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LONGWOOD MAKES THE TOP FIVE

Longwood University received some big news this week. On Monday, Sept. 12, the school was notified it is one of the top five public universities in the South. The announcement came from U.S. News and World Report, which released its latest rankings Monday.

“Though rankings can never paint a complete picture of life on campus, I’m proud that our investment in the Civitae curriculum and full-time faculty is being recognized,” said Longwood President W. Taylor Reveley IV.

This marks the school’s first time in the top five and seventh straight time in the region’s top 10.

PRINCE EDWARD STUDENTS WILL TRAVEL TO EXPO

High school and middle school students in Prince Edward County will have a chance next week to learn about different careers. Classes from both schools will travel to Hampden-Sydney College on Sept. 21-22, to take part in the Career Choice Expo.

The goal is to highlight different types of jobs, helping them learn about local occupations and employers. As part of the event, students will rotate to three Work Zones, where they’ll explore a variety of options. Middle school students will go on Sept. 21, leaving at 8:30 a.m. and getting back to school at 11 a.m. High schoolers will go on the same schedule the next day.

Now we bring this up because permission slips have to be signed in order for a student to attend. School district officials say those slips will be going out this week, so be sure to sign them if you want your child to take part.

EARLY DISMISSAL SET FOR PRINCE EDWARD SCHOOLS

Just a quick note that students in all Prince Edward County Public Schools will get out early on Thursday. Classes will be released at 12:30 p.m., as parent-teacher conferences will be held from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

That begins an extended weekend for students in the district, as Friday, Sept. 16 is a teacher workday.

STATE LIBERTARIAN PARTY SHUTS DOWN

The local and state Libertarian Party is no more. The Virginia group sent out a message Monday, announcing they immediately and fully dissolve as a political party.

In their message, group leaders cited multiple reasons for the change. First, they failed to run any candidate for statewide office last year. Second, they failed to even hold a nominating convention for statewide positions. And, according to the document, things haven’t improved much this year.

“The Libertarian Party of Virginia has similarly failed to recruit even a single candidate this election cycle to represent the Libertarian Party for local office, all prospective candidates having either bowed out or changed party affiliation in recent months,” the statement reads.

It goes on to say the Party has also been powerless to prevent widespread member resignations. Those losses “have left some of our county affiliates shells of their prior strength,” the document stated.

It added that the state operation also took “no meaningful action as long-standing affiliates have withered and become inactive.”