Capitol Commentary Southwest Virginians across region claim Billy Wagner as their own (copy) (copy) U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith Oct 26, 2026 Oct 26, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Major League Baseball (MLB) will crown new champions this fall. kAm%96 %2>A2 q2J #2JD 2?5 |:=H2F<66 qC6H6CD H:== 4@>A6E6 7@C E96:C 7:CDE (@C=5 $6C:6D 492>A:@?D9:A :? 7C2?49:D6 9:DE@CJ]k^AmkAmyFDE 367@C6 p>6C:42?D H6=4@>6 2 7:CDE\E:>6 32D632== 492>A:@?[ $@FE9H6DE ':C8:?:2 H6=4@>65 2 7:CDE\@7\2\<:?5 w2== @7 u2>6C E@ E96 C68:@?]k^AmkAmx? ~4E@36C[ a_ad w2== @7 u2>6 :?5F4E66 q:==J (28?6C C6EFC?65 9@>6 7@C 2 565:42E:@? 46C6>@?J :? 5@H?E@H? %2K6H6==]k^Am kAm|2?J :? $@FE9H6DE ':C8:?:2 4=2:> q:==J (28?6C 2D E96:C @H?]k^Am People are also reading… Cuts to schools, social services on Smyth supervisors' agenda Chilhowie confirms it's exploring boundary adjustment Smyth School Board takes next step to address buildings' needs Citizen files court complaint trying to upend Smyth's data center zoning regulations Social worker issues appeal for more foster families Verizon wants to hang up on landlines, but some customers aren’t so sure Democrats capture Congress in sweeping setback for Trump Diesel costs force Smyth schools to review bus use Smyth County considers permit for second battery energy storage facility Chilhowie chief shares ideas state can adopt to help with disaster response Grant allows Chilhowie PD to put AED in each police vehicle Pete Hegseth stares down likely impeachment vote. And he's not the only one Legislators honor T-Bone Lewis, present General Assembly resolution Smyth School Board honors educator who builds on student strengths A Democratic wave and more takeaways from the US midterm elections kAm(28?6C’D A=246 @7 3:CE9 :D |2C:@?] qFE H96? 96 H2D H:E9 9:D 2F?E 2?5 F?4=6 :? 9:D 9:89 D49@@= J62CD[ 96 =:G65 :? %2??6CDG:==6]k^AmkAmw6 2EE6?565 %2K6H6== w:89 $49@@= H96C6 96 H2D 2 5F2=\DA@CE 2E9=6E6 :? 7@@E32== 2?5 32D632==]k^AmkAmq642FD6 @7 >F=E:A=6 3C@<6? C:89E 2C>D 96 DF776C65 2D 2 <:5[ 96 4@?G6CE65 E@ A:E49:?8 =67E\92?565] !=2J:?8 7@C E96 =2E6 %2K6H6== w:89 $49@@= 4@249 {@F !66CJ[ (28?6C 3642>6 2 A:E49:?8 D6?D2E:@?]k^Am kAmu@==@H:?8 9:D 9:89 D49@@= DF446DD[ 96 DE2J65 4=@D6 E@ 9@>6 A=2J:?8 7@C u6CCF> r@==686 :? uC2?<=:? r@F?EJ] p7E6C 2 5@>:?2?E A6C7@C>2?46 :? }2E:@?2= r@==68:2E6 pE9=6E:4 pDD@4:2E:@? W}rppX s:G:D:@? xxx[ H96C6 96 D6E 7@FC C64@C5D E92E DE2?5 E@ E9:D 52J[ (28?6C H2D D6=64E65 `akDFAmE9k^DFAm @G6C2== :? E96 `hhb |{q sC27E]k^Am kAm%@ >2?J |{q 72?D[ (28?6C :D 2 =686?52CJ 32==A=2J6C] qFE E@ ':C8:?:2?D :? @FC C68:@?[ (28?6C :D >@C6 E92? E92E] k^AmkAm(28?6C :D 2 =686?52CJ 9F>2? 36:?8 H9@ 42C6D 7@C (6DE6C? ':C8:?:2]k^Am kAm~? E96 52J @7 E96 46C6>@?J[ x EC2G6=65 E@ @E96C 6G6?ED[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 pAA=6 sF>A=:?8 u6DE:G2= :? $EF2CE 2?5 2 72== 76DE:G2= E9C@H? 3J E96 #257@C5 '6E6C2?D @7 u@C6:8? (2CD]k^AmkAm(96? E2=<:?8 E@ 4@?DE:EF6?ED 23@FE >J 52J’D A=2?D[ x >6?E:@?65 E92E x’5 =2E6C 36 2EE6?5:?8 E96 565:42E:@? 46C6>@?J :? %2K6H6==]k^AmkAmx 962C5 ?F>6C@FD 244@F?ED 7C@> A6@A=6 E92E (28?6C E96 >2? H2D 2? 2>2K:?8 A6CD@?]k^Am kAm~?6 =25J E@=5 >6 D96 8@E E@ <?@H (28?6C E9C@F89 @?6 @7 9:D C@@>>2E6D 2E u6CCF>] $96 C64@F?E65 E@ >6 E92E (28?6C :D @?6 @7 E96 7:?6DE >6? D96 92D 6G6C >6E[ 96 42C6D 23@FE A6@A=6 2?5 96 8:G6D 324< E@ 9:D 4@>>F?:E:6D]k^Am kAm(28?6C 92D 2 9:DE@CJ @7 DFAA@CE:?8 49:=59@@5 :?:E:2E:G6D] %9C@F89 E96 (28?6C u2>:=J u@F?52E:@?[ (28?6C 96=A65 5:C64E C6D@FC46D E@ =:E6C24J :?:E:2E:G6D[ 9@>6=6DD @FEC6249 AC@8C2>D 2?5 @C82?:K2E:@?D D6CG:?8 2E\C:D< J@FE9]k^AmkAmx? a__d[ (28?6C 7@F?565 E96 $64@?5 r92?46 {62C?:?8 r6?E6C :? q=F67:6=5[ ':C8:?:2] %9:D r6?E6C AC@G:565 EFE@C:?8 2?5 4@F?D6=:?8 D6CG:46D 7@C =@42= F?56CD6CG65 49:=5C6?] k^Am kAmsFC:?8 (28?6C’D a_ad w2== @7 u2>6 :?5F4E:@? DA6649[ 96 H@C6 2 %2K6H6== r@F?EJ A:? 2?5 u6CCF> r@==686 A:?] t2C=:6C E9:D J62C[ (28?6C ;@:?65 u6CCF> 32D632==’D 4@249:?8 DE277]k^Am kAms6DA:E6 2 E:>6\4@?DF>:?8 42C66C E92E DA2??65 `e D62D@?D 2?5 7@C465 9:> E@ >@G6 324< 2?5 7@CE9 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ[ (28?6C ?6G6C 72:=65 E@ DFAA@CE 9:D 72>:=J 2?5 DE2J 4@??64E65 H:E9 @FC C68:@?]k^AmkAm(28?6C C2:D65 9:D 7@FC <:5D 2=@?8D:56 9:D H:76[ $2C29[ H9@ :D 2=D@ 2 DE2?5@FE 2E9=6E6 7C@> u6CCF> r@==686] u@==@H:?8 96C 4@==68:2E6 32D<6E32== 42C66C[ D96 H2D :?5F4E65 :?E@ E96 u6CCF> r@==686 w2== @7 u2>6] %96 (28?6CD 566A=J =@G6 E96:C <:5D[ :?4=F5:?8 2 D@? H9@ A=2JD :? E96 |{q]k^AmkAm(:E9 E96 7665324< x C646:G65[ x 962565 E@ E96 %2K6H6== 565:42E:@? 46C6>@?J]k^Am kAmx 7@4FD65 >J C6>2C<D @? E96 9F>2? D:56 @7 (28?6C E92E x =62C?65 23@FE] x D92C65 >J 62C=:6C 4@?G6CD2E:@?D :? E96 52J E@ 9:89=:89E E96 <:?5 @7 A@D:E:G6 :>A24E E92E (28?6C 925 @? 9:D >2?J 7C:6?5D 96C6 :? ':C8:?:2] k^Am kAm%9@D6 E92E 2EE6?565 E96 46C6>@?J :?4=F565 6=64E65 @77:4:2=D 2?5 4@>>F?:EJ =6256CD] r@249 !66CJ’D H:76 =:DE6?65 E@ (28?6C 4@>>6?E 23@FE E96 C@=6 >@56=D E92E 96=A65 D92A6 9:D =:76[ 2?5 9@H 96C 9FD32?5 H2D 2=>@DE =:<6 2 72E96C E@ (28?6C]k^AmkAm%96 @?=J E9:?8 E92E H@F=5 92G6 >256 E96 52J 36EE6C[ 244@C5:?8 E@ (28?6C[ H2D :7 !66CJ H2D 2=:G6 E@ 46=63C2E6 E9:D >@>6?E H:E9 9:>]k^Am kAmp7E6C @A6?:?8 3J E92?<:?8 v@5[ (28?6C’D 6>@E:@?2= C6>2C<D AC2:D65 %2K6H6==i “xE H2D J@F 8FJD E92E :?DA:C65 >6] %96 E@H? @7 %2K6H6== >62?D >@C6 E@ >6 E92? H@C5D 42? 6IAC6DD…%9:D :D E96 92C56DE DA6649 x 92G6 6G6C 925 E@ 8:G6[ 3642FD6 J@F 2C6 >J 72>:=J 2?5 x =@G6 J@F]”k^Am kAmp7E6C E96 DA66496D[ 96 E9C6H 2 A:E49 E@ @?6 @7 9:D 7@C>6C %2K6H6== E62>>2E6D[ H9@ 42F89E :E @? 3692=7 @7 2== @7 (28?6C’D %2K6H6== 2?5 u6CCF> E62>>2E6D] xE H2D 2 962E6CPk^AmkAmp ?6H 5@H?E@H? A2C< :? %2K6H6==[ “q:==J (28?6C !2C<[” 762EFC6D 2 DE2EF6 @7 (28?6C 2?5 2 A=2BF6 ?@E:?8 9:D >6>36CD9:A :? E96 }2E:@?2= q2D632== w2== @7 u2>6[ D@>6E9:?8 ?@ @E96C s\xxx 2E9=6E6 92D 6G6C 5@?6]k^Am kAmxE H2D 2? 9@?@C 7@C >6 E@ 36 E96C6 :? A6CD@? 2?5 46=63C2E6 H:E9 E96 4@>>F?:EJ]k^AmkAm(28?6C’D H@C5D 2?5 24E:@?D ?@E @?=J :?DA:C6 2E9=6E6D 2?5 2E9=6E:4 AC@8C2>D :? @FC C68:@?] %96J :?DA:C6 E96 9F>2? 962CE]k^Am kAm%92E :D H92E $@FE9H6DE ':C8:?:2 :D 2== 23@FE]k^AmkAmx7 J@F 92G6 BF6DE:@?D[ 4@?46C?D[ @C 4@>>6?ED[ 766= 7C66 E@ 4@?E24E >J @77:46] *@F 42? 42== >J p3:?85@? @77:46 2E afe\dad\`c_d @C >J r9C:DE:2?D3FC8 @77:46 2E dc_\bg`\def`] %@ C6249 >J @77:46 G:2 6>2:=[ A=62D6 G:D:E >J H63D:E6 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^FC=5676?D6]4@>^Gb^009EEADi^>@C82?8C:77:E9]9@FD6]8@G^00jPP{G*K:4xP;qb=G}s0c0y~sGxJ`%IwHw:E7*:?c#3(Dss;?JzJ*{rp0:{aq<*q_$;Kw$6(9$*cF74q0F66(#?I|+x*fH'&5#wq:=)xSQm9EEADi^^>@C82?8C:77:E9]9@FD6]8@G^k^2m]k^Am 0 Comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Cuts to schools, social services on Smyth supervisors' agenda When it came to school services directly impacting children, the Board of Supervisors balked at a proposed budget cut. They’ll talk about thei… Chilhowie confirms it's exploring boundary adjustment Following an anonymous social media post on Wednesday that included several presentation documents, the Town of Chilhowie issued a statement c… Smyth School Board takes next step to address buildings' needs Northwood High School was built nearly 70 years ago. The windows in the auditorium may be the original ones. Citizen files court complaint trying to upend Smyth's data center zoning regulations A Marion citizen has filed a complaint in Smyth County Circuit Court, asking the court to order the Board of Supervisors to repeal the portion… Social worker issues appeal for more foster families In early October, 43 Smyth County children were in foster care. Only seven of those youngsters were able to stay in the community. The others …
Cuts to schools, social services on Smyth supervisors' agenda When it came to school services directly impacting children, the Board of Supervisors balked at a proposed budget cut. They’ll talk about thei…
Chilhowie confirms it's exploring boundary adjustment Following an anonymous social media post on Wednesday that included several presentation documents, the Town of Chilhowie issued a statement c…
Smyth School Board takes next step to address buildings' needs Northwood High School was built nearly 70 years ago. The windows in the auditorium may be the original ones.
Citizen files court complaint trying to upend Smyth's data center zoning regulations A Marion citizen has filed a complaint in Smyth County Circuit Court, asking the court to order the Board of Supervisors to repeal the portion…
Social worker issues appeal for more foster families In early October, 43 Smyth County children were in foster care. Only seven of those youngsters were able to stay in the community. The others …