This year’s crop is excellent: sweet, juicy and luscious with plenty to go around. Virginia peach season began officially on July 1 and the next several weeks will offer prime picking.

Honey bees are invaluable to the health of the U.S. agricultural economy as they enable the production of at least 90 commercially grown crops in the nation. In Virginia, honeybees are essential pollinators for about one-third of the state’s fruit and vegetable crops. That is why Governor Ralph S. Northam declared June 17-23 as Virginia Pollinator Week. Without adequate pollination, Virginia could experience a significant reduction in its harvest of apples, alfalfa, berries,cucumbers, melons, squash, peaches and pumpkins.”

As you sit down to dinner this Agriculture Week, why not lift your glass in a Salute to Stick-To-Itiveness for those farmers who put food on your table day after day and year after year despite the weather, price drops, increased prices for seeds or fuel, labor shortages and changing public tastes.

Governor Ralph Northam today announced that The Hershey Company, the leading North American chocolate producer and a global snacks company, will invest $104 million to grow its major manufacturing operation in Augusta County.

PWCS reports that it is the only school division in the state that attained the gold award for increased participation in their school breakfast programs.

Due to an overwhelming response to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Beehive Distribution Program, the program has been suspended. VDACS anticipates that the current volume of applications will utilize all funding allocated for the program.

A common question this time of year is, is it safe to leave Easter eggs out overnight? The answer is no.

On April 6, detectives from the Robbery Unit concluded an investigation into two armed robberies that occurred on April 1 at the McDonald’s on Dale Blvd. and April 5 at the Chic-Fil-A on the Prince William Pkwy. in Woodbridge (22192).