WINCHESTER -- Audiences at the Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre's next production will receive a nice holiday between the summer's only drama and the finale. "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, offers a fantasy version of a Bible story complete with a narrator for the children and a moral at the end.
ORKNEY SPRINGS -- This quiet community will once again become the music Mecca of the Shenandoah Valley in only a few short weeks. For 45 years the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival has transformed the small resort community into a grand concert arena with performances to rival any symphonic hall around the world.
WINCHESTER -- If it weren't for the wonders of the World Wide Web, the faded photograph of Francis Rain that was hiding out in a New Jersey flea market would never have wound up in the hands of one of his descendants.
WINCHESTER -- The second production of the Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre tells the tale of two star-crossed lovers, but don't expect your typical Shakespearean tragedy.
FRONT ROYAL -- Rising gas prices and tight budgets in the midst of a recession have some families thinking "staycation" rather than vacation, and outdoor camping may be a popular activity of choice for local residents this summer.
MT. JACKSON -- Mark Melcher harasses his friend and business partner, Steve Sager, on the phone after Sager had a dentist appointment, telling him he's ugly enough as is without getting all of his teeth pulled.
WINCHESTER -- Barbecue, check. Food and drinks, all set. Flamingos? Planted on the front lawn. When the porch parties begin, the residents of Oakdale Crossing, in Winchester, know summer has begun.
It's finally time to trade sweaters for swim trunks. Recent warm weather is sure to get warmer. With it, families begin their annual flock to area pools for some relief. But how can parents be sure their excited children are safe?
The day was just coming to an end at Orchard View Elementary School in Frederick County on a recent afternoon, but it was only the beginning for first-grader Blake Sandy, who has a long journey ahead of him on the pathway of reading.
FRONT ROYAL -- A small group of canoeists and kayakers dipped their vessels into the Shenandoah River on Tuesday afternoon to enjoy a swift trial run along the waterway's Front Royal border as a prequel to the town's summer river festival.
By Linwood Outlaw III -- loutlaw@nvdaily.com FRONT ROYAL -- With live music entertainment and children's activities in the background, droves of Riesling and Cabernet Blanc lovers crowded the downtown area...
By Linwood Outlaw III -- loutlaw@nvdaily.com STRASBURG -- It had a western feel that was different from any atmosphere in years past, but many of the traditional activities residents have...
By Alex Bridges -- abridges@nvdaily.com MILLWOOD -- Long Branch Historic House and Farm plans to promote the environment Saturday with a family picnic and the annual Farland Fishing Derby. "Long...
LURAY -- A contagious virus has been reported in schools in the Northern Shenandoah Valley, prompting local health officials to work to stop the outbreak.
WINCHESTER -- Lots of after-school programs offer a snack and help with homework. Finding one that offers lessons about respect, honor and self-defense is somewhat more difficult.
MT. JACKSON -- As a pastor, Rodney Lebron is in the business of trying to save souls. But his quick thinking and bravery during a December house fire also make him a lifesaver, a feat acknowledged by the Shenandoah County chapter of the American Red Cross, which awarded him the Adult Good Samaritan Hero award.
WOODSTOCK -- Holding a basket of pastel-colored eggs, Hannah Arthur scurried up her backyard like she was preparing to hide them for an Easter egg hunt. The little girl was going to gather eggs, however, from her coop containing a variety of hens, that don't need dye to improve the aesthetics of their production.
EDINBURG -- Whether it's a grandparent suffering from dementia or a sibling confined to a wheelchair, keeping disabled loved ones under home care for as long as possible is always the goal -- but it isn't always easy.
MIDDLETOWN -- The children were leaning forward in anticipation, some sitting cross-legged, others on their hands and knees, inching their way closer to the presenter who held a storybook in one hand and props in the other. Though most participants were only about 3 years old, in that short lesson the children were already gaining skills that will help them years from now -- skills like sequencing events in a story, which comes up on tests like the Scholastic Aptitude Tests and Graduate Record Exam.
Kai Gingerich and Johnathan Foltz may be just eighth-graders at Peter Muhlenberg Middle School in Woodstock, but they are no strangers to hard work and determination -- especially significant because they are also in the special education program. Both were recently awarded scholarships to attend the Self-determination Youth Summit, which, in conjunction with the 23rd Virginia Transition Forum, was held this past Monday through Wednesday in Norfolk.
WINCHESTER -- Tuesday night here doesn't look like Tuesday night anywhere else in the city. At one end of the newly expanded War Memorial Building at Jim Barnett Park, basketball players stalk the court, shouting with their hands raised. Parents trade stories poolside while watching their children.
FRONT ROYAL -- They've gone hand in hand with family celebrations for generations. Whether little Isaac is turning 1, or great aunt June is turning 100; whether you're a starry-eyed bride-to-be at your wedding shower or doing the fox-trot at your 50th wedding anniversary, there's always one present.
WOODSTOCK -- With a sewing machine humming in the background, women scurried about the small quilt shop, looking at colorful fabric blocks that tell the story of beloved American author Louisa May Alcott and her family.
BERRYVILLE -- A new program offered by the Clarke County Parks and Recreation Department is designed to get area youth away from TV and video games and re-connected to the Earth.
WINCHESTER -- Fly along with a scientist into the eye of a monster hurricane as it forms over the ocean. Join in the pursuit of important scientific information while chasing tornados through Tornado Alley. And, see what happens in the aftermath of these tremendous storms.
For one bedroom in Stephens City, no pets and no smoking, $1,000 won't get you a month's rent. In fact, the most a grand will buy is one night's stay -- at least during the days surrounding President-elect Obama's inauguration later this month.
Though navigating the annual hustle and bustle between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day is a challenge for many, the season can be especially complicated for divorced parents and their children.