5/31 Memorial ceremony, proposed energy storage system, U.S. downs Iran's drones: Sunrise Brief

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Top stories: 5/31 Memorial ceremony, proposed energy storage system, U.S. downs Iran's drones

1. Seven years after the deadly mass shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center, the city will hold a ceremony Sunday at the 5/31 Memorial to honor the 12 victims killed on May 31, 2019.

   Virginia Beach to gather at 5/31 Memorial Sunday as project nears completion

   “This is closure for me,” said Jason Nixon, whose wife, Kate Nixon, was among those killed in the shooting. Kate Nixon, a city engineer, died after a city employee opened fire inside Building 2 at the municipal complex. “Kate fought the shooter. Kate made sure that other people could live,” Nixon said. Nixon said the thought behind the memorial was to ensure every detail was done correctly. The memorial is located across from the Municipal Center. “Last year my kids wrote notes to their loved ones, and encased here is a time capsule with those notes that we put underneath these,” Nixon said as he pointed to Kate's name.

   The memorial includes symbolic features, including lighting in the trees. “There are 150 lights in these trees. At nighttime, you’ll see them come on, and it represents 150 years of service we lost that day,” Nixon said. The memorial also honors the victims through personal details, including birthdays engraved throughout the site.

   While much of the memorial has been completed, the city said work will continue after Sunday’s ceremony. Officials said the area will open to the public for the event before temporarily closing again for landscaping and installation of permanent fixtures. A city spokesperson said the delay was due to weather and supply chain issues. Sunday’s ceremony begins at 4 p.m. and is open to the public.

2. East Point Energy is proposing to build a battery energy storage system facility in Chesapeake's Hickory area, and the project is nearing a critical vote from city leaders.

   Proposed Mill Stone battery energy storage system in Chesapeake nears vote from city leaders

   The proposed Mill Stone Energy Center, located at 1912 Centerville Turnpike South — about 2 miles north of Hickory High School — has been in development for roughly 2 years and could begin construction as early as 2030 if approved. A battery energy storage system works by pulling power off the grid during off-peak hours, typically at night, and pushing it back onto the grid when demand is highest — during heat waves, winter storms, or other high-usage periods.

   The facility would be built on 112 acres of land, with only 30 acres disturbed for the project — including 2 access roads. East Point Energy plans to purchase the full parcel and has committed, as a condition of the permit, to preserving the remaining land and prohibiting any data center development on the property. Jeff Staples, a Chesapeake neighbor with 30 years of environmental work experience, is helping inform neighbors about battery energy storage systems. "There's actually no emissions whatsoever that would come from this project. So, that's a huge plus right there. It won't be an eye sore. It won't be hurting our ears. And it'll actually be providing electricity for us," Staples said.

   The Mill Stone Energy Center is scheduled to appear on the Chesapeake Planning Commission agenda on June 10. If the planning commission recommends approval, the project would move to the Chesapeake City Council for a vote on July 21. Both meetings are open to the public for comment. Chesapeake residents with questions about the Mill Stone Energy Center can click here or email MillstoneEnergyCenter@EastPointEnergy.com.

3. U.S. forces carried out new defensive strikes on Wednesday on an Iran military facility after downing Iranian attack drones, according to U.S. officials.

   The officials, who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said U.S. Central Command forces shot down four Iranian one-way attack drones that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. forces also struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone, according to the officials.

   The strikes came after President Donald Trump asserted Wednesday that Iran is “negotiating on fumes” and insisted that November's midterm elections won't make him rush into a deal to end the nearly three-month-old conflict that's spurred unease across the global economy. “They thought they were gonna outwait me. You know, 'We’ll outwait him. He’s got the midterms,'” Trump said. “I don’t care about the midterms.”

   Trump acknowledged there's still work to do, but he spoke with a measure of certainty that the two sides would get there. “They want very much to make a deal,” Trump said. “So far, they haven’t gotten there. We’re not satisfied with it, but we will be — either that or we’ll have to just finish the job.” The president is looking for a settlement that will reopen the Strait of Hormuz and provide him with a credible argument that Iran’s nuclear capability has been diminished enough to declare victory.

This morning's weather: More sunshine & lower humidity to end the week

Meteorologist Myles Henderson says a cold front will move through today, bringing in some more comfortable changes. Look for clearing skies today with highs near 80. It will still be humid in the more but humidity will drop through the day. Friday looks like the pick of the week. Expect mostly sunny skies, highs in the upper 70s, and lower humidity.

For the latest weather updates, watch Myles live on News 3 This Morning here.

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