Hey, y’all. It’s Amie.

Did you get your coffee yesterday morning? One of my dearest friends, Amanda, and I started a Red Cup Day tradition years and years ago. We didn’t live in the same city, but there was a Starbucks about 30 minutes away from each of our homes. Once a year, way before sunrise, we’d meet up for a cup of caffeine before heading back our respective ways to go to work.

A few years ago, our jobs changed, and we moved farther apart. Neither of us wanted to end our tradition, but driving a couple of hours round-trip so early wasn’t feasible. So we came up with a new plan: We’d both head to our local Starbucks dark and early, order our drinks, and FaceTime each other. That’s what we’ve done ever since.

It’s one of only a handful of days I’m up before the sun, but it’s completely worth it to be able to spend an hour with her. I hope your coffee is strong, your friendship is special, and your weekend is fantastic. Let’s kick it off, shall we? I’m so glad you’re here.

Despite having the majority in both chambers of Congress, Republican leaders have repeatedly blamed the shutdown on Democrats, who refused to approve legislation that funded the government without including health care subsidies that help keep insurance affordable for millions of Americans.

Those provisions were left out of the deal, meaning the cost of health care will go up if Republicans don’t agree to extend them in December.

While programs like SNAP, which provides food assistance to hundreds of thousands of Virginians, were funded through September, the continuing resolution only funds the federal government through Jan. 30, 2026. In other words, the US could face another shutdown in just a matter of months.

From public murals to performance venues, Norfolk’s NEON District is a haven for art lovers. (Afriquestock/Shutterstock)

By Aila Boyd

Here’s what you need to know: What was once a neon-lit auto row, and later a downtrodden area north of downtown and southeast of Ghent, has now been transformed into Norfolk’s NEON District, a vibrant arts enclave.

Our top picks:

One of the best ways to discover all that the district has to offer is by taking the NEON District Tour conducted by the Norfolk Tour Company. Many of the tours offered are free due to the company’s partnerships with government and private entities.

The Harrison Opera House, located at 160 W. Virginia Beach Blvd., is another treasured district institution. The historic venue has a long history, having once been a USO theatre during World War II. It was later occupied by Virginia Opera, the current resident company that was designated as The Official Opera Company of the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1994.

The NEON Festival is held each year to celebrate all that the neighborhood has to offer. Starting in 2015, the two-day festival includes art exhibitions, local and regional performances, a variety of programming, and mural tours.

Ready to explore? We’ve got what you need to know at the link below.

Well, well, well. I see not all of us are in the holiday spirit, eh?

On Monday, we asked when folks should put up their Christmas tree—and the responses were… festive. That’s my improved way of saying “passionate.”

While I’m in the same camp as Dogwood reader Jen C., who suggested “whenever you need it to go up to chase the darkness away,” others, like Bren B., said to “let the turkey do it’s gobble before you turn to the Christmas wobble.”

As for our tree? It’s going up as soon as we can figure out how to keep the cats from climbing it.

If you’d like to share your opinion, my inbox is always open to you at amie@couriernewsroom.com.

It’s worth learning the warning signs of authoritarian regimes before they take hold. (Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu/Unsplash)

By Ryan Pitkin

In her 2018 book “Fascism: A Warning,” former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright wrote that people living under authoritarian regimes often don’t realize it until it’s too late. The lesson? It’s worth learning the warning signs before they take hold.

Experts have identified seven basic tactics used by aspiring authoritarians. Experts point to a familiar playbook used by would-be authoritarians. Watch for when a political party or movement starts to:

Politicize independent institutions by placing loyalists in roles meant to be nonpartisan.

• Spread disinformation while undermining credible media.
• Expand executive power and chip away at checks and balances.
• Silence dissent and punish critics.
• Target marginalized groups and stoke fear of “outsiders.”
• Manipulate elections or question legitimate results.
• Excuse or encourage political violence.
• These tactics often show up gradually—in the form of division, scapegoating, or rewriting the rules to favor those in power. 

The goal of any authoritarian administration or movement is to make everyday people feel powerless, so they stop believing they can shape what happens next. 

But knowledge is power. Recognizing the signs early is the first step toward protecting democracy—and each other.

• The sex-offending financier Jeffrey Epstein wrote in a 2019 email to a journalist that Donald Trump “knew about the girls,” according to communications released Wednesday, but the White House quickly accused Democrats of selectively leaking the emails to smear the president. (Read more)

• While Gov. Glenn Youngkin claims that passing laws that limit social media usage for Virginian teens will help combat the state’s youth mental health crisis, local parents and cybersecurity experts believe that it’s only scratching the surface. (Watch here)

• Rents skyrocketed during Youngkin’s time in office. He’ll end his term with Virginians paying hundreds more in rent than when he became governor. (Read more)

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