Best garden hoes of 2023

While plenty of modern gardening tools can help prepare your garden for planting, you shouldn’t overlook the value of traditional tools. The garden hoe dates back to ancient Egypt, but it’s still highly effective for removing weeds and breaking up the soil before planting. 

There are several types of hoes, though, so choosing the right size and shape can make all the difference in how well a garden hoe performs.  But no matter what type of garden you have, one of these premium garden hoes can help get your soil ready for planting in no time. 

Types of garden hoes

While all garden hoes are similar, they come in different shapes and sizes. Depending on the tasks you plan to use them for, one type may be better than another. 

• Paddle hoes: Paddle hoes are the most common style and have a rectangular paddle angled 90 degrees from the handle. They work well for removing weeds at the roots and breaking up dirt to ready it for planting. 
• Stirrup hoes: A stirrup hoe has a paddle that resembles the stirrup on a saddle and is designed to be used in a back-and-forth motion. It works well for scooping out stubborn weeds.
• Dutch hoes: A Dutch hoe has a flat triangle blade angled 90 degrees from the handle. Its pointy edge can help dig out tough weeds or reach into tighter areas of your garden.
• Prong hoes: Prong hoes usually have a paddle hoe on one side and a forked blade on the other. They are especially effective for weeding but also let you move soil precisely around growing plants. 

Garden hoe materials

If you want your garden hoe to be as durable as possible, pay attention to its material.

Budget-friendly hoes often have welded steel blades, with a joint that can eventually wear out. Stainless steel hoes are rust- and corrosion-resistant and are a single piece without any welding that can create weak spots. However, they can be somewhat soft and may lose their shape over time.

The highest quality garden hoes typically have tempered steel blades, which are thicker and sturdier than stainless steel hoes. However, while they are corrosion-resistant, they can rust over time. 

It’s also important to consider a garden hoe’s handle material. Most are made of wood, which offers excellent shock absorption. Unfortunately, wooden handles can rot and split over time, but you can replace a wooden handle fairly easily. Fiberglass handles also provide effective shock absorption and are not prone to mold or rot.  But they are more difficult and expensive to replace than wood handles.

Best garden hoes

DeWit Long Handle Diamond Hoe with P-Grip

This garden hoe has a long handle made of European ash wood and a boron steel blade that gives it a sturdy feel. It is designed for pushing and pulling when removing weeds below the soil surface. It’s also lightweight and comfortable enough to use for long periods.

Available at Amazon

Truper Tru Pro Forged Eye Hoe 

This pro-grade hoe has a premium North American white ash handle that is easy to replace and provides the ideal ratio of resistance and flexibility. It has a solid, forged head that stands up well to regular use and breaks up soil and roots easily. It’s even backed by a lifetime warranty.

Available at Amazon

True Temper Two-Prong Weeding Hoe

This weeding hoe has a flat blade for removing light weeds and a two-pronged blade for breaking up soil and pulling out stubborn weeds.  Its handle is made of durable hardwood and has a cushioned grip to prevent fatigue. The lightweight design makes it easy to use, too.

Available at Amazon

Rogue Heavy Duty Hoe

This traditional garden hoe has a 7-inch head that is ideal for working in tighter sections of your garden. The blade is sharp on three sides for more efficient weeding and cultivating and is handcrafted in the United States.

Available at Amazon

Fiskars Solid Planters Hoe

This combination hoe works well for aerating and loosening soil, as well as removing weeds. It has a durable fiberglass handle with a loop at the end to hang it for storage and an efficient three-prong design that allows you to work more quickly. 

Available at Amazon

DeWit Right Hand Japanese Hand Hoe

This handcrafted garden hoe has a double-sided blade perfect for removing weeds and grass in your garden. Its head is made of highly durable tempered boron steel, while its handle is made of sturdy ash wood. It is also backed by a lifetime guarantee.

Available at Amazon

Truper Tru Built 48-inch Welded Garden Hoe

With a premium hardwood handle, this hoe offers a strong, durable construction that can provide years of use in your garden. It has a matte black painted head ideal for breaking up compacted soil, but it’s lightweight, making it comfortable to use even for long periods.

Available at Amazon

Rogue Field Hoe

This hoe has a sturdy fiberglass handle that offers enough strength and flexibility to make it easy to remove weeds and break up the soil. The 6-inch head is made of premium steel and is sharp enough to cut through even thick roots. It’s still lightweight and easy to use, though. 

Available at Amazon

True Temper Forged Garden Hoe

This garden hoe has a flat, forged steel blade with a serrated edge that allows for cleaner cutting while wedding or clearing other growth from your garden. It has a lightweight fiberglass handle with a cushioned grip to make it comfortable enough to prevent fatigue.

Available at Amazon

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Which hanging planter is best?

Lifting plants into the air with a hanging planter is a dramatic and effective way to give them more sunlight, save floor space and create an eye-catching display all at once. Hanging planters come in all shapes, sizes and designs for every budget.

If you’re looking for a durable and attractive hanging planter for a reasonable price, the Bouqlife Set of 3 Macrame Plant Hangers With Pots is the best option.

What to know before you buy a hanging planter

Instead of using indoor plant stands, you can save floor space by opting for a hanging planter.  Hanging planters are useful for growing kitchen herbs and low-maintenance indoor plants or even displaying beautiful artificial plants.

Materials

The most common materials for hanging planters include plastic and ceramic pots. Other options include melamine and fiberglass. Plastic is the lightest and cheapest, though it can degrade if used outdoors for long periods. Ceramic pots are often handmade and feature unique decorative elements, though heavy and breakable. Melamine and fiberglass are less common but offer more resilience while still being lightweight.

Cotton rope, leather and metal hanging structures are standard tools used to hang planters. Macrame, rope and leather all add flexibility to the structure, which lets you swap out pots as you desire or as your plants grow over time. Metal structures don’t allow for flexibility, but they provide a more sturdy structure.

Mounting hardware

Before you can lift your plant into the air, you need to pick out anchors, screws and hooks fit to support your planter. You can choose anchors based on the estimated weight of your overall structure.

Location

Where you hang your plants determines how well they will grow. Consider how much sunlight your plant needs, whether you want to hang it from the wall or the ceiling and how much room it will take up when it grows. Also, take into account how easy it is to reach for watering and pruning. If it’s a trailing plant, be sure there is ample space below.

What to look for in a quality hanging planter

High-quality hanging planters are useful for many reasons. They lift your plants out of reach of pets, young children and walkways. They also give plants more of the sunlight that they need to survive. Quality hanging planters can also turn your everyday houseplants into art.

Drainage

Like any houseplant, hanging plants need drainage. Look for pots with a drainage hole at the bottom. Some may include a rubber plug or stopper. Those are handy if you plan to water your plant over the sink and then plug it up again before setting it back in its hanging structure.

If your planter doesn’t have a drainage hole, you can keep the plant in its original nursery pot and set it inside the decorative pot for easy removal on watering day.

Room to grow

It’s a good rule of thumb to find a planter that measures roughly two inches wider in diameter than your current plant. This ensures there is room for the plant to grow without the risk of shocking the roots with too much water in extra soil.

Most plants need repotting about every two years. Flexible hanging structures help to adapt your planter as your plant grows. Rope and leather planters are flexible and can usually accommodate many sizes of pots as you continue to re-pot your plant through the years.

Stability

Shop for a hanging planter that can hold your plant and pot steady, even after a full watering. Also, look for one that holds your pot level when hung. Some flexible planters might take some adjusting to fit correctly. Other hanging planters use shelving or metal rings to stabilize the pot.

Tips for hanging

• Hang close to a window. No matter where a plant lives, it needs light. Houseplants, in particular, tend to receive less than ideal sunlight. Hanging planters can help by hoisting the plant up off the ground and in better view of the light source. To keep your plants healthy and ensure their foliage grows full, hang planters near windows to receive direct or indirect sunlight according to their needs.
• Double-check your anchor. The anchor you choose to support your hanging planter needs to be strong enough to hold even when the soil is soaked through after watering. If in doubt, choose a larger anchor.
• Choose trailing plants. Many plants look good in hanging planters, but trailing plants look especially stunning as they cascade all around the planter. If you want to create a floating garden with as much greenery as possible, opt for plants that droop over their pots for a dramatic effect.
• Adjust your plant care routine. Hot air rises, and plants that hang closer to the ceiling may need more water than the rest of your houseplants. Check the soil more frequently to see if you need to adjust your watering schedule. Ensure your hanging plants can drain properly and that there is no standing water inside the pot.

How much you can expect to spend on a hanging planter

You can expect to pay between $10-$60 for a hanging planter. Pricing is dependent on materials, size and the number of planters included in the set.

Hanging planter FAQ

How do I prevent my hanging plants from dripping water?

A. There are a few ways to prevent your hanging plants from dripping onto the floor or furniture below it.

• You can remove the plant and carry it over to the sink when it’s time to water. This is the most foolproof option, regardless of whether your planter has a drainage hole. It ensures the excess water drains into the sink before setting it back in its planter.
• You can water your plant in its hanging planter and use a drip tray inside the planter. If you go for this option, be sure not to overwater. The drip tray inside will act as a catch-all to collect excess water, though it’s not foolproof.
• You can use a planter with no drainage hole and water it directly in its planter. Water will only spill out if you overwater your plant. However, this method is more prone to root rot since the water has nowhere to drain.

How do I hang a hanging planter?

A. Hanging it from pure drywall or adhesive hooks won’t cut it for this project. To hang a planter that won’t fall, mount it to a stud or structural beam. Use an anchor that’s strong enough to hold the weight of your hanging structure, the pot and the plant. Account for extra weight since plants are heavier after you water them.

What’s the best hanging planter to buy?

Top hanging planter

Bouqlife Macrame Plant Hangers with Pots, Set of 3

Our take: This cotton macrame planter set is minimal enough to complement any decor and flexible enough to accommodate various-sized plants as they grow.

What we like: The set includes three sizes of plastic pots with drainage holes and saucers and three handcrafted macrame planter holders and hooks. Choose between plain white pots and speckled ones.

What we dislike: The medium and small hangers are similar in length compared to the large hanger.

Where to buy: Available at Amazon

Top hanging planter for the money

Augshy Macrame Plant Hanger, Two-Pack

Our take: These round ceramic planters with wooden bead accents add a classy touch to any home for an affordable price.

What we like: These planters come with a simple natural rope hanging structure,  S-hooks and anchors. The macrame is environmentally friendly and is very durable. It’s also got long straps.  Choose between seven colors and two sizes.

What we dislike: They don’t work well for heavier plants.

Where to buy: Available at Amazon

Worth checking out

Umbra Triflora Hanging Planter

Our take: This triple hanging planter makes it simple to hang three plants in front of a window with a steel rod and modern, durable planters.

What we like: These melamine planters are shatter-resistant and more durable than ceramic or plastic. The modern lines of the steel hanging structure add an industrial-chic look to your decor. It’s available in five color combinations. You can choose between a set of three or five hanging planters.

What we dislike: These planters are fixed on a steel rod, so they must be hung together as a set.

Where to buy: Available at Amazon

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Katy Palmer writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

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By The Associated Press

The greatest challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin in his more than two decades in power fizzled out after the rebellious mercenary commander who ordered his troops to march on Moscow abruptly reached a deal with the Kremlin to go into exile and sounded the retreat.

The brief revolt, though, exposed vulnerabilities among Russian government forces, with Wagner Group soldiers under the command of Yevgeny Prigozhin able to move unimpeded into the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and advance hundreds of kilometers (miles) toward Moscow. The Russian military scrambled to defend Russia’s capital.

Under the deal announced Saturday by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Prigozhin will go to neighboring Belarus, which has supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Charges against him of mounting an armed rebellion will be dropped.

The government also said it would not prosecute Wagner fighters who took part, while those who did not join in were to be offered contracts by the Defense Ministry. Prigozhin ordered his troops back to their field camps in Ukraine, where they have been fighting alongside Russian regular soldiers.

Putin had vowed earlier to punish those behind the armed uprising led by his onetime protege. In a televised speech to the nation, he called the rebellion a “betrayal” and “treason.”

In allowing Prigozhin and his forces to go free, Peskov said, Putin’s “highest goal” was “to avoid bloodshed and internal confrontation with unpredictable results.”

Some observers said Putin’s strongman image has taken a hit.

“Putin has been diminished for all time by this affair,” former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst said on CNN.

Moscow had braced for the arrival of the Wagner forces by erecting checkpoints with armored vehicles and troops on the city’s southern edge. About 3,000 Chechen soldiers were pulled from fighting in Ukraine and rushed there early Saturday, state television in Chechnya reported. Russian troops armed with machine guns put up checkpoints on Moscow’s southern outskirts. Crews dug up sections of highways to slow the march.

Wagner troops advanced to just 200 kilometers (120 miles) from Moscow, according to Prigozhin. But after the deal was struck, Prigozhin announced that he had decided to retreat to avoid “shedding Russian blood.”

Prigozhin had demanded the ouster of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, whom Prigohzhin has long criticized in withering terms for his conduct of the 16-month-long war in Ukraine. On Friday, he accused forces under Shoigu’s command of attacking Wagner camps and killing “a huge number of our comrades.”

If Putin were to agree to Shoigu’s ouster, it could be politically damaging for the president after he branded Prigozhin a backstabbing traitor.

The U.S. had intelligence that Prigozhin had been building up his forces near the border with Russia for some time. That conflicts with Prigozhin’s claim that his rebellion was a response to an attack on his camps in Ukraine on Friday by the Russian military.

In announcing the rebellion, Prigozhin accused Russian forces of attacking the Wagner camps in Ukraine with rockets, helicopter gunships and artillery. He alleged that Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff, ordered the attacks following a meeting with Shoigu in which they decided to destroy the military contractor.

The Defense Ministry denied attacking the camps.

Congressional leaders were briefed on the Wagner buildup earlier last week, a person familiar with the matter said. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. The U.S. intelligence briefing was first reported by CNN.

Early Saturday, Prigozhin’s private army appeared to control the military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don, a city 660 miles (over 1,000 kilometers) south of Moscow, which runs Russian operations in Ukraine, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said.

Russian media reported that several helicopters and a military communications plane were downed by Wagner troops. Russia’s Defense Ministry has not commented.

After the agreement de-escalated tensions, video from Rostov-on-Don posted on Russian messaging app channels showed people cheering Wagner troops as they departed. Prigozhin was riding in an SUV followed by a large truck, and people greeted him and some ran to shake his hand. The regional governor later said that all of the troops had left the city.

Wagner troops and equipment also were in Lipetsk province, about 360 kilometers (225 miles) south of Moscow.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin declared Monday a non-working day for most residents as part of the heightened security, a measure that remained in effect even after the retreat.

Ukrainians hoped the Russian infighting would create opportunities for their army to take back territory seized by Russian forces.

“These events will have been of great comfort to the Ukrainian government and the military,” said Ben Barry, senior fellow for land warfare at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He said that even with a deal, Putin’s position has probably been weakened.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Saturday, shortly before Prigozhin announced his retreat, that the march exposed weakness in the Kremlin and “showed all Russian bandits, mercenaries, oligarchs” that it is easy to capture Russian cities “and, probably, arsenals.”

Wagner troops have played a crucial role in the Ukraine war, capturing the eastern city of Bakhmut, an area where the bloodiest and longest battles have taken place. But Prigozhin has increasingly criticized the military brass, accusing it of incompetence and of starving his troops of munitions.

The 62-year-old Prigozhin, a former convict, has longstanding ties to Putin and won lucrative Kremlin catering contracts that earned him the nickname “Putin’s chef.”

He and a dozen other Russian nationals were charged in the United States with operating a covert social media campaign aimed at fomenting discord ahead of Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential election victory. Wagner has sent military contractors to Libya, Syria, several African countries and eventually Ukraine.

___

Associated Press writers Danica Kirka in London, and Nomaan Merchant in Washington, contributed.

___

Follow AP coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine-war

A new version of the “great eight” now can be attributed to Connor Hall.

The Hampton native won the twin 75-lap featured races Saturday night at Langley Speedway in his hometown. They were the seventh and eighth Late Model events that have counted in Langley’s 2023 standings, and Hall has won all of them.

Before the season, Hall was believed to be forgoing a championship run because he is running the CARS Tour full-time, but he has built a large lead in the standings.

In Saturday’s opener, Hall won by 0.919 of a second over Greg Edwards in what became a two-man competition. Ryan Matthews was third, 14.667 seconds behind Hall. Just half of the 16 starters ended on the lead lap in a race that lasted more than 21 minutes.

In the encore, which took more than 37 minutes, Hall outran runner-up Nick Smith by 597-thousandths of a second. Edwards was third and Matthews fourth.

In Saturday’s other races:

Grand Stock: Paul Lubno and Tim Wilson each earned 20-lap victories in races with eight drivers apiece.

In the opener, Lubno held off Wilson by 350-thousandths of a second to prevail in just less than 8 1/2 minutes. Bill Eaker placed third among the eight competitors, 1.427 seconds off the lead.

Wilson responded by winning the division’s second duel of the evening, with Lubno second and Eaker again third. Wilson owns two Grand Stock victories in three races for the year.

Super Street: Sammy Gaita took the checkered flag in a 40-lap event that took almost 16 minutes. He became the fourth victor in the division’s five races this year.

Points leader Gordon Weeks III was the runner-up, 0.559 seconds behind, and Dale Nichols finished third among 13 drivers to remain his closest pursuer in the standings. Gaita began the evening fifth in points.

Super Truck: Hunter Waltrip earned a 25-lap triumph in less than 27 minutes, adding to his standings lead by finishing 0.488 of a second ahead of runner-up Rick Poust. It was Waltrip’s third win in five Super Truck races this year.

Donald Brown took third among 14 starters, 3.574 seconds from the lead. Bill Wallace, who opened the program sharing the points lead with Waltrip, placed fourth.

UCAR: Hayden Sheldon zoomed to a 25-lap victory over more than 13 1/2 minutes, cruising past Dustin Connor by 3.604 seconds. Bill Eaker was next in the field of 13, 3.897 from the front.

It was the second triumph of the year by Sheldon, who already owned the points lead.

Champ Kart: Jeffrey Johnson edged Timmy Waltrip by a minuscule 26-thousandths of a second to win a 20-lap race that took about 10 1/2 minutes.

John Snyder was a distant third, 2.873 seconds off the lead, and all but two of the 10 drivers finished on the lead lap.

Johnson began the night five points behind leader Ryan Hudgins, who placed fourth.

——–

Saturday’s leaders at Langley Speedway, with car numbers in parentheses.

Late Model 75 #1: (16 starters); 1. (77) Connor Hall; 2. (21) Greg Edwards; 3. (51) Ryan Matthews; 4. (31) Cole Bruce; 5. (55) Mark Wertz.

Late Model 75 #2: (16 starters); 1. (77) Connor Hall; 2. (12) Nick Smith; 3. (21) Greg Edwards; 4. (51) Ryan Matthews; 5. (41) Woody Howard.

Super Street 40: (13 starters); 1. (21) Sammy Gaita; 2. (20) Gordon Weeks III; 3. (8) Dale Nichols; 4. (44) Colby Vance; 5. (30) Jonathan White.

Grand Stock 20 #1: (8 starters); 1. (14) Paul Lubno; 2. (17) Tim Wilson; 3. (29) Bill Eaker; 4. (22) Mike Parker; 5. (47) Nate Lundin.

Grand Stock 20 #2: (8 starters); 1. (17) Tim Wilson; 2. (14) Paul Lubno; 3. (29) Bill Eaker; 4. (8) Ethan Hartman; 5. (22) Mike Parker.

Super Truck 25: (14 starters); 1. (33) Hunter Waltrip; 2. (9) Rick Poust; 3. (05) Donald Brown; 4. (19) Bill Wallace; 5. (57) Chris Bechtel.

UCAR 25: (11 starters); 1. (13) Hayden Sheldon; 2. (32) Dustin Connor; 3. (22) Bill Eaker; 4. (36) Tyler Borden; 5. (6) Christian Keller.

Champ Kart 20: (10 starters); 1. (30) Jeffrey Johnson; 2. (17) Timmy Waltrip; 3. (06) John Snyder; 4. (4) Ryan Hudgins; 5. (46) David Phelps.

Daz Cameron’s double brought in the go-ahead run in the 11th inning, and the Norfolk Tides pulled out a 5-3 victory Saturday night before 10,567 at Nashville.

Reliever Nick Vespi (3-0) pitched three hitless innings, his longest stint in 2 1/2 years, for the victory.

The Tides (48-25), who clinched the International League first-half championship earlier in the week, improved to 3-2 in the series in Tennessee. The Sounds, Milwaukee’s top affiliate, dropped to 39-34 entering Sunday’s 3:05 p.m. series finale.

Outfielder Cedric Mullins was called up to Baltimore after a short rehabilitation stint with the Tides, but Ryan Mountcastle’s return from vertigo continued. He played first base and was 0 for 3 but scored a run.

The Tides employed a “bullpen game” because their scheduled starter, Bruce Zimmermann, was called up by the Orioles. Nashville went ahead off Eduard Bazardo in the second inning, thanks to Eddy Alvarez’s two-run single. But Norfolk relievers Kyle Dowdy, Joey Krehbiel and Easton Lucas combined to shut down Nashville for the rest of the regulation nine innings.

Sounds starter Robert Gasser, the IL strikeout leader, collected nine in 6 1/3 innings. The Tides’ only run off him came when Ramon Rodriguez crossed the plate on Heston Kjerstad’s groundout in the sixth. Rodriguez was playing his second game with the Tides after a promotion from Double-A Bowie; he’ll help replace Anthony Bemboom, who was recalled by the Orioles.

Josh Lester, just sent down Saturday by Baltimore, entered the game to replace infielder Connor Norby, who injured his leg. Lester lined a tying RBI single to bring home Mountcastle in the eighth.

In extra innings, when a runner starts at second base, Westburg singled home Colton Cowser in the top of the 10th. The Sounds extended the game when Abraham Toro’s sacrifice fly to Cowser in center brought in Brice Turang.

The decisive inning was the 11th. Lester, who began the inning at second base, came home when Cameron grounded a pitch down the left-field line. Reliever Alex Claudio (0-2) then balked and threw a wild pitch that prompted Cameron’s trip home.

The Sounds had runners at first and second in the 11th, and Michael Reed thrilled the crowd with a deep fly to left field. But the Tides’ Ben DeLuzio caught it, and Alvarez flew out to right field to end the contest.

On May 31, 2019, a disgruntled city of Virginia Beach employee shot and killed a city contractor in broad daylight just outside Building 2 at the Municipal Center, before walking into the building, brandishing a gun. And then, in what should have been one of the safest and securest workplaces in town, the security failures were so severe, so catastrophic, that a man with handguns was able to commit the second worst workplace mass shooting in U.S. history, in a government building mere steps from police headquarters.

At the city of Virginia Beach’s second most important government building, accessible to the public and housing hundreds of city employees, there were no police officers or security measures to stop an armed gunman from entering. Nor was he limited to the public areas of the building. Despite his resignation earlier that day, his city-issued key card allowed him to open the building’s interior doors.

Responding officers did not have that access; they could not override the city’s key card door system to gain access to interior portions of the building. The gunman was able to roam freely throughout the building, hunting down his victims, killing not one more person or two more people, but 11 more people, spread throughout all three floors of the building and a stairwell. The city’s key card door system, meant to provide security, locked the police out as a bloody massacre took place and city employees were murdered and terrorized within.

The city of Virginia Beach was responsible for the security of Building 2 and had an obligation to provide city employees a reasonably safe workplace. The undeniable reality is that the city fell short of those obligations. And the uncomfortable, heartbreaking truth is that those failures cost lives. The lives of city employees such as my mom, Mary Lou Gayle.

I do not think those failures were intentional. The same is true for the human resources shortcomings that gave rise to a hostile workplace while failing to address behavioral concerns, or that allowed an employee to retain a key card to the building after resigning. The failures weren’t intentional. That doesn’t mean the failures didn’t happen. That doesn’t mean the victims’ families don’t deserve accountability.

This is about accountability, not liability. Not a single victims’ family has filed suit against the city. This isn’t about attacking the city for mistakes that can’t be unmade. But people died. Surely it is not too much to expect those mistakes to be acknowledged, or for the city to take responsibility for the consequences of those mistakes.

The city’s failures cost lives. Rather than investigate those failures and hold itself accountable, the city treated the tragedy like a public relations problem to be managed, promised victims’ families answers and support, then consistently failed to provide either.

But we know all we need to know to do the right thing now. We know the city owed its employees a safe workplace. We know the city clearly failed to provide that. We know the victims’ families and survivors have suffered incalculable costs due to that failure. And we know the city itself has done nothing to ease the burden of those costs.

Compared to recent news coverage of lawsuits against municipalities, it is clear the amount we are seeking from the General Assembly in support, $40 million total for 12 victims’ families and hundreds of survivors, is an extremely modest request given the scope of the tragedy and the number of people harmed. It is an outrage that we have been forced to request it from the commonwealth because the city has failed us as it failed our loved ones.

You can help end that ongoing injustice now. Urge the General Assembly to allocate the $40 million in requested funding to support the victims’ families and survivors of the Building 2 massacre.

It is late, but not too late to do the right thing.

Matthew Gayle is from Virginia Beach and resides in Westville, New Jersey. His mother, Mary Lou Gayle, was among the victims of the May 31, 2019, mass shooting in Virginia Beach.

In the fall of 2002, I woke up in my Christopher Newport University dorm with blinding pain in my temples. The pain was so acute that it caused partial vision loss. I visited four doctors within a week to determine why I had excruciating headaches and had to hold my temples to look out of my periphery.

My parents joined me an hour from home for a series of tests, including an MRI. While we waited days for the results, I was alone at school navigating coursework and debilitating discomfort. Frightened and anxious, I braced myself for the diagnosis. Short-term: optical neuritis. Long-term: multiple sclerosis.

I was 20 years old. No cure. Possibly a lifetime disability.

In simple terms, MS is a chronic and unpredictable disease that affects the central nervous system. It can cause a wide range of symptoms, including fatigue, numbness or tingling, muscle weakness, vision problems, and difficulty with coordination and balance.

From personal experience, it can also cause a wide range of fears before and after diagnosis.

After hearing the news, my dreams and inspirations of building a family and career were replaced with visions of disability and mobility challenges. But shortly afterward, my vision returned, and I started a treatment program with a local neurologist. I’m grateful that my nightmares never came true. Twenty years after my diagnosis, I’m a wife, mom to two young boys, a successful public relations professional, and recently completed a 10k.

I’m proof that early detection and treatment are keys to living a full and fantastic life, even with MS.

Today, I am committed to raising awareness about MS and helping to find a cure. It’s important that people know the warning signs of MS and understand that a diagnosis doesn’t define them. I’m privileged that I can bridge my personal and professional passions as a public health communicator. I’m committed to reducing health disparities to raise awareness about a disease that’s affected my life.

Here are some common symptoms you should know about MS: fatigue, numbness and tingling, loss of balance, stiffness or spasms, tremors, bladder problems, bowel troubles, and vision issues. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, talk to a doctor. If you don’t have insurance, please seek out a free clinic or a federally qualified health center.

Unfortunately, some people don’t have access to health resources or ignore MS warning signs, especially in rural communities. My colleagues and I at the Institute for Public Health Innovation, a nonprofit that develops multi-sector partnerships and innovative solutions to improve the public’s health, are working to change that.

Our three-year project funded by the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation is improving access to diagnostic and support resources for rural populations with MS in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina. This work includes educating and training non-specialty providers about MS symptoms and increasing public awareness about MS and its treatment options. We’re meeting people where they are as we participate in local community events. We’re also partnering with established programs such as mobile health units.

According to research, people with MS are at a higher risk of developing mental health symptoms such as depression and anxiety and face higher unemployment rates. But when people are diagnosed early, they can take medications to slow the progression and manage symptoms. In addition, people living with MS report higher satisfaction when they are treated by a specialist familiar with MS and are more likely to be offered a disease-modifying therapist.

Our efforts are helping more people in rural communities understand MS and access treatment. As awareness spreads, I’m hopeful more individuals — no matter where they live — will advocate for themselves, get screened and seek treatment.

Taya Jarman, APR is the communications director at Institute for Public Health Innovation and president of PRSA Richmond. Email her at [email protected].

By The Associated Press

The rebellious Russian mercenary commander who ordered his troops to march on Moscow before abruptly reversing course will move to neighboring Belarus and not face prosecution, the Kremlin said Saturday, as part of a deal to defuse a crisis that represented the most significant challenge to President Vladimir Putin in his more than two decades in power.

The charges against Yevgeny Prigozhin for mounting an armed rebellion will be dropped and the troops who joined him also will not be prosecuted, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced, and fighters from his Wagner Group who did not take part in the uprising will be offered contracts by the Defense Ministry.

Putin had vowed to punish those behind the armed uprising led by his onetime protege, whose forces seized a key military facility in southern Russia before advancing on the capital. In a televised speech to the nation, Putin called the rebellion a “betrayal” and “treason.”

In allowing Prigozhin and his forces to go free, Peskov said Putin’s “highest goal” was “to avoid bloodshed and internal confrontation with unpredictable results.”

Moscow had braced for the arrival of the Wagner forces by erecting checkpoints with armored vehicles and troops on the city’s southern edge. Red Square was shut down, and the mayor urged motorists to stay off some roads.

But after the deal was struck, Prigozhin announced that while his men were just 200 kilometers (120 miles) from Moscow, he had decided to retreat to avoid “shedding Russian blood.” His troops were ordered back to their field camps in Ukraine, where they have been fighting alongside Russian regular soldiers.

Prigozhin has demanded the ouster of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, long the target of his withering criticism for his conduct of the war in Ukraine. On Friday, he accused forces under Shoigu’s command of attacking Wagner camps and killing “a huge number of our comrades.”

Prigozhin did not say whether the Kremlin had responded to his demand. Peskov said the issue could not have been discussed during the negotiations, which were conducted by the president of Belarus, and is the “exclusive prerogative of the commander in chief.”

If Putin were to agree to Shoigu’s ouster, it could be politically damaging for the president after he branded Prigozhin a backstabbing traitor.

Early Saturday, Prigozhin’s private army appeared to control the military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don, a city 660 miles (over 1,000 kilometers) south of Moscow, which runs Russian operations in Ukraine, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said.

A nighttime video from the city posted on Russian messaging app channels showed people cheering Wagner troops as they left Rostov-on-Don. Prigozhin was seen riding in one of the vehicles, and people greeted him and some ran to shake his hand as he lowered the window. The regional governor later said that all of the troops had left the city.

Wagner troops and equipment also were in Lipetsk province, about 360 kilometers (225 miles) south of Moscow.

Authorities declared a “counterterrorist regime” in Moscow and its surrounding region, enhancing security and restricting some movement. On the southern outskirts, troops erected checkpoints, arranged sandbags and set up machine guns. Crews dug up sections of highways to slow the march.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin declared Monday a non-working day for most residents as part of the heightened security, a measure that remained in effect even after the retreat.

The dramatic developments came exactly 16 months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Europe’s largest conflict since World War II, which has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions and reduced cities to rubble.

Ukrainians hoped the Russian infighting would create opportunities for their army to take back territory seized by Russian forces.

Ben Barry, senior fellow for land warfare at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said that even with a deal, Putin’s position has probably been weakened and “these events will have been of great comfort to the Ukrainian government and the military.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Saturday, shortly before Prigozhin announced his retreat, that the march exposed weakness in the Kremlin and “showed all Russian bandits, mercenaries, oligarchs” that it is easy to capture Russian cities “and, probably, arsenals.”

Switching into Russian in his daily video address, Zelenskyy said “the man from the Kremlin” was “very afraid.” He repeated his calls for the West to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets and ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles.

Prigozhin had vowed earlier that his fighters, whom he said number some 25,000, would not surrender because “we do not want the country to live on in corruption, deceit and bureaucracy.”

“Regarding the betrayal of the motherland, the president was deeply mistaken. We are patriots of our homeland,” he said in an audio message on his Telegram channel.

He posted video of himself at the military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don and claimed his forces had taken control of the airfield and other military facilities in the city without any deaths or even “a single gunshot.”

Russian media, however, reported that several helicopters and a military communications plane were downed by Wagner troops. The Kremlin referred a question about the losses to the Defense Ministry, which has not commented.

The short-lived rebellion came as Russia is “fighting the toughest battle for its future,” Putin said, with the West piling sanctions on Moscow and arming Ukraine.

“The entire military, economic and information machine of the West is waged against us,” Putin said.

State-controlled TV networks led their newscasts with Putin’s statement and reported the tense situation in Rostov-on-Don. Broadcasters also carried statements from top Russian officials and lawmakers voicing support for Putin, condemning Prigozhin and urging him to back down.

Chechnyan strongman Ramzan Kadyrov, who in the past has sided with Prigozhin in his criticisms of Russia’s military, also expressed support for Putin’s “every word.”

“The mutiny needs to be suppressed,” Kadyrov said.

Wagner troops have played a crucial role in the Ukraine war, capturing the eastern city of Bakhmut, an area where the bloodiest and longest battles have taken place. But Prigozhin has increasingly criticized the military brass, accusing it of incompetence and of starving his troops of munitions.

In announcing the rebellion, Prigozhin accused Russian forces of attacking the Wagner camps in Ukraine with rockets, helicopter gunships and artillery. He alleged that Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff, ordered the attacks following a meeting with Shoigu in which they decided to destroy the military contractor.

The Defense Ministry denied attacking the camps.

The 62-year-old Prigozhin, a former convict, has longstanding ties to Putin and won lucrative Kremlin catering contracts that earned him the nickname “Putin’s chef.”

He gained attention in the U.S. when he and a dozen other Russian nationals were charged with operating a covert social media campaign aimed at fomenting discord ahead of Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential election victory. Wagner has sent military contractors to Libya, Syria, several African countries and eventually Ukraine.

The rebellion appeared likely to further hinder Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine, as Kyiv’s forces probed Russian defenses in the initial stages of a counteroffensive.

Orysia Lutsevych, the head of the Ukraine Forum at the Chatham House think tank in London, said the infighting could create confusion and potential division among Russian military forces.

“Russian troops in Ukraine may well now be operating in a vacuum, without clear military instructions, and doubts about whom to obey and follow,″ Lutsevych said. “This creates a unique and unprecedented military opportunity for the Ukrainian army.”

Western countries monitored developments closely. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with his counterparts in the other G7 countries and the European Union’s foreign affairs representative, his spokesman said, adding that Blinken “reiterated that support by the United States for Ukraine will not change.”

Latvia and Estonia, two NATO countries that border Russia, said they were increasing security at their borders.

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Associated Press writer Danica Kirka in London contributed.

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Follow AP coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine-war