Hey, y’all. It’s Amie.

Are you sick and tired of hearing the word “redistricting?” Well, it seems we’re going to need to buckle up for a little bit longer. The latest I’ve heard is that the referendum—which a majority of Virginians voted in favor of—will now head to the US Supreme Court.

How that goes? I’m genuinely curious to find out. However, passed or not, midterm elections are coming up in November—and Virginia’s voices will once again be heard at the polls. Whether you voted for or against the redistricting referendum (or chose not to vote), the slim margin of about 3 percentage points between the “yes” and “no” votes shows just how important it is to check your voter registration, make a voting plan, and ensure your voice is heard.

As the midterms approach in the fall, we’ll keep a finger on the pulse to ensure that you’re well-informed about voting in Virginia. In fact, we’ve got more on that in today’s lead story. I’m so glad you’re here.

Amie Knowles

Newsletter Editor, Dogwood

A sign outside Alexandria’s registrar’s office on March 6, 2026. (Michael O’Connor/Dogwood)

‘Defeat is sometimes a good motivator’: Virginia advocates look to midterms after redistricting ruling

By Michael O’Connor

Here’s what you need to know: The Supreme Court of Virginia’s overturning of the special election on redistricting was a big loss for Democrats, but advocates looking to push back on the Trump administration still see some upside heading into November’s midterm elections.

What people are saying:

“I think defeat is sometimes a good motivator. And I wouldn’t even really call this a defeat because, again, the votes speak for themselves.” — Rhena Hicks, co-executive director with Freedom Virginia
“[Virginia voters] were here to take this unprecedented action with us. And a lot of them were really grateful to hear Democrats are going to fight. They’ve been really waiting for that.” — Lynlee Thorne, political director with Rural GroundGame

How did you feel about the ruling? We’ve got more information about this story at the link below.

More on the ruling →

By Dogwood Staff

No, this isn’t déjà vu. Yes, you just read about the Dogwood being the state flower a couple of weeks ago, and now you’re reading about it as the state tree. The Dogwood designation as the state flower came in 1918, while it was named the state tree in 1956.

Fun fact: Thomas Jefferson grew American Dogwoods on the grounds of his Charlottesville home, Monticello, in the 1770s.

More Virginia state symbols →

A screenshot of Noah Kahan’s YouTube lyric video for his song, “Porch Light.” (Amie Knowles/Dogwood)

The heartache of leaving the ‘Porch Light’ on

By Amie Knowles

I wish I had a better genre description for my favorite type of music. I guess I’d call it “conversational.” That’s one of the reasons I love listening to Noah Kahan—who just released his newest album, “The Great Divide,” a couple of weeks ago.

I first heard his music in 2024, and I played “Stick Season” on repeat that summer. It’s a song about love lost paired with guitar picking—what more could one ask for? Another favorite is “You’re Gonna Go Far.”

Granted, for whatever reason, that’s one of those songs I can’t listen to without bawling my eyes out. The bittersweet lyrics have that sense of adventure into the unknown at the expense of leaving the well-loved and comfortable.

On his newest record, “Porch Light” is quickly becoming my favorite. To me, it’s about loving someone from afar, and leaving the porch light on for them if and when they’re ready to return. I saw a comment on Facebook from a person who found a slew of similarities between the new song and a former one by the same artist, “Call Your Mom” (which contains the lyrics: “Don’t let this darkness fool you / All lights turned off can be turned on”).

Whether or not the two songs are connected, I have no way to confirm or deny—but it’s really interesting to listen to both with the possibility of a story between them.

Listen to “Porch Light” →

Friends, we’ve officially wrapped up our coverage on
the $60K Club.

This new section, Your Commonwealth Connection, is a space intended to foster helpful action in Virginia.

If there’s a need in your community,
we want to hear about it. Please email me at amie@couriernewsroom.com to share the details.

We’ll post our first entry in this new section next Wednesday, May 20.

Have you shared this newsletter with a neighbor?

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Amie Knowles. Amie is a lifelong Virginia resident and mom to a fantastic 8-year-old who loves Pokémon. This edition includes stories from Michael O’Connor and Dogwood Staff. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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