Final event in lecture series
Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Historian Ann Miller will present a lecture entitled “Development of County Road Systems and Their Impact on Early Settlement” at the final event in the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society’s Spring Lecture Series.
The May 8 lecture will begin at 7 p.m. and will be held at the Shenandoah Valley Folk Art and Heritage Center in Dayton.
Miller is a senior research historian for the Virginia Transportation Research Council in Charlottesville.
The lecture is free and open to the public.
For more information abou the lecture, call Mary Nelson at 540.879.2616.
Dancin’ at Fairfax Hall
Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Beginner Salsa lessons are being offered beginning Thursday evening at Fairfax Hall in Waynesboro.
Lessons will be taught by Shergold Studios and will begin at 7 p.m. The cost is $5 per person.
Singles are welcomed.
Following the lessons will be ballroom dance practice from 8-9:30 p.m. A $2-per-person donation is requested for the ballroom dance practice.
The lessons and practice sessions will be held every Thursday
For more information, call Kyle Hausrath at 540.476.5043 or e-mail her at kylehausrath@gmail.com.
Worth the wait
Item by Laura Lehman Amstutz
For John M. Stoltzfus of Stuarts Draft, it was his first commencement ever. Growing up in the Amish Mennonite church in Pennsylvania, he had finished his formal schooling with the eighth grade.
On Saturday, Stoltzfus was a member of the Eastern Mennonite Seminary graduating class of 2008.
“Everyone says that graduation is a big deal,” said Stoltzfus. “But I had nothing to compare it to.”
Stoltzfus and six others received master of arts in church leadership degrees during the seminary’s 59th annual commencement. Fifteen of Stoltzfus’ classmates received three-year master of divinity degrees. Two students received master of arts in religion degrees, and six were awarded certificates. Read more
‘Lend Me A Tenor’ coming to Four County Players
Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
The Tony Award-winning Lend Me A Tenor is being brought to life by the Four County Players in Barboursville beginning next weekend.
The production of the Ken Ludwig farce debuts May 9 at 8 p.m. – with shows May 10 at 8 p.m. and May 11 at 2:30 p.m., May 16 and 17 at 8 p.m. and May 18 at 2:30 p.m., and May 23 and 24 at 8 p.m. and May 25 at 2:30 p.m.
Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students and $8 for children 12 and under.
All Friday shows are $5 per ticket.
For more information, go to www.fourcp.org on the web.
Forum to offer insight into local food
Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Do you know where your food comes from?
A local food forum on the schedule for Tuesday, May 6, from 7-9 p.m. at Rockbridge County High School will let you in on some of the answers.
The forum will feature local food producers from across the Rockbridge County area – with discussions of the economic impact that local food has on the Rockbridge community and the health benefits of eating locally.
Local Girl Scouts PRAY
Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Six members of a local Brownie Girl Scout unit have received PRAY awards for completing the Scouts’ God and Church program.
Those receving the award are Sara Fairbanks, the daughter of Jill and Randy Fairbanks; Kayla Folsom, the daughter of Tish and Keith Folsom; Alyx Fravel, the daughter of Karen and Paul Fravel; Cayleigh LaGrua, the daughter of Catherine and Daniel LaGrua; and Tara and Alisa Ratliff, the daughters of Carol and Paul Ratliff.
All are members of Brownie Girl Scout Troop 340 in Staunton.
PRAY is an acronym for Programs of Religious Activities with Youth, a national nonprofit organization that collaborates with the Girl Scouts and other groups to promote Christian growth for children, youth and families.
Celebrate Derby Day in Waynesboro
Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
You won’t be in Kentucky, but otherwise you’ll feel like you’re at the Derby.
“It will be a mix of high times and old town,” said Phyllis Pendergraft, one of the organizers of Horses and Hats, a Kentucky Derby party being sponsored by the Wayne Theatre Alliance in Waynesboro on Saturday.
The Derby will be featured on the big screen at the event, which is being held at a private home in Waynesboro. A hat competition, mint juleps and information about the big race will mark the walkup to the action.
The event will begin at 3 p.m. Tickets are $25 each and are available at the Wayne Theatre Alliance office at 533 W. Main St. or by calling 540.943.9999.
For more information, visit www.waynetheatre.org on the web.
Getting to the bottom of the train accident that almost blew up Verona
The Top 
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Ed Keenan once came within a few inches of blowing up half of Augusta County. He’s spent the past couple of years trying to figure out why.
“When the train started out that day, the licensed engineer didn’t know he was supposed to be supervising me, I didn’t know there was a car unloading propane at Dixie, and the conductor had been told by the operations manager, ‘The car is going to move from here to here, but I don’t want to know how it got there,’ ” said Keenan, a Churchville resident and former engineer trainee for the Shenandoah Valley Railroad who was involved in a minor train accident on Dec. 18, 2006, in the vicinity of U.S. 11 and the Augusta County Government Center in Verona. Read more
Tina Fey hatches hilarity in chick flick
Carly at the Movies column by Carl Larsen
As a big fan of TV’s whacky “30 Rock,” I expected great things from Tina Fey in her leading lady debut, “Baby Mama,” now playing at the Staunton Mall Cinemas. I wasn’t disappointed.
What last year’s over-ballyhooed “Knocked Up” could have been, “Baby Mama” is. And although not written by writer/actor Fey herself – that kudo goes to Michael McCullors – it’s full of all the charm and wit we’ve come to expect from any Tina Fey project. Read more
March for Babies
Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
The local March of Dimes is hosting the 2008 Augusta County March for Babies this weekend in Staunton.
Funds raised in conjunction with the event will be contributed to the worldwide March of Dimes event to prevent birth defects in newborns.
The fund-raiser will be held at the Gypsy Hill Park Bandstand on Saturday beginning at 9 a.m.
For more information about forming a team, volunteering, or sponsoring March for Babies, contact Sara Erasmi at 800.868.5894 or email serasmi@marchofdimes.com.
Blue Ridge Bells to play Disney
Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
The Staunton-based Blue Ridge Bells are getting ready for a pair of performances at DisneyWorld in Orlando, Fla., this weekend.
The 11-member youth handbell choir will perform at Disney’s Epcot American Adventure Rotunda and at the Florida Hospital Celebration Health event at Disney’s Celebration community on Saturday.
The choir is based at the C.F. Richards Jr. Academy in Staunton.
The choir has performed at the 2004 inaugural events for President Bush, America’s 400th Anniversary in Jamestown, the United Nations in New York City and at the Capitol Rotunda of Puerto Rico.
EMU celebrates commencement
Story by Jim Bishop
Partly-cloudy skies and pleasant temperatures provided a near-ideal backdrop Sunday for Eastern Mennonite University’s annual commencement exercises.
More than 3,500 family members and friends filled the front lawn of campus to celebrate the achievements of the 411 members of the EMU class of 2008.
President Loren Swartzendruber awarded 291 undergraduate, 89 graduate, 17 associate degrees and 14 study certificates during the ceremonies to cap the university’s 90th anniversary year. Cheers and applause erupted repeatedly and helium-filled balloons lofted skyward during the awarding of degrees. Read more
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