Tuesday, March 17, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1862, Union Gen. George McClellan's forces embarked from Fort Monroe on his Peninsula Campaign, aimed at capturing Richmond by marching northwest between the James and York Rivers. The Union and Confederate armies clashed several times before McClellan abandoned the effort.

After yesterday's round of foul weather, many businesses are hoping for blue skies today and a chance to see green. "Every St. Patrick's Day, that's kind of like when you mark when the winter slow season is over," according to an employee at Roanoke's Big Lick Brewery.

Bars in the Star City already enjoyed a boom over the weekend when people flooded downtown for the city's annual parade and Shamrock Festival. Are you wearing green today?

Who says technology is just for kids? In today's Flyover Podcast, Ayla Brown highlights tech tools that can make everyday life much easier for older adults. These products are especially helpful for your parents or grandparents, including one that Ayla says seniors really shouldn't be without. Tune in here!

Today marks three years since the launch of The Flyover, which began on St. Patrick's Day 2023 with just 47 readers.

Since then, The Flyover has grown into one of the largest independent news platforms in the country, including The Virginia Flyover, and we're inviting readers to support our work through a special anniversary donation campaign.

Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

Powerful Storms Sweep Virginia

The National Weather Service issued a series of tornado warnings for communities across Southside Virginia yesterday as powerful thunderstorms swept through. The warnings expired without any twisters being reported.

A string of strong thunderstorms forced a ground stop at Reagan National Airport for a time yesterday afternoon, before a tornado watch was called off in Northern Virginia.

Areas of Central Virginia remained under a tornado watch until yesterday evening.

In anticipation of the storms, many school systems closed or sent students home early. Temperatures plunged across the state after the front came through and are expected to remain below normal today.

Legislature Must Return Next Month

The General Assembly adjourned without passing a budget, so lawmakers will have to return for a special session to enact a two-year spending bill. The two houses couldn't agree on whether to change the tax treatment of data centers.

During the session, Democrat lawmakers passed all 16 bills proposed as part of Gov. Abigail Spanberger's Affordable Virginia Agenda, which aims to reduce housing, healthcare, and energy costs.

The legislature also moved forward with four constitutional amendments—including one that would allow gerrymandering ahead of this year's congressional elections—and it passed gun regulations and a higher minimum wage.

"I am reviewing the legislation on my desk," Spanberger said. "I look forward to calling lawmakers back to Richmond on April 23 to pass a budget."

The Flyover Turns Three

Three years ago today, we sent our first-ever edition of The Flyover to 47 people. Read our first edition here.

Just one year ago, we delivered The Flyover to 1.1 million readers. Today, 2.7 million of you received our national edition, plus another 1.7 million in our nine state editions. The Virginia Flyover itself now reaches more than 129,000 readers.

It has been a busy 12 months for our team. Along with that growth, we started a podcast that's amassed more than 1.1 million views per month, launched additional state editions in Ohio and Arizona, and welcomed 3,700 readers to the Flyover family as fellow owners.

Our audience has changed dramatically, but the core principles have stayed the same: fact-first daily news. We've made improvements over the years, but we still deliver the news without media bias or a political agenda. (And we have a little fun, too.)

The Flyover has emerged as a leading publication with a larger audience than many recognizable news media brands, and we owe that entirely to you, our Flyover readers.

We've got big plans for 2026, starting with The California Flyover on April 1. Click here to sign up.

Thank you for sticking with us. We wouldn't exist without your support, and we're excited to serve you for another year.

Dear Flyover Reader,

Three years ago today—on St. Patrick's Day, 2023—we launched The Flyover. It was either a result of good luck or pure stubbornness. I'd like to think it was a little of both.

Back then, we had no idea if this thing would work. All we knew was that millions of Americans were tired of being talked down to by legacy media, and we believed a daily news publication focused on facts first (without the usual slanted nonsense) might be worth a shot.

Turns out, you agreed.

In three years, The Flyover has grown from 47 readers on day one to over 4.4 million across all editions, making us one of the largest independent news platforms in the country.

That growth happened because of you. Not because of some corporate media conglomerate. Not because of a cable news deal. But because everyday readers like you showed up, spread the word, and backed us when it counted.

Here's the honest truth: The Flyover is free, and it always will be. But free doesn't mean it costs nothing to produce. We have gone from a volunteer staff to a dedicated team of writers, editors, and builders who work hard for you every day, and now rely on us to pay the bills and feed their families. Our advertisers cover a lot, but we also count on our readers. Reader support is what closes the gap and keeps us independent.

On our third birthday, I'm asking: if The Flyover has earned a spot in your morning routine and you have come to trust us with your news, would you consider making a financial donation to The Flyover?

Whether it's $15 or $500, every dollar helps us keep doing what we do—delivering the news straight, without the spin.

Thank you for three incredible years. Here's to many more.

Give $15Give $50Give $150Give $500

-Cole, CEO

➤ Virginia Beach: The state legislature declined to pass legislation, requested by local officials in Hampton Roads, that would have given any Virginia locality the authority to create a temporary gun-free zone and more fully regulate the number of people allowed to gather in those areas. (Details)

➤ Statewide: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the Commonwealth is experiencing high levels of influenza-like illness. Such cases accounted for more than 11% of emergency department visits last week. (More)

➤ The Danville City Council will meet tonight to discuss ways to boost energy production. The proposals come after manufacturers announced plans to expand operations in the region, which could boost electricity demand. (Details)

➤ Henrico: Police reported that two men were injured in a stabbing incident at a mosque over the weekend. Authorities arrested one man and said there is no ongoing threat to the community. (More)

➤ Appomattox County: An earthquake registering 2.1 magnitude shook Central Virginia over the weekend. The event was centered just east of Lynchburg. (Details)

➤ Richmond: Lawmakers led by Sen. Bill Stanley raced to form a motorsports caucus with the goal of keeping tracks in the Commonwealth open. (More)

Like The Virginia Flyover? Share it with a friend! ✈️

➤ George Mason hosts Liberty tonight in the opening round of the men's basketball NIT. The winner will play in the second round on Saturday. (Details)

➤ The Washington Commanders were named one of the league's five most improved teams by USA Today following their moves in NFL free agency. (More)

➤ UVA men's tennis, ranked No. 2, completed a comeback win over North Carolina to remain undefeated in ACC play. (Details)

Flying together with our sponsor

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➤ The price of gas in Virginia jumped 20 cents on average in the last week, according to the tracking site GasBuddy. The average price was $3.51 per gallon, up 68.4 cents from last month. (Details)

➤ Southwest Airlines announced it will no longer service Dulles Airport after June 4. (More)

➤ Virginia is just the second state to legalize what's called "balcony solar." Starting in January, consumers may purchase portable panel arrays and use them to provide electricity. (Details)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Iran War Triggers Rush to IRS-Approved "Golden Retirement" Accounts. Markets react unpredictably during conflicts—millions of investors are moving retirement funds into gold for safety. Gold holds value during uncertain times. It returned 64% in 2025, crushing the S&P 500 by more than 3x. Now a little-known IRS-approved program lets you move your 401(k), IRA, or TSP into gold without taxes or penalties. Anchor Point Research released a free guide explaining how it works.👉 Read the report now before gold hits new record highs

Today marks three years of The Flyover, from a first send to 47 readers to more than 4.4 million across all editions. That kind of growth only happens when readers decide something is worth coming back to. We plan to keep The Flyover free, but it takes real resources to build and deliver it each day.

If you believe in what we're doing, please consider making a donation.

Give $15 | Give $50 | Give $150 | Give $500

-Cole, CEO

➤ Chesterfield County master gardeners hosted a seed swap over the weekend and provided seeds, live plant cuttings, and tools to more than 700 aspiring gardeners. (Details)

➤ Community Attention Foster Families asked for volunteers to take in children in Central Virginia. "Ninety-nine-point nine percent of the time we are working a return home reunification goal for kids," the group's Tiffany Polychrones explained. (More)

➤ Northern Virginia Family Services teamed with Prince William County Public Schools for a spring food drive, hoping to collect 10,000 pounds of food. (Details)

Flying together with our sponsor

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