ODU admin. met with ROTC cadets, Va. minimum wage upped, Artemis II's return

TOP STORIES: ODU admin. met with ROTC cadets, Va. minimum wage upped, Artemis II's return

1. A newly released Army ROTC video is offering a closer look at how cadets at Old Dominion University are processing the March 12 shooting inside Constant Hall — and what they’re calling for next.

   ODU, ROTC cadets meet after deadly shooting as review begins

   In the video, released Wednesday night, cadets describe meeting with university leadership to share feedback in the weeks following the shooting that left Lt. Col. Brandon Shah dead. Old Dominion University confirms that meeting took place March 27 and included senior ROTC cadets and university leaders. Officials describe it as an open dialogue, where cadets shared their experiences after the shooting. The university says leadership also expressed support for the cadets’ actions that day and appreciation for their bravery.

   The meeting comes as the focus begins to shift from what happened inside the classroom to how the university is responding — and whether changes could follow. In response to questions from News 3, the university declined to provide specific details about what recommendations were made or whether any policy changes are being considered due to an ongoing independent review. The review, conducted by law firm Cooley, will examine both what happened on March 12 and how the university responded, along with broader campus safety policies.

   For many of the cadets, the focus now is not only on what happened inside that classroom — but on what comes next. They are continuing their training, moving closer to commissioning, and carrying forward the lessons they say were instilled in them by Lt. Col. Shah — a leader whose actions that day, and the training he provided, continue to shape how they move forward.

2. Another series of bills were signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger, her press office said Thursday, including a planned increase to the state's minimum wage.

   Spanberger signs bill to increase minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2028

   The current minimum wage is $12.77. With the approval of HB1, the minimum wage will rise to $13.75 per hour on Jan. 1, 2027. The following year, it will increase to $15 per hour. Starting Jan. 1, 2029, the minimum wage rate will continue to increase based on changes in the consumer price index.

   News 3 previously spoke to residents that are for and against this increase back in February. For workers like Samira Brooks, a home healthcare worker, the increase represents long-awaited relief. Six years ago, Brooks was living on the Eastern Shore making $9.10 an hour. "It's just the pay isn't sufficient, the pay isn't sufficient for a living," Brooks said at the time. Brooks applauded the legislative action. "It's definitely a step in the right direction," Brooks said.

   On the other hand, small business owners have expressed concerns about rising costs. "When minimum wage goes up, so does everything else, and that means my prices will go up," said Mark Stevens, owner of Zero's Subs. Stevens says he already pays his employees a fair wage and believes the government shouldn't mandate how he runs his business. He thinks the bill could have left the decision up to localities. "Not everybody's Northern Virginia, and when you're not Northern Virginia, you can't charge Northern Virginia prices," Stevens said.

3. The Artemis II crew is scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego on Friday night, capping a historic 10-day mission that included a lunar flyby.

   NASA is targeting an 8:07 p.m. ET splashdown of the Orion spacecraft, carrying astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen. Reentry is considered one of the most challenging phases of the mission. The spacecraft will enter Earth’s atmosphere at about 25,000 mph and endure temperatures reaching roughly 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit before descending into the Pacific Ocean. NASA officials have spent days testing Orion to ensure it is ready for reentry. Officials said they found no concerning issues and remain confident the splashdown will proceed as planned.

   A large recovery operation will begin shortly after splashdown. Within about two hours, the crew will be extracted from Orion and flown by helicopter to the USS John P. Murtha. Once aboard, the astronauts will undergo post-mission medical evaluations before returning to shore and traveling to Johnson Space Center in Houston.

   Artemis II launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 1. During the mission, the astronauts traveled farther from Earth than any humans before them, capturing new views of the moon during their flyby and a striking Earthrise.

This morning's weather: A step warmer today, Much warmer next week

Meteorologist Myles Henderson says another chilly morning with temperatures in the 40s and 30s. Expect mostly sunny skies today with highs near 70, about 15 degrees warmer than yesterday afternoon.

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

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