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Powers challenges Griffith to debates
Democratic nominee for Congress Joy Powers formally challenged Congressman Morgan Griffith to participate in three public debates across Virginia’s Ninth Congressional District before voters cast their ballots this November.
In a letter sent directly to Griffith, Powers proposed holding one debate in far Southwest Virginia, one in the New River Valley, and one on the eastern end of the district. Powers said the two campaigns should jointly agree on hosts, venues, moderators, and format, with questions coming directly from voters across the Ninth District.
“The people of Southwest Virginia deserve them,” Powers wrote.
Powers issued the challenge as tens of thousands of Ninth District residents face the potential loss of health coverage under legislation Griffith supported in Congress. Nearly 37,000 people in the district are projected to lose coverage, more than in any other congressional district in Virginia, with most of those losses expected to come from Medicaid.
“The people who will live with the consequences deserve to hear you defend that vote in front of them,” Powers wrote to Griffith.
Powers said the debates should give voters an opportunity to question both candidates directly about health care, data centers, jobs, agriculture, energy costs, education, Social Security and Medicare, and the future of Southwest Virginia's communities.
“You have represented this district in Congress for sixteen years. I am asking its people to send me there instead,” Powers wrote. “They deserve the opportunity to hear, directly from both of us, what you have done with that responsibility and what I intend to do differently.”
Powers is asking Griffith to accept the three debates by Sept. 5.
SBA disaster assistance available for SWVA businesses and private nonprofits (copy) (copy) (copy)
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced the availability of low-interest federal
disaster loans for eligible small businesses and private nonprofit organizations impacted by drought beginning March 15.
Among the eligible localities in this region are Bland, Bristol, Carroll, Floyd, Galax, Grayson, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, and Wythe.
Who Can Apply
The assistance is available to small businesses, private nonprofits and faith-based organizations, small agricultural cooperatives and nurseries, and small aquaculture enterprises.
Loan Assistance Available
Economic Injury Disaster Loans: Working capital assistance for operational
expenses caused by the disaster.
Key Loan Details
∙ Up to $2 million in loan funding;
∙ Interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.625% for private nonprofit organizations;
∙ Loan terms of up to 30 years;
∙ No interest or required payments during the first 12 months following disbursement.
The application deadline for Economic Injury Disaster Loans is Feb. 26, 2027.
Applicants may call the SBA Customer Service Center with questions regarding their application at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
Pet of the Week
Pet of the Week
Bowie
Meet new special needs foster kitty, Bowie, a great kitten! Born around the end of May, 2026, this kitty is hearing impaired. Easy going and affectionate and plays gently with his people. Might be best as a single pet because he can't hear other animals or read their cues easily. Loves to climb! Indoor only. Found injured in the road, his mouth is slowly healing but he may always have a wonky smile. Up to date on vaccinations. If you would like more information about Bowie, give the Floyd County Humane Society a call at 540-745-7207 to see if he is a good fit for your family.
College for Older Adults registration kicks off
Virginia Tech's Reynolds Homestead will kick off registration for its 2026 Fall College for Older Adults (COA) with a special launch event on Monday, August 31, at 10 a.m. at Reynolds Homestead. The four-week fall session will run Monday, September 28, through Friday, October 23, offering adults ages 50 and older a wide variety of educational, recreational, and social opportunities.
College for Older Adults is designed for lifelong learners who enjoy exploring new interests, meeting new people, and staying active. Whether participants are looking to learn a new skill, revisit a favorite hobby, or simply connect with others in the community, the program offers something for everyone.
The August 31 launch event gives prospective participants an opportunity to preview the full lineup of classes, hikes, and special outings planned for the fall semester while registering before classes fill. Many offerings have limited enrollment, making early registration highly recommended.
"College for Older Adults is about much more than attending classes," said Melanie Gilbert, assistant manager for community engagement programs at the Reynolds Homestead. "It's about building friendships, discovering new interests, and creating meaningful experiences together. We see participants leave each semester with not only new knowledge but also new connections that often last well beyond the program."
This fall's schedule will feature a diverse selection of classes and activities, including guided hikes, cultural and culinary experiences, tai chi, book discussions, arts and crafts, and other engaging educational programs. The complete schedule of classes and activities will be available on the Reynolds Homestead website beginning September 1.
The College for Older Adults fall semester registration is $50 and includes tuition for all weekly classes as well as many specialty programs offered throughout the session. Some classes, including arts and crafts, make-and-take workshops, and field trips, may require additional supply or transportation fees. Participants interested in outdoor recreation may also register for the guided hiking series for $20, which includes four guided hikes during the semester.
Registration may be completed online using a credit or debit card or by mailing a check payable to the Treasurer of Virginia Tech. Online registration and printable registration forms will be available through the Reynolds Homestead website and Facebook page. Printed course catalogs will be available at the beginning of September and may be picked up at Reynolds Homestead, the Patrick County Chamber of Commerce, and the Blue Ridge Regional Library.
For more information or to request accommodation, contact Melanie Gilbert at mtgilbert68@vt.edu or call 276-694-7181, ext. 22.
Existing drought advisories continued (copy) (copy) (copy)
Despite significant rainfall, the Drought Monitoring Task Force (DMTF) has continued the existing drought advisory statuses for Virginia.
The recent rain has prevented drought conditions from worsening; however drought continues in many parts of Virginia, especially in the Roanoke River drought evaluation region.
A drought emergency advisory was maintained for the Roanoke River region.
Drought warning advisories were kept in place for the Chowan, Eastern Shore, Middle James, Northern Coastal Plain, Northern Piedmont, Northern Virginia, Shenandoah, and Upper James regions.
This area, which includes the Big Sandy and New River regions, remains under drought watch advisories along with the Middle James, York James, and Southeast Virginia regions.
The DMTF considered the following information in its advisory recommendations:
• Streamflows were largely normal, with below-normal flow observed in portions of the James, Roanoke, and Shenandoah watersheds.
• Soil moisture in shallower soils shows improvement, with near-normal conditions in most areas of the state. Drier-than-normal soils persist in southern portions of the Chowan, Roanoke, and Shenandoah drought evaluation regions.
• Groundwater levels continue to be much below normal, with indicator wells in northern and south-central areas of the state at or near historic record-low water levels.
• Reservoir levels across the Commonwealth were all within normal ranges, except for Smith Mountain Lake and John Kerr Reservoir, which remain much below normal for this time of year.
• Precipitation over the past seven days was near or above normal across much of the Commonwealth. Precipitation over the past 30 days has been above normal for a majority of the state except for portions of the Chowan, Shenandoah, and Roanoke Drought Evaluation Regions. While the past several months have seen a shift toward above-normal precipitation for portions of the Commonwealth, areas around Danville, Lynchburg, and Staunton remain drier than normal.
Agricultural producers report improvement in crop conditions throughout the Commonwealth as a result of recent rain; however, the eastern portion of Franklin County and Campbell, Pittsylvania, Culpeper, Madison, and Greene counties remain dry.
In response to these conditions, Governor Abigail Spanberger is encouraging Virginians to conserve water during this drought.
The seven-day forecast calls for near-to-above-normal totals of 2 to 5 inches in areas east of I-95. Precipitation amounts taper off moving west, as central areas are expected to receive normal-to-above-normal totals of 0.5 to 2 inches. Far southwest areas are expected to receive between 0.1 and 0.5 inches.
Additional information on the current drought status is available on the DEQ drought webpage and Drought Dashboard, which includes interactive data on stream gages, groundwater wells, soil moisture, and precipitation.
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