Today's News

What if I told you that every year the U.S. government holds a national immigration ‘lottery’ by which 50,000 individuals become legal permanent residents of the U.S. purely at random and that since 1995 nearly one million visas have been handed out through this program. Most of my constituents are shocked to learn that such a program exists.

    Every now and then, in this space, I like to take a little time off from the weighty battles of American political life and just have some fun.

    Fun, that is, with a subject that’s not political at all, but don’t worry, I’ll find a way to take some jabs at conservatives. I wouldn’t want to let anyone down.

    Virginia’s Farm Bureau recently honored Sam Gardner with its Young Farmers Environmental Stewardship Award.

    Gardner runs the family farm, a calf/cow operation, in Huddleston, along with his father Dr. Don Gardner. The farm is actually a family corporation, and the younger Gardner now does most of the actual farming.
    “That’s what they talk about as a corporate farm,” Sam commented, adding that 98 percent of America’s farms are family farms.

    The driver of a 2001 Ford Ranger that crashed into the Arby’s drive-through, just east of Bedford, on Aug. 5 has been identified as Jeremy Dean Brickey, 21, of Max Meadows, near Pulaski. Brickey was not carrying any identification at the time of the crash. According to State Police, the pickup truck Brickey was driving had been reported as stolen in Pulaski.