News

Dance, Dance, Dance • Fundraiser Benefits Child Care Center

By KATHLEEN SHAWDaily News-Record  11/18/19  They waltzed, trotted and cha-cha’d all night long.Dancing with the Stars of the ‘Burg took place Sunday for the 10th year to raise funds for the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Child Day Care Center. Held at the James Madison University Festival Conference and Student Center, the event featured seven teams comprised of prominent members of the local community paired with experienced dancers from the Shenandoah Valley Chapter of USA Dance.Over the years, each show has

County School Board To Discuss Redistricting

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  11/8/19  During a series of meetings, the Rockingham County School Board will share information on a number of potential changes, including redistricting.For the past two and a half years, members of the school community have been involved in a process and conversation about creating an educational system in Rockingham County Public Schools that is designed to prepare children for the future.On Monday at 7 p.m. at the Elkton Area Community Center, Superintendent Oskar

From mercenaries to missionaries, Chiedo Labs announcing rebrand to Generate Impact.

Over the past 7 years, local Harrisonburg business Chiedo Labs LLC has been at the forefront of application and web development services. Working with local businesses, startups and entrepreneurs to expand their business and simplify day-to-day operations. JMU alumni and founder Chiedo John turned his dorm room idea into the business known by many today. Chiedo’s journey saw the company through many different business models with varying levels of success. These ultimately led him to the discovery that the

InDemand Series: Looking Forward

WHSV is wrapping up our year-long look at in-demand jobs in the valley. We’ve featured 24 different career paths with jobs that feature high pay but do not require a four-year college degree. Debby Hopkins with the Shenandoah Valley Workforce Development board says people are often surprised with the options out there when starting to look for a career. “They can look at what a cook can get or look at a pilot or take a look at an opportunity that they never really considered before,” Hopkins said. “Many

Weichert Affiliated Office in Your Area Welcomes New Team Member

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Lernard Freeman Franchise Communications Specialist Weichert Real Estate Affiliates, Inc. 225 Littleton Rd., Morris Plains, NJ 07950 Office: 973.401.5578LFreeman@weichertrealtors.net Gordon Cowan Joins Weichert, Realtors(r) - Nancy Beahm Real Estate Harrisonburg, VA (Grassroots Newswire) November 5, 2019 -- Weichert, Realtors(r) - Nancy Beahm Real Estate is proud to announce Gordon Cowan has joined their Harrisonburg office. Cowan joins a dedicated team of

Virginia Economic Review: Cheido John

READ THE LATEST ISSUE HERE

November is Military Month at Greens & Grains

EMU Ranks In Top 10 For Online Program

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  11/2/19  Eastern Mennonite University was recently ranked by SR Education Group for having one of the best online bachelor’s degree programs in the state.SR Education Group recently published its 2020 Best Online Colleges By State rankings, which are based on a combination of manually researched tuition, accreditation, and PayScale salary data.EMU ranked eighth in the state of Virginia.There are a number of online programs offered at EMU, but it’s the nursing programs

Hundreds Walk To End Alzheimer’s At JMU

By LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record  11/4/19  Celena Johnson watches people every day lose their memory and become less of themselves.Johnson works in the memory care unit at White Birch Communities, an assisted living facility in Rockingham County.“I see so many residents who have Alzheimer’s, and it’s just heartbreaking to see them lose a piece of who they were,” she said. “And there’s no cure to this awful thing.”Johnson attended the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Saturday with other

New HEF Executive Director Named

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record 11/5/19  A new executive director of the Harrisonburg Education Foundation will be officially named following a vote during the Harrisonburg School Board meeting today.Cody Oliver will take the helm of the organization.Former Executive Director Zanetta Ford-Byrd resigned to pursue and expand her consulting practice, said Deb Fitzgerald, School Board chairwoman.“This is an opportunity she wanted to take advantage of,” Fitzgerald said, adding that Ford-Byrd has been the

Board OKs $87.24M Max High School Cost

By LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record 11/6/19  The Harrisonburg School Board voted in favor of an $87.24 million guaranteed maximum price of a new high school at Tuesday’s meeting.Following a presentation and breakdown of the cost by local contractor Nielsen Builders Inc., the board unanimously approved the price for the school to open in 2022.“ It feels like a safe price just thinking about our community and some of the numbers that were put out into the public. To have it come under $90 million — I mean,

PrePOPsterous® Wins Made in Virginia Award

NEWS RELEASE Contact: Tisha McCoy-Ntiamoah, Owner PrePOPsterous Gourmet Popcorn & Sodas 540.227.4801 info@prepopsterous.com www.PrePOPsterous.com PrePOPsterous® Wins Made in Virginia Award PrePOPsterous® Gourmet Popcorn & Sodas scored a top spot in Virginia Living magazine’s prestigious 8th Annual Made in Virginia Awards. PrePOPsterous® Gourmet Popcorn & Sodas is Virginia’s destination for fresh-made gourmet popcorn and soda pop. The company is an online retailer that ships all over the U.S. and

Rosetta Stone and Daniel’s Promotional Products Partner with HCHC to Create Newborn Care Kits

Rosetta Stone and Daniel’s Promotional Products Partner with HCHC to Create Newborn Care KitsLocal community invited to donate needed supplies throughout the month of November  (November 1, 2019 – Harrisonburg, VA) HCHC is pleased to announce that the employees of language software pioneer Rosetta Stone Harrisonburg will partner with HCHC this November to donate supplies for “Newborn Care Kits” for pediatric patients. HCHC will distribute the kits to the anticipated 500 newborns it expects to serve in

BARRELS OF BERRIES: CrossKeys Vineyards Expands Its Production Facilty

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  10/30/19  MOUNT CRAWFORD — As Saam Bakhtiar stood among barrels of wine in the new $1 million production facility of CrossKeys Vineyards, he was dwarfed by the high ceilings.That’s the point.“The goal is to have this whole place filled up with barrels,” said Bakhtiar, the director of operations at CrossKeys Vineyards.The barrel room is only a part of the new 8,500 square foot building which also houses nearly two dozen stainless steel fermenting tanks, with eight for white

New Paramedic Program To Host Mock Injury Event

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  10/30/19  A new paramedic program at Blue Ridge Community College is showing off its skills with an event today that simulates an emergency situation.The paramedic class is having a “moulage” contest to see who can create a mock injury or illness that they may encounter as an emergency medical technician or paramedic.Moulage is the art of applying mock injuries for the purpose of training emergency response teams and other medical and military personnel.These fake

Upcoming Valley Beef Conference

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Virginia Cooperative Extension will host the 2019 Valley Beef Conference on Thursday, December 12, 2019 at the Shenandoah Valley Meeting Room; Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative, 180 Oakwood Drive, Rockingham, VA 22801 from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM.  The major focus of the program is the use of corn silage in beef operations that background calves over winter and as base ration for the cow herd. It will include in-depth presentations on the nutritional, agronomic and economic

Sipe Center Ready For Action

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  10/26/19  BRIDGEWATER — The candy is stocked, seats are set for use and the popcorn machine is ready to pop for the Sipe Center’s grand opening Nov. 1.In a week, guests will be greeted by a custom-made clapperboard featuring the multipurpose theater’s logo. With treats in hand, attendees will enter the Holton Theater to watch The Hunts — an indie-alternative- folk rock band from Chesapeake.“People can expect a full house with a performance that would appeal to a wide

RCPS Hosts Community Forum To Discuss Innovation

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  10/26/19  BRIDGEWATER — About 150 people attended a community forum at Turner Ashby High School on Friday, hosted by Rockingham County Public Schools, to discuss innovation and community relationships.The goal of the forum was to share the new things going on in the school division and to deepen the connections and collaborations between community members.Superintendent Oskar Scheikl opened the forum with a presentation on the values of the school division and how they

CHAPTERS OF FUN : Book-Or-Treat Offers Safe Environment For Children

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  10/28/19  MOUNT CRAWFORD — Halloween costumes, free books and Alfredo the pig?They were all at the Green Valley Book Fair.Hundreds of families braved the rain Saturday morning to attend the fourth annual Book-or-Treat, one of several events the fair hosts every year.While children dressed as their favorite superheroes and Disney princesses, parents enjoyed the treat of a fun and safe environment.“It is safe, trustworthy and you know who puts it on,” said Jennifer Eakle,

InDemand Series: Customer Service Representative

WHSV – If you like helping people solve problems, a career as a Customer Service Representative could be for you. “Nobody ever calls customer service and says, ‘hey, everything is going great, I don’t have anything to talk about,'” said Brian Killingsworth, a customer service representative with Classic Distribution. “They call you when something goes wrong.” That’s why there’s a need for people to fill customer service jobs in just about every field. “I don’t think it’s specific to any industry, any

Skeleton Fest Draws 3,500-Plus

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  10/21/19  HARRISONBURG — Rithika Ganesha Babu, 2, of Harrisonburg celebrated her second Halloween event at the fourth annual Skeleton Festival in downtown Harrisonburg on Saturday.Rithika and her parents were just one family that made up the estimated 3,500plus guests at the event that spanned across downtown in the Friendly City.“Last time, she was just 5 months old, so she couldn’t do anything,” said Radhika Nandakumar, Rithika’s mother. “So this time she’ll be seeing all

Rockingham County Staff To Be Recognized For Service

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  10/22/19  HARRISONBURG — Diane Lepkowski has been working for Rockingham County for the last 35 years, and she will be honored along with 60 other county employees this week.“It has been a really rewarding career,” Lepkowski said.The Board of Supervisors will recognize employees for their terms of service during its meeting Wednesday.When Lepkowski began working for the county in 1984, she started in the animal control department. She was there for 14 years before

City Schools Hosts Summit

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  10/22/19  HARRISONBURG — After three eight- hour days of discussion, Harrisonburg City Public Schools will soon have a draft of the plan that will guide the school division for the next five years.About 30 community leaders and school staff members met Wednesday through Friday last week to discuss goals, mission statements, beliefs, strengths and weaknesses of the school division and more, said Michael Richards, superintendent of schools.The summit was loosely formatted

A Reminder To ‘Bee Kind’

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  10/23/19  LINVILLE — For the last three years, students at Linville- Edom Elementary School have spent the month of October participating in inclusion activities to promote diversity.Each year Principal Amy Painter tries to add something to make the event a little different than the year before. Thanks to a collaborative effort with students from Broadway High School and James Madison University, and a grant from the Spotswood Garden Club, that came in the form of new

More Airport Traffic Could Mean More Employees

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  10/17/19  WEYERS CAVE — Since partnering with SkyWest Airlines, Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport continues to increase in passenger traffic, with Executive Director Greg Campbell telling airport commission members Wednesday that the airport could see more employees.Campbell said flight tracking has been “very well,” with the airport expected to be ahead of revenue for the year.With the addition of new flights to be offered seven days a week in December, Campbell said

Shenandoah Valley Workforce Board Awarded Economic Equity Grant

Shenandoah Valley Workforce Board Awarded Economic Equity Grant Program will target underserved, out-of-work populations.    Harrisonburg, VA (October 17, 2019). The Shenandoah Valley Workforce Development Board (SVWDB) was recently awarded a $500,000 Workforce Services Expansion to Increase Economic Equity grant from the Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration. The grant funding will target out-of-work populations as identified in the 2018 Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service study

Arc To Host Candidate Forum

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  10/12/19  HARRISONBURG — Arc of Augusta and Arc of Harrisonburg will be hosting a candidate forum Monday, featuring candidates from six districts running for a seat in the General Assembly.Those is attendance will be Republican John Avoli and Democrat Jennifer Lewis, House of Delegates 20th District; Republican Ronnie Campbell and Democrat Christian Worth, House of Delegates 24th District; Republican Chris Runion and Democrat Jennifer Kitchen, House of Delegates 25th

Mountain Fun Funds First Responders

By KATHLEEN SHAWDaily News-Record  10/12/19  MASSANUTTEN — If you find yourself in Massanutten today and notice the lush sounds of nature have been replaced with the rattling strum of blues and rock, do not be alarmed. It is fall festival season, and Massanutten Resort is hosting its annual autumn party all Saturday long.For 21 years, the resort has celebrated fall with a day of food, crafts and activities. Set along the mountainous ridges of McGaheysville, visitors can perch from a bird’s view with $5

Bikers Ride For Our Community Place

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  10/14/19  HARRISONBURG — A line of about 30 motorcycles stood waiting in the parking lot of Our Community Place on Saturday morning.Bikers put on their helmets, walked to their rides, and at 11 a.m. they kicked their bikes into gear and one after the other, filed out of the parking lot for an hourlong charity ride.“Are you riding too?” one woman asked Sam Nickels, the director of Our Community Place.Nickels answered by putting his helmet on and walking to his motorcycle,

BRCC Official Highlights Successes, Challenges

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  10/11/19  HARRISONBURG — Oftentimes the best way to learn about an organization or institution of higher learning is to hear it straight from the people directly involved.At an annual community breakfast on Thursday morning, business owners, politicians and other stakeholders heard from a number of former Blue Ridge Community College students via a series of 30-second commercials created to inform thepublic about what BRCC has to offer.They included a woman who enrolled

MTC Unveils Cybersecurity Lab, Classroom

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  10/11/19  HARRISONBURG — There was only one reaction as dozens of officials and community members walked into Massanutten Technical Center’s new state-of-the-art cybersecurity classroom and lab on Thursday afternoon: “Wow.”It was an understandable reaction. Upon walking in, to the left it looks like any other classroom, but to the right it’s like the control room of a high-tech security firm.With long tables lined with sleek computers and two large display screens,

City’s Skyline Literacy Receives $250K Grant

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  10/9/19  HARRISONBURG — A year ago, Skyline Literacy was on the verge of closing due to funding sources drying up. Today, the organization is still open and just received a $250,000 grant to ensure that 250 local residents achieve citizenship.Skyline Literacy was awarded a Citizenship and Assimilation Grant from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Of the over 60 organizations nationwide that applied for the grant, Skyline was one of only 29 organizations out of

Local Beer Nationally Recognized

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  10/9/19  HARRISONBURG — Nearly a decade ago, Ben Trumbo was only a beginner brewer tinkering around with a recipe for a semisweet Irish red ale in St. Louis.On Saturday, Trumbo and the other brewers of Harrisonburg’s Pale Fire Brewing received the bronze medal at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival competition in Colorado for their Red Molly Irish ale.“Having your work recognized on this level — it’s incredible,” Trumbo said.The award is part of the largest beer competition

Officials Talk I-81 Projects, Funding

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  10/5/19  HARRISONBURG — With Interstate 81 improvements already underway, the Virginia Department of Transportation lead for the I-81 work, Dave Covington, joined Del. Tony Wilt, R-Broadway, a member of the Interstate 81 committee, for a Daily News- Record podcast Friday to discuss funding and what to expect on the roadway in coming months.  ProjectsSome examples of improvements include enhancement to safety service patrols, along with flashing chevron signs in Botetourt,

$5M Stadium Included In New High School Plan

By LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record  10/2/19  HARRISONBURG — After a back and forth discussion Tuesday, the Harrisonburg City School Board approved the final design proposal for a second Harrisonburg high school, which will include a sports stadium but not a canopy-covered walkway.Board member Andy Kohen made a motion to amend the design to cut the stadium, which was supported by Nick Swayne and Kaylene Seigle.Chairwoman Deb Fitzgerald and board members Kristen Loflin and Obie Hill were opposed to

American Manufacturing ‘Doing Very Well’

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  10/2/19  HARRISONBURG — As students young and old visit factories in the Valley to learn about work opportunities, an industry group released a report on Tuesday showing the nation’s manufacturing activity contracted in September.The Institute for Supply Management’s “snapshot” showed the worst reading in a decade, according to The Associated Press. But the report is not indicative of the industry as a whole, said Tom Nelli, vice president of manufacturing at the Cadence

City Fire Chief Named ECC Acting Director

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  10/3/19  HARRISONBURG — Harrisonburg Fire Chief Ian Bennett was named acting director of the Harrisonburg- Rockingham Emergency Communications Center after former Director Jim Junkins was transferred to a new position, according to city staff.Junkins will focus on serving the technology department, working with radio and computer systems, according to Rockingham County Administrator Stephen King.The HRECC is a multijurisdictional agency that is funded equally by

HHS Students Creating Videos For NASA Project

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  10/4/19  HARRISONBURG — When you get a request from NASA, you don’t say no. Students at Harrisonburg High School have been asked to participate in a project with the space agency to help address common science misconceptions.Andy Jackson, co-director of the Governor’s STEM Academy at Harrisonburg High School, received an email solicitation asking that his engineering students be given a task to create videos for students in grades fourth through eighth to explain the

Building Relationships, Homes And Community Over Crab Legs

By KATHLEEN SHAWDaily News-Record  10/4/19  HARRISONBURG — The crabs are boiling and wine bottles frothing in preparation for the Harrisonburg Seafood Festival tonight at Bluestone Vineyard.For the second year in a row, the Shenandoah Valley Builders Association hosts an evening of fine dining and live music to raise funds for the Central Valley Habitat for Humanity.Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that works with displaced families to secure safer and more stable housing opportunities.

‘A Fuller Life’ For Veterans

Equine Therapy Nonprofit Hosts Family DayBy PETE DELEADaily News-Record  9/30/19  TIMBERVILLE — For decades, Spence White kept his anger, anxiety and stress deep inside his mind.The 69-year-old Vietnam veteran didn’t talk about the fighting or foreign lands or the way he and other soldiers were treated when they returned from combat.“I was a bundle of knots,” said the Marine, who served from 1968 to 1975. Those knots started to loosen about four years ago, when he met Trish Lynch. She introduced him to

Board To Vote On New HHS2 Design

By LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record  10/1/19  HARRISONBURG — Tonight the Harrisonburg City School Board is expected to accept the final design proposal of a second Harrisonburg high school.School Board Chairwoman Deb Fitzgerald said in a previous interview that there will most likely be amendments that will be proposed and accepted with the final design proposal.“There will be some prelim unfinalized costing numbers on these possible deletions and additions,” Fitzgerald said, adding that the cost numbers

Service Demand Sky High

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  10/1/19  WEYERS CAVE — Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport will be adding a new flight to Dulles International Airport and changing the departure time of the flight to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport starting on Dec. 4, according to Heather Ream, communications director of the Weyers Cave airport.Since partnering with SkyWest in April 2018, the airport has seen notable increases in passenger traffic, such as a 67% increase in passengers year-to-date compared to 2018.The

New United Express Flights Coming to Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport

  New United Express Flights Coming to Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport  Weyers Cave, Virginia, September 30, 2019 - The Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport (SHD) and SkyWest Airlines are pleased to announce two new United Express flights between Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), as well as schedule enhancements for current flights this December. These changes will continue to make it even easier and more convenient for Shenandoah Valley travelers to

Bridgewater Arts and Event Calendar

Arts and Events CalendarSept. 30, 2019    Sept. 30 – Oct. 29                        Art Exhibition – Judith Ely: Lower level of the Kline Campus Center “An Eagle’s View” – Judith Ely, a Bridgewater College alumna, will present acrylic paintings that are abstracted landscapes on canvas or board.Opening Reception: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 30, KCC, lower levelArtist’s Talk: 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 30, KCC, lower levelHomecoming Reception: 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, KCC, lower level Hours: 9 a.m.

School Board Weighs HHS2 Options

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  9/21/19  HARRISONBURG — As the architects and designers get closer to a plan for the new high school, commonly referred to as HHS2, the school board is weighing options on how to save money should it come to that.At a meeting this week, the board heard from the architectural firm designing the new high school with help from input from the community, stakeholders and students.“We’re developing a menu of sorts,” said Deb Fitzgerald, school board chairwoman. You could also

Council May Purchase More Land For HHS2

By LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record  9/23/19  HARRISONBURG — At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, officials will consider renaming a portion of Hillcrest Drive and a supplemental appropriation of $153,000 to purchase additional land for the new high school.Council will consider approving a supplemental appropriation of $153,000 to buy additional land because city staff has determined that it is needed in regard to offsite street improvements.If approved, the money will be moved from the city’s General Fund

Sacco Named DN-R Editor

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  9/23/19  HARRISONBURG — Jim Sacco has held the sports editor reins since April 2016 and, starting this week, will be taking on a new position — managing editor of the Daily News-Record.For the last 22 years, Sacco has been fully immersed in the journalism world. He started as a city hall reporter at the Manassas Journal Messenger in 1997 and later moved on to the sports department in 1998.He served as the sports editor for the Northern Virginia Daily for one year, the

Sportsplex Slated For January Completion

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  9/24/19  HARRISONBURG — Horizons Edge, the forthcoming $12 million sportsplex located between U. S. 11 and Interstate 81 just south of Exit 251, is now slated for completion in January, according to Jeff Flammang, the general manager.The site includes six cabins, a dormitory, a soccer field, a lodge and a “field house,” which will house a variety of sports facilities, according to previous Daily News-Record reports.Construction began on the site in January and work on the

City Buys More Land For 2nd High School

By LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record  9/26/19  HARRISONBURG — City Council unanimously approved purchasing additional land for a second Harrisonburg high school at Tuesday’s meeting, which is in the works to open for the 2022 academic year.Voting in favor were Mayor Deanna Reed and Councilmen Sal Romero, Chris Jones and Richard Baugh. George Hirschmann was not present.The cost of the 0.75 acres, which is located east of South Main Street abutting Boxwood Court, will cost $150,000, with around $3,000 in

United Way Hosts Charitable Work Day

Gift That Keeps On GivingUnited Way Hosts Charitable Work DayBy JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  9/26/19  HARRISONBURG — For the last four years, the United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County’s Day of Caring has been completing projects the Arc of Harrisonburg and Rockingham couldn’t.The Arc, located at the Lucy Simms Center, is a place where those with intellectual and developmental disabilities have the opportunity to learn new skills and socialize. With day- support programs located at the Arc,

Hard Work Pays Off

Fair Producers, Buyers Recognized At DinnerBy IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  9/19/19  HARRISONBURG — Fried chicken, mac n’ cheese and iced tea made up only a small fraction of the different dishes Rockingham County 4- H and FFA members families piled high on the tables at the annual county fair buyers appreciation dinner on the fairground Wednesday evening.“This is one last thank you to all buyers,” said Sam Leech, 4-H extension agent for Rockingham County.About 860 participants, their family members and

Timeless Toys Opens Second Location

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  9/19/19  HARRISONBURG — In 2011, customers of Sheila Helmuth’s Harrisonburg business, Kitchen Kupboard, at the Shenandoah Heritage Market at 121 Carpenters Lane constantly spoke about the need for a toy shop.Later that year, Josh Helmuth, Sheila’s son, and co-owner Wes Dunlap opened Timeless Toys at Shenandoah Heritage Market.After already expanding once within the market, Timeless Toys opened a new location in the Agora Downtown Market, in Harrisonburg, last month.“We’re

InterChange Celebrates New Facility’s Completion

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  9/20/19  MOUNT CRAWFORD — Years of planning, 18 months of construction and more than $41.6 million later, the new Inter-Change cold storage facility in Mount Crawford is operational.Gov. Ralph Northam and Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring joined state Sens. Emmett Hanger, R- Mount Solon, and Mark Obenshain, R- Rockingham, InterChange leaders and Rockingham County Supervisor Bill Kyger for speeches before the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday.“It

Valley Airports Among Those Receiving Federal Funding

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  9/20/19  HARRISONBURG — United States Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, both D- Va., announced on Wednesday that 11 airports will receive federal funding from the United States Department of Transportation, including Luray Caverns Airport and Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport.Funding from DOT surpasses $23 million to support improvement projects across Virginia.“We’re excited to announce that these federal dollars will benefit 11 Virginia airports,” the senators said in

John Wayland School Wins Environmental Award

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  9/20/19  BRIDGEWATER — For the 20th year, John Wayland Elementary School has been recognized as one of the best in the state for environmentally friendly practices by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.Virginia Naturally Schools is the official environmental education school recognition program of the commonwealth. These schools are being recognized for their environmental and stewardship efforts during the 2018- 2019 school year.Now in its 20th year, the goal

Volunteers Needed For United Way Day Of Caring

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  9/17/19  HARRISONBURG — United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County has been hosting the annual Day of Caring for more than 20 years — and this year is its largest event to date.The event is sponsored by Merck, Wells Fargo and James Madison University.Day of Caring is an organized volunteer day where community members, local organizations and business teams can volunteer at local nonprofits to complete projects including physical repairs, client interaction,

Shenandoah Planning District Commission Marks 50 Years

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  9/18/19  HARRISONBURG — The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission was chartered in September 1969 to provide planning services and technical assistance to five counties, five cities and 11 towns throughout the Shenandoah Valley.On Tuesday, nearly 50 years later, more than 70 members from local jurisdictions gathered at the Frontier Culture Museum to celebrate and look back on how the region has changed since 1969.In 1969, the Virginia General Assembly passed

Showker Scholar To Speak At BC

By KATHLEEN SHAWDaily News-Record  9/18/19  BRIDGEWATER — As a cultural consultant for accredited broadcasts such as Pixar’s “Coco” and Fox’s “Bordertown,” Lalo Alcaraz often combines his heritage and career. His latest recognition? Bridgewater College’s first Showker Visiting Scholar of the school year.Since 2015, the Zane D. Showker Institute for Responsible Leadership has annually hosted one prestigious leader on campus for a few days as a “visiting scholar” so students can have more intimate

City Lauded For Senior Program

By LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record  9/16/19  HARRISONBURG — The city’s Parks and Recreation Department was recently honored for its attainment to help seniors in the community to stay active.The Parks and Rec department’s 50 & Wiser Program, called “Fit and Strong,” was declared the Best Health and Wellness Initiative in Virginia for a midsized city at the Virginia Recreation and Park Society conference on Sept. 7, according to a press release from the city.“We really love being able to make an impact in

Broadway-Timberville Festival A Hit

By LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record  9/16/19  BROADWAY — The sun came out and the 55th annual Broadway-Timberville Autumn Festival and Antique Car Show took place Saturday without a hitch.The festival was created to highlight what the local businesses have to offer, while also bringing shoppers in from out of the area and kicking off the fall season.There were more than 150 food, craft, artisan and retail vendors strung along Main Street, along with more than 100 classic cars available to view.Some local

SVEC Surpasses $30K In Awarded Grants

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  9/16/19  HARRISONBURG — Since the Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative’s Operation Round Up Committee inception in 2017, the group has awarded more than $54,000 in contributions to local organizations.With its 2019 grant cycle coming to a close, the committee has awarded more than $30,000, with almost $10,000 awarded in late August.Operation Round Up is the SVEC’s charitable giving program that addresses crucial needs within its service territory, according to a press

Tourism Spending Increases Throughout The Commonwealth

$231 Million Generated By Visitors In Rockingham CountyBy IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  9/13/19  HARRISONBURG — Over $231 million of Rockingham County revenue was generated by tourism in 2018, an increase of 6.1% from 2017 and the most money generated in a Shenandoah Valley locality, according to data from the United States Travel Association.Every locality in the Commonwealth saw an increase in tourism last year, resulting in $26 billion in travel spending combined across the state.“I think we’re just very

City Comes In Ahead of State Average With $131.4 Million

By LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record  9/13/19  HARRISONBURG — The Harrisonburg Tourism Department is celebrating its success after bringing in around $131.4 million in tourism dollars in 2018.The number accounts for people staying in hotels, motels, shopping and dining in the city.According to the United States Travel Association, it is a 5.3% increase from 2017.Due to the $131.4 million, the overall tax collected in Harrisonburg from tourism was $4,822,639 compared to $4,674,366 in 2017, which is a 3.2%

Purcell Park Prognosticators

Residents Weigh In On Future AmenitiesBy LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record  9/7/19  HARRISONBURG — More than 30 people gathered at the Lucy Simms Center Thursday night for an information session and public input on potential redesigns and upgrades to Purcell Park.Employees were present at the forum from the consultant firm LSG Landscape Architecture and from Greenplay, which acts as a management tool for agencies by organizing consultant teams that are responsive and understand the needs of their communities

Habitat For Humanity Hosts Groundbreaking Ceremony

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  9/9/19  HARRISONBURG — Families and Central Valley Habitat for Humanity workers took part in a ceremonial groundbreaking to mark the beginning of the end of the group’s work on Roberts Court in Harrisonburg on Sunday afternoon.The building was already on its way to completion before the ceremonial groundbreaking could commence and David Wenger, the executive director of Central Valley Habitat for Humanity, says that’s a good sign.“That means your building process is moving

VPAS Receives Donation From B-T Rotary

DNR 9/9/19  Valley Program for Aging Services received a donation on July 30 from the Rotary Club of Broadway-Timberville to fund support services for older adults living in the Broadway and Timberville area. Rotary Club of Broadway-Timberville President Johnny Garber presented the $4,300 check to Beth Bland, VPAS director of senior services in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, and Mia Olsen, Timberville Broadway Senior Center director. The funds were raised at the second annual Friday Evening in the

Explore More Discovery Museum Closes For Upgrades

Almost ‘Clear For Takeoff’Explore More Discovery Museum Closes For UpgradesBy KATHLEEN SHAWDaily News-Record  9/10/19  HARRISONBURG — Kids often dream of being astronauts and going to space, but the Explore More Discovery Museum may inspire the next generation to look up at the clouds instead of the stars.Each year, the museum closes after Labor Day to spruce up the interior and bring in new interactive exhibits. The biggest expansion is to the aviation exhibit, which will feature runway lights converted

First Bank & Trust Company Holds Ground Breaking Ceremony for Woodstock, VA Office

ABINGDON, Va., Sept. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Executives and Board members of First Bank & Trust Company will participate in a ground breaking ceremony at 1101 Hisey Avenue in Woodstock, Virginia on Wednesday, September 11, 2019. The event will take place at 10:00 AM. James D. Whitacre, Vice President and Agricultural Lender will be present as well as Evelyn G. Richard, Administrative Assistant and Loan Specialist and Charlyn L. Keister, Loan Processor. All are employees of the new Woodstock, Virginia

MillerCoors Employees Reflect On Women In Manufacturing

‘It Was Never A Question’MillerCoors Employees Reflect On Women In ManufacturingBy IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  9/2/19  ELKTON — In Rockingham County sits the largest producer of American light lagers in the world, where nearly 500 Valley residents work — MillerCoors’ Shenandoah Brewery.Over 100 of those workers are women in roles from engineering to packaging and quality control to vice president/plant manager.Lori Michelin, the vice president/ plant manager, joined the brewery team two months ago and has

OCP Gets $50K Grant

By LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record  8/30/19  HARRISONBURG — Our Community Place recently received a $50,000 grant from the Merck Co. Foundation, which will help assist the homeless in finding housing, health care and employment.The nonprofit applied for the grant in April and was given the money in full last week.Around $35,000 will be put toward expanding the case management program, which launched in the beginning of 2018. It will also be put toward hiring a fulltime licensed social worker.The case

Experience The ’60s Through Stories, Songs At Brewery

By KATHLEEN SHAWDaily News-Record  8/30/19  HARRISONBURG — No need for a time machine because the 1960s are alive again tonight at Pale Fire Brewing through stories and songs from the time of Woodstock.From 7:30 to 9 p.m., Mark Berger, author of “Something’s Happening Here: A Sixties Odyssey from Brooklyn to Woodstock,” will read about his personal experiences as a part of the decade’s counterculture. A family affair, Berger’s nephew and Americana rock ’n’ roll musician Justin Jones will assist in the

The Best Lawyers in America Names 8 Attorneys to their Annual List

The Best Lawyers in America Names 8 Attorneys to their Annual ListEight attorneys with over 300 years of combined experience were named in The Best Lawyers in America 2020 edition.  Selected by their peers, the attorneys were recognized in the following categories:Daniel L. Fitch – personal injury litigation – defendantsCharles F. Hilton – medical malpractice law - plaintiffs, personal injury litigation - plaintiffs, professional malpractice law - plaintiffsGlenn M. Hodge – health care law, real estate

Park Possibilities : City Wants Input On Purcell’s Future

By LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record  8/28/19  HARRISONBURG — Harrisonburg Parks and Recreation is holding a public forum next week to gain input from those interested in redesigns and upgrades to Purcell Park.The forum will take place from 7-8:30 p.m. Sept. 5 at the Lucy Simms Center, 620 Simms Ave.Parks and Rec hired a consultant firm, LSG Landscape Architecture, to be a part of the process to make upgrades, but also to help the city develop a Master Plan for Purcell Park.“This won’t be an overnight

VMRC Lyceum Series To Begin

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  8/28/19  HARRISONBURG — Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community will kick off its 16th Shenandoah Valley Lyceum season with presentations on the rise of sea levels, the history of the death penalty in Virginia and women in Jamestown.Presenters were selected from a committee comprised of VMRC employees, residents and community members, according to Maureen Pearson, director of public relations and outreach at VMRC.“In the last three years we have broadened our

SVEC Linemen Traveling to Bolivia

ROCKINGHAM – As part of “United We Light: Project Bolivia” three Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC) linemen will travel abroad in early September to help electrify a South American region for the first time.   Mike Alexander, Roger Pace and JT Jacobs are leaving Sept. 4 for the Oruro region in western Bolivia. Alexander is a lead lineman in SVEC’s Winchester District; Roger Pace is a lineman first class in the Shenandoah District; and Jacobs is a lineman second class in the Augusta

Harrisonburg Resident Bauhan Reappointed To State Board

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  8/27/19  HARRISONBURG — Hobey Bauhan, president of the Virginia Poultry Federation, has been reappointed to the Virginia Board of Workforce Development for a second four- year term.The Virginia Board of Workforce Development is a panel of 38 business leaders and officials that forms policies to improve the state’s workforce.Bauhan, of Harrisonburg, was originally named to the board by then- Gov. Terry McAuliffe in 2015.“It used to be that a lot of the agencies involved in

Bridgewater College Unveils New Brand Identity

 Bridgewater College Unveils New Brand Identity  BRIDGEWATER, Va.—Bridgewater College kicked off the 2019-20 academic year—its 140th year of educating students—by ushering in a new brand identity for the College. This strategic communications framework and new visual identity enhance how the College presents itself to the greater community and articulate what makes a Bridgewater education distinctive.“While the College continues to hold dear the same values it has for 140 years, the institution has changed

Celebrating National Aviation Day

August 19, 2019/in Blog Posts /by Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport Happy National Aviation Day – a day that we honor the history and continued advances in aviation! President Franklin Theodore Roosevelt first introduced National Aviation Day in 1939. The date of August 19th was chosen because it’s also the birthday of Orville Wright, who along with his brother Wilbur, made early advancements in powered flight. In celebration of National Aviation Day, we’ve done a deep dive into the SHD historical

A Fresh Start For 500 Bridgewater Freshmen

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  8/23/19  BRIDGEWATER — Alicja Pietruszewska had never been on a plane before — until two days ago.To say that it was a big change moving from her home in Northern Ireland to Bridgewater, Virginia, would be an understatement. Pietruszewska is one of about 500 new freshmen who moved into the dorms this week at Bridgewater College. Pietruszewska is an exchange student here to study graphic design.Pietruszewska said when choosing a college, she liked this area, the space and

EMU Names New Deans

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  8/23/19  HARRISONBURG — Eastern Mennonite University has named longtime campus leaders to three new academic dean positions.David Brubaker, Sue Cockley and Tara Kishbaugh each now lead one of three schools as part of EMU’s new academic structure. The design, developed after a year of study and discussion, will enhance opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and will streamline undergraduate- graduate tracks, among other objectives. It is being phased in and

Pork For The Pantry Provides Meat To Area Food Bank

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  8/22/19  HARRISONBURG — Pork For The Pantry at the Rockingham County Fair has been providing fresh pork to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank since 2015. This year, Pork For The Pantry was able to provide its largest donation to date.With the conclusion of the 2019 Rockingham County Fair, local businesses and individuals were able to purchase nine hogs to provide more than 1,000 pounds of fresh pork to the food bank by the end of August.Pork For The Pantry is a local

First Bank & Trust Company Executive Leadership Team Transitions

ABINGDON, Va., Aug. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- First Bank & Trust Company and its parent holding company, First Bancorp, Inc., today announced that William H. Hayter, President and Chief Executive Officer of First Bank & Trust Company, will transition from his position as Chief Executive Officer, effective August 5, 2019.  The announcement was made by William Hayter at the Bank's 40th anniversary celebratory dinner that included bank officers, board members and executive management. William H. Hayter,

Record-Breaking Day For Adoptions At Local SPCA

By PETE DELEADaily News-Record  8/19/19  HARRISONBURG — Leading up to two events Saturday, Huck Hawaz had high hopes that Harrisonburg-area residents would come out in droves to adopt animals.The events, Clear the Shelters and Girls Putts for Pets, led to a record- breaking 29 adoptions at the Harrisonburg- Rockingham SPCA. It shattered the previous record of 11 set in the spring.“It was quite a jump,” said Hawaz, the executive director. “We couldn’t be happier.”At the start of the day, the shelter had 207

City Health Center Gets $167K

Will Support Behavioral ServicesBy LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record  8/16/19  HARRISONBURG — The Harrisonburg Community Health Center was awarded $167,000 in federal funding to support behavioral health services, including mental health and substance use disorder services.U. S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, both D-Va., announced this week that the U. S. Department of Health and Human Resources would be giving more than $3 million in total to 21 health clinics across the state.Lisa Bricker, the executive

EMU Reflects On Successes, Plans For Year Ahead

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  8/15/19  HARRISONBURG — Eastern Mennonite University is looking ahead at the upcoming school year with intentions of remaining a strong educational institution in the Valley.President Susan Schultz Huxman, along with other members of the higher education community, met with the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce this week for the kickoff of the “unofficial” start to the new school season and discussed the highlights of EMU’s journey so far and what lies

InterChange Facility To Open Next Month

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  8/15/19  HARRISONBURG — The Rockingham County Board of Supervisors got a firsthand look at the work being done at the new InterChange cold storage facility near Mount Crawford on Wednesday, touring the $41.6 million facility.Gov. Ralph Northam announced the 250,000-square-foot cold storage and blast freezing facility on Aug. 10, 2018, bringing 88 full-time jobs to Rockingham County.President Devon Anders said by the time the facility opens, there will be close to 90

Brown Edwards Moves Up in Top 100 Ranking

INSIDE Public Accounting (IPA) announces the release of its 2019 annual financial performance analysis and ranking of the nation’s largest public accounting firms.  Roanoke, Virginia based Brown Edwards is among the nation’s top 100 firms again this year, moving up eight spots to #87.  The rankings are based on 2018 U.S. net revenue. IPA is the industry’s leading trade newsletter, and the report is the most accurate listing of the nation’s largest accounting firms based on fiscal performance.   Brown

Bridgewater College Named ‘Best College’ by Kiplinger and The Princeton Review

 BRIDGEWATER, Va.—Bridgewater College’s model of preparing its students for life beyond campus means more than just connecting them with the right career. It means providing them with a quality educational experience at a price they can afford.  Kiplinger, a Washington, D.C.-based publisher of business forecasts and personal finance advice, released recently its annual “Best College Values, 2019” list of all U.S. colleges and universities, along with its lists of best value private universities, private

Business Issues Addressed At Summit

Ag, Broadband, I-81, Workforce DiscussedBy IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  8/9/19  WEYERS CAVE — Local business owners, regional elected officials, and Valley economic development professionals gathered for the seventh annual Valley Business Summit on Thursday at the Robert E. Plecker Workforce Center at Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave.Bettina Ring, the secretary of agriculture and forestry for Virginia, gave the keynote presentation during the event’s opening ceremony, touching on subjects such as

JMU ranked among best schools in the country by Princeton Review

WHSV 8/8/19HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) — James Madison University once again made the list as one of the leading four-year institutions in the country. The school was included in Princeton Review's list of 385 Best Colleges for 2020.Colleges are chosen for the list based on academic offerings and surveys from students who are in attendance. JMU said this does not mark the first time its made the cut.Only 13 percent of four-year colleges are included on the list, according to the Princeton Review."On one hand,

Fairgrounds Celebrates New Horticulture Building

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  8/8/19  HARRISONBURG — The Rockingham County Fair is one of the largest gatherings within the county and on Wednesday, the newest feature was officially ready to go.More than 60 people braved the morning thunderstorms to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Horticulture building at the fairgrounds.With the help of the community and a willingness to get the job done, Fair General Manager Rebecca Holloway welcomed attendees to the “little country store” that would

Blue Ridge Community College Unveils $21M Biosciences Building

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  8/7/19  WEYERS CAVE — The high-fidelity mannequin purchased this year for the EMS training program at Blue Ridge Community College may not fool anyone by the looks of it. But when you hear what it can do, it becomes clear why this tool is at the top of the line for simulating various medical situations.Scott Vanderkooi, an EMS instructor, demonstrated how the high-fidelity mannequin can be programmed to talk, scream, have pupils dilated and breathing can be

Skyline Roofing To Build New Metal Shop, Planned Warehouse

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  8/7/19  HARRISONBURG — Skyline Roofing is building a new metal workshop and an accompanying warehouse adjacent to its offices at 2389 Grace Chapel Road in Harrisonburg.“It’s an expansion, but it’s really just kind of customized for us,” said Kevin Weaver, owner of operations for Skyline Roofing.Before moving to Grace Chapel Road in early summer, the company was in a much smaller location at 112 Meigs Lane, Weaver said.The previous building was dim with low ceilings and posts

Community Health Centers: A Guide to a Vital Network of Care

Community Health Centers are medical clinics and so much more. They are consumer-driven and patient-centered medical homes, local economic engines, and trusted community partners. They form the backbone of America’s health care safety net and play a critical role in improving health outcomes, lowering costs, and ensuring access to high-quality, integrated care. By mission and statute, the health center model requires that health centers locate in areas of greatest need and are led by representatives of

Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA To Hold Foster Session

By LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record  8/3/19  HARRISONBURG — Being in a kennel doesn’t always make a dog ready to go into a home, so what does? Fostering.The Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA is holding a free foster information night Tuesday at its shelter, 2170 Old Furnace Rd., from 6-7:30 p.m. to talk about what it’s like to foster an animal and the positive effects it has on the animal.“We are really trying to engage the community to learn more about it and grow our foster program more,” the local SPCA’s

Having Better Relationships : Robert McFarland's Viewpoint

Viewpoint: Robert McFarlandDNR 8/3/19  Many people want to have better relationships at work or at home, but they are unwilling to do what needs to be done to develop them.Good relationships don’t just happen. They have to be carefully cultivated. If you want to have better relationships with others, then you must be intentional and consistent in growing those relationships.Here are five ways you can develop better relationships.1. Get Real Today more than ever, people crave authenticity. They want to know

Sipe Center Ticket Sales Exceeding Expectations

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  8/5/19  BRIDGEWATER — As tickets for the new multipurpose theater, the Sipe Center, went live on Thursday, Jay Litten thought they would sell only a couple of dozen.By midday Sunday, the center had sold about 115 and rising, he said.“The response has been tremendous,” said Litten, Bridgewater’s town manager.The Sipe Center is a $ 1.3 million building for live music, theater and meetings, located on the corner of North Main and East College streets in downtown

From Parking Lot To Barking Spot

Anicira Completes Outdoor Dog Park At Adoption CenterBy IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  7/29/19  HARRISONBURG — Anicira, an area dog adoption and veterinary organization, hosted an open house to celebrate the completion of its new dog park outside the adoption center in Harrisonburg on Saturday.“This was our vision from when we first opened our adoption center,” said Dan Chavez, operations coordinator for Anicira.The dog park is behind the group’s adoption center on North Liberty Street, which was the group’s

SVEC Welcomes Increased Solar in Power Supply Mix

ROCKINGHAM – Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC) will be among the utilities to benefit from a new partnership between Old Dominion Electric Cooperative (ODEC) and EDF Renewables North America.   ODEC and EDF have entered an agreement to develop and build a 30MW portfolio of distributed solar projects across ODEC’s member service territories in Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. Headquartered in Glen Allen, ODEC is a not-for-profit, member-owned, power supply cooperative serving 11 distribution

InDemand Series: Maintenance Mechanic

Date: July 10, 2019 WHSV – In this week’s look at InDemand jobs in the Valley, we’re featuring careers in mechanical work. Jonathan Kisamore, a maintenance mechanic apprentice at Tenneco in Harrisonburg, took a passion for mechanics and turned it into a career. “From a kid on, I’ve always been kind of mechanically inclined and always liked doing mechanical work,” said Kisamore. According to economic statistics from the Shenandoah Valley Workforce Development Board, the salary range for this position

BRCC Educational Foundation Announces New Board Members

FOUR NEW MEMBERS APPOINTED TO BRCC EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION BOARD   The Blue Ridge Community College Educational Foundation Board has recently appointed four new members to fill spaces vacated by outgoing members. They are Dave Metz, Tassie Pippert, Justin Rexrode, and Andy Vanhook.  Dave Metz graduated from Purdue University, served in the Navy as a communications officer and received his MBA from James Madison University. Dave and his wife, Debbie, came to Staunton to start an equipment rental business,

Library Introduces Dads To Storytime

Report: Virginia Best State For Business

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  7/11/19  HARRISONBURG — On Wednesday, Virginia was named the top state for business in America by CNBC, a news business outlet, for the first time since 2011.Good showings on business ranking lists contribute to economic development, said Frank Tamberrino, president and CEO of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce.Companies go through what’s called a site selection process when deciding where to conduct business, be it manufacturing, logistics, services, etc., based

New Harrisonburg High School Principal Is ‘Coming Home’

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  7/11/19  HARRISONBURG — Missy Hensley comes to Harrisonburg High School from Central High School in Woodstock and said she is excited to accept the opportunity and challenge of serving as the principal.Hensley is taking the reins from Cynthia Prieto, who retired after 34 years in education with the last five as principal of HHS.Hensley has 24 years of instructional and school leadership experience. She has been a school administrator since 2004 and has served as

Sipe Center Takes Shape

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  7/10/19  BRIDGEWATER — What started as plain construction walls now has a fresh coat of “downrush midnight” paint.Bridgewater Town Manager Jay Litten gave a tour of the construction site for the town’s new $ 1.3 million multipurpose theater Tuesday, giving council members and visitors a fresh glimpse of the interior and exterior of the Sipe Center.In his report to Town Council, Litten said the building continues to progress toward an early August completion, remaining

New Dayton Town Superintendent Takes The Reins

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record 7/9/2019  DAYTON — After a job interview in May, Angela Lawrence went for a hike, one of her favorite activities, before heading back to Chase City to continue her work as a town manager.That interview was successful, and Lawrence began in her new position as the town superintendent of Dayton on Monday.Lawrence, 56, grew up in Lenexa, Kansas, but was born in Battle Creek, Michigan.“I was raised to be involved in the community,” she said.Lawrence has over 25 years of experience

Local Man Raises Over $20K For Cancer Research

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  7/6/19  HARRISONBURG — A local business owner has raised over $20,000 for the American Cancer Society, specifically for breast cancer research and awareness — and he plans to raise more this year.Two years ago, the group came to speak to the Harrisonburg Rotary Club, of which Paul Riner, owner of Riner Rentals, is a member. They talked about a campaign to raise money and awareness for breast cancer called “Real Men Wear Pink.”Riner said it was a “right place, right time”

County Supervisors Remember Late Chuck Ahrend

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  6/28/19  HARRISONBURG — An advocate for agriculture, a representative for Rockingham County, but most importantly, a humorous friend.Charles “Chuck” Ahrend, 93, of Harrisonburg, died on Monday at Oak Lea Nursing Home. But the former member of the Rockingham County Board of Supervisors established his legacy long before then.Ahrend was first elected to the Board of Supervisors in 1987 where he represented the communities of Singers Glen, Edom, Melrose, Mount Clinton and

Executive Director Of Local Boys & Girls Club Named

By LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record  6/28/19  HARRISONBURG — The search is over. The Boys & Girls Club of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County named Sandra Quigg as the new executive director.Quigg will replace Lori Kizner, who served as the executive director for about four years but resigned in April to join her husband, Scott Kizner, who took the superintendent post in Stafford County last summer.Quigg said she is ready to take over, although she knows she has big shoes to fill.“I think I’ve always been

Harrisonburg City Public Schools Announces the selection of candidates for 3 principal positions

 Harrisonburg City Public Schools is pleased to announce the selection of candidates for three principal positions. At its July 2, 2019 meeting, the Harrisonburg City School Board approved the following appointments: Ms. Deb Cook, principal of Spotswood Elementary SchoolMr. Mark Miller, principal of Keister Elementary SchoolMs. Melissa Hensley, principal of Harrisonburg High School  Ms. Cook has 16 years of instructional and school leadership experience. She has served as assistant principal for Spotswood

Donation Provides 40,000 Meals For Area Food Bank

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  7/1/19  VERONA — The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank provides more than 25.3 million pounds of food a year to those in need. On Friday, through a generous donation, the food bank was able to fund 40,000 of those meals.Patrick Blevins, a State Farm insurance agent covering parts of the Shenandoah Valley, donated $10,000 to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank to feed roughly 32,000 individuals each month in the Valley.“I wanted to give back to the community and to be able to serve

F&M Bank Announces $10K Business Contest

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  7/2/19  HARRISONBURG — F&M Bank, a locally owned and operated financial institution, has started collecting votes for its first “Local Business You Love” contest, where the winner will receive $10,000 from the bank.“We thought it’d be a fun way for us to learn a little more about other local businesses,” said Mark Hanna, president and CEO of Timberville-based F&M Bank. “Hopefully, we can pick up a few good ideas from local businesses that we can bring to our banking

InDemand: Network Engineer

(WHSV) — It's a technological job that you can thrive in if you describe yourself as a "people person.""Some people see computer jobs as 'sit at your desk all day,' working on computers," said Josh King, a network engineer with IT Decisions. "That's not what this job is. You're working, out talking to people, meeting new people all the time."It's a job that offers you a "home base" with opportunities to connect your clients to the rest of the world."You're doing something different everyday," said King.

Harrisonburg Police Foundation Hosts Adventure Race

By PETE DELEADaily News-Record  6/24/19  HARRISONBURG — Over the past few years, Shannon Lokey ran a few obstacle races in several states, but for the last three years, mid- June has been dedicated to a Harrisonburg race.Lokey, 49, of Penn Laird, was among several hundred people to participate in the annual Harrisonburg Police Foundation Adventure Race at the Harper-Presgraves Training Facility on Greendale Road in Harrisonburg. The facility is home to HPD’s SWAT team’s obstacle course, which is the

Report: Widening I-81 Project A ‘Boondoggle’

Local Politicians Disagree With ConclusionsBy IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  6/22/19  HARRISONBURG — The upcoming $ 2.2 billion in improvements on Interstate 81 were included in a report called “Highway Boondoggles 5” put forward by think- tanks Frontier Group and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. “The term boondoggle and why we decided to apply it to this sort of highway project is it’s something that is wasteful,” said Matt Casale, one of the report’s authors and transportation campaign director for

WARNER & KAINE REQUEST FUNDING FOR I-81 UPGRADES

~ More than one-third of all trucks that drive through Virginia travel on I-81, which suffers from traffic delays and more than 2,000 crashes annually ~     WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today requested additional funding for vital improvements to Interstate 81 (I-81) that would enhance safety and reduce traffic congestion.   In a pair of letters to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the

Sentara RMH Medical Center Achieves Magnet® Recognition Again

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 21, 2019CONTACT   Neil MowbrayBrand Engagement Consultant540-564-7205; 540-689-1000nwmowbra@sentara.com      Sentara RMH Medical Center Achieves Magnet® Recognition Again  Recognition for the second time reinforces a commitment to nursing excellence    HARRISONBURG, VA – Sentara RMH Medical Center attained Magnet recognition again in June, a testament to its continued dedication to high-quality nursing practice. The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet

Bridgewater Retirement Community ‘Barn Sale’ To Get New Home

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  6/19/19  BRIDGEWATER — For years the Bridgewater Retirement Community hosted a large annual yard sale to raise money for BRC by selling items donated to them by members of the community.The storage of the items has moved locations over the years and will get a new home once again this summer.In 2016, donations began being stored in the old Bridgewater Rescue Squad building, which was purchased by the retirement community after the rescue squad built its current facility,

Valley Regional Airport Hosts Women Can Fly Event

‘The World From A Different Angle’Valley Regional Airport Hosts Women Can Fly EventBy PETE DELEADaily News-Record  6/17/19  WEYERS CAVE — Although her father’s a pilot, Rebeca Haun doesn’t pass up the opportunity to jump in a plane for some sightseeing.She said she enjoys seeing the Shenandoah Valley from up above.“It’s nice to see the world from a different angle,” said Haun, 18, of Rockingham County.On Saturday, Haun was among about 200 women of all ages and girls as young as 8 to participate in the

Women and girls encouraged to take flight at SHD

WEYERS CAVE, Va. (WHSV) — Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport partnered with the volunteer organization Women Can Fly on Saturday afternoon to offer a special aviation education day for women.The airport is one of six others in the commonwealth to give participants a closer look at different aircraft, meet pilots and learn about the different parts of a plane.According to the Center for Aviation, women only represent 7% of pilots.The goal of Women Can Fly is to encourage women of all ages to fly."I love the

JMU Names New Dean Of College Of Education

L’Esperance Comes From Eastern Carolina UniversityBy MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  6/13/19  HARRISONBURG — When Mark L’Esperance began telling people he was going to be working at James Madison University, the response he often got was, “that’s a great place for teacher preparation.”As the person who will be taking over the leadership of the College of Education, this is exactly what L’Esperance was hoping to hear.After a nat ional search, JMU announced this week that L’Esperance will become the next

Brown Edwards Announces Staff Promotions

Brown Edwards & Company, LLP is pleased to announce the admission of Kelli Vance, CPA to the Partnership.  Anthony Carpenter, CPA, Emily Signorelli, CPA, Megan Meador, CPA and Clarence Rhudy, CPA have become Directors.  Brown Edwards is a full-service regional accounting firm with offices in three states and recognized as one of the top 100 firms in the nation.  In addition to the traditional auditing, accounting, and taxation services, the firm provides industry leading service to a diverse clientele

Alzheimer’s Research, Prevention Top Priority At City Conference

By LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record  6/7/19  HARRISONBURG — The Alzheimer’s Association Central and Western Virginia Chapter held its 15th annual Alzheimer’s Research Education Program conference Thursday, with about 100 attendees.Annie Marrs, the family services director of the Alzheimer’s Association, said normally the conference, which aligns with Alzheimer and Brain Awareness Month in June, focuses on direct caregivers, but this year it heavily revolved around research.“Research includes global and

Business Leaders Learn About Workforce Diversity Opportunities

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  6/6/19  HARRISONBURG — Dozens of business leaders learned about the tax grants and incentives available to those who hire a diverse workforce at a Harrisonburg- Rockingham Chamber of Commerce event at the Lucy F. Simms Continuing Education Center on Wednesday afternoon.The first-of-its-kind chamber event, “Diversity in Business: Diversify Your Workforce to Strengthen Your Business,” featured various speakers who touched on a number of topics, including staffing, diversity and

Blue Ridge Christian School Gets $200K Gift

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  6/6/19  DAYTON — Friends and family of Blue Ridge Christian School parent, Tami Wyse, wanted to do something in her honor after she died in November 2017, and in her memory were able to give $200,000 to the school where Wyse’s children still attend.Karen Shomo has been at Blue Ridge Christian School for five years and the last three as head of the school.She said that two things were near and dear to Wyse’s heart — fellowship and educating students in “biblical

Reed Just Trying To ‘Make A Difference’

Mayor Reflects On ‘Strong Woman’ RecognitionBy LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record  5/24/19  HARRISONBURG — Harrisonburg isn’t done celebrating Mayor Deanna Reed’s recent accomplishment of being named one of the seven recipients of the 2019 Strong Men and Women in Virginia History awards. Although she was already honored in February at the Richmond Marriott award ceremony, at 7 p.m. Thursday she will be honored through an exhibit and reception at the Massanutten Regional Library’s Central Library.Reed said she

DN-R Cartoonist Displays Work At Smith House Galleries

‘Barney Google And Snuffy Smith’ Comic Celebrates 100 YearsBy SHELBY MERTENSDaily News-Record  5/24/19  HARRISONBURG — Award-winning Daily News-Record cartoonist John Rose is sharing a collection of his popular comic strips spanning two decades at the Arts Council of the Valley’s Smith House Galleries.“A Bodacious Barney Google and Snuffy Smith Retrospective” opens June 7.Rose, 55, began his newspaper career in 1988 at the Byrd-owned Warren Sentinel in Front Royal. He traveled down the Valley to the Daily

ValleyFest Returns For 19th Year

Annual Fundraising Event Returns To Massanutten Resort This SaturdayDN-R Staff Reports 5/24/19  McGAHEYSVILLE — Thousands of people will converge on the slopes at Massanutten Resort this weekend for what is, to some, the unofficial start to summer.ValleyFest Beer and Wine Festival, an annual fundraiser for the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce, goes Saturday from noon to 7 p. m. and features libations from about three dozen breweries, wineries and cideries.Participating local beverage producers

BRC To Begin Chaplain Institute

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  5/25/19  BRIDGEWATER — One of the first things Rev. Russ Barb remembers about C. D. Lantz was how during a Church of the Brethren Service, Lantz advocated for what would become Bridgewater Retirement Community.Now, Barb, the director of pastoral care for BRC, is beginning a chaplaincy institute at BRC with help from Lantz’s daughter, Carolyn Hatcher, who gave a gift of $ 25,000 to build the program.Classes of about four students per unit will learn via web classes and

Regional Chamber Hires Chief Executive

  By JOSH JANNEY For The Daily News-Record         5/30/19   WINCHESTER — The Top of Virginia Regional Chamber has hired a new chief executive officer to succeed Richard Kennedy, who is stepping down Friday for personal and family reasons, the organization announced Tuesday. Cynthia Schneider, the chamber’s current chief operating officer, will become CEO effective Saturday. The 62-year-old has been with the chamber since 2015. Prior to becoming COO, she was director of finance and

U*Nite Honors ‘Leaders And Unsung Heroes’

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  5/23/19  ROCKINGHAM COUNTY — In an otherwise quiet field, a barn in Rockingham County resounded with applause and laughter multiple times Wednesday evening as the United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham held its second U*Nite to honor “community leaders and unsung heroes,” said Laura Toni-Holsinger, executive director.“These are all people that I am lucky to get to interact with on a regular basis and work so hard for people in our community who don’t have access to all the

Resort’s Elson Named Marketer Of The Year

HARRISONBURG — Sarah Elson, of Massanutten Resort, was recently recognized by the Central Virginia chapter of the American Marketing Association. Elson, director of business relations for the McGaheysville resort, was named Marketer of the Year at the organization’s 2019 Excellence in Marketing Awards gala on Thursday, according to a press release. The award recognizes someone who stands out through both work and community service. Elson moved to Virginia in 2005 and built Massanutten Resort’s marketing

City Unveils New Pool Features At Ribbon-Cutting

Making A SplashCity Unveils New Pool Features At Ribbon-CuttingBy JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  5/21/19  HARRISONBURG — It’s time to get your swimsuits out because Harrisonburg is ready to splash into summer.Westover Pool is ready to beat the heat with the addition of the first splash pad in Rockingham County and other pool renovations.The new features were unveiled Monday with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Mayor Deanna Reed, City Manager Eric Campbell, Assistant Director of Parks and

Rockingham, Harrisonburg Teachers Of The Year Named

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  5/17/19  HARRISONBURG — Two teachers were named 2020 Teachers of the Year for Harrisonburg City Public Schools and Rockingham County Public Schools, during a joint ceremony at the Lucy Simms Continuing Education Center on Thursday evening.The 2020 Lucy F. Simms Educator of the Year ceremony is hosted by both the Harrisonburg Education Foundation and the Rockingham Educational Foundation Inc. as a shared initiative to celebrate the teachers in the community who have been

‘A Larger Sense Of Community’

Mini- Golf Tournament Welcomes Retirement Home ResidentsBy PETE DELEADaily News-Record  5/17/19  HARRISONBURG — Merv Wunderlich watched as his bright orange golf ball weaved around boulders, avoided sand traps and came within inches of falling into the hole.While he was itching for a hole-in-one, the 67-year-old Bridgewater Retirement Community resident was more focused on meeting new friends during the 18 holes at Mulligan’s Golf Center’s miniature golf course.Wunderlich was among 20 people from area

Virginia Chamber Of Commerce Awards Valley Legislators

DNR 5/17/19HARRISONBURG — Local state legislators received awards from the Virginia Chamber of Commerce during the chamber’s annual dinner Wednesday.Recognized were Dels. Tony Wilt, R-Broadway, Steve Landes, R-Weyers Cave, and Todd Gilbert, R-Woodstock, and Sens. Emmett Hanger, R-Mount Solon, and Mark Obenshain, R-Rockingham.The Virginia Chamber of Commerce is the largest business advocacy organization in the commonwealth with more than 26,000 members.The dinner provides an opportunity to recognize the work

Wilt Receives Free Enterprise Award

Harrisonburg- Delegate Tony Wilt (R-Broadway) has received the Free Enterprise Award for Small Business from the Virginia Chamber of Commerce. The award was presented Wednesday evening in Richmond at the organization’s annual dinner. “I am honored to be named a Chamber Free Enterprise Award recipient for our work to find solutions to lower health care costs for small businesses and their employees,” stated Wilt. “I look forward to the opportunity to continue to work with the Virginia Chamber and our local

VIRGINIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RECOGNIZES LEGISLATORS WITH “FREE ENTERPRISE AWARD” FOR WORK TO IMPROVE VIRGINIA’S ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS

The Virginia Chamber of Commerce today named the recipients of the Free Enterprise Award for their support of pro-business policies during the 2019 legislative session. The Free Enterprise Award recognizes legislators for their support for the principles and initiatives outlined in the Chamber’s long-term economic development plan, Blueprint Virginia 2025. “At the Virginia Chamber, we recognize the important role that legislators play in bringing the business community together and making Virginia the best

DELEGATE LANDES RECEIVES “LIFETIME SERVICE AWARD” AND TWO “FREE ENTERPRISE AWARDS” FROM THE VIRGINIA

RICHMOND, VA – The Virginia Chamber of Commerce named Del. R. Steven Landes, R-Weyers Cave, Chairman of the House Education Committee and Vice Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, a recipient of the “Lifetime Service Award, Career Focused K-12 Education Award, and the Fiscal Stewardship Award. The awards were presented to Del. Landes at the Chamber’s 2019 Annual Dinner held in Richmond last night for his work in the 2019 General Assembly session. The awards were issued to Del. Landes in

Secretary Of Education Visits HCPS

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  5/9/19  HARRISONBURG — Virginia Secretary of Education Atif Qarni visited Harrisonburg High School on Wednesday to learn about the computer science program offered at the school.Qarni later visited Bluestone Elementary, stopping by classrooms and discussing student-centered instructional practices with teachers and the school’s leadership team.Computer science teachers Perry Shank and Jon Stapleton, along with Harrisonburg High School Principal Cynthia Prieto, Assistant

Merck Plans To Invest $1 Billion In Expansion

Almost 100 Jobs Coming To Elkton-Area PlantBy JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  5/7/19  ELKTON — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam visited Elkton on Monday afternoon to announce that global health care leader Merck & Co. plans to invest $1 billion in stages over the next three years to expand its manufacturing operations.Merck has close to 69,000 employees and delivers health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products. The manufacturing plant in

Library Hosts Third Comic Con

Staff Members See Benefit In Free Comics For CommunityBy IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  5/6/19  HARRISONBURG — Massanutten Regional Library hosted its third annual Comic Con on Saturday, stocked with over 1,000 free comic books, games and activities, guest speakers from the comic world, all in an event that draws over 200 people.MRL’s Comic Con, held at the Central Branch in Harrisonburg, coincides with international Free Comic Book Day, said Denise Munro, youth services coordinator for Massanutten Regional

Tech Nite Honors Innovators

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  4/30/19  HARRISONBURG — Over 250 people sang “Happy Birthday” to Mike Goertzen, of the Shenandoah Valley Technology Council and Serco Inc., to celebrate his 50th birthday, but they were gathered in the Festival Ballroom of James Madison University for a different reason Monday evening.The Shenandoah Valley Technology Council held Tech-Nite 19 with guests representing various government, educational and agriculture sector technology enterprises. The annual event is the largest

Park View Federal Credit Union Honored With Excellence Award

NewsInBriefPark View Federal Credit Union Honored With Excellence AwardDNR 4/30/19  HARRISONBURG — Park View Federal Credit Union in Harrisonburg, Virginia was recently honored with an Excellence Award, which recognizes outstanding human resource/training and development achievements in the credit union industry, according to a press release.The award was presented by the Credit Union National Association HR & Organizational Development Council, a national network comprised of 900+ credit union human

2019 Wage & Benefit Survey

Click the links below to find out about the 2019 Wage and Benefit Survey.2019 Wage & Benefit Survey - Benefits by Major Industry Sector 2019 Wage & Benefit Survey - Regional Benefits2019 Wage & Benefit Survey 

VMRC To Host Open House For New Wing

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  4/24/19  HARRISONBURG — Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community has opened its new Transitional Care Center in the Oak Lea building, the result of a $6.2 million investment with $1.4 million collected from donations.VMRC is having an open house from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday to formally open the new center, which is 3,600 square feet and part of a 35,500-square foot space dedicated to short term rehab and nursing.Just outside the rehab facility are 35 private suites for patients,

New Harrisonburg Schools Superintendent Sworn In

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  4/20/19  HARRISONBURG — When Chaz Haywood asked Michael Richards to come to the front of the room to be sworn in as the next superintendent of Harrisonburg City Schools, the Rockingham Circuit Court clerk commented on the moment being a special one, because it was a full family affair.Standing by his side while he swore to execute the duties of superintendent, were Richards’ children and wife, NoNieqa Ramos.In fact, Richards’ two youngest children, a daughter in sixth

Elkton’s New Town Manager Gets Ready

By LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record   ELKTON — Kim Alexander is ready to get to know Elkton and all it has to offer.On May 1, Alexander will begin her position as Elkton’s new town manager.“I think this is a great point of time for the town of Elkton,” Alexander, 41, of Harrisonburg, said in an interview Monday. “There seems to be a lot of things changing — there’s a big corner to be turned, and they are moving into a positive direction and I’m excited to be a part of that.”Town Council unanimously voted to

Technical Center Job Fair Expands, Gets New Location

By MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record   HARRISONBURG — Massanutten Technical Center’s annual job fair has found a new home after out growing its old location.Each year the technical center invites businesses from all over the Valley to talk to second- year students about the job opportunities that exist once they graduate. The event was previously held at Massanutten Technical Center, however, there are too many vendors to have it there this year, Director Kevin Hutton said.“We’re at the point where we can’t

Mercy House Gets Housing Grant

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  4/19/19  HARRISONBURG — Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday the recipients of the Virginia Housing Trust Fund Homeless Reduction Grants worth $2.2 million, including local nonprofit Mercy House.Through a competitive process, 30 projects that target efforts to reduce homelessness were selected for the funds.Mercy House was awarded the maximum grant of $100,000.This is the third year in a row Mercy House has received the Virginia Housing Fund Homeless Reduction

Rockingham Park Prepares For Grand Opening

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  4/19/19  HARRISONBURG — The Rockingham County Recreation Commission met Thursday, presenting updates on Rockingham Park at the Crossroads along with upcoming events.The park remains on track for a grand opening on June 2, accompanied with bounce houses, food trucks and athletic activities.The recently installed playground continues to be a big hit for children, becoming a popular spot at all times of the day, according to the commission. Its biggest draw is the zip

Great Community Give Aims For Record Year

By PETE DELEADaily News- Record 4/15/19  HARRISONBURG — For Maria Simonetti of the Collins Center and Child Advocacy Center, the Great Community Give is about more than just raising money — it’s about raising awareness.She said many people don’t know that Harrisonburg and Rockingham County have a nonprofit geared toward helping sexual abuse survivors.“It introduces them to us,” said Simonetti, the center’s executive director. “They are exposed to a host of nonprofits in the region they might not have known

Public Comes Out To Clean Up Harrisonburg, Blacks Run

By LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record  4/15/19  HARRISONBURG — More people joined together for the 22nd Blacks Run Clean Up Day than Rebecca Stimson ever remembers in her three years working as the city’s public works stormwater compliance specialist.More than 700 people showed up Saturday morning to pick up trash on the city streets and at Blacks Run.“Usually we pick up around 3-4 tons of trash, but we are hoping for less because that could mean there is less trash being improperly disposed of,” Stimson

DN-R Gets Virginia Press Association Awards

By LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record  4/13/19  HARRISONBURG — Six staff members of the Daily News-Record were recently honored for their work.At the 2018 Virginia Press Association competitions, 11 awards were given to six staff members for exceptional work in advertising, editorial and photography work.The DN- R competed in the midsize daily division.John Rose, a cartoonist who has worked with the DN- R since 1993, won the “Best in Show” award at the annual VPA annual awards banquet, which took place April 6

Flying High • Airport Sees Soaring Passenger Numbers

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  4/6/19  HARRISONBURG — This week marks one year since the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport partnered with SkyWest Airlines and officials have seen some of the best business in two decades.SkyWest “has exceeded our expectations in their performance and the reception in the community has been positive,” said Greg Campbell, the executive director of SVRA.After one year full year of SkyWest operations, SVRA in Weyers Cave has seen a passenger traffic increase of 260% overall to

PlanSURITY is Revolution in Cost and Quality of Dental Coverage, Changes Health Care TOO -

PlanSURITY is a Revolution in Cost and Quality of Dental Coverage, Changes Health Care Too- 5 Minute Must-See Video.  Pay Less, Get More, Measure Everything with PlanSURITY.  1.) Employers reduce your costs... and what employees pay too. Permanently.2.) Covers everything done is the dental chair...with no restrictions or financial limits.3.) Measure and improve treatments with an independent review or clinical work and patient experience.  Say good bye to traditional fatally flawed dental insurance.

Organization: Timberville Among Safest Small Towns

By PETE DELEADaily News-Record  4/4/19  TIMBERVILLE — Although it had a lot of competition nationwide, Timberville cracked the list of the top 100 safest small towns in America. SafeWise, a safety-focused community organization, released its list Tuesday. Timberville ranked No. 36. Police Chief J. R. Dodd said that while he’s pleased the town was recognized, he doesn’t put a whole lot of weight in the rankings.“It’s a double-edged sword,” said Dodd, adding that he doesn’t want residents to become

Bridging The Gap For Art

New ‘Gallery Hop’ Showcases Scenery, Local ArtBy LAINE GRIFFINDaily News-Record  4/4/19   ELKTON — It’s all about supporting local artists and taking the scenic route from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. this weekend.The inaugural Bridge the Gap for Art event, which is a gallery hop between SoLace Fine Handcrafts in Elkton and Noon Whistle Pottery in Stanardsville, is set for Saturday and Sunday.SoLace owner, Barbara Polin, and Noon Whistle owners, John Pluta and Holly Horan, came up with the idea last spring to

Bridgewater, BRCC Sign Guaranteed Admissions Agreement

Daily News-Record  4/2/19  BRIDGEWATER — Two area colleges are working together to make a bachelor’s degree more accessible to students.Bridgewater College and Blue Ridge Community College signed a new guaranteed admission agreement allowing students meeting certain requirements to transfer directly from the community college to Bridgewater’s bachelor’s degree program and enter with junior status.Bridgewater President David Bushman and Blue Ridge Community College President John Downey signed the agreement

InterChange Unveils Solar Panels

By IAN MUNRODaily News-Record  4/2/19  MOUNT CRAWFORD — The InterChange Group formally unveiled its $3 million solar array systems that pepper the rooftops of four facilities across the Valley on Tuesday.The system is the largest of its kind at any Virginia logistics firm and is the culmination of two years of work. The speakers for the unveiling were Devon Anders, president of InterChange Group; Anthony Smith, the CEO of Secure Futures Solar; Ricardo Colón, the director of business programs for the U. S.

Top Chef Harrisonburg Raises Money For CASA

Cooking For A CauseTop Chef Harrisonburg Raises Money For CASABy MEGAN WILLIAMSDaily News-Record  4/1/19  HARRISONBURG — Top Chef Harrisonburg took place at Bluestone Vineyard Saturday night and included chefs from Bella Luna Wood- Fired Pizza, Cuban Burger, Food.Bar.Food, Joshua Wilton House, Local Chop and Grill House, Vito’s Italian Kitchen and Montpelier Restaurant and Bar.The winner was Tom French from Joshua Wilton House. He won with a menu of farro risotto with chorizo, shellfish and lobster

BRCC Bioscience Building On Track For This Fall

By JESSICA WETZLERDaily News-Record  3/2/19  WEYERS CAVE — The opening of a new bioscience building at Blue Ridge Community College remains on track for this fall.With more than 41,000 square feet, the $20.8 million two- story structure will house the nursing program with labs, hospital room simulation areas and classrooms, according to Bridget Baylor, the director of public relations at BRCC.“There will also be a biomanufacturing suite, including clean-room technology for food manufacturing and other

Bridgewater named #2 for Top Ten Best Places to Live in Virginia for 2019

2. Bridgewater Source: Public domainOverall SnackAbility  7/10 Population: 5,906Rank Last Year: 4 (Up 2)Median Home Value: $209,200 (23rd best)Unemployment Rate: 3.3% (4th best)More on Bridgewater: Real Estate | Data | Photos Bridgewater is just about as close to a perfect area as you can get. Residents here are gainfully employed, and the schools are some of the best in the state. It’s safe, and residents get to enjoy the benefits of quality at home living. It’s quite a gem tucked away in

HRCC is pleased to announce officers and new board members for 2019

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEThe Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce officers and new Board members for 2019 elected at the January 3rd Annual Banquet, held at the Hotel Madison and Shenandoah Valley Conference Center. This year’s Executive Committee introduced at the Annual Banquet includes:Dr. John Downey, BRCC –ChairFrank Oncken, Skyline Roofing – Chair-ElectJoel Shank, Dynamic Aviation -Immediate Past-ChairDwight Buracker, PBMares -Vice-Chair of FinanceDonna Preziuso, American