BC students to spend day doing community service

AFP

Some 591 new students – freshmen and transfer – at Bridgewater College will fan out into the Rockingham and Augusta County areas Oct. 21, to perform a day of service-learning for area non-profit and charitable agencies. The “Into the Streets” program is part of the college’s service-learning requirement, and marks the sixth year that Bridgewater…

Local teacher wins Dominion grant

AFP

The Valley Alliance for Education receives a Dominon grant awarded to Christy Davis of Staunton for her project “Open a Can O’ Worms.” Emmett Toms of Dominion awarded Davis her check at the September VAE meeting. The Dominion Educational Partnership is committed to supporting projects that focus upon math and science education, including an ecological…

Artist launches site, promotes Art Center

AFP

Today, watercolor artist Cynthia Doyle has launched new website, CynthiaDoyleArt.com. The website will sell both her original watercolor pieces and high-quality reproductions. Doyle is also using the launch of her website to bring attention to a cause near and dear to her heart. During the month of October, CynthiaDoyleArt.com will donate a portion of the…

Governor announces specialty-crops funding

Chris Graham

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell announced funding today for 18 agriculture-related projects which will promote and enhance the competitiveness of Virginia’s specialty crops. The projects resulted from the competitive grant process established by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) for the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service Specialty Crop Block Grant…

Relief Sale has strong weekend

Jim Bishop

Much-needed rain in the Shenandoah Valley gave way to brilliant fall weather, contributing to the “enthusiastic spirit” that prevailed at the 44th annual Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale held Friday evening and Saturday, Oct. 1-2, at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds. This year’s sale raised approximately $284,914 for the worldwide relief and service program of Mennonite Central…

Shenandoah U. to join ODAC in '12-'13

Chris Graham

Shenandoah University is set to become the newest full-time member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, effective in all sponsored sports at the beginning of the 2012-13 academic year. The acceptance of Shenandoah’s application for admittance was ratified last week at an annual meeting of the ODAC’s presidents. “The colleges and universities in the Old…

Virginia wine sales see boost

Chris Graham

Sales of Virginia wine in fiscal year 2010 increased nearly 13 percent from 2009, according to numbers released today by the state. Total sales of Virginia wine amounted to $1,604,387 in wine liter tax collections during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2010, whereas the total wine liter tax collected by the state derived from…

College students to mark change in health-care law

Chris Graham

Students will gather across Virginia on Thursday to celebrate the six-month milestone of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act being signed into law. The students will be focusing on the provision that the new law extends coverage for young adults. Starting Thursday, young adults can stay on a parent’s plan until they turn 26….

One last drive

Jim Bishop

At age 88, Margaret Martin Gehman of Harrisonburg has lost a little of her trademark drive, largely because she has parted company with a faithful friend. Dr. Gehman and her trusty, albeit a bit rusty, mechanical steed, a blue 1967 Volkswagen Beetle, are almost synonymous to many observers. For years she motored the streets of…