Tractor Supply has been “comin’ to Blackstone” for more than a year now. I was beginning to think the chain was arriving here by tractor. It wasn’t the worst-kept secret at Town Hall this year, but it was right up there.
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A Town official told us this week that the national chain first expressed interest here about 10 years ago. Tractor Supply was eyeing the property that became Goodwill and is now DecoDen. Back then, there was also talk of Bojangles coming to that property as well. Bojangles apparently got cold feet after a market study. What!? We country folks don’t eat fried chicken? Who knew?
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Everyone was well-behaved at last week’s informational session on the proposed Rocky Ford solar project. I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t predict that pattern to continue. The proposal has grown in size to some 700 acres under panel. Opponents are fired-up, while supporters say they just want to make income off of their land and that neighbors won’t hear it, smell it, or taste it — and some won’t even see it. I predict a 3-2 vote in favor of the project. If I’m wrong, I’ll make another prediction — your County tax payment and mine will nearly double in five years or less.
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I’ve been told the solar siting agreement could mean as much as $6 million or more in up-front cash for Nottoway County. If that number is anywhere close to being accurate, it sure could go a long way toward alleviating some of our financial challenges. Also remember, those seeking to have panels placed on their properties are willing landowners. They’re not being coerced by the government — at least not yet.
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Last week’s big win by Democrats statewide was no surprise. Virginia is a deep blue state — Obama carried it twice, and Hillary, Biden, and Kamala also each won it and did so easily. Democrats will have strong control of both state chambers in the General Assembly — 64-36 in the House and 21-19 in the Senate; and the Senate tie-breaker will belong to Lt. Gov.-elect Ghazala Hashmi, who refused to debate her most worthy opponent, John Reid.
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The main reason Republicans won statewide back in 2021 was parents were tired of their kids being kept out of school due to COVID, and Terry McAuliffe (D) said during that year’s gubernatorial debate: “I don’t think parents should be telling schools what they should teach.” Virginia voters that year also were seeing state Dems defending and even praising an angry, incoherent Joe Biden in the Oval Office. If you’re a conservative from Southside, you can take comfort: most of this area remains reliably red. We also have two senior Delegates, Lee Ware and Tommy Wright, who are rock solid on gun owner rights.
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With that said, this Virginia independent is happy for Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger on her historic election as the first woman to lead our Commonwealth. She and her staff were great to work with when she was Nottoway’s Congressional rep. She visited “red” Nottoway County numerous times as Congresswoman. Her very first public appearance as Representative-elect in 2018 was Blackstone’s Veterans Day ceremony in Seay Park. She helped our fire department get funding for a badly-needed ladder truck. And when everyone was raising hell in 2021 about Afghan evacuees at Pickett, she demanded a site visit and made sure local officials were included. She put her duties above party. I believe she’ll do the same in Richmond, and that includes reining-in some of the NoVA crazies. I don’t want to have to attend a pro-gun (2A) rally in the January cold outside the Capitol. But I’m willing.
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