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PODCAST

The Valley Today

The Valley Today is a radio show and podcast dedicated to shining a light on the vibrant community leaders and local events that make the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia truly special. Insightful conversations, engaging stories, and event details connect listeners with the heart and soul of the valley, showcasing its unique culture, initiatives, and people. Guests are recorded (mostly) in advance in local coffee shops, at local businesses, and during local events. The radio program airs just a few

society & culture documentary

All Episodes

20:38

Pies, Pups & Pints

The Valley Today ·

2026/09/04

It's the Shenandoah Valley's biggest fall tradition, and it's turning 52. Host Janet Michael sat down with Darla McCrary, co-chair of the Shenandoah Valley Apple Harvest Festival, at the Espresso Bar on Winchester's Old Town Walking Mall to talk pie contests, pony rides, and pints of hard cider. The Rotary Club of Winchester has put on this festival for over 50 years, raising an estimated $1.5 million for local nonprofits along the way. In this episode, Darla walks through everything happening at

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25:46

Scammed

The Valley Today ·

2026/09/03

Even a veteran law enforcement officer can almost get scammed — and that's exactly what happened to Captain Warren Gosnell of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, who joins Janet Michael for Public Safety Thursday to break down how today's fraudsters are getting smarter, sneakier, and harder to spot. From spoofed voicemail greetings that used Gosnell's own name and voice to the rise of "gold exchange" scams replacing gift cards, this conversation is a real-world look at how con artists build trust

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26:36

More Than Membership

The Valley Today ·

2026/09/02

Ever called the Chamber of Commerce to complain about a price hike at the Dollar Tree? Someone has — twice. On this episode of Valley Business Today, Niki Foster, President of the Front Royal-Warren County Chamber of Commerce, joins Janet Michael to clear up exactly what the Chamber is, what it isn't, and why so many people get it confused with local government. Niki walks through the Chamber's role as an independent, self-funded organization — from nonpartisan candidate forums and business

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28:47

From Makers to Mixology

The Valley Today ·

2026/09/01

It's a two-for-one Tourism Tuesday! Host Janet Michael and Justin Kerns of the Winchester-Frederick County Convention & Visitors Bureau head to downtown Winchester's historic former bank building, The Exchange on Loudoun, to talk with co-owners Molly McGehee-Hanson and Jillian McGehee about the Last Sunday Market — an indoor artisan makers and growers market that's already drawing hundreds of visitors a month. Then they head downstairs into the building's old bank vault to visit The Winchester

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19:05

Way Down Yonder

The Valley Today ·

2026/08/31

Pawpaws are Virginia's forgotten native fruit — and this fall, Blandy Experimental Farm is throwing them a party. Janet welcomes back Melanie Mullinax, Communications & Events Manager at Blandy, to talk about the return of Pawpaw & Pints on September 13th, complete with a locally brewed pawpaw beer, fruit tastings, and a talk from renowned pawpaw expert Neal Peterson. From the surprising 1916 pawpaw-growing contest that brought the fruit to Blandy's grounds a century ago to the rediscovered pawpaw

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27:11

Hot Dog Crawls and Civil War Relics

The Valley Today ·

2026/08/28

The Dawg Days of Summer Hot Dog Crawl sold out its very first year — over 3,000 hot dogs, a live band, temporary (and a few permanent) tattoos, and fans who flew in from as far as Chicago. Janet Michael sits down in the Secret Garden behind the Espresso Bar with Brady Cloven, Executive Director of Friends of Old Town, for their monthly Old Town check-in, then welcomes Jack Owens, Director of Land Preservation for the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, for the rest of the conversation. Brady

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26:46

Kids, Cranes, and Helicopters

The Valley Today ·

2026/08/27

There's a helicopter on its way to downtown Winchester right now — and it's landing on a rooftop. Janet sits down with Dawn Devine, Tammy Stevenson, and Taylor Wilmoth of the Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum to talk about the museum's boldest exhibit yet: a real helicopter, craned onto the Sky Level rooftop, that kids will be able to climb into and "fly." From the four-year journey to get city approval, to the September 21st block party where the community can watch the helicopter get lifted into

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20:13

Hob Nob in the Valley

The Valley Today ·

2026/08/26

Hob Nob in the Valley is back — and it's still the most refreshingly nonpartisan political event you'll attend all year. Host Janet Michael sits down with Cynthia Schneider (CEO) and Taylor Coumes (Director of Event Management) from the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber, along with Brandon Lorey, President and CEO of Bank of Clarke, the event's presenting sponsor, to preview this year's Hob Nob happening Thursday, September 10th at Chilly Hollow Brewing Company. They dig into the 20-plus-year history

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18:08

Exploring New Market

The Valley Today ·

2026/08/25

New Market is having a moment — a new gelato shop is moving in, a grab-and-go cafe is on the way, and a furniture store is still going strong after 37 years. It's Shenandoah County Tourism Tuesday, and host Janet Michael catches up with Kary Haun from Shenandoah County Tourism, Savannah Smith from the Town of New Market, and Karla Kokkonen from The Home Store. From the soon-to-open Battlefield Gelato Shop to the Home Store's decades of family history and New Market's packed fall festival calendar,

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24:59

Keeping Seniors Independent

The Valley Today ·

2026/08/24

When Juli Ferrell's own mother could no longer drive herself to doctor's appointments, a low-cost transportation service called WellTran became a lifeline — now, just three weeks into her new role as Executive Director of Seniors First, Juli is bringing that same personal understanding to an organization that serves thousands of seniors across the Northern Shenandoah Valley. Janet sits down with Juli at the Seniors First offices in Front Royal to unpack everything the organization does — Meals on

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22:54

More Than a Meal

The Valley Today ·

2026/08/21

NW Works is throwing its 11th annual Farm to Table dinner on September 12th — and for the first time in years, tickets to the general admission event are still available. Janet talks with communications coordinator Morgan McIntosh and CFO Todd Devine about what makes this Middletown street dinner one of the valley's most beloved fundraisers, from the locally sourced menu to the neighbors-turned-business-partners sitting elbow to elbow at the table. Beyond the wine, live music, and farm-fresh food,

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20:05

Top 15 in the Nation

The Valley Today ·

2026/08/20

It's Community Health Day, and Janet sat down with Dr. Nick Restrepo, Valley Health's Chief Quality and Patient Safety Officer, to unpack some huge news: Valley Health has just been named one of the nation's top 15 health systems by Modern Healthcare and Premier Inc. Dr. Restrepo breaks down what the award actually measures, why it took five years of data (not a lucky year) to earn it, and why he insists the real winners are the people at the bedside — not the administration. Along the way, they

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27:14

Feeding Our Elders

The Valley Today ·

2026/08/19

With National Senior Citizens Day landing this Friday, Janet sits down with Les Sinclair, Communications and PR Manager for the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, to talk about a group that's too often overlooked in the conversation about hunger: our senior citizens. About one in five people the food bank serves are seniors living on fixed incomes that just can't keep pace with rising gas, housing, and grocery prices — and in a rural region like the Shenandoah Valley, that's compounded by isolation, limited

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23:20

Belle Grove's Big Beverage Bash

The Valley Today ·

2026/08/18

Shenandoah Sips is back at Belle Grove, and it's bigger than ever — six wineries, four distilleries, a cidery, and a full lineup of non-alcoholic options, all in one very sippable location. Janet catches up with Kristen Laise (Executive Director) and Paige Ulevich (Festivals Coordinator) about how this former Wine Fest transformed into the Shenandoah Valley's favorite beverage festival. From the returning mocktail bar and new Sober Sips Pass to a chef's market full of local makers, live music from

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25:00

Free Healthcare, No Barriers

The Valley Today ·

2026/08/17

A free medical, dental, and vision clinic that asks nothing of you but showing up — no insurance, no income screening, no residency requirement. On this episode, host Janet Michael talks with Gina Hilliard, President of the Luray-Page Chamber of Commerce, and Ben Dolewski, Executive Director of the Page Free Clinic, about the clinic's fifth annual Remote Area Medical (RAM) Clinic coming to Luray High School on September 26th and 27th. Ben breaks down how the Page Free Clinic serves Page County

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31:00

Save Energy, Save Money

The Valley Today ·

2026/08/14

Turning down your water heater by a few degrees, switching one bulb at a time, and slicing up a $2 pool noodle can add up to real savings on your electric bill — and Karen Poff is back to show you how. Janet Michael welcomes local Extension agent Karen Poff, who manages the Northern Shenandoah Valley Financial Education Program, for a bonus conversation packed with practical, low-cost ways to trim your energy costs as the seasons turn. From cleaning dryer vents and refrigerator coils to hunting down

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30:15

Don't Let Cost Stop You

The Valley Today ·

2026/08/13

It's Laurel Ridge Community College Day on The Valley Today, and today's conversation tackles one of the biggest myths standing between people and a degree: the belief that they can't afford it. Host Janet Michael is joined by Guy Curtis, Director of Marketing, and Buddy Wilson, Director of Financial Aid at Laurel Ridge Community College, to walk through exactly what financial aid can look like — no matter your age or path. From FAFSA basics to Virginia's lesser-known aid programs like G3, Fast

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28:52

It's Your House

The Valley Today ·

2026/08/12

A Warren County family is closing on their brand-new home this week — and Janet got the news firsthand, sitting inside the house just days before it happened. In this episode, Janet talks with Andrea Ross, Executive Director of Warren County Habitat for Humanity, about what it really takes to build not just a house, but a neighborhood. Andrea opens up about the emotional weight of watching families move from renting to owning, the education and preparation Habitat requires before anyone gets the

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25:30

Pedaling Progress

The Valley Today ·

2026/08/11

BikeWALK Winchester started as an idea in 2023 — now it's a full-fledged nonprofit with community walks, bike rides, and a seat at the table with the city. Co-founders Kara Capelli and Steve Policastro join Janet to catch up on everything that's happened since their last visit, from monthly "TalkWALKs" through Winchester's neighborhoods to landing a spot for a bike and pedestrian advisory committee in the city's new strategic plan. They also dig into one of the biggest questions people are asking

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25:23

When Disaster Strikes

The Valley Today ·

2026/08/10

It's the busiest, most dangerous stretch of the year for disasters — and blood banks are running dangerously low right at the moment they're needed most. Janet Michael sits down with Deb Fleming, Executive Director of the Greater Shenandoah Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross, for their monthly check-in on all things Red Cross — this time digging into what "disaster season" really means. Deb walks through the ripple effects of a rough year for wildfires and flooding, from a blood supply as low

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