Hey, y’all. It’s Amie.

We’d just pulled in front of our home from what, at the time, felt like a really stressful day. The switch from raising a six-year-old to keeping up with a seven-year-old came with the same velocity as an EF5 tornado—and it’s taken every ounce of patience I’ve had over the past few weeks to maintain some semblance of sanity. Wednesday was no different. 

I was touched-out, overwhelmed, overstimulated, had given everything I had to give to the day, and more. There I was, taking every single hum and giggle and tap and comment for granted—admittedly, feeling really annoyed. Still sitting in the car, I pulled out my phone to scroll just a bit before going inside. That’s when I saw our local weatherman post something that wasn’t about rain: There was a crash near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

To say my heart dropped would be an understatement. All of the tension I’d felt throughout the day vanished, and the only thought that kept repeating was: “Think of all the people who would give anything to be ‘annoyed’ by their loved one again.” It’s days like this that truly remind us of what’s most important in life—and that’s people. You’re one of ‘em, and I’m so glad you’re here.

Tragedy occurred in the airspace near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), located in Arlington, on Wednesday night. Around 9 p.m. on Jan. 29, American Airlines Flight 5342, en route from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a US Army Blackhawk helicopter from Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County.

A search and rescue mission immediately ensued along the Potomac River amid reports that a total of 64 passengers and crew members were on board the commercial flight, and three were in the helicopter. 

By dawn, dozens of bodies were pulled from the river. At a press conference just hours after the news initially broke, officials changed the rescue mission to a recovery mission, noting that there were not believed to be any survivors from the midair collision.

Emerging reports stated that American figure skaters, coaches, and family members traveling from a figure skating camp were on board the commercial aircraft. Russian media outlets also confirmed that former world champion figure skaters Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were among the passengers. The crew on board the Blackhawk was performing a training mission at the time of collision.

If you believe you may have loved ones on board American Airlines Flight 5342, call 800-679-8215 (US, Canada, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands). Call-in information for additional countries is listed here.

Free mental health support is available nationwide. Call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 to connect with a trained specialist. 

Question of the Week: February is Black History Month, and I’d love to hear the stories of the people—either past or present—who made a big impact on your life. Please feel free to share with me at amie@couriernewsroom.com.

It’s official: After months of planning and turmoil, Virginia Beach city officials canceled this year’s Something in the Water Festival.

This termination comes after Pharrell Williams and event planners were given one final chance to announce the festival’s lineup and ticket sales. The festival’s team failed to meet the city’s deadline, therefore, terminating their contract. 

The City of Virginia Beach is currently exploring other event options to replace Something in the Water in late April.

• Virginia’s minimum wage rose from $7.25 to $12 over recent years, but without action, progress championed by Del. Jeion A. Ward is at risk. Last year, Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed a plan to raise it to $15 by 2026, leaving 600,000 workers in limbo (WATCH HERE).

• If the president wants to take away your reproductive freedoms, who can you turn to? The answer is: Your community. We’ve put together a list of five impactful ways you can help make a difference in your area, including volunteer opportunities, monetary donations, and more (READ MORE HERE).

• While the Trump Administration tries to roll back DEI policies, Virginia state lawmakers like Sen. Mamie Locke are fighting for racial justice. The Virginia Senate today passed a bill she sponsored that would require unconscious bias and cultural competency training for healthcare professionals (WATCH HERE).

This week, we’re featuring a basketball highlight! If you’d like to see your team’s accomplishments broadcast on Dogwood’s platforms, send a note and photo to amie@couriernewsroom.com or reply to this message. Just be sure you have permission to share from all of the proper sources—players/guardians, photographers, and coaches/schools, to name a few.

Sorry, Tar Heels fans—RyLee Grays is a Cavalier now!

During her freshman season in North Carolina, she played five games off the bench. Now, the sophomore is scoring for Virginia, bringing a mix or rebounds, steals, and shots to the court.

If her last name sounds familiar in the basketball world, it’s because it is: RyLee is the daughter of Corey and Danyeal Grays—both former college basketball players at Saint Louis University.

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