Hey, y’all. It’s Amie.

I’ll never forget mine and Kody’s first Valentine’s Day together… and not because it was perfect! Actually, every singe thing we had planned went wrong on epic proportions. First, he ordered flowers for me, but I mistook the delivery driver as a vacuum saleswoman (it’s a long story). So instead of opening the door with poise and grace to accept a dozen roses, I opened it with a chicken puppet, acting clinically insane. After handing me the flowers (and watching my boyfriend nearly suffocate on a mix of laughter and secondhand embarrassment), she quickly scurried away. 

Next, the swanky eatery we were going for dinner was overbooked, so we ended up at a mom-and-pop Chinese restaurant instead. Albeit delicious, the change caused us to miss the Valentine’s dance we were all dressed up to attend. Totally defeated but still having fun, we decided to go to Starbucks. We were some of the only people there at 8 p.m. on Valentine’s Day. The staff had sweetheart tunes playing, and Kody asked me to dance right there in the middle of the coffeeshop. One of our barista friends snuck a quick, candid photo (below). When we walked outside, it was snowing, and we realized we couldn’t have hand selected a better day ourselves. 

Whether you’re spending today with your one true love or loving on yourself, I hope it’s the perfect one for you, even if everything doesn’t go exactly according to plan! Happy Valentine’s Day, Virginia—I’m so glad you’re here,  but please leave the chicken puppets where they belong. ❤️

Here’s what you need to know: With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, you may find yourself still needing to make plans for the special occasion. Just because it’s V-Day doesn’t mean you can’t do fun activities.

Our top picks:

• Immerse yourself in the Point of View Alpaca Farm’s rich history before going on a stress-free, fluffy adventure. After your alpaca walk, you can splurge on your date at the farm’s gift shop, which offers many alpaca-themed accessories made from their wool. 

• If going out into the wilderness is more your vibe, visiting Shenandoah National Park is the perfect, unforgettable Valentine’s Day weekend getaway. The national park has many hiking trails, camping grounds, and much more to build lifelong memories with your one true love.
• If you are looking for a fun, quiet activity this Valentine’s Day, The Silent Valentine is perfect for all music and dance lovers. Home to Richmond’s ultimate silent dance party, the venue encourages the use of headphones for listeners to tune into their favorite genre. 

When making Valentine’s Day plans, think outside the box and choose a fun activity with the ideas in the link below. 

Question of the Week: How long have you been with your Valentine, and what is your all-time favorite memory together? Let me know at amie@couriernewsroom.com.

We were warned by Project 2025 that there were plans to drastically cut or terminate the U.S. Department of Education (ED). As of February 7, 2025, the President is reportedly drafting his Executive Order to dismantle the ED and is seeking coordination with Congress in order to make the closure a reality. Now there is a  bill in Congress to terminate the ED, and the ED is being threatened with a hostile takeover.

More than ever we must recognize and protect the ED based on the value it brings to our nation.  The alternative is to let federal funds that are appropriated for public education “be block granted to states without strings.”

• Speaking at a hearing in Washington, Rep. Jennifer McClellan of Virginia said when President Donald Trump recently halted federal payments, it abruptly cut off 16 of Virginia’s 31 community health centers from federal funding (READ MORE HERE).

• A figure skating tribute will take place in Washington, DC to support victims of the midair collision and crash outside Ronald Reagan International Airport. Organizers recently announced the “Legacy on Ice” benefit event will take place on Mar. 2 at Capital One Arena (READ MORE HERE).

• The Virginia Senate on Wednesday passed a House bill that would create a legal retail marijuana market in Virginia, though Gov. Glenn Youngkin—a staunch opponent of marijuana—will almost certainly veto the legislation (READ MORE HERE).

This week, we’re featuring a basketball highlight! If you’d like to see your team’s accomplishments broadcast on Dogwood’s platforms, send a note and photo to amie@couriernewsroom.com or reply to this message. Just be sure you have permission to share from all of the proper sources—players/guardians, photographers, and coaches/schools, to name a few.

Did you know that Hoos player Casey Valenti-Paea once led Australia to a gold medal in the 3×3 Asia Cup? Or that she represented Victoria at the Australian Junior National championships several times? 

From Australia to Virginia, this women’s basketball star continues to shine with the Virginia Cavaliers. Before making her mark here, she played for the University at Buffalo and California State University, Long Beach.

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