RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia State Police received a piece of steel recovered from the World Trade Center in New York City on Monday that will become a fixture at the agency’s academy ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The historic beam was presented by the Freedom Flag Foundation on Monday, May 11, as part of the organization’s historic National Freedom Flag and World Trade Center Steel Education program, which aims to establish partnerships in all 50 states to educate the next generation about 9/11, authorities said in a press release.

The donation, which coincides with the upcoming 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, also takes places during National Police Week, which honors fallen officers and recognizes those who serve.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to help preserve this piece of history and ensure future generations never forget the strength, unity, and resilience that emerged from one of our nation’s darkest days,” state police said in a May 12 social post.

The organization obtained ownership of the steel artifact 15 years prior, in 2011, from Tower 1 of the World Trade Center. The section reportedly came from part of exterior column 206, which supported floors 92 to 95 on the east face of the north tower.

Authorities said the beam was located near the area where American Airlines Flight 11 struck the tower, creating a massive impact hole between floors 92 and 98 and causing extensive damage to the east face of the building. The section given to police likely sustained damage from either the impact or the fires that followed.

Virginia’s governor signed the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Law last month, making the commonwealth one of more than a dozen states offering similar benefits and the first in the South to do so.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger made it official, saying the law is designed to help smaller businesses retain employees who encounter difficult times.

“Whether you punch a timecard, swipe a badge or work primarily for tips, you will be able to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave to address serious health needs for you and your family,” she said.

The program works similarly to unemployment insurance. Employees and employers will pay into it through payroll deductions starting in 2028. If needed, a person can receive up to 80% of their wages for up to 12 weeks. Benefits are expected to become available in December 2028.

The law is expected to apply to most workers across the state, including many who don’t currently have paid leave through their jobs.

“Three million Virginians who previously lacked access to paid family leave will have the ability to care for a loved one, to recover from a serious illness or to welcome a new child without sacrificing their pay or without ending that time with additional credit card debt. Because no one should have to choose between spending time with their newborn and paying their bills,” Spanberger said.

It also covers caring for a sick family member and can help someone dealing with domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.

Speaking at the signing, Monica Jackson, who owns a childcare center in Springfield, said the program will help small businesses compete and better support working families.

“Enabling programs like mine to remain open, to operate sustainably and to continue serving the families who rely on us for their financial stability,” Jackson said.

State Sen. Jennifer Boysko, the bill’s chief sponsor, said she worked on the policy for eight legislative sessions and is happy to see it officially become law.

“Virginia families are going to have the grace to care for themselves and their loved ones during these most serious events without going bankrupt,” Boysko said.

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On May 8, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that the General Assembly violated the state constitution when it tried to redraw congressional districts, nullifying the results of the April election in which Virginians narrowly approved redistricting.

Electoral maps are usually redrawn once every 10 years, but multiple states began redrawing them early after President Donald Trump urged Republicans to redraw district lines to ensure more favorable results for the party in the November 2026 elections. 

This started a nationwide political battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Texas was the first of several states to redraw districts favoring Republicans, and Virginia Democrats had proposed a constitutional amendment to allow redistricting in order to favor Democrats. 

As of May 8, Republicans had initiated redistricting efforts in eight states; Democrats had led redistricting efforts in three states, including Virginia, the Washington Post reported.

In April, Virginia voters supported the redistricting amendment with 51.7% voting for it out of more than 3 million ballots cast. It could have given Democrats up to four extra seats in the U.S. House, according to the Washington Post (subscription required).

But the Virginia Supreme Court, in a 4-3 ruling, found that there were procedural errors in how the Democratic legislature handled the process, nullifying the election results.

The Virginia Constitution says that proposed constitutional amendments must pass in the General Assembly twice before the public can vote on them: once before an election of the House of Delegates, and again after an election. According to the Virginia Supreme Court majority opinion written by Justice D. Arthur Kelsey, early voting for the general election had already been open for six weeks when the General Assembly cast its first vote on the amendment in October 2025, with more than 1.3 million voters having already cast their ballots.

“This violation irreparably undermines the integrity of the resulting referendum vote and renders it null and void,” the court majority opinion stated.

The court’s ruling means the state reverts to the old district maps adopted in 2021. Based on those maps, Virginia voters elected six Democrats and five Republicans to the U.S. House.

Following the court’s ruling, some Virginia Democrats who planned to run for the U.S. House told the New York Times that they have to abandon their campaigns, while others, such as Tom Perriello who is running for the 5th District, face much more difficult campaigns.

Virginia Democrats on Friday asked the court to pause the nullification of the referendum results while they prepare their appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, according to VPM.

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More on redistricting

View live results of Virginia’s redistricting referendum, a high-stakes vote on whether Democrats who control state government can redraw congressional maps ahead of this fall’s election.

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