There's good rockhounding in Virginia if you're willing to drive a bit. You can find garnet, amazonite, amethyst, blue quartz, turquoise, unakite, prehnite and much more. There are some old mines that will seasonally be open to the public and are usually great for kids. Lucky Lake is one that's not too far that should open in the spring. But you can also Google rockhounding maps of Virginia to get suggestions on where to find different rocks. It's not as simple as looking in the back yard but it can make for a fun getaway.

Avid rock tumbler here! Best source for supplies is The Rock Shed. They ship super fast (faster than Bezos) and have great customer service. I haven't found a local place that sells what I like yet so this has been my go-to for all grits and polish. They have a great selection of rough for tumbling as well if you find you need more rocks.

Other sources for rocks include Rough Stone Rocks (just pay attention to the size as some things come in larger pieces that would need to be broken or cut) and Gems By Mail (the website sucks but their stuff is quality and they always have good deals).

Nope, just one.

Today is the firehouse primary for Dems. The special election isn't until February.

They already chose their candidate at their convention on Saturday. They're running Leon Benjamin again.

Just voted at Dogtown. They had a steady flow of people going in and out but it moved quickly.