jan 16

events

The King Operetta “The Last Year in the Life of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as Devised by Waterwell: A Rock Operetta.” Score of rock, blues and funk; content draws on speeches, writings, interviews. 7:30 pm. $12-$25. Wilson Hall Auditorium, JMU. 568-7000 or 877-201-7543

Meet the Authors Tim Lewis, “The Virginiad,” and Duane Hahn, “Shenandoah Moon,” discuss and sign their books. 7 pm. Free. Waynesboro Public Library. 942-6746

The Revenger’s Tragedy  Opens at ASC. A riff on Hamlet, brutally savage and absurdly comic. Thru Mar 27. 7:30 pm. $14-$40, pay-what-you-will tonight. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. 851-1733. 877-MUCH-ADO. www.americanshakespearecenter.com

River City Radio Hour Program TBA. 6:30 & 8 pm. Donations. Blue Ridge Christian Fellowship, 329 W. Main St., Waynesboro. 943-9999

Waynesboro Children’s Hour Program TBA. 5 pm. $3 adults/$2 children 12 and under. Blue Ridge Christian Fellowship, 329 W. Main St. 943-9999

Wine Tasting 5-7 pm. Free. Downtown Wine & Gourmet, Court Square, Hburg. 432-9463

music

Yajima-Rhodes Duo Viola and violin. MBC Broman Concert. 8 pm. $5-$12. Francis Auditorium, Pearce Science Center, MBC. 887-7294

classes

Belly Dancing Beginner/intermediate. Instructor Shaheen Alikhan. 6-7 pm. $12/class. The Center, 70 N. Main St., Ste. 10, Hburg. 434-987-2079. www.fatamorganabellydance.com

lectures

Country Music and Cultural History in 1950s Winchester, Virginia: The Life and Times of Patsy Cline Warren Hofstra and Mike Foreman, Shenandoah Univ. Shenandoah Valley Regional Studies Seminar. 3:35 pm. Free. Jackson Hall, Rm. 107, JMU. 568-3993

What Do We DO with All This Science Joe Johnston, environmentalist. Suter Science Seminar. 4 pm. Free. Suter Science Center, Rm 104, EMU. 432-4412. www.emu.edu/events

jan 15

events

Bipolar Disorder Support Group 2 pm. Valley Hope Counseling Center, Waynesboro. 886-7181

classes

Your Business: Plan It/ Start It Small business workshop. 6-8:30 pm. $25. BRCC Plecker Center, Weyers Cave. sbdc@brcc.edu. www.valleysbdc.org

jan 14

events

Afternoon Classics Book Discussion Group Reads “The Problems of Philosophy” by Russell. 2 pm. Free. Staunton Public Library. 332-2902

classes

Intermediate Excel Builds on intro class. No registration. 9:30-11:30 am. Staunton Public Library. 332-3902

jan 13

events

Pajama Night Story, craft, snack; wear pj’s. 6:30 pm. Free. Waynesboro Public Library. 942-6746

Spanish Group Leader Den Frumen. 5-6 pm. Beverley Street Studio School Gallery, 22 W. Beverley St., Staunton. 886-0737. www.bssschool.org

Survivors of Suicide Support Group  7:30 pm. Christ Lutheran Church, 2807 N. Augusta St., Staunton. 383-2902 or 290-COPE. www.griefvirginia.org

Women with Pens Monthly discussion of under-appreciated female writers; in Jan., Isabel Colegate. 2 pm. Staunton Public Library. 332-3902

music

Music at the Library Artist TBA. Noon. Free. Waynesboro Public Library. 942-6746

classes

Computer Classes Intro to Word, 9:30-11:30 am. Intro to Computers and the Internet, 1:30-3:30 pm. Free. No registration necessary. Staunton Public Library. 332-3902

Yoga Begins 7-week session. 9:30-11 am. $70. Advance registration required. Trinity Presbyterian Church, Hburg. 432-YOGA. www.agoodstretch.com

Beginning Yoga Begins 7-week session. 5:45-7:15 pm. $70. Advance registration required. 382 High St., Dayton. 432-YOGA. www.agoodstretch.com

jan 12

events

Birth Matters Birth Circle  Informal gathering of mothers and mothers-to-be. 7-9 pm. Free. 661 N. Main St., Hburg. 433-7738. www.birthmattersva.org

Knitting (Not Just) By the Book Gathering of knitters/crocheters. 7 pm. Free. Staunton Public Library. 332-3902

Stonewall Brigade Band Rehearsal New members, all concert band instruments welcome. 8-9:30 pm. Band Building, Gypsy Hill Park, Staunton. 213-3880. www.stonewallbrigadeband.com

Women’s Basketball Drop-in games for ages 18+. 6-8 pm. Free. Gypsy Hill Park Gym, Staunton. 241-3384

jan 10

events

Andrew Huth Photography Exhibit Opens. Thru Jan 31. Reception 4 pm. Hartzler Library Gallery, EMU. 432-4360

Pancake Breakfast North River Library fundraiser; silent auction, theme baskets. Snow date Jan. 24. 7-11 am. Turner Ashby High School, Bridgewater. 828-4492

music

Bluegrass Jamboree Greg Lam and Friends 2 & 4 pm. The Sprouse Brothers 3 & 5 pm. High Ground 6 & 8 pm. Bluegrass Brothers 7 & 9 pm. Doors open at 10 am. Food available beginning at 12:30. Jamming encouraged. $10 advance/$12 door; under 12 free. Weyers Cave Community Center. 280-5689

New Year’s Hymn Sing Led by Matthew Hunsberger. 10 am. Lehman Auditorium, EMU. 432-4362

lectures

Stuff Happens: The Keys to Adjusting to Changes You May Not Have Wanted Speaker Chip Studwell, Bridgewater College. 10-noon. WVPT Conference Room B, Main St. across from Courthouse, Downtown Hburg. 433-2024 or 434-1647

coverstory

A devoted base of daily, albeit aging, readers. An exciting route to new readers via the Internet. Long hours, low pay and layoffs. It’s Local Newspapering in the best and worst of times.

inbox

On Abortion and Murder

hindsight

Oct. 20 - Nov. 20, 2008

facetime

A Man Obsessed
Bridgewater graphic artist Lance Foster redefines ‘pinball wizard.’

firstperson

Christmas Blessings
In a lifetime of plenty, a year of want stands out.

tabletalk

Dear Santa,

lastwords

Deep Purple Dreams
A wide path leads to the future. Will rural Republicans be willing to take it?

December’s Three Questions

The Rules
Every month, eightyone answers three questions that you can answer in 250 words. Online answers are viewable immediately (please keep it clean), and we publish the best of the answers in our print edition. Anonymous answers are permitted but will be rarely published in print. The deadline for possible print edition answers is the 15th. You do not have to answer all three questions.

The Big Prize
In July 2009, one lucky non-anonymous person who’s had an answer published in print between October 2008 and July 2009 will receive two free round-trip plane tickets, courtesy of Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport, between Weyers Cave and either New York City, Boston, Orlando or Tampa. Please allow 21-day advance notification of travel. All tickets are subject to availability; certain blackout dates and restrictions may apply, and alternate dates of travel may be requested.

The Questions

1. Tell us about your first kiss.

 2.  The Oscars are Feb. 22. What’s the best movie you saw in 2008? Where did you see it?

 3.   What are local governments spending too much and/or not enough money on?

Read november’s three questions

Read october’s three questions

view entire publication

Click to view entire publication

dec 31

events

First Night Harrisonburg 2009 Arts festival of music, dance, artistry, visual arts and creative activities; fireworks finale. 6 pm-midnight; grand procession at 7 pm. $9 advance/$10 at event, children 5 and younger free. Buttons on sale beginning Dec. 12. Downtown Hburg. Schedule at www.firstnightharrisonburg.com

First Night at HCM Make festive decorations to wear/carry. 5-8 pm. Free. Harrisonburg Children’s Museum, 30 N. Main St. 442-8900

New Year’s Eve at The Stonewall Jackson Hotel Dance to live music by Wanda and the White Boys; 3-course dinner; complimentary toast. 8-midnight. $250/couple. 24 S. Market St., Staunton. 885-4848www.stonewalljacksonhotel.com

dec 30

events

Spanish Group Leader Den Frumen. 5-6 pm. Beverley Street Studio School Gallery, 22 W. Beverley St., Staunton. 886-0737. www.bssschool.org

Stonewall Brigade Band Rehearsal New members, all concert band instruments welcome. 8-9:30 pm. Band Building, Gypsy Hill Park, Staunton. 213-3880. www.stonewallbrigadeband.com

dec 29

events

Women’s Basketball  Drop-in games for ages 18+. 6-8 pm. Free. Gypsy Hill Park Gym, Staunton. 241-3384

dec 28

events

The Comedy of Errors  Mid-Winter Sneak Peek at ASC. 7:30 pm. $14-$40. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. 851-1733. 877-MUCH-ADO. www.americanshakespearecenter.com

Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library Open House Birthplace/museum open, family events, refreshments, music to commemorate 152nd anniversary of Wilson’s birth. Noon-4 pm. Free. 18-24 N. Coalter St., Staunton. 885-0897 x100. woodrowwilson.org

dec 27

events

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Mid-Winter Sneak Peek at ASC. 7:30 pm. $14-$40. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. 851-1733. 877-MUCH-ADO. www.americanshakespearecenter.com

keep looking »