Hey, y’all. It’s Amie.

I was planning to write something else today, but I had the most… interesting experience this week that I simply couldn’t not share it with y’all. I’ll leave out names because, well, the story of the traveling performer is very inspiring, and I’d never want to harsh someone’s mellow when it comes to creativity. Besides, art is subjective.

Let’s start with this: I consider myself pretty progressive, at least for my area. And I’m not the pearl-clutching type. But my, oh my. I wasn’t expecting inflatable tube men, confetti cannons, a fog machine, jumping on the seats, a toilet paper roll rigged to a leaf blower, and glorified sparkler pyrotechnics at the pulpit when I walked into our little country church (literally built in a livestock pasture) on Wednesday night.

In fact, it confused my psyche so much that I dreamed about it that night—and awoke even more confused by the experience than I was when I went to sleep. Some folks absolutely LOVED it, and I’m very happy about that! Others, like me, will probably take some time to process what just happened. Regardless, I’ve already searched on Amazon for a fog machine—and I’m so glad you’re here.  

Here’s what you need to know: It’s time to bust out the Willie Nelson records. If you’re seeking to get “On the Road Again”—and find yourself traveling along US 29—chances are you’ll be looking for tasty stops along the way. We’ve rounded up new restaurants from Washington, DC, to Danville that don’t stray far from the 249 miles of “29” that wind through Virginia. 

Our top picks: 

• If local is your go-to cuisine, it doesn’t get much fresher than this. Founding Farmers Alexandria is a farmer-owned restaurant popular for its various made-from-scratch offerings. After opening Mar. 12, business is in full swing, offering everything from farmhouse sushi to cocktails made with DC-based distillery’s Founding Spirits.

• Chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, and mimosa towers—need we say more? Milk & Honey opened its doors on Mar. 19, severing Southern-inspired meals. The Charlottesville restaurant treats diners to classics like butter glazed biscuits, as well as to regional specialties like the Carolina Low Country gumbo.

• Did you know Danville is home to the only Gordon Ramsay restaurant in the commonwealth? Ramsay’s Kitchen opened on the Caesars Virginia property in December 2024. The upscale restaurant serves some of the television chef’s most famous entrees, including Beef Wellington and sticky toffee pudding.

Hungry for more? Explore five of our top recommendations along your route. 

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Question of the Week: If you could pick a single favorite restaurant in Virginia, what would it be, and what would you order there? Let me know at amie@couriernewsroom.com, and you might see your eatery of choice featured in an upcoming article. 

Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Monday released his vetoes on a number of bills that would have improved the lives of working-class people in Virginia. 

Youngkin again blocked legislation that would have put Virginia on the path to raising its minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2027. 

Virginia’s current minimum wage is $12.41 an hour. Meanwhile, inequality is rampant in the US, with 10% of the wealthiest Americans controlling 60% of the nation’s wealth.

For many, it’s obvious that Virginia’s current minimum wage is a slap in the face to working people trying to manage the rising costs of rent, groceries, and childcare. 

Youngkin vetoed legislation that would have guaranteed access to paid family and medical leave to more than 3 million Virginia workers who lack the benefit. 

The legislation would have set up an insurance fund so companies could offer up to 12 weeks of paid leave for life events like a new child, caring for a loved one, or recovery from a serious health issue. The program would have provided workers with up to 80% of their wages and allowed them to maintain their health care coverage. 

The General Assembly will meet in Richmond on April 2 to consider his vetoes, though the possibility of overriding his vetoes is small. To read more about the governor’s vetos, click below. 

• Virginia already underfunds its schools compared with other states as students here struggle to recover from pandemic learning loss. The Trump administration’s questionably legal attempt to fulfill the long-time conservative goal of eliminating the US Department of Education puts more than a billion dollars of federal funding for Virginia schools in the crosshairs (READ MORE HERE).

• It all started in the backseat of a ragtag Jeep Cherokee, where Gwen Frisbie-Fulton first learned to appreciate the working class—those often overlooked heroes like the painters, cooks, and caregivers. This is her love letter to them, the ones who truly keep the world turning (READ MORE HERE).

• This Saturday, protests are planned around the world to demand accountability for the role billionaire Elon Musk is playing in the Trump administration. We’ve got what you need to know about the protests happening at Tesla locations in Virginia (READ MORE HERE).

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