JMU bats carry the day over Longwood
James Madison hitters piled up 14 hits and sophomore right-hander Trent Cundiff (Roanoke, Va./Northside) tossed two innings of shutout relief to lead the JMU baseball team to a 13-7 win over Longwood at Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park on Wednesday.
The Dukes won their home opener for the fourth consecutive year to improve to 1-2-1 on the season. Longwood dropped to 2-2 overall. Continue reading “JMU bats carry the day over Longwood” »
Shenandoah 14, EMU 4
While Wednesday started sunny, the cloudy skies by the end of the EMU baseball game matched the scoreboard, as visiting Shenandoah powered past the Royals, 14-4.
With a strong wind blowing out to left, the teams combined for 32 hits, three homeruns, and a few impressive long foul balls.
The Hornets, ranked No. 21 in the nation, started by playing small ball, opening with four straight singles off starter Andy Richter (Perkasie, PA/Christopher Dock). Two runs scored as the visitors jumped on top. Continue reading “Shenandoah 14, EMU 4” »
On the streets and online: The New Dominion Magazine
The February issue of The New Dominion Magazine is on the streets at locations in Waynesboro, Staunton and Harrisonburg – and is also posted online at
TheNewDominion.com.
This month’s features:
Women at work: Two women share their experiences climbing the corporate ladder
Profiles of new Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce president Linda Hershey and new Mathers Team president Teresa Gauldin.
Lens crafters: Local club learning art of making movies the hands-on way
Inside the 2011 Waynesboro Short Film Competition – with a local filmmaking club that will be entering a film in the competition.
Arizona aftermath: Shootings force rethinking on interactions between politicians, citizens
The New Dominion talks with local elected leaders and security experts to make sense of what can be done to keep people safe when dealing with local government.
Market niche: Music teacher meets need with strings business
The strings teachers at Eastern Mennonite University had a problem. One of the teachers figured out a way to solve the problem – and started a business in the process.
Dynamic duo: Comic-book fans put up a shingle in Staunton
When they first broached the topic a year and a half ago, it wasn’t anything even remotely serious. A comic-book shop? Sure. Every little boy who gets hooked on his first Superman or Mad dreams of opening a comic-book shop.
Keeping it real: Charlottesville acting, modeling school pushes self-esteem
The curriculum at Cville Performing Arts includes a range of acting and modeling classes for children, teens and adults.
Immigration forum in Harrisonburg
Virginia Organizing is hosting an immigration forum on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Community Mennonite Church, 70 S. High St., Harrisonburg. The forum will focus on preserving immigrants’ rights with a heavy amount of attention on immigrants’ issues in the 2011 Virginia General Assembly.
The forum will feature Walter Tejada, currently on the Arlington County Board of Supervisors and the first chair of the Virginia Latino Advisory Council. Tejada has been a community leader in Arlington for 17 years and has served on many boards and commissions dealing with immigrants’ rights, diversity and civic engagement.
The immigration forum is part of the “Week of Action for Progress, Fairness, and Security” put on by Virginia United for Immigrants Rights, a coalition of community organizations, advocacy groups, and labor unions.
The immigration forum is part of the “Week of Action for Progress, Fairness, and Security” put on by Virginia United for Immigrants Rights, a coalition of community organizations, advocacy groups, and labor unions. The week of action includes ten forums, rallies and events across the state culminating in Newport News on Feb. 9.
The coalition has been tracking the 2011 legislation since the summer of last year. The coalition opposes several law enforcement bills that would discriminate against immigrants and a bill that would keep undocumented students from attending universities in Virginia. The coalition is also supporting legislation that would help legal immigrant women have access to pre-natal care.
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
RMH begins Youth Triathlon Program
The RMH Wellness Center invites youth ages 5-14 to “tri” out the sport of triathlon through its all new Transition Multisports Youth Triathlon Club program beginning Feb. 2.
Child participants will meet at the Wellness Center, located at 501 Stone Spring Road, from 4-5:30 p.m. each Wednesday through May 18 to learn about the elements of triathlon—running, swimming and bicycling–through age-appropriate games and exercises. Swim clinics and offsite bike rides will be offered on alternate Saturdays.
Geared toward athletic development, the 16-week program is designed to promote fitness and accomplishment regardless of experience level, explained Michelle Higdon, operations manager for the RMH Wellness Center. Youth will have the opportunity to train specifically for a triathlon and participate in several USA Triathlon youth events under the guidance of certified USA Triathlon coaches.
“With the popularity of youth fitness on the rise, programs such as these are being established nationwide to provide children with the motivation and resources necessary to lead healthy lifestyles,” said Higdon.
Children do not need to know how to swim in order to participate, she added.
The cost of the program for a Wellness Center child member is $240; and for an additional child member, $192. The cost for a child non-member is $310; and for an additional child non-member, $248. To register, contact Amy Underwood, co-owner of Transition Multisports, at 540.421.5650.
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Hartman named VP of enrollment at EMU
Harrisonburg educator Luke A. Hartman has been named vice president for enrollment at Eastern Mennonite University. He will assume his new role Aug. 1, 2011.
The appointment was announced Wednesday, Jan. 26, by EMU President Loren Swartzendruber.
In his new role, a president’s cabinet-level position, Hartman will oversee the departments of admissions and financial aid. He will also lead student retention activities for the university.
“I am very pleased that Luke is returning to his alma mater in this very important role,” Dr. Swartzendruber said. “His experience as a faculty member, success in recruiting as a coach and understanding of the admissions process will serve us well.”
Hartman has been assistant principal at Skyline Middle School in Harrisonburg since 2008. Before this, he was a behavioral consultant for Harrisonburg City Public Schools two years. He taught two years in EMU’s teacher education department and has also been a graduate instructor for EMU’s masters in education program in Harrisonburg and in Lancaster, Pa., since 2000.
Before returning to Harrisonburg, Hartman was associate director of admissions at Hesston College, 1999-2004, and men’s varsity basketball coach there, 1996-2004. He chaired the Hesston College faculty in 2001 and taught in the education department there eight years. He currently serves on the Hesston College board of overseers.
Earlier, he was boy’s varsity assistant coach at Harrisonburg High School, a special education teacher and boy’s varsity basketball coach at Broadway High School and head eighth grade basketball coach at John C. Myers Middle School, Broadway.
He earned an AA degree from Hesston College, a BS degree in liberal arts with endorsement in special education from EMU, an MEd degree from Wichita State University with emphasis in mild handicapping conditions and is currently completing a PhD program in educational leadership and policy studies at Virginia Tech.
Hartman is a popular public speaker at youth rallies, spiritual life week events and church retreats. He was keynote speaker for National Mennonite Youth Conventions held in 2003, 2005 and 2007. He has directed or been major lecturer at basketball camps and coaching clinics from 1991 to the present.
He is a member of Lindale Mennonite Church.
Hartman is married to Staci Kauffman Hartman, a 1993 EMU graduate. She is a reading coach at Spotswood Elementary School, Harrisonburg. Their children are Sarina, 16; Sophia, 13; and Sarah, 8.
Story by Jim Bishop. Jim can be reached at bishopj@emu.edu.
H-R Chamber presents Economic Forecast
The Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce will host its Annual Economic Forecast on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. in the Grace Street Building, fourth floor conference room, at the former RMH campus, Harrisonburg.
The Chamber’s Economic Forecast is becoming one of most comprehensive economic outlook events in the region. Consumers, businesses, and economists are all debating the same question – when will the economy bounce back? Presenters at the event will offer insight into our economy, including local, regional, state, and southeast U.S. economic trends, along with predictions for the coming year.
Ann Battle Macheras, the regional research vice president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, will kick off the event with a state and southeast economic analysis. Macheras oversees a professional staff engaged in research and analysis of regional economic conditions, and advises internal Bank leadership in this area as well. In addition to tracking the regional economy, her research interests include regional industry specialization and determinants of growth at the regional level.
The Economic Forecast is a popular event each year, given the interest in local trends. “This year, we are looking at the bigger economic picture, and the Federal Reserve Bank is a leading and credible source of economic information and analysis,” says Frank Tamberrino, president of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce. “We are fortunate to have Ann Macheras with us in February”.
Billy Vaughn, Rockingham County director of economic development and Brian Shull, Harrisonburg’s economic development director will also deliver an assessment of local economic indicators, including employment, real estate market trends, housing, and more.
The Chamber hosts this event each year in hopes of broadening our members’ understanding of the local, regional and state economies and the trends that impact our community. The Chamber’s Annual Economic Forecast is open to the public; however, registration is required. Admission includes breakfast, and is $20 for the general public and $10 for Chamber members.
For more information and to register, visit www.hrchamber.org.
Art House 101
The Arts Council of the Valley announces Art House 101, a new film festival celebrating the visual and performing arts. The event will take place Jan. 20-22, 2011 at Court Square Theater, 61 Graham St.
The three featured films are “Helvetica,” “Note By Note” and “Breath Made Visible,” to be shown at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. each evening in a rotating schedule.
Tickets are $6 per film or one can purchase an Art House 101 Pass to see all three movies for $15. Movie attendees are invited to enter a raffle for a free DVD copy of each of the three featured films as well as two pairs for tickets for performances at the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts, donated by James Madison University.
The purpose of Art House 101 is two-fold. First, this is a celebration of the arts in its diverse forms. ACV believes the arts are foundational to a vibrant community and want to encourage the public to consider the role of art in their lives. Second, this festival provides an opportunity to educate the community on the mission of CST.
CST is an intimate art house that celebrates the independent and foreign films as well as unique theater, music, and dance.
For a detailed schedule and to learn more about the films, visit www.CourtSquareTheater.com.
Trailers
- Helvetica: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw7bVD-V8rs
- Note By Note: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE0ayK_wmqo
- Breath Made Visible: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KQnWkdgvsU
Swartzendruber appointed to another term at EMU
Loren Swartzendruber will serve another four-year term as president of Eastern Mennonite University.
Andrew (Andy) Dula of Lancaster, Pa., chair of the EMU board of trustees, announced at the opening convocation of second semester Wednesday, Jan. 12, that Dr. Swartzendruber has “gratefully accepted” an appointment to serve a third term that begins July 1, 2011 and ends June 30, 2015.
The EMU board worked with the board of directors of the Mennonite Educational Agency (MEA) of Mennonite Church USA in an extensive review of the work of the president. The EMU and MEA boards formed a presidential review committee to gather feedback and data from internal and external constituents.
In the trustee’s November 2010 board meeting the review committee reported its findings. From a wealth of 363 responses, the committee reported “overwhelming support” for Swartzendruber’s leadership.
Major accomplishments during Swartzendruber’s second term include: key administrative positions filled, including EMU provost, vice president for finance, vice president/seminary dean, and vice president/academic dean; a successful re-accreditation for another 10 years by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Association of Theological Schools; leading the institution through a difficult economic environment while balancing the budget; LEED-certified building projects; and successful fund raising for and completion of Phase II of the University Commons.
“The EMU board of trustees looks forward to our continuing work with President Swartzendruber,” Dula said. “We are grateful for his leadership, his deep commitment to God, the church and Anabaptist understandings, for his effective relationships within the EMU community and across the church, for his advocacy of Mennonite education, his sense of financial stewardship and fundraising, his collaborative approach to work and his sense of humor.”
In his response, Swartzendruber paid tribute to his wife of 41 years, Pat Swartzendruber, noting: “Her partnership in this enterprise has been invaluable. Not only is she my best friend and life partner, she is a\ confidant whose judgments I can trust. I am a better person and leader because of her love and influence.”
Swartzendruber became EMU’s eighth president on January 1, 2004. He came to EMU from Hesston College, a two-year Mennonite school in Hesston, Kan., where he served as president since 1994. Before that, he was associate executive secretary of the former Mennonite Board of Education in Elkhart, Ind., ten years.
The Kalona, Iowa, native graduated from EMU in 1976 with a bachelor of arts degree in liberal arts and earned a master of divinity degree from Eastern Mennonite Seminary in 1979. He completed a doctor of ministry degree at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2000.
Swartzendruber was ordained to the Christian ministry in 1975 at Lower Deer Creek Mennonite Church near Kalona and was pastor at Salford Mennonite Church, Harleysville, Pa., 1978-83.
Story by Jim Bishop. Jim can be reached at bishopj@emu.edu.
$50K PetSmart grant will help spay/neuter efforts in Valley
The Shenandoah Valley Spay/Neuter Clinic received a $50,000 grant from PetSmart Charities® to increase its number of targeted spay/neuter surgeries by over 150 percent. The organization’s 6-year-old Spay/Neuter Clinic alters more than 14,000 animals per year on average to proactively fight the area’s dire shelter pet o verpopulation problem.
This program offers subsidized and free spay/neuter services for pets of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County residents in zip codes 22801 & 22802. The grant funding will help bolster the Clinic’s current subsidy program, Aidan’s Friends Fund, which is used to provide free and low-cost surgeries to dog and cat owners in need of assistance. Aidan’s Friends Fund made 1,245 surgeries possible in 2010. For more information about these programs or to contact the Clinic, visit spayandneuterclinic.org.
“We are excited to be able to offer this wonderful service to area residents in need,” said Cate Mansfield, executive director of the Shenandoah Valley Spay/Neuter Clinic. “We also hope that this program will help to reduce the intake at the Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA.”
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Harrisonburg Chamber honors community business leaders
The Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual membership meeting and awards ceremony Thursday at the JMU Festival Conference & Student Center. During the ceremony, the Chamber honored two restaurateurs, and a local farm family that is dedicated to sustainable farming practices.
2010 Entrepreneur of the Year
Aaron Ludwig, owner of Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint, was the recipient of the Chamber’s 2010 Entrepreneur of the Year award. Jack Brown’s opened in downtown Harrisonburg in April 2009 and has become one of Harrisonburg’s most popular hotspots.
Ludwig has a great understanding and appreciation for his customer base, and he reaches out to them through social media. “His unique approach to marketing has helped Aaron create a fun and vibrant dining destination downtown,” said Josh Hale, 2011 Chair of the HR Chamber of Commerce. “Urged by his customers to expand, Aaron will open a new eatery downtown called Billy Jack’s Wing & Draft Shack.” It is scheduled to open in April 2011.
2010 Business Person of the Year
“The Chamber honored Dave Miller, owner of Dave’s Downtown Taverna for his efforts to promote downtown Harrisonburg as a dining destination,” said Tom Mendez, Past Chair of the Chamber of Commerce. Miller is the first person in the history of the Chamber to receive this award after previously receiving the Chamber’s Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2004.
The Business Person of the Year is someone who has grown his or her company and also given back to the community. Dave has been in the restaurant business for more than 30 years. He has built a locally recognized and appreciated brand. Yet, he strives for even more – success for his business partners, neighboring eateries, and for the opportunity to put downtown Harrisonburg on the map.
2010 Farm Family Stewardship Award
Agriculture is the number one industry in Rockingham based on gross sales. The Chamber recognizes the role that agriculture plays in our community by honoring a family that is dedicated to taking care of their farm and the environment.
This year’s winner of the Farm Family Stewardship award is the Witmer Family of Grazeland Dairy. “Their unique farming methods combined with environmental stewardship has enabled Grazeland Dairy to be a viable family business,” said Scot Lilly, representative of Farm Credit of the Virginias.
Grazeland Dairy, located in Ottobine, has been in the Witmer family for more than 40 years. In 2008, the farm became a certified organic dairy. “We use rotational grazing, which allows the cattle to harvest their own feed rather than using equipment and additional labor,” said Philip Witmer, owner of the farm. “What led us to consider organic production was the understanding that consumers are seeking organic products,” he continued.
The Witmer family is currently in Colombia on a two-year church mission trip. Duane Witmer, farm manager of Grazeland Dairy, accepted the award on the family’s behalf.
In addition to these awards, the Chamber also awarded Janice “Bonnie” Moyers an honorary lifetime membership in the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce. Bonnie has been involved in the Chamber for more than 30 years. She has served on various committees, sub-committees and task forces throughout the years, and most recently served as the Chamber’s 2009 Chair of its Board of Directors.
“Bonnie has more than demonstrated her commitment to the Chamber of Commerce and the greater community through her professional and personal actions,” said Frank Tamberrino, president of the HR Chamber of Commerce. “We are proud to have her as a lifetime member that we can learn and grow from.”
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Nursing professor at EMU honored for teaching excellence
Posted by afp on February 15, 2011 · 1 Comment
Laura A. Yoder, an assistant professor of nursing, was awarded the “excellence in nursing instruction” award during the VSVA’s annual convention held Feb. 5 at Liberty University.
The annual award, selected from nominations submitted by nursing students from constituent institutions of the VNSA, seeks to recognize an instructor or professor “who has demonstrated excellence as a teacher and mentor and makes a consistent and positive contribution to the future of nursing in the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
Yoder has clinical experience in medical-surgical nursing and progressive care/telemetry nursing and is a primary care adult nurse practitioner.
A 1997 graduate of Goshen (Ind.) College with a BS in nursing degree, she holds an MS degree in nursing from the University of South Florida. An EMU faculty member since 2003, she has been accepted into a doctoral program in nursing at the University of Virginia.
She is married to Edward T. Yoder and has two children – Eleanor, 4, and Lewis, 2. She is a member of Park View Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg.
EMU has 82 students currently enrolled in the clinical level of its baccalaureate program in nursing. Registered nurses can earn their BSN through the traditional program (day classes) and the Adult Degree Completion Program (evening program) designed for working professionals. The ADCP nursing program is offered at the main Harrisonburg campus and at EMU’s Lancaster, Pa., site. The nursing curriculum can be accelerated for LPNs who have work experience, and students with a bachelor’s degree in another field can take a four-semester track towards the BSN degree. EMU’s masters in nursing leadership and management degree program is designed for working nurses.
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