WMRA Feature

Dressed as soldiers in Crockett's Western Battalion and a camp follower, costumed interpreters pose in front of the 1760s farmhouse at the Frontier Culture Museum.

Frontier Culture Museum celebrates 250 years of American independence

Meredith McCool

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.

A conceptual image of "The Link" apartment complex by developer Timberwolf Capital Partners

Six-story apartment complex proposal packs Harrisonburg council chambers

Bridget Manley

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.

Charles Edmond, chair of the board of directors of the Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro Habitat for Humanity, and Brad Bryant, executive director, are part of a new leadership team with a vision of housing more people through their work.

Habitat for Humanity presents new director, organizational vision

Randi B. Hagi

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.

Alejandra Olvera, the center's wildlife rehab supervisor, demonstrates how to feed older baby birds.

Students learn veterinary, rehabilitation skills at the Wildlife Center

Randi B. Hagi

Students from all over the U.S. and the world come to study at the Wildlife Center of Virginia in Waynesboro. They learn what to feed baby opossums, how to examine raptors' eyes, and confidence in creating treatment plans for the animals in their care. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

Churchgoers give immigrants free rides to ICE check-ins, medical appointments

Randi B. Hagi

A group of Harrisonburg churchgoers is offering free rides to immigrants in need of transportation to legal and medical appointments. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

Ten members of the Harrisonburg chapter of Mennonite Action traveled through Palestine and Israel in June. Here, they're pictured with Alice Kisiyeh (third from right), a Palestinian woman on her family land in the Makhrour, or the west Bethlehem region. Mennonite Action member Tim Seidel writes "The group visited with Alice on her family’s land days after an Israeli court ordered settlers to leave, though the same night of our visit settlers were spotted invading the land again."

'Tell our stories:' Harrisonburg Mennonites visit Palestine

Randi B. Hagi

A group of Mennonites from Harrisonburg visited Palestine last month to learn about life under Israeli occupation and the war in Gaza. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

Every month, Augusta Health's mobile clinic crisscrosses Augusta County

Ayse Pirge

Patients are now able to get primary care services through Augusta Health’s new traveling clinic. It was made possible with lots of support from community donors. WMRA’s Ayse Pirge reports.

Oneyda, a mother of four who's lived in Harrisonburg for 11 years, wears a wrist monitor so that a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement contractor can keep track of her. She has to take a photo of her face with the monitor every day.

Madre en Harrisonburg reza por una senda hacia estatus legal en los EEUU

Randi B. Hagi

En medio de la campaña de deportaciones masivas de la administración Trump, una residente de Harrisonburg de larga data mantiene la esperanza de poder seguir construyendo un futuro para su familia en los Estados Unidos. Informa Randi B. Hagi para WMRA.

A still from a 2019 Immigration and Customs Enforcement video shows men in a housing unit at the Farmville Detention Center.

ICE office director defends detention of immigrants without criminal convictions

Randi B. Hagi

Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, published the last fiscal year's detention statistics in June. After reviewing the data, WMRA's Randi B. Hagi spoke with the agency's Washington, D.C. and Virginia field office director and filed this report.

Virginia's plan for protecting wildlife revised after 10 years

Ayse Pirge

The latest update to Virginia’s Wildlife Action Plan aims to maintain and improve our natural habitats. A public comment period for protected species runs through Friday, July 18th, so the public can weigh in too. WMRA's Ayse Pirge reports.