SUMMARY: Investigators have revealed the cause of a Boeing 737 door blowing off mid-air last year: an emergency exit door plug was improperly bolted after routine rivet replacement. The NTSB blamed Boeing for poor practices and inadequate training, and the FAA for oversight failures. This system failure nearly caused disaster on an Alaska Airlines flight over Oregon, though no one died. The bolts removed were never properly replaced, as the only technician qualified for this was on vacation. The NTSB also urged the FAA to ban infants on adults’ laps during flights due to safety concerns raised by the incident.

Investigators are breaking down what caused the door to blow off the Boeing 737.

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SUMMARY: The new Learning Trail at Taylor Farm Park in Henrico offers a unique educational experience for preschool-aged children and their families. Designed to promote learning wherever you go, the trail features interactive signs with games and activities that engage young kids. This addition aims to provide an enjoyable and educational outdoor environment, encouraging children to explore and learn in nature. The Learning Trail is a valuable resource for families seeking fun, hands-on learning opportunities while enjoying the park’s natural setting. It embodies the goal that learning can happen anytime and anywhere.

Taylor Farm Park introduces new ‘Born Learning Trail”
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by Charlotte Rene Woods, Virginia Mercury
June 25, 2025

With control of the Virginia House of Delegates hanging in the balance, national Democrats are pumping another $400,000 into the fight — and putting their weight behind candidates they see as crucial to flipping Republican districts this November.

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), an arm of the Democratic National Committee focused on state legislative races, announced the new funding Wednesday along with a fresh slate of endorsements for candidates running in competitive districts. 

Lindsey Dougherty will challenge Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chesterfield, in the 75th District. Leslie Mehta is taking on Del. Mark Earley, R-Chesterfield, in the 89th, while. May Nivar will face Del. David Owen, R-Henrico, in the 57th District. And Kacey Robins Carnegie is up against Republican Mike Lamonea for the open Hampton Roads seat in the 89th District, following Republican Del. Baxter Ennis’ decision to not to seek reelection. 

All candidates recently won contested primaries and now enter general election matchups in districts labeled “competitive” by the Virginia Public Access Project — prime battlegrounds Democrats hope to flip and Republicans aim to defend. 

Though the DLCC backs candidates nationwide, Virginia is a centerpiece of its 2025-2026 Target Map of battleground states. Other states in the mix include North Carolina, Georgia and Arizona, where Democrats are looking to flip legislatures or strengthen their footholds in GOP-leaning terrain. 

“We’re backing hardworking and authentic candidates in the toughest battlegrounds who are out in their communities every day, talking to voters about how they’ll fight the chaos in Washington and put working families’ opportunities first,” DLCC President Heather Williams said in a statement. “This investment will fuel them as they continue working on the ground to protect and expand Democrats’ razor-thin majority this fall.”

The new funding is part of a seven-figure investment the DLCC plans to make in Virginia this cycle. The DNC also announced earlier this year it will transfer $1 million per month to its state and territorial parties over the next four years. 

The goal, DNC Chair Ken Martin said, is to help build a stronger Democratic bench at the state and local levels — a strategy that could also yield future candidates for Congress and beyond.

“When we organize everywhere to compete everywhere, we can win anywhere,” Martin said in an April press call. 

Meanwhile, the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) is sharpening its focus on Virginia and New Jersey, the two states holding gubernatorial and legislative elections this year. Virginia’s off-year elections are often viewed  as a referendum on the White House —- and with President Donald Trump back in office, the RSLC is warning against a repeat of the 2017 Democratic wave. 

In a recent memo, the organization noted that Virginia has a history of electing governors from the party opposite the sitting president — a trend Republicans are eager to break this year.

To that end, the RLCC and the House Republican Campaign Committee have launched two six-figure digital ad campaigns. Republicans are also embracing early and mail-in voting to mobilize low-propensity voters — a shift encouraged by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, despite past GOP resistance to expanded absentee voting laws.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correctly state Ken Martin’s title as the Democratic National Committee’s chairman.

Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.

The post Democrats pour $400K into Virginia House races as key battlegrounds emerge appeared first on virginiamercury.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Left

This article presents a detailed overview of the Virginia House of Delegates races with a focus on Democratic efforts and funding to flip Republican-held districts. The content highlights Democratic strategies, endorsements, and funding, providing context about their goals and investments, while also describing corresponding Republican responses and campaigns. The language is generally factual but leans slightly in favor of Democratic perspectives by emphasizing their actions and framing their candidates positively. Republicans are included mainly in reactionary roles. Overall, the piece maintains a mostly balanced, informative tone but with a mild center-left tilt.