Author: Randi B. Hagi
Page 14/25
Randi B. Hagi, Assistant Editor
Randi's writing and radio reporting has been featured on WMRA News, The Mennonite, Mennonite World Review, and EMU's Crossroads magazine. She also raises muscovy ducks, chickens, and Katahdin sheep. Her roots are in West Virginia, but she can’t seem to let go of Rockingham County. Check out Randi's latest photo work on instagram at @randi_b_hagi_photography.
One month into new role, criminal justice planner finds ways to affect change — even amid a pandemic
A reverence for comprehensive data, a belief in transformational justice over punishment and a willingness to listen to area stakeholders before taking action are all in J. Frank Sottaceti’s toolbelt as he steps into the newly-created role of Criminal Justice Planner for the city of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.
Advertisement
Possibly delaying the new high school by a year hints at the city’s tough financial decisions to come
Harrisonburg leaders are looking at a starkly different financial reality now than they were less than four months ago when the city council approved the $100 million needed to build and open a second high school, which has the Harrisonburg School Board considering a one-year delay of its construction.
Advertisement
While schools are out, Harrisonburg teachers find ways to reach their students
Classrooms across Harrisonburg are eerily empty at a time that they normally would be electric with the excitement of spring and the beginning of the home stretch of another year of learning. And COVID-19’s disruption to student-and-teacher connections is only starting to become clear.
Concern over pandemic’s effect on the homeless dominates council meeting
COVID-19 drove the discussions during Tuesday evening’s Harrisonburg City Council meeting, as the council confirmed a local state of emergency and addressed the public’s questions about how the city could help those experiencing homelessness during this pandemic.
Coronavirus shuts down schools for the rest of spring and creates ‘grounds for concern’ about Hburg district’s budget
As COVID-19’s disruption to schools escalated Monday with statewide closures for the rest of spring, Harrisonburg school officials dealt with the fallout while also making final preparations to present the district’s 2021 budget to the city council tonight.
Immigrant advocacy group sues sheriff’s office over access to documents
A local immigrant advocacy group is taking Sheriff Bryan Hutcheson and the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office to court after unsuccessfully attempting to obtain certain documents through the Freedom of Information Act. FUEGO made a request last July for 16 categories of public records pertaining to the sheriff’s office’s cooperation with U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Council approves planned neighborhood; City outlines coronavirus preparations
A multi-generational planned community is one step closer to fruition after their rezoning request won approval from the Harrisonburg City Council in their meeting Tuesday evening. The group Harrisonburg Cohousing plans to build the neighborhood, called Juniper Hill Commons, on a five-and-a-half acre plot on Keezletown Road, just off of Country Club Road.
Clear your palette because Taste of Downtown is back
Pork osso buco. Lemongrass coconut ice cream. Challah bread paired with a flight of local beer. Vibrant flavors with surprising and ambitious pairings of ingredients will abound in Harrisonburg next week as part of the 2020 Taste of Downtown.
