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200 S. Wayne Ave. #1193
Waynesboro, Va. 22980
Phone: 540.949.6574
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Augusta Free Press launched on July 2, 2002. Founded by Augusta Free Press LLC, the site serves as a portal into life in the Shenandoah Valley and Central Virginia – in a region encompassing Augusta County, Albemarle County and Nelson County and the cities of Charlottesville, Staunton and Waynesboro, at the entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway, Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park and the Appalachian Trail. In 2022, our coverage expanded to include national and global issues of interest to readers throughout the world.
All content is available for free.
Chris Graham, Managing Editor and Founder
email: [email protected]
Chris Graham, the editor of Augusta Free Press, an award-winning journalist and editor, and a 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, has won 17 Virginia Press Association awards for his work as an investigative reporter, feature writer and columnist.
An author of seven books, Chris co-wrote Team of Destiny: Inside Virginia Basketball’s Run to the 2019 National Championship, published in 2019, and also co-wrote a book on the history of University of Virginia basketball, Mad About U: Four Decades of Basketball at University Hall, which was published in 2006.
Chris is also a sports broadcaster with experience as a play-by-play man and color analyst on ESPN3 and ESPN+ broadcasts of baseball, basketball, football and soccer.
From 2009-2014, Chris was the play-by-play voice of the Waynesboro Generals, a team competing in the Valley Baseball League, a premier college summer baseball league affiliated with Major League Baseball and the NCAA.
The former co-host of “ACC Nation,” a syndicated radio show that ran for four years, ending in 2007, and regular guest host of WMRA’s “Virginia Insight,” Chris is currently a contributor to “The Mark Moses Show” on 95.9-The Fan in Melbourne, Fla.
Chris also served as a member of the creative team and on-air TV commentator for Awesome Wrestling Entertainment on AWE’s “Night of the Legends” live pay-per-view event in 2011.
Chris wrote a book on that experience, The Worst Wrestling Pay-Per-View Ever, that was published in 2018.
He is also the former co-host of “Viewpoints” on WVPT, a weekly news affairs TV show that aired from 2016-2017.
Crystal Abbe Graham, Regional and Breaking News Editor
email: [email protected]
A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked in print and broadcast journalism for more than two decades.
Crystal began her professional career at The News Virginian (Waynesboro, Va.) in 1999. She has worked as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design.
She was the co-host of “Viewpoints,” a weekly TV news show on WVPT, a PBS affiliate in Harrisonburg, Va., from 2016-2017, and co-host of “Virginia Tonight,” a nightly TV news show on WVPT that aired from 2004-2005. Her work on “Virginia Tonight” earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.
She has also previously served as the state director for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, associate director of the Wayne Theatre Alliance, marketing director of the Waynesboro Generals collegiate summer baseball team and was a volunteer business ambassador with the Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce. She also served on the executive board of the Augusta chapter of Mental Health America until 2022.
Posts Written by Crystal Graham
Rebecca J. Barnabi, National Editor
email: [email protected]
Rebecca J. Barnabi directs national and global news coverage for Augusta Free Press. A graduate of the University of Mary Washington, she began her journalism career at The Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star.
In 2013, she was awarded first place for feature writing in the Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia Awards Program, and was honored by the Virginia School Boards Association’s 2019 Media Honor Roll Program for her coverage of Waynesboro Schools.
Her background in newspapers includes writing about features, local government, education and the arts.
Posts Written by Rebecca Barnabi
Scott German, Staff Writer
email: [email protected]
Scott German covers UVA Athletics for Augusta Free Press, and is the co-host of “Street Knowledge” podcasts focusing on UVA Athletics with AFP editor Chris Graham. Scott has been around the ‘Hoos his whole life. As a reporter, he was on site for UVA Basketball’s Final Fours, in 1981 and 1984, and has covered UVA Football in bowl games dating back to its first, the 1984 Peach Bowl.
Rod Mullins, Staff Writer
email: [email protected]
Rod Mullins covers NASCAR for Augusta Free Press, and co-hosts the weekly “Street Knowledge” focusing on NASCAR with AFP editor Chris Graham. A graduate of UVA-Wise, Rod began his career in journalism as a reporter for The Cumberland Times, later became the program director/news director/on-air morning show host for WNVA in Norton, Va., and in the early 1990s served as the sports information director at UVA-Wise and was the radio “Voice of the Highland Cavaliers” for football and basketball for seven seasons. In 1995, Rod transitioned to public education, where he has worked as a high school English, literature, and creative writing teacher and now serves as a school program coordinator in addition to serving as a mentor for the robotics team.
Virginia Press Association Awards
News, Editorial and Photo Contest (2008-2010):
- 1st Place: Headline Writing, Chris Graham and Crystal Graham (2010)
- 1st Place: Public Affairs Writing, Chris Graham (2008)
- 2nd Place: Generals News Writing, Chris Graham (2008)
- 2nd Place: Pictorial Photo, Mark Miller (2010)
- 2nd Place: Special Section Category, Real Estate, Staff (2009)
- 3rd Place: Design and Presentation, Staff (2009)
- 3rd Place: Public Affairs Writing, Chris Graham (2010)
- 3rd Place: News Writing Portfolio, Chris Graham (2008)
Archives: Viewpoints on WVPT
Viewpoints, a weekly TV news show on WVPT, a PBS affiliate in Harrisonburg, Va., aired from 2016-2017. It was hosted and produced by AFP’s Chris and Crystal Graham.
Some archives may no longer be available. Search VPM and Viewpoints on YouTube to find episodes.
Archives: Magazine issues
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