Entries by vaobserver

Meeting an epidemic head on

Community coalition to end drug deaths takes on tough challenges in the Valley By Jess Clawson The rise of substance abuse in the Shenandoah Valley has resulted in 30 opiate-overdose deaths and 55 opiate-overdose injuries reported in the area in 2015, up from only two reported opiate overdose deaths in 2012. Community members in Winchester […]

Education As An Instrument Of Equality

How the Feud Between W.E.B DuBois and Booker T. Washington shaped education  By Jess Clawson This is the second installment in a series on vocational education in the U.S. The March piece focused on the roots of vocational education in the post-Reconstruction era South. Clarke County High School students have new opportunities for career and […]

The Micro and Macro Worlds of Julie Miles

By Claire Stuart There is a tiny world of extraordinary beauty right outside our doors, if we only pause to look. That world came to light in artist Julie Miles’ recent exhibit, opening in tandem with the concert by Appalachian/roots band Furnace Mountain at the Barns of Rose Hill. Miles takes us into an enchanted […]

Living with Back Pain

Try Low-Tech to Move Through It by JiJi Russell Chances are that either you or someone you know well has suffered, or is suffering now, from back pain. Millions of Americans reportedly do each year. While no simple recommendation could address nuances of each individual’s circumstances and needs, the holistic recommendations provided below might constitute […]

Around Clarke County March/April 2016

March 12 Blue Ridge Hunt Point to Point Races. 490 Woodley Lane. Berryville. 67th running. Welcome in spring with the first race of the season at the lovely Woodley Farm. Gates open at 10:30am. Post time 12 Noon. 11 races. General Admission is $20/Car. For more information or to reserve front row parking call Jenny […]

How do you know when it’s time to hang up your driver’s license?

By Karen Cifala I bet each one of us knows an elderly or disabled person that has refused to give up their driver’s license and the list of reasons is long. Truth is, and I understand this is a touchy subject, a survey done by AAA reported that almost 90 percent of senior drivers polled […]

The Balalaika’s Beautiful Sound

Russian Duo was born in 2007 out of a love of traditional music and classical elegance. Oleg Kruglyakov, a balalaika virtuoso, and Terry Boyarsky, a masterful pianist, will present an exuberant program at the Barns of Rose Hill March 2. Doors open at 7:30 for the 8PM performance. Reservations are available in advance at www.barnsofrosehill.org, […]

A Threat to Our Black Walnut Trees

 By Shawn Walker, Trees 101 LLC Ash trees in our region have been hit hard by the emerald ash borer (EAB). In my work with clients last year I came across numerous dead trees. And even among the living ones we would choose for treatment a significant proportion showed signs of infestation ranging from decline […]

Make a Little Plan Sam

Moving an idea from dream to reality begins with getting it out of your head by J.C.Coon  I recently had the opportunity to attend a Small Congregation Training Day sponsored by the Winchester District United Methodist Church. The guest speaker was a great fan of the singer/song writer Paul Simon; hence his presentation was seasoned […]