Harrisonburg: EMU bids adieu to residence hall

Jim Bishop

Item by Jim Bishop A wreath placed on the entrance door read “R.I.P.” but few tears were shed at the “funeral” for an Eastern Mennonite University icon, Oakwood residence hall, age 39-plus. Former residents of the fabled building that has housed some 2,800 men between 1969 and 2008 paid their last respects to the hallowed…

The Top Story: Seriously … Sarah Palin?

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham [email protected] She has executive experience, but let’s put Sarah Palin’s Alaska in perspective. It has a population of 670,000 and a state budget of $6.6 billion. Which, essentially, makes it Fairfax County (population 1 million, operating budget of $3.3 billion), only colder. So maybe we can dispense with the…

Rockingham: EMU students learn more about why they’re there

Jim Bishop

Story by Jim Bishop So, why are you here? A rather strange question, perhaps, for the president of Eastern Mennonite University to ask those who filled Lehman Auditorium Wednesday for the opening convocation of fall semester, but he had good reason. “Most of us think about education in terms of what it will do for…

Winners and Losers: Gilmore, Warner, Frederick, Hillary, McCain

Chris Graham

Compiled by Chris Graham [email protected] TELL US MORE ABOUT YOU, JIMMY: More trash from Gilmore Got another note from the Jim Gilmore campaign with more trash on how Mark Warner is a bad guy. Today it’s something he said to the Virginia AFL-CIO about his support of legislation that would put Virginia’s right-to-work status in…

The Top Story: Did Hillary save the day?

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham [email protected] The weight of the Democratic Party’s White House chances was on Hillary Clinton’s shoulders last night. In which direction will the four out of 10 Clinton supporters who are either undecided or telling pollsters that they are thinking about voting for John McCain in November go? We still…

Shepherd Bliss: Slow Food Nation to release healthy food and agriculture declaration

AFP

Column by Shepherd Bliss “We, the undersigned, believe that a healthy food system is necessary to meet the urgent challenges of our time,” begins the final draft of the Declaration for Healthy Food and Agriculture. Initiated by Roots of Change and half a year in the drafting, it will be released Friday at Slow Food…

Jim Bishop: Learning the ropes of cooperative communication

Jim Bishop

Column by Jim Bishop It seems obvious, yet so hard to implement. Many problems associated with the human condition, whether experienced in the workplace, at home or in settings where we’d rather not have others find us, can be addressed – and often resolved – by basic, eyeball-to-eyeball conversation. Homer J. Simpson might say, “It…

Rockingham: BC adds new VP

AFP

Item by Mary K. Heatwole Beverly S. Butterfield of New Market has accepted the position of vice president for institutional advancement at Bridgewater College, effective Oct. 1. Butterfield, a 1979 graduate of Bridgewater College, has held a faculty position with the Virginia Tech Extension Service since 1979. Most recently, she served as the director of…

Sports: Little Giants spreading their wings, literally

Chris Graham

Best Seat in the House column by Chris Graham [email protected] I’m out in Bridgewater last Friday night to see some good old-fashioned smashmouth football in the form of the single-wing offense that dates back to Pop Warner and is currently favored by Waynesboro coach Steve Isaacs. Isaacs has won a state title with this offense,…