Design a future Mars rover on paper—and explain what it must give up
A good mission proposal chooses a question before choosing its equipment.
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30 stories
A future welcome series could let newcomers hear the community explain itself
Short, sourced introductions can make local life easier to navigate.
Appalachian Power is asking for a base-rate increase—here is what is proposed and how to comment
The utility’s filing estimates a $9.10 monthly increase for a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours. The State Corporation Commission has not approved that request, and public comments are due October 15.
Altavista–Leesville power-line case has an October public-witness deadline
The SCC is reviewing Appalachian Power’s proposed transmission work between Altavista and Leesville. Written comments are due October 20, and a telephone public-witness hearing is scheduled for October 26.
Virginia health officials have updated their respiratory-season guidance—here is the practical takeaway
VDH says Virginians should make flu, COVID-19 and RSV decisions with a clinician or pharmacist using current professional guidance. Age, pregnancy, health history and prior doses can change the answer.
A federal alert links nearly $13 billion in suspicious activity to digital-asset scams
FinCEN’s September 3 alert describes BSA reports tied to suspected scams, not a verified total of consumer losses. The pattern to watch is pressure to move money into cryptocurrency through a relationship, job or investment story.
When Gretna went perfect twice: the Hawks of 2003 and 2004
Two state championships, 28 consecutive wins, and a documented turning point in the town’s football history.
Two ways to win a title: Gretna’s defenses in 2007 and 2011
A 52–0 championship shutout and a five-point final show different sides of the Hawks’ winning tradition.
Gretna’s railroad beginnings are still legible on Main Street
Franklin Junction, Elba, and Gretna connect a commercial district to the rail lines that helped it grow.
Danville’s Black history: organizing, music, and the museum on Main Street
A fuller reading of Danville connects civil-rights resistance, Camilla Williams’s career, and the enslaved people behind a prominent house.
At Sharswood, descendants are reshaping how local history is told
A Gretna-area preservation story puts family research and the lives of enslaved people at its center.
The Pantheon’s autumn calendar brings comedy, Motown, and pop to Danville
A dated guide to official October listings at Caesars Virginia, with the links needed to plan a night out.
Read Roanoke through its rail museum and Gainsboro’s Henry Street
Locomotives and a historic Black commercial district reveal different parts of the city’s working and cultural life.
Lynchburg’s literary landscape begins at Anne Spencer’s home
A house, a garden, and the city’s Green Book history connect creativity with the realities of life under segregation.
A lake-country day with room for Booker T. Washington’s history
Pair the shoreline and trails at Smith Mountain Lake State Park with the national monument preserving Washington’s birthplace.
Chatham, Altavista, and Hurt: three towns, three different beginnings
Courthouse history, a planned railway town, and a twentieth-century community give the Route 29 corridor its own texture.
Follow the decision, not just the meeting notice
A practical guide to reading agendas, tracking votes and finding the official record in Gretna and Pittsylvania County.
Virginia’s November election: the dates to put on your calendar
Early voting starts September 18. Check registration, local arrangements and the status of election results using official sources.
A bill, a rule and an effective date tell different stories
Understand what has changed, what remains a proposal and where the next official decision will appear.
Why a global food-price rise does not translate directly to your grocery receipt
FAO reported higher world commodity prices in August. Local grocery costs require a different set of comparisons.
Gretna has posted the agenda for Tuesday’s Town Council meeting
The event-specific notice confirms a 6:30 p.m. start at Town Hall and now links the one-page agenda. That replaces the earlier need to rely on the town’s usual meeting pattern.
Pittsylvania’s Electoral Board will review polling-place accessibility Thursday
The September 10 meeting has one stated agenda item: the county’s annual ADA review and compliance confirmation for polling places.
Virginia’s drought warning includes Pittsylvania—what the advisory does and does not mean
VDH says most of Virginia remains under a drought warning despite recent rain. The advisory is a statewide signal; it is not a test of a Gretna faucet or a substitute for a local restriction notice.
A federal ownership-reporting rule changed—what a Gretna business should verify before paying anyone
FinCEN’s final rule exempts U.S.-created companies and U.S. persons from federal BOI reporting. Foreign entities registered here can still face different requirements, and scam solicitations remain a risk.
PCS’s live vacancy board includes Gretna school openings—check the posting before you apply
The district’s current job search lists teacher-aide openings at Gretna High and Gretna Middle. The live application record—not this article—controls availability and requirements.
Your library card can change tonight’s reading list
Pittsylvania’s digital collection includes magazines, audiobooks and Virginia authors. Start with the library’s own links.
Give the apple haul a plan before it fills the kitchen
Variety, storage and a simple supper idea help turn fall fruit into food you will use.
Camilla Williams carried a Danville voice onto the opera stage—and into the classroom
Her career connects local musical beginnings, a major 1946 debut, civil-rights work and decades of teaching.
Bring one business decision to a free Longwood SBDC consultation
Pittsylvania owners can seek confidential advice on planning, cash flow and marketing. A focused question gives the meeting a useful starting point.
Danville’s September 12 marathon will change the Saturday drive
Police list closures from 6 a.m.–2 p.m., with roads reopening behind the final runner.