We've been listener-supported for half a century, serving Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley through decades of change. From Watergate to 9/11, from the housing bubble to the pandemic, WMRA has been your steady companion, delivering the news and information you need when you need it most.
As we face new challenges with the loss of federal funding, your support ensures the next 50 years will be just as strong. Become part of our legacy today!
As we face new challenges with the loss of federal funding, your support ensures the next 50 years will be just as strong. Become part of our legacy today!
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Kevin Dietsch/Getty ImagesWhile legally questionable, the extension comes just as it appears China and the U.S. may finally have a deal on TikTok's fate. -
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/Getty Images North AmericaHouse Republicans put forth a proposal to fund the government that includes $30 million for lawmaker security, as Congress grapples with increasing political violence. -
Marta Fiorin/ReutersQuestions about their fate swirled after the government's July deadline for destruction came and went. Then came a false report they'd been incinerated. Aid groups say it's not too late to save them. -
Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesHealth Secretary Robert F. Kennedy and Education Secretary Linda McMahon are against schools giving kids standardized questionnaires about their mental well-being. But experts say they are wrong.
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Many of the Mennonites arrested for protesting the war in Gaza on Capitol Hill last week are from Harrisonburg...The candidates for governor spar over the effects of massive federal spending cuts on health care for Virginians...Early voting begins Friday....
WMRA Local News Features
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WMRA previously reported on a group of anti-Trump protesters who were issued citations and warnings for "non-travel" use of the I-81 overpass bridge in Woodstock. About a week later, another group of protesters assembled on a different overpass in Shenandoah County – and two of them were arrested. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports. -
When Henry and Priscilla Ireys (EYE-REES) found an old farm that promised refuge from hectic lives and encroaching illness, their world opened to unexpected adventures and led to surprising moments of beauty. -
September is Hunger Action Month, a nationwide campaign highlighting the urgent need to end hunger. WMRA's Calvin Pynn spoke with Les Sinclair, Communications Manager for the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank about food needs in our region and the efforts underway to address those needs. -
On Monday, Buena Vista held its 54th annual Labor Day Festival. The event featured a parade and political speeches as an official kick-off to the 2025 election season. WMRA’s Meredith McCool reports. -
Last year, a group of musicians, teachers, and arts administrators began talking about forming a new music organization in Harrisonburg. Out of these discussions, Rocktown House of Music was formed where the joy of music brings people of all ages together. -
In deep red Shenandoah County, a group of demonstrators have gathered at the I-81 overpass in Woodstock every week since March to protest the Trump administration. Last weekend, a handful of them were issued warnings and a citation for loitering. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports. -
SNAP-Ed is a federally funded program that helps people learn how to be physically active and cook healthy meals. The program also helps people use their food assistance benefits, known as SNAP, more efficiently. But the SNAP-Ed program has been cut in this year’s massive budget bill, along with record cuts to SNAP itself. WMRA’s Ayse Pirge reports. -
The tax and spending legislation that President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4th cuts federal health spending by around $1 trillion over the next decade, as NPR previously reported. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi brings us the second of a two-part report about how local hospitals are bracing for the funding challenges ahead. -
The budget legislation that President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4th cuts federal health spending by around $1 trillion over the next decade, as NPR previously reported. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi brings us the first of a two-part report about how local hospitals are bracing for the funding challenges ahead. -
As the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of independence from Great Britain, the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton is considering the unique contributions of the people of Virginia’s Frontier to American independence. WMRA’s Meredith McCool attended an "Evening With Crockett’s Battalion" and filed this report. -
The Harrisonburg City Council has postponed a request to rezone a property downtown. They plan to vote on the matter in September after collecting more information about a controversial six-story apartment building design. WMRA’s Bridget Manley reports. -
The Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro Habitat for Humanity celebrated a new era on Friday at a meet-and-greet with their incoming executive director. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.
In an era of "fake news" claims, AI generated content and media distrust, WMRA maintains credibility through transparency, accuracy, and accountability. We correct our mistakes, cite our sources, and explain our methodology. That trust has allowed us to grow, adding more capacity to our local news team. And trust should be mutual. Which is why with the recent loss of our federal funding, we trust you to help sustain our local journalism.
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The loss of $170,000 in federal funding is a significant challenge for WMRA, but it does not define our future. The heart of WMRA has always been the collaboration and resilience of our listeners, neighbors, and supporters. Even as we adapt to changing circumstances, our mission to serve our region of Virginia with trusted journalism and inspiring stories remains unwavering.
Watch WMRA’s September 2025 Books & Brews, featuring Henry & Priscilla Ireys discussing The Keep.
When WMRA reports on topics primarily about our Spanish-speaking community, you can read Spanish translations of those stories here.
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