The Valley Today

In this episode of the Valley Today, host Janet Michael talks with Jennifer Coello , Vice President of Operations at Valley Health , Administrator at Warren Memorial Hospital , and Orthopedics Service Line Leader at Valley Health. The discussion begins with an introduction of Jennifer and her extensive roles within Valley Health.  Jennifer explains the history of Warren Memorial Hospital, establis...

On this episode of the Valley Today, host Janet Michael welcomes Ryan Hall, the acting director of the Shenandoah Community Capital Fund, and his guests Gabrielle Cash, a capital access navigator, along with Alex White, an AmeriCorps fellow. Janet introduces the guests and kicks off the discussion by asking Ryan about the Shenandoah Community Capital Fund (SCCF) and its efforts in supporting entre...

In this episode of the Valley Today, host Janet Michael talks with Terry Heder, the historian and editor of Civil War Trails. The discussion kicks off with Terry sharing his extensive background in history, particularly his tenure with the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, and how he transitioned to his current role with Civil War Trails.  Terry explains the mission of Civil War Trails, a...

In today's episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael sits down with the City of Winchester's Deputy Chief of Community Risk Reduction and Fire Marshal , Jeremy Luttrell. As the cooler weather of fall sets in, their conversation focuses on crucial fire safety tips to help listeners stay safe during the winter months. Jeremy highlights the growing trend of year-round outdoor lighting and the i...

In this episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael welcomes guests Justin Proctor, Ruth Bennett, and John Keitz for a discussion on Bird Friendly Coffee. The conversation starts with Janet introducing Justin, a conservation biologist at the Smithsonian's National Zoo Conservation Biology Institute (formerly known as Smithsonian Conservation Research Center,) who speaks about his excitement re...

In this episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael welcomes Rick Ours from the Kiwanis Club of Winchester and Kelly Bober, Executive Director at the ChildSafe Center-CAC , to discuss the upcoming  Fall Pancake Day . Rick, a board member of the Kiwanis Club, talks about the history and significance of the event, including the transition back to normalcy post-COVID and the massive community eng...

In this episode, host Janet Michael is joined by Kaleigh Fincham, the Director of Events for the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber , and Scott Harvard , the CEO of First Bank . Together, they discuss the upcoming Economic Summit hosted by the Chamber on November 14, 2024, from 8:30am - 12pm at Shenandoah University. Scott Harvard discusses the success of the Economic Summit over the past two years...

In this episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael, and co-host Justin Kerns from Winchester/Frederick County Convention & Visitor's Bureau , sat down with Shawn Steffey, co-owner of the soon-to-open T.T. Wall's Kitchen and Bar located at 147 N. Loudoun Street in downtown Winchester on the Old Town Walking Mall. The conversation kicked off with some light-hearted banter about the short move f...

In this episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael is joined by Shenandoah County Planner Tyler Hinkle to discuss Shenandoah 2045 , the county's comprehensive planning process which has now moved into the implementation phase. Joining Tyler is Mount Jackson Town Manager Olivia Hilton. Over the next few months, Tyler will highlight each of the six big ideas incorporated into the new plan. This...

In this episode, host Janet Michael joins up with Joanne Royaltey from the Frederick County Extension Office and kate Reed, a NSV Master Gardener to discuss the benefits of fall gardening. Joanne highlights that fall is often overlooked as a gardening season despite its advantages such as cooler weather and softer grounds, which help plants establish stronger roots. Kate adds that not clearing out...

As part of a community health partnership with Valley Health , in this episode of the Valley Today, Janet Michael hosts a discussion with Dr. Jeffrey Feit and Jason Craig from Valley Health. The focus is on the ongoing Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) process. They explain the purpose of the CHNA, which is conducted every three years to systematically identify the health needs and assets o...

In this episode of 'The Valley Today,' host Janet Michael sits down with co-host Carl Knoblock, Virginia District Director for the Small Business Administration , and guests Jonathan and Rachael Worsley, owners of Waypoint House Bed and Breakfast and Presto Dinners, to discuss their businesses and strategies for expanding their reach. The discussion begins with a warm welcome, introducing the gues...

In this episode of Valley Today, host Janet Michael talks with Melanie Mullinax, the Communications and Event Manager for the State Arboretum of Virginia at Blandy Experimental Farm . The conversation kicks off with discussions around the highly anticipated "Ginkgo Gold Weekends," during the last weekend of October and the first weekend of November. This period sees thousands of visitors flocking...

In this episode of the Valley Today, host Janet Michael welcomes Gina Hilliard, president of the Luray/Page Chamber of Commerce, and her guest Kris Garrett, a licensed massage therapist who owns and operates Integrated Body Works. The trio discusses the considerable benefits of massage therapy, dispelling the myth that it's just a luxury and highlighting its medicinal purposes. Kris explains how m...

In this episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael is joined by Andrea Cosans, the executive director of Winchester CCAP , to celebrate their 50-year anniversary. The conversation begins with Andrea providing a history of CCAP, highlighting its origins and evolution over the decades. Initially founded by members of various church congregations to assist families struggling in the last week of...

In this episode of 'The Valley Today,' host Janet Michael discusses the upcoming conference, 'Sixty Slaves for Sale: Reckoning with Enslavement in the Shenandoah Valley,' set to take place at Laurel Ridge Community College on October 26th. The event is organized by Laurel Ridge Community College in collaboration with Belle Grove Plantation. Janet introduces her guests: Guy Curtis , the director of...

In this episode of the Valley Today, host Janet Michael converses with Robyn Miller, the Executive Director of the Winchester Area Temporary Transitional Shelter (WATTS). They discuss the array of services WATTS provides and the ongoing challenges faced by the homeless community, especially during the winter season. The conversation begins with Robyn outlining the structure of the shelter. She exp...

In this episode, Janet Michael, the host of 'Valley Today', welcomes Martha Reynolds, the Executive Director at the Barns of Rose Hill. The focus is on the exciting events and activities happening at the Barns of Rose Hill, particularly as the fall and holiday season approach. Martha shares detailed information about the diverse range of events scheduled, including new art exhibitions opening on N...

In this episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael welcomed Kristen Gregg and Aliyha Gill from the Phoenix Project. Janet, who also serves as the Vice Chair of the United Way Northern Shenandoah Valley Board of Directors and this year's campaign chair, started the discussion reflecting on her dual role. Kristen is a children's advocate, and Aliyha is a sexual assault advocate at the Phoenix P...

In this episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael welcomes Kyle Hayes, a volunteer from Valleyhaven Furniture Bank, to discuss the organization and its mission. The conversation begins with an introduction to the concept of furniture banks and their importance in helping individuals transition from situations of adversity to sustainable living. Kyle explains the typical items needed to furni...

In this episode of Traffic Safety Thursday on The Valley Today, host Janet Michael and co-host  Lt. Warren Gosnell from the Frederick County Sheriff's Office discuss a wide range of topics related to traffic safety and law enforcement responsibilities. Lt. Gosnell explains his various roles within the sheriff's office, including being the traffic safety coordinator and an instructor at the local l...

In this episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael is joined by co-host Niki Foster of the Front Royal Warren County Chamber and her guest, Katie Bonnet, owner of Fussell Florist. Katie shares her experiences over the last two and a half years since she last appeared on the show. Initially, she bought the florist shop from Betty Showers and had no prior experience owning a business. Despite c...

In this episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael is joined by co-host Kary Haun from Shenandoah County Tourism , and their guest Robert Hall at the Blue Wing Frog in Strasburg. Janet and Kary explore the culinary journey of Blue Wing Frog, a restaurant owned by Robert and his wife, Kelly Sprague. The conversation delves into the couple's dedication to creating unique and high-quality food,...

In this episode, Janet Michael chats with Tyler Hinkle, Shenandoah County's planner, about Shenandoah 2045 , the county's comprehensive planning process which has now moved into the implementation phase. Tyler shares the exciting news of the plan's unanimous adoption and explains the next steps in its development, focusing on making the document more digestible for various stakeholders including d...

In this episode, host Janet Michael sits with Winter Brooks, co-chair of the Stephens City Out of the Darkness Community Walk, a significant event aimed at raising awareness about suicide and supporting affected individuals and communities. Janet highlights that Winter Brooks has been organizing the community walk for 10 years, marking a decade of dedicated efforts. Winter explains the walk's incl...