On behalf of our parent company COURIER, check out this March 12 virtual event. Big national decisions can have real impacts close to home—especially when it comes to health care. COURIER is hosting a live virtual event, MAHA & the Midterms, to help break down how recent political choices are shaping health care access, affordability, and what families should know moving forward.
The conversation features author Hank Green, psychologist Dr. Mary Trump, US Rep. Lauren Underwood (a registered nurse), Shaughnessy Naughton of 314 Action, and medical analyst Dr. Vin Gupta. Join us for an informative discussion designed to help you better understand the issues—no policy background required.
Save your spot and remember, I’m so glad you’re here. Now, on to our weekly Virginia news roundup.
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Monterey serves as the county seat for Highland County. (Virginia Tourism Corporation)
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By Aila Boyd
Here’s what you need to know: Hidden away in mountainous Highland County, Monterey earns its “Virginia’s Little Switzerland” moniker year-round, but March is when the town really sets itself apart.
Our top picks:
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On March 14 & 15 and 21 & 22, the annual Highland County Maple Festival will attract thousands of visitors who are eager to visit the sugar camps scattered along the town’s winding backroads. The camps are where generations-old traditions of turning sap into syrup are still faithfully carried out.
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The first stop on The Sugar Trail is Puffenbarger’s Sugar Orchard, where the Puffenbarger family taps more than 1,800 trees, some of which are over 200 years old. To produce its pure Highland County maple syrup, the operation uses miles of plastic tubing, vacuum pumps, a reverse-osmosis machine, and an oil-fired evaporator.
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Duff’s Sugar House, a small family-operated old-time operation, still opens trees by hand so that the sugar water can be collected in buckets. From there, the cooking is done in wood-fired open pans before being finished in iron kettles. Visitors can participate in the production process.
Want to enjoy Virginia’s “sweetest” event? We’ve got the details about the trail at the link below.
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Earlier this week, we asked about your biggest concerns in Virginia in 2026—and while we didn’t get 800+ responses like the week prior, about 40 of y’all reached out to share your thoughts through email and social media.
Joy C. mentioned detention centers, ICE raids, and election interference. Larry J. expressed concern over potential casino expansion in NoVA. Catherina H. worried about voting rights protection.
You all really shared from the heart, and one message especially stood out to me in a genuine way. It came from Mary G., a Dogwood reader from the Williamsburg area who experienced a massive real estate tax increase (24%)—with the potential for more on the horizon. From family health issues to reduced senior programming to funding concerns about local centers that rely on taxpayer dollars, I could tell she wanted the best for her community.
It’s people like Mary who give me hope. They’re folks who use their voice to clearly communicate what’s working and what isn’t—and that, I believe, is how we begin to move forward with solutions. If you’d like to share, my inbox is always open at amie@couriernewsroom.com, and I’d love to listen.
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Over the decades, Virginians from multiple industries have utilized unions to progress workers’ rights. (Lomb/Shutterstock)
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By Ava Edwards
Looking for a way to get involved? You can help organize the next No Kings event, protest the war in Iran, craft with fellow progressives, and more.
Happening this weekend:
Have an event to add? Email state organizing coordinator Ava Edwards at ava@couriernewsroom.com with details. Please send details at least one week before the event.
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Consuming political news isn’t the same as building political power. From Minneapolis to small-town America, rural organizer Gwen Frisbie-Fulton writes that real change starts with local organizing and civic engagement. (Read more)
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Perhaps the biggest question facing Virginia lawmakers as they approach the end of this year’s legislative session is whether to make data centers pay more in taxes. But state lawmakers and labor unions disagree over whether to lift a state tax exemption that helps data center companies save over $1 billion a year. (Read more)
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Ask any Virginian, and they’ll tell you that their utility bills just keep climbing. A new report by Climate Power backs that up—household electricity costs have jumped 13% since Trump took office. (See post)
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