Future 'Imelda' to impact Southeast U.S. next week

Plus: Historic Triangle residents are abruptly losing curbside recycling access, Magruder Elementary's name will stay and a woman was shot near Busch Gardens on I-64.

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Sept. 27, 2025 Good morning, Historic Triangle! Rain is expected to continue throughout the day as a slow-moving front continues to create soggy conditions throughout the region. Widespread showers and thunderstorms are expected on Saturday afternoon and evening, according to Forecaster Derrah Getter of WTKR News 3. Highs will be in the low 80s.  Rain could be locally heavy at times, and flood watches are in effect for South-central Virginia and Hampton Roads through midnight tonight. Rainfall of 1-2 inches is expected, with localized totals of up to 3-4 inches possible, according to the National Weather Service at Wakefield. Sunday won't be a washout, but we'll have mostly cloudy skies throughout the day. Showers and storms will continue throughout the morning. Highs will be in the upper 70s. Forecaster Derrah Getter's 7-dayy forecast. (Photo via WTKR) Unsettled weather will remain throughout much of next week as a tropical system - soon to be named Imelda - impacts our region. See our story below for additional details on what we know so far about the complex, evolving storm forecast. Now to the news. -Christin Future 'Imelda' to impact Southeast U.S. next week Imelda, a developing tropical system, is expected to impact the Southeastern U.S. coast next week. (Photo courtesy of James City County via Facebook) The southeastern U.S. coast, including Virginia, is facing potential threats from an Atlantic basin system that is expected to become a tropical storm and eventually Hurricane Imelda. The latest: Hurricane experts are growing increasingly concerned about a possibly potent, landfalling storm along the southeastern U.S. coast that could bring flooding rainfall, strong winds and coastal inundation, according to AccuWeather. Meteorologists predict the developing storm will impact the U.S. early next week. Computer models are not yet in alignment regarding the exact track. The forecast is complicated because the system is in close proximity to an existing category 4 hurricane, Humberto. While that hurricane is expected to stay well offshore and move out to sea, it could impact the trajectory and intensity of Imelda. If Imelda rapidly strengthens, people will have less time to prepare. Forecasters say anyone living on the southeast coast through the mid-Atlantic should begin making hurricane preparations over the weekend. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm, citing the risks of "significant wind, heavy rainfall and flooding" throughout the Southeast coast. "Several track scenarios remain possible, ranging from a landfall along the southeastern U.S. coast to more of a northeast turn out to sea," AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said. "Rainfall of this magnitude can lead to widespread life-threatening flooding, especially if the storm slows down or stalls." The risk of flooding is further elevated by non-tropical storms that are bringing rain and thunderstorms to the region over the weekend.  Substantial flash flooding could extend as far west as the southern Appalachians, according to forecasters. Last year, Hurricane Helene led to deadly floods in southern Appalachia, and some of the most heavily affected communities are still struggling to recuperate a year later. Stay tuned to the National Weather Service in Wakefield and local weather stations for continued updates. Many upcoming local events could also be impacted by the anticipated inclement weather.  Curbside recycling programs end abruptly throughout Historic Triangle, leaving residents without service A recycling container in York County. (Courtesy of York County) Residents of James City and York counties will lose access to curbside recycling service as of Sept. 30. What's happening: The Virginia Peninsulas Public Service Authority (VPPSA) voted on Tuesday to terminate its contract with Tidewater Fibre Corp. (TFC), the curbside recycling provider for James City County, York County, the City of Williamsburg and the City of Poquoson Some background: The contract between the regional waste authority and TFC has been in place for nearly 7 years. The decision to end the agreement came after "significant performance deficiencies" and concerns about the billing inaccuracies, according to a VPPSA news release. Non-compliance issues include missing records, faulty billing, failure to meet customer service performance standards and property damage incidents without proper notification to residents. There were repeated incidents of the company running its routes past normal working hours and collecting recyclables the next day without providing proper notification. The provider also had significant issues with spilled recyclables, leading to concerns about hazardous waste. Leaked vehicle oils and fluids were not consistently cleaned up properly. "Terminating our contract with TFC may cause an inconvenience for residents of James City County, York County, Williamsburg and Poquoson, and we appreciate your patience in this transition," VPPSA Executive Director Jennifer Wheeler said. "VPPSA is committed to finding recycling solutions that fit the needs of each community and ensure proper compliance and accountability as quickly as possible." City of Williamsburg residents will continue to receive service through a different provider. The city announced that it will now contract with Republic Services, which already serves as the curbside garbage provider for Williamsburg, to pick up curbside recycling beginning Oct. 1.  Recycling collection for city residents will follow the same Monday/Tuesday, every other week schedule. In James City County, residents can drop off recycling at any of the county's convenience centers, which are located on Jolly Pond Road, Tewning Road and Industrial Boulevard in Toano. Renee Dallman, public information officer for James City County, told The Triangle the county does not yet have a sense of when curbside recycling services may resume under a new contract. Residents will be updated as soon as additional information is available, she said. Recyclables can continue to be placed in recycling bins until the county secures a replacement service, but there will be no pickups until further notice. The county does not operate its own trash collection service. Private trash collection providers may charge an additional fee if they accept recyclables, according to Dallman. If the county is unable to find a new provider, refunds will be issued for the Oct. 1 - Dec. 31, 2025, payment. York City County citizens can continue to recycle items at their locality's drop-off centers free of charge, though the centers may not be conveniently located for everyone.  Many upper York County residents, for example, face a twenty-plus minute drive to reach any of the applicable waste management centers, which include the locations on Goodwin Neck Road in Yorktown as well as the Jolly Pond and Toano convenience centers in James City County. York residents can place their recycling container on the curb on regular trash collection day throughout the month of October. Contents will be collected as trash. After Oct. 31, recycling containers will no longer be collected curbside. The county will stop charging for curbside recycling beginning Oct. 1. Because of the billing schedule, no one has been charged for services they did not yet receive, so no refunds will need to be issued. Mark Bellamy, York County's administrator, acknowledged in a statement that the situation is concerning but said the county is "working closely" with VPPSA to explore alternative solutions. The recycling authority's decision to terminate the existing contract "was not taken lightly and follows months of issues with service quality, billing accuracy and environmental concerns," Bellamy said. York County School Board votes against renaming Magruder Elementary Magruder Elementary School in York County. (Photo by Christin Nielsen/The Triangle) Magruder Elementary School will keep its name for the foreseeable future. The York County School Board on Monday voted against a proposal to rename the school by a vote of 3 to 1, with only District 1 representative Mark Shafer supporting the name change. The decision follows months of community debate, which ensued after a local grassroots organization, the Campaign for Honorable and Inclusive School Names, issued a request for the renaming. An investigation initiated by the school division found that the origins of the school's name are most likely linked to John Bankhead Magruder, a Civil War general who ordered the burning of Hampton in 1861 and killed escaped slaves. In July, the school board launched a survey asking county residents to weigh in on the possible name change. The majority of respondents said they were opposed to the proposal. Several county residents spoke in support of changing the school's name during the public comment portion of the meeting, which was held before the vote was taken. Samuel Ray, co-chair of the York-James City-Williamsburg educational committee, said the board should "live up to the values this division has committed to" and choose a more inclusive name for the division. "How do we say every student is valued when we ask Black children to attend a school named after a Confederate general?" he asked. What the board said: The members who voted against the name change did not comment on the matter during the meeting. Shafer, who represents upper York County where the school is located, said new information on the school's name origins caused him to support the renaming.  "We don't name schools for people in York County," Shafer said.  Woman shot and killed in shooting on I-64 in York County A Virginia State Police vehicle. (Photo courtesy of VSP) A woman was killed following a shooting on Interstate 64 in York County, according to Virginia State Police (VSP). Preliminary investigations showed that the victim was driving a 2024 blue Honda sports utility vehicle. After she was shot, her vehicle ran off the roadway and struck a guardrail in the eastbound lanes near the 243-mile marker, which is near Busch Gardens. The woman was taken to Riverside Regional Medical Center but died from her injuries. "Isolated" incident: Sgt. Michelle Anaya, public information officer for VSP, said the shooting does not pose any current danger to the public. It is not yet clear if the victim was targeted or if the incident was connected to road rage. "At this stage of the investigation, the incident appears to be isolated, and there is no ongoing threat to the public," Anaya said. Information sought: Virginia State Police are actively collecting information about the shooting. Anyone who saw the Honda sports utility or witnessed interactions between the vehicle and another vehicle is urged to contact State Police at questions@vsp.virginia.gov or (804) 750-8788. The Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) is also investigating the incident. No additional details have been made available. IN THE HEADLINES Residents stunned after pilot walks away from small plane crash in Williamsburg (WTKR)  Housing in James City County too high for seniors, working families, study shows (WHRO) Bruton Parish to welcome rector from its namesake English church this weekend (Virginia Gazette) Hampton mayor, police chief address surge in violence (WAVY)  State Fair of Virginia begins, open rain or shine (WRIC) Americans Are Using PTO to Sleep, Not for Vacation—Report (Newsweek) LOWEST GAS PRICES TODAY All prices are courtesy of Gas Buddy. To check the lowest prices based on zip code, click here. This newsletter was written by Christin Nielsen. Thanks for reading! 📰  Sign up to receive The Triangle's weekly newsletters here. 🖥️ Visit our website to read previous articles. 📧 Want to reach out? Email christin@thetriangle.news or reply to this email. The Triangle relies on reader support to exist. 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