Today & tomorrow: Waynesboro Fly Fishing and Wine Festival

Waynesboro will host the 14th Annual Virginia Fly Fishing Festival today and tomorrow. The festivities will take place in Constitution Park located on the banks of the South River with vendors, workshops, and a beautiful walkway for visitors.

The weekend weather is expected to be perfect -- sunny with temps in around 70 today and 80 on Sunday. Check out the website for the entire lineup of activities. Come play in the Valley!

2014 Virginia Fly Fishing & Wine Festival April 12-13 in Waynesboro

This weekend in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains on the banks of the South River, Waynesboro will host the 14th Annual Virginia Fly Fishing Festival.

The festivities will take place in Constitution Park located on the river with vendors, workshops, and a beautiful walkway for visitors. Check out the website ... the weather should be great this weekend with temps in the 70s and sunshine. Come play in the Valley!

Wednesday's storms, clouds, and rainbows in Shenandoah Valley

There was a rainbow over our house as I arrived home Wednesday afternoon. Storms, extremely high winds, and rain were moving through the area as temperatures topped out at mid-day around 70 and then rapidly began to drop toward an overnight low in the teens.

 Clouds over the Appalachians as seen from our front porch.

 From a friend's house in Fishersville looking east ... the clouds were stacked up over the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Looking north at the dark sky from in front of the Target shopping center in Waynesboro.

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
March 12, 2014

Back in the homeschool classroom: Support group versus co-op

Encore article from 2010....

As a member of the SWAC area homeschool support group for 10 years, I watched as other homeschoolers around the state started co-op groups and some eventually lost their support groups as a result. It was a concern at the time because each provided something different for the families involved.

A friend in the PEACH (Parent Educators of Augusta County Homes) group sent over the following from this month's newsletter because it mentioned that while president of PEACH, I advocated the importance of preserving the support group. It seems that is still relevant today:

A Bit from the Board

The other day, I received a phone call from a homeschool mom in Fluvanna County. She was inquiring about PEACH Skate and was anxious to be able to attend with her children. They had re-located from North Carolina several years prior and were still missing all the benefits of their support group back home. In the course of our conversation, not only did I learn that there is no skating rink in the Charlottesville area, but that it’s also lacking a homeschool support group.

I was flabbergasted. After the initial shock, a mix of sympathy and gratefulness sprung up within me. Sympathy for the home educators of Charlottesville and surrounding counties and a sense of gratitude for what we’ve been blessed with here.

I recalled what a former PEACH president, Lynn Mitchell, had passionately written about in her newsletter address to PEACH members more than once. She urged us all to support our support group and to not let our dedication be trumped by our participation in a co-op.

I felt that to be a timely reminder for this day as well. As you peruse through our needs for volunteers and coordinators on the front page, please remember the mom in Fluvanna county. Without the many hands of PEACH members making light the workload, we would be in her shoes. --Kim, PEACH Newsletter Editor

The reasons are all still there why it is good to have support groups in addition to co-ops. While co-ops offer a structured learning environment, support groups provide a less-structured social network for parents and students.

Many thanks to all the homeschool parents who volunteer their time for the good of the group. Without them nothing would run, nothing would be provided, nothing would be available. Without volunteers, PEACH would not exist.

The homeschool community is a special group of friends and I thank them for inviting me to be their keynote speaker at the recent PEACH Senior Banquet. More about that in a follow-up post.
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Lynn Mitchell educated her children at home for 16 years and was part of leadership in North Carolina's Iredell County Home Educators (ICHE) and Virginia's Parent Educators of Augusta County Homes (PEACH). Her son graduated from Harrisonburg's James Madison University (JMU) in 2007 with a BS in Computer Science and a minor in Creative Writing. Her daughter graduated from Staunton's Mary Baldwin College in 2012 with a BS in Sustainable Business and Marketing. Lynn and her husband live in Augusta County located in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The story of how she began her homeschool journey can be found here.

Waynesboro's Zeus Digital Theater to next build a restaurant

Brett Hayes' rendition of the new restaurant from the Zeus Digital Theater Facebook page.

Walking into Waynesboro's Zeus Theater is like walking into a high-end movie theater in a big city, thanks to an entrepreneur who had a dream that has benefited the entire area.

Brett Hayes' dream was of a better movie theater, something he wrote about on his blog in 2009. He didn't want to be another of the chains. He wanted to follow through on his own ideas of using the latest available technology to show movies so he invested $8 million to make it come true.

His Zeus Theater opened in October of 2010 on Lew DeWitt Boulevard in Waynesboro, Virginia, a state-of-the-art digital stadium-seating theater that has not only drawn hoards of locals to its eight screens but has shut down the aging chain theater in neighboring Staunton. Hayes offered cafe seating in the lobby complete with tall tables and chair for theater snacks as well as a meeting/party room.

Hayes is a self-described MBA, former US Marine, Gulf War Veteran, serial small business owner, commercial land developer, project manager, closet economist, and Rotarian. His Zeus Theater has been a huge success.

At the time of its opening, Hayes told NBC-29, "I would like to see a restaurant in front of my theater within three months of opening. If this works as well as I expect it to then I'll probably be adding onto it." However, three years later that part of the plan had not come together.

Until today. On New Year's Eve, Brett Hayes posted to his Facebook page with plans for a restaurant:

In the coming year, I am going to build a restaurant in front of Zeus. I have been trying to develop the corner lots for years and frankly I have lost patience with the national chains.

I am not prepared to discuss the details of the menu yet, but it will be family friendly serving lunch, dinner and deserts.

We will be breaking ground in the late Spring and plan to be open by November 2014.

The sketch [above] is version 2.0 or so. I still have some refining to do to get it where I want it. I am talking about this now, because I am excited about it and people are asking about it.

With his track record for Zeus Theater and its success, I have no doubt Hayes' restaurant will enjoy the same success.

Shenandoah Valley: VDOT prepares for wintry weather

 The Rt. 262 bypass around Staunton was being treated this morning as VDOT put down anti-freezing fluids on the roadways preparing for incoming wintry weather that could include snow, ice, and freezing rain. By this afternoon, both sides of the road had been done as well as many other main thoroughfares around Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County.

This VDOT worker was retrieving trash from the middle of the road. Keeping us safe ... many thanks for VDOT and the men and women who make our highways and byways safe all year round but especially during winter. It looks like they will have their hands full the next 24 hours.

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
November 25, 2013

Election Day in SWAC area ... ongoing updates

It's Election Day 2013 in Virginia. The polls are open ... voters are voting, candidate supporters are greeting them, and volunteers are sending them out the door with "I Voted" stickers.

The weather is good ... a cold, frosty start to the day with temps in the 20s is expected to lead to a high in the 50s under overcast skies.

What an odd year it has been with some newspapers refusing to endorse anyone for governor while others encouraged write-in votes for Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling. Many are happy to see this election cycle finally come to an end.  For many, it marks the finish of the daily barrage of campaign emails, robocalls, and television ads.

Virginia is being considered a bellwether for the country. The tea party and Libertarian wings of the Virginia Republican Party have their dream team of candidates in Ken Cuccinelli, E.W. Jackson, and Mark Obenshain for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general. Four years after the Republican team led by Bob McDonnell and Bill Bolling swept into office with historic leads, will it happen again?

This is a notoriously red area of the Commonwealth so what's going on in the central Shenandoah Valley area that includes Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County? I'll pass along news as I hear it.

10:15 a.m.: Churchville precinct had light but steady turnout. The voting location within Churchville Elementary School had been moved with only one table for check-in as opposed to the usual two. About half a dozen people were in line to sign in; two machines were in use. Interestingly, there was a card table set up with a McAuliffe sign and materials but no presence from the Republicans.

2:00 p.m.: Wilson Precinct. Steady, light turnout continued.

7:10 p.m.: Polls have closed and the wait begins for returns to be posted and announced.

Waynesboro: Sights & sounds along South River Greenway Trail

 Waynesboro's "Virginia Is For Lovers" fishing-inspired symbol is a perfect icon on the banks of the South River in Constitution Park, site of fishing tournaments and festivals. It is also the site of the 0.8 mile South River Greenway Trail, opened in the spring of 2012, that is used by walkers, joggers, and bicyclists. Phase 2 of the trail will add an additional 1.2 miles when completed.

This is an urban park in the midst of downtown Waynesboro. The land was donated in part by E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Company, and the surrounding industrial site includes buildings -- some abandoned -- as well as parking lots. Across the street is the location of the Waynesboro Farmers Market.

Designated as Virginia’s first Urban Trout Fishery, it is also home to the Waynesboro Arboretum with identifying labeling on trees and areas of shrub displays, bulb plantings, annuals, and perennials.

 This freshly-gnawed tree stump was a reminder of the resident beavers who have done some damage to planted trees. Other more weathered stumps were visible along the river bank.

 Ducks were feeding in Loth Spring adjacent to the trail.

 Picnic tables under the trees and shelter provide shady picnic spots.

 Wildflowers were blooming in abundance along the trail.

 This is a prime trout fishing stream.

 Loth Spring adjacent to the Greenway Trail.

See also: Lunch from Market on Main, picnic on banks of South River

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
August 26, 2013

2004 Bush-Cheney campaign sticker

 

I saw this Bush-Cheney '04 bumper sticker yesterday in Fishersville. It brought a smile to my face ... what a campaign! People practically fell in the door of GOP headquarters in Staunton trying to get yard signs and bumper stickers, and headquarters was constantly full of people from the community stopping by to talk or vent about the war, terrorism, and the state of the country. We ended up opening HQs seven days a week to accommodate everyone.

Yes, that bumper sticker brought back happy memories of a successful campaign. Cheers!

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell
August 26, 2013

Waynesboro's Brown Bag Express announces closing

Every morning for the past two years the Brown Bag Express restaurant in Waynesboro announced its daily specials with friendly messages on Facebook. However, this morning owner Faith Ayres posted a different message:

I'm sorry to say that we will be closing our business on Thursday August 15th. We will miss all of our customers. Thank you for your business for the last 2+ years!

It was a surprise to those in the community who have become accustomed to running by 133 N. Wayne Avenue for delicious comfort foods on the go.

Every morning, Monday through Friday, the day's specials were announced with familiar chirpy announcements:

Happy Wednesday! Today I'll have Mac & Cheese, Steamed Broccoli & Steamed Corn for hot sides. I have Chocolate Cake w/Peanut Butter Frosting, Strawberry Cake, German Chocolate Cake, Spice Cake, Chocolate Cake, Brownies, Chocolate Chip Cookies & Muffins for baked goods. See you later!

Reporter Roger Gonzales with the News-Virginian highlighted the restaurant two weeks ago, noting at that time that they were weathering the difficulties of lower traffic due to downtown construction and blocked streets. Now it sounds like it may have had more of an impact than the Brown Bag Express could take.

Random acts of kindness

Staunton Braves baseball game on June 17, 2013

There is still good in the world, and there are still good people who commit random acts of kindness. Recent random acts of kindness have directly affected me -- generosity passed along from complete strangers.

The first incident happened last week while out for lunch with a friend at Logan's Roadhouse in Waynesboro. A couple at the next table offered a newspaper coupon to help offset our meal, saying they already had one and it would expire in a couple of days so they wanted someone to be able to use it. We gratefully accepted -- every little bit helps -- and thanked them for their kindness.

The second incident was at Monday's Staunton Braves baseball game. As my husband, sister, niece, and I approached the ticket gate, a couple getting ready to enter the game asked if we had tickets. No, we said ... we were about to buy them. The lady handed us four tickets -- rain checks from an earlier game that would expire that night. We thanked her and she thanked us, saying she was glad they could be used. It was especially appreciated when a lightning storm rolled in 20 minutes later and stopped the game, cutting short our game night out.

Random acts of kindness. They happen every day....

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell
June 17, 2013

AT Warrior Hikers coming to Waynesboro Sunday

This Sunday at 5:00 at the VFW Post 2424 in Waynesboro, meet the Appalachian Trail Warrior Hikers as they make their way north on their thru-hike.

The Warrior Hikers are our military veterans:

In 1948 Earl Shaffer told a friend he was going to “walk off the war” to work out the sights, sounds, and losses of World War II. Four months later, Earl Shaffer became the first person to hike the entire length of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.

Recognizing the physical, psychological, and spiritual benefits of hiking the Appalachian Trail, Warrior Hike has partnered with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to create the Walk Off The War Program. The Walk Off The War Program is designed to support combat veterans transitioning from military service by thru hiking the Appalachian Trail.

I was alerted to the Warrior Hike by a reader of my SWAC Girl blog who writes a blog covering the Appalachian Trail from Rockfish Gap to Reeds Gap -- Rockfish to Reeds. She follows many of the hikers on the trail and has watched the Warrior Hikers since their March departure in Georgia. Merlot describes her blogs as, "Rockfish Gap to Reeds Gap ..... that little piece of  'AT heaven' we all love so much. This is a blog for the dedicated volunteers who maintain the 19.1 miles of white-blazed AT and some blue-blazed side trails as well."

So a tip of the hat to her for her interest in the AT, and for the heads-up about the Warrior Hikers. Sunday offers an opportunity to thank these military veterans who put their lives on hold and on the line to preserve our freedoms. I'll update with more info as I find it but it's this Sunday, June 16, at 5:00 at the VFW in Waynesboro.

Waynesboro Circuit Court Clerk will not release concealed weapon permit info to RPV

Last Friday Ryan Nobles at Richmond's NBC TV-12 reported that the Republican Party of Virginia had submitted FOIAs to state Circuit Court Clerks for the names and contact information of concealed weapon permit holders.

Today he reported that at least twelve clerks would not be releasing that info including the local city of Waynesboro.

Nobles wrote:

Last Friday, we broke the news that the RPV had requested the personal information of hundreds of thousands of permit holders to communicate their political message to them leading up to the fall elections. The RPV was legally allowed to ask for the material, but in less than a month the release of that information will become illegal.

The new law to seal the records of permit holders was passed in the 2o13 Virginia General Assembly session and was sponsored and championed by the Republican nominee for Attorney General, Sen. Mark Obenshain.

Clerks who were reported as denying RPV's request represented the localities of Waynesboro, Dinwiddie, Winchester, Hopewell, Colonial Heights, Chesterfield, Southampton, Suffolk, Middlesex,Isle of Wight, Bedford, and Prince George.

Today ... Riverfest in Waynesboro

Tentative 2013 Riverfest Schedule
Saturday, April 27, 2013

Update: I-64 Afton delays cause long backups, frazzled commuters

Drivers were frustrated and frazzled after dealing with Monday's traffic backups on Afton Mountain due to repairs on an unstable mountainside. A necessary part of highway upkeep and maintenance for the safety of the public, the slow-down didn't help commuters who regularly drive the mountain.

I talked with one commuter who had to wait 20 minutes on Rt. 151 waiting at the stop sign to turn left onto Rt. 250 west going up Afton. Traffic was sluggish on the uphill side, and then going down into Waynesboro, vehicles were backed halfway up the mountain, at a standstill as workers tried to make their way home. Some commute times were doubled by the backup.

Another driver headed out to Charlottesville to her job at UVA Hospital only to find traffic on I-64 East already backed up to Fishersville. NBC-29 talked with some drivers and has more about the work being done to stop the mountain from sliding.

Update 4/23/2013: Traffic backups on I-64 at Afton Mountain continued to cause headaches on Tuesday as commuters dealt with clogged detours and standstills. It was common to hear commuters telling of drive times twice as long as usual. NBC-29 has a Tuesday, April 23, update about conditions on Afton.

Update: I-64 Afton delays cause long backups, frazzled drivers

Drivers were frustrated and frazzled after dealing with Monday's traffic backups on Afton Mountain due to repairs on an unstable mountainside. A necessary part of highway upkeep and maintenance for the safety of the public, the slow-down didn't help commuters who regularly drive the mountain.

I talked with one commuter who had to wait 20 minutes on Rt. 151 waiting at the stop sign to turn left onto Rt. 250 west going up Afton. Traffic was sluggish on the uphill side, and then going down into Waynesboro, vehicles were backed halfway up the mountain, at a standstill as workers tried to make their way home. Some commute times were doubled by the backup.

Another driver headed out to Charlottesville to her job at UVA Hospital only to find traffic on I-64 East already backed up to Fishersville.

NBC-29 talked with some drivers and has more about the work being done to stop the mountain from sliding.

Update 4/23/2013: Traffic backups on I-64 at Afton Mountain continued to cause headaches on Tuesday as commuters dealt with clogged detours and standstills. It was common to hear commuters telling of drive times twice as long as usual. NBC-29 has a Tuesday update about conditions on Afton.

Buena Vista schools closed due to wildfire

A wildfire that started Sunday and spread has caused Buena Vista to close its public schools for Monday classes. It was five percent contained Monday afternoon with no buildings in danger.

Sunday afternoon another wildfire started in the eastern part of Augusta County north of Waynesboro but was contained by evening. At its height it threatened ten homes and caused authorities to close Calf Mountain Road.

Waynesboro keeps bringing in restaurants

Fishersville Mike points out that Waynesboro has another new restaurant. That city has done a great job pulling in retail business and restaurants in the western end of Waynesboro. Congratulations!

Virginia: Waynesboro's Ridgeview Park on the South River

 Banners in downtown Waynesboro welcome visitors and residents to this city on the South River.

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
30 March 2012

Virginia: Waynesboro's Constitution Park & Greenway Trail along the South River

At Waynesboro's Constitution Park, located along the banks of the South River, the apple trees were in full bloom today. Combined with the brilliant red buds in full bloom and the deep green grass, it was a beautiful sight. (I think these are apple trees. Anyone?)

Dominion's pavilion offers sheltered picnic tables for family picnics or a quick lunch time break.

Located in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah National Park, Skyline Drive, and the Blue Ridge Parkway, Waynesboro was recently designated an Appalachian Trail Community.

Thank you, Boy Scout Brad Moser. Your benches were used by walkers who took a moment to rest and take in the surrounding beauty of the mountains and the river.

The South River is a well-known fishing spot for many in this area and beyond. Waynesboro's annual Fly Fishing Festival is the largest in the country and will be held this year from April 21-22, 2012.

Aren't these blossoms beautiful? You should have seen them in person.  :)

The Greenway Trail, a paved, level pathway that runs along the South River, was a dream for years. The first eight-tenths of a mile phase finally opened in March 2012 as part of what will one day be a 5.6-mile trail.

Rollerskating ... now that's one way to walk the dogs!

There are plenty of benches along the river to stop and smell the roses or, in this case, the apple blossoms.

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
30 March 2012