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Tag: Virginia

  • Virginia lawmakers send reproductive rights amendment toward November vote – WTOP News

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    Unlike two other civil rights-related constitutional amendments that passed with bipartisan support over the past year, Virginia’s reproductive rights measure has faced intense debate at every stage, with every Republican in the legislature opposing it. 

    This article was reprinted with permission from Virginia Mercury. 

    A proposal allowing mid-decade redistricting of Virginia’s congressional maps that cleared the legislature last week may dominate debate heading into a spring special referendum, but a constitutional amendment on reproductive rights is poised to ignite similar fervor as the November election approaches.

    Unlike two other civil rights-related constitutional amendments that passed with bipartisan support over the past year, Virginia’s reproductive rights measure has faced intense debate at every stage, with every Republican in the legislature opposing it.

    In defending her amendment for the final time, Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, emphasized that advancing the proposal would ultimately leave the decision to voters across the state.

    Ranging from fertility treatments to contraception access to the ability to obtain an abortion, “this amendment protects families’ entire scope of reproductive needs,” she said.

    Boysko and several other Democratic lawmakers have described how women in states with abortion bans have died amid pregnancy complications. Those states have also seen an exodus of OB-GYN physicians amid uncertainty of treating patients who need abortions or miscarriage management.

    Boysko grew tearful as she recounted stories and advocacy shared by constituents and people around the state.

    Relatedly, Sen. Emily Jordan, R-Isle of Wight, struck a somber tone as she noted that “this is a difficult topic for a lot of people.”

    On the opposite side of the chamber’s aisle — and in opposition to the amendment — Jordan unsuccessfully attempted to modify the proposal to explicitly spell out care for babies when born.

    A sticking point for some Republicans has been concern that the amendment could be interpreted to allow abortion up to the “moment of birth,”  though infanticide remains illegal under both state code and federal law.

    Sen. Tara Durant, R-Stafford, also attempted for the second legislative session in a row, to reiterate existing parental consent laws. Democrats and legal experts said it is unnecessary. Under Virginia law, minors are required to have parental or guardian consent for an abortion unless they petition a judge for authorization.

    On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, accused Republicans of employing delay tactics by pressing for their amendments to the amendment.

    “It is a delay tactic,” Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Rockbridge, said on Friday, as he urged lawmakers to re-draft the amendment. Doing so, however, would restart the two-year process.

    A sense of urgency

    While not entirely a partisan issue at the national level, the issue has increasingly fallen along party lines in states. That dynamic, Virginia Wesleyan University professor Leslie Caughell said, helps explain why Democrats are moving quickly while they hold legislative majorities.

    Though placing language in the Constitution is difficult, it is also harder to undo. With every other Southern state imposing deep restrictions or near-total bans, bolstering Virginia’s protections has become a priority for Democrats. Providers and abortion funds in Virginia have also seen a surge in out-of-state patients seeking care.

    “I think everything that happened in North Carolina made activists on this really uncomfortable,” Caughell said.

    In 2023, a member of the neighboring state’s legislature switched from Democrat to Republican, giving the GOP a veto-proof majority and paving the way for enactment of North Carolina’s current 12-week abortion limit.

    In Virginia, Republicans have also put forward a range of abortion restrictions, from near-total bans to a 15-week cap that lacked exceptions for fetal anomalies — which are often not detected until around or after 15 weeks.

    On other reproductive health issues, a right-to-contraception bill has twice been vetoed by former Gov. Glenn Youngkin — a point Boysko reiterated as the amendment advanced last week.

    ‘Yes’ and “No’ campaigns on the horizon

    Reproductive rights groups in Virginia, along with physicians and volunteers, have coordinated as part the national Reproductive Freedom for All effort. Last year, a $5 million investment supported targeted initiatives ranging from canvassing to digital advertising in states such as Virginia, where Abigail Spanberger was elected governor.

    Spanberger campaigned in part on supporting the amendment, though governors do not formally factor into its success or failure.

    “I look forward to spending ample time in advance of the 2026 elections campaigning to make sure that people understand the importance of this constitutional amendment,” she told The Mercury last summer.

    On the other side, SBA Pro-Life America supported Virginia-based anti-abortion groups last year through door-knocking efforts in key House of Delegates districts that were up for election.

    Democrats ultimately grew their majority by flipping additional seats.

    The abortion-opposing group “doesn’t have anything to share on the Virginia front at this time,” Communications Director Kelsey Pritchard said in an email, but the organization is monitoring Virginia among other states as it prepares to engage voters.

    Virginians for Reproductive Freedom — which includes organizations like Repro Rising and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia — will likely ramp up public engagement events and advertising as the November elections approach.

    Caughell said she is watching closely to see how Virginia’s constitutional amendment campaigns intersect with this year’s congressional midterm elections.

    The measures — which include redistricting, reproductive rights, same-sex marriage rights and voting rights — arrive at a moment when Democrats may have an advantage, she noted.

    Midterm elections are often a referendum on the party that controls the White House, Caughell said.

    With Republican President Donald Trump in the White House, GOP majorities in Congress, and federal funding fallouts affecting states, the amendments championed by Democrats could also help drive down-ballot votes.

    She also noted that abortion, as a distinct health care need, has become a more salient argument in recent years, alongside economic considerations and support for personal choice.

    “We’ve expanded the parameters of our understanding of who this issue directly affects,” Caughell said.

    Speaking with reporters outside the Senate chamber Friday, Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, emphasized that the work is not finished.

    “It’s our responsibility to go out there and tell the voters this is what this means and help everybody understand what they’re voting for,” she said.

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    LaDawn Black

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  • Spanberger takes swipe at Trump admin, says Virginians worried about ‘recklessness coming out of Washington’

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    Democrat Abigail Spanberger took multiple swipes at the Trump administration on Saturday as she was sworn-in as Virginia’s first female governor. 

    Spanberger, who handily defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in November and takes over for Republican Glenn Youngkin, told a crowd at the State Capitol that, “I know many of you are worried about the recklessness coming out of Washington.” 

    “You are worried about policies that are hurting our communities, cutting health care access, imperiling rural hospitals and driving up costs. You are worried about Washington policies that are closing off markets, hurting innovation and private industry, and attacking those who have devoted their lives to public service,” Spanberger said. 

    “You are worried about an administration that is gilding buildings while schools crumble, breaking, breaking, breaking the social safety net and sowing fear across our communities, betraying the values of who we are as Americans, the very values that we celebrate here on these steps,” she continued.

    VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS MOVE TO SEIZE REDISTRICTING POWER, OPENING DOOR TO 4 NEW LEFT-LEANING SEATS

    Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger speaks during inaugural ceremonies at the Capitol, Saturday, in Richmond, Va.  (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

    “And across the Commonwealth, everything keeps getting a bit more expensive. Groceries, medicine, day care, the electricity bill, rent and the mortgage. Families are strained, kids are stressed, and so much just seems to be getting harder and harder,” Spanberger added. 

    She then said, “Growing up, my parents always taught me that when faced with something unacceptable, you must speak up.”

    YOUNGKIN BACKS JD VANCE FOR 2028, CALLS VICE PRESIDENT A ‘GREAT’ GOP NOMINEE

    Abigail Spanberger takes the oath for Governor of Virginia

    Abigail Spanberger takes the oath of Governor of Virginia during inaugural activities, Saturday, at the Capitol in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

    “You must take action. You must right what you believe is wrong and fix what isn’t working. And I know that some who are here today, or watching from home, may disagree with the litany of challenges and the hardships that I laid out,” Spanberger also said. “Your perspective may differ from mine, but that does not preclude us from working together where we may find common cause.” 

    Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for a response to Spanberger’s remarks.

    Abigale Spanberger and Glenn Youngkin participate in key ceremony

    Abigail Spanberger takes part in the key exchange with departing Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin before inaugural ceremonies at the Capitol in Richmond, Va.  (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

    “The history and the gravity of this moment are not lost on me. I maintain an abiding sense of gratitude to those who work, generation after generation, to ensure women could be among those casting ballots,” Spanberger said at one point during her speech.

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    Prior to her inauguration speech, Youngkin posted a video on X where he said it was an “honor of a lifetime” to serve the state. 

    Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.

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  • Abigail Spanberger sworn in as Virginia’s 1st female governor in historic inauguration

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    Democrat Abigail Spanberger has been sworn into office as Virginia’s first female governor. Spanberger was sworn in at noon Saturday amid a cold drizzle outside the state Capitol after centuries of men holding the state’s top office.

    “The history and the gravity of this moment are not lost on me — I maintain an abiding sense of gratitude to those who worked generation after generation to ensure women could be among those casting ballots, but who could only dream of a day like today,” Spanberger said in her inauguration speech.  

    “I stand before those who made it possible for a woman to also participate in that peaceful transfer of power and take that oath…”  she added.

    Spanberger defeated Republican Winsome Earle-Sears to succeed Gov. Glenn Youngkin, also a Republican. During the election, Spanberger, a former CIA officer and congresswoman, positioned herself as an adversary of the Trump administration. She frequently capitalized on frustrations over federal layoffs in a state with nearly 150,000 federal civilian jobs to cinch the role. 

    Her victory marks a new chapter as Democrats pull the levers of power in Virginia while Republican President Trump sits in the White House next door.

    Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger is sworn into office by the Honorable William Mims, Senior Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia, at the Virginia State Capitol.

    Win McNamee / Getty Images


    Two other Democrats were also sworn in. Ghazala F. Hashmi, the first Muslim woman to serve in statewide office in the U.S., is the new lieutenant governor. Jay Jones is the first Black person elected attorney general in Virginia, winning the race despite a text message scandal.

    She will be referred to with traditional formality: “Madam Governor” or, as some officials phrase it, “her excellency.”

    Spanberger’s inauguration marks a new chapter in the state, with Democrats pulling the levers of power in state government while Republicans run neighboring Washington. The state Democrats picked up 13 seats in the House of Delegates a year after the party’s stunning losses nationwide in the 2024 presidential election.

    Abigail Spanberger Is Sworn In As First Female Virginia Governor

    Virginia Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger arrives for her Inauguration ceremony at the Virginia State Capitol on January 17, 2026 in Richmond, Virginia

    Alex Wong / Getty Images


    The governor ran on a vow to protect Virginia’s economy from the aggressive tactics of Mr. Trump’s administration. On the trail, she spoke of the White House’s gutting the civil service, rising costs of goods and changes impacting the state’s already fragile health care system. 

    She addressed these issues during her inauguration speech, saying she knows many “are worried about the recklessness coming out of Washington,” which is cutting healthcare access, imperiling rural hospitals, and driving up costs. She added she know many are worried about “Washington policies that are closing off markets, hurting innovation and private industry, and attacking those who have devoted their lives to public service.”

    Democrats in the statehouse have vowed to work with Spanberger to push through their bullish agenda, which includes redrawing the state’s Congressional district map ahead of the midterm elections this year.

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  • Virginia lawmakers back redrawing congressional maps, paving the way for a voter referendum – WTOP News

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    Virginia voters will decide whether to back a redrawn district map that favors Democrats in the tit-for-tat battle for the U.S. House after the left-leaning Senate advanced a proposed constitutional amendment on Friday that supports mid-decade congressional redistricting.

    RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia voters will decide whether to back a redrawn district map that favors Democrats in the tit-for-tat battle for the U.S. House after the left-leaning Senate advanced a proposed constitutional amendment on Friday that supports mid-decade congressional redistricting.

    Such a congressional map has not been publicly released, though lawmakers say that will change by the end of the month. Officials have repeatedly vowed that voters would see a proposed map before the referendum is held, likely in April.

    “Because this is a Virginian-led process and we’re asking for their permission, voters will be able to see the maps prior to their vote,” Democratic Del. Cia Price said Wednesday.

    The closely divided state Senate, where Democrats hold a slim majority, voted along party lines on Friday afternoon, following a similar vote by House Democrats earlier this week.

    Trump teed up an unusual redistricting plan last year and pushed Texas Republicans to create more favorable districts for the party by way of new congressional maps. That triggered something of a mid-decade redistricting dogfight.

    Since then, Texas, Missouri and North Carolina all approved new Republican-friendly House districts. Ohio also enacted a more favorable House map for Republicans.

    On the Democratic side, California voters approved new House districts helping Democrats, and a Utah judge adopted a new House map that benefits Democrats.

    There have been some defections in the nationwide redistricting battle: Kansas Republicans dropped plans for a special session on redistricting. Indiana’s Republican-led Senate also defeated a plan that could have helped the GOP win all of the state’s U.S. House seats.

    It’s still up in the air as to whether new maps will be created in other states, such as Republican-leaning Florida, and Democratic-led Illinois and Maryland.

    The redistricting battle has resulted, so far, in nine more seats that Republicans believe they can win and six more seats that Democrats think they can win, putting the GOP up by three. However, redistricting is being litigated in several states, and there is no guarantee that the parties will win the seats they have redrawn.

    In Virginia, the redistricting resolution sparked raucous debate among lawmakers on the merits of gerrymandering a battleground state known to have independent voters, particularly after a recent years-long push for fair maps in the state.

    Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell said when Republican-led states “rig elections in their favor, our commitment to fairness that we made — that our voters made — effectively becomes unilateral disarmament.”

    Virginia Republicans have admonished Democrats’ redistricting efforts, arguing gerrymandering isn’t the answer. Republican Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle said, “Republicans in Indiana stood up to political pressure and said, ‘We’re not going to play these political games.’ And they stopped.”

    The state currently is represented in the U.S. House by six Democrats and five Republicans who ran in districts whose boundaries were imposed by a court after a bipartisan redistricting commission failed to agree on a map after the census.

    That commission came about following a 2020 referendum, in which voters supported a change to the state’s constitution aimed at ending legislative gerrymandering.

    The new proposed constitutional amendment, if backed by voters, would only be in effect until 2030. The resolution also has trigger language, meaning Virginia lawmakers can only redraw congressional maps if such action is taken by other states.

    In January, Democratic Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger backed Democrats’ redistricting effort but has not committed to a particular plan.

    “Ultimately, it’s up to the people of Virginia to choose whether or not to move forward with the referendum,” she said.

    ___

    Associated Press writer John Raby in Charleston, West Virginia, contributed.

    ___

    Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

    Copyright
    © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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    WTOP Staff

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  • Virginia prepares for historic moment as Spanberger takes office in Richmond – WTOP News

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    Virginia Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger will make history once she takes office this weekend, becoming the state’s first female governor.

    Virginia Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger will make history once she takes office this weekend, becoming the state’s first female governor.

    Spanberger defeated Republican Winsome Earle-Sears in November, but the election set the state up for a historic inauguration weekend regardless of the winner.

    Spanberger, who will become the state’s 75th governor, has an inaugural ceremony scheduled for Saturday at noon in Richmond. The event’s theme is “United for Virginia’s Future.”

    “Virginia has known that it was going to have a woman governor for the last several months, but it will be a crowning moment for Virginia politics when that day comes to pass,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington.

    In an interview with The Associated Press, Spanberger said she’s still processing the significance of the moment.

    With Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill’s election victories, there will be 14 female governors in the U.S. But, Kelly Dittmar, director of research at Rutgers University’s Center for American Women and Politics, said that women are still underrepresented at the gubernatorial level.

    “It shows progress, because it wasn’t only that those women came out of nowhere, right?” Dittmar said. “These were women who’ve established their political credentials and qualifications and done so in ways that are similar to their male counterparts.”

    In Virginia, Ghazala Hashmi was elected to be the state’s next lieutenant governor, the first Indian American to win statewide office there.

    Having two women top a statewide ticket has become more common, Dittmar said, and what it demonstrates is that “women are in the kind of pools and of potential candidates to be recruited and supported and ultimately nominated to be governor and then, of course, to be successful at the end of the day.”

    Many of the women who have become governors served in state legislatures or Congress, which could be “feeder positions” for gubernatorial or higher offices, Dittmar said.

    “We have seen that the challenge for women to get into the running and ultimately into gubernatorial office also comes from some gatekeeping we’ve seen by parties,” Dittmar said.

    “And so the fact that we again saw parties really backing these women in terms of selection, to some extent, at least at the state level, that was evidence that also, party leaders are starting to see the benefit of more inclusion in office.”

    Generally, most women who run for political office aren’t themselves making a case to be elected because it could be historic, Dittmar said.

    “What we saw with Sherrill and Spanberger, in particular, is that they were focused on, ‘Here are the issues that are most important to the voters in our state. I am fully qualified to do this job,’” Dittmar said.

    “When and where they kind of brought gender into their campaign was more in the specific roles and experiences, the lived experiences they have had as women, particularly as mothers, I think in both cases, talking about how that perspective and lived experience is going to help them to do the job better.”

    However, Dittmar said, there’s been little racial and ethnic diversity among the women who have served, “and so that is something to look forward toward.”

    Spanberger’s latest administration appointments

    Ahead of her inauguration weekend, Spanberger tapped Jenna Conway to be the state superintendent of public instruction.

    Conway is currently chief of early learning and specialized populations at Virginia’s Department of Education, helping make sure every child is prepared for kindergarten. She’s a Charlottesville City Schools graduate.

    Connor Andrews, meanwhile, was named deputy secretary. He worked as a policy analyst under former Gov. Ralph Northam, and has been working as the University of Virginia’s director for state government relations.

    Spanberger named Carrie Chenery the secretary of commerce and trade. Chenery once worked as assistant secretary of agriculture and forestry in the Office of the Governor. She founded Valley Pike Partners, a consulting firm based in the Shenandoah Valley.

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    Scott Gelman

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  • Husband plotted double murder to

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    A suburban Washington, D.C. man who was having an affair with his family’s Brazilian au pair used an elaborate scheme to lure an unsuspecting man to the house as part of a plan to kill his wife, prosecutors said in opening statements on Tuesday.

    Brendan Banfield is charged with aggravated murder in the 2023 killings of Christine Banfield and the second man, Joseph Ryan, at the Banfields’ home in northern Virginia. He has pleaded not guilty and could face life in prison if convicted.

    Juliana Peres Magalhães testified on Tuesday that she began working as an au pair in the home in October 2021, when she would have been 21 years old. She and Brendan Banfield began a sexual relationship about 10 months later. Banfield told her he wanted to marry her and have children with her, but he needed to “get rid of” his wife first, she testified. He didn’t want to divorce his wife because “she would have more money than he would” and because he wanted custody of the couple’s 4-year-old daughter.

    Banfield came up with a plan to create a fake profile for his wife on a sexual fetish site, Magalhães said. Magalhães and Brendan would both post to the site from Christine Banfield’s laptop, and they were careful to post only when Christine Banfield was home, Magalhães said.

    “He knew that we needed to have some alibis,” she testified.

    In this image taken from video, Juliana Peres Magalhães testifies during the trial of Brendan Banfield, charged with aggravated murder in the 2023 killings of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan, on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026 in Fairfax, Va. 

    Court TV via AP, Pool


    In opening statements, Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Jenna Sands told jurors that Banfield and Magalhães spent a month arranging an elaborate scenario with Ryan in which Ryan would act out an arranged rape fantasy. They agreed that Ryan would come on the morning of Feb. 24, 2023, while Christine Banfield was sleeping, and bring restraints and a knife, Sands said.

    “He thought Christine was a terrible mother,” Sands said, according to CBS affiliate WUSA-TV. “He wanted her out of the picture.”

    In preparation, both Magalhães and Brendan Banfield traded in their phones in an effort to hide evidence. He also changed the windows in the home to improve the soundproofing and checked neighbors’ homes to see who had doorbell cameras, Magalhães said.

    On the morning of the killings, Magalhães left the home with the child and waited in her car for Ryan to arrive. Brendan Banfield had left earlier and was waiting at a nearby McDonald’s for her to call. When she did, he returned home. The pair took the child to the basement and went upstairs to find Ryan on top of Christine Banfield, who was on the floor.

    “When I got to the bedroom, he yelled, ‘Police officer,’” Magalhães said of Brendan Banfield. “Christine yelled back at Brendan, saying, ‘Brendan! He has a knife!’ That’s when Brendan first shot Joe.”

    Christine Banfield told Magalhães to call 911. She did, but then hung up after Brendan Banfield motioned to her, she said. She went to the bathroom for towels, and when she returned, she saw Brendan Banfield stabbing his wife, she said. She was alternately pacing and squatting down, covering her eyes, but at some point she saw Ryan moving and shot him with a gun that Brendan Banfield had given her that morning, she testified. After that, she called 911 again when Brendan Banfield gave the OK, she said.

    Brendan Banfield appeared to cry in court Tuesday while listening to the 911 call from the day his wife was killed in their bed, WUSA-TV reported. 

    Virginia Wife Killing

    In this image taken from video, Brendan Banfield, charged with aggravated murder in the 2023 killings of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan, appears in court during opening statements on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026 in Fairfax, Va. 

    Court TV via AP, Pool


    Magalhães was also charged with murder but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter in 2024 after cooperating with investigators. She will be sentenced at the conclusion of Banfield’s trial.

    Banfield’s attorney, John Carroll, said in opening statements that Magalhães had maintained her innocence for a year but eventually changed her story in exchange for a sweetheart deal.

    “The whole reason she was arrested was to flip her against my client,” Carroll said.

    The prosecution’s theory relies on the idea that Banfield and Magalhães were “catfishing” Ryan by pretending to be Christine Banfield. However, the lead homicide detective and the forensic detective both disagreed with that theory, Carroll said. Both were later transferred. Carroll said there was “turmoil” inside the police department over that case that some media have dubbed the “au pair affair.”

    “You’re going to see a presentation of a horrible, tragic, awful event,” Carroll said. He said there is no dispute that Banfield and Magalhães were having an affair; however, “there’s an awful lot more to look for.”

    Banfield, whose daughter was at the house on the morning of the killings, is also charged with child abuse and felony child cruelty in connection with the case. He will also face those charges during the aggravated murder trial.

    nanny-banfiedl-screenshot-2024-09-17-062812.jpg

    Authorities have said Juliana Peres Magalhães, left, and Brandon Banfield were involved in a romantic relationship.

    WUSA-TV


    Joseph Ryan’s mother, Deirdre Fisher, told WUSA-TV that her son had talked to her about consensual role play but he was not a violent person. Fisher told the station she remembers every detail of learning about her son’s death.

    “I remember when I got the call from the detective … I could hear my own voice screaming,” she said. “It was almost like it was outside of my body hearing that he had been killed.”  

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  • WATCH LIVE: Fairfax Co. husband goes on trial in double murder case involving au pair – WTOP News

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    The Fairfax County, Virginia, husband accused of conspiring with the family’s au pair to kill his wife and another person, is on trial, charged with aggravated murder for the February 2023 deaths.

    Prosecutors said Brendan Banfield planned with Juliana Peres Magalhaes to kill Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan, who had been lured to the Banfields’ Herndon home with promises of rough sex.

    Peres Magalhaes pleaded guilty in 2024 for her involvement in the double murder. Authorities said the au pair and the husband had a romantic affair.

    Court sessions will begin at 10 a.m. each day and run Monday through Thursday.

    Watch the court proceedings below for the latest on the case.

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    Abigail Constantino

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  • Person with measles traveled through Maryland, Virginia last week, health officials say – WTOP News

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    The Maryland Department of Health said the person traveled on trains from Jan. 7-8.

    A confirmed case of measles was reported in a person who traveled last week through Maryland while infectious, state health officials announced Sunday.

    The Maryland Department of Health said the person traveled on trains from Jan. 7-8, according to a news release.

    However, the agency said anyone who may have been near the following public areas may have been exposed:

    • Amtrak Northeast Regional train from Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station to D.C.’s Union Station from 9 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Jan. 7.
    • Amtrak’s BWI Marshall Airport shuttle bus to and from the BWI Marshall train station and the drop-off points outside of the lower level of the airport from 10:45 p.m. on Jan. 7 to 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 8.
    • BWI Marshall Airport parking shuttle bus to and from the lower levels outside of the BWI Marshall Airport and the airport’s long-term parking lots from 11 p.m. on Jan. 7 to 2 a.m. on Jan. 8.

    State health officials said people who were not in these locations at the times specified were not exposed to the infectious person while they were in Maryland.

    MDH also said there were no exposures identified inside the terminals of the BWI Marshall Airport.

    The agency said additional exposures sites occurred in other states, and that information related to those exposures will be provided by those states.

    In a separate statement, the Virginia Department of Health also flagged the Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center Emergency Department and Executive Medicine Suite in Fort Belvoir as a potential exposure site.

    Officials said anyone who traveled to the site Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. to midnight, may have been exposed.

    VDH described the patient as a “preschool-age child” who had “recently traveled internationally.” The department said the incident marks the state’s second measles of the year.

    What to do if you’ve been exposed

    If you think you’ve been exposed, MDH suggests finding out if you’ve been vaccinated for measles or have had it before. If you’ve gotten two doses of a measles vaccine, or were born before 1957, you are generally considered protected.

    If you’re not sure if you’ve been immunized, check your status by calling your health care provider or requesting records through the My Immunization Record online portal.

    Now, if you’re not fully vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles and you might have been exposed, contact your health care provider or your local health department to discuss the best next steps.

    MDH said exposed individuals need to monitor for any early signs of measles for 21 days after the initial potential exposure. Symptoms can range from runny nose, cough, red and watery eyes, and a fever exceeding 101 degrees.

    If symptoms develop, the health agency stresses individuals must stay home, and to avoid public spaces. Individuals should contact a health care facility before arriving to any care centers.

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    Diane Morris

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  • Luxury watch con ends with McLean man sentenced to nearly two years in federal prison – WTOP News

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    A McLean resident used multiple American Express accounts that bilked the credit card company and Harrods out of more than $1.2 million in luxury watches.

    A McLean, Virginia, resident was sentenced Thursday to a year and nine months in federal prison for mail fraud after prosecutors say he carried out a sprawling luxury watch scam.

    Jaivin Raj Karnani, 45, used multiple American Express accounts — including two cards under his mother’s name, according to court documents — that bilked the credit card company and a famed London retailer out of more than $1.2 million in luxury watches.

    “This case demonstrates how the abuse of consumer-protection systems inflicts widespread financial harm — driving up costs, eroding trust and burdening honest businesses,” Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said in a statement.

    Prosecutors said Karnani used American Express cards to buy watches from Harrods Limited, the iconic London department store known for its upscale brands.

    But, once the watches were delivered to his McLean home, Karnani falsely reported to American Express that he never received them, all in order to trigger credit card disputes and erase the charges.

    Karnani placed orders under his own name, as well as under aliases like “Quinn Bash” and “Steve Johnson,” and then tried to resell the watches to luxury dealers in Michigan and New York, prosecutors said.

    How the scam unfolded

    Between late 2022 and mid-2024, federal authorities said Karnani falsely charged roughly $1,280,648 worth of luxury watches — including brands like Rolex, Gucci, Omega, Chanel, Tudor and Porsche Design.

    After disputing the charges with American Express, the disputes ultimately led to more than $850,000 in losses for the credit card company and more than $426,000 in losses for Harrods.

    The scheme also included an abuse of the charge-back process tied to legal fees, which prosecutors said later resulted in civil judgments against Karnani.

    In addition to his federal prison sentence, Karnani must forfeit the full amount of the fraudulent purchases — $1,280,647.99 — and 23 luxury watches seized from his McLean residence, officials said.

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    Diane Morris

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  • Trial set for Northern Virginia man accused of conspiring with au pair to kill his wife and another man – WTOP News

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    Nearly eight months after Brendan Banfield’s wife and a stranger were killed in the Banfields’ Virginia home in February 2023, police returned to the scene of the killings.

    (CNN) — Nearly eight months after Brendan Banfield’s wife and a stranger were killed in the Banfields’ Virginia home in February 2023, police returned to the scene of the killings.

    They entered the home and went to the bedroom where Christine Banfield was fatally stabbed. There, on the bedside table, investigators found a framed photo of Brendan smiling with another woman – the family’s au pair, according to court records.

    Brendan Banfield now faces a double-murder trial, with jury selection scheduled Monday, as prosecutors allege he plotted with the au pair to kill his wife and another man. Prosecutors say that man had been lured to the home to frame him for Christine’s death – and to make his own killing appear to be an act of self-defense.

    Banfield – a former IRS agent, according to CNN affiliate WUSA – has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder and a firearm offense in the fatal stabbing of his wife and the fatal shooting of Joseph Ryan.

    Prosecutors say Brendan Banfield and the family’s Brazilian au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães, were having an extra-marital affair and carried out the plan together. The salacious plot features allegations of BDSM sexual role play, trips to the gun range and false 911 calls, all in an attempt to kill Banfield’s wife and frame Ryan, according to prosecutors.

    Peres Magalhães was initially charged with murder and has since pleaded guilty to a lesser count of involuntary manslaughter for fatally shooting Ryan.

    She has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in exchange for a recommendation that she be sentenced to time served, according to the plea agreement. She is likely to be the star witness in Banfield’s murder trial.

    The trial is expected to last about four weeks.

    Banfield has been held without bond since his arrest, according to police. He faces up to life in prison on the murder charges.

    Salacious allegations to face jury

    The case began with calls to 911 from within the Banfields’ Herndon, Virginia, home on February 24, 2023. In one call, Banfield told dispatchers he’d shot a man who stabbed his wife, according to police. There was no forced entry at the home.

    In an upstairs bedroom, police found Christine Banfield, 37, with stab wounds and Ryan, 39, dead of gunshot wounds nearby. She was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead, according to Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis.

    Peres Magalhães, 25, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and a firearm offense in October 2023 and has been in custody since her arrest.

    When police searched the home, they found a framed photo of Banfield and Peres Magalhães smiling together on his bedside table.

    A year later, in October 2024, court records show Peres Magalhães pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. At a plea hearing, prosecutors read aloud a statement laying out the key allegations in the case.

    As they alleged, Peres Magalhães began working as an au pair for the couple in late 2021, and in August 2022 she and Brendan Banfield began an extra-marital relationship.

    “In the fall of 2022, Brendan Banfield expressed to Peres Magalhães his desire to be rid of his wife and soon thereafter began planning to kill his wife as well as, ultimately, Joseph Ryan, the victim in this case,” prosecutors said.

    Banfield set up an account on Fetlife.com, a sexual fetish site, began communicating with Ryan and lured him to the Banfield home, prosecutors said. Ryan “likely believed” he was meeting Christine Banfield for a consensual sexual encounter involving “violent sexual role play” with a knife, prosecutors said.

    Banfield directed Peres Magalhães to talk with Ryan in a phone call to confirm details, according to prosecutors. She expressed hesitation with the plan at various points, prosecutors said, but “he insisted it was too late for her to back out.”

    Banfield taught the au pair how to fire a gun at a local gun range in the fall and winter of 2022, prosecutors said.

    As part of their plan, when Ryan came to the home, Peres Magalhães called Banfield to report that a strange man was at the house, and Banfield was waiting at a nearby McDonald’s so he could return to the home quickly, prosecutors said.

    He and Peres Magalhães put his child in the basement and then went upstairs to the Banfields’ bedroom, with Brendan Banfield holding his service weapon and the au pair holding a firearm he had purchased a month earlier, according to prosecutors.

    “The two entered the bedroom and Joseph Ryan was holding Christine Banfield down,” prosecutors said. “Brendan Banfield called out, ‘Police officer,’ and then shot Joseph Ryan in the head, and Ryan fell away from Christine Banfield.”

    Peres Magalhães called 911 but ended the call at Banfield’s direction, prosecutors said.

    Banfield stabbed his wife, according to prosecutors. Peres Magalhães saw Ryan still moving and shot him, prosecutors said.

    The au pair then called 911 again and they reported the killings as if Ryan was an intruder who had stabbed Banfield’s wife, according to prosecutors.

    ‘There was a lot more to what met the eye’

    Banfield was indicted on murder charges in September 2024. The indictment alleges he “willfully, deliberately, and with premeditation” killed his wife and Ryan.

    “I knew, I suspected, I had a feeling that there was a lot more to what met the eye that morning,” Chief Davis said. “And certainly it has taken a road, 570 days later, where we are finally in a position to announce that two persons are being charged and held responsible and introduced to our criminal justice system for these two murders.”

    Weeks later, Peres Magalhães pleaded guilty to the lesser charge for shooting and killing Ryan, according to prosecutors.

    “Today’s agreement marks a significant step forward in this case, and it is an important development in our pursuit of justice for the victims and their families,” Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano said of the au pair’s guilty plea.

    In addition, Banfield was indicted on a count of felony child abuse and neglect and felony child cruelty related to the killings in December 2024. His daughter, who was 4 at the time, was present at the scene, according to prosecutors.

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  • Virginia Democrats overperform in double election victory

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    Democrats have retained two seats in Virginia’s General Assembly after winning a pair of special elections by significant margins on Tuesday night. 

    Democrat Mike Jones defeated Republican John Thomas to win the election in Virginia Senate District 15, a seat vacated by state senator Ghazala Hashmi last year.

    Charlie Schmidt, a community activist and former attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, defeated Republican Richard Stonage to win in House District 77, the seat Jones vacated to run for state Senate.

    Jones won 69.84 percent of the vote and Schmidt won 79.39 percent, according to unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections as of early Wednesday.

    This is a developing story. More to follow.

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  • Virginia’s Monthly Sports Betting Revenue Hits New All-Time-High

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    The Virginia Lottery, which, among other things, oversees sports betting in the Old Dominion, has published its latest report regarding the wagering industry’s performance. The report covers the month of November (2025) and highlights a record-breaking revenue figure for the month.

    Sportsbooks Reported $95.3M in Revenue

    As mentioned, Virginia’s adjusted gross sports betting revenue for the month reached $95.3 million, which sets a new monthly record for the state. The report also shows that most of this came from the state’s mobile betting sector. For context, Virginia’s fourteen legal mobile sports betting operators reported revenue of $95.1 million for the month. In the meantime, $193,052 of the total revenue figure came from the three land-based casinos that are allowed to accept wagers.

    Official data also shows that the gross sports gaming revenues (handle) reached $798.9 million for November, making a 5% increase year-on-year. Mobile sports bettors wagered a total of $793.6 million and won back $694.6 million. Bettors at the Old Dominion’s three land-based casinos that are allowed to accept wagers, on the other hand, bet $5.3 million and won back almost $5.1 million.

    These figures suggest a hold percentage of 12.42% for the period from November 1 to November 30.

    Operators Paid $14.3M in Taxes

    The Virginia Lottery added that state law places a 15% tax on licensed sports betting revenue in the state. Of the state’s fourteen mobile sports betting operators and three casinos, ten operators reported net positive adjusted gross sports betting revenues for the month. As a result, these companies paid $14.3 million in monthly taxes.

    Under the local law, 97.5% of all betting taxes are deposited into Virginia’s General Fund, with the remainder going into the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund. The former fund thus received $13.9 million in taxes in November. The Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund, meanwhile, received $357,865.

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  • ‘2026 difference maker’: How a drone is helping Fairfax Co. police respond to emergencies faster – WTOP News

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    As part of the “Drone as First Responder” pilot program, the Fairfax County Police Department is launching drones from the Fair Oaks and Franconia districts.

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    Fairfax County’s newest first responders are drones

    A Fairfax County police drone operator demonstrates the capabilities of the department’s drones.(WTOP/Scott Gelman)

    Fairfax County police responded quickly when a recent 911 caller said they saw a man armed with a bow and arrow standing along a median near the Fair Oaks Mall.

    While a number of officers were dispatched to the scene, Police Chief Kevin Davis said the department’s drone arrived first. It got to the site in 57 seconds.

    Then, it started feeding back live video of a man who didn’t appear to have a bow and arrow, ”but a man in a mental health crisis armed with a stick. And he was pointing a stick, not a bow and arrow, at passing motorists.”

    Once officers realized that was the case, Davis said they were able to downgrade the priority response.

    “They can dial down the emotions and the adrenaline that pump through their veins any time a call like that goes out,” Davis said. “It mitigates a potential use-of-force scenario of a person in a mental health crisis, because the call is described as something different than it actually is. It’s that visibility and awareness that’s huge.”

    As part of the “Drone as First Responder” pilot program, the Northern Virginia department is launching drones from the Fair Oaks and Franconia districts. It started using this version of the technology in the fall.

    Within the first 100 missions, the drones recorded an average response time of 83 seconds. It was the first to arrive on a scene 71 times.

    “The drone is beating the cops and beating the firefighters and beating the medics to these outdoor calls for service,” Davis said.

    The drones respond to crimes in outdoor settings, but they also are used in medical emergencies, car crashes and cases of missing people.

    Davis said they received Federal Aviation Administration waivers that allow them to fly a drone beyond a “line of sight restriction.”

    Once the drone arrives at a location, a drone operator in the Real Time Crime Center takes over. It uses artificial intelligence to avoid buildings, trees or anything else that may be in its path, Davis said.

    It hovers over the scene and sends back live video for as long as needed.

    “Our police officers have greater awareness about what they’re about to arrive at and get into before they even get onto the scene,” Davis said. “That’s going to be the 2026 difference maker.”

    The drone is equipped with a parachute in the event that something goes wrong, Davis said, and it’s “no bigger or smaller than the average drone that your mind’s eye can picture.”

    “The more information we have before we get to any scene, fill in the blank, any scene, the likely for a better outcome between the police and the community members who we are poised to then interact with is going to be safer,” Davis said.

    Montgomery County police in Maryland are using a similar program.

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    Scott Gelman

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  • First weekend of 2026 brings teeth-chattering chill, clouds and chance for flurries – WTOP News

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    The D.C. region will welcome the first weekend of 2026 with a full serving of chilly, cloudy conditions, and the potential for a snowy mix.

    The D.C. region will welcome the first weekend of 2026 with a full serving of chilly, cloudy conditions, and the potential for a few flurries.

    Temperatures for Saturday are forecast to be in the middle to high 30s, with wind gusts up to 10 mph.

    7News First Alert Chief Meteorologist Veronica Johnson said the frigid temperatures are colder than the average highs that the D.C. region typically sees at this time of year.

    While the day will be mostly cloudy, the big focus Saturday will be whether part of the region sees flurries move into the area. Johnson said the latest forecast suggests there’s a “slight chance” that parts of northwestern Maryland, near Frederick County, could see a few snowflakes.

    Come Sunday, get ready for some sunshine. The day’s temperatures are forecast to be just slightly higher than Saturday’s, maxing out at about 45 degrees.

    “This is not going to be a bad weekend at all for your first weekend of 2026,” Johnson said, describing Sunday as “hands down the best of the two weekend days.”

    Sunday, however, will be breezy with winds up to 25 mph, so it will feel colder than actual air temperatures. By late afternoon Sunday, it will become cloudier with temperatures dropping into the 20s.

    FORECAST

    SATURDAY:
    Mostly Cloudy
    Highs: 34-39
    Winds: North 5-10 mph
    The start of the first full weekend of the year brings clouds and colder than average high temperatures in the upper 30s. There is a very low chance of a few flurries Saturday night south of the DMV with no impact on area roads.

    SUNDAY:
    Mostly Sunny, Breezy
    Highs: 38-45
    Winds: Northwest 5-15 mph, Gusts 25 mph
    More sunshine is in store Sunday with high temperatures, a few degrees higher than Saturday, in the low 40s. It will be a bit breezy, so it will feel colder than actual air temperatures.

    MONDAY:
    Mostly Cloudy
    Highs: 39-45
    Winds: South 5-10 mph
    Clouds roll in for the start of the first full work and school week of the new year. Plan for highs in the lower 40s under partly cloudy skies.

    TUESDAY:
    Partly Cloudy
    Highs: 46-53
    Winds: South 5-10 mph
    This will be day 1 of a mild stretch that may last through next weekend. Afternoon temperatures will be well over 50 degrees. A few days next week may hover near 60.

    CURRENT CONDITIONS

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    Gaby Arancibia

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  • Arlington County Board raises vehicle tow fees by $25 – WTOP News

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    Drivers whose vehicles are towed in Arlington County for parking where they shouldn’t have will pay higher tow rates this year, but not as much as the local tow industry would have liked.

    Drivers whose vehicles are towed in Arlington County, Virginia, for parking where they shouldn’t have will pay higher tow rates this year, but not as much as the local tow industry would have liked.

    In December, the county board approved a new rate structure that raises the fee from $135 to $160 for vehicles under 7,500 pounds. The lower fee had been in place since 2014.

    A 2025 change in Virginia law allowed localities to charge a minimum of $135, and up to $210 for a trespass tow. In recent months, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties each set their rate to the new maximum.

    County Board Chair Takis Karantonis called the $160 rate “fair market value” for the industry, adding that Arlington tow operators “do not have as far to travel as in many other jurisdictions with higher fees.”

    How is the towing industry responding?

    But some members of the local towing industry take issue with the “fair market value” characterization of the new fee structure.

    Al Leach, who owns Al’s Towing and Storage, serves on the Trespass Towing Advisory Boards in Arlington and Fairfax counties. He told the board his company doesn’t operate in Arlington County.

    “The reason why Al’s Towing is not in Arlington County is because we couldn’t give you professional services at those rates,” he said.

    Michael Reynolds, of the A-1 Associates towing firm, said his company was forced to move out of Arlington prior to the pandemic “because it was too expensive to operate,” adding that Arlington now has only one towing business that does trespass towing.

    Reynolds told the board that tow fees provide for many things, including real estate, location and cost, and hiring qualified employees.

    “It’s too expensive for other companies to rent or buy a location in the county,” he said. “While it’s wonderful to see the proposal to increase the fee limit to $160, $160 is already outdated and insufficient.”

    Gary Kauffman, of Henry’s Wrecker Service, told board members he agreed low towing fees discourage companies from doing business in Arlington. He said “realistic fee increases” help prevent predatory tow company behavior.

    Kauffman said predatory towing is defined as the unethical and illegal practice by towing companies to exploit motorists for excessive profit, often through deceptive taxes, such as hidden fees and unwarranted charges, delaying vehicle release or towing without proper authority.

    “When fees are unrealistically low, operators are pressured to cut corners, delay releases and seek revenue through questionable practices,” he said.

    What fees were left untouched?

    While the county board voted 5-0 to set the maximum tow fee at $160 for vehicles under 7,500 pounds, it left unchanged the $250 towing fee for vehicles between 7,500 and 10,000 pounds and $500 for vehicles weighing more than 10,000 pounds.

    Surcharges ranging from $40 to $60 for vehicles towed at night, on weekends and holidays were left unchanged, as was the daily storage fee of $50.

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  • Going out to eat? Expect to pay more for your meal in Fairfax County – WTOP News

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    Eating out is going to cost you a little more in Fairfax County as a new meals tax went into effect at the start of the new year.

    Eating out is going to cost you a little more in Fairfax County, Virginia, as a new meals tax went into effect at the start of the new year.

    According to a posting on the county’s website, “The new 4% tax applies to prepared meals and beverages sold at restaurants, cafes, bars, food trucks and other establishments that offer ready-to-eat food and drinks.”

    The new tax also sits on top of Virginia’s 6% sales tax.

    The tax does not apply to grocery items, snack foods, beverages or to-go alcoholic beverages sold in factory-sealed containers.

    Some county leaders who voted for the new tax said it was needed in order to balance the budget, adding that it brings Fairfax County into line with neighboring counties that already have a meals tax.

    Officials have also said it’s better than a real estate tax hike.

    The meals tax is projected to generate approximately $65 million in fiscal year 2026, with about one-third of the revenue coming from visitors to the county.

    Businesses that sell or deliver prepared food and beverages are responsible for collecting the tax and sending it to the county. Business owners can register for the county’s online reporting and payment portal beginning Friday.

    The new tax does not apply in the independent towns of Clifton, Herndon, Vienna, Fairfax City or Falls Church.

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    Kyle Cooper

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  • Justice Department sues Virginia over giving in-state tuition to immigrants in country illegally – WTOP News

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    The Justice Department is suing Virginia, saying it provides in-state tuition to immigrants lacking permanent legal status in violation of federal law.

    The Justice Department is suing Virginia, saying it provides in-state tuition to immigrants lacking permanent legal status in violation of federal law.

    The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Richmond, seeks to stop the state from enforcing laws that provide in-state tuition and financial assistance to immigrants in the country illegally, which the Justice Department said would bring the state into compliance with federal law.

    It follows two executive orders signed by President Donald Trump that seek to ensure immigrants who do not hold legal status are not obtaining taxpayer benefits or preferential treatment. Similar tuition lawsuits have also been filed in Texas, Kentucky, Illinois, Oklahoma, Minnesota and California.

    “This is a simple matter of federal law,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said. “This Department of Justice will not tolerate American students being treated like second-class citizens in their own country.”

    According to the Justice Department’s complaint, laws that allow immigrants without legal status to receive in-state tuition or financial assistance unconstitutionally discriminate against U.S. citizens who are not afforded the same reduced rates or scholarships.

    The complaint cites federal law that states, “an alien who is not lawfully present in the United States shall not be eligible on the basis of residence within a State … for any postsecondary education benefit unless a citizen or national of the United States is eligible for such a benefit … without regard to whether the citizen or national is such a resident.”

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • DC pipe bomb suspect says someone needed to ‘speak up’ about stolen election claims

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    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    Federal prosecutors said Sunday the man accused of planting pipe bombs in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, 2021, told investigators he felt compelled to “speak up” for people who believed the 2020 election was stolen and said he targeted the two major political parties because they were in charge of the political system.

    Prosecutors detailed the allegations in a memo filed with the Justice Department, arguing that Brian J. Cole Jr., arrested earlier this month, should remain detained as the case moves forward.

    Cole was arrested in Woodbridge, Virginia, after investigators identified him as the suspect accused of placing pipe bombs near the Capitol complex and outside the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee headquarters, marking the first major break in a case that had gone cold for years.

    Sunday’s memo provides the most detailed government account to date, including statements prosecutors say Cole made to investigators. It also cites evidence such as bomb-making materials recovered from his home after his arrest, which officials say link him to the crime.

    EVIDENCE AGAINST J6 PIPE BOMB SUSPECT WAS JUST ‘SITTING THERE’ FOR YEARS, DOJ SAYS

    Brian J. Cole Jr., the DC pipe bomb suspect, made his first court appearance on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Dana Verkouteren)

    Undetonated homemade bombs were discovered Jan. 6, though prosecutors said Cole denied his actions were connected to the events at the Capitol that day.

    Although he initially denied involvement, prosecutors allege Cole later confessed to placing the devices outside the RNC and DNC.

    Cole also allegedly said he was disillusioned by the election outcome and sympathetic to claims by President Donald Trump and some allies that it had been stolen.

    FBI RELEASES NEW SURVEILLANCE VIDEO OF SUSPECT WHO PLACED PIPE BOMBS NEAR DNC, RNC OFFICES IN DC

    Brian J. Cole Jr. smiling in an Instagram picture.

    The Department of Justice releases new photos of Brian J. Cole, who was arrested by the FBI for alleged involvement in the D.C. pipe bomb incident. (Department of Justice)

    “In the defendant’s view, if people ‘feel that, you know, something as important as voting in the federal election is being tampered with, is being, you know, being – you know, relegated null and void, then, like, someone needs to speak up, right? Someone up top. You know, just to, just to at the very least calm things down,’” prosecutors wrote.

    They added that when agents returned to questions about his motive, Cole explained that “something just snapped” after “watching everything, just everything getting worse.”

    DC pipe bomb suspect.

    The suspect is seen walking outside the Democratic National Committee headquarters moments before placing one of two pipe bombs discovered near party offices in Washington, D.C. (FBI)

    “The defendant wanted to do something ‘to the parties’ because ‘they were in charge,’” prosecutors wrote. “When asked why he placed the devices at the RNC and DNC, the defendant responded, ‘I really don’t like either party at this point.’”

    Prosecutors said Cole also told investigators the idea to use pipe bombs stemmed from his interest in the historical conflict in Northern Ireland.

    CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

    Cole’s attorneys are expected to argue against his detention at a hearing scheduled for Tuesday in federal court in Washington.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.

    Story tips and ideas can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.

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  • Giannis inspires a Virginia boy with medical problems to dream big, stand tall – WTOP News

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    Friday night’s Milwaukee Bucks game against the Chicago Bulls will have a special visitor in the crowd.

    Click here for updates on this story

        MILWAUKEE (WDJT) — Friday night’s Milwaukee Bucks game against the Chicago Bulls will have a special visitor in the crowd.

    It’s the trip of a lifetime for a young boy from Virginia, who’s dreamed of seeing Giannis Antetokounmpo play in person.

    Now, standing in front of Fiserv Forum, JR Slife’s jaw is dropped.

    “I knew it’d be a tall building, but that’s huge, that’s massive,” Slife told CBS 58’s Ellie Nakamoto-White. “It’s cool!”

    The 12-year-old has loved basketball since he can remember.

    But not just for the sport itself — it was a way to help navigate him through his earlier years.

    JR was born with severe clubbed feet and underwent multiple surgeries and therapy.

    “He was in casts until he was about two years old, so he wasn’t walking until he was about two,” said his mom, Tamara, noting that he still has difficulty walking and running.

    Despite that, JR picked up a basketball when he was around 3 and hasn’t put it down since.

    “Despite his feet, despite his pain, it’s his passion and it’s his love, and it’s what’s kept him going,” Tamara said.

    As a Port Washington native, Tamara added that she was hoping her son would also fall in love with her home team.

    “We’ve been watching the Bucks from afar in Virginia this whole time,” Tamara said.

    But it was #34 who stood out to JR specifically.

    “I really love his story and it kind of inspired me because I was born with my feet backwards, and if he can overcome what he did, I can overcome what I need to and what I went through,” Slife said.

    On Thursday, Nov. 6, JR boarded his first flight ever to travel to Milwaukee to attend Friday’s game.

    “I was super excited, I was just jumping up and down, like going crazy,” JR said.

    His dream? To play in the NBA as a point guard — and maybe even for the Bucks.

    “Thank you, Giannis, for inspiring me to overcome my challenges with my feet,” JR said. “Thank you for being a great player and pretty much inspiring me. I’ve been following you since I was a little kid. Go Bucks!”

    Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

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  • Federal funding shifts cloud Virginia’s transportation plans for 2026 – WTOP News

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    Virginia’s transportation system is massive, with about 129,000 lane miles of roads and roughly 5,900 miles of rail criss-crossing the commonwealth, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation and a 2022 Virginia Statewide Rail Plan.  

    This article was reprinted with permission from Virginia Mercury. 

    Virginia’s transportation system is massive, with about 129,000 lane miles of roads and roughly 5,900 miles of rail criss-crossing the commonwealth, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation and a 2022 Virginia Statewide Rail Plan.

    There’s always some kind of improvement or expansion underway, leaving drivers and commuters wondering when relief will arrive.

    But before unpacking what projects Virginians can expect in 2026, federal funding looms as a major factor shaping what moves forward — and what does not.

    “Probably the biggest change to transportation development for 2026 is the fallout that all of our local and state partners are feeling from federal funding,” said Brantley Tyndall, director at BikeWalkRVA.

    ”Federal funding in many ways [will be] reduced or dried up. And in particular the USDOT has been ordered to oppose the funding of bike/ped projects. They are viewed as antagonistic to cars and driving. We think that’s very shortsighted. It’s going to lead to years and years of funding short falls that will be very difficult to fill.”

    Some bright federal funding spots

    In November, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, both Democrats, touted an almost $70 million release of federal grant funding to improve Virginia’s bus and rail systems. Part of that package includes $8.6 million to the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation system to replace aging vehicles.

    Also included under that $70 million amount will be roughly $10.9 million to the city of Alexandria and $50.3 million to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to convert buses to low or no emission vehicles.

    The money comes from the Department of Transportation’s 2025-26 fiscal year Low or No Emission program and a FY25 Buses & Bus Facilities Program — all part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed during President Biden’s administration.

    Also in November, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy released a similar press release announcing the same grants, describing them as part of the Trump’s administration’s investment in modernizing America’s transit bus infrastructure.

    Highlights for 2026 at the General Assembly

    With an eye toward 2026, here’s what some government and transportation officials say are on the horizon for the new year.

    Del. Karrie Delaney, D-Fairfax, chairs the Transportation Committee. She said one of the biggest issues her committee will be taking up next session will involve expanding photo speed enforcement devices, which she said did not become law during the previous session.

    “That was a big conversation last session and an important one,” Delaney said. “I think that we’re going to get a little more into [it] this session because the crime commission just released a study that I had asked them to complete.” Delaney said the report was based on conversations from the last session.

    “We just need to have this looked at a little closer so that we can really drill down on where the issues are, and what legislative solutions are needed to address,” she said.

    Delaney emphasized that some of those issues range from some transportation board members wanting to expand their use to include more locations — which some lawmakers disagree with. At the same time, there’s a debate about whether the current speed enforcement cameras already in place are doing what they’re supposed to be doing.

    “Are they fair? Are they just? And there’s been a lot of concern about their revenue generation,” Delaney said. “There are some localities in the commonwealth that are making thousands of dollars a year in profits off of their speed cameras. And now those funds are going to the general funds, and adding quite a bit of cushion to their budget. It creates, at a minimum, a concern that localities have an incentive to police for profit.”

    The Virginia Mercury reported on this bill last session.

    Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel

    “The biggest project in the history of the commonwealth is, have you ever heard of a little thing called Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel?” said John Mahaley, principal transportation planner at Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization.

    “If you’ve ever gone to the Outer Banks, you’ve been through there. That project needed to be done 30 years ago. Finally, we were able to get the money to do it.”

    Mahaley said drivers will be able to see substantial completion within a year or so. But full completion — and opening the tunnel to traffic — won’t happen for several months after that, because eight express lanes still need to be built on either side of the water to match the tunnel.

    Washington Metro Area

    Northern Virginia rail and transit commuters can expect to see line expansions, increased bus service and the installation of modernized bike parking within the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

    “We’re installing new bike lockers across 73 of our stations,” a Metro spokesperson said. “What that does is kind of enable a kind of wider reach for Metrorail stations. Most people might only walk 10 or 15 minutes to get to a Metro station. But if they live 20 or 25 minutes away, it gives people a safe place to park [their] bike.”

    Lockers would cost $1 a day and bikes would be protected from rain and snow. Installation of the lockers will be ongoing, with updates posted on WMATA’s website.

    For riders on the Yellow Line, starting Dec. 31, the Yellow Line will extend to Greenbelt, serving destinations in D.C. including Shaw and Columbia Heights, among others. In mid-December, WMATA released a proposed budget that includes rail and service increases on 15% of their routes. If approved by the Metro Board of Directors, the new services would go into effect July 1, 2026.

    Richmond and Henrico eye more Fall Line Trail segments

    “We are really looking at more groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting throughout the region,” said BikeWalkRVA’s Tyndall, in areas such as Lakeside, Bryan Park and Kanawha Plaza.

    “So by early 2026 we’re going to have about 20 miles under construction or at least under contract being administered and something active or completed in every locality.”

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    Gaby Arancibia

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