Greensville County Public Schools is participating in the 2023 Summer Food Service Program.  Meals will be provided to all children without charge and are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability or age, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service. 

Meals will be provided on a first come, first serve basis, at the sites and times as follows:

Meals are allowed to be taken off site.

For more information about Summer Meals, please contact MaRendia Garner at 434-634-2863.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. mail:
   U.S. Department of Agriculture
   Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
   1400 Independence Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. fax:
   (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email:
   program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Experts from the Cybersecurity and Business Worlds Convene to Share Best Practices and Practical Tools

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today that the agency will host a cyber summit in October 2023. The free cybersecurity series supports America's 33 million small businesses with tools, tips, and resources from multiple federal agencies to bolster their cybersecurity infrastructure, in addition to exploring new trends and challenges entrepreneurs are increasingly facing.

"Digital tools represent some of the most exciting revenue growth opportunities for American small businesses – from the $5.2 trillion global e-commerce marketplace to cutting-edge AI and other digital tools," said SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman. "As small businesses increasingly rely on technology to start and grow their businesses, our SBA Cyber Summit and our work modernizing the SBA will help more entrepreneurs make the digital pivot safely by leveraging SBA resources and private sector solutions to defend their businesses, their customers, and their livelihoods from the ever-evolving threats from cyber criminals."

"The rapidly evolving and interconnected world continues to present new challenges for small business owners, and it is our objective to empower them with the proper tools. Through our SBA Cyber Summit, the goal is to bolster the confidence and the know-how of our resilient U.S. small businesses to deal with these cyber challenges head-on," said SBA Associate Administrator of the Office of Entrepreneurial Development Mark Madrid.

Registration for the event is open to all and free. Sign up at

https://bit.ly/SBACyberSummit2023.

About the SBA's 2^nd Annual Small Business Cyber Summit

The summit will feature various speakers, including SBA Administrator Guzman, SBA Associate Administrator Madrid, SBA Resource Partners, Small Business Development Centers, the SBA Small Business Digital Alliance, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), FBI, business chambers, state government partners, experts from the public/private sectors, major technology platforms, and award-winning business coaches.

Comprised of digestible and compact segments, attendees will have the opportunity to network and access practical tips, problem-solving strategies, industry trends, threat avoidance, and small business testimonials in order to learn how to help small business owners defend themselves against cyber-attacks.

Cyberattacks are a growing threat to small businesses and the U.S. economy. According to the FBI's Internet Crime Report, the cost of cybercrimes against the small business community reached $3.31 billion in 2022.

Small businesses are attractive targets because they have information that cybercriminals want, and they typically lack the security infrastructure of larger businesses.

Surveys have shown that a majority of small business owners feel their businesses are vulnerable to a cyberattack. Yet many businesses cannot afford professional IT solutions, have limited time to devote to cybersecurity, or do not know where to begin. The 2^nd Annual SBA Cyber Summit will address these formidable challenges with turnkey solutions.

RICHMOND, Virginia, June 22, 2023 – Agricultural producers in Virginia who have not yet completed their crop acreage reports after planting should make an appointment with their U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) service center before the applicable deadline.

“Many USDA programs require producers to file an accurate crop acreage report by the applicable deadline,” said Dr. Ronald M. Howell, Jr., State Executive Director in Virginia. “Once planting is complete, call your local FSA office to make an appointment to report your acreage. Our FSA staff can assist producers in completing acreage reports, including providing maps.”

An acreage report documents a crop grown on a farm or ranch and its intended uses. Filing an accurate and timely acreage report for all crops and land uses, including failed acreage and prevented planted acreage, can prevent the loss of benefits.
How to File a Report

The following acreage reporting dates are applicable in Virginia:

July 17, 2023 Beans (Planted 5/26-7/10), Tomatoes (Planted 5/16-7/5),

Tomatoes, all other crops, Perennial Forage

July 31, 2023 Hemp

August 15, 2023 Cabbage (Planted 4/16-7/10)

September 15, 2023 Beans (Planted 7/15-9/5).

To file a crop acreage report, producers need to provide:

• Crop and crop type or variety;
• Intended use of the crop;
• Number of acres of the crop;
• Map with approximate boundaries for the crop;
• Planting date(s);
• Planting pattern, when applicable;
• Producer shares;
• Irrigation practice(s);
• Acreage prevented from planting, when applicable;
• Other information as required.

Acreage Reporting Exceptions

The following exceptions apply to acreage reporting dates:

• If the crop has not been planted by the acreage reporting date, then the acreage must be reported no later than 15 calendar days after planting is completed.
• If a producer acquires additional acreage after the acreage reporting date, then the acreage must be reported no later than 30 calendar days after purchase or acquiring the lease. Appropriate documentation must be provided to the county office.
• Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) policy holders should note that the acreage reporting date for NAP-covered crops is the earlier of the dates listed above or 15 calendar days before grazing or harvesting of the crop begins.

Producers should also report crop acreage they intended to plant, but due to natural disaster, were unable to because of a natural disaster.Prevented planting acreage must be reported on form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, no later than 15 calendar days after the final planting date as established by FSA and USDA’s Risk Management Agency.

FSA offers continuous certification for perennial forage. This means after perennial forage is reported once and the producer elects continuous certification, the certification remains in effect until a change is made. Check with FSA at the local USDA Service Center for more information on continuous certification.

Farmers.gov Portal

Producers can access their FSA farm records, maps and common land units through the farmers.gov portal. Through a new mapping feature, producers can import and view other shapefiles, such as precision agriculture planting boundaries. This allows producers to view, save, print and label their own maps for acreage reporting purposes. To access mapping features and other helpful on-line tools, producers need level 2 eAuth access linked to their Business Partner customer record. Visit farmers.gov/account to learn how to create a farmers.gov account.

In addition to mapping tools, a farmers.gov account offers a variety of self-service opportunities for FSA and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) customers, including managing FSA farm loans and NRCS conservation contracts. Video tutorials, including how to use mapping tools, are available on the farmers.gov YouTube channel. Learn more about a farmers.gov account.

More Information

Producers can make an appointment to report acres by contacting their local USDA Service Center.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America and committing to equity across the department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.

 KENBRIDGE, VA, June 13, 2023 – Benchmark Community Bank is pleased to announce that Nicole Martin of Crewe has completed the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University (LSU). Martin was among professional bankers from nineteen states, the District of Columbia, and Mexico who traveled to Baton Rouge to participate in the on-site segment of her participation.

Currently serving as Benchmark’s Senior Vice President/Chief Operations Officer, Martin’s banking career spans over twenty years. Since beginning as a Teller in 2002, Martin has risen through the ranks at Benchmark to her current position.

“Nicole has demonstrated commitment to providing an excellent customer experience both inside the branch and in her role leading our Operations team,” said Benchmark President/CEO Jay A. Stafford. “It’s been exciting watching Nicole interact with our customers and her team to deliver the kind of services we strive to provide every day.”

The three-year program from which she graduated on June 2, covered all aspects of banking, economics and related subjects. The program is sponsored by fifteen southern-state bankers associations in cooperation with the Division of Continuing Education at LSU. More than fifty bankers, business and professional leaders, and educations from across the U.S. comprise the faculty.

The Graduate School of Banking at LSU includes required attendance at periodic on-campus sessions interspersed with extensive bank study assignments. The three summer sessions include 210 hours of classroom instruction, as well as planned evening study, and final examinations to conclude each session.

About Benchmark Community Bank - Benchmark Community Bank, founded in 1971, is head­quartered in Kenbridge, VA. It is the sole subsidiary of Benchmark Bankshares, Inc. and oper­ates seventeen banking offices through­out central Southside Vir­ginia and northern North Carolina. The common stock of Benchmark Bankshares, Inc. trades on the OTC Pink marketplace under the symbol BMBN. Any stockbroker can assist with purchases of the company's stock, as well as with sales of holdings. Additional information is available at the company’s website, www.BCBonline.com. #MemberFDIC #EqualHousingLender #WithYouForLife

RICHMOND, VA- the Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) picked up nearly 22,000 3-inch muskie fingerlings from North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission's (NC WRC) Table Rock Fish Hatchery. These fish will be used to meet annual stocking allocations across Virginia. About 14,000 of the fish were stocked into a rearing pond at the Buller Fish Hatchery where they will be grown out to advanced fingerling size, which is approximately 10 inches.   

An additional 3,000 fingerlings were taken to the newly renovated Front Royal Hatchery for grow-out to advanced fingerling size. The advanced-sized fish will be stocked this fall. The remainder of the 3-inch fingerlings were stocked in existing muskie waters according to DWR's Muskellunge Management Plan. These bonus fish should help to enhance the muskie fishing opportunities in Virginia in the coming years. 

This abundance of muskie fingerlings was made possible through an ongoing cooperative effort between DWR and NC WRC. In February of this year, DWR collected seven adult muskie from the lower New River. These fish were taken to the NC WRC's hatchery for spawning and the fingerlings received this week are from that February collection effort. All muskie stocked into Virginia over the last several years are a result of this ongoing cooperation with North Carolina. 

For more information on DWRs fish hatcheries, please visit: dwr.virginia.gov/fishing/fish-stocking/state-hatcheries/ 

Residents at Jackson-Feild Behavioral Health Services, under the direction of the Rev. Dr. Robin Moore, recently used their artistic skills to create ‘silly socks’ for residents of an assisted living program in Emporia.

Using fabric paint, the children had a wonderful time decorating socks not only with fun designs but also with inspirational and kind words for the senior recipients.  “It’s always fun to spark the children’s imagination and creative efforts,” said Moore. “I’m forever seeking ways to engage our residents in volunteer efforts as a part of their treatment at Jackson-Feild. They were so proud of their creations, and were pleased that they could help brighten someone else’s day.”

Jackson-Feild is a behavioral health organization whose mission is to provide high quality evidence-based psychiatric, residential, educational and recovery treatment services for children who suffer from severe emotional trauma, mental illness and/or addiction.

The Robinson-Withers Gym was transformed a ballroom to host the annual prom with the theme of A Magical Moment in Time.

Many of the residents come to Jackson-Field feeling hopeless, helpless and worthless.

JFBHS staff do everything possible to make its children, who suffer from severe mental illness feel accepted, valued and loved.

An example is the annual prom. A great deal of work was done in preparation of this event to ensure the residents would have a great experience. To let them know that they are special and

The prom attire was provided by the Fairy Godmother Project at Collegiate Schools in Richmond. The food, music and decorations were funded by the Gorell Family Foundation. The food service staff prepared special treats and food.

Prom is a rite of passage for most American teenagers every spring. Jackson-Feild’s staff are committed to ensuring that residents have this special opportunity. They worked hard to make this special night that the residents will cherish for a lifetime. It is a labor of love.

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman announced full implementation of the Disaster Assistance for Rural Communities Act authored by Senators James Risch (R-ID) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). Rural communities often face more severe impacts from natural disasters due to limited access to resources and infrastructure, which limits their ability to recover and avert long-lasting economic hardship. The Act, signed by President Joe Biden December 20, 2022, authorizes the SBA to remove burdensome requirements for declaring disasters in rural communities.

"Small businesses are especially vital in our nation's rural communities, and we must have effective tools to rapidly help them and the neighborhoods they serve recover when disaster strikes," said Administrator Guzman. "With SBA's implementation of the Rural Communities Act signed by President Biden, we have cut red tape and simplified the process for a SBA disaster declaration, which allows us to more quickly provide affordable disaster loans and assistance to rural entrepreneurs, homeowners, renters and nonprofits so they can rebuild and thrive once more."

The law authorizes the SBA to simplify the process for governors and tribal government chief executives to request an agency disaster declaration in counties with rural communities that experience significant damage. With the agency declaration, the SBA is able to provide disaster assistance, including low-interest loans to individual renters and homeowners as well as nonprofits and for-profit businesses. Prior to the Act, the SBA could make an agency declaration based on damage to at least 25 homes, businesses or other eligible institutions. Now a declaration can be made with only one damaged property in a rural area when the county has received a major disaster declaration from the President for Public Assistance.

"After the signing of this legislation, the SBA moved quickly to ensure all the key elements were in place for the start of the 2023 hurricane season. Effective today, we are ready to further assist rural communities in the aftermath of disasters, Francisco Sánchez, Jr., Associate Administrator, SBA Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience. "With a request from a governor or chief executive of a tribal government, SBA may issue a declaration that will allow SBA to activate all of its disaster loans and relief programs to disaster survivors."

Under the Biden Administration, the SBA has placed even greater emphasis on helping small businesses, homeowners, renters, private nonprofits, and communities prepare for, build resilience to, and recover from the tremendous physical and financial impacts of climate change. Since January 2021, SBA has supported federal response efforts and approved over $5 billion in disaster lending alone.  

RICHMOND – Virginia's official and only comprehensive report on local and statewide crime figures for 2022, titled "Crime in Virginia," is now publicly available on the Virginia State Police CJIS Data Analysis and Reporting Team page. The report provides precise rates and occurrences of crimes committed in towns, cities and counties across the Commonwealth. The "Crime in Virginia" report also breaks down criminal offenses and arrests by reporting agency. 

Violent crime includes the offenses of murder, forcible sex offenses (rape, sodomy, and sexual assault with an object per the FBI's updated rape definition), robbery and aggravated assault. Overall, the violent crime rate increased in 2022 to 203 crimes (per 100,000 population) from 194.4 in 2021.  There were 17,655 violent crime offenses reported in 2022 compared to 16,823 violent crime offenses reported in 2021, representing a 4.9% increase. 

The following 2022 crime figures in Virginia are presented in the report: 

• The number of reported homicides increased from 562 to 621 (10.5%).  The murder/non-negligent manslaughter rate increased from 6.49 in 2021 to 7.14 in 2022 (per 100,000 population).  Victims and offenders tended to be younger males; 42.7% of homicide victims were men between 18 and 34 and 52.2% of known offenders were men between 18 and 34.  Slightly over half (52.1%) of all homicides occurred at a residence/home.  

• Motor vehicle thefts and attempted thefts increased 21.9% compared to 2021. During 2022, there were 14,185 motor vehicles reported stolen in 13,651 offenses. In 2022, 8,337 motor vehicles were recovered (vehicles may have been stolen prior to 2022).  Of all motor vehicles stolen, 33.9% were taken from the residence/home.  The reported value of all motor vehicles stolen was $201,069,627.  

• Drug arrests decreased by 8.8%; however, there was an increase in the number arrestees under 18 years old.  

• Burglary increased by 3.8% between 2021 and 2022. This is the first increase in burglaries and attempted burglaries in over a decade.  In 2021, there were 10,464 burglaries and attempted burglaries whereas in 2022 there were 10,860. 

• Fraud offenses increased 9.9% compared to 2021. Over three-quarters of victims were individuals (77.8%) and 13.6% were businesses. Nearly a quarter (22.5%) of fraud victims were over the age 65. 

• Of the known weapons reported for violent crimes, firearms were used in 81.6% of homicides and 44.6% of robberies. Firearms were used in more than one-third (37.5%) of aggravated assault cases. 

• There were 182 hate crime incidents, involving 189 offenses with 166 individual victims reported by contributing agencies in 2022. The remaining hate crimes include victims that are categorized as Businesses or Religious Organizations. Hate crimes increased by 48% compared to 2021.

• Most hate crimes (64.6%) were racially or ethnically motivated. Bias toward sexual orientation and religion were next highest (21.5%, 9.2%, respectively). Of all reported bias motivated crimes, 75.1% were assault offenses (aggravated assault, simple assault) or destruction/damage/vandalism of property.      

The report employs an Incident Based Reporting (IBR) method for calculating offenses, thus allowing for greater accuracy. IBR divides crimes into two categories: Group A for serious offenses including violent crimes (murder, forcible sex offenses, robbery and aggravated assault), property crimes and drug offenses, and Group B for what are considered less serious offenses such as trespassing, disorderly conduct, and liquor law violations where an arrest has occurred.  

Per state mandate, the Department of Virginia State Police serves as the primary collector of crime data from participating Virginia state and local police departments and sheriff's offices. The data are collected by the Virginia State Police Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division via a secured internet system. This information is then compiled into "Crime in Virginia," an annual report for use by law enforcement, elected officials, media and the general public. These data become the official crime statistics for the Commonwealth and are sent to the FBI for incorporation into their annual report, "Crime in the United States." 

RICHMOND – The 2023 Memorial Day weekend proved deadly for nine drivers and passengers, to include four motorcyclists.* The holiday statistical counting period began Friday, May 26, 2023, at 12:01 a.m. and concluded at midnight Monday, May 29, 2023. The Virginia State Police not only participated in the nationwide, state-sponsored Operation Crash Awareness Reduction Effort (C.A.R.E.) during the Memorial Day weekend, but also the annual Click It or Ticket seat belt education and enforcement campaign. During the designated statistical counting period, Virginia Troopers cited 771 seat belt violations and 136 child restraint violations.  

"We are in the midst of schools letting out and summer travel plans being made," said Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent. "If this past Memorial Day weekend is any indication of what Virginia's highways may look like during the coming summer months, then we desperately need drivers and passengers to make a committed effort to buckle up everyone in a vehicle, share the road responsibly with motorcycles, and drive distraction free. Responsible, safe, and sober driving saves lives. It is really that simple." 

Participation in the four-day Operation C.A.R.E. required all available Virginia State Police patrolling the highways to reduce traffic crashes, fatalities and injuries due to impaired driving, speed and failing to wear a seat belt. During the 2023 combined Memorial Day C.A.R.E. initiative, Virginia Troopers cited 4,990 speeders and 1,924 reckless drivers, and arrested 89 impaired drivers. In addition, 169 felony arrests were made. Virginia State Police also assisted 1,447 disabled motorists. Virginia State Police investigated a total 1,846 traffic crashes statewide and inspected 634 commercial vehicles during the holiday weekend. 

The seven fatal crashes occurred in the City of Richmond, and Henry, Loudoun, Orange and Shenandoah counties. Both Henry and Loudoun had two fatal crashes occur in their jurisdictions. Two of the four fatal motorcycle crashes occurred in Loudoun County; the other two took place in Shenandoah County and the City of Richmond. During the 2022 Memorial Day Operation C.A.R.E. initiative, 16 individuals lost their lives in traffic crashes on Virginia roadways.** 

Funds generated from summonses issued by Virginia State Police go directly to court fees and the state's Literary Fund, which benefits public school construction, technology funding and teacher retirement.