Alert Featured Top Story HISTORY James River Batteau Company enters historic partnership with National Park Service The James River Batteau Company has joined the Chesapeake Gateways network, giving the business and its flat-bottomed boats greater exposure. ELI LERDAU The Daily Progress Jul 15, 2026 Jul 15, 2026 0 × Week in Virginia Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save The only commercial batteau maker in Virginia is making even more history.kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%96 $4@EEDG:==6\32D65 y2>6D #:G6C q2EE62F r@>A2?J 92D @77:4:2==J ;@:?65 E96 r96D2A62<6 v2E6H2JD ?6EH@C<[ 2 }2E:@?2= !2C< $6CG:46 AC@8C2> E92E 4@??64ED 9:DE@C:4 D:E6D 2?5 6IA6C:6?46D :? E96 r96D2A62<6 q2J H2E6CD965] k^Am Events Drought delays but doesn't doom Batteau Festival in Scottsville ELI LERDAU The Daily Progress kA 5:ClQ=ECQmxEVD E96 7:CDE 3FD:?6DD :? E96 8C62E6C r92C=@EE6DG:==6 2C62 E@ ;@:?[ 255:?8 :ED C:G6C 4CF:D6D E@ E96 }2E:@?2= !2C< $6CG:46 @?=:?6 52E232D6 @7 >@C6 E92? a__ A2C<D[ C67F86D[ >FD6F>D[ 4@>>F?:E:6D 2?5 @E96C 2EEC24E:@?D] k^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%92E >62?D H:56C 6IA@DFC6 7@C E96 y2>6D #:G6C q2EE62F r@>A2?J 2?5 :ED 32EE62FI[ 4C27E65 :? E96 =:<6?6DD @7 E96 7=2E\3@EE@> G6DD6=D E92E @?46 42CC:65 42C8@ E@ 2?5 7C@> #:49>@?5 :? E96 `gE9 2?5 `hE9 46?EFC:6D]k^Am People are also reading… A paper mill is suffocating a small Virginia town, and officials are dismissing concerns Who was Anthony Ignatiadis-Isabelle, the Waynesboro school shooter? Mother Nature insists we use standard time year-around | Marlene Condon Gunman shot through Westwood Hills Elementary rear door, say police Virginia basketball provides a style and fit match for German wing Nolan Adekunle UVa forecasts loss of 18,050 jobs in Virginia this year Dominion's missed forecasts a problem, officials say Suspect dead, staff member injured in Waynesboro school shooting Foxfield Racing org takes landlord to court, demands track be turned over Gordonsville-ICE partnership nets more than $100K, but unknown number of immigrants 10-minute verdict: Man convicted of soliciting of what he thought was Albemarle teen The first day at Charlottesville's new homeless shelter No changes planned for Charlottesville City Market property right now, new owner says Virginia families hurt by racist campground get $800K payout The last day at Charlottesville's homeless encampment A batteau arrives at the landing in Scottsville, Wednesday, June 24, 2026, during the James River Batteau Festival. 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':C8:?:2]”k^Am Will Smith uses a cedar pole to propel a batteau down the James River, Wednesday, June 19, 2024, during the James River Batteau Festival. CAL TOBIAS, THE DAILY PROGRESS kAmq24< :? E96 52J[ E96 y2>6D D6CG65 2D 2 9:89H2J 7@C 42C8@ 2?5 A2DD6?86CD] qFE H:E9 E96 :??@G2E:@? @7 24EF2= 9:89H2JD[ E96 y2>6D H2D =6DD 4C:E:42= E@ EC2?DA@CE2E:@? 2?5 EC2G6=[ 2?5 E96 32EE62F 6DD6?E:2==J 5:D2AA62C65]k^AmkAmx? 724E[ E96 3@2ED H6C6 =2C86=J 7@C8@EE6? F?E:= 2? 2C4926@=@8:42= 5:8 F?4@G6C65 E96> :? #:49>@?5VD @=5 42?2=D :? `hgb]k^AmkA 5:ClQ=ECQm%@52J[ E96 y2>6D #:G6C q2EE62F r@>A2?J :D E96 @?=J >2?F724EFC6C @7 32EE62FI :? ':C8:?:2] x?DE625 @7 42CCJ:?8 E@3244@ 2?5 4@EE@? E@ 2?5 7C@> #:49>@?5[ E96J 42CCJ 8F6DED @? EH@\9@FC 4CF:D6D 244@>A2?:65 3J 9:DE@CJ =6DD@?D[ =:G6 >FD:4 2?5 7@@5 2?5 5C:?<] k^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQmq2EE62F @H?6CD FA 2?5 5@H? E96 y2>6D A2CE:4:A2E6 6G6CJ J62C :? E96 y2>6D #:G6C q2EE62F u6DE:G2=[ 2? 6:89E\52J 46=63C2E:@? @7 E96 32EE62FVD A=246 :? 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ELI LERDAU, THE DAILY PROGRESS kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“x H@F=5 ?@E 92G6 <?@H? 23@FE E96 AC@8C2> :7 H6 H6C6?VE 4@?E24E65 3J r2C=2 |F==6? 2E ':D:E r92C=@EE6DG:==6[ H9@ AFE E9:D :? 7C@?E @7 FD 2?5 D2:5 :E H@F=5 36 2 8C62E 7:E[” $>:E9 D2:5[ C676CC:?8 E@ E96 56DE:?2E:@? 56G6=@A>6?E >2?286C 7@C E96 E@FC:D> 3FC62F]k^AmkA 5:ClQ=ECQm|F==6? 2?5 $>:E9 4@??64E65 2E E96 r96D2A62<6 v2E6H2JD p??F2= !2CE?6C |66E:?8[ 96=5 @? u63] `` 2?5 `a :? r92C=@EE6DG:==6[ H96C6 E96J D6CG65 @? 2 A2?6= E@86E96C 23@FE DE@CJE6==:?8] k^AmkA 5:ClQ=ECQmp?5 E96 C6DE[ 2D E96J D2J[ :D 9:DE@CJ]k^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“~FC 56DE:?2E:@? 56G6=@A>6?E E62> :D C62==J :?G@=G65 :? >2<:?8 DFC6 E92E E96 A2CE?6CD 2C6 C625J 7@C 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ =:<6 E9:D 2?5 96=A:?8 E96> F?56CDE2?5 H92E E96 5:776C6?E @AA@CEF?:E:6D 6?E2:=[ D@ H6 5@?VE EJA:42==J ;FDE 92?5 @77 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ[Q (9:E=@H D2:5] Q(6 DE2J :?G@=G65 2?5 96=A E96> >2<6 DFC6 E92E E96J 92G6 E96 C:89E :?7@C>2E:@? E96J ?665 E@ 36 23=6 E@ AFCDF6 E96D6 EJA6D @7 @AA@CEF?:E:6D]Qk^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQmqFD:?6DD6D ;@:? E96 r96D2A62<6 v2E6H2JD AC@8C2> E9C@F89 2 D6=7\?@>:?2E:@? AC@46DD E92E @?=J C6BF:C6D DF3>:EE:?8 2?DH6CD E@ 2? @?=:?6 BF6DE:@??2:C6] ~?46 2446AE65[ E96J 2C6 :?4=F565 @? E96 }2E:@?2= !2C< $6CG:46VD r96D2A62<6 v2E6H2JD H63D:E6 2?5 >@3:=6 2AA]k^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“x7 J@F v@@8=6 @FC 4@>A2?J ?2>6 E@52J[ @?6 @7 E96 7:CDE E9:?8D E92E D9@HD FA :D E96 }2E:@?2= !2C< $6CG:46 =:DE:?8[” $>:E9 D2:5]k^Am A Virginia flag flies from a batteau as it arrives at the landing in Scottsville, Wednesday, June 24, 2026, during the James River Batteau Festival. ELI LERDAU, THE DAILY PROGRESS kA 5:ClQ=ECQmu@C G:D:E@CD F?72>:=:2C H:E9 32EE62FI :? 86?6C2= 2?5 2 D>2== C:G6C 4CF:D6 @A6C2E@C =:<6 9:D[ 96 D2:5[ E96 277:=:2E:@? =6?5D =68:E:>24J]k^AmkA 5:ClQ=ECQmr96D2A62<6 v2E6H2JD AC@8C2> >6>36CD 2=D@ 2C6 6=:8:3=6 7@C DE277 EC2:?:?8 2?5 E649?:42= 2DD:DE2?46] x? 255:E:@?[ E96 }2E:@?2= !2C< $6CG:46 CF?D 2? 2??F2= 4@>A6E:E:G6 8C2?E AC@8C2> H9:49 5:DEC:3FE6D 2C@F?5 S` >:==:@? 2 J62C E@ AC@8C2> >6>36CD 7@C 4@?D6CG2E:@? 2?5 C6DE@C2E:@? AC@;64ED]k^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQm$>:E9 D2:5 E96 ?6H A2CE?6CD9:A 5@6D?VE 4@>6 H:E9 2?J ?6H @A6C2E:?8 C6BF:C6>6?ED @C AC24E:42= 492?86D]k^AmkAmxEVD E@@ D@@? E@ D2J H96E96C E96 r96D2A62<6 v2E6H2JD =:DE:?8 92D 5:C64E=J 5C:G6? ?6H 3FD:?6DD[ 3FE $>:E9 D2:5 E9:D D62D@? 92D 366? 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