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(VIDEO) Norfolk Business Owner Rides Jet Ski Through Flooded Streets After Historic Virginia Storm

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Kate Middleton

NORFOLK, Va. — A local business owner turned a flooded Norfolk intersection into an impromptu waterway Tuesday, riding his jet ski through several feet of standing water after flash flooding from severe thunderstorms submerged one of the city’s busiest roads, in scenes that quickly spread across social media.

The flooding struck the intersection of Monticello Avenue and Princess Anne Road, where floodwaters reached three to four feet deep in some areas, stranding drivers and turning the roadway impassable by car. Video of the scene showed Joe Scearce, owner of Joe’s Tires and Rims, navigating the flooded intersection on his personal watercraft as stunned onlookers watched from higher ground.

A Storm That Overwhelmed the Region

The flooding was part of a broader wave of severe weather that hit Virginia’s Hampton Roads region beginning Tuesday afternoon. The National Weather Service office in Wakefield issued a flash flood warning covering Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach, warning that thunderstorms were producing heavy rain across the area, with between 1 and 3 inches already recorded and rainfall rates of 1.5 to 2 inches per hour expected to continue. Additional rainfall of 1 to 2 inches was forecast on top of those totals, with the weather service cautioning that flash flooding of small creeks, streams, urban areas, highways and low-lying areas was either already underway or expected to begin shortly.

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Extreme flooding was reported across multiple parts of Hampton Roads Tuesday afternoon into the evening, according to local station WAVY, with officials warning that floodwater depths could be deceiving and urging drivers who encountered a flooded road to turn around rather than attempt to pass through.

A Spontaneous Decision

Scearce, whose tire shop sits near the flooded intersection, described the moment he decided to grab his jet ski rather than wait out the storm from dry ground. Speaking with local station WAVY, Scearce recalled turning to his friends and colleagues as the water continued to rise, telling them the situation was becoming serious enough that he needed to act. He said he told the group it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity he had to take advantage of, prompting him to head back, remove his socks and shoes, and announce that he was going to put his jet skis into the water on Monticello Avenue. According to Scearce, his friends initially responded with disbelief, saying “no way,” before he insisted he was serious and followed through.

Scearce later told 13News Now that people around him had been warning him throughout the afternoon that conditions were getting increasingly serious, repeating that the flooding was becoming a genuine concern well before he made the decision to take his watercraft onto the submerged roadway.

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Business Disrupted, but Doors Stayed Open

Despite the dramatic flooding and resulting damage to equipment at his shop, Scearce said Joe’s Tires and Rims remained busy with customers seeking tire service even as the surrounding area dealt with the aftermath of the storm. Scearce described the rainfall as among the most significant Norfolk has experienced in decades, underscoring just how unusual Tuesday’s storm was compared with the region’s typical summer weather patterns.

A Region Prone to Flooding

Tuesday’s flash flooding adds to a long history of flooding challenges facing Norfolk and the broader Hampton Roads region, an area particularly vulnerable to both tidal flooding and flash flooding from heavy rainfall given its low-lying coastal geography. The region has weathered numerous flooding events tied to hurricanes and tropical systems in recent years, including significant flooding during Hurricane Dorian in 2019, when storm surge and heavy rain led to widespread road closures and prompted the opening of emergency shelters across the area.

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More recently, tidal flooding tied to Hurricane Erin disrupted trash and recycling collection across Norfolk last August, forcing the city to reschedule pickups after floodwaters made streets impassable for collection crews. Areas of neighboring Virginia Beach have also experienced unusually severe tidal flooding in recent years, with residents in some cases describing flooding at intersections they had never previously seen underwater, even after decades of living in the area.

Cleanup Efforts Underway

By Wednesday, crews were working to clean up and assess damage from Tuesday’s storm, with the intersection of Monticello Avenue and Princess Anne Road beginning to dry out after standing underwater for an extended period. City crews and local officials continued surveying the broader impact of the flash flooding across Hampton Roads, a process local outlets indicated was ongoing as the region worked to return to normal following the storm.

A Moment That Captured Wide Attention

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Video of Scearce’s jet ski ride through the flooded intersection spread rapidly across social media platforms, drawing attention from national outlets and social media accounts covering breaking news, including widely shared posts highlighting the unusual scene of a personal watercraft navigating what is normally a busy roadway intersection. The footage captured widespread public fascination, offering both a moment of levity amid the storm’s disruption and a striking visual illustration of just how severe Tuesday’s flash flooding became in parts of the city.

A Reminder of Flash Flood Dangers

While Scearce’s jet ski ride generated viral attention, weather officials continued to emphasize the serious risks posed by flash flooding events like Tuesday’s storm, reiterating standard safety guidance that drivers should never attempt to drive through flooded roadways given how difficult it can be to accurately judge water depth and the strength of any underlying current. The National Weather Service’s warning language specifically cited flash flooding as a hazard affecting not just small creeks and streams but also highways, streets, underpasses and other areas prone to poor drainage, a category that clearly included the Monticello Avenue and Princess Anne Road intersection where Tuesday’s most dramatic flooding occurred.

With cleanup efforts continuing into Wednesday and beyond, residents across Hampton Roads are likely to remain attentive to further storm forecasts given the region’s persistent vulnerability to both flash flooding from heavy rainfall and tidal flooding tied to coastal storm systems. For Scearce and his tire shop, business appeared to continue largely uninterrupted despite the storm’s disruption, even as Tuesday’s flooding left a lasting, widely shared image of one Norfolk business owner’s unconventional response to rising water in his own front yard.

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What do people want from Argos?

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As Sainsbury agrees to sell Argos for £120m, we ask people if they still shop there, and what the new owners can do to compete with big online retailers like Amazon.

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SpaceX, Alphabet, Nvidia, Micron, AMD, Uber, CVS, Lilly, and More Stocks That Explain Today’s Market

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Wall Street’s Bull Run Faces Its Ultimate Test

SpaceX, Alphabet, Nvidia, Micron, AMD, Uber, CVS, Lilly, and More Stocks That Explain Today’s Market

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AMLP ETF: The 7% Yield That Doesn’t Need Lower Interest Rates (NYSEARCA:AMLP)

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I Was Bullish On ONEOK, Here's Why I Just Exited My Position (Rating Downgrade) (NYSE:OKE)

This article was written by

I am a corporate finance professional with over ten years of experience in financial planning, capital budgeting, and risk assessment. As a long-term investor, I invest exclusively in funds and do not pick individual stocks. My approach is evidence-based: low costs, broad diversification, strategic asset allocation, and patience through market cycles. My motivation for writing is twofold: first, to help other long-term investors, especially women and those new to fund investing. I focus on what truly drives returns: costs, diversification, and time in the market. Second, to bring rigorous, data-driven fund analysis to a platform often dominated by single-stock commentary. I write to learn, share, and build a community of patient investors who value sleeping well at night over chasing short-term gains.

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

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V.F. Corporation: The Vans Drag Needs To Be Fixed

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V.F. Corporation: The Vans Drag Needs To Be Fixed

V.F. Corporation: The Vans Drag Needs To Be Fixed

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CXMT Shares Drop 4.3% as Post-IPO Rally Cools Amid Global Memory Chip Pressures

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Wix Stock Jumps Nearly 10% as Battered Shares Rebound Ahead

SHANGHAI — Shares of CXMT Corp fell 4.31% on Thursday, closing at 51.96 yuan after a session of steady selling that extended a pullback from the stock’s dramatic post-listing gains. The decline of 2.34 yuan came as investors continued to digest the memory chipmaker’s blockbuster initial public offering and the competitive realities of the global DRAM market.

Trading on the Shanghai Stock Exchange’s STAR Market under the ticker 688825, the stock opened near 52.90 yuan and ranged between 51.13 yuan and 53.23 yuan before settling lower. Volume remained elevated, reflecting ongoing interest in one of China’s most closely watched new listings. The move followed a 1.27% drop the previous session and continued a pattern of volatility after the shares more than quintupled from their IPO price in late July.

CXMT, formally known as ChangXin Memory Technologies, debuted on July 27 with an offering price of 8.66 yuan. Shares opened at 49.50 yuan, surged as high as 55.03 yuan and closed the first day at 49 yuan, a gain of roughly 466%. That performance briefly lifted the company’s market capitalization above 3.2 trillion yuan and made it the largest company by value on mainland China’s exchanges, overtaking long-time leader Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.

The IPO raised approximately 57.9 billion yuan, ranking as Asia’s largest listing of 2026 and the biggest semiconductor offering in STAR Market history. Only a small portion of shares, about 6.73% of the enlarged capital, was freely tradable at launch, contributing to sharp price swings. Subsequent sessions saw the stock climb further at times before profit-taking set in.

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Company filings and market reports show strong recent operating momentum. First-quarter 2026 revenue reached 50.8 billion yuan, up more than 700% from a year earlier, with gross margin expanding to 79.16% and net profit attributable to shareholders of 24.76 billion yuan. Management has guided for first-half revenue of 110 billion to 120 billion yuan and net profit of 50 billion to 57 billion yuan, reflecting the sharp recovery in DRAM pricing driven by tight supply and robust demand from artificial intelligence applications.

CXMT ranks as the world’s fourth-largest DRAM producer by volume, behind Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and Micron Technology. The company has expanded its customer base among Chinese technology firms and has begun supplying limited volumes of memory chips for budget notebooks sold by brands including HP, Asus and Acer outside the United States. Reports also indicate ongoing discussions with major domestic internet companies for server DRAM supply.

Despite the growth, technological and geopolitical constraints remain central to the investment debate. CXMT lacks access to extreme ultraviolet lithography tools under existing export controls, limiting its ability to advance to the most cutting-edge process nodes used by its Korean and U.S. rivals. Analysts have noted that this gap is particularly relevant for high-bandwidth memory used in advanced AI accelerators, an area where the company lags by several years.

Market attention this week also focused on reports that Apple’s efforts to secure more favorable pricing from CXMT for mobile DRAM products such as LPDDR5X encountered resistance. The Chinese manufacturer reportedly declined to undercut the pricing of Samsung and SK Hynix, underscoring a shift in bargaining power toward memory suppliers amid shortages. Separate coverage highlighted CXMT’s absence from the exhibitor list at the Flash Memory Summit in Santa Clara, where Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron showcased AI-related memory roadmaps.

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Additional industry updates pointed to CXMT preparing limited production of LPDDR6 smartphone memory around the end of 2026, a step that would narrow the technology gap with global leaders. The company is also said to be evaluating plans for a second 12-inch DRAM fabrication plant in Beijing’s Yizhuang district as Chinese localities compete to attract semiconductor investment.

Thursday’s decline occurred against a backdrop of broader pressure on memory-related stocks and profit-taking after the exceptional first-week performance. Main force funds had recorded net outflows in the prior session, according to market data trackers. The stock’s free-float constraints and high valuation multiples relative to historical earnings continue to amplify daily moves.

CXMT’s prospectus had cautioned that the memory market could weaken if artificial intelligence investment slowed or if rivals expanded capacity aggressively. At the same time, the company has benefited from customers seeking to diversify supply chains away from traditional dominant suppliers. Its ability to maintain elevated margins while scaling advanced products will remain a key focus for investors in the coming quarters.

The shares remain substantially above the IPO price even after the latest retreat. Trading continues to attract significant retail and institutional attention given the company’s position as China’s leading domestic DRAM producer and the strategic importance of semiconductor self-reliance policies.

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As the memory industry navigates a period of elevated prices and capacity constraints, CXMT’s performance will serve as a closely watched barometer of both China’s progress in advanced chip manufacturing and the durability of the current upcycle. Thursday’s session underscored that the transition from private to public company brings new scrutiny of valuation, technology roadmap and competitive positioning alongside the celebration of a record-breaking listing.

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Samvardhana Motherson shares rally over 7% after Q1 earnings; Motilal Oswal, Nomura weigh in

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Samvardhana Motherson shares rally over 7% after Q1 earnings; Motilal Oswal, Nomura weigh in
Shares of auto components manufacturer Samvardhana Motherson International surged over 7% to Rs 166 on the BSE on Friday, after the company posted its highest-ever quarterly revenue in Q1 FY27 and a 70% jump in profit after tax.

As per a regulatory filing on Thursday, revenue from operations rose 17% YoY to Rs 35,244 crore, driven by healthy performance across the company’s businesses. Profit after tax surged 70.1% YoY to Rs 1,032 crore, while EBITDA grew 26% YoY to Rs 3,104 crore.

The company also announced the acquisition of Chinese tech firm Shenzhen Autocruis for $22.6 million in this quarter, through the Motherson subsidiary SMR Automotive (Langfang) Co., and completed the acquisitions of the Wiring Harness business of Nexans Autoelectric and Yutaka Giken in July. Collectively, these two acquisitions are expected to contribute nearly $2 Billion of annualized revenue.

Also Read | Motherson Q1 profit jumps 102%, revenue hits record

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Motilal Oswal remains bullish

Domestic brokerage firm Motilal Oswal reiterated a BUY rating on the stock, with a revised target price of Rs 178. “We expect Motherson to continue to outperform global automobile sales, fueled by rising premiumization and EV transition, a robust order backlog in autos and non-autos, and successful integration of recent acquisitions.” The brokerage stated in its note.


The current adverse global macro is likely to lead to industry consolidation, with players like Samvardhana Motherson International likely to emerge as key beneficiaries in the long run, according to the brokerage.
Over the years, the company has developed a well-diversified business model that focuses on its principle that no country, customer, or client should account for more than 10% of its revenue. This has helped the company achieve steady growth regardless of the end-market demand environment, as per the brokerage’s note.It is emerging as one of the major beneficiaries of the rising premiumization trend and EV transition, which in turn should drive higher content going forward. The closure of recent acquisitions provides huge growth opportunities as well, as these entities offer multiple synergy benefits, which include the company’s entry into the Japanese supplier network (Yachio + Ichikoh), evolution as a cockpit assembler (SAS), complementary new segment addition (Yachio + Dr. Schneider), and strong opportunities in aerospace and medical equipment.

Nomura sets target price of Rs 171

Domestic brokerage firm Nomura retains a BUY rating on Samvardhana Motherson International, with a target price of Rs 171, implying an upside of over 10%.

Our FY27F/28F/29F revenue growth is 11%/12%/18% above consensus, driven by the ramp-up of greenfield plants and strong growth in non-auto segments led by consumer electronics. The brokerage expects sustained margin improvement with operating leverage. With 6-7% free cash flow yields (FY28F/29F), further potential exists for acquisition-driven growth, it stated.

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Management continues to work with customers to pass through higher input costs while driving cost optimisation initiatives, the brokerage stated in its report, as copper prices increased 4% QoQ and are up ~40% YoY, creating input cost pressures. These costs are typically passed on to customers with a 1-2 month lag, while overall commodity pass-through mechanisms generally

operate with a 3-6 month lag. Freight costs remained elevated, with the World Container Index up 40% YoY and 83% QoQ, resulting in additional logistics costs to ensure timely deliveries.

Any material import tax in US geography could impact Motherson’s key clients (e.g., Audi) and affect Motherson’s order book, which could be a key risk to achieving the target price. as per Nomura’s report.

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Lanxess falls 3% as weak Q3 outlook overshadows Q2 EBITDA beat

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Lanxess falls 3% as weak Q3 outlook overshadows Q2 EBITDA beat

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At Close of Business podcast August 7 2026

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At Close of Business podcast August 7 2026

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Bears unveil home jersey at packed function

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Bears unveil home jersey at packed function

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Business News subscriptions are used by executives, investors, consultants and professionals who need to stay informed and make better decisions about the WA market. When you subscribe you’ll get

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Data & Insights is a research tool built specifically for the WA market. It draws on more than 30 years of Business News reporting, updated regularly to reflect what’s happening now. Use it to:

  • Look up detailed profiles of WA companies, including financials, directors and ownership
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  • Research live and completed projects across WA industries
  • Monitor deals, appointments and market activity
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Data & Insights is updated daily by our dedicated research team, which uses the latest announcements, ASX filings and editorial coverage to keep our person, company, list and project records up to date.

Business News welcome all opportunities to make our dataset accurate, complete and current, so if you have an update request, please email the team at
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Most Business News publications cover national or global markets. Business News is focused entirely on Western Australia, which means the journalism, the data and the intelligence are all built around WA companies, people and projects — not adapted from a national feed. Data & Insights, included with every subscription, combines more than 30 years of WA-specific editorial research with live business data. There’s no comparable product for the WA market.

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GE Vernova Supplier Spikes Past Buy Point On Data-Center Thirst

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GE Vernova Supplier Spikes Past Buy Point On Data-Center Thirst

Shares of Ronan, Mt.-based innovator AirJoule were aloft like vapor Wednesday as the company’s recent deal with GE Vernova worked through the stock market ether. The company develops products that harvest water from the air in order to cool AI data-center servers. AirJoule (AIRJ), a joint-venture partner with data center gas turbine supplier GE Vernova (GEV) since March 2024, has…

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