Stroke awareness event scheduled for Saturday

Even though World Stroke Day is in October, Valley Health is hosting a prevention and awareness event at Winchester Medical Center this Saturday.

Mount Jackson leaders voice concern over prisoner transport

MOUNT JACKSON -- Shenandoah County town leaders remain cautiously optimistic that officials may use the local jail as a lock-up when the regional facility opens next year.

Fugitive turns himself in to W.Va. authorities

A fugitive described by the Warren County Sheriff's Office as armed and dangerous has turned himself in to law enforcement authorities in West Virginia, Sheriff Daniel T. McEathron said Wednesday.

Land protection plan draws fire

WOODSTOCK - A proposal to use local money to protect a Shenandoah County farm drew fire Tuesday from a resident who claimed the land doesn't need more protection.

Hydrant flushing under way in Front Royal

Chris Riley, a line technician with the Front Royal Water and Sewer Department, flushes a fire hydrant at the corner of Cloud and Jackson streets on Wednesday. Riley was performing a flush and inspection of the town's hydrants. The inspections will take crews several weeks to do. Rich Cooley/Daily

Sprucing up Strasburg

Laurie Winkelmann, left, a member of the Massanutten Garden Club, gives Evan Davis, 15, right, a Strasburg High School agriculture student, instructions on planting a group of annuals in this pot along King and Queen streets in Strasburg on Tuesday. Hometown Strasburg Inc. enlisted the help of the agriculture class to complete the planting of 38 pots. Rich Cooley/Daily

Fallen law enforcement officers remembered at service

Tuesday was a day for bagpipers to play "Amazing Grace" and poetry readings from the podium as family and friends of law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty gathered to honor their memory at Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy in Middletown.

Valley Health shifts from volume to value

WINCHESTER -- Members of the Valley Health Corporation got a glimpse into the system's definition of value during their annual meeting at Winchester Medical Center on Tuesday afternoon.

English instructor named Teacher of the Year

If it weren't for Tara Mason's decision to drop everything and follow her passion, she probably wouldn't have recently received a prestigious recognition.

Special prosecutor appointed for disorderly conduct case

A special prosecutor has been appointed to replace Shenandoah County Commonwealth's Attorney Amanda M. Wiseley in the disorderly conduct case of a Strasburg man accused of bringing a board into an elementary school bearing the words "high powered rifle."

Shenandoah supervisors OK school deputies plan

WOODSTOCK - Shenandoah County leaders have backed the sheriff's plan to put more deputies into schools this fall.

New Market's 2014 budget calls for no tax increase

NEW MARKET - Town officials plan to spend more to run the government the next fiscal year without a tax increase.

Suspected escapee accused in burglary, vehicle theft

Law enforcement officials say they believe a man arrested early Sunday morning in Wythe County is the same suspect wanted in a burglary and car theft hours earlier in Woodstock.

Painting under gray skies

Shaun Calver of Front Royal primes his fence outside his home at the corner of Blue Ridge Avenue and Prospect Street recently. Calver has been dodging the weather in hopes of finishing the fence with paint this week. The weather forecast includes a freeze warning for early Tuesday, but temperatures will be warming up into the 80s by Wednesday. Rain is expected Wednesday through Friday. Rich Cooley/Daily

Front Royal eyes Web for auctions

Front Royal may join a growing number of communities that use Internet auction sites to sell used equipment.

Police officer's gun fired accidentally on school bus

A Winchester police officer's gun fired accidentally into the floor of a school bus Monday morning after one of the juvenile passengers reached into the officer's holster, according to a police news release.

Excessive force cited as reason for officer's dismissal

Former Strasburg police officer Aaron H. Lewis lost his job over accusations that he used excessive force against a suspect in a drug case, falsification of records and violation of safety rules without a threat to life, according to documents in Shenandoah County Circuit Court.

Students release brook trout raised in the classroom

FORT VALLEY -- About 50 brook trout were released back into their natural habitat Friday morning, thanks to the devoted care of seventh grade students from Peter Muhlenburg Middle School.

Effect of county office move on Winchester unknown

Frederick County would leave Winchester with either a lot of taxable commercial space or an empty building if government offices move out of the city.

Couple's immigrant dreams dissolve in courtroom

Martha Elena Gomez Torres and Carlos Alberto Morales-Luis spent more than decade trying to build decent lives for themselves and their three children in the United States, but the efforts all but ended Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg.

Public meetings

The following public meetings are scheduled this week:

Child fights for her life against rare disease

Jordyn Hammonds has been somewhat of a mystery since before she was born.

Dedication of visitor contact station a community effort

At a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday, representatives from Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park and various federal departments gathered to dedicate a new visitor contact station in Middletown.

Top of Virginia Chamber hosting business expo

Area businesses and the public are invited to the annual Regional Business Expo on May 23 at Shenandoah University.

Business ledger

Petneuter.org is a nonprofit facility offering low-cost spaying and neutering at,201 Centre Drive, Suite 110, Stephens City. Cats neutered for $39, spayed for $49. Dogs under 30 pounds and younger than 5 spayed or neutered for $69. $9 for rabies...