Here are some of the top headlines from other news outlets around Southwest and Southside:

Politics and government:

Mecklenburg shelves plans for school uniforms. — The Mecklenburg Sun.

Discovery of old ballots in Nottoway County registrar’s office referred to state police. — Blackstone Courier Record.

Economy:

Southwest Virginia Community College to be first community college in Virginia with student housing. — Bluefield Daily Telegraph and WVVA-TV.

Pittsylvania planners hit pause on large solar project. — Chatham Star-Tribune.

Former Methodist facility being renovated into hotel to serve Fort Pickett. — Blackstone Courier Record.

Soup shop coming to downtown Lynchburg; cites number of workers downtown. — WSET-TV.

Carl Snodgrass, economic development chief for three decades in Wise County, passes away. — Norton Coalfield Progress.

Barbecue restaurant coming to downtown Pulaski. — Southwest Times.

Covid:

Wise County school board member questions vaccinations; wants school vaccination clinics delayed. — Kingsport Times-News.

Covid cases decline but rate of spread still exceeds elsewhere in Virginia. — Bristol Herald-Courier.

Southwest Virginia death rate triple state rate. — WJHL-TV.

Mask opt-outs expanded. — The Mecklenburg Sun.

Other:

Popular skateboarder and You Tuber dies in plane crash in Iceland; he had family ties to Henry County. — Martinsville Bulletin.