WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2026

Good morning! On this day in 1775, Virginia’s Third Revolutionary Convention concluded in Richmond. Delegates established a military structure, created an 11-member Committee of Safety as executive authority, issued paper money, and formalized colonial self-governance as royal rule collapsed.

A new analysis ranks Virginia 30th for teen drivers. Learn more in Et Cetera, then reply to share your most memorable teen driving experience with us.

What is your go-to breakfast? Some people have been eating the same breakfast for decades. But when we stacked 10 of America's most common breakfasts against what researchers have to say about your blood sugar and long-term health, some of the most trusted morning favorites landed way lower than expected. Even the breakfast with the best reputation couldn't hold the number one spot. Today on The Flyover Podcast, Ayla counts down all 10 from worst to best and reveals the healthiest breakfast staple. Tune in here!

Today’s sponsor, Frontieras, is aiming to unlock new value from America’s coal resources by transforming them into jet fuel, diesel, and other commodities, and its opportunity for early-stage investors ends tomorrow.

ICE Operation Nets 1,328 Arrests

Federal immigration officers arrested 1,328 illegal immigrants across Virginia and Maryland during the first two weeks of August, the Department of Homeland Security announced Monday.

“Operation Safe Community—Washington, D.C.” ran from Aug. 1-14 and concentrated on the D.C. suburbs. DHS said nearly 400 of those arrested had criminal convictions or pending charges, and that officers detained members of MS-13, the 18th Street Gang, and Tren de Aragua.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said officers made the arrests “despite the sanctuary policies” of many Virginia and Maryland counties. Among those named was a Salvadoran national wanted on a murder warrant in Richmond.

Sanctuary jurisdictions limit how much local authorities cooperate with federal immigration officers, and DHS counted 33 of them in Virginia in 2025, including Arlington, Fairfax, and Prince William counties.

Students Post Standardized Testing Gains

Students in the District of Columbia and Virginia showed continued improvement on standardized tests last year, edging closer to pre-pandemic performance in reading and math.

In D.C., proficiency rose 2% in English language arts to 39.6%—the highest since 2015 and above pre-pandemic levels—and 2.1% in math to 28.5%, though math remains below earlier benchmarks. Officials credited tutoring and targeted supports for the steady climb since 2022.

Virginia students gained 0.4% in both reading and math proficiency, reaching 72% reading and 69% math pass rates in grades 3-8. Over five years, reading rose 5% and math 19%, with history scores also up.

Leaders noted progress while preparing for tougher future benchmarks. Access the test results here.

Mold Keeps Barack Obama Elementary Closed

Barack Obama Elementary in Richmond remains closed after mold reappeared on laptops and instruments a day before classes were to resume. School officials hope to reopen the school by Aug. 31.

The mold first surfaced after an HVAC outage left the Northside school with elevated levels in the basement and on furniture, and crews also found rodents they treated last week. More than 300 laptops were affected.

After Sunday tests came back clear for most of the building, teachers returned Monday and found more mold on laptops, instruments, and supplies. Superintendent Jason Kamras decided against temporarily moving students to Clark Springs Elementary.

Kamras promised to replace ruined supplies, retest every room, and continue monthly monitoring. Richmond Public Schools will reach out to the YMCA to find out about child care options while the school remains closed this week.

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[LAST CHANCE] The Next $435B Energy Empire Is Being Minted

In today’s dollars, John D. Rockefeller would be worth $435 billion. But “oil money” is old news, and what’s next might surprise investors in 2026: a $2.1 trillion opportunity in “clean” coal*.

Now is the “Rockefeller” moment for Frontieras North America as it reforms coal into jet fuel, diesel and other valuable commodities (just like Rockefeller did with oil). Their tech is capable of making coal 10X more valuable.

Until tomorrow, you can invest in the company behind the technology the energy industry has been waiting for.

With a White House that favors domestic energy, the NASDAQ ticker ‘FASF’ reserved, and construction underway on their $850M flagship coal reformation plant, Frontieras is positioned for potential growth.

This opportunity to invest ends TOMORROW at 11:59 p.m. PT. Become an early-stage Frontieras shareholder while you still can.

➤ Fairfax County Public Schools began enforcing Virginia’s bell-to-bell cellphone ban for high school students this year, extending to teenagers the same phone-free rules already in place in the division’s elementary and middle schools. (More)

➤ Roanoke: The Excel Center, an adult high school in Melrose Plaza, is beginning its second year of classes, offering older students a path to finish a high school diploma. The school is currently looking for a business teacher. (More)

➤ Caroline County: Eighteen people were arrested or charged with cocaine distribution following a sheriff’s office undercover investigation that began in late 2025 and involved hundreds of narcotics buys, surveillance, and search warrants. A grand jury returned indictments in July. (More)

➤ Sussex County: The Virginia Department of Corrections intercepted a drone dropping about $324,000 in contraband at Sussex I State Prison in Waverly early Monday, including 1 pound of suspected methamphetamine, 17 cellphones, tattoo ink, and perfume. (More)

➤ Norfolk: The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Skyler Brock, wanted in the Aug. 12 killing of Tony Camarillo in Norfolk. (More)

➤ Richmond: Amtrak trains running north from Richmond will stop in Alexandria for nine days in late October while crews replace track near Union Station in Washington. Service between Alexandria and Union Station is suspended from Oct. 16-26, with buses bridging the gap. (More)

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➤ UVA football opens the season Saturday against NC State with the most experienced roster in college football. The Cavaliers lead the country in combined starts and total snaps heading into 2026. (More)

➤ Virginia Tech sold out James Franklin's home debut against VMI on Sept. 5, the second announced sellout of the Hokies’ 2026 home slate. (More)

➤ Five Virginia state senators each received $100,000 from the Sports Betting Alliance after voting to support an online casino bill earlier this year. The donations were the largest single contributions in each senator’s career. (More)

➤ Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin racked up 33 traffic fines totaling about $1,000 while driving his luxury Russian-made minivan in Russia this summer. The 40-year-old has already paid all but one of the tickets. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | Tennis | Little League World Series

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➤ Could One Everyday Food Be Affecting Your Blood Pressure? Elevated blood pressure can involve constricted blood vessels and excess fluid in the bloodstream, forcing blood through tighter spaces. Surprisingly, one common food may contribute to both problems—and it’s not salt. Cottage cheese, peanut butter, eggs, and deli meats are among the foods worth examining. Discover which food may be affecting your blood pressure >>

➤ Virginia cattle farmers are opposing President Trump’s plan to temporarily lift tariffs on up to 300,000 metric tons of imported ground beef for 90 days. Producers warn that below-market imports would undercut domestic ranchers. (More)

➤ Virginia’s count of community pharmacies fell from 1,545 in 2019 to 1,402 last year, with pharmacists blaming low reimbursements from pharmacy benefit managers, which sometimes force them to fill prescriptions at a loss. A new state oversight law takes effect in mid-2027. (More)

➤ Virginia Tech says the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center, now being marketed for sale after transfer to its foundation, is best positioned as a historic luxury hotel supporting tourism and economic development, dismissing casino speculation. (More)

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➤ Add Pure Silver to Your Collection. GovMint is offering 1-ounce Morgan Design bars made from 99.9% pure silver for $79.95 each. Buy more and save up to $250, with free shipping on every order. Plus, qualifying orders can receive a FREE Morgan Silver Dollar. Explore the silver offer from GovMint >>

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Final Days to Invest in The Company Unlocking $2.1T in Energy Potential

Founders Matt McKean and Joseph Witherspoon are on the path to commercializing a technology that extracts valuable resources (like jet fuel and diesel) from coal without burning it. For their team at Frontieras, it’s an opportunity to address up to $2.1 trillion worth of annual markets.

Their latest progress speaks for itself. You have until tomorrow to invest in this limited-time opportunity:

“FASF” ticker reserved on the NASDAQ
$850M flagship facility in development
$50+ million raised from investors so far

Under a White House that favors domestic energy production, Frontieras is set up for potential growth. Final call to become an early-stage Frontieras shareholder. Invest by 11:59 p.m. PT tomorrow.

Under Regulation A+, a company has the ability to change its share price by up to 20%, without requalifying the offering with the SEC
Sources: The global market for our products is worth a combined value of over $2.1 trillion.

This is a paid advertisement for Frontieras’s Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.frontieras.com/

Reservation of the ticker symbol is not a guarantee that we will be listed on the NASDAQ. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.

➤ The mysterious streak Virginians spotted before dawn Tuesday was a SpaceX Falcon 9 that lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 5:33 a.m. carrying 29 Starlink satellites, its northeasterly path putting the exhaust plume in view along the Chesapeake Bay. (See Photos)

➤ Virginia ranks 30th overall among U.S. states for teen drivers in a new analysis, with a solid safety ranking of 16th but the nation’s worst economic environment, driven by the highest insurance premium hikes for adding teen drivers. (More)

➤ UVA is giving away free football tickets to Charlottesville City Schools families and staff for the Cavaliers’ season opener against N.C. State, which kicks off at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. (More)

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➤ Every sip of this "healthy" drink may be destroying your joints from the inside. Millions drink it daily, never knowing it’s quietly tearing down the slippery cushion that protects your bones. Until it's gone… and every step grinds bone on bone. Discover the "healthy" everyday drink that's silently scraping your joints raw from the inside. You'll never guess it.

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

➤ Ten of America's most trusted breakfasts, ranked worst to best for your long-term health. (See List)

➤ Ghislaine Maxwell pointed to newly released Epstein files in her push for freedom, but a federal judge rejected every claim. (Hear Episode)

➤ United Airlines is planning what it calls its largest expansion ever, adding flights to eight cities that no other US carrier serves nonstop. (See Cities)