Steve Pope, 67, of Mathews, has announced that he is running as a write-in candidate for a seat on the board of the Tidewater Soil and Water Conservation District. There are no candidates for the position on the ballot.

Pope said his primary goals, if elected, would be to support local farmers’ efforts to sustain a tradition of agriculture in Mathews; to promote agriculture in the schools, providing opportunities for hands-on experience and education; and to encourage small-plot farming in order to both increase the availability to residents of locally grown produce and to financially benefit those who provide the produce.

A Mathews resident since 1978, Pope is perhaps best known for having served as area supervisor for the Virginia Marine Resources Commission and for his six-year stint on the Mathews County Planning Commission. He is also a U.S. Coast Guard veteran who had numerous overseas deployments and was awarded a Legion of Merit and two Meritorious Service Medals.

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