Hey, y’all. It’s Amie.

Every time I’ve ever had a kitten, I’ve said the same thing: “I remember why I don’t do kittens.” Figgy Purrding, our accidental Christmas cat we found during the holiday season, is no exception—though he is cute.

If waking us up 17 times a night wasn’t fun enough, he’s recently discovered a love of popcorn. And, yes, while he will eat it straight out of our hands, that apparently doesn’t have the same allure as the few illustrious pieces that make it into the trash can. I made the mistake of throwing away a bit of popcorn before I started writing this newsletter; guess what’s already toppled and scattered all over my floor.

You know what’s funny, though? I don’t mind going to pick that up at all because I’m so happy this little tuxedo tornado meowed loud enough from the bushes to get our attention last month. He’s fitting right in with the chaos that is life, and I wouldn’t have it any other way—even if that means I have a few less bites of popcorn from every bag and a little more trash to pick up. I’m so glad you’re here.

Virginia’s a winter wonderland when it comes to fun activities. (Massanutten Resort)

Our top picks:

Public skating is offered at the Reston Town Center from early November through mid-March. If you’ve never skated before, stop by the skate shop for a pair of double-bladed, flat-edge skates that are ideal for novices.

No matter what kind of winter activity you like, The Omni Homestead Resort has it all, including skiing, snowboarding, tubing, ice skating, and miniature snowmobiles. The resort has nine trails for skiing and snowboarding.

Massanutten Resort allows winter sports enthusiasts to explore some of the best slopes the Shenandoah Valley has to offer. It has 80 skiable acres and 23 runs, serviced by seven lifts. Those who love to tube should check out the tubing hill with 16 900-foot-long lanes that drop 120 feet.

Ready to sleigh all day? The commonwealth’s packed with fun, cool weather options.

Union members protest ICE in downtown Richmond Jan. 23, 2026. (Michael O’Connor/Dogwood)

By Michael O’Connor

As pressure mounts on Republicans to change course on their draconian immigration policy, Democratic state lawmakers are looking at how they can protect Virginians from the hostile crackdown on immigrants and its deadly consequences. 

Virginia state Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (D-Merrifield) has proposed three bills to, as his office put it, “end ICE abuses” in Virginia. 

Salim said he has worked for months on these bills based on his belief that immigration enforcement under the Trump administration was going to get worse. The horrific killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by federal agents proved those fears to be true and only added to the sense that state lawmakers needed to try to find a way to do something.

“We don’t want it to go from Minnesota to other states,” Salim said in a recent interview. “We don’t want it to become a pattern.”

If you’ve been wanting to make a difference by giving blood in Virginia, now’s the time. (Rizki_009/Shutterstock)

Lots of times in this space, we’ll post news about famous Virginians—here’s your chance to make a big impact.

By Aila Boyd

National Blood Donor Month has arrived. The month is meant to help raise awareness about the ongoing need for blood. In fact, someone in the US needs blood or platelets every two seconds, according to the American Red Cross.

You can either make whole-blood or Power-Red donations. Whole blood, which can be used by all blood types, takes about an hour to donate. Donations can be made every 56 days up to six times a year. Alternatively, Power Red donations benefit trauma patients, newborns, and those suffering from blood loss. Ideal blood types for Power Red donation include O positive, O negative, A negative, and B negative. It takes about an hour and a half to donate, with a 112-day waiting period between donations.

Given that donations typically decrease during winter months, January is the perfect time to make your donation count. If you’re in Virginia Beach, consider visiting the Virginia Beach Red Cross Blood and Platelet Donation Center at 4554 Virginia Beach Blvd. The center is open seven days a week. Many Virginia Beach community organizations also partner with the American Red Cross—and blood drives happen across the commonwealth, making it easy to donate at one of the events close to you.

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