Senin, 19 Oktober 2026

Grid Upgrade, Biscuit Belly, and Chuck Berry’s Pianist

Monday, October 19, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1781, Lord Cornwallis’ British army marched out of Yorktown and laid down its arms before George Washington’s combined American and French force, effectively ending the Revolutionary War on Virginia soil.

The Virginia Department of Health has confirmed a measles case in Harrisonburg. Learn more in Top Stories.

The most important places in American history aren’t where you think. Some of the moments that shaped this country happened in towns with one stoplight, a single gas station, and a tumbleweed rolling across Main Street. Do you ever wonder where the Cold War got its name? Which town spent three years officially not existing while it helped win a world war? Or where the most famous invention in American history finally got off the ground? One of these towns could be in your state, and you may have even driven through it without knowing what happened there. On today’s episode of Flyover Focus, we count down 10 small towns that changed American history. Tune in here!

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Feds Fund $50M Virginia Grid Upgrade

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright traveled to Lynchburg on Friday to announce up to $50 million in federal funding for transmission upgrades in Western Virginia, $40 million of it for Appalachian Power (APCo).

The grant will rewire about 14 miles of Lynchburg-area lines, a process called reconductoring, and add weather sensors to four other Western Virginia lines so they can carry more power. The Department of Energy says the work adds roughly 290 megawatts of capacity across APCo’s Virginia system.

APCo plans to match the money, pushing the total near $100 million. The funding comes through the Defense Production Act, which President Trump invoked after labeling the aging grid a national defense concern.

The announcement lands as APCo reports surging demand from large customers, primarily data centers, as regulators open rate-increase hearings today.

Lawmakers Push to Pause Data Centers

State Sen. Russet Perry, D-Loudoun, filed a bill on Oct. 9 to halt approvals of new data centers across Virginia for three years, from July 1, 2027, to July 1, 2030.

Senate Bill 843, co-sponsored by Sen. Danica Roem, D-Prince William, would block local and state approvals for new data centers, along with distribution lines and on-site power built solely to serve them. Virginia already has nearly 400 in operation.

It’s one of several moratorium bills headed into the January session, and the concern crosses party lines. Sen. Glen Sturtevant, R-Chesterfield, welcomed the bill as a sign the issue is “becoming a bipartisan issue” and ties rising electric bills partly to data center demand.

The Data Center Coalition warns a moratorium could push multibillion-dollar projects, jobs, and tax revenue to neighboring states. The coalition says the industry has invested more than $80 billion in Virginia.

Measles Exposure Reported in Harrisonburg

The Virginia Department of Health has confirmed a measles case in Harrisonburg and flagged a local business as a possible exposure site.

Anyone who visited Fair Hill Precision, a hydraulic cylinder repair shop on Lewis Byrd Road, on Oct. 12 or Oct. 13 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. may have been exposed. Health officials are working to reach people who were there.

The risk to the general public is low, VDH says, because most Virginians are immune through vaccination. Those born before 1957 or who have had two MMR doses are considered protected.

People who aren’t immune may qualify for post-exposure treatment, but the window to act is short. The health department says anyone exposed is most likely to show symptoms between Oct. 19 and Nov. 3.

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➤ Arlington: The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts has approved a final design for a 1914 Confederate memorial’s return to Arlington National Cemetery, three years after it was removed on a congressional commission’s recommendation. The Army plans to refurbish and then reinstall it in 2027. (More)

➤ Newport News: The FBI intercepted mail containing a suspicious substance addressed to the district office of U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-3rd, one of a string of such mailings to congressional and election offices nationwide ahead of the Nov. 3 elections. (More)

➤ Norfolk: The city’s emergency communications center is using AI to field non-emergency calls, and it already handles more than 40% of non-emergency calls. The center has fielded more than 100,000 of those calls so far this year, freeing dispatchers for life-threatening 911 emergencies. (More)

➤ Lynchburg: The city’s General Registrar will set up a voter registration table today from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the University of Lynchburg, outside the dining hall, for Virginians who need to register or update their information. (More)

➤ Altavista: The National Center for Healthy Veterans has opened a new tiny home and learning center at its Valor Farm campus, offering group therapy, classes, and stable housing to help veterans heal and transition to civilian life. (See Photos)

➤ Roanoke: The Melrose Athletic Club held its annual Return of the MAC IV boxing fundraiser at the Berglund Center on Saturday, raising money to keep city youth off the streets through the sport. (More)

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➤ The Washington Commanders get their first taste of primetime football tonight on Monday Night Football on the road against the San Francisco 49ers. Washington is a 7.5-point underdog. (More)

➤ Washington Nationals’ prospect Alejandro Rosario, who was acquired in the MacKenzie Gore trade last offseason while still awaiting Tommy John surgery, has posted that he’s back on the mound for the first time in over 600 days. (More)

➤ Washington Capitals legend Alex Ovechkin is now one assist away from tying Nicklas Backstrom for the most assists in franchise history after recording the 761st assist of his career in a 4-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils this weekend. (More)

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➤ The most important moments in American history didn’t all happen in Philadelphia or Boston. Some happened in towns you've never even heard of. (Tune in here)

In the latest episode of Flyover Focus, we count down 10 small towns that changed American history. These are towns where wars ended, legends were born, and modern technology took off. We are talking about moments that shaped the entire country, tucked away on rural country roads. How many of these stories do you actually know?

In case you missed it, last week’s Flyover Focus counted down 10 things you should stop paying for. How many are still quietly draining your bank account every month? (Watch Now)

➤ Four years after a fire destroyed two prominent downtown buildings, Vinton has assembled five parcels it bought for $450,000 and is seeking proposals to build a boutique hotel or mixed-use development. Proposals are due Nov. 20 at 3 p.m. (More)

➤ Owners of Chesterfield Towne Center unveiled multi-million-dollar renovation plans, including a central square, reimagined food court, and outdoor spaces. They affirmed the mall will not close and upgrades will begin next year. (See Details)

➤ Biscuit Belly, the Kentucky-based brunch chain known for its scratch-made biscuit sandwiches, is opening two Richmond-area locations in Short Pump and Chesterfield, both former Maple Street Biscuit Co. restaurants it will convert to its own brand. (More)

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➤ Community members joined the Wolf Creek Cherokee Tribe of Virginia for its 10th annual Archaeology Dig in Henrico County’s East End on Saturday, sifting the soil for artifacts and local history at the tribe’s dig site. (See Photos)

➤ Pianist Daryl Davis, who played alongside Chuck Berry for more than 30 years, headlined a 100th-birthday tribute to the rock and roll pioneer at The Birchmere in Alexandria on Sunday, Berry’s actual birthday. He was joined by the Nighthawks and Berry’s grandson, Charlie Berry III. (Watch Video)

➤ Nineteen Vietnam veterans left the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford on Friday for their first Honor Flight trip to Washington, D.C. Central & Southwest Virginia Honor Flight organizers offer the trips to recognize and give closure to veterans who often went unthanked when they came home. (See Photos)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes.

➤ An Air Force officer died after falling from the Alamodome rafters while rappelling onto the field before Saturday’s UTSA-Navy game. (Hear More)

➤ A truck drove through a crowd at a youth soccer game in Wichita, killing a 6-year-old boy and a man. The driver was released without charges. (Listen Now)

➤ Modern reruns of the infamous 1961 Yale shock experiment found even more people obey than before, and researchers now know why disobeying is so hard. (Tune In)