined over time until the mid-1970s, when “Easters” came to revolve around drinking and was called the "Best Party in America." In 1976, an estimated 15,000 people, many from outside Charlottesville, attended the event, drank heavily, and wallowed in a mud hole.

UVA eliminated Easters in 1982, encouraging students to focus on more academic pursuits.

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➤ Statewide: It is difficult to know how Virginia’s first colonists celebrated Easter, but historians suggest it was probably a somber religious holiday without egg-rolling or bunny-hopping. (The History)

➤ Washington, D.C.: A decades-long tradition continues today on Easter Monday at the Smithsonian National Zoo. Activities include an Easter egg scavenger hunt at 10 a.m. (More)

➤ Washington, D.C.: The White House Easter Egg Roll began on Easter Monday in 1878 and will be renewed on the grounds of the executive mansion today. (Details)

➤ Lexington: International Dark Sky Week begins today, aligning with the new moon. To get the best views of the stars, visit one of the state’s Dark Sky parks, such as Natural Bridge State Park. (More)

➤ Statewide: The opening shots of the American Revolutionary War were fired 250 years ago in Massachusetts, and our Commonwealth was also central in the push for independence. Over the next year, VA250 will commemorate the semiquincentennial. (VA250.org)

➤ Norfolk: The Botanical Garden's Butterfly House is one of 19 nominees for a USA Today Readers' Choice Award as the best butterfly garden in the country. Balloting ends May 12. (Vote)