Emergency Preparedness Forum at the Waynesboro Senior Center

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The Waynesboro Senior Center has partnered with the News Virginian on a public forum program called “Let’s Talk”. The next one is going to be Friday, May 10 at 12:30p.m. and will cover the topic of emergency preparedness. The panel consists of these leaders from the community representing various aspects of emergency response:

Waynesboro Cultural Commission announces romance writers’ workshops

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As part of its mission to serve area writers, filmmakers, artists and performers, the Waynesboro Cultural Commission announces the second in its series of informal workshops. The romance writers’ workshops, scheduled for the first two Tuesdays in May, will introduce the genre and give aspiring authors the skills to understand the expectations of this popular fictional form.

tim kaine

Sen. Tim Kaine begins Shenandoah Valley swing

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U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine joined Roanoke Mayor Dave Bowers and members of the local business community today to tour the city’s downtown and discuss economic development in the region. During the discussion, Kaine expressed his support for the Marketplace Fairness Act that will level the playing field for small businesses in Roanoke and across Virginia that are a major source of job creation.

Gov. McDonnell issues executive order creating Governor’s Teacher Cabinet

Chris Graham

Gov. Bob McDonnell today issued Executive Order No. 63, establishing the Governor’s Teacher Cabinet. The Cabinet, comprised of teachers from across the Commonwealth, will advise the Governor and Secretary of Education on policies related to the status of teaching in Virginia. The Cabinet will focus on strategies for enhancing teacher quality, leadership and professionalism for 21st Century learning.

Event to celebrate preservation, digitization of Augusta Records

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They are the records of a wild west, a new frontier, a nation struggling with its social conscience, of war, and of every day people dealing with the every day problems of society such as love, deceit, misfortune and even petty quarrels with neighbors. And for the first time the Augusta County Chancery Records are available to every person in the world with a computer screen – all 878,490 pages from 10,268 lawsuits!

Ken Plum: Children and outside learning

Ken Plum

Research highlights the benefits of outdoor and environmental education for children–ranging from increased academic achievement, improved social skills and interest in school, and boosted health, according to environmental education leaders who have organized NoVA Outside: An Alliance of Environmental Educators (www.novaoutside.org). I attended their School Environmental Action Showcase last week at George Mason University, and I was impressed by the students and their projects. The Showcase is like a science fair but with the emphasis on environmental science.