Hey, y’all. It’s Amie.

Colton Knowles poses with the Easter Bunny in 2026. (Cherry Hill Programs, Inc)

Get perks for paddling away at these Virginia locations. (Filip Mroz/Unsplash)

By Aila Boyd

Here’s what you need to know: Virginia features a unique mixture of bays, lakes, rivers, and creeks, many of which can be found in Virginia State Parks. To help Virginians explore the commonwealth’s bodies of water, the Wandering Waters Paddle Quest program was established.

Fun facts:

• Launched in 2023, the program was the brainchild of Sammy Zambon, a visitor experience specialist with Virginia State Parks. He drew upon his more than 40 years of canoeing experience (20+ of which he served as a canoe and kayak guide) to conceive of the program. The idea was to create a water-based counterpart to Trail Quest.

• For those unsure of where to begin, Zambon’s top three parks for paddling include Caledon State Park, Kiptopeke State Park, and New River Trail State Park. Caledon is ideal for watching sunsets on the water, as well as eagle spotting. Kiptopeke, with its concrete ships that form the breakwater, allows for excellent fishing from a kayak, and the scenery of the New River with its ledges and rocks is well worth the visit.

• Zambon encourages those interested in the program to take a ranger-led paddling tour because they’re able to provide knowledge and a unique experience that will make the visit memorable. Ranger guides provide experiences for those of all experience and comfort levels.

Ready to explore? Those who participate in the quest are eligible to receive a number of perks.

Colton Knowles prepares to enjoy a fresh slice of cheese pizza at Papa’s Pizzeria in Bassett. (Amie Knowles/Dogwood)

By Amie Knowles

Last Friday, I took my son to a restaurant I used to frequent when I worked in the area a decade ago: Papa’s Pizzeria in Bassett, which opened in 1998. A true connoisseur (and critic) of the perfect pizza pie, I knew that Colton, age 8, would give his brutally honest opinion. 

We had a full day planned at nearby Fairy Stone State Park, so we were the first ones in the restaurant. We ordered at the counter, got our drinks, and he picked a window seat. Then, the moment arrived. A glorious, fresh slice of hand-tossed cheese pizza emerged from the oven. I held my breath as Colton peered at the piece, discerning. He lifted it. Tasted it. His eyes got big. 

“I’ve got to tell them—10 out of 10,” he said. “This pizza is phenomenal!” 

So, if you’re looking for a family-owned small business to support in Southwest Virginia, Colton and I can certainly vouch for Henry County’s hidden gem, Papa’s Pizzeria. 

Is it because of Easter week preparations? Or maybe my inbox incorrectly marked a group of emails as spam? But… I checked and double-checked, and as far as I can tell, I didn’t hear from anyone about the question of the week I posed on Monday.

I would have accepted anything. Truly. A half-hearted “C.” whispered into the void. A chaotic “E. Other” with no explanation. Even a typo. Especially a typo—those show effort, passion, commitment.

Instead, I sit here, refreshing away like someone waiting for a text back that maybe isn’t coming—but refusing to accept it anyway. Was the question too real? Did it hit too close to home? Did we all collectively look at our rent, our grocery bills, our gas prices, and think, “I don’t have the strength for this today”?

I am humbly asking—maybe begging (definitely begging)—that you email me at amie@couriernewsroom.com. One response is great. Five responses? Even better. Keep them coming like plot twists. Overwhelm my inbox so much that it’s humanly impossible for me to respond to all of them and still get Monday’s newsletter out on time. I’m looking forward to reading each and every response. 

Do you feel the cost of living in your area is justified by the quality of life?

Entrepreneur Peter Thiel speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Thursday, July 21, 2016. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

By Michael O’Connor

New details have emerged about funding for the political group that’s been sending out deceptive mailers in the fight over Virginia’s redistricting referendum. 

Per Aspera Policy Incorporated, a Massachusetts-based dark money group, gave $2.5 million on March 26 to Justice for Democracy PAC, the political action committee behind anti-redistricting mailers with Civil Rights imagery that say new congressional districts would dilute the votes of Black Virginians.

As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, Per Aspera Policy does not have to disclose where it gets its money, but the group reportedly has ties to Peter Thiel, the deeply conservative billionaire who wrote in a 2009 essay, “I no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible.” 

Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Don Scott (D-Portsmouth) criticized Thiel for thinking he can trick voters by backing a group resorting to deceptive campaign tactics. 

“As the first Black Speaker in Virginia’s history, I don’t take this lightly,” Scott said in a statement. “Our elections belong to the people—not out-of-state tech billionaires using cheap tricks to manipulate voters.”

• Lower prescription drug prices, more housing, and energy cost relief—all in one package. That’s what Gov. Abigail Spanberger recently signed into law. Hundreds more measures are awaiting action before an Apr. 13 deadline. (See post)

• A new executive order from President Donald Trump seeking to take more control of mail-in voting is broadly viewed as unconstitutional. (Read more)

• With the clock ticking on Gov. Abigail Spanberger to act on the bills sent to her by the Virginia General Assembly, campus workers hope a petition can help push her to add them back into the public-sector collective bargaining legislation awaiting her signature. (Read more)

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