Leadership program accepting applications

AFP

Leadership Harrisonburg-Rockingham is accepting applications from prospective community leaders for its upcoming 2011-12 class. The program, formerly called the Community Leadership Program (CLP), is designed to develop tomorrow’s leaders through a series of sessions on all economic and social facets of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County interspersed with leadership skills training. There are nine monthly sessions…

Camp Dragonfly set for September

Chris Graham

Augusta Health Hospice of the Shenandoah’s 13th annual Camp Dragonfly is scheduled for Saturday, September 17 & Sunday, September 18 at Camp Horizons in Harrisonburg. Camp Dragonfly offers a great place for 6- to 18-year-olds to gather with their peers to share the experience of grieving the death of someone they love. Because of the generosity…

DN-R publisher named president of VPA

Chris Graham

On July 1, 2011, Peter Yates of the Daily News-Record in Harrisonburg became the 111th president of the Virginia Press Association and Virginia Press Services, Inc. (VPA/VPS) Yates began his newspaper career in 1985 at The Daily Progress in Charlottesville. He became publisher of The Herald-Tribune in Batesville, Ind., in 1987. Yates published several newspapers…

The AFP on WREL: Baseball fever

Chris Graham

AFP editor Chris Graham talks sports on WREL’s “Online with Jim Bresnahan.” Today’s podcast focuses on sports – and begins with a look at the stretch drive in the Valley League. Is Harrisonburg, ranked #6 in the country in summer baseball, the clear team to beat? Chris thinks so, but also thinks that anything can…

Investors support solar power in their community through first-ever ‘solar CDs’

AFP

Secure Futures LLC, developer of the 104 kW solar energy system at Eastern Mennonite University, today announced that it has closed a $110,000 loan backed entirely by the nation’s first ever “Solar Certificate of Deposit.” Sold through Park View Federal Credit Union, based in Harrisonburg, funds collected by the Solar CDs will secure a $110,000…

Film on sustainable farming to premiere in Waynesboro

AFP

American Meat, a feature documentary about a grassroots revolution in sustainable farming starring Virginia’s own Joel Salatin and his Polyface Farms, will have its world premiere July 9 at Waynesboro’s Zeus Theater and July 10 at Staunton’s Visulite Theater. Reported and directed by filmmaker Graham Meriwether, the movie explains how America arrived at its current…

Co-op grand opening July 9

AFP

Friendly City Food Co-Op, Harrisonburg’s consumer-owned grocery, invites the community to come see its new destination for natural, organic and locally-produced products at the store’s grand opening 11 a.m.-5 p.m. July 9 at 150 East Wolfe Street. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. with Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Matt Lohr, Harrisonburg Mayor…

Valley 4th celebrates 10th

Valley 4th, Harrisonburg’s annual Independence Day celebration, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year in downtown Harrisonburg. The Valley 4th festivities will take place on Monday, July 4th, from 3 to 10 pm on Court Square. Festival-goers will experience all of the patriotic sights and sounds that they look forward to each year, including appearances…

19th EMU Festival pairs Bach and Mozart

Chris Graham

“Great music. Great musicians. Nourishment for the soul.” Artistic director and conductor Kenneth J. Nafziger made these promises to the audience at the start of the 19th annual Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival. In keeping with Nafziger’s comments, the June 12-19 festival at Eastern Mennonite University featured works by Bach and Mozart, energetic vocal and instrumental…

At Interfaith Peace Camp, seeds of friendship sprout in fun

AFP

What does a bike-powered ice-cream maker have to do with peace and justice? A lot, for the 47 children from grades 1-6 attending June’s Interfaith Peace Camp – a collaboration by Eastern Mennonite University’s Center for Interfaith Engagement with local faith communities. “At the heart of peacebuilding is relationship building,” notes a statement of the…