Tag: holidays
Winter months are leading home fire months
Cooking, heating, holiday decorations and candles all contribute to an increased risk of fire during the winter months.
State Police: Five killed in Christmas holiday crashes in Virginia
Five fatal crashes over the Christmas holiday weekend resulted in the deaths of one pedestrian, one moped operator and three drivers on Virginia’s highways.
Red Cross seeks holiday blood and platelet donations
As millions of Americans get ready for the holidays, the American Red Cross reminds donors to give the most meaningful gift of all: the gift of life.
Professional drivers offer safe driving tips for Christmas holiday travel
The Virginia Trucking Association is urging the 2.8 million Virginians expected to travel our highways over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays to drive safely.
Dinner Diva: Four free-range holiday decorations
Today we’re not talking about food. Don’t worry— as we approach the holidays, there’s going to be plenty of food talk.
Home or away for the holidays: Pet parents including the whole family
With the holiday season upon us it’s time to start shopping, planning, and getting excited for all that much needed family time and love.
Decorate for the holidays from the outside in
It’s hard to find a simpler, yet more personal way to decorate your home for the holidays than with fresh evergreen trimmings from your yard or garden.
Support your local farmers when planning holiday meals
From now until the start of 2016, festive occasions abound that cry out for local products. Let’s start with Thanksgiving. In every part of the state, consumers can find pick-your-own farms, roadside stands, farmers’ markets and grocery stores laden with local food favorites.
Study: December most unproductive and distracting month at work
A study of 3,000 people in the USA has found that December is the month when people are most distracted by browsing the internet at work.
UVA basketball moves up to #3 in both national polls
UVA basketball, off to its first 11-0 start since 1992-1993, moved up two spots to #3 in the AP and coaches polls on Monday.
Mathers thanks you for giving this holiday season
The Mathers Team, our colleagues, associates and friends pitched in to make the holidays brighter for a number of people in need this Christmas season.
Free throws lift Ball State to 69-64 win over Longwood
The holidays weren’t quite finished for Ball State, which took advantage of 35 free trips to the free throw line to outlast Longwood, 69-64, Sunday afternoon at Worthen Arena.
Virginia State Police: Drive to save lives
This time of year, with all the holiday parties and festive occasions, many partygoers will be drinking. If you’re celebrating with alcohol this holiday season, the Virginia State Police has a message for you: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
Paid family leave: An employee benefit that benefits employers
Employers might want to provide paid family leave, but feel that the business can’t afford to. Luckily there is a solution. Just over one year ago, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand introduced the FAMILY Act that would create a national paid family leave insurance program.
Holiday cheer extends to lower gas prices
Holiday cheer has come early for the motoring public, with the average for gas at its lowest level in more than five years.Friday’s national average price for regular unleaded gasoline dropped to $2.45.
Gas prices drop to five year low: A holiday gift for motorists
Rising disposable income, an extended holiday period, and lower gas prices are boosting this year’s year-end holiday travel, said Martha Mitchell Meade, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic.
JMU women’s basketball wins at Ohio U., 69-62
Key free throws down the stretch helped James Madison women’s basketball grind out a 69-62 victory at Ohio University on Monday night.
Marietta McCarty: One indie bookstore
Around the country I’ve traveled, thriving on talks at indie bookstores from Seattle to Portland to Boston to New York to Little Rock to Greensboro and throughout Virginia. One shop stands way out. No place won my heart like Stone Soup Books and Café in Waynesboro, VA. Housed in a 120-year-old formerly abandoned home, Stone Soup embodies the spirit of independently owned bookstores.
Woodrow Wilson birthday celebration in Staunton
On the evening of December 28, 1856 in the Presbyterian Manes at the corner of North Coalter St. and Frederick St. in Staunton, Virginia, Thomas Woodrow Wilson was born.
Ken Plum: A legislator’s holiday season
The multiple celebrations that make up the holiday season bring travel, big meals, and family and friend reunions. For state legislators the end of the year and the holidays bring an additional dimension: preparation for the next legislative session.
SCC: Review your insurance plans before the holiday season
When planning for the holiday season, the State Corporation Commission’s (SCC) Bureau of Insurance reminds Virginians to check with their insurance agent.
Attorney General Mark Herring shares important tips for safe holiday shopping
Whether shopping at the mall, at a local small business, or online, 2014 holiday sales nationwide are forecast to reach approximately $616.9 billion dollars.
Randy Forbes: Is your identity safe this holiday season?
When busy shopping malls were the primary way to shop during the holiday season, lines wrapped around the stores and the biggest security concern was to make sure you didn’t leave your purse or wallet unattended while you reached into your cart or put bags in your car.
Kaine calls on Congress to debate, vote on ISIL mission before adjournment
U.S. Senator Tim Kaine reiterated his months-long call for Congress to debate and vote on U.S. military action against ISIL – a mission that has gone on since August without congressional authorization.
Red Cross calls for blood and platelet donations this holiday season
This holiday season, the American Red Cross encourages individuals to give something that means something – a blood or platelet donation.
United Way of Greater Augusta joins national #GivingTuesday Movement
United Way of Greater Augusta has joined #GivingTuesday, a first of its kind effort that will harness the collective power of a unique blend of partners.
Project Impact calendar set for distribution in early December
A popular locally produced calendar that features a unique collection of historic photos from around the Shenandoah Valley and amusing “holidays” for each day of the year is due out in early December.
Food Bank clients face tough choices this holiday season
Families on limited incomes throughout the Blue Ridge area continue to make difficult choices between their basic needs and putting food on the table, according to a recent study of hunger in the area.
Number of Virginia-raised turkeys is up from 2013
The number of turkeys raised in Virginia this year is expected to total 16 million, up 3 percent from the 15.5 million raised in 2013, according to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
American Red Cross encourages donors to make a blood donation before the holiday season
The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to make a point to give blood before the busy holiday season arrives. Blood donations often decline between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.
My Clean Kitchen: Bold Rock and Apple Roasted Chicken
This week Jessica and I took a trip to Bold Rock Cidery in Nellysford, VA. This place is like Disney World for grown ups. It’s beautiful there and the cider is delicious!
American Red Cross local donation opportunities: Oct. 16-31
The American Red Cross reminds eligible donors that it’s never too late – or too early – to make blood donation a lifelong habit. Many blood donors report making their first blood donation while in high school.
‘Hoofprints of History’ tours readying for a fall run at The Meadow
The legendary Secretariat made many a victorious trip across the finish line during his racing career. Tourists looking for an off-the-beaten-path day trip this fall can make tracks to his birthplace at The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County.
EMU alum Kate Baer’s blog on motherhood goes viral
One late night in early August, Kate Baer, EMU ’07, received the email that every writer hopes for. This one was from an editor at the Huffington Post, asking for permission to share Baer’s recent blog post, “When You Are Tightly Wound.”
Democrats raise issue with anti-Muslim statement from Virginia Republican Party official
Virginia Democrats are calling on Republican Senate candidate Ed Gillespie to condemn a Facebook post from Republican Party of Virginia treasurer Bob FitzSimmonds suggesting that Muslims have contributed nothing to the American social fabric.
Virginia’s popular Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday returns Friday
It’s time to make your shopping list because Virginia’s popular sales tax holiday for clothing, footwear, and school and office supplies begins Friday.
Virginia State Police encourages Drive to Save Lives
As Virginians prepare to celebrate our nation’s independence, the Virginia State Police encourages everyone to include traffic safety as an integral part of their preparations and activities.
AAA: Despite high gas prices, record July 4 travel projected
Not even in 2001, 13 years ago when AAA began keeping holiday travel records, did as many Virginians travel for Independence Day as will in 2014, according to AAA.
Eight die in traffic crashes in Virginia on Memorial Day weekend
Eight people lost their lives in eight traffic crashes across the Commonwealth, according to preliminary reports for the 2014 Memorial Day weekend.
Senate Democrats push gun bills
The Virginia Senate on Friday passed two Democratic bills that would curb gun violence. Both measures passed on a bipartisan vote, with strong Democratic support and several Republicans voting in favor.
Attorney General encourages Target customers to take advantage of free credit monitoring
Attorney General Mark Herring today urged any Virginia residents who have shopped at Target stores or the company’s website to take advantage of the one year of free credit monitoring being offered by the company following last month’s security breach.
Scott Klinger: A stark choice in the New Year
At this moment, four out of every ten unemployed workers in the U.S. have been looking for a job for more than six months, the highest level of long-term joblessness since the Great Depression.
Give blood at Sentara RMH during National Blood Donor Month
Sentara RMH Medical Center, in conjunction with the American Red Cross, is hosting several blood drives throughout National Blood Donor Month in January.
Virginia State Police: 20 traffic deaths over the holidays
Preliminary reports from the Virginia State Police indicate that 20 individuals lost their lives in 19 separate traffic crashes over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays in Virginia. In 2012, a total of 16 people died in traffic crashes during each of the four-day holiday statistical counting periods.
Valley Exxon Donated $220 in Gift Cards
Valley Exxon in Elkton donated $220 in gift cards to be used at Food Lion or Family Dollar. The cards, which are valued at $20 each, will be given to East Rockingham Senior Center members and Meals on Wheels recipients that “have the most need” for them. The cards will be distributed by Yvonne Shoemaker, Interim Center Director and Karen Barnes, Case Manager.
Virginia State Police emphasize New Year’s Eve holiday safety
Virginia State Police will be stepping up patrols New Year’s Eve in an effort to detect and deter impaired drivers on Virginia’s highways. Since Thanksgiving, troopers have been participating in the annual Checkpoint Strikeforce anti-DUI enforcement campaign and the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” holiday crackdown.
Frank Clemente: This Christmas, help the unemployed, not Wall Street
When holiday shoppers make a bad choice, the worst result may be an ugly sweater. But Congress recently made a bad choice that will ruin the holidays for over a million families—and will spoil the coming new year for millions more.
Surviving the holidays: Think before you drink
The holidays are upon us and so are busy roadways full of holiday travelers headed out to celebrate with family, friends and loved ones. More than 2.7 million Virginia residents are embarking on their Christmastime road trips and AAA Mid-Atlantic is urging motorists to exercise extreme caution on the highway during the entire holiday travel period.
Extended hours to blow your own ornament at Sunspots Studios in Staunton
Sunspots Studios is keeping the 2000 degree furnaces fired up later to keep the glass studio toasty warm for the holidays. In addition to regular hours from 11am-4pm, Blow Your Own Ornament opportunities will be extended from 5pm-7pm on holiday Fridays Nov. 29, Dec. 6, Dec. 13, and Dec. 20.
Report: Gas prices down seven cents this week
The national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline went down seven cents in the past week. The average price for regular unleaded gas, according to AAA, was $3.21 on Friday, down from $3.28 a week ago and down 14 cents from the $3.35 a gallon that was the national average a month ago.
Three art camps for adults at Staunton Augusta Art Center
The Staunton Augusta Art Center’s upcoming workshops are just in time for holiday gift-giving.
Virginia Department of Health offers tips for stress-free holiday season
As schools let out for the winter break and families visit loved ones near and far, children may be spreading more than just holiday cheer. An increase in reports of influenza and norovirus in schools underscores the importance of preventing the spread of illness this holiday season. Additionally, it’s not too late to get vaccinated against the flu. The circulating strains of flu are a good match to those included in this year’s vaccine.
Ken Plum: Preparing for the holidays
The holiday season is busy for most everyone regardless of faith and family traditions and the holidays we choose to celebrate. Increasingly there is a trend towards the winter holiday celebration beginning soon after Halloween.
Holidays with brain injuries
Column by Chris DeWald ‘Tis the season to be jolly, they say. I am talking about Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, birthdays and any other celebration day. Things change with a stroke or a brain injury. or those who have not had anything change, you are very lucky. To those who are caregivers, friends and family […]
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