3at5Georgia Southern Fifth Inning Rally by GS Drops Dukes5/3/2025 10:11:00 PM | Baseball (JMU Athletics) – An early deficit could not be overcome by James Madison softball as it fell 3-1 to Georgia Southern in the regular-season finale of Sun Belt Conference play on Saturday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Park.adButlerLazyLoad("442653101186830920",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); 13-11 SBC) took advantage of two on and nobody out as Faith Barth hit her second home run of the series in the third inning a three-run shot to give the Eagles all they needed to take game three of the series 11-13 SBC) had opportunities to put runs across the board including the tying runs with two out in the bottom of the seventh Payton List and Kylee Gleason put together a three-hit campaign including List’s eighth double of the season List and Gleason finish the regular season with 18 and 14 multi-hit games respectively.adButlerLazyLoad("569275994883901725",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); Jasmine Hall notched her second two-hit performance of the series as she finished the three-game set going 5-for-8 with two walks The only run for the Dukes on the afternoon was an RBI groundout off the bat of Reed Butler as the Georgia Southern pitching duo of Alana Barnard and Bailey Holland were able to limit the damage to just that giving up just one run on six hits and Holland came in to shut the door going the final two frames to earn her first save of the season Fleet limited the damage to just the third-inning home run as she went three innings to allow three runs on five hits and fan two batters and striking out three.adButlerLazyLoad("2482051099149461993",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); — JMU Athletics —adButlerLazyLoad("2384247512269858914",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); VDOT is seeking feedback on a transportation study assessing potential solutions on Route 42 (Virginia Avenue) between Gay Street and the Harrisonburg city limit the RHSPCA Pets of the Week sponsored by Bob Wade Subaru The Augusta County Sheriff’s Office responded to multiple calls Monday morning about a Staunton individual which led to him being unresponsive in-custody Showers and thunderstorm will be possible again today Be sure you have your GPS enabled and try again The Dukes went 8-4 in the 2024 regular season and they’ll hope to build on their successes in 2025 A big 2025 season will come down largely to roster management Charlotte — Culp began his career at Austin Peay before transferring to Troy and then Charlotte He’s an athletic DB who had 29 tackles and an interception in 10 games in 2024 The veteran is an above-average cover guy with good tackling skills and nearly 1,300 career snaps played He’ll compete for a starting role at corner He recorded 38 tackles and posted a good PFF tackling grade of 73.4 over the season He should immediately add depth and could develop into a starter later in his career Studio performed well despite playing for an 0-12 team He should thrive on a talented defense on a winning team Holy Cross — The massive defensive end has three years of eligibility left after only playing four games in 2024 He has 40 career tackles and 5 sacks in 15 career games He’s a really promising player who adds important depth along the defensive front Robinson can also line up at defensive tackle The Dukes should feel good about their defensive line situation Holy Cross — With two years of eligibility left Spinogatti adds valuable depth at linebacker although he also posted a 49.4 season-long PFF grade that illustrates inconsistency from the rising junior and his familiarity with JMU’s coaches should prove beneficial He should play a depth role for the Dukes in 2025 Louisiana Tech — Rea is likely JMU’s starting punter in 2025 after starting for Louisiana Tech in 2024 He averaged just under 40 yards per punt last season pinning 23 of his 67 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line He’s a capable punter with G5 experience Holy Cross — He’s coming off a season-ending injury including a two-touchdown performance against Boston College in 2023 the Dukes have one of the best short-yardage tandems at RB in the Sun Belt Stanford/Duke — While the graduate transfer has only played 71 career offensive snaps at the Power Four level the former four-star recruit is a sweet addition by JMU’s coaches and he gives JMU added depth at left tackle to compete with returner Joseph Simmons The big-bodied linemen should be well-suited for the Group of Five level and it’s possible he has two years of eligibility left depending on NCAA approval of a waiver request P (6’4 and 215 lbs) – The Dukes backup punter in 2024 VanSlyke isn’t so much an addition as he is a returner He exited the portal recently and will return to the Dukes in 2025 which is meaningful as he can play both punter and kicker He’s a great depth piece and developmental prospect on special teams with a chance to earn the starting punter job in the near future Army/Iowa State — He might be JMU’s most impactful spring addition Alston is a big-bodied WR with speed and game-changing ability as a deep threat He played sparingly for the Cyclones after a great career at Army He caught two passes for 52 yards for Iowa State in the team’s bowl game against Miami and he had over 1,000 yards receiving in four seasons at Army given the fact that the service academy program rarely throws the football compared to FBS peers He gives JMU an NFL-sized target on the outside He’s entering his final year of college football Cincinnati — Willis recorded 23 tackles and two interceptions in 170 snaps in 2023 before only playing 20 snaps in 2024 He’s lined up at both corner and safety during his career and he gives JMU additional depth with two years of eligibility left although it’s unclear exactly which position he’ll play for the Dukes in the defensive backfield.  Maryland — A slot receiver and return specialist Wisloski will help fill the role opened when Yamir Knight entered the portal Wisloski is a top candidate to win JMU’s kickoff and punt return jobs He returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown against UVA in 2023 and Wisloski averaged over 8 yards per punt return in 2024 He only caught five passes for 75 yards in 2024 but he was on a Maryland team with multiple NFL prospects at WR He has two years of eligibility left.  Colgate — This is a nice get for the Dukes in the spring portal as Taddeo was one of the best FCS players available He finished the 2024 season with 34 tackles He’ll earn playing time in the interior of the defensive line and he has potential to be a starter alongside Immanuel Bush He has one year of eligibility left.  Holy Cross – McNair started at right tackle for the Crusaders in 2024 earning First Team All-Patriot League honors the graduate transfer will work into JMU’s offensive line rotation in his final collegiate season He has starting potential and will be a factor once he arrives in Harrisonburg over the summer Stonehill – Miller caught 15 passes for 225 yards and three touchdowns at the FCS level in 2024 He’ll have a chance to earn time at receiver Miller started his career as a walk-on at Illinois Richmond – One of JMU’s best pickups in the portal DeGennaro has 162 receptions for 2,002 yards and 16 TDs over his last three seasons at Richmond The graduate transfer began his career at Maryland and has one year of eligibility left as 2025 will be his sixth season of college football He’s a good route runner with elite hands only dropping one pass over the last two seasons despite being targeted 161 times dropped seven passes last fall across 63 targets DeGennaro’s 2024 season only lasted nine games because of injury but when healthy he’s likely to be among the most productive G5 receivers Coleman helped lead Richmond to 10 wins in 2024 completing 65% of his passes and adding 342 yards on the ground He ran for six TDs and threw for 13 and 5 INTs He’s a really good player and will push for the starting job in 2025 His PFF grade of 85 was among the best of any QB at the FCS level in 2024.  Holy Cross and UNLV – Chesney’s former QB is coming to Harrisonburg for his final college season Sluka dealt with significant attention last year after leaving UNLV over an NIL dispute as he completed just 43.8% of his passes for the Rebels but he tossed six touchdowns compared to just one interception ran for 253 yards and beat Houston and Kansas Sluka threw for nearly 6,000 yards during his career He tossed 59 touchdowns and just 15 interceptions He ran for over 1,000 yards in both 2022 and 2023 and he tallied 34 rushing touchdowns from 2021-23 He’s one of the best rushing QBs in the FBS William & Mary – A 2024 Phil Steele Freshman All-American McGill comes to JMU with 3 years of eligibility after redshirting in 2023 after playing in 4 games He was one of the top defensive backs in the CAA this past season racking up 61 tackles NC native was high school teammates with KJ Flowe at Julius L Villanova – With over 1,200 yards across the last two seasons Sanchez is a highly productive FCS receiver He’ll immediately compete for playing time at JMU Notre Dame – Injuries derailed Gobaira’s time with the Fighting Irish but the athletic defensive end has three years of eligibility left and was a top-300 player coming out of high school If he regains his health — he battled an ACL injury in 2023 and 2024 — the traits are there for Gobaira to be disruptive at the G5 level He’s a fascinating developmental prospect with high upside Holy Cross – Harris-Lopez checks all the boxes in an ideal transfer acquisition Familiarity with Bob Chesney and other coaches as he had 9.5 TFLs in 2024 and 56 total tackles as Harris-Lopez had two interceptions and seven pass breakups last season He played well in the team’s lone FBS matchup posting six tackles and two tackles for loss against a 10-win Syracuse team He also returned a kickoff for a touchdown for the Crusaders Expect him to play significant snaps in 2025 for the Dukes perhaps even starting alongside Jacob Thomas Louisiana Tech – Bush began his career at LSU before moving to the G5 Liberty and WKU also recruited the defensive tackle He needs to improve his consistency — he was the lowest-graded defender on Louisiana Tech’s team per PFF — but his talent and size make him an interesting developmental prospect with high upside East Texas A&M – The Dukes added a long snapper with one year of eligibility left He’s one of the highest-graded long snappers in all of college football Maryland – Harley began his collegiate career at Villanova and spent the last three seasons at Maryland He will be a redshirt senior with one year of eligibility remaining Harley was one of the few bright spots in the Terps’ secondary in 2024 recording a 66.8 PFF grade in 185 snaps over eight games.  Maine – This is a MASSIVE get for JMU This helps make up for the loss of Eric O’Neill as Holmes is a big-bodied edge with elite potential He should immediately play meaningful snaps at DE for JMU UNC – An interior offensive linemen from UNC Greenberg began his career at the D3 level He played in four games for the Tar Heels in 2024 He’s a potential starting center or guard for JMU in his final year of eligibility.  Watch our interview with Zach here. Tusculum – The Dukes added a Tusculum (DII) transfer last season in CB Jordan Taylor Collins played just four games for Tusculum in 2024 including Western Kentucky and Coastal Carolina Watch our interview with Za’Ron here Shepherd – The Division II standout had 62 tackles Kouame-Yao posted 66 tackles and three interceptions He’s solid in coverage and a sound tackler with one year of eligibility remaining He adds valuable depth to the linebacker room receiving mostly FCS offers during this cycle in addition to UTEP and UCF made a late push with Scott Frost Watch our interview with JT here Francis – Rodgers posted a 72.3 PFF grade in nearly 500 snaps in 2024 recording 25 tackles and seven pass breakups The former DIII star is a potential contributor for the Dukes He has one year of eligibility remaining and should compete for a starting CB spot with Terrence Spence Watch our interview with Mekhi here Charlotte – 24/7 Sports reported that Lacota Dippre is joining JMU The defensive end had 25 tackles for Charlotte last season Dippre will play tight end for JMU in 2025 He began his Charlotte career at TE before becoming an impact player at DE in 2024 Richmond – The Dukes added a star WR from the area Ellis caught 50 passes for over 500 yards and 4 TDs in 2024 That would’ve been the highest of any JMU wide receiver in 2024 giving him better size than most of the Dukes’ returning receivers WR to SMU — Knight caught 53 passes for 605 yards and four touchdowns for the Dukes in 2024 and was expected to start at slot WR in 2025 He’ll join a program that made the College Football Playoff in 2024 CB to Memphis — A three-year contributor for the Dukes as he was seemingly benched/injured for several games Logan’s size and production (22 pass breakups in three seasons) could be challenging for the Dukes to replace but he lacked consistency during his JMU tenure.  QB to South Carolina State — A longtime JMU backup Atkins led the Dukes to their first bowl win last season as he struggled early in his career with a rough performance against Marshall in 2023 But he stuck with the program despite Curt Cignetti putting him on blast He was called upon in the 2024 bowl game with Alonza Barnett and Dylan Morris both injured and he delivered an efficient performance to help the Dukes make history Ruelas has an NFL leg and connected from 50+ yards in the spring game He will spend 2025 in the Big 12 with Scott Frost’s program.  Lexington “Kick-Fil-A” Matthews P — The D2 punter joined JMU in the winter but is back in the portal according to 24/7 Sports Matthews had 10 punts of 50+ yards in 2024 He was the likely replacement for Ryan Hanson Matthews has three years of eligibility left Watch our previous interview with Lexington here LS to Hawaii — JMU didn’t need three long snappers on the roster Kudos to Mowrey for landing with another FBS program in a fun destination to play college football OL to WKU — Jenkins was a reserve guard for the Dukes in 2024 It’s possible Western Kentucky offers a better path to playing time OL — Mawali came to JMU over the winter from Valdosta State We expected him to see playing time in 2025 Was he unlikely to see the field as much as he hoped in 2025 or did a P4 program swoop in and offer him an NIL bag CB — Booth began his career at Michigan State before joining JMU for the 2022 He appeared in six games in 2024 and has two years of eligibility remaining CB – Spivey is a promising underclassman who shined in the 2024 spring and early fall camp he struggled to find playing time (one career appearance at JMU) and will likely seek time at a different G5 or FCS program.  CB to Oregon State – A young corner with four years left Hopper was one of the highest-rated recruits of the Chesney era there was not a path to immediate playing time DL – Adams didn’t have a path to immediate playing time but could find himself at a solid FCS destination with four years of eligibility left.  DL – Pennix was a reserve DL without a clear path to playing time at JMU Jones is a large offensive lineman with good potential He’ll look for more playing time elsewhere CB — The former Indiana transfer only played in two games over two seasons in Harrisonburg EDGE — Thomas was a 3-star EDGE out of Florida who was part of the most recent recruiting class He joined JMU at the start of the spring semester Has all 4 years of eligibility left.  OL — The reserve offensive lineman from Richmond didn’t appear in a game during his JMU career OL — The backup played in a pair of games for JMU in 2024 OL — McLain began his career at Virginia Tech before transferring to JMU He wasn’t expected to see playing time in 2025 Nash hit the portal with four years of eligibility left.  DT — Ogunade came to JMU as a 225-pound DE prospect before putting on nearly 80 lbs over a couple years He blossomed into a 300-pound defensive tackle with promise but he was buried on JMU’s depth chart He could find a role at another G5 or FCS program.  DE — The DE has two years of eligibility left after being a backup during his JMU career WR to UVA – Ross enters the portal after one season at JMU Ross was Third Team All-Sun Belt as a return specialist and was fourth on JMU in receiving yards with 443 He enters the portal with one year of eligibility remaining and has received P4 interest including from UVA and Virginia Tech.  UVA – Wyatt is the second LT to enter the portal after Jesse Ramil entered earlier this offseason Wyatt was a three-year starter and an all-conference caliber player He missed all of 2024 while rehabbing an injury suffered near the end of the 2023 season He has one year of eligibility remaining for the Cavaliers.  Rutgers – By far the biggest loss in this portal cycle Eric O’Neill was a dominant defensive end He graded out as a top-10 DE in the entire FBS tallied 28 tackles and six tackles for loss in 2024 and he’ll play in the Big Ten for Rutgers in 2025 – JMU’s starting left tackle was headed to the SEC before reentering the portal in the spring Francis and was highly productive in his first FBS season.  S to Akron – The defense back played at JMU in 2023 and 2024 He should find increased playing time elsewhere Jean will play elsewhere for his final year of eligibility It’s unlikely he would’ve played a major role in 2025 RB to Charleston Southern – The redshirt freshman announced on Instagram that he is entering the portal He played in 6 games across two years and redshirted in 2023 He will have three years of eligibility.  Hampton – Moss played two seasons for the Dukes recording three catches for 34 yards and a touchdown There were hopes he would blossom into an impact player but Moss struggled to earn playing time in a crowded receiving room Gardner-Webb – The wide receiver came to JMU with high expectations (he was a highly regarded prospect from South Carolina) but he never received significant playing time Harris will likely seek increased playing time elsewhere.  WR – Green was a reserve WR during his time at JMU QB – Griffis spent 2024 injured and was stuck behind a lot of talented QBs These are players JMU has either offered or hosted for visits in the transfer portal Columbia — Milia tells us he’s considering JMU and 4 INTs over the past two seasons (17 games) He’s capable of shedding blocks with good strength He’s fast sideline to sideline and has excellent coverage skills He’s posted 80+ coverage grades on PFF over the past two seasons The graduate transfer would contribute immediately at the G5 level UNC — Blackwell caught 31 passes for 448 yards and a touchdown during his time with the Tar Heels He received the majority of his targets in 2022 and 2023 Towson — We really like Middleton’s game The rangy linebacker tallied 87 tackles for Towson in 2024 He’s produced consistently at the FCS level and would fit well on a Group of Five roster That ranked in the top 50 nationally among FCS linebackers and his tackling grade of 87.5 was tied for eighth among all FCS linebacker although it’s unclear if the Dukes have offered him a scholarship Virginia Tech — Jayden McDonald’s twin brother Jorden McDonald is a gifted pass rusher who was buried on the Hokies’ depth chart He has nine tackles and 2.5 TFLs in 32 games played Jacksonville State — One of the more interesting players the Dukes offered He’s super athletic and could be used as a big blitzer at the LB/safety position Tennessee State — He had five tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in just four games last fall suggesting he could be a huge contributor over a 12-game season at the G5 level App State and Memphis recently hosted Bell for visits William & Mary – Frye has three years of eligibility remaining and can play left or right tackle He was a solid pass blocker (72.4 PFF grade in 2024) He would add depth at a position losing both Jesse Ramil and Tyshawn Wyatt These players were offered by JMU but will play elsewhere in 2025 Incarnate Word to West Virginia — He spent two seasons at Colorado before becoming a beast at the FCS level He recorded 11 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in 2024.  Grand Valley State to Tennessee — A big defensive end Schell recorded 35 tackles and three tackles for loss for an 11-win team in 2024 as his length at the line of scrimmage rattled D2 QBs He lands with a College Football Playoff contender in the SEC Western Carolina to Marshall— Tamarez caught 33 passes for 576 yards and six touchdowns in 2024 at the FCS level He received G5 interest from numerous SBC schools South Dakota to Cal — The undersized WR is a big play waiting to happen He had 21 touches in 2024 and six of those touches went for touchdowns as he averaged over 30 yards per reception/rush Virginia Tech to UCF — McDonald has Power Four size and he was a good player for the Hokies when healthy Injuries cut his 2024 season short after two games but he recorded 30 tackles in 2023 and 20 tackles in 2022 he can be an impactful defender at the FBS level Ohio to Charlotte — Taylor could have started immediately for JMU He posted a 79.1 PFF grade (third-best on the defense) for an 11-win Ohio team and he ended up following his coach to Charlotte Chattanooga to UCF— Domercant caught 36 passes for 640 yards and two touchdowns in 2024 LIU to Rutgers — A second team All-NEC player as a redshirt freshman Elon to Wake Forest— Smiley is a load in the trenches suggesting he’s ready for the FBS level Bethune-Cookman to UCF — He played in just four games in 2024 Two of the four games came against G5 teams (USF and Western Michigan) Tennessee State to Wake Forest — The standout WR will play in the ACC in 2025 Southern Illinois to West Virginia — It became evident in early in Bogle’s recruitment that his P4 interest would be an obstacle for the Dukes Charleston Southern to App State — Manuel was a standout freshman at the FCS level recording 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks He received significant G5 interest and has three years of eligibility left for the Mountaineers Eastern Michigan to Coastal Carolina — After a 94-tackle 2024 campaign Both JMU and Murphy shared initial interest North Alabama to Tulsa — He earned FCS Freshman All-American honors in 2024 for recording 81 tackles but opted not to go to JMU despite visiting He should see immediate playing time at Tulsa Southern Illinois to Cincinnati— A big body in the middle He also has three years of eligibility left but he opted to play in the Big 12 over the SBC.  Merrimack to Rhode Island – Positional versatility The Dukes have returning long snappers and added one via the portal He earned an above average 64.8 grade in 2024 playing left guard for Merrimack Colgate to UCF – A star linebacker at the FCS level Last season he was named first team All-Patriot League and was the third highest rated defender for Colgate per PFF with a 79.6 grade Over 3 years at Colgate he racked up 201 tackles played in all 16 games (started 14) for the FCS national runner-up in 2024 He had 41 tackles and seven pass breakups as a sophomore.  Weber State to Liberty – UConn and Liberty were also trying to land the FCS transfer but the Flames won the G5 recruiting battle Louisville to Tulane – The speedy running back visited JMU but chose another G5 power Colorado State to Missouri – Brown started his career at the JUCO level before playing at Colorado State in 2023 and 2024 His PFF blocking grades were slightly below average but he used his big frame well in the passing game catching 24 passes for 256 yards and three scores in 2024 Texas State to SMU – Coleman posted a 70.8 PFF grade in 2024 He’ll stay in Texas but move to the ACC Western Carolina to Tulsa – A high school teammate of KJ Flowe Booker also visited and was offered by Virginia Tech The talented receiver caught 39 passes for 540 yards and four touchdowns in 2024 in just eight games UNC to Liberty – Merdinger threw just 12 passes as a true freshman The developmental prospect visited JMU but will join Liberty Valparaiso to Central Michigan – A talented pass blocker Wyoming to Arizona – Siders posted 23.5 TFLs and 14 sacks over three seasons with Wyoming He’s an athletic end who could have dominated in the Sun Belt among the best marks on Wyoming’s defense Cincinnati to Wake Forest – Berkhalter caught 11 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown in 2024 He’ll be an ACC wide receiver in 2025 West Alabama to Akron – JMU has offered Jones Jr The DII product was an all conference and first team all-region player Houston to WKU – Emery recorded 26 tackles and seven pass breakups in 2022 before seeing a reduced role for the Cougars in 2023 and 2024 when they moved to the Big 12 Limestone to UCF – The D2 prospect began his career as a walk-on at South Carolina before moving to the D2 ranks as he recorded 939 receiving yards and 11 TDs in 2024 at the D2 level Youngstown State to Wyoming – Martin has posted PFF grades over 70 in three consecutive seasons He’ll spend 2025 in the Mountain West South Dakota State to South Dakota State – Clayborne would have been an incredible addition posting a 79.4 PFF grade for the Jackrabbits after beginning his career at the D2 level Clayborne had 33 pressures and 4.5 sacks in 2024 while also posting a rushing defense grade over 80 Virginia Union to Wake Forest – The DII standout posted over 1,000 receiving yards in 2024 and he’s received multiple P4 offers.  Southern Illinois to Nebraska – Conn initially verbally committed to JMU at the end of December there was never pen to paper and Conn ended up flipping to Nebraska He told us one of the main reasons for the flip to the Cornhuskers was the opportunity to achieve a dream and play near family.  Utah State to Pitt – Spires started his career at Bowling Green before moving to Utah State He had five sacks in 2023 and one sack in just four games in 2024 He was second on the team with 27 pressures in 2023 Wyoming to Utah – The standout wide receiver caught 17 passes for 204 yards and three TDs in 2024 as a freshman.  Houston to ECU – The Houston native ran for 464 yards and three touchdowns in 2023 before seeing a reduced role under a new coaching staff in 2024.  Temple to Wake Forest – One of the best players JMU offered Siani has three years of eligibility remaining and was being courted by P4 teams Siani posted a 76.9 pass blocking grade in 2024 Eastern Michigan to Pitt – Zelinksy will visit the Dukes and he would have been an immediate contributor at defensive end He has 67 tackles and 11.5 TFLs over the last two seasons ODU to Louisville – The interior defensive lineman earned Sun Belt Honorable Mention in 2023 and 2024 He finished with a whopping 51 tackles in 2024 and will face JMU again in 2025 Sam Houston to North Texas – Evans caught 43 passes for 474 yards and five touchdowns in 2024 He’s a potential impact player at WR for North Texas’ high-octane passing attack West Alabama to Arkansas State – Sigler dominated at the Division II level He’s been offered by a bunch of good G5 teams and will play in the Sun Belt.  Louisiana Tech to Louisiana Tech – There aren’t many CBs in the portal with Woods’ experience He’s played 2,481 snaps over five seasons with Louisiana Tech but he’s redshirted once and 2020 doesn’t count against his eligibility He has 112 career tackles and four INTs over 46 career games Penn to Georgia Tech – This guy is a stud rushing for over 1,000 yards in just 10 games in 2024 Garden City CC to ECU – The JUCO prospect ran for over 1,000 yards last season Kennesaw State to Oklahoma – Kent visited JMU but ultimately opted to join an SEC team Chattanooga to Iowa – Phillips is one of the best FCS wide receivers in the portal as he averaged 82.3 receiving yards per game last season Wofford to Tulane – With 39 games played He posted an incredible 85.9 PFF grade in 2024 across over 600 snaps Charlotte to Rutgers – A productive tight end with over 500 receiving yards across the last two seasons Weber posted an 81.2 PFF grade in 2023 before a dip in 2024.  Albany to Kansas – The grad transfer out of Albany had 72.4 receiving grade for the Great Danes this past season Wentz began his career at ODU and had 866 receiving yards the last two years with Albany Richmond to Memphis – The Spiders’ starting right tackle has played over 1,000 career snaps and is a big get for the Tigers Elon to Boston College – An interior defensive lineman Nnaeto posted a 73.6 PFF grade for the Phoenix in 2024 across 409 snaps Harvard to Memphis – With over 30 career starts Gentle is a significant pickup for the Tigers Indiana State to Tulane – Was one of the top blockers for Indiana State last season He had an average PFF grade of 67.3 this season The rising junior has two years of eligibility remaining for the Green Wave NC Central to Minnesota – One of the best FCS defenders in 2024 Bowden posted an 81.1 PFF grade this season Campbell to Boston College – The Dukes lost a competitive recruiting battle to a P4 foe Kent State to Michigan State – McCray caught 40 passes for 705 yards and nine TDs in the MAC in 2024 NIU to Mississippi State – Sanders is a pass-rushing specialist recording 4.5 sacks in just 96 snaps this season Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications  Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "a06dc0059beb5cc779dc69bcf1ebdeed" );document.getElementById("gb7cbbaa61").setAttribute( "id" and website in this browser for the next time I comment 2025; more at vaprojectpipeline.virginia.gov STAUNTON – The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in partnership with the City of Harrisonburg is seeking feedback on a transportation study assessing potential solutions on Route 42 (Virginia Avenue) between Gay Street and the Harrisonburg city limit This study will focus on identifying measures to encourage lower speeds The study will evaluate alternatives to preserve throughput on the two-lane segment from Gay Street to Edom Road identified in the Harrisonburg Rockingham Metropolitan Planning Organization 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan as being over capacity in the future The corridor also has barriers to use for people biking and walking to destinations such as nearby activity centers and the transit connections used for travel throughout the city and beyond VDOT invites residents and travelers to learn more and take an online survey which is available May 5-19 Community input received through this survey will help the study team identify existing issues along the study corridor and develop recommendations for potential improvements that will be evaluated and presented during the next phase of the study which will include another opportunity for public comment The survey, which has a translation tool for other languages, is available at https://publicinput.com/st-25-01. Comments can also be sent to brad.reed@vdot.virginia.gov or to Brad Reed Virginia Department of Transportation Staunton District VDOT and Harrisonburg Public Works will host an open house for the study on Tuesday There will be two location/timeframe options to attend where the community may share their experiences thoughts and questions related to traveling the area The open house location/time options include: as well as regional and local funding sources The VDOT Staunton District is on Facebook and X (Twitter). Follow VDOT statewide accounts on Facebook, Flickr, and YouTube The VDOT Web page is located at https://www.vdot.virginia.gov/. The VDOT Staunton District serves Frederick, Shenandoah, Clarke, Warren, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rockbridge, Alleghany and Bath counties. Please note that this file is not ADA compliant. Choose one of below options: © 2025 BVM Sports. Best Version Media, LLC. on Saturday morning at Bank of the James Field Georgia Southern got on the board in the third inning courtesy of a three-run shot off the bat of Faith Barth The home run marks the third of the season for the senior Madison Humber led off the inning reaching on a bunt single and Emma Davis doubled to put runners in scoring position for Barth James Madison responded in the bottom half of the.. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it OK Privacy policy 18vs9South Florida Run Away from Bulls 18-95/3/2025 4:41:00 PM | Lacrosse Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInHARRISONBURG (WHSV) - East Market Street is now clear after a traffic crash that sent two people to the hospital Monday afternoon The Harrisonburg Police Department first reported the crash at East Market Street and Betts Road at 2:35 p.m The crash had caused the eastbound lanes of East Market Street to be blocked but an HPD spokesperson told WHSV at 3:40 p.m Two people were taken to area hospitals — one to UVA Medical Center and another to Sentara RMH Medical Center WHSV will provide updates on air and online as more details are available HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) — The City of Harrisonburg is introducing their first ever Dog Mayor City residents submitted their dogs to be on a ballot to hold office.adButlerLazyLoad("865308771940687908",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); While the Dog Mayor will not be on an official council they will be invited to participate in City events Voting is open now and will close on May 31 The winner will be announced in early June with the Inaugural Ceremony at Harrisonburg’s Best.Weekend.Ever All of the nominees and more information can be found at the Downtown Harrisonburg website here.adButlerLazyLoad("3040543949805207382",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); Jacquelynn first started as a part time news anchor and reporter for WSVA in 2022 Before the launch of Rocktown Now in April of 2024 she was Assistant Editor and then became Editor-in-Chief in November of 2024 HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) – Supporters of the “Virginia Right to Contraception Act” gathered in Harrisonburg this morning the bill would codify the right to use FDA-approved forms of contraception.adButlerLazyLoad("3245329128111684120",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed joined officials from Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia and Americans for Contraception at the Democratic Headquarters on West Market Street to call Governor Glenn Youngkin to sign the bill into law before tomorrow’s deadline “We can and must protect our status as the last safe haven for reproductive rights in the South,” said Mayor Reed Harrisonburg’s Senator Mark Obenshain and Delegate Tony Wilt both voted against the Right to Contraception Act in the Virginia General Assembly earlier this year.adButlerLazyLoad("127498718068418225",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); Youngkin has until 11:59 PM tomorrow night to act on the bill Linden has been morning news anchor and reporter for WSVA since September 2024 HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) – The City of Harrisonburg is building connections between families schools and the broader community through an upcoming event that empowers kids and their families to utilize active and fun ways to get to school.adButlerLazyLoad("1609729162463233613",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); Participants in Harrisonburg will join schools around the country on May 7 in celebrating National Bike & Roll to School Day The event raises awareness of the need to create safer routes for bicycling walking or rolling to school campuses – emphasizing the importance of issues including increasing physical activity and pedestrian safety reducing traffic congestion and concern for the environment Harrisonburg’s Bike & Roll to School Day event is an active way for students to get to school safely while building a healthier community As part of Harrisonburg’s Safe Routes to School Program the event encourages families and students to bike and experience the joy of alternative ways to travel to school as a community While the official name of the national day is “Bike & Roll,” there are other ways schools are participating highlighting the joys of active movement and safety of kids Harrisonburg’s Safe Routes to School Program will provide opportunities for all schools to participate in this event to increase awareness of pedestrian and cyclist safety to K-12 students The City’s goal is to continuously work toward safer infrastructure and heightened awareness throughout our community.adButlerLazyLoad("1659019678789318074",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); “We are excited about how Harrisonburg City Public Schools are continuing participation in the Safe Routes to School program such as walking or biking ‘school buses,’ students walking the track as ‘buses’ arrive or other safe walking and biking education opportunities,” Harrisonburg Public Works Safe Routes to Schools Coordinator Andrea Troyer explained in a press release A walking ‘school bus’ or ‘bike bus’ is a group of children walking or biking to school with adult supervision designated areas and pick up time to join along the way “Bike & Roll to School Day is about celebrating where our community is currently with biking/walking/rolling to school while also building participation in these activities,” Troyer continued “We encourage local students and families to participate in the day if they can!” School-specific activities for Bike & Roll to School Day are being communicated by each participating school School and City staff are providing guidance on safety the day of the event and helping to lead walking and biking “buses” at participating school routes parents and guardians can support their children by joining the ride or walk Harrisonburg Police Department staff also will take part in the event to help escort and to assist in road crossings during travel to school.adButlerLazyLoad("246590567028670452",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); Visit https://www.harrisonburgva.gov/bike-roll-to-school for additional information about the Bike & Roll to School Day Questions about the event may be sent to Andrea Troyer by emailing andrea.troyer@harrisonburgva.gov or by calling 540-434-5928 Carolynn graduated from James Madison University with a degree in Media Arts and Design with a concentration in Journalism She is the Assistant Editor of Rocktown Now as of January 2025 HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) – The City of Harrisonburg and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) are seeking community input on how to address the needs of people who use Virginia Avenue (Route 42) to serve their transportation needs between Gay Street and the northern City limits.adButlerLazyLoad("918088568378524655",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); An online survey also will be available from May 5 at 10 a.m. through May 20 at https://vaprojectpipeline.virginia.gov/studies/staunton/st-25-01 The survey can be taken in a variety of languages using a built-in translate tool at the upper right of the screen The study will identify solutions for crash hot spots as well as identified operational issues during peak traffic periods The study is intended to assess mid-term to long-term challenges and opportunities and will identify project recommendations that can be advanced for federal state and local funding opportunities.adButlerLazyLoad("806643327904461750",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); Written or oral comments may be submitted to Brittany Clem-Hott by emailing brittany.clem-hott@harrisonburgva.gov or calling 540-434-5928 HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) — It’s six months in prison for the Harrisonburg teenager who was arrested for tossing a large firework into a crowd Grayson Hall Smith was sentenced last Friday to 10 years in prison with 9 of those years and 6 months suspended.adButlerLazyLoad("520424719911739736",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); This is the final chapter of an incident that started on September 23rd, 2023, when Smith was accused of throwing a mortar-style firework into a social gathering on South Main Street. “This was an unnecessary and avoidable incident that resulted in permanent injuries for the victim,” said Harrisonburg Fire Department Battalion Chief Mike Armstrong at the time of his arrest.adButlerLazyLoad("383747896496918587",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) — The ribbon has been cut on a brand-new Goodwill Outlet Store and Donation Center in Harrisonburg officials from Goodwill Industries of the Valley and Rockingham County Chamber of Commerce officials welcomed in over 100 shoppers to the new outlet store which has items you would normally find at a Goodwill store rather than individually.adButlerLazyLoad("1189627565972333625",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); Clothing up to 25 pounds is $1.89 per pound and over 25 pounds is $1.39 and stuffed animals are all $1.09 per pound There are some things that are priced per item including electronics/small appliances at $3 each Magazines and children’s books are 10 cents each Specialty items and furniture are priced as marked Chief Operating Officer of Goodwill Industries of the Valley said at the grand opening that this store will add another level of sustainability to the community “All of the items in our outlet are items that we could not sell in our regular retail stores It gives them a second chance to sell here and before they go out the door for recycling sales it gives the public an opportunity to shop.”adButlerLazyLoad("309670657889582628",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); Boyd added that this will add a convenient donation center on this side of town “At our Harrisonburg South location on Route 11 We would love you to come to this new covered location with a brand-new attendant that’s out of the weather and easy access from the main road.” The new Goodwill Outlet Store and Donation Center is located at 3145 E Kaylor Park Drive in Harrisonburg and is open Mondays through Saturdays 10am to 7pm and Sundays 12pm to 6pm Aerial view of I-81 and Pleasant Valley Road overpass bridge The purpose of this project is to improve safety traffic operations and reliability along Interstate 81 by adding a third travel lane in each direction The project totals 6.8 miles of I-81 widening and pavement rehabilitation in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County The additional lanes will be added to the inside (median side) between mile markers 242.0 and 248.8 In 2019 Route I-81 through Harrisonburg had an average daily traffic count of 58,000 vehicles per day.  By the design year of 2047 the estimated average daily traffic volume is 81,300 vehicles per day The Interstate 81 Harrisonburg-Area Widening (Exit 243 to Exit 247) is among 65 construction projects in the I-81 Corridor Improvement Program (CIP). The CIP unlocks I-81 by enhancing safety and reliability, reducing congestion and supporting economic growth along the interstate’s 325 miles in Virginia. Find out more at https://improve81.vdot.virginia.gov The project is one of a series of corridor improvements to I-81 This project improves safety and traffic flow northbound and southbound on Interstate 81 in the Harrisonburg area by providing an additional travel lane It will ease existing congestion and provide for future capacity needs Noise barriers will be located between the right shoulder and right-of-way line of northbound and southbound I-81 where determined to be warranted and feasible Project displays below show the locations (in magenta).  Note: Display 1 (south of Pleasant Valley Road overpass) does not include noise barriers Displays below show preliminary noise barrier locations Lat/long: ' + markerLat.trim().substring(0,9) + ' Most work will take place behind concrete barriers with 24/7 shoulder closures Estimated start date: Fall 2025 (advertise for construction) Estimated completion date: To be determined Estimated cost of the project: $336.9 million Major funding source: I-81 Corridor Improvement Program 4-7 p.m.Pleasant Valley Elementary School215 Pleasant Valley Road Public Meeting Information Videos of project renderings (showing preliminary noise barrier locations): Please note that this file is not ADA compliant (WHSV) - A new Goodwill outlet store held its grand opening and ribbon-cutting in Harrisonburg on Thursday are being sold at a more discounted price than at the traditional retail store Goodwill’s director of retail store support said a majority of the store’s items are textiles “Sustainability is vital to our mission and is really important to us as an organization The Goodwill bins give these items a second opportunity to find a home before they go on to their final destination,” Marston said “Our Goodwill stores offer a fantastic price to the community but there is still a segment of the community that would benefit from a lower price and it is fun to find some super neat things at a super low price.” The Goodwill outlet used to be located in Staunton and Marston said the company has wanted to return to the Shenandoah Valley While the new store is located in Harrisonburg not all of the items will come from the area “Most of the items are going to come from the Harrisonburg area some more jobs were added to the city as well “This location is bringing 12 jobs to the area,” Marston said “We relied heavily on our management team from our other two stores to facilitate that training.” Marston said the store is excited to be back in the Shenandoah Valley Harrisonburg resident Ryan Lambert was arrested April 29 after he was chased from Rockingham into Greene County The 40-year-old Lambert is accused of being responsible for a string of incidents that started at approximately 11 p.m Harrisonburg and Rockingham County first responders were called to the report of fireworks being launched near an East Market Street location That was followed by a call reporting a man having started a fire in a trash can in the Harrisonburg Crossing Shopping Center on Burgess Road On that scene firefighters found another fire in the same shopping center An additional fire was then found near another business again in a trash can Firefighters were able to extinguish each of the fires as they arrived and no injuries occurred in any of those incidents All calls reported the same suspect’s vehicle an orange truck pulling a white jeep law enforcement was able to quickly locate the vehicle at a convenience store back on Market Street On officers’ arrival Lambert refused to exit his vehicle and fled Rockingham County Deputies found Lambert at a convenience store near Spotswood Trail outside of Harrisonburg Again Lambert fled and the pursuit entered Greene County where Lambert was stopped and taken into custody Lambert has been charged with felony eluding and obstruction of justice Additional charges are pending following the investigation by the Harrisonburg Fire Department Further investigation found Lambert was wanted out of Chesterfield County for protective order violations Lambert is being held without bond in the Rockingham Harrisonburg regional Jail For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here. 80’s & beyond plus local news & conversation Public File Information SMS Privacy policy HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) — UPDATE (5/1/25): It appears that the man who was arrested early yesterday morning for allegedly setting multiple fires in Harrisonburg will remain in custody for the foreseeable future.adButlerLazyLoad("383305039193197912",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); a bond hearing for Ryan Lambert was continued until May 20th in general district court He is currently being held at the Rockingham-Harrisonburg Regional Jail A man was arrested early Tuesday morning after allegedly setting multiple fires near businesses on the eastern side of Harrisonburg before fleeing police and eventually being captured in Greene County.adButlerLazyLoad("1849906888325383265",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); 40-year-old Ryan Lambert is accused of being responsible for a string of incidents that started at approximately 11 p.m on Monday evening when the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Emergency Communications Center received a 9-1-1 call about fireworks being launched near Kroger off East Market Street That was quickly followed by a call stating that a man had just set a fire in a trash can in front of Best Buy in the Harrisonburg Crossing shopping center off Burgess Road while responding to the shopping center for the call near Best Buy witnessed an additional fire that had been set in a trash can in front of the Model Nail Spa in the shopping center at the corner of Burgess Road and East Market Street Another fire appeared to have been set in a trash can in front of the nearby PetSmart HFD extinguished the fires upon arrival and no one was hurt as a result of these incidents The HFD Fire Marshal’s Office is currently investigating All 9-1-1 calls identified the same suspect vehicle description – an orange truck pulling a white jeep – which allowed Harrisonburg Police Department officers to locate the vehicle nearby at the Sheetz on East Market Street at approximately 1:15 a.m refused to exit his vehicle and fled the scene into Rockingham County where the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office located him at a convenience store on Spotswood Trail just outside of Harrisonburg Lambert was stopped in Greene County and taken into custody.adButlerLazyLoad("16999759997653900",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); HPD has obtained charges for Felony Eluding and Obstruction of Justice Charges from HFD are pending the conclusion of the department’s investigation Lambert was wanted in Chesterfield County on a capias for arrest related to charges that include a firearms violation and a protective order violation Lambert is currently being held at the Rockingham-Harrisonburg Regional Jail without bond Visa restored for third UVa international student; Virginia football lands commitment A Richmond man accused of setting fire to multiple businesses in Harrisonburg has been apprehended in Greene County after a cross-county chase has been charged with eluding authorities and obstruction of justice Additional charges are pending a Harrisonburg Fire Department investigation Monday when authorities in Harrisonburg were alerted to someone setting off fireworks near a Kroger grocery store on East Market Street in the city That 911 call was followed in short order by another call claiming a man had set fire to a nearby trash can in front of the Best Buy electronics store in the Harrisonburg Crossing shopping center off Burgess Road while responding to the shopping center call near Best Buy witnessed an additional fire that had been set in a trash can in front of the Model Nail Spa in the shopping center," the city of Harrisonburg said in a statement "Another fire appeared to have been set in a trash can in front of the nearby PetSmart." and the Harrisonburg Fire Department was able to contain the blazes all 911 calls that came in to the Harrisonburg Police Department included the same suspect vehicle description — an orange truck pulling a white Jeep — which police said allowed them to locate the vehicle at a nearby Sheetz gas station on East Market Street by 1:15 a.m refused to exit and fled the scene into Rockingham County where the local sheriff's office again found him at a convenience store on Spotswood Trail outside Harrisonburg ending in Greene County where Lambert was taken into custody authorities reported that Lambert was also wanted in Chesterfield County for firearms and protective order violations He remained in custody as of Wednesday night at the Rockingham-Harrisonburg Regional Jail Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email An Orange County man had a surprise waiting for him in his yard the other night: a 50 millimeter French mortar Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Our mission is to support a model of growth that allows America's cities towns and neighborhoods to become financially strong and resilient The new book from Strong Towns, Escaping the Housing Trap, is available for preorder now. Get yours today “I had every intention of nominating Harrisonburg for the Strongest Town Contest this past weekend,” Brent Finnegan wrote on his blog and a member of the city’s Ordinance Advisory Committee since 2020 Finnegan clearly loves his Virginia city of 51,000 But as he worked through the nomination form he couldn’t help but dwell on where Harrisonburg fell short On the issue of mandatory parking minimums he saw a major flaw: The city requires developers to include a minimum number of parking spaces for almost every type of new development or redevelopment he conceded that the city scored a zero in HousingForward Virginia’s ADU playbook.  “Unless or until we change our zoning and subdivision ordinances to prioritize housing for people over temporary car storage we are not what I would consider a strong town,” Finnegan wrote.  Each question in the nomination form reinforced the same conclusion—Harrisonburg wasn’t quite ready to compete there was always hope for the future: “If we can address parking mandates and by-right incremental housing … Harrisonburg could be a good candidate for America’s Strongest Town next year.” But the Strongest Town Contest isn’t a pageant for towns that have “figured it out.” No place is perfect and no city has “arrived.” The towns that rise in this contest are the ones willing to examine their weaknesses They recognize that strength isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about asking the right questions and taking small meaningful steps toward a more prosperous future The contest is for towns like Harrisonburg where people like Finnegan are interrogating the norms that have trapped Harrisonburg in a pattern of growth that is no longer serving the town “Harrisonburg is becoming a strong town,” he declared.  Harrisonburg advanced to the Final Four of the Strongest Town Contest.  Finnegan’s change of heart came after a reader reminded him of just how much progress Harrisonburg has made parking mandates still exist—but the city lifted off-street parking requirements in its downtown central business district but neighboring towns could learn a lot from Harrisonburg’s ambitions there’s an undeniable sense of local pride and momentum I was one of 150 local residents that packed the council chambers in support of building the city’s first shared-use path the Northend Greenway,” Finnegan wrote in his follow-up post The pace of change may not be as fast as some would like but there’s no denying that Harrisonburg is putting its principles into action: A newly installed crosswalk and stop lines are improving safety in a neighborhood where residents have long raised concerns about speeding The redevelopment of the “Bird District” is a strong example of adaptive reuse and mixed-use development in a place with no off-street parking minimums The city recently launched a new process to sell surplus city-owned land to spur residential development And every summer, the Best.Weekend.Ever festival temporarily closes downtown streets to car traffic “Traffic-restricted festivals like this can help us re-imagine what and who our streets are for,” Finnegan underscored Harrisonburg’s story is exactly why the Strongest Town Contest exists—not to crown a winner among perfect cities Asia (pronounced “ah-sha”) Mieleszko serves as a Staff Writer for Strong Towns she's excited to convert a lifetime of ad-hoc volunteerism into a career Her unconventional background includes directing a Ukrainian folk choir She can be found wherever Wi-Fi is reliable typically along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor Harrisonburg is competing for the title of Strongest Town 2025 They’re only one round away from the championship match Marion, Ohio Bend, Oregon Greenfield, Massachusetts towns and neighborhoods take local action to grow safe Become a MemberSign Up for EmailsPitch a StoryRSS Feed BooksAction LabBlog RollShopPress About UsTeam | BoardEmploymentContact Us Privacy PolicyComment PolicyFAQSearch Strong Towns is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Our work is performed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page We recognise you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore cannot grant you access at this time e-mail us at webeditor@dnronline.com or call us at 1-540-574-6200 HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) — Harrisonburg Police have arrested a Nelson County murder suspect 22-year-old Katelynn Ann Hipes of Augusta County was arrested on Tuesday afternoon on two different charges in Nelson County including second degree murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony.adButlerLazyLoad("3444611716924896010",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); HPD says they received information from the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office that Hipes who was wanted in connection with the early morning homicide of Kevin Scott Small were able to identify her location at a residence on Lee Avenue in Harrisonburg and HPD’s Criminal Investigations Division then obtained a search warrant for the address the HPD Special Weapons and Tactics (S.W.A.T.) team executed the search warrant at the residence With assistance from the Crisis Negotiations Team (CNT) Hipes was taken into custody without incident.adButlerLazyLoad("1391228988205666855",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); HPD would like to thank its public safety partners the Harrisonburg Fire Department (HFD) and the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Emergency Center (ECC) who played a critical role in making this a successful operation The ECC issued a shelter-in-place order at approximately 4:13 p.m directed at the affected neighborhood and nearby streets aimed to alert the public about a potential threat within their vicinity Community members can register to receive these types of alerts by going online to https://harrisonburgva.gov/eas Description:  The Harrisonburg City Public School Board in Virginia is usurping parents’ right to direct the upbringing of their children and forcing school staff to violate their religious beliefs by affirming the board’s view on gender identity school district policy requires staff to immediately begin using opposite-sex pronouns and forbids staff from sharing information with parents about their child’s request instead instructing staff to mislead and deceive parents ADF attorneys favorably settle case with Harrisonburg school board officials agree they will not require teachers to use pronouns that are inconsistent with a student’s sex HARRISONBURG, Va. – To settle a lawsuit brought by Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing three Virginia teachers, the Harrisonburg City School Board agreed to respect the teachers’ constitutionally protected right to do their job in accordance with their religious beliefs the school board agreed that Deborah Figliola and Laura Nelson do not have to ask students to share their pronouns and the teachers need not necessarily use pronouns inconsistent with students’ biological sex The school district also acknowledged that it “does not support hiding or withholding information from parents” and it will continue to inform staff that similar religious accommodations are available to employees and Laura—like all teachers—are protected under the Constitution to do their job in alignment with their religious beliefs including how they refer to their students and the vital information they share with parents,” said ADF Senior Counsel Kate Anderson director of the ADF Center for Parental Rights who argued before the Rockingham County Circuit Court Tuesday “We are pleased to favorably resolve this case on behalf of our clients and ensure that the Harrisonburg City School Board will respect every teacher’s right to speak consistent with her faith.” we care deeply about the children entrusted to our care,” Figliola said “We could not idly stand by while the schools’ administration enforced a policy with a radical one-size-fits-all approach to students struggling with their gender and that allowed parents to be pushed out of the picture We’re thrilled for this legal victory that allows religious educators in the Harrisonburg school district to do the job we love in a series of on-the-job trainings related to the school board’s nondiscrimination policy the board directed teachers to “immediately implement” these practices: (1) to ask students’ “preferred” names and pronouns; (2) to always use them even when contrary to a student’s sex; and (3) to do so without notifying parents or seeking their consent And the nondiscrimination policy threatened discipline—including termination—for noncompliance The teachers filed the lawsuit in June 2022 challenging the board’s actions as violations of the Virginia Constitution’s Free Speech Clause the Virginia Religious Freedom Restoration Act and other legal provisions by compelling them to speak a message to which they object ADF attorneys filed a dismissal of the case Figliola v The School Board of the City of Harrisonburg In a similar case litigated by ADF attorneys the West Point School Board in Virginia agreed to pay $575,000 in damages and attorneys’ fees to settle a lawsuit brought by a former high school teacher who was fired for avoiding the use of pronouns to refer to one of his students The favorable settlement followed the Virginia Supreme Court’s landmark decision affirming that the Virginia Constitution contains robust free speech and free exercise protections for public employees Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom HCPS “Supporting Our Transgender Students” staff presentation One-page case summary Kate Anderson serves as senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom where she is the director of the Center for Parental Rights she leads the team working to ensure schools respect the role of parents in directing the upbringing successfully defended parents in Wisconsin and her team is actively engaged in many other states and courts protecting the fundamental rights of parents Anderson’s work at ADF began in 2015 focusing on protecting the conscience rights of individuals being unjustly compelled to forfeit their beliefs under threat of government retaliation Anderson was an associate attorney with Ellis where she litigated both civil and criminal cases She obtained her law degree magna cum laude in 2009 from Gonzaga University School of Law where she served on the Gonzaga Law Review She is admitted to the state bars of Arizona and Washington and several federal district and appellate courts Vincent Wagner serves as senior counsel with the Center for Parental Rights at Alliance Defending Freedom where he safeguards parents’ rights to direct the upbringing Wagner served the state of Arkansas as deputy solicitor general Wagner was an associate with Baker Botts L.L.P he clerked for then-Chief Judge Ed Carnes of the U.S Wagner is admitted to the state bars of Arkansas © 2025 Alliance Defending Freedom is a registered 501(C)(3) Charity. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Strong cities learn from their struggles and celebrate the progress they've already made is embracing that ethos and making strides toward a stronger future planning commissioner Brent Finnegan invited geoaccounting analyst Joshua McCarty to give a presentation to the Harrisonburg Planning Commission about how we can improve our land use policies McCarty’s analysis showed a clear spike in land value in the downtown central business district where the zoning is mixed-use by-right and there are no off-street parking requirements His analysis reinforced what Livable Harrisonburg has long pushed for: citywide parking reform and the legalization of incremental housing development Downtown’s north end is already seeing the type of change the advocates are championing who owns a local diner and coworking space revitalizing old buildings in what’s informally known as “the bird district.” Beyond fixing up older structures And that’s what Livable Harrisonburg is eager to see in partnership with the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition hosted Charles Marohn last year to discuss The Housing Trap with local leaders This conversation helped spark a new housing coalition that is now drafting policy proposals and pushing for zoning reform and a dedicated affordable housing fund The coalition brings together a diverse range of stakeholders—from homeless services organizations and business groups to environmental advocates—all united in the goal of making housing more accessible and affordable in Harrisonburg These advocates aren’t waiting for change—they’re driving it They show up at Planning Commission and City Council meetings championing missing-middle and mixed-use developments like the Bluestone Town Center they’re ensuring that zoning reform stays front and center Their dedication runs deep—on the night of a crucial public hearing Their stance is clear: allowing city-wide by-right incremental development will produce the least resistance and the most expansion of housing options Keeping single-family zoning untouched only tightens the squeeze on affordability and fuels car dependency Harrisonburg is beginning to make progress toward reprioritizing people over automobile speed in the city The city’s Public Works department has implemented the neighborhood traffic calming program in three neighborhoods The Public Works Department has also been adding bike lanes and reconfiguring lanes to reduce the amount of road space dedicated to automobiles The city took an incremental quick build approach to addressing traffic safety concerns on Federal Street downtown eventually reconfiguring the street to restrict car traffic to one direction The Downtown 2040 Plan lays out a vision to do the same sort of separated bike lane reconfiguration on Liberty Street sponsors events that close downtown streets to car traffic so local vendors and artists can perform or sell their work to a local audience has organized and co-sponsored a number of public events since 2022 to educate community members about the need to prioritize safety and housing over automobile speed and storage Harrisonburg is regionally known as a bike destination thanks in large part to the work of the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition which organizes the annual Bike-Walk Summit and pedestrian safety advocates to work on improving safety on our streets Those many years of advocacy are paying off Harrisonburg now has three shared-use paths that connect parks and schools Icelandic bicycle company Lauf opened an assembly plant in downtown Harrisonburg While “The Friendly City” still has a long way to go work is already being done to reclaim street space from cars to make the city more walkable and bikeable Although Harrisonburg still observes mandatory parking minimums in most of the city the downtown central business district is exempt And there’s hope with the city’s Downtown 2040 Plan which lays out a vision for a Harrisonburg that’s friendlier to people traveling by foot and by bike the city is already building out a protected bike path running the length of downtown on Liberty Street is playing a big role in educating the city’s leaders about parking mandates they teamed up with the Sierra Club to bring Professor Andrew Mondshein from the University of Virginia to educate City Council members and Planning Commissioners about the long-term impacts of parking minimums The group is also a regular presence at city hall One of their more notable appearances was when they addressed the developers of the 900-unit "Quarry Heights" project trying to convince them to reconsider the scale of their parking the development will now feature traffic-separated shared-use paths to encourage modes of transportation other than driving Harrisonburg is a designated refugee resettlement area a group of local refugees identified transportation as a major challenge and decades of car-centric development made getting to and from work difficult Local realtor Ritchie Vaughn created a volunteer initiative called Bikes for Refugees which refurbished used bikes to give to refugees and trained participants on bicycle safety and showed them how to navigate the city safely by bike The initiative was later adopted by the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC) and renamed Bikes for Neighbors In 2024 SVBC announced that the coalition added Ben Wyse to become the full-time leader of its Bikes for Neighbors program HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) – Goodwill Industries of the Valleys will hold a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new outlet store this week.adButlerLazyLoad("1271820098368645809",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); the new Outlet Store on East Kaylor Park Drive in Harrisonburg will offer “high-quality housewares and more — priced by the pound.” Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce President Chris Quinn will be joined by various Goodwill Industries executives The first 100 shoppers will receive a free gift as part of the grand opening festivities that begin Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m (WHSV) - The Harrisonburg Police Department is investigating a burglary that happened just after 4 a.m Friday at Liberty Arms on East Market Street HPD responded to a burglary alarm at the business the store’s doors had been forced open and the suspect had already fled the scene As officers canvassed the area to find the suspect there was a heavy police presence in the area of East Market Street and Country Club Road including HPD’s SWAT team and the Criminal Investigations Division The search expanded as officers attempted to locate the suspect and related evidence The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information about the case or the identity of the suspect is asked to call Crime Solvers at 540-574-5050 Tips can also be submitted online through HPD’s website or by texting “HPDVA” to 847411 Information leading to the suspect’s arrest may be eligible for a reward through Crime Solvers President Trump's overhaul of immigration law enforcement, from deportation to detention policies has many people in Harrisonburg’s immigrant community worried But local advocates and institutions have been preparing More than 17% of Harrisonburg’s population is made up of immigrants, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau And with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency - also known as ICE - expanding their operations following orders from Trump [sound of Angel Luna Anavitate on megaphone] Angel Luna Anavitate is an immigration attorney in Harrisonburg and his mission over the past month has been to inform the public of their rights if an ICE agent knocks on their door ANGEL LUNA ANAVITATE: These are the red cards He recently distributed cards outlining those rights at a march in support of the city’s immigrant community ANAVITATE: They don’t have to talk to an ICE officer they don’t have to give them their status or give them any kind of documentation of where they are or where they’re coming from If ICE doesn’t have a warrant for your arrest or a warrant to search you ICE has operated a local field office in Harrisonburg since 2005 but Anavitate said its operations have expanded along with enforcement priorities ANAVITATE: I haven’t seen any raids at the time but I do know they are actively working on looking for people that have certain charges such as DUIs According to Anavitate, ICE agents have been working with the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Department to enforce the new laws. Among them is the Laken Riley Act which requires the federal detention of undocumented people accused of theft and violent crimes The sheriff’s office could not be reached for comment Anavitate said that anyone arrested on those types of charges is generally detained at Rockingham County Regional Jail which has him concerned about the department’s collaboration ANAVITATE: I do know that they are communicating with ICE because if you don’t have a social security number they will go ahead and issue a detainer – ICE will issue a detainer -- and ICE has 72 hours to go ahead and pick up that person Local agencies supporting Harrisonburg’s international community have also been hard at work preparing for the possibility of mass deportation attempts which facilitates refugee resettlement in the city has had to quell fears of families who feel they may be targeted said the Trump administration’s recent slashing of federal funds has made it difficult to do their job two-thirds of our staff today got furloughed they’re still working to uphold their commitments to the people they’ve helped to resettle The president’s removal of protection for sensitive spaces has also made it possible for ICE agents to enter school grounds in order to detain undocumented students With a number of immigrant students in Harrisonburg City Public Schools Superintendent Michael Richards said staff had been preparing well into last semester for a second Trump presidency MICHAEL RICHARDS: Our emphasis is always on student safety And many of them don’t feel safe right now Richards sent letters to parents outlining the steps teachers and staff have been trained to follow should an ICE officer enter school grounds RICHARDS: An ICE agent can’t just go into our school They have to ring the buzzer like anyone else and staff will inform them that they need to sit tight while a school official or the school attorney greets them and talks to them and what we’d do in that case is ensure that they have a judicial warrant then school officials have to work with them But Richards stressed that those warrants cannot be obtained on a whim RICHARDS: Which would mean that there would be some reason for this agent to want to make contact with this particular students have been worried about participating in activities off school grounds such as sports and field trips SAL ROMERO: Anything that is sanctioned by the school system and while the students are under supervision we remain committed to keeping them safe and following the same protocols that we’re following as if they were in the school Both within the schools and outside in the community Romero and other leaders have organized a network of local employers and others to support immigrant families with students in HCPS if they encounter ICE ROMERO: The groups that I’m referring to are considering putting in a tip line having a volunteer-based group that will be driving around the city attending to any rumors of any ICE presence … It’s really the way to cover some of those areas that we as a school system don’t have a whole lot of control over has all the makings of a storybook fall getaway HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) – A national organization focused on advancing professional local government through leadership innovation and ethics has bestowed a much-deserved recognition upon a long-time Harrisonburg leader.adButlerLazyLoad("856076493287602530",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); Harrisonburg City Manager Ande Banks has officially received the Credentialed Manager designation from the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) in acknowledgement of his dedicated work in local government and passionate belief in the values and morals key to supporting the community he serves “Civil service is a calling in all its forms,” Banks said “I am deeply humbled and honored to attain the ICMA credential and look forward to continuing to challenge myself to pursue the highest ideals in government leadership.” ICMA members must have significant experience as a senior management executive in local government; have earned a degree preferably in public administration or a related field; and demonstrated a commitment to high standards of integrity and to lifelong learning and professional development in order to be considered for the Credentialed Manager designation.adButlerLazyLoad("331531848157433176",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); with a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) from James Madison University and a Bachelor of Science in History from Eastern Mennonite University started in local government with the City of Harrisonburg in 2009 as the City’s director of special projects and grants management He later became the City’s assistant to the city manager before being appointed as city manager in 2022 Banks attended the Senior Executive Institute at the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service in 2019 and achieved a Certificate in Local Government Management from Virginia Tech in 2013 Banks is a member of the Virginia Local Government Management Association where he serves as a member of the Strategic Planning Committee and is past chair of the organization’s Deputies Banks is co-chair of the MPA Advisory Board for JMU and is professional advisor for the student chapter of ICMA at the university “I couldn’t be prouder of Ande for this accomplishment – having worked with him for many years I can say that he is not only without a doubt deserving of this honor but is an example of what city managers across our country should be working hard to emulate,” Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed said “Ande dedicates himself to making our community a better place every day and I can’t imagine a Harrisonburg without him.”adButlerLazyLoad("618102131114183148",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) – The Harrisonburg Police Department (HPD) in coordination with the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) is set to participate in the 28th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Saturday offering the Harrisonburg and Rockingham communities a safe and anonymous way to dispose of unneeded prescription medications.adButlerLazyLoad("1263856601300250720",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); HPD Officers and RCSO Deputies will have collection boxes available in the parking lot of Valley Mall located at 1925 E Market Street in Harrisonburg Take Back Day aims to reduce the risk of prescription drug misuse by helping Americans safely remove expired or unused medications from their homes— medications that might otherwise be misused According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and morphine are among the most frequently misused prescription pain medications In conjunction with our public safety and community partners Saturday’s event will also feature a touch-a-truck with vehicles from HPD and the Harrisonburg Fire Department (HFD) Vehicle operators will be on hand to demonstrate how their vehicles work and why they are such an important asset to the community.adButlerLazyLoad("2548188102501722534",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); 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