Hi Norfolk! We have the latest buzz right here. Let's keep you in the loop and get this morning started right! ☀️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Free Bra Fittings to Support Breast Cancer Awareness and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: Why do some birds fly south for the winter? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. State rail agency wants public feedback; offers Amtrak ticket raffle (wydaily.com) — Norfolk rail riders will see Northeast Regional trains stop in Alexandria, not Washington, from Oct. 16–26 while an $8.65 million tunnel project closes the line into Union Station, with express buses filling the gap. At the same time, the state is asking Norfolk residents to take a short survey on Virginia's long-term rail plan, with a chance to win two Amtrak round-trip tickets.
2. Smithfield police shared Flock data with FBI after ODU shooting. That violated state law. (pilotonline.com) — Investigators probing the deadly March shooting on Old Dominion University's Norfolk campus used Flock license plate data that Smithfield police improperly shared with the FBI, violating a Virginia law restricting such data transfers. The information later appeared in a federal gun case set for sentencing in Norfolk federal court, raising major questions for Norfolk-area residents about privacy, data sharing, and how joint task forces handle emergencies.
3. Blaine Stewart honored with induction into 2026 Capital Emmys Silver Circle (wtkr.com) — Norfolk viewers may recognize WTKR News 3 anchor Blaine Stewart, who's just been inducted into the prestigious Capital Emmys Silver Circle for 25 years of broadcasting. Colleagues credit his passion for local news with helping him recover from a major heart attack, and his career path stretches from school announcements to nearly two decades on Hampton Roads morning TV.
4. Chesapeake Watershed Receives $39M In Federal Grants For Water Quality And Habitat Restoration Projects (thebaynet.com) — Norfolk sits at the southern end of a major new wave of Chesapeake Bay restoration funding, with $39 million in federal grants supporting 83 water-quality and habitat projects from New York down to Virginia. Projects in the Commonwealth receive about $9.6 million, backing efforts like cover-crop mapping, stormwater training, and flood resilience that could benefit downstream communities along the James and Elizabeth rivers.
5. One dead aboard boat that departed from Block Island (newsbreak.com) — A Block Island-based trawler headed for Norfolk was reported overdue Friday night and later found adrift off Virginia Beach, where its 75-year-old operator was discovered dead. Authorities say the death is not considered suspicious, but the case underscores risks for boaters traveling the busy coastal route into Hampton Roads. Norfolk residents may notice increased Coast Guard activity offshore as the investigation continues.
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Ok Norfolk! 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: "Why do some birds fly south for the winter?" — Because it's too far to walk..! (Thank you Theresia F. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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