An effort to legalize sports gambling in North Carolina has cleared what could be one of its last remaining legislative hurdles in the state Senate.

As they hugged each other and spoke of their loved ones, it was clear that many of the family members are finding a new source of healing in their togetherness.

Family members, loved ones and members of the community came together at Neptune's Park in Virginia Beach, Va. on Wednesday, May 31, 2023 to remember the 12 people who lost their lives when a gunman opened fire in a municipal building on Friday, May 31, 2019. The family members and friends of the victims use the phrase “we fly together” as a way to stay strong and remember their loved ones and doves were released to represent each life lost.

The Veterans Band Aid Music Festival will be held Friday and Saturday at the Holiday Trav-L-Park. Tickets range from $35 to $65 for one and two-day general admission.

Jason Friedman, a Virginia Beach native and five other team members, started AdvisorFinder, an online marketplace for finding a financial adviser.

The Hampton Roads-based certified development company hit the $1 billion mark in total project financing and has assisted small businesses in creating or retaining 9,399 jobs.

Archive photos from The Virginian-Pilot coverage of Hurricane Isabel after it struck coastal Virginia and North Carolina in 2003.

Family members have been fighting for the passage of state legislation that will provide them and others affected by mass shootings with financial compensation. The city is preparing to spend millions of dollars to build a memorial park in honor of the 5/31 victims, while some relatives say they still need help dealing with the trauma.