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McHone joins The Bank of Marion (copy)
Cynthia McHone
SPorter / Submitted photo
Chris Snodgrass, president and CEO of The Bank of Marion has announced that Max Meadows resident Cynthia McHone is bringing 15 years of banking experience to the community bank. Those years were spent making mortgage loans to families and individuals throughout the region.
“We are very pleased that Mrs. McHone has become a member of our professional family,” Snodgrass said. “She is uniquely qualified to assist families in finding an easy pathway to home ownership or upgrading to a better home.”
McHone is a life-long resident of Wythe County. She is a graduate of Fort Chiswell High School, Wytheville Community College, and Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. She and her husband of 28 years, Danny McHone, have two sons.
McHone is an avid sports fan and a former breeder of registered dogs, including English Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, and Burmese Mountain Dogs.
“I am looking forward to building relationships, serving our communities, and
navigating mortgage customers through one of the most important decisions of their lives,” McHone stated. “My goal is to help people move through the mortgage process as seamlessly as possible.”
McHone is already on the job and working from the Bank’s Regional Business Center in Marion.
The Bank of Marion has 19 branches and offices in Southwestern Virginia and Upper East Tennessee.
Sen. Warner to host Academy Day (copy)
U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner will host his annual Academy Day on Saturday, April 25, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg.
The event is for high school and middle school students, their parents or guardians, and school counselors. It includes a seated program that will provide a comprehensive overview of the United States service academies and their admission processes. Information will also be shared regarding application procedures for congressional nominations and other military-related options that exist at higher education institutions in Virginia.
Following the program, attendees will be able to meet with officials from all five academies as well as representatives from Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Richmond, ROTC programs at the University of Virginia, the United States Marine Corps, the Virginia Military Institute, the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, the Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership at Mary Baldwin University, and the University of Mary Washington at their resource tables. Staff from Virginia congressional offices will also be available to answer questions.
As the event concludes, the University of Mary Washington will be offering campus tours. To participate, meet at their resource table at 1:30 p.m.
Information on the nomination process for the service academies is available on the Senator’s website. Individuals may email academy_noms@warner.senate.gov with any questions about the event.
Claude Moore nonprofit now accepting applications for healthcare scholarships in SWVA (copy)
Claude Moore Opportunities, a statewide nonprofit focused on healthcare workforce development, is now accepting applications for scholarships to support Southwest Virginia students pursuing healthcare careers through the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). Claude Moore and local partners are funding up to three $2,500 scholarships to support community college students in the region as part of the Virginia Partnership for Health Science Careers, a statewide network of regional healthcare workforce development partnerships organized by Claude Moore, including in Southwest Virginia.
“Our experience in healthcare workforce training has shown us that cost can be a real barrier to pursuing the training and credentialing that’s required for a good-paying career in healthcare,” said Dr. Bill Hazel, CEO of Claude Moore Opportunities and former Virginia Secretary of Health. “Beyond the cost of tuition or training programs, there are often costs for transportation, childcare, and books and equipment that may not be covered by traditional financial aid. By providing flexible support during their educational and career journey, we can help more Virginians stay on track and get the training, credentials, and certifications they need to make a good living serving the healthcare needs of their community.”
"The Virginia Community College System is thankful to Claude Moore Opportunities for their investment in our students and for their leadership in helping build a healthcare ecosystem that provides clear pathways from enrollment to employment,” said Dr. David Doré, chancellor of the Virginia Community College System. “These scholarships will provide critical support to students, helping them obtain the training needed to strengthen Virginia’s workforce and improve the quality of healthcare across the state. We are proud to work with a partner so deeply committed to our students and the workforce needs of communities."
Interested VCCS students can apply for a Southwest Virginia regional scholarship by visiting www.cm-opportunities.org. Applications are due by midnight on March 31. To qualify, an individual must be enrolled or enrolling in a healthcare career training program through the Virginia Community College System. Funds can be used for the direct cost of training programs, licensing/certification costs, or for student support such as transportation, equipment, or childcare.
Scholarships in every region of Virginia are being funded and distributed through the regional partnerships that form the Virginia Partnership for Health Science careers, a new statewide initiative from Claude Moore Opportunities to promote regional coordination between education institutions, workforce agencies, and healthcare providers to address Virginia’s healthcare workforce crisis.
Beginner gardeners should ‘start small and build on successes’ (copy)
Whether yearning for a grand outdoor oasis or simply a few vegetable plants for the patio, the journey to your dream garden begins with baby steps.
“Start small, and build on your successes,” emphasized Ed Olsen, Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener director and consumer horticulture specialist.
Beginning gardeners with only a windowsill can try growing small container herbs that are readily available at grocery stores year-round, or at local nurseries and garden centers during the growing season.
Aspiring vegetable gardeners should start by scouting for an outdoor spot that gets over 6-8 hours of sunlight per day.
“Container gardens are a great place to start,” Olsen noted. “If you can grow plants in a container on your deck for the summer, then you probably can succeed in moving them out to the yard the next year.”
If you’re looking to beautify your yard with ornamental plants, pick an area for creating a small garden bed to get started with. The spot you pick will help determine which plants to choose.
After selecting your garden’s location, get to know your soil. Gardeners can acquire a soil test kit from their local Extension office and submit a sample to the Virginia Tech Soil Testing Lab.
“Winter is a great time to do a soil test, as long as the ground isn’t frozen,” he added. “That will tell you what your ornamental or vegetable garden will need to make sure you’re starting off with the right nutrients and pH for desired plants.”
Raised beds are another great option for beginners who are unsure about their soil and want quick success. A 4-by-8-foot bed is generally a good size to start with.
After identifying your garden’s location, create a list of desired plants with matching light and soil requirements.
“If you put a plant that likes high light in a shady garden, it’s not going to thrive,” Olsen cautioned. “And typically, you end up with diseases and pest issues when a plant’s struggling to grow in an environment.”
He added that perennial plants are great options for beginner ornamental gardeners—offering “immediate gratification” and extended blooms. Tomatoes and peppers are generally easy to grow and popular options for beginning vegetable gardeners.
For first-time gardeners, Olsen recommends purchasing young plants at garden centers and then replanting them. Starting plants from seed takes a lot of time indoors and can result in more plants than intended.
It’s also important to:
∙ Space plantings based on the size your plants will grow into—not the size of the container.
∙ Avoid digging deep holes for planting. The hole should be no bigger than the plant’s container.
∙ Ensure you’re watering ornamental plants properly the first year for proper establishment.
Visit pubs.ext.vt.edu to access Extension’s 2026 Pest Management Guide.
Read more “Gardening 101” tips in Virginia Farm Bureau’s Cultivate magazine.
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