Fire ants. Courtesy of Stephen Ausmus and USDA.
Fire ants. Courtesy of Stephen Ausmus and USDA.

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

Politics:

On split vote, Roanoke County supervisors approve rezoning for unnamed grocery store. — The Roanoke Times.

Proposed development in Montgomery County is tabled. — The Roanoke Times.

Bids sought for design of Danville’s White Mill pedestrian bridge. — Danville Register and Bee.

Former Northam chief of staff to lead D.C.-area regional planning group. — Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Halifax County planners set to vote Tuesday on proposed meat processing and solar projects. — Halifax Gazette-Virginian and South Boston News & Record. (See background story on the growing demand for meat processors.)

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, reacts to FTC settlement with Fornite over “dark patterns.” — WSET-TV.

Economy:

Foster Fuels acquires Candler Oil; both are family-owned companies — Lynchburg News and Advance.

Virginia expands fire ant quarantine zone to include Charlotte, Dinwiddie, Halifax, Lunenburg, and Sussex counties. — South Boston News & Record. (See full release by Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.)

Education:

Central Virginia Community College awarded grant to support student parents. — WSET-TV.

Want more education news? There’s no full-time education reporter west of Richmond covering education. You can help fix that. Help us fund this position. From now until the end of the year, NewsMatch will double your gift of up to $1,000.

Health care:

Halifax County’s only oral surgeon is retiring. — Halifax Gazette-Virginian and South Boston News & Record.

Want more health care news? There’s no full-time health care reporter anywhere in Virginia. You can help fix that. Help us fund this position. From now until the end of the year, NewsMatch will double your gift of up to $1,000.

Culture:

Concept for Henrietta Lacks statue in Roanoke is unveiled. — The Roanoke Times and WDBJ-TV and WSLS-TV. (Background stories: Money also being raised for a Henrietta Lacks statue in South Boston. Also: Why both Roanoke and South Boston are unusual in planning to put up statues to Lacks.)

Weather:

Follow weather journalist Kevin Myatt on Twitter at @kevinmyattwx and sign up for his free weather email newsletter. His weekly column appears in Cardinal News each Wednesday afternoon.

Also: Myatt is interviewed on the Cardinal News Update — Blue Ridge PBS.