Susan Vento and Judy Van Ness: Veterans Day surprise from Congress

AFP

Americans are observing Veterans Day. Some will observe it with a day off from work or checking out the special Veterans Day sales that will be held in department stores. But the real meaning of the day should be to think about the great sacrifices of the men and women who deserve to be honored.

james madison university jmu

Opera soars at JMU

Chris Graham

While regional and state opera houses have been shutting their doors across the country, the opera program at James Madison University is standing strong. “The academic world will need to take on more responsibility for keeping those traditions going,” says Don Rierson, director of JMU Opera Theater.

Virginia on-time graduation rate tops 89 percent

Chris Graham

Nearly nine out of ten Virginia students who entered the ninth grade in the fall of 2009 earned a diploma within four years, and 55.8 percent of the commonwealth’s 2013 high school graduates earned an Advanced Studies Diploma. The statewide dropout rate fell to 5.9 percent for the class of 2013, compared with 6.5 percent for the class of 2012.