Good morning Newport News! We're back in your inbox this morning to keep you in the loop with what's happening in and around town. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: CANstruction Competition 2026: Where History Lives and Community Builds and 7 more events.
Today's riddle: How do billboards talk? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Newport News hosts first Dominion-NextEra merger hearing—here's what locals said (vadogwood.com) — Newport News just hosted the first public hearing on the proposed Dominion-NextEra merger, drawing residents who worry about higher power bills, monopoly power, and reliability after recent local outages. Supporters touted investment and rebates, while critics questioned corporate track records and whether Virginia customers would be protected as regulators weigh a decision due in January.
2. Video shows 6-year-old cursing at cops after Richneck Elementary School shooting of teacher Abby Zwerner in Newport News, Virginia (abc7.com) — Newport News readers now can see newly unsealed police body camera footage from the moments after a 6-year-old shot teacher Abby Zwerner at Richneck Elementary in 2023. The video shows the child cursing at officers, admitting he stole the gun from his mother, and helps explain how a jury later found the assistant principal grossly negligent, leading to Zwerner's $10 million civil award.
3. New video shows 6-year-old cursing at officers after shooting first grade teacher at Virginia school (abc7.com) — Newport News residents are seeing more details from newly unsealed body camera footage taken just after the 2023 Richneck Elementary shooting, showing a 6-year-old cursing at officers and admitting he stole the gun from his mother. The report also notes teacher Abby Zwerner's lasting injuries, her $10 million civil award, and the assistant principal's negligence finding.
4. This is how government services will be affected by Indigenous Peoples Day (pilotonline.com) — If you live in Newport News, your city offices, schools, trash pickup, libraries, and recreation centers will all operate on normal schedules this Indigenous Peoples Day Monday. The guide also compares what's open or closed in nearby Hampton Roads localities, plus notes that post offices and DMV centers will be closed regionwide.
5. More Peninsula residents will be plugged in to high-speed internet with extension (pilotonline.com) — Newport News is using a new $2 million federal investment to jump-start a major fiber-optic expansion that could dramatically boost internet speeds for residents and businesses. Cables will extend from Newport News through regional bridge-tunnels to connect with South Hampton Roads networks, aiming to close the city's digital gap where about 30% of households still lack high-speed access.
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Ok Newport News! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "How do billboards talk?" — Sign language (Thank you Ellen S. for sending it in!)
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