The Valley Today

Our conversation today with Dawn Devine (Executive Director) and Tammy Stevenson (Director of Development & Marketing) from Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum gave details about their upcoming event: Are You Smarter Than A 4th Grader? The event will take place on Sunday, June 5, 2022 from 2pm - 5pm at Stimpson Auditorium in Halpen-Harrison Hall on the campus of Shenandoah University and promises t...

Our conversation today with Elaine Specht, President of the Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardeners Association gave us all the details for GardenFest happening on Saturday, June 4, 2022 from 8am - 2pm at Belle Grove Plantation. We talked about all the activities, plants, flowers, shrubs, vendors, food, and more that will be at the event. It's free to attend and all Master Gardener grown plant...

We were on the screen to record today's podcast with Jennifer Hall, Senior VP of Community Investment with United Way of Northern Shenandoah Valley and Abby Zimmermann, Manager of Valley Assistance Network (VAN) - a program of UWNSV. The pair gave a history of Project Connect over the last three years and talked about the growth this year to include a second event in Woodstock. Abby recounted her...

Our conversation for "United Way Day" featured Elise Stine-Dolinar from United Way NSV and her guest, Lauren Cummings, Director of NSV Substance Abuse Coalition. Lauren gave us an update on local statistics for overdoses and talked about the impact the pandemic has had on their programs and their participants. We talked about the use of NARCAN and the trainings NSVSAC provide to citizens who wish...

We were on the screen recording with Tony Baker from Frederick County Parks & Recreation to get the rundown on upcoming events, camps, and of course - when the pools open. All pools in the Frederick County park system will open for Memorial Day weekend with regular weekly hours beginning in June. FREE swim lessons are offered to rising 2nd graders and there's a new swim team based at Clear Brook P...

We were on the screen for our "Valley Business Today" conversation with Kory Campbell, Director of Marketing & Communications with Top of Virginia Regional Chamber. Joining us was Pastor Brandan Thomas from Winchester Rescue Mission to give us details about his organization and their current expansion to Valley Avenue in Winchester. Brandan told us about the services that Winchester Rescue Mission...

We traveled to Winchester Brew Works for our conversation today with Justin Kerns from Winchester/Frederick County Convention & Visitors Bureau . Joining us for our Tourism Tuesday chat was Holly Redding, co-owner of Winchester Brew Works who is hosting this year's Hop Blossom that happens on Saturday, June 11 from 12pm - 6pm on the Old Town Walking Mall in downtown Winchester. Holly gave us all t...

Our conversation with Tyler Hinkle, Shenandoah County's Planner is part of an ongoing series following the work on Shenandoah 2045 - Shenandoah County's comprehensive plan. The planning process will unfold over the next four years with the majority of the community collaboration occurring from 2020-2022, with input in 2023-2024. Joining us to talk about the economic development chapter was Jenna F...

Our conversation today for Extension Office Friday featured Molly Beardslee & Elizabeth Mullins from Virginia Cooperative Extension about a new partnership bringing a farmer's market to Page County. Molly serves as the FCS SNAP-Ed Agent in Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Frederick, Madison, Orange, Page, Rappahannock, Shenandoah and Warren counties. Elizabeth is an agriculture and natural resources ex...

We recorded today's conversation on location at Warren Memorial Hospital with Mesfin Shibeshi DO , fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon and Grace Speicher, Program and Operations Manager, Valley Health Orthopaedic Clinics, Southern Region. Dr. Shibeshi shared his knowledge and experience with respect to robot-assisted total knee replacement. Using this technology, Dr. Shibeshi is able to create a...

We recorded today's conversation on location at Cordial Coffee in Berryville to chat with Suzanne Eblen, founder of Luckett's Store. The store will be hosting their Luckett's Spring Market at the Clarke County Fairgrounds on Friday, May 20 through Sunday, May 22, 2022. Suzanne gave us a bit of history for how the store got started and how it's grown - even in the midst of a pandemic. Luckett's Sto...

We were on the screen for Tourism Tuesday - Luray/Page County edition - with Edison Emmons from Luray/Page County Chamber of Commerce and his guests: Lora Jenkins, Shenandoah town clerk & Nancy Karnes from Shenandoah Heritage Center . We learned all the details for their 25th Annual Memorial Festival and Parade. It begins at 6pm on Friday evening, May 27, 2022 with the Annual Cruz In on historic F...

Our conversation today with Joan Chapman from Shenandoah Reel Women was all about fly fishing. She explained how/why the group was formed and the comradery she's found by being a part of it. Shenandoah Reel Women was founded in 2018 by three women who wanted to get out on the river fishing with other women. SRW has now grown to a group of 20+ women of all ages, from all corners of the county. Thes...

Today's conversation with LaTasha Do'zia, Artistic Director at Selah Theatre Project was a "take two." We talked in March of 2022 about their upcoming production of Terms of Endearment that was slated to open later that month. Technical difficulties postponed the opening til May 20, 2022. I was able to salvage the audio from cast members Paige Ulevich (Aurura) and Beau Bostock (Emma) which you can...

We were on the screen for today's conversation with Gannon Nordberg, an instructional technologist at Lord Fairfax (becoming Laurel Ridge) Community College to learn about the role diversity plays in how professors are teaching their courses. Gannon explained his position and talked about the support he offers to the faculty at the college. We talked about the changes in learning and teaching brou...

Our conversation today is part of an ongoing partnership with the US Small Business Administration highlighting small businesses as well as offering advice and resources to small businesses. My co-host today was Carl Knoblock , Virginia District Director for the SBA. Joining him was Jeri Prophet, CEO and Founder of IntellecTechs . Her company was chosen as Virginia's Small Business of the Year. Ca...

We recorded today's conversation at the office of Alex Flanigan, Main Street Program Manager for the City of Winchester to learn more about upcoming events being planned in Old Town Winchester. Alex explained her role as Main Street Program Manager and gave us an overview of the Virginia Main Street Program 's impact on Old Town Winchester's success. She gave us details about KidzFest that is sche...

Our conversation today with Tootie Rinker and Stephens City Mayor, Mike Diaz gave us all the details for Newtown Heritage Festival happening May 26-28, 2022. This is the 30th year for the event and the planning committee has added a few new things. We talked a bit about the history of the event and then learned all the details for the pageant, the parade, the Memorial Day Veterans ceremony, the li...

Our conversation for Strolling Strasburg this month was a "do-over" since the Mother's Day weekend events were canceled due to the weather. We quickly switched gears and met up with Olivia Hilton, Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Town of Strasburg (NEW TITLE FINALLY!!!) at the Strasburg Visitors Center to chat about a few other upcoming events. Olivia told us about the Strasburg Historica...

We recorded today's conversation at Frederick County's Public Safety Building with Frederick County Sheriff Lenny Millholland and Lt. Warren Gosnell. This is part of our monthly traffic safety show where we chat about new laws, safety precautions and learn about things we can do to be safer on the roads. Our conversation today included discussion about Distracted Driving Awareness Month and the im...

Our conversation for The Valley Business Today with co-host Niki Foster from Front Royal/Warren County Chamber of Commerce featured Katie Bonnett, owner at Fussell Florist. Katie told us about her dreams to be an entrepreneur and how she became the owner of Fussell Florist. We talked about the flower business and a few of the changes she's planning for the exterior of the building. Katie also expl...

We recorded today's conversation on location at Sugar Creek Snowy & Sweet Ice Cream Shop at 150 S. Main Street in Woodstock. This is part of our Tourism Tuesday series - Shenandoah County edition - so joining me for the chat was Kary Haun from Shenandoah County's tourism office . Kary's guest: Melissa Rader is the owner of the ice cream shop who graciously agreed to host our conversation. Melissa...

Our conversation today gave us details for Blandy's 32nd Annual Garden Fair Weekend . Joining the chat was Stephanie Swaim, Public Relations & Marketing Coordinator and Carrie Whitacre, Assistant Curator of Herbaceous Gardens both from the State Arboretum of Virginia at Blandy Experimental Farm . Blandy's Garden Fair happens every Mother's Day weekend and will be back at the Clarke County Fairgrou...

Today's conversation with Karie Griffin, Market Manager for Clarke County Farmer's Market was the official kickoff to our summer series: Farmer's Market Fridays. Each month (maybe more!) we'll highlight a local farmer's market, fruit stand, or farmer on the show. Karie gave us all the details for the opening season - 27th - of Clarke County Farmer's Market. The market will open at 8am on Saturday,...

We recorded today's conversation on location in the Active Living Center in the War Memorial Building at Jim Barnett Park to chat with Winchester City Parks Director, Chris Konyar and Maggie McCampell Lien their Public Information Officer. The pair explained their current undertaking: surveying city residents to get feedback about the parks in their neighborhoods. There are nearly 16 neighborhood...