This content is unavailable. Please contact customer service for more information.
Already a subscriber? Login or Activate your account.
You've reached the end of the standard E-Edition.
This content is unavailable. Please contact customer service for more information.
Richland_clinch_valley
Hurley issues second ruling against redistricting plan
Jim Talbert
While state leaders continue pushing it forward, a local judge has once again tried to stop the special election scheduled for April 21 to decide whether the states congressional districts will be redrawn.
A suit was filed Feb. 18 by the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee and U.S. Reps. Ben Cline, R-Botetourt County, and Morgan Griffith, R-Salem. It asked for an emergency restraining order barring the Aril 21 referendum on the plan.
Defendants included Virginia’s commissioner of elections, members of the State Board of Elections and several Tazewell County election officials.
Circuit Judge Jack S. Hurley Jr. issued an injunction Feb. 18 ordering preparation for the special election to be stopped until March 18. Hurley found the plaintiffs have an “extraordinarily high likelihood of success on the merits,” including their claim that the referendum violates the timing requirement of Article XII, Section 1 of the Virginia Constitution because early voting is set for “sooner than 90 days after” the January passage of House Joint Resolution 4.
Hurley also found the ballot language — particularly the phrase “restore fairness” — is likely misleading and violates the Constitution because it “would lead a voter to believe he or she were doing something unfair by voting against the proposed amendment.”
The order states that “the equities of this case warrant temporary relief ‘for the limited purpose of preserving the status quo between the parties pending a hearing on a motion for a preliminary injunction.’”
Attorney General Jay Jones issued a statement that his office would appeal the ruling. The Supreme Court will hear an appeal of Hurley’s earlier ruling that the legislature’s action in forming the redistricting plan was unlawful.
Hurley denied motions by the defendants for change of venue and to stay the ruling until the Supreme Court hears the appeal of his earlier ruling.
USDA announces assistance for specialty crop farmers (copy) (copy)
Specialty crop farmers experiencing financial stress may be eligible for one-time bridge payments through the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers Program.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced that it will provide $1 billion in ASCF program assistance for specialty crops and sugar—commodities not covered through the previously announced Farmer Bridge Assistance Program.
The ASCF program is authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act and will be administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency. Specialty crop producers have until March 13 to report 2025 acres to FSA.
“The ASCF program payments are designed to address financial stress that specialty crop farmers encountered due to high input costs, such as fuel and fertilizer inputs; persistent inflation; market disruptions; and foreign competition that often benefits from lower labor costs,” explained Tony Banks, senior assistant director of agriculture, development and innovation at Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.
He added that farmers who raise specialty crops like fruits, vegetables and tree nuts lack access to as many financial and risk management tools as commodity crop producers. This hinders their ability to manage prices and expense risks.
“Specialty crops tend to be highly perishable and can’t be stored from one year to the next to wait for better prices,” Banks noted. “These ASCF payments will help specialty crop producers offset incurred losses.”
ASCF payments are based on reported 2025 planted acres. Eligible farmers should ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is factual and accurate by 5 p.m. on March 13. Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of March.
Dry edible beans and peas covered by the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program will not be eligible for ASCF payments.
For more information on ASCF, visit fsa.usda.gov/fba, or contact your local FSA county office.
Children’s and teen’s consignment sale coming to Abingdon (copy)
The semi-annual Wee-Cycle It Children’s Consignment Sale will be held Feb. 25-28 at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, One Partnership Circle, Abingdon.
Doors are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday (two extended shopping hours), and from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday. Select items will be 25% off on Friday and 50% on Saturday all day (items with “discount – yes” below the price will be discounted both days).
The sale is co-sponsored by the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center.
The Spring-Summer event marks the 30th sale and is bigger than ever with over 300 consignors registered to sell almost 60,000 items ranging from newborn to teen clothing, shoes, nursery and children’s furniture, outdoor play toys, sports equipment, baby equipment, maternity clothing and items, books, videos and much more.
All proceeds from the event benefit Woodland Hills Christian Church missions’ team of 12 local, regional and global outreach teams.
Additionally, unsold clothing that consignors donate directly benefits the local community, going to Faith in Action’s New Life Thrift Shop.
Wee accepts cash and cards with debit preferred.
Wee will accept donated items for the No Child Left Unfed Backpack Program, including 16 or 18 oz. jars of peanut butter, juice boxes, granola or cereal bars, and pudding cups. These items go to more 100 local school children every week to help supplement their food supplies over the weekend. Wee will have an area set up to accept these donations.
Click and hold your mouse button on the page to select the area you wish to save or print.
You can click and drag the clipping box to move it or click and drag in the bottom right corner to resize it.
When you're happy with your selection, click the checkmark icon next to the clipping area to continue.
