“Where words fail, music speaks.” – Hans Christian Andersen

Music has always played an important role in the life of the Methodist church.  This year marks the 315^th Anniversary of the birth of Charles Wesley, who was born but a mere one-hundred forty years prior to the founding of what is now Main Street United Methodist Church and he is credited with writing more than six thousand hymns, a sampling of which are still in our hymnals today.  Some familiars include Christ the Lord Is Risen Today, O For A Thousand Tongues, Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus and Hark the Herald Angels Sing to highlight a few.

A Mr. Jesse Lee, who joined the church in 1887, told someone involved with the compilation of the history of Main Street United Methodist Church that he recalled that a Mr. Lunn was the organist for the church when he, Mr. Lee became a member.  That organ was a pump organ that had to be hand pumped.  Records reveal that two boys, James Robert Cato and William Wyche (Billy Buck) Cato, had the chore of pumping the organ for the organist.

Miss Sally Bailey became organist in about 1910 when the organ was electrified and moved into the new brick building.  She served continuously as organist for over thirty years.  Mrs. R. L. (Virginia Vincent) Saffelle served until her retirement in 1997.  Our current Choir Director, Linda Rawlings and our current Organist/Pianist, Randy Hudson succeeded her.  Previously, Betsy Kirkland served as the Pianist until her relocation.  From time to time, other members of the church assisted with the children’s and youth’s choirs as well as giving leadership to music in the early contemporary worship service.  These included Angela Kirkland, Kim Gregory and Virginia Kelly who worked in past years with children’s music.  In past years, Johnny Morgan and Walter Robinson were faithful in leading music and worship in the early worship service in its inception in 1998.  “AND ARE WE YET ALIVE?” – Charles Wesley

There is more to come! This is the third installment of several in recognition of the 175^th Anniversary Celebration of Main Street United Methodist Church, 500 South Main Street, Emporia.  The celebration will culminate with an exciting worship service on Sunday, October 9, 2022 with special music and historic displays and presentations.  A potluck lunch will be served on the lawn.  Please make plans to join in the celebration, catch up with old friends and greet new ones!  If you should have items of history related to Main Street United Methodist Church (wedding pictures, Sunday School or Bible Zone memories, hymnals, Bibles, articles, or other memorabilia and would like to share those please contact the church at 434.634.3724).  Grace and Peace!

Parts of the above history are based on the history compiled by Jane Prince for the Sesquicentennial Celebration.

On Thursday September 15, 2022 Brunswick Academy’s Varsity Football team hosted their second home game of the season against Chincoteague High School for their fifth game of the 2022 season. The Vikings ended the game with a victory of 62-14. The Vikings are continuing their season with another strong win at home! The Vikings next game is Saturday, September 24, 2022 at Brunswick Academy versus The Covenant School at 7:00 PM. 

Stats from the game are as followed: 

• J.P. Powell had 10 rushes for a total of 207 yards and 3 touchdowns. 
• DJ Smith had 5 rushes for a total of 171 yards and 3 touchdowns.
• Nick Parrish had 2 rushes with a total of 29 yards and 1 touchdown. He also had 6 tackles and caused a fumble.  
• Hunter Little had 1 rush for 15 yards.
• Chris Parrish had 1 reception for a total of 35 yards. 
• J.W. Watson had 4 tackles for loss and 8 tackles total. He also had a 32 yard interception returned for a touchdown.
• Jordan Jackson had 4 tackles and a 50 yard interception returned for a touchdown.
• Garrett Cobb had a total of 6 tackles with 2 tackles being for loss. 
• Carter Early had 1 touchback and was 8 for 9 on extra point attempts.

Virginia Farm Bureau Federation named Makayla Bryant of Emporia its 2022 Virginia Farm Bureau Ambassador Aug. 27 at the organization’s annual Women’s Leadership Conference in Harrisonburg.

The Farm Bureau Ambassador program recognizes young adults for their interest and achievements in agriculture and provides an opportunity to serve as an ambassador for agriculture and Farm Bureau. Finalists are nominated by their county Farm Bureaus.

Bryant is the daughter of Jessica and Michael Bryant. She developed a fondness for agricultural advocacy in middle and high school, where she served as local FFA chapter president in middle school and FFA junior adviser during high school. Bryant received her Virginia FFA State Degree in 2021 and won silver in the agriculture education category for the 2021 National FFA Agriculture Proficiency Awards. She also won silver in the 2021 National FFA Prepared Public Speaking Leadership Development Event.

Bryant graduated from Greensville County High School and is in her second year at Virginia Tech, where she is studying crop and soil sciences and agronomy. She plans to minor in teaching to further her passion for educating people about agriculture. She plans to pursue a career as a Virginia Cooperative Extension agent or as an agriculture education teacher. She also serves as a Young Life leader at Virginia Tech.

Bryant said she’s looking forward to serving as the ambassador and has “always been very passionate about closing the gap between agriculture and the community. That is something I would like to spend my time working on.”

Bryant will receive a $2,000 cash award courtesy of VFBF and a travel package to the 2023 American Farm Bureau Federation FUSION Conference. She will make public appearances representing Farm Bureau.

(RICHMOND, Va.) — Today, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced a further expansion of eligibility for JYNNEOS, the monkeypox vaccine. Newly eligible for vaccination in Virginia are persons of any gender or sexual orientation living with HIV/AIDS or who have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection in the past three months. 

“VDH is taking this step to expand eligibility for the JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine to ensure as many people at high risk of contracting this disease who want to get vaccinated can do so if they choose,” said State Health Commissioner Colin M. Greene, MD, MPH. “Maximizing effectiveness of prevention and treatment against monkeypox now is our best chance to keep it from becoming entrenched in the United States.”

In Virginia, as of Monday, September 26, there were 464 cases of monkeypox, 249 of those in the Northern Health Region consisting of the Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William Health Districts. Across the state, 21 cases have required hospitalization.

The newly expanded eligibility criteria for vaccination now include additional populations in Virginia. Those who meet one or more of the following are eligible to receive the monkeypox vaccine:

• Any person, of any sexual orientation or gender, who have had anonymous or multiple (more than one) sexual partners in the past two weeks; or
• Sex workers of any sexual orientation or gender; or
• Staff, of any sexual orientation or gender, at establishments or events where sexual activity occurs; or
• Any person, of any sexual orientation or gender, who is living with HIV/AIDS; or
• Any person, of any sexual orientation or gender, diagnosed with any sexually transmitted infection in the past three months.

Virginia has received a limited supply of JYNNEOS vaccine. If you are eligible, visit your local health district website to learn about how you can access the vaccine. You may use this locator tool to determine which local health district you reside in.

As of September 26, VDH has overseen administration of 9,860 first doses of the two-dose JYNNEOS series and 4,948 second doses.

Monkeypox is a contagious rash illness caused by the monkeypox virus. In most cases, it resolves without treatment. It is spread by close contact with an infected person. Close contact includes touching skin lesions, bodily fluids, or clothing or linens that have been in contact with an infected person. Spread can also occur during prolonged, face-to-face contact. 

While anyone, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation, can catch monkeypox if they have close contact with someone with monkeypox, many of those affected in the current global outbreak are gay, bisexual, or men who have sex with men. While this level of monkeypox activity is unexpected, the risk to the general population is low. People with monkeypox in the current outbreak generally report having close, sustained contact with other people who have monkeypox. 

The highest risk activity currently is having sex with multiple or anonymous partners; avoiding these activities greatly reduces one’s risk of catching or spreading monkeypox. Monkeypox does not spread from person to person from walking past someone who is infected or through casual conversation with someone who is infected. Because we are still learning about the vaccine’s effectiveness in the current outbreak, vaccinated individuals should continue to take steps to protect themselves from infection. 

Initial symptoms of the disease often include flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes, followed by skin lesions. However, some people have a rash without other symptoms. Although the majority of cases don’t require hospitalization, the rash can be painful. If you have a rash that resembles monkeypox, talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to get tested. Treatment is available for those at risk of severe illness.

For the latest information about monkeypox from VDH, visit our monkeypox information webpage: www.vdh.virginia.gov/monkeypox/.

Perspectives on suicide from a psychiatrist and a patient

The United States has about 46,000 deaths by suicide each year, compared to 700,000 worldwide. To raise awareness of these devastating statistics, VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital wants to help educate the public, give tips on how to help someone and amplify the resources available in our community. We spoke with Scott Parker, M.D., a psychiatrist at CMH Behavioral Health in South Hill. One of his patients was willing to share her story, as well.

Who is at risk?

“The single-most determining factor of suicide is previous attempts,” Parker said.

He’s seen an increase in demand for his services, but he attributes it to psychiatrists retiring at a faster rate than new ones starting to practice.

Certain demographics can determine a higher rate of suicide, such as race, residence, occupation and sexual orientation. For example, Native Americans and whites are more likely to commit suicide than other races.

People in rural areas are more at risk than their urban counterparts. Working in a rural area, Parker sees how people have more access to guns and less access to care. There are plenty of therapists in our area, but insurance is a limiting factor for many.

“People in the construction industry are more likely to experience substance abuse,” Parker said. “Nursing has come to the forefront during the pandemic as a high-stress job.”

The LGBTQ+ community is more susceptible to feeling ostracized.

“As society becomes more accepting of sexuality, that will improve,” Parker said. “It’s a long-standing problem that transgender individuals have a higher rate of being targeted, verbally abused and physically assaulted, which leads to increased rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.”

A patient’s perspective.

Lori Kidd, of Brodnax, is a four-time suicide attempt survivor.

“People need to know more about suicide,” she said. “It’s real. It’s not a joke. People are going through tough times and need comfort, not judgment. Sometimes they just need a hug.”

She’s lived in the area all her life and understands the struggles in a rural community.

“There’s no outlet; no social interaction,” Kidd said. “We don’t have bowling alleys, movie theaters or other ways to get together. Drug activity is rampant.”

Kidd has benefited from calling the suicide lifeline.

“They once texted me for three hours,” she said. “It was very helpful; they talk to you like a person with emotions.”

She has a good support network of friends who reach out and tell her not to go through with it. They remind her of her family that depends on her and would miss her if she was gone.

“COVID isolation has made everything worse,” Kidd said. “The economy is not helping, either. It has put pressure on people in rural areas.”

But things are looking up for Kidd. She’s starting a new job in retail management and launching her side photography business. She’s got a family that relies on her, and she is making new relationships.

What can we do to help?

The 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline’s slogan for National Suicide Prevention Month is “Be the one to…” followed by five simple steps: Ask, be there, keep them safe, help them stay connected, and follow up.

Ask. The last thing anyone wants to do is ask someone if they’re thinking of killing themselves. It’s awkward and uncomfortable.

“Asking does not increase the risk,” Parker said. “It’s harder for the person asking than the person who feels suicidal. The best approach is to be direct.”

The person needing help will feel relieved and being able to talk about it may even reduce the chances of them going through with it.

Be there. If someone is confiding in you, don’t be judgmental. Use active listening by making eye contact and repeating their concerns to make sure they feel heard.

Keep them safe. Guns are the most lethal way of ending life.

“The most important thing you can do for someone having suicidal thoughts is to get guns out of the house,” Parker said. “Removing the deadliest means of suicide is half the battle.”

Help them stay connected. People need to have a network of resources and support. Make sure they know where to turn in an emergency. The new lifeline is now easy to remember: 9-8-8.

Follow up. Check back in to make sure the person is improving, especially if they’ve recently been discharged from a hospital. Support groups, churches and therapy are all great options.

What resources are available in the community?

First and foremost, call 9-8-8 in an emergency.

There are many local counselors in the 434 area code. It may be difficult to find one that accepts your insurance. Visit vcu-cmh.org and click on Services: Behavioral Health to see a list of resources in the community.

Psychiatrists are meant to diagnose mental illness and manage medications, while psychologists, therapists and social workers can provide more in-depth therapy.

CMH Behavioral Health has telehealth options for college students and those who live out of the area, though on-site visits may be required. Call (434) 584-5400 to make an appointment with a psychiatrist.

Virginia Elections Commissioner Susan Beals checks in at the Chesterfield County elections office on the first day of early voting. (Photo by Graham Moomaw/Virginia Mercury)

‘I have faith in our election officials and their commitment to their profession’

By Graham Moomaw, Virginia Mercury
September 26, 2022

As a woman in a purple blazer lined up to cast a ballot on the first day of early voting in Chesterfield County, one election worker nudged another and said: “She’s the boss.”

It took less than 10 minutes for Susan Beals, Virginia’s new commissioner of elections, to vote early in Chesterfield, the Richmond-area suburb where she served as a local electoral board member before Gov. Glenn Youngkin appointed her to the state’s top election job. 

There were no problems as she showed her ID, had a ballot made in front of her by one of the on-demand ballot printers many cities and counties are adopting for early voting, filled it out and fed it into a scanner as one of the first few dozen midterm votes cast in her home county.

While a significant number of her fellow Republicans continue to stoke doubts about the 2020 election, Beals, a 47-year-old former GOP aide, said in an interview she’s confident in the election process she’s overseeing at the state level for the first time.

“We have a dependable system in Virginia,” said Beals. “We can always make process improvements, and that’s something that I’m committed to.”

Beals said “people are entitled to have questions” about the process, but the answers are readily available.

“Find somebody who knows the answer,” she said. “Seek out an election official and ask them how the process works. Because most of them would be very happy to tell you.”

Beals, who served on the Chesterfield electoral board for several years before Youngkin picked her in March to lead the state agency, has had other important business on her plate that doesn’t involve actual voting, like taking over an ongoing information technology project to replace the state’s voter system. She’s also been preparing an outreach campaign to inform voters about the impacts of redistricting, an initiative that will involve roughly 6 million voter notices that should hit mailboxes early this week.

But the start of the 45-day early voting window on Friday, in a year when Virginia will have at least two hotly contested congressional races on the ballot, will cast a new spotlight on how Youngkin’s administration will handle the work of running elections.

Beals praised the thousands of election officers across Virginia who are getting to work helping people vote, calling them “patriotic Americans” who are “committed to making democracy work.” Asked if she believes those sowing mistrust about elections are making that job harder, Beals said “there’s a lot of scrutiny of elections right now.”

“But everything I have seen from election officials is that they are conducting themselves professionally,” she said. “I have faith in our election officials and their commitment to their profession and their commitment to their communities.”

Asked how she feels about the “election integrity” unit Attorney General Jason Miyares recently announced, which has drawn backlash from Democrats who say it feeds into conspiracy theorizing about stolen elections, Beals characterized it as fairly routine.

“To me that’s a normal relationship that we have,” she said. “They provide advice. If there is something that needs to be investigated, our board will vote to turn it over to the AG and ask them to investigate it.”

Virginia Republicans failed to repeal or scale back voting reforms Democrats passed two years ago when they had full political control, meaning the 45-day early voting window and the law making photo IDs optional will still be in place for Virginia’s midterms. 

The major change to state election policy this year is same-day registration, a policy Democrats passed in 2020 with a delayed effective date of October 2022. The new policy allows people to continue to register and cast a provisional ballot after the regular voter registration period closes Oct. 17. 

Beals said she’s not encouraging potential voters to put things off to take advantage of that new law, because registering in advance remains the easiest voting experience. Anyone casting a provisional ballot won’t be feeding it into the scanners as other voters do, she said, because election officials have to take time to research whether the person is a valid voter or not.

“I would very much prefer that everyone who wants to vote in this election try to get registered before October 17,” Beals said. “Because we want you to vote a regular ballot.”

Youngkin talks elections in Texas

As early voting got underway, the man who hired Beals was taking a stage in Austin at the Texas Tribune Festival, where the topic of Republican election denialism came up as Youngkin sat for an interview at the high-profile political event.

David M. Drucker, a political correspondent with the Washington Examiner, asked Youngkin about his planned campaign stops for Republican candidates like Kari Lake, the GOP nominee for governor in Arizona who insists, falsely, that former President Donald Trump won in 2020. 

“You are comfortable supporting Republicans that have issues or dispute the outcome of the last election?” Drucker asked.

“I am comfortable supporting Republican candidates. And we don’t agree on everything,” Youngkin replied. “I have said that I firmly believe that Joe Biden was elected president.”

Closer to home, Sen. Amanda Chase, R-Chesterfield, who has spread 2020 conspiracy theories without producing evidence of widespread fraud in Virginia’s election, has called on Youngkin to suspend the use of all “voting computers” in Virginia and switch to hand-counting all ballots.

There’s been no sign the Youngkin administration is taking her suggestion seriously, and the state usually avoids making major changes just as an election is beginning.

Paper ballots are used throughout Virginia after the state discontinued the use of touch-screen voting machines in 2017 due to security concerns.

Beals, who once worked as an aide to Chase, called paper ballots “one of the most secure ways to vote” and indicated she had no problem with the state continuing to use scanners that are routinely tested for accuracy.

“It is a counting machine,” Beals said. “It is not a voting machine. It is a machine that counts ballots.”

As Beals waited for a coffee at a Starbucks near the Chesterfield voting office, she got a text message from her predecessor. Former elections commissioner Chris Piper, whom Youngkin chose not to keep in the job, wished her well as her first election got underway.

“You got this!” Piper said.

Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sarah Vogelsong for questions: info@virginiamercury.com. Follow Virginia Mercury on Facebook and Twitter.

by Graham Moomaw, Virginia Mercury
September 22, 2022

After past redistricting cycles, the number of Virginia General Assembly members having to switch districts was kept to a minimum because legislators were allowed to draw careful lines around each other’s homes to avoid doing damage to incumbents.

That wasn’t the case last year, when experts appointed by the Supreme Court of Virginia effectively reset the state’s legislative maps with little regard for keeping incumbents comfortably installed in conflict-free seats. That means an unusually high number of legislators are facing the prospect of moving to position themselves for the next election cycle.

Those maps are also drawing new attention to a little-known provision in the Virginia Constitution that says any delegate or senator who moves out of their current district to run in a new one automatically forfeits the office they hold. But legislators also have to prove their residency in the new districts in order to qualify as valid candidates, a process that takes place long before the current legislative terms are over.

With the electoral landscape still taking shape for the high-stakes 2023 General Assembly elections, when all 140 state legislative seats will be on the ballot, there have been no residency challenges yet. Still, the question of how the constitutional rule might affect the legislature next year is already being discussed in hushed tones around the Capitol.

“I think it’s making some people nervous,” said Del. Mark Sickles, D-Fairfax.

Under the new maps approved last year, half of the state’s 40 senators were drawn into a district with one or more other senators, according to analysis by the Virginia Public Access Project. In the House, 44 of 100 delegates were paired with at least one colleague. Some of those pairings have already been resolved, partly because the maps also created dozens of new districts with no incumbent. Legislators paired with each other have a few basic options: a head-to-head election matchup with a colleague, resignation or running for a different seat.

Due to the uncertainty over which specific members the rule could impact, some legislators and aides seemed reluctant to discuss the issue candidly.

“I’ll just say I’m aware of it,” House of Delegates Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, said with a smile in a brief interview on the House floor earlier this month.

The issue has also been raised in Senate Democratic Caucus meetings as something members should be aware of as they make plans for next year.

Unlike members of Congress, Virginia General Assembly members are required to live in the districts they serve or are running to represent. And the state constitution is clear on what happens if someone moves out of their district.

“A senator or delegate who moves his residence from the district for which he is elected shall thereby vacate his office,” the key section says.

That rule came into play in 2015, when then-Del. Joe Morrissey filed paperwork to run for the state Senate that listed a Richmond address outside his Henrico County-based district. At the time, Morrissey, now a state senator, agreed to vacate his former office and allow a special election to take place, but said he would continue to serve his constituents in an unofficial capacity out of his law office.

Over the next six months, an errant move by a lawmaker or an intentional decision to step down early could have a similar impact. Significantly, an empty seat could deprive a political caucus of a vote in the 2023 legislative session, even if the person who vacated it might go on to win and return in 2024 from another district. 

It won’t be a problem for General Assembly members who move to run in a new district without leaving their current one. For example, Democratic Sen. Creigh Deeds is able to move from rural Bath County to Charlottesville to run in a redrawn district, because Charlottesville is part of the area he represents now.

“They just have to move to an overlapping area,” said Jeff Ryer, a longtime Senate GOP aide. “And I cannot recall a circumstance where there was not an overlapping area.”

The new districts for 2023 are strikingly different than they have been thanks to the redistricting reform amendment Virginia voters approved in 2020. The overhauled redistricting process led to maps being drawn by court-appointed experts instead of incumbent legislators who could protect themselves by maintaining the status quo as much as possible.

It’s difficult to track which lawmakers live where at any given moment, because General Assembly members aren’t required to file that information on a real-time basis.The full scope of the reshuffling may not become clear until next spring, when General Assembly candidates have to file campaign paperwork listing an address in the district that matches their voter registration records. That deadline usually falls in late March, after the General Assembly has finished its regular session but before lawmakers reconvene to take up vetoes and amendments from the governor.

“You may have some folks that have to decide how badly do you guys really need me at reconvene,” said Del. Marcus Simon, D-Fairfax.

Even though the law is fairly clear, controversies about political figures’ residency are often clouded by ambiguity. Lawmakers can have multiple homes, and it can be difficult to find out whether an address listed on official paperwork is truly where they’re spending most of their time.

Questions were raised last year about whether Republican candidate Mark Earley Jr. really lived in the Richmond-area House district he was running in, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. But a special prosecutor cleared him of wrongdoing after concluding Earley had made a simple paperwork mistake by not disclosing the house he owned outside the district as he moved in with his parents to run for the seat.

Mandatory financial disclosure forms General Assembly members have to file each year require legislators to disclose real estate holdings, but they don’t have to report their “principal residence.” The forms, which are overseen by the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council, also advise state and local elected officials not to list exact addresses for their real estate holdings. However, that information can usually be obtained through searches of local property records.

The General Assembly’s two clerks, who oversee the legislature’s administrative side, keep lawmakers’ home mailing addresses on file. But there’s nothing requiring lawmakers to notify the clerks when they move. And the lists kept by the clerks aren’t made public.

“It’s considered a personnel record,” said House Clerk G. Paul Nardo.

Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sarah Vogelsong for questions: info@virginiamercury.com. Follow Virginia Mercury on Facebook and Twitter.

By Natalie Barr, Capital News Service

RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginia voters can cast their ballots for the November election starting Friday, Sept. 23. 

Voters can submit absentee ballots by mail or in person at their local registrar’s office, commonly referred to as early voting. No application or reason is necessary to vote early. Some jurisdictions may have additional satellite locations, according to a press release from the Virginia Department of Elections. 

Early in-person voting will also be held the two Saturdays preceding Election Day. In-person early voting ends on Nov. 5, the Saturday before the election.

New this year is the ability to register to vote up to and on Election Day. Any voters who register after the Oct. 17 deadline will be given a provisional ballot. Legislators have passed voting reform measures in recent years that expand access to the polls. 

VCU Votes, a student-led coalition at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, educates students on the importance of voting, according to the organization's mission statement. The coalition recently held a student voter registration event on National Voter Registration Day.

Cameron Hart, director of partnerships for VCU Votes, said the group also promotes the importance of elections. Students need the space to educate themselves and develop their own thoughts and make their own decisions, Hart said.

“It’s very important to vote and use your voice and exercise that civic duty,” Hart said.

Many students who came to the event were already registered to vote, Hart said. Hart wants people to view voting as important for all elections, not just presidential races.

“I feel like it’s important to vote in any election, but also stressing the importance of voting locally,” Hart said. “This election is directly affecting us. If you feel a certain way about a law, voting can help express your voice in order to maybe reverse that law.”

The upcoming election will be the first time voting for physical therapy student Nikolett Kormos. Kormos, a freshman, said she registered to vote at the event. 

“I think it’s super important to vote, and for young people to vote,” Kormos said. “It keeps us educated.”

Absentee ballots will be mailed starting Sept. 23 to military and overseas voters, and to anyone who has applied to receive one, according to a state Department of Elections press release. 

Voters can request a mail-in absentee ballot through the Department of Elections site until Oct. 28. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 8 and received by the registrar no later than noon on the third day following the election, according to the Department of Elections. Mailed ballots also require a witness signature. Ballots can be dropped off at the registrar’s office by 7 p.m. on Election Day. 

Voters can direct questions to their general registrar’s office or the Department of Elections, where they can also see what types of identification are accepted. 

Capital News Service is a program of Virginia Commonwealth University's Robertson School of Media and Culture. Students in the program provide state government coverage for a variety of media outlets in Virginia.

National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims – Sept. 25, 2022

RICHMOND, Va. – As families, friends and law enforcement gather this Sunday, Sept. 23, 2022, for the National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims, many are hopeful that Virginia’s new Cold Case website will help renew the public’s attention to those cases that remain unsolved. The website, which is available to the public, is a searchable database that features information, photographs, and contact information for unsolved homicides, unidentified persons and missing person cases that have remained unsolved for at least five years.

The Virginia State Police is required by the Code of Virginia 52-34.16 to host the website for Virginia local and state law enforcement agency participation. Virginia Delegate Danica Roem sponsored the legislation to create the searchable, online database that became law in 2020. The website initially piloted in June 2022 with a limited number of Virginia State Police “cold cases” featured. Since then, the website has expanded to include 44 unsolved homicides, nine missing persons and seven unidentified persons with 12 reporting agencies. To date, state police has trained and provided access to upload cases to the website to 19 local police and sheriff’s offices across the Commonwealth.

“There really is no such thing as a ‘cold’ case,” said Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent. “That moniker is misleading because no matter how many years have passed that a homicide, missing person investigation or unidentified person case has gone unresolved, it never truly goes ‘cold.’ Virginia law enforcement agencies continue to pursue unresolved investigations until justice is rendered for the victim and that victim’s family. Unfortunately, some cases simply take longer than others to achieve that end goal of an arrest and closure.”

“Working with state and local police, we have developed a cold case database that is now live here in Virginia to bring justice for those who have been killed, gone missing, or are unidentified,” said Delegate Danica A. Roem, 13th District of the Virginia House of Delegates. “I would implore the public to look at the cold case database at least once to see if you recognize any case on this list. You can visit it at https://coldcase.vsp.virginia.gov/.”

“This website gives every unsolved case world-wide reach and we are hopeful that it will generate new tips and quality leads for Virginia’s law enforcement agencies to pursue,” said Settle.

On Friday September 2, 2022 Brunswick Academy’s Varsity Football team traveled to Greenbrier Christian Academy in Chesapeake, VA for their third game of the 2022 season. The Vikings ended the game with a victory of 59-14. The Vikings are continuing their season with another strong win on the road!

Stats from the game are as followed: 

• J.P. Powell had 20 rushes for a total of 272 yards and 5 Touchdowns. 
• DJ Smith had 7 rushes for a total of 166 yards and 2 touchdowns. 
• J.W. Watson had 6 tackles for loss and 10 tackles total. 
• Chris Parrish had 6 tackles. 
• Garrett Cobb had 5 tackles and a fumble recovery. 
• Jackson Moody had 1 tackle for loss and 5 tackles total.  
• Nick Parrish had 5 tackles

On Thursday September 8, 2022 Brunswick Academy’s Varsity Football team hosted their first home game of the season against Quantico High School for their fourth game of the 2022 season. The Vikings ended the game with a victory of 60-8. The Vikings are continuing their season with another strong win at home! The Vikings played again on Thursday, September 15, 2022 at Brunswick Academy versus Chincoteague High School at 6:00 PM. 

Stats from the game are as followed: 

• J.P. Powell had 3 rushes for a total of 125 yards and 3 touchdowns. 
• DJ Smith had 5 rushes for a total of 63 yards and 2 touchdowns. 
• J.W. Watson had 1 rush for a total of 38 yards and 1 touchdown. He also had 8 total tackles and 5 tackles for loss.
• Chris Parrish had 1 rush with a total of 24 yards. 
• Nick Parrish had 1 rush with a total of 33 yards. 
• Noah Waller had 4 rushes for a total of 43 yards and 1 touchdown.
• Zac Baird had 6 rushes for a total of 56 yards and 1 touchdown.
• Carter Early had 1 rush with a total of 28 yards and kicked 6 Extra Points.
• Nathan Talbert had 1 rush with a total of 22 yards and 1 touchdown.
• Garrett Cobb had 6 total tackles and 2 tackles for loss. 

Front Left to Right: Becky Waters, Auxiliary member; Nancy Bradshaw, Auxiliary member; Ashton Carter, scholarship recipient; Sandra Pearce, respiratory supervisor; Candi Allen, scholarship recipient; and Dot Saunders, Auxiliary member.

Twice a year, Community Memorial Hospital (CMH) Auxiliary awards hospital employees with a $500 scholarship toward furthering their education through the Tree of Love – Elizabeth T. Moseley Scholarship Fund. The scholarship is funded by community donations made to the “Tree of Love” in memory of, in honor of, or as a military salute to a loved one. Recipients must meet certain criteria, such as being employed by VCU Health CMH for at least a year, providing a letter of recommendation from their department director, maintaining a 3.0 GPA or greater, and writing a 100-word essay on how the scholarship would enhance their lives. The degree or certification pursued must enhance the employee’s capabilities in a position at the hospital.

The Auxiliary awarded two winners for the fall semester, both for respiratory therapy students. The winners are Candi Allen of Bracey and Ashton Carter of Chase City.

Allen has worked at VCU Health CMH for nine years as a registered respiratory therapist. She is attending Liberty University to earn her bachelor’s degree in respiratory therapy.

“I want to better educate my patients and their families. I also want to expand my knowledge, provide better care to the patients, and make a positive impact on their lives,” Allen said.

Allen enjoys working at VCU Health CMH and calls it home. Originally from Tennessee, both of her parents’ families are from Virginia. She completed clinicals at CMH while going to Reynolds Community College. She’s lived in the area for 40 years and has family close by.

She doesn’t qualify for tuition reimbursement due to her previous part-time status, but with a young son now in school, the timing was right for her to go back to school.

“Winning this scholarship felt great because I’m paying for it out of pocket,” Allen said.

Carter has always worked in health care. She started out as a dental assistant. She has worked at VCU Health CMH for four years in acute care as a cardiac monitor technician. She is currently attending Reynolds Community College for an associate’s degree in respiratory therapy. She sees the impact respiratory therapists have on improving their patients’ health and likes the variety of ways they touch all hospital departments. With the pandemic affecting lung health, some might wonder why become an RT now?

“COVID actually made me want to do it more,” Carter said. “I can serve my patients in a better capacity and use critical thinking skills.”

Carter wants everyone to know they’ll receive top quality care when they come to VCU Health CMH.

“Our hard work is being recognized, and there’s no limit to what we can do in health care to further our education,” she said.

VCU Health CMH is proud of their employees who are pursuing additional education to benefit their career path and improve patient care.

A House of Worship

In 1847, with Rev. Thomas Jones as their minister, the Methodists constructed on their recently acquired lot, a small wooden church.  Regrettably, no images exist of this building today.  1894 brought destruction when the first house of worship for the former Hicksford Methodists was destroyed by fire after forty-seven years of continued worship.  Being defeated or out done was not in the psyche of these early Christians.  A new, larger building with classrooms separated from the sanctuary by folding doors was erected on the same site. 

By 1887, the communities of Hicksford and Belfield had become the town of Emporia.  County native Benjamin Tillar and member of the Virginia House of Delegates sought to name the town Emporia (in Latin meaning ‘place of plenty where business is transacted’) recognizing one of his Atlantic and Danville Railroad associate’s hometown of Emporia, Kansas.

Main Street Methodist Church, formerly known as Hicksford Methodist, along with the North Emporia Methodist Church (Monumental Methodist Church) were consolidated into one charge with the pastor for the two congregations residing in what was known as the Main Street Parsonage (located adjacent on the southern side of the newly constructed church).  Morning and evening services were alternated between the two congregations until 1928.  At that time each church became a station church with separate pastors being appointed to each congregation.  The Rev. W. R. Reed (1928-1929) was the first minister appointed to serve the Main Street congregation.  Between 1938 and 1951 the churches once again became a charge with one pastor serving the two congregations.

In 1910, the present brick structure was erected during the tenure of the Rev.  Fred G. Davis (1906-1910).  Having previously been in the contracting business before entering into the ministry he assisted greatly with the building project by drawing the plans and assisting with the construction work.  His recommendation to the Board of Stewards resulted in the purchase and incorporation of the beautiful stain glass windows that adorn the building with one exception, the memorial rose window depicting Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane.  This window was installed and dedicated in the memory of later members of the church in 1971.  Miss Georgie (Dortie) Lee and Mr. Alpheus G. Slate were to have been the first couple to be married in the new church building, however, the building was not completed in time for their wedding.  Thus, they were the last couple to be married in the old frame building that had been moved to the southern side of the church lot to make room for the new construction.

As Emporia grew so did the church.  Very capable lay leadership was provided to the people who became members of the church and who served on the Board of Steward of the church.  Among those is E. E. Eanes.  Mr. E. E. Eanes came to Emporia from Petersburg, Virginia to set up his law practice here.  He became an active member of Main Street, organizing and teaching the Men’s Bible Class that at one time had more than three hundred members, a class which has since disbanded.  In 1939, Mr. Eanes was a delegate from the Virginia Annual Conference to the Kansas City Reuniting Conference.  During this conference three branches of the Methodism in the United States, namely, the Methodist Episcopal Church South, the Methodist Protestant Church and the Northern Methodist Church, were reunited into one denomination, forming the Methodist Church.

Additional evidence of growth would follow the move into the new sanctuary. Some alterations to that building were made as to provide more space. The original wooden frame parsonage and two adjacent houses on Main Street as well as two other houses on Church Street were acquired. Those structures were tom down greatly increasing the church's property. Plans for the current parsonage were approved on April 8, 1959. The contract to build the parsonage was awarded to Newsome Brothers and the house was constructed. The Reverend and Mrs. Lee Roy Brown (1957-1961) moved into the parsonage in October of the same year.

1961 saw the much-welcomed arrival of air conditioning for the church. That same year, with A. Richardson as architect for the next building project and with Newsome Brothers as builder, construction began on the Education Building. A Service of Dedication and a note burning for both buildings was held in 1969. During the tenure of the Reverend James M. John (1961-1966) a new electric organ was purchased and installed to replace the pipe organ.

Extensive renovation of the sanctuary began in 1977 during the Reverend L. P. Foley's ministry in Emporia (1973-1977). Due to the yet to be completed renovation, the newly appointed pastor, the Reverend W. Siegfried Volskis (1977-1981) preached his first sermon in the church's Fellowship Hall. In 1982, new woodwork for the sanctuary was crafted and installed by the master craftsman, James Norwood. Cushions were placed on the pews and the chancel area renovated through the gift of funds by the Reverend George Puster. The Pastor's study also received new wood paneling and furniture.

‘The Fellowship Hall was renovated and dedicated to the memory of Mary B. Pierce. The kitchen and nursery have undergone improvements. In 1997 a parking lot on the south side of the building was paved providing additional space for vehicles and better access for the physically challenged to enter the building via a small ramp.  “AND ARE WE YET ALIVE?” – Charles Wesley

There is more to come! This is the second installment of several in recognition of the 175th Anniversary Celebration of Main Street United Methodist Church, 500 South Main Street, Emporia.  The celebration will culminate with an exciting worship service on Sunday, October 9, 2022 with special music and a surprise visitor as well as historic displays and presentations.  A potluck lunch will be served on the lawn.  Please make plans to join in the celebration, catch up with old friends and greet new ones!  If you should have items of history related to Main Street United Methodist Church (wedding pictures, Sunday School or Bible Zone memories, hymnals, Bibles, articles, or other memorabilia and would like to share those please contact the church at 434.634.3724).  Grace and Peace!

Parts of the above history are based on the history compiled by Jane Prince for the Sesquicentennial Celebration. 

Richmond, VA – Today, Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) announced the launch of his annual VA-04 Photography Contest for 2022.

The VA-04 Photography Contest challenges constituents to submit photographs of Virginia’s Fourth Congressional District. The competition is open to all residents of the district, regardless of age, and the winner’s photograph will be displayed in Rep. McEachin’s congressional offices and on his social media platforms.

“I am thrilled to announce the start of our annual photography competition,” said Rep. McEachin (VA-04). “I am always impressed by the level of creativity and artistry constituents in my district display through their photography. Last year’s winner, Heath Covey, captured the serenity of Chesapeake with his ‘Great Bridge Sunrise’ submission, and I am confident this year’s participants will continue to show the beauty of Virginia’s Fourth. I encourage anyone with an interest in photography or a love of our district to step outside and take photos of the wonderful vistas and landscapes in the communities we get to call home.”

The following rules apply to this year’s competition:

• You must be a constituent of Virginia’s Fourth Congressional District
• Photos must be submitted by the original photographer
• By submitting your photo, you authorize Rep. McEachin’s office to display your photo online and/or in his congressional offices. You also waive whatever rights you may have to the photo.
• Any photo of a minor must be submitted by a parent or guardian of the minor who agrees to the conditions listed above

The deadline to submit a photo for consideration is October 5th, 2022.

For more information, including how to submit your photograph, visit Rep. McEachin’s website.

(RICHMOND, Va.) — Effective immediately, eligible residents of Virginia are able to schedule appointments with their healthcare providers to receive the new, free COVID-19 bivalent booster vaccinations, manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. The new updated boosters are targeted specifically at the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of the Omicron variant that initially emerged in the United States in November 2021.

“The elderly and those with significant chronic disease remain at the highest risk of severe illness and hospitalization due to COVID-19,” said State Health Commissioner Colin M. Greene, MD, MPH.  “Being vaccinated and boosted significantly reduces this risk.”

On August 31, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to the two vaccines. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a panel of independent scientific advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), met September 1 and voted to recommend the Pfizer-BioNTech updated bivalent vaccine for persons aged 12 years and older and the Moderna updated bivalent vaccine for persons aged 18 years and older at least 2 months after completion of a primary series or booster dose. The CDC director endorsed the ACIP recommendations on September 1.

The state’s 35 local health districts have pre-ordered 100,800 Pfizer-BioNTech vials and 40,900 Moderna vials through the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). Pre-ordered vaccine is anticipated to arrive at local health department offices and partner providers by September 6. Pharmacies preordered vaccines through their federal partnership as well.

People with questions about the vaccine and their individual situations are advised to contact their healthcare providers.

To find free vaccination opportunities near you, visit vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1) Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Assistance is available in English, Spanish, and more than 100 other languages.

Richmond, Va. (Sept. 6, 2022) – Bon Secours is hosting open interviews to fill a wide range of new and open positions located throughout the Bon Secours Richmond market from Southern Virginia to the Northern Neck. The hiring event takes place from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10 at the following locations:

• Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital, 5801 Bremo Rd., Richmond, VA 23226
• Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center, 13710 St. Francis Blvd., Midlothian, VA 23114
• Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center, 8260 Atlee Rd., Mechanicsville, VA 23116
• Bon Secours Richmond Community Hospital, 1500 N 28th St., Richmond, VA 23223
• Bon Secours Rappahannock General Hospital, 101 Harris Rd., Kilmarnock, VA 22482
• Bon Secours Southside Medical Center, 200 Medical Park Blvd., Petersburg, VA 23805
• Bon Secours Southern Virginia Medical Center, 727 N Main St., Emporia, VA 23847

 “It is crucial to bring on employees at Bon Secours who are not only passionate about health care, but who are committed to improving the health and well-being of the communities we serve,” said Brenda Woodcock, chief nursing officer for Bon Secours Richmond. “With a variety of opportunities across our market spanning from Southern Virginia through Central Virginia and into the Northern Neck, we’re hopeful that we’ll find great candidates to add to our ministry so we can continue to meet the needs of our communities and further our Mission.”

Bon Secours is hiring people for the following roles:

• RNs, including new grads
• LPNs
• CNA/Nurse Support
• Behavioral Health Techs
• Cardiac Cath Lab RNs and Techs
• Imaging Professionals
• Lab Professionals
• Physician office roles
• Pharmacy Techs
• Respiratory Therapists
• Security Officers
• Surgical Technologists

If you don’t see your profession listed and are interested in working with Bon Secours, we encourage you to attend as there are a wide range of roles available. Interested candidates are asked to register online and can learn more about the available positions here: https://indeedhi.re/3QLaGQV. At this event, applicants can learn more about employment opportunities and interview with hiring managers. Bring your resume and references because Bon Secours is offering sign-on incentives and may make on-the-spot offers to qualified candidates.

Bon Secours offers competitive pay and benefits which include mental health resources, eight weeks of paid parental leave for birth or adoption, and we offer support to grow in your career. Through a partnership with Guild Education, Bon Secours has created industry-leading education benefit offers that include: 100% tuition coverage for in-network priority clinical pathways, including nursing, medical assistant, laboratory and respiratory; up to $5,250 per year toward in-network academic programs and undergraduate degrees; and up to $10,000 per year toward in-network nursing and other graduate degrees.

Bon Secours Richmond, part of Bon Secours Mercy Health, provides compassionate medical care through a network of hospitals, primary and specialty care practices and ambulatory care sites. The mission-driven health system is focused on improving the health and well-being of our communities and bringing good help to those in need, especially people who are poor, dying and underserved. For more information visit careers.bonsecours.com.

Although the House was in recess last month, August was still a very busy time for Congress and the Senate, with critical votes such as the PACT Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act.

The CHIPS and Science Act would bring semiconductor chip manufacturing back to the United States. In doing so, this will lower the cost of goods, bolster domestic production, provide good paying jobs, and mitigate supply chain issues. As a result of this legislation, companies have already announced nearly $50 billion in additional investments in chip manufacturing.

We are working hard to ensure Virginia receives its fair share of federal funding and to attract manufacturers to consider Virginia for its new facilities, which would help create more jobs in our district and across the Commonwealth.

The Honoring Our Promises to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act was a major accomplishment to support our brave veterans. This long overdue legislation honors our commitment to our veterans who risk their lives to protect our freedom and, unfortunately, have been exposed to toxic chemicals while in service to our nation.

The PACT Act will expand health care benefits for millions of soldiers exposed to burn pits during their service. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs projects up to 3.5 million veterans may benefit from this legislation.

I also joined my House colleagues in passing the Inflation Reduction Act last month.

The IRA will take meaningful steps to lower the costs of health care and prescription drugs, combat inflation, reduce the federal deficit, and provide robust investments in our continued fight against the climate crisis.

Here in Virginia, energy bills will go down, air will be cleaner, and families will be able to live healthier lives.

I am also proud to say that the IRA includes notable environmental justice priorities I have advocated for since my time in Congress. These include billions for clean energy tax provisions to incentivize families to buy electric vehicles and retrofit their homes, urban forestry and tree planting, the electrification of our school buses, air pollution monitoring and mitigation, and so much more.

This legislation represents the largest federal investment to combat climate change in our nation’s history. There were some provisions in the bill that I would not have supported on their own, including opening up lands to drilling and attempts to weaken environmental review laws; however, I am still excited about this legislation and was proud to support it.

Finally, I was honored to participate in a forum put together by the Digital Dialogue Forum, a nonpartisan policy coalition, comprised of the world’s leading technology companies. This was an excellent opportunity to touch on the importance of equal access to high-speed broadband and the work to close the digital divide.

In my time in Congress, I have been working diligently to connect more Americans, and particularly Virginians, to affordable, high-speed internet. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed last year included $65 billion to expand broadband infrastructure into historically underserved communities to provide reliable internet. I will continue my efforts to ensure affordability and access to reliable digital infrastructure across the country.

From Humble Beginnings

The year is 1847, the fledgling, yet successfully thriving, experiment in democracy called the United States of America is a mere 71 years old. On the world stage, Queen Victoria, granddaughter of King George, III from whom America won its independence, has been on the British throne for a decade at the ripe old age of 28. The territory of Iowa has just become a state adding a 29^th star to the flag of our country.  Its President is James K. Polk, the twenty-ninth Congress is ending and its thirtieth will convene in March of the same year.  The Commonwealth of Virginia, still encompassing the future state of West Virginia, is administrated by Governor William “Extra Billy” Smith. Disputes over slavery placed the American Methodist church in difficulty in the first half of the 19^th century, with the northern church leaders fearful of a split with the South, and reluctant to take a stand.  Finally, in a much larger split, in 1845 at Louisville, the churches of the slaveholding states left the Methodist Episcopal Church and formed The Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

In the town of Hicksford in Greensville County, Virginia in 1847, Alexander T.B. Merrit and his wife Jane S. Merritt, conveyed for the sum of one dollar to the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, a piece of property.  The property was conveyed “in trust that they [the trustees] shall build a house of worship thereon for the use of the members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.”  From this humble beginning, people who lived where we now live, believed in God.  Desiring to grow in their faith and to pass that faith on to their children and others they did what was necessary to make this vision a reality.  Upon doing so, thus has been created the oldest community of faith in present day Emporia.

The Methodists, with Rev. Thomas Jones as their minister, proceeded to build, on their newly acquired lot, a small wooden church building.  The church was known as Hicksford Methodist Church and was part of the Greensville Circuit in the Randolph Macon District.  The total membership of the Greensville Circuit in 1847 was 251 whites, and 38 blacks, a total of 289 souls.  The congregation worshiped in that building until it was destroyed forty-seven years later by a fire in 1894.

In 1887 the communities of Hicksford and Belfield became the town of Emporia.  The church in Hicksford was then renamed, Main Street Methodist Church.  By then it was part of the Petersburg District, along with Round Hill, Forest Chapel, Independence, Corinth, and Saint Andrews Methodist churches.  “AND ARE WE YET Alive?” – Charles Wesley

There is more to come! This is the first installment of several in recognition of the 175^th Anniversary Celebration of Main Street United Methodist Church, 500 South Main Street, Emporia.  The celebration will culminate with an exciting worship service on Sunday, October 9, 2022 with special music and a surprise visitor as well as historic displays and presentations.  A potluck lunch will be served on the lawn.  Please make plans to join in the celebration, catch up with old friends and greet new ones!  If you should have items of history related to Main Street United Methodist Church (wedding pictures, Sunday School or Bible Zone memories, hymnals, Bibles, articles, or other memorabilia and would like to share those please contact the church at 434.634.3724).  Grace and Peace!

Parts of the above history are based on the history compiled by Jane Prince for the Sesquicentennial Celebration. 

Post Card of Bishop Francis Asbury having known to travel the Circuits throughout Southern Virginia and northern North Carolina.

After serving as an assistant for the past 14 years, Vincent Brown, an Associate Professor of Industrial Technology at Southside Virginia Community College, was recently named as the head coach of the SVCC men’s basketball team.

Brown previously served with Dennis Smith, who stepped down after 18 years at the helm, to help guide the Panthers to four USA National Prep Postgrad titles with the most recent coming in March when SVCC topped Tennessee Prep 65-52 in the West National Collegiate Prep title game in Myrtle Beach, SC.

The other national championships for the Panthers came in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Brown also helped guide SVCC to Virginia Community College System state titles in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014.  He said he looks forward to the new challenge.

“I’m excited,” Brown said. “We have some good returning players and I am looking forward to continuing the success we’ve had.”

The Panthers will kick off the 2022-23 campaign on November 5th when they play host to VCCS foe Mountain Gateway Community College.

Brunswick Academy was happy to celebrate one of its most time-honored traditions on Friday August 19th, the Senior-First Grade March. It was a beautiful morning as the Class of 2023 ushered in a brand new group of first graders-- the future Class of 2034. The school gym was filled with parents, grandparents and friends sharing in the excitement. The Big & Little Vikes provided one another with a sweet memento that they can hold on to for years to come. We can't wait to see how these new Big Vike/Little Vike bonds grow this year!

by Graham Moomaw, Virginia Mercury
September 6, 2022

Virginia’s tax revenues from sports betting jumped 63% between June and July after state lawmakers ended what some described as a loophole that let betting apps deduct free-bet promos from their profits.

According to Virginia Lottery reports, sports betting revenues rose from $1.87 million in June to $3.06 million in July, the first month the new tax policy was in effect.

The stronger tax revenues came despite a summertime dip in wagering on sports, with about $266 million wagered in July compared to $295 million in June.

When Virginia legalized sports betting in 2020, the legislation approved by the General Assembly allowed betting apps to essentially write off money they spent on free-bet promotions to attract new bettors. In other words, the more free bets the companies were offering to grow their business, the less they would have to pay to the state in taxes.

After learning some betting platforms were producing little to no tax revenue, Del. Mark Sickles, D-Fairfax, pushed to end the exemption. The change was part of the state budget approved early this summer and took effect July 1.

“It’s just turning out great,” Sickles said in an interview Friday.

The increase wasn’t solely attributable to the tax change. Some of it was a result of the apps having to pay out less in winning bets. But lottery data show sports betting platforms deducted about $8 million from their June revenues for free-bet promos. In July, that fell significantly to $0.4 million.

At the start of the year, only four of 11 sports betting operators reported positive gross revenues subject to taxation. In July, eight of 14 operators reported positive revenues, which Sickles called “a big improvement.”

“People enjoy it,” Sickles said. “It’s a different kind of bettor. People that do this don’t do any other type of gambling. A lot of them.”

The tax change drew some pushback from the sports betting industry, which argued the hastily approved provision would create confusion and limit growth.

In a statement, Bea Gonzalez, a lobbyist for the Virginia Sports Betting Alliance, criticized the change for being passed “with no public debate or discussion” and no hearing in a legislative committee. She called the change “a shortcut to slightly higher revenues” that will come at a cost to future revenues for the state from a stronger sports betting market.

“The short-term benefit to the state is at the cost of long-term revenue,” Gonzalez said. “Operators won’t offer as many promos as they have in the past, and the ultimate size of the legal market will be smaller than it otherwise would be.”

The change doesn’t prevent the platforms from doing free bet promos, but it makes it more costly for the companies to offer them.

Under Virginia’s sports betting law, the state taxes 15% of each betting platform’s adjusted gross revenues, essentially the amount left over after paying out winning bets. Most of that tax money goes into the state’s general fund, with 2.5% set aside for a fund meant to help people addicted to gambling.

Though most of the state’s sports betting operators are online-only, Virginia’s first brick-and-mortar sportsbook recently opened as part of Bristol’s Hard Rock Casino & Resort.

Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sarah Vogelsong for questions: info@virginiamercury.com. Follow Virginia Mercury on Facebook and Twitter.

Virginia Mortgage Relief Program Hosts Application Assistance Outreach Event Program Staff Onsite in Greensville and Brunswick Counties

The Virginia Mortgage Relief Program, or VMRP, was established through the 2021 American Rescue Plan to address mortgage and other qualified home ownership-related delinquencies to avoid default, foreclosure, or displacement due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

VMRP will be in Greensville and Brunswick Counties hosting outreach events at the following locations:

Location:     William E. Richardson Jr. Memorial Library
100 Spring Street

Emporia, VA 23847

Date:            Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Time:           3 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Location:     Brunswick County Library
133 West Hicks Street
Lawrenceville, VA 23868

Date:            Thursday, September 8, 2022

Time:           3 p.m. – 7 p.m.

During the event, case management and outreach staff from the Virginia Mortgage Relief Program will be on-site to help homeowners, who need assistance with mortgage and other housing-related costs due to the pandemic, learn more about the program and complete their applications.

Note: Applicants with a completed application on file with the VMRP do not need to attend. If you have a constituent who would like application assistance, please ask them to schedule an appointment to meet with a case manager at this event by contacting the VMRP Call Center at 833-687-8677, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Walk-ins for application support at the outreach event will be accepted as availability permits.

Those interested in applying for program assistance at the event can view a list of required documents and program eligibility requirements by visiting www.VirginiaMortgageRelief.com.

Program Background

VMRP provides assistance of up to $40,000 for qualified homeowners as long as funding is available.

For qualified homeowners, the VMRP offers:

• Mortgage payment assistance on first and subordinate mortgages, including down payment assistance loans provided by nonprofit or government entities.
• Financial assistance to allow a homeowner to reinstate a mortgage or to pay other housing-related costs related to a period of forbearance, delinquency or default.
• Payment assistance for delinquent property taxes to prevent homeowner tax foreclosures.
• Personal property (real estate) taxes and, in some cases, lot rental fees on unaffixed mobile homes. However, applications for lot rent only are not eligible under VMRP.
• Homeowner’s insurance, flood insurance and mortgage insurance.
• Homeowner’s association fees or liens, condominium association fees, special assessments or common charges.

This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number HAF-0003 awarded to the Commonwealth of Virginia by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

ChallengeHer is celebrating 10 years of helping women-owned small businesses access federal contracts

WASHINGTON –Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice for America’s 33 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, announced the return of ChallengeHer - a government contracting education initiative to help women-owned small business gain access to federal contracts and encourage participation in the SBA’s Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract program, alongside partners from Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) and American Express (AMEX), during a recent event in Silver Spring, Maryland. 

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, ChallengeHer is free for all registrants as part of a national initiative designed to promote the WOSB Federal Contract Program, bring more women-owned firms into the federal government’s supply chain, and provide an avenue for government agencies to meet qualified women-owned small business contractors. 

“Throughout the past decade, ChallengeHer has helped tens of thousands of women-owned small businesses break glass ceilings and grow their revenue by selling to the world’s largest buyer: the U.S. government,” said Administrator Guzman. “Thanks to the SBA’s collaboration with WIPP and American Express, ChallengeHER continues to level the playing field in the federal marketplace by investing in and empowering more women-owned firms, connecting federal buyers directly with women entrepreneurs, and providing continued advocacy on behalf of WOSBs in every sector of the economy and every corner of the nation -and we are committed to ensuring it continues to open doors for women for decades to come.”

“WIPP is honored to co-sponsor this much-needed and well-respected program, now in its 10th year, as we provide women-owned small businesses with the education and resources needed to navigate the road to success and sustainability during these historical times,” said Candace Waterman, President & CEO, Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP).

Last month, the SBA announced the Biden-Harris Administration exceeded its small business federal contracting goal, awarding 27.2% percent or $154.2 billion in federal contracts to small businesses in FY21. WOSBs received more than $26 billion in federal contracts. Following the passage of President Biden’s bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, women-owned small manufacturers stand to benefit from direct federal investment, helping grow our domestic manufacturing footprint and lower costs for Americans by bringing supply chains home. 

ChallengeHer events provide matchmaking opportunities between women-owned businesses and government contractors and networking opportunities. It also provides world-class programming and training, facilitated by subject matter experts, for entering into and navigating the public-sector supply chain. Sessions are offered in-person and online.

To learn more about ChallengeHer and to register for upcoming events, visit www.ChallengeHER.us.

Gavin Moseley of Emporia completed the Southside Virginia Community College Power Line Worker Training Program on August 17, 2022. He is a graduate of Greensville County High School.