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NRCS to fund Virginia Elk Project with $2.89 million (copy)
NRCS has approved the Virginia Department of Wildlife
Resources' application for a $2.89 million grant to expand the
state's designed Elk Management Zone.
SPorter / Photo courtesy of NRCS
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $52 million in 19 projects to increase public access to private lands for wildlife-dependent recreation while benefiting farmers, ranchers and private landowners.
Through the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP), USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is assisting state and tribal governments in encouraging private landowners to allow public access to their land for hunting, fishing and other wildlife-dependent recreation.
One of the grants announced was a $2.89 million award to Virginia's Department of Wildlife Resources that will preserve and enlarge the state's 4,000-acre designated Elk Management Zone in Buchanan, Dickenson and Wise counties. The grant will allow the state to expand the zone by 1,500 acres, which will include 520 acres of reclaimed mining land.
The state funds the program with an annual sale of a small number of elk hunting permits. This year, five permits will be available for purchase by winners of a late-October lottery and a sixth will be sold using a raffle. Under program rules, one of the five tags dispensed in the lottery must be awarded to a hunter with a residence in the Elk Management Zone.
Additional details on this year's lottery and elk hunting in Virginia can be found on the DWR website.
“As the Chief of NRCS, one of my top priorities is to expand wildlife conservation and outdoor access; the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program is a key part of our strategy to execute that priority,” said NRCS Chief Colton L. Buckley.
News
In Virginia
Virginia sports wagering rises in June; 2026 slightly ahead of last year (copy)
DAVID MCGEE
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER
Sports wagering in Virginia exceeded $589.18 million during June, a 31.5% increase over June 2025.
Last year, sports wagering plummeted 19.6% from May to June, from $595.04 million to $477.84 million. This year’s June monthly total ranks as the fourth highest month during the first half of 2026 and represents a 1.3% increase over the $581.33 million wagered during May, state figures show.
A new report from the Virginia Lottery shows total sports wagers included $585.99 million from mobile devices and $3.18 million using Virginia’s three casino sportsbooks.
June’s casino sportsbook total represented a 52% dropoff from the $6.75 million reported last month, Virginia’s highest single month for sportsbook wagering since last October, historic state figures show.
It was also the second lowest of the first six months of this year.
Player winnings rose, reaching $529.28 million, which is 3% more than May’s $513.67 million and 26.9% more than the $417.09 million recorded during June 2025.
However, June wasn’t quite as profitable for the state’s 11 licensed mobile operators and three casinos, who reported combined adjusted gross revenues of $55.86 million, down about $7 million from last month and more than $1 million less than June 2025.
Ten operators reported positive AGR for June, resulting in $8.39 million in gaming taxes paid to the state, the report shows.
Through the first six months of 2026, players have wagered more than $3.72 billion on sports in Virginia which is 1.6% more than the $3.66 billion wagered during the first six months of last year.
Player winnings exceeded $3.32 billion during January through June of this year, which is 1.8% greater than the $3.26 billion of that same period in 2025.
Licensed operators earned $373.59 million during the first six months of 2026, down slightly from the $374.72 million from that same period prior year.
Sports wagering has generated $55.94 million in taxes thus far in 2026, compared to $55.51 million during the same period last year.
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS: VHSL releases first plan for next realignment cycle (copy)
Bristol Herald Courier
The initial realignment plan for Class 1 schools.
VHSL
The initial realignment plan for Class 2 schools.
VHSL
The initial realignment plan for Class 3 schools.
VHSL
The Virginia High School League released its initial plans for the next realignment cycle on Wednesday afternoon.
As first reported last month, Lebanon would move to from Class 2 to the Class 1 ranks under the latest plan that would be implemented for the 2027-28 through 2030-31 school years.
Grayson County would move from Region 1C to 2C, Liberty Christian Academy would drop from Region 3C to Region 2C and Tunstall would shift from Region 3D to Region 2C were other interesting developments in the plan.
Schools have until Aug. 10 to appeal their placements to the VHSL, while opposition appeals must be turned in by Aug. 17.
Final appeals will be heard on Aug. 25 and then a final plan would be recommended to the VHSL’s Executive Committee.
The VHSL uses ADM (Average Daily Membership) numbers in grades 9-11 to decide assignments of schools in classes. Page County and Westmoreland would be the largest Class 1 schools with an ADM number of 343 under the latest plan.
Grayson County (344) would be the smallest Class 2 school with Graham (345), Marion (352) and Tazewell (359) also being on the lower end.
Warren County (557) would be the biggest Class 2 school, while Lee High (496) and Wise County Central (489) would be the largest Class 2 schools from far Southwest Virginia.
Abingdon (648) would still be well above the Class 3 cutoff.
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