Citizens groups join suit to block I-81 widening

Contributors

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] The New Jersey Turnpike in the Shenandoah Valley. That’s what critics of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Interstate 81 widening plan envision happening if the engineers get their wishes. “For us, our mission is to protect farms, forests, open spaces and cultural heritage – and this is impacting all of…

The return of Winners and Losers …

Contributors

Winners and Losers column by Chris Graham [email protected] LOSER: Waynesboro about to lose its mayor Tom Reynolds announced his retirement effective June 30 from Waynesboro City Council. Reynolds was instrumental in having the city council think long-range – to his own detriment, if you judge the controversy that foes of his forward thinking raised in…

Center worries about long-term impact of improvement schedule on 81

Contributors

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] The short-term worry is about a planned seven-mile improvement project on Interstate 81 in Rockbridge County. The longer-term worry is about the rest of the 325 miles of I-81 in Western Virginia. “That’s the biggest concern that I have – because this seven-mile project, while it is overly broad, and…

Community group wants county, state to improve safety on Nelson highway

Contributors

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] An accident that killed a mother and her two young daughters in Nelson County this summer happened 75 yards from the front door of Tommy Stafford’s office. “We knew we needed to do something,” said Stafford, the founder of Project151.org, a web portal that is serving as a launching pad…

‘Impossible’ hope

Contributors

Column by David Cox Not three months after we moved to the Valley in 1987, I got a call asking if our church could welcome, house, and support an exiled Ugandan bishop and his family of – get this – nine, in – get this – four weeks. “Impossible,” I thought. But the church, together…