The Valley Today

A Community Comes Together to Honor Local Excellence Fresh off a Parisian adventure, Kaleigh Fincham returns to the Top of Virginia region with renewed energy and a mission: to orchestrate one of the Chamber's most meaningful events of the year. As Director of Events for the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber , Kaleigh joins host Janet Michael on "The Valley Business Today" to unveil the details of...

During a recent episode of The Valley Today , host Janet Michael sits down with Jill Edlich and Kary Haun for Tourism Tuesday — Shenandoah County Edition — to talk about an exciting new chapter unfolding at North Mountain Vineyard and Winery . What begins as a conversation about events and community quickly reveals something much bigger: a Renaissance fair founder has just stepped into life as a v...

Record Numbers Shatter Post-Pandemic Expectations Six years after the pandemic first disrupted American life, a troubling trend emerges across rural Virginia. The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank now serves approximately 180,000 people every month—a staggering 39,000 more than the pandemic's peak. Les Sinclair, the organization's Communications and PR Manager, reveals this sobering reality during a recen...

A Homecoming to the Shenandoah Valley Candace DeLong is settling into her new role as Frederick County's consumer horticulture extension agent, and she's already discovering the perks of the position, she explains to host Janet Michael on this episode of The Valley Today . Just three weeks into the job, she's found herself surrounded by enthusiastic Master Gardeners , chocolate Valentine's Day cak...

The Silent Threat Women Face Heart disease remains the number one killer of women in America, yet nearly half of all women fail to recognize it as their greatest health threat. During a recent Community Health episode of The Valley Today , host Janet Michael talks with Dr. April Shewmake , a board-certified interventional cardiologist at Winchester Cardiology and Vascular Medicine I Valley Health...

A Return Visit Reveals Restaurant Reality Just months after opening their doors, Amanda and Bill Whitson welcome back Valley Today host, Janet Michael, and SBA Virginia District Director, Carl Knoblock to share the unvarnished truth about launching Clem's Kitchen at Middletown's historic Wayside Inn. While the couple anticipated challenges, the reality of restaurant ownership has delivered surpris...

How One Virginia Town is Reinventing Community Commerce During Its Bicentennial Mount Jackson, Virginia , is having a moment. During a recent Tourism Tuesday episode of The Valley Today , Town Manager Olivia Hilton sat down with host Janet Michael to share an ambitious slate of initiatives transforming this small Shenandoah County community. From quirky farmers markets to business incubators, Moun...

An Unexpected Path to Baking Chef Chuck Arnaud didn't follow a traditional route to becoming one of Luray's most beloved bakers. For over two decades, he worked in stagecraft, starting as a junior high school stagehand and eventually country music artists in Nashville. However, his career took a dramatic turn when he traded stage lights for bread ovens, opening Main Street Bakery and Catering in t...

A Hidden Gem Takes Flight Winchester Regional Airport has quietly transformed from a modest local airfield into a major economic driver for the Shenandoah Valley. In a recent episode of The Valley Today , Executive Director Nick Sabo talks with host Janet Michael to unveil stunning new data that reveals just how significant this transformation has been. The Numbers Tell a Compelling Story The Virg...

A Career Path Born from Industry Need Laurel Ridge Community College is addressing a critical workforce shortage head-on with its innovative Power Line Worker Program . What began as conversations with local utilities in February 2024 has rapidly transformed into a comprehensive training pipeline that's already placing graduates into high-paying careers across the region. During a recent episode o...

The Show Must Go On Despite battling the flu for over 10 days, Niki Foster, President of the Front Royal Warren County Chamber of Commerce , refused to miss another episode of The Valley Today . Host Janet Michael awarded her friend the "perseverance award of the year" as they settled in for a conversation about recent community celebrations and upcoming events that have the chamber buzzing with u...

When host Janet Michael talks with Rosemary Wallinger and Laura Fogle for this episode of The Valley Today , she expected a straightforward conversation about local history. What unfolded instead was a remarkable story of discovery, perseverance, and the fight to preserve a crucial piece of American—and African American—heritage that has been hiding in plain sight for nearly 90 years. A Tale of Tw...

The Unexpected Connection Between Snow and Blood Shortages Winter storms don't just strand motorists and close schools—they create life-threatening blood shortages that most Americans never consider. In a revealing conversation, host Janet Michael talks with Deb Fleming, Executive Director of the Greater Shenandoah Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross , to discuss how a recent severe winter st...

Understanding the True Landscape of Community Services United Way Northern Shenandoah Valley is tackling one of the region's most persistent questions: Are there too many nonprofits, and do they overlap in their services? To find definitive answers, CEO Andy Gail announced a comprehensive regional nonprofit survey during a recent episode of The Valley Today with host Janet Michael. "We've heard so...

When Snow Removal Becomes a Community Challenge The recent winter storm that buried Frederick County under heavy snow and ice has left residents grappling with more than just blocked driveways and buried mailboxes. In a candid conversation on The Valley Today , Captain Warren Gosnell from the Frederick County Sheriff's Office sat down with host Janet Michael to discuss the realities of winter stor...

From Historic Roots to Modern Mission The Youth Development Center has found its new home in the heart of Winchester, and Executive Director Sarah Fishel couldn't be more excited about what this means for the community. Speaking with host Janet Michael on The Valley Today , Sarah traced the organization's journey from its 1990 founding to its March 2025 relocation to 302 South Loudoun Street, righ...

A New Era for the SportsPlex On a snow covered Thursday afternoon in Winchester, Virginia, the sounds of laughter and plastic paddles echo through the newly transformed PklPlex . What was once a multipurpose arena hosting basketball, floor hockey, and volleyball has evolved into something entirely different—six championship-quality indoor pickleball courts that are drawing players from teenagers t...

A Race Against the Cold When temperatures plummet below freezing in Winchester, Virginia, Robyn Miller's phone doesn't stop ringing. As Executive Director of WATTS (Winchester Area Temporary Transitional Shelter) , she oversees a lifesaving operation that runs 24 hours a day during the coldest months of the year.  In this episode of The Valley Today , host Janet Michael talks with Robyn about how...

A Conversation About Community, Connection, and Caring for Kids in Need When Heather Frost joins Janet Michael on The Valley Today , she brings a message that hits close to home: hundreds of children across the Shenandoah Valley desperately need stable, caring families. As Foster Parent Coordinator for Embrace Treatment Foster Care , Heather sees firsthand how the shortage of local foster homes af...

From Crisis to Opportunity When the Wrangler plant closed its doors in Page County over two decades ago, the community faced a crossroads. However, what could have been a devastating blow instead became the catalyst for educational transformation. Dr. Kim Blosser, President of Laurel Ridge Community College , talks with Janet Michael on The Valley Today to reflect on how the Luray-Page County Cent...

A Broadcast with Purpose Host Janet Michael and cohost Andy Gail transform Handley Regional Library into a podcast studio, broadcasting from the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber 's Community Leadership Program (CLP). The energy in the room is palpable on this episode of The Valley Today , as this year's class gathers for their media and nonprofit session. Meanwhile, Andy, a 2016 CLP graduate and c...

A Homecoming Story Suzanne Soliday has come full circle. After opening Suzanne's Studio in Woodstock back in 2018, relocating to Florida in 2021, and continuing her artistic passion in Titusville, she's now back where it all began. In this Tourism Tuesday episode of The Valley Today , host Janet Michael and cohost from Shenandoah County Tourism , Kary Haun sit down with Suzanne at her freshly reop...

A Conversation About Infrastructure, Innovation, and Community Input The Shenandoah Valley's roadways are undergoing a massive transformation. In this episode of The Valley Today , host Janet Michael talks with Ken Slack, Communications Specialist for VDOT's Staunton District , to discuss the ambitious construction projects reshaping how residents travel through the region. What emerged was a fasc...

On this lively episode of The Valley Today , host Janet Michael sits down with Brady Cloven, executive director of Friends of Old Town , and Corporal Rob Sloan, the City of Winchester's dedicated Old Town walking mall officer. Their conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at how visibility, relationships, and everyday interaction help keep downtown safe — and welcoming — for residents, busine...

The Science of Snow Preparation When winter storms threaten the Shenandoah Valley, VDOT's Staunton District springs into action long before the first flakes fall. In this episode of The Valley Today , host Janet Michael speaks with Ken Slack, Communications Specialist for the district, who reveals that preparation begins days in advance, with teams monitoring weather systems and planning for the w...