Hey, y’all. It’s Amie.

What can we say? 2026 is right around the corner—but before that bright morning of fresh beginnings, there’s New Year’s Eve. And if you’re ringing it in with an adult beverage or two (or more), we figured today’s lead story might be practical to have around. Enjoy your fun, please don’t drink and drive, and remember, I’m so glad you’re here.

P.S. This is our last Dogwood newsletter of 2025. We’re back on Monday, Jan. 5. Happy New Year!

Hydrating your body through IV therapy helps lessen a hangover. (Getty Images/Unsplash)

By Aila Boyd

Here’s what you need to know: Virginia offers plenty of ways to recover from a hangover, whether your remedy of choice includes Bloody Marys, carbs, tea, IV therapy, a spa day, or fresh air.

Our top picks:

• With four Bloody Mary options, Hair of the Dog Eatery surely has one that will delight your taste buds and leave you feeling better in no time. The options include the Classic, What a Pickle, Porky’s Revenge, and Goodfella.

• The Hatch in Roanoke offers an expansive carbohydrate-heavy brunch menu that’s ideally suited for curing a hangover. The Hatch Big Brunch is an obvious hangover cure. It comes with homemade waffles, eggs, two pieces of bacon, chicken gravy, a biscuit, and breakfast potatoes.
• The Feel Better Lounge offers a variety of IV treatments that are sure to help hydrate you and lessen your hangover. The $250 Hair of the Dog IV is specifically designed to replenish your system after a night out. The $40 magnesium add-on should also be considered, as it helps combat headaches.

Want more solid ideas? We’ve got them at the link below. 

Gov. Glenn Youngkin leaving a presentation to the Joint Money Committee in Richmond on Dec. 17, 2025. (Michael O’Connor/Dogwood)

By Michael O’Connor

Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently offered a rosy assessment of Virginia’s economy in Richmond while unveiling his proposed budget, but Democratic lawmakers disagreed with his assessment amid growing economic warning signs. 

In a presentation of his proposed budget changes, the outgoing governor pushed back on what he called the “catastrophic predictions” and “dire prognostications” about the impact of the Trump administration’s federal cuts and layoffs on Virginia. 

“Financial calamity hasn’t happened, and Virginia is again running a significant surplus,” Youngkin told members of the Joint Money Committee. 

But Democrats were quick to push back against the idea that the current state of Virginia’s economy is something to celebrate. Asked about Youngkin’s presentation, Del. Candi Mundon King (D-Dumfries) said his message was “dismissive and disheartening.” 

Democrats will hash out their take on the state budget in the upcoming legislative session. By that time, term-limited Youngkin will have been succeeded by Democratic Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger. 

The statue of Barbara Johns now stands tall inside the US Capitol. (The Office of Sen. Mark R. Warner)

By Sam Cohen

Barbara Rose Johns, one of Virginia’s Civil Rights icons, was recently cemented in history at the US Capitol. Johns was a teenager when she organized a walkout of her segregated high school in 1951. 

Now, a statue of her protesting and raising a book over her head has been unveiled for the Capitol’s National Sanctuary Collection. It replaces one of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

The statue of Johns is engraved with an important quote that reads “Are we going to just accept these conditions, or are we going to do something about it?” 

Doing something about unacceptable conditions was the only option for the Virginia teenager, who sought to create a better environment for herself and her peers. 

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