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 A playful new adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel "Sense and Sensibility" comes to Stuarts Draft High School April 25-27 This production of the beloved novel follows the fortunes and misfortunes of the Dashwood sisters — sensible Elinor and hypersensitive Marianne — after their father's sudden death leaves them penniless and socially vulnerable "Sense and Sensibility" examines our reactions "Sense and Sensibility" is directed by Amy Neal Bussey Starring Emily Hays as the sensible Elinor and Carol Jobe as the sensitive Marianne the cast is rounded out by many graduating seniors and students from the VHSL State One Act Play from earlier this school year This cast brings magic and energy to the stage and quirky humor and heartwarming tenderness Tickets are available at www.sdhstheatre.ludus.com or at the door Ticket prices are $6 for students and $10 for adults Call SDHS at 540-946-7600 for more information More: Augusta County Schools and Staunton city horticulturist honored for environmental sustainability More: Staunton Jams spring street music festival returns with main stage and satellite venues May 2-4 — Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Connect with Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and on Instagram @hitepatrick. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com AUGUSTA COUNTY, VA (Rocktown Now) – On Tuesday deputies from the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office responded to a domestic incident on Bright Lane in Stuarts Draft deputies identified the male suspect as Deonte L Harris was wanted on two counts of 18.2-57.2 domestic assault and battery and an emergency protective order.adButlerLazyLoad("197383893915887960",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); he retreated into his apartment and barricaded himself Given reports that Harris had access to multiple firearms and the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office SWAT and Negotiations Teams were deployed to the scene After approximately two and a half hours of negotiations Harris surrendered peacefully to deputies without incident “This was an isolated domestic violence incident that required a measured and strategic response,” said Sheriff Donald L “I’m proud of our deputies and support teams for their professionalism and dedication to ensuring the safety of everyone involved.”adButlerLazyLoad("643285650881528571",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); The Augusta County Sheriff’s Office extends our gratitude and appreciation to the Emergency Communications Center (ECC) and Augusta County Fire and Rescue for their invaluable assistance during this incident A search warrant was conducted at the apartment once Mr Deonte Harris was charged with the following: 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 The Augusta County school board has chosen Dr 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 Augusta County Sheriff’s Office responded to multiple calls Monday morning about a Staunton individual which led to him being unresponsive in-custody the RHSPCA Pets of the Week sponsored by Bob Wade Subaru Sunshine returns today along with some clouds Be sure you have your GPS enabled and try again An Augusta County man who fired a rifle at his live-in girlfriend during a domestic argument in May 2024 has been sentenced to a three-year prison term The incident took place the afternoon of May 9 in the 800 block of Wilda Road in Stuarts Draft According to Augusta County Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Lorna Hilliard Allen was supposed to be in alcohol rehabilitation that day but instead stayed home and drank alcohol to the point of inebriation Hilliard said Allen and his girlfriend got into a verbal altercation before she decided to leave their home at about 12:30 p.m After she went outside through the front door Hilliard said the bullet went through the door and narrowly missed the woman Hilliard said it didn't appear that the victim was struck by the bullet but said metal shrapnel from the door cut her behind an ear closing the roadway and establishing a perimeter in an attempt to locate Allen More: Honey Bee's Florist gets council approval to relocate to former Staunton Eye Clinic Allen holed up in a neighbor's home before reappearing hours later while authorities were still searching for him Members of the Augusta County Sheriff's Office immediately placed him under arrest court records show he was convicted of misdemeanor obstruction of justice In Augusta County Circuit Court on April 24 Allen pleaded guilty to a felony charge of malicious wounding of a family or household member and a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of justice in an unrelated case Hilliard said the misdemeanor charge stemmed from an altercation with a deputy in March 2024 Allen was sentenced to a total of 10 years and six months in prison with seven years and six months years suspended He was also placed on three years of supervised probation Allen was represented by Trey Raines III of the Staunton Public Defender's Office More: Waynesboro man sentenced to prison after being caught with images, videos of children courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@newsleader.com You can also follow him on X (formerly Twitter) AUGUSTA COUNTY, VA (Rocktown Now) – It is two and a half years in jail for the Stuarts Draft man who was arrested last spring following a domestic dispute.adButlerLazyLoad("1988162365258228572",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); Raymond Gregory Allen reached a plea deal with prosecutors during a hearing this morning in Augusta County Circuit Court The 36-year-old Allen pleaded guilty to malicious wounding and in return prosecutors dropped the three other charges A judge then sentenced him to 10 years in prison with seven and a half of those years suspended The charges stemmed from an incident last May 9th in which Allen shot at a woman through the front door of a home in the 800 block of Wilda Road.adButlerLazyLoad("428159219719880775",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); The woman suffered a cut on her head that was caused by flying debris The Augusta County Fire and Rescue teams from Stuarts Draft worked in unison to quickly extinguish the blaze and control the situation WINCHESTER — A rough second quarter spelled doom for Stuarts Draft in the Region 2B girls basketball championship Saturday night at Shenandoah University Draft (20-5) will now travel for the Class 2 state quarterfinals Region 2A champion John Marshall (12-9) will host Tuesday night at Huguenot High School Clarke County will host Prince Edward County in the state quarterfinals Junior Alainah McKavish torched Stuarts Draft Saturday night with 25 points Augusta Seibert finished with 16 points for Stuarts Draft but she was the only Cougar with more than five points Seibert hit a 3-pointer early in the second quarter to cut Clarke's lead to four finished the half on a 13-2 run to grab a 15-point halftime cushion "We didn't seem to have the energy to play at both ends consistently," Stuarts Draft coach Chad Seibert said "Quick turnaround as well as a quality opener took its toll we didn't have the energy to cut and attack on offense When we were cutting and moving the way we needed to on offense Draft played Friday night in the regional semifinals, beating Luray in a defensive struggle "Not having a day to prepare for that hurts but it's not like you can simulate it anyway." The 6-foot McKavish had eight points in the second-quarter run to open up a comfortable lead for the Eagles Stuarts Draft got within 13 in the second half but that was as close as they would come to Clarke "Augusta made some deep 3s and kept us within striking distance at half," Seibert said "Down 15 we said if they make the next run it's 20+ and that's game We got several stops but couldn't convert on offense to get it under 10 It was Draft's first loss since late January and snapped a nine-game winning streak for the Cougars "All in all is a great experience for our girls to get there and see what a game of that magnitude feels like," Seibert said "We are fortunate that our season is not over and we get a chance to go make up for it on Tuesday." More: Structure hit by gunfire in Waynesboro, suspect arrested More: Where to find Girl Scout Cookies in Staunton, Waynesboro and Harrisonburg this weekend STUARTS DRAFT — Coming into Friday night's game Stuarts Draft senior Brennan Drumheller had never hit a 3-pointer in her high school basketball career She picked a great time to knock down her first one With four minutes left in the fourth quarter and her team clinging to a one-point lead Draft went on to beat Luray 30-25 in the Region 2B girls basketball semifinals "I looked over at Gus (Seibert) and she said shoot it," Drumheller said The win sends Stuarts Draft into the Region 2B championship game Saturday night at Shenandoah University Clarke beat Central-Woodstock 63-36 in the other semifinal Drumheller finished the game with five points on two field goals The first came in the third quarter with the Cougars struggling to find offense Drumheller drove the lane and hit a layup to give Draft its first lead of the game but a 3-pointer by Luray's Caroline Donovan put the Bulldogs back on top early in the fourth Seibert had gone without a point in the first half and had been held without a field goal through three quarters She finally got a bucket with 6:21 left in regulation driving into the lane and hitting a contested shot to put Draft back in front 22-21 "The last two games she hadn't shot it great," said Draft coach Chad Seibert Tonight in the second half she drove the basketball hard She got to the line a couple of times and that (fourth quarter basket) was a huge shot." The two teams exchanged a couple of empty possession before Drumheller hit her big 3 to stretch the lead to four Luray never got closer than three the rest of the way Seibert had six while Drumheller and Takota Moore both had five in the win It will be Draft's first regional championship game since 2012 when the Cougars beat George Mason for the Region B Drumheller got the game ball in the locker room after the win She said it was the same ball that the team had used at home every time this year She said there was a shelf in her house where she planned on placing the ball one more memorable moment in a memorable senior season Draft won a share of the Shenandoah District title They'll play for the regional title and will be in the state tournament quarterfinals the first time since 2017 the program has been in the state tournament "There's a lot of accomplishments there," Chad Seibert said "I think not too long after it's over I'll kind of look back and maybe be blown away But it's always the goal and these kids have worked so hard." More: Director of finance for Augusta County Schools killed in Tinkling Spring Road crash More: Survivalist store coming to Staunton. White's Wayside for sale. Bojangles teams with Wilson Elementary: BUSINESS BEAT NELSON COUNTY — A Stuarts Draft couple was killed Sunday afternoon in a fiery crash on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Nelson County One of the victims was an off-duty employee of the National Park Service Blue Ridge Parkway dispatchers received a report of a single-vehicle accident near milepost 11 Blue Ridge Parkway rangers and area first responders arrived to discover a vehicle on fire that had crashed into a large tree Troy Hagwood was a National Park Service employee on the Blue Ridge Parkway for the past 16 years A preliminary investigation showed Hagwood was headed northbound when his vehicle struck a tree limb and then struck a roadside tree before catching fire The parkway was closed for a short time while local crews worked to extinguish the blaze Along with National Park Service Law Enforcement Rangers responding agencies included the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office and fire crews from George Washington and Jefferson National Forest More: Rally held in downtown Staunton in support of United States Postal Service workers More: Virginia health officials investigating potential measles exposure in Northern Virginia Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application passed away at his residence in Stuarts Draft on Saturday 1955 in Augusta County to the late Merlyn Thomas and Ella Dean Hite Sweet From his formative years growing up in Augusta County Donnie developed an affinity for anything that moved on wheels His love for cars was not merely a pastime but a dedication; it became a cornerstone of his identity He proudly held the title of President of the Shenandoah Valley Mopar Club uniting fellow enthusiasts under the banner of automotive admiration Even beyond the grease-stained mechanics of his craft he knew how to convey a story through the rumble of an engine leaving an indelible mark on both the vehicles he worked on and the lives he touched Donnie’s career saw him thrive as a mechanic for Loftin Engines where his expertise and dedication were evident to all his stint as a truck driver for the State Highway Department allowed him to traverse the winding roads throughout the Shenandoah Valley Lillian and Ginger Sweet; and his closest friend he was preceded in death by his cherished wife Sarah "Dude" Jean Lipscomb Sweet A funeral service will be conducted at 1:00 PM on Monday at Faith Worship Center in Stuarts Draft with the Reverend Dennis Bradley officiating Interment will follow at Calvary United Methodist Church Cemetery in Stuarts Draft Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors RICHMOND — Stuarts Draft's season did not end the way any of the Cougars wanted share of the Shenandoah District title and a berth in the state tournament is still a successful year John Marshall beat Stuarts Draft 62-51 Tuesday night at Huegenot High School in the Class 2 girls basketball state quarterfinals The Justices will face Clarke County Friday in the state semifinals Senior Yasmin Hall led John Marshall with 24 points including 14 in the first quarter when the Region 2A champions opened up a 25-12 lead Stuarts Draft would try to make a few runs throughout the night but could never make much of a dent it the early John Marshall lead trailing by 12 at halftime and 14 after three quarters of play John Marshall could never stretch the lead either with the teams playing fairly evenly after the early blitz by the host Draft actually outscored John Marshall by two "I think at some point during the game we finally believed that we belonged in the game," said Stuarts Draft coach Chad Seibert "It just took us too long to get to that point." Seibert told his team at halftime that they earned their way to the state tournament "We didn't get invited because nobody else wanted to come," he said It was frustrating to see them — it wasn't the crowd it was just us against us for most of the first half." Sophomore Augusta Seibert had 15 points as did freshman Ella Ott to lead Stuarts Draft In their final high school basketball games seniors Madyson Mason finished with five points and Brennan Drumheller had two Those are the only two seniors on the Cougars' roster "I do lose two incredible seniors," Chad Seibert said "And there's no guarantee that we're going to get back here next year We know people are gunning for us and we're going to have to work harder in the offseason to get back here and to do better if we do get back here next year." Seibert said his team didn't play its best Tuesday Falling short of your best and losing is tough to swallow "Hopefully they take away from it that they're worthy," Seibert said "And they leave with a feeling that they want this again want to be in this position again and want to handle it differently next time." More: Staunton residents voice concerns over Rep. Ben Cline and Donald Trump More: Queen City Music Studios opens storefront music shop in downtown Staunton STUARTS DRAFT — Unlike some of her castmates but Edwards loved both the movie and the book Edwards is having fun watching her school's drama department's interpretation of the classic C.S and the Wardrobe" will be on stage at Stuarts Draft High School Thursday through Sunday Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students The show stars the members of the advanced theatre class Fourteen of the students in the show are also part of the school's act cast that recently won the regional championship and will be competing at states on Dec "It's fun to watch it with people I know," Edwards said It's just a really cool experience to do something you know so well and you grew up watching and get to watch it come to life on stage." The Stuarts Draft adaptation faithfully recreates the magic and mystery of the famous book by Lewis and the adventures of four children who wander into the exciting never-to-be-forgotten land of Narnia through a magical wardrobe and giving is a perfect treat for the holidays There's also a cameo appearance by Father Christmas "It is a true celebration of life," Bussey said Emmy Hays was not a fan of the selection at first The students had narrowed the choice of their December play to two — "Sense and Sensibility" was the other possibility "It's interesting once you get into the production you kind of get lost in the story It almost feels like you're having fun in Narnia." a land of talking animals and mythical creatures ruled by the evil White Witch "She has this side to her that she needs the power," Nice said of her character "And I feel like she's doing everything she can keep the power to get what she needs to feel like she's in control." "I just felt like I could make him really sassy," Johnson said the high school students put on the play for students from Stuarts Draft Elementary Nice loves that younger students are getting that exposure to theater "We want to show them what we do," Nice said but also to show them how much fun we have here Let them see the costumes and the set so they can be thinking that maybe they should try it because theater is fun guys." saw a performance when she was a student at Stump Elementary That memory came back to him in middle school when he first got into theater "And now I'm here and I've met all these awesome people," the Stuarts Draft sophomore said Hays remembers being in elementary school and watching high school students act "It's kind of a weird moment to be doing it for kids and knowing that you might be that person's memory of what got them into theater," she said Hays wants people to see the play because it's a classic and people can feel that nostalgia as they sit in the auditorium watching Or maybe people will be seeing it for the first time and get exposure to a classic Tobi Johnson has a simpler reason for people to come out this weekend "It's going to be an amazing show," he said More: "A good, old-fashioned Christmas show": ShenanArts producing "The Homecoming" for two weekends More: Ultimate guide to holiday events in Staunton, Waynesboro, Augusta County in 2024 UPDATE: Nora Mae Evans has been found safe STUARTS DRAFT, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – The Augusta County Sheriff is asking the public’s help finding a runaway 14-year-old girl The sheriff says Nora Mae Evans was last seen around 10:30 last Thursday night at her Stuarts Draft home A family member Monday reported her missing about 5’1″ and 105 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes Anyone with information is urged to call the Augusta Sheriff’s Office at 540-245-5333 or Augusta Crime Stoppers at 800-322-2017.adButlerLazyLoad("1360380055784707328",100,["688449","688449","688449"],"177030"); Jay Hart is a news reporter with CvilleRightNow.com Reach him by email at jhart@charlottesvilleradiogroup.com or call 434-977-6397 UVA Alert Monday morning from self-inflicted gunshot incident The Nelson County Sheriff and The AWARE Foundation of Virginia asking help finding a missing Nelson County teen Governor Youngkin took final actions to complete the legislative session for 2025 in the General Assembly Charlottesville Police Chief Kochis presented to City Council last night a plea to implement a one-year program that would combine department program data asking Council for a $150,000 appropriation Virginia’s standing as one of the top states in the nation for patient safety in hospital settings has again been affirmed in the Leapfrog Group Hospital Safety Grade rankings Note: This article is being provided for free by The News Leader as a public service to our readers UPDATE: The sheriff' office reported late Tuesday afternoon that the missing teen was safely located STUARTS DRAFT – The Augusta County Sheriff's Office said Monday that a teenage girl is missing from the Stuarts Draft area was last seen Sunday night at her Draft home If anyone has information about this juvenile please contact the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office at (540) 245-5333 or Crime Stoppers at (800) 322-2017 More: The house that Debbie built: SPCA shelter named in honor of retired executive director More: Convicted decades ago in a Staunton killing, suspect pleads not guilty to stabbing charges More: Days after mistrial declared, Staunton man scheduled for second murder trial USPS Offers Competitive Wages and Benefits Postal Service plans to host a job fair to fill immediate openings for full-time and part-time positions USPS personnel will be available to provide detailed information and answer questions about open positions Candidates can also apply search and apply for positions online at www.usps.com/careers As part of our innovative and bold 10-year plan the Postal Service is focused on building a more stable and empowered workforce Our employees are our greatest asset and we are investing in our new employees by providing robust training and on-the-job support The Postal Service offers competitive wages and benefits in addition to career advancement opportunities The Postal Service is consistently named one of the most trusted brands in America and powered the engines of commerce and industry The Postal Service is preparing now for another transformative year as online shopping and shipping continue to increase and package growth expands Accepting a position with the Postal Service is the first step to starting a long forward-thinking organization committed to delivering for the American people we want you to be a part of our proud tradition of service Applicants must be 18 years of age and be able to pass drug screening and a criminal background investigation Applicants must be available to work weekends and holidays See the job posting for full details for duties The Postal Service is an equal opportunity employer offering a fast-paced rewarding work environment with competitive compensation packages The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to 169 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is implementing a 10-year transformation plan, Delivering for America restore long-term financial sustainability dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories and maintain the organization as one of America’s most valued and trusted brands The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage products and services to fund its operations Copyright© 2025 United States Postal Service STUARTS DRAFT — Augusta Seibert had two steals that the sophomore converted into easy transition buckets early in the third quarter Those baskets gave Stuarts Draft some breathing room stretching what had been just a single-digit lead in the first half to 15 beating Riverheads 55-31 Tuesday in the Region 2B girls basketball quarterfinals "We came out with more energy," said Seibert "And we were focusing on going defense to offense and just playing more as a team Draft coach Chad Seibert was really pleased with the way his team came out in the second half He said how a team responds with an eight-point lead "That next run it's either an even-steven or you push it to 15," Seibert said "You feel like that's a little bit of a cliff there and we came out and it was our defense that did it." said the defensive effort was huge because "We had to create other ways of scoring," she said which was 7-4 through late January before a late-season slump The Gladiators (8-13) only had two players in the scoring column Tuesday — freshman Abi Bennington had 17 points and senior Alexis Myrtle had 14 "Alexis Myrtle is the heart and soul of this team," said Riverheads coach Katelyn Clark Four seniors on the Riverheads roster will graduate as the team prepares to return to Class 1 competition next season after a two-year stay in Class 2 Stuarts Draft (19-4) has won eight games in a row Six of those wins have come against teams that made the postseason Gett and Ella Ott both added six points each in the win a 33-29 upset winner over Strasburg in the quarterfinals Draft beat Luray by 13 in early December only to turn around 10 days later and lose by three "It will be interesting," said Chad Seibert Seibert said he and Luray coach Joe Lucas talk a lot during the season "The group chat might be silent for the rest of the week," Seibert said More: Waynesboro PD: 1 dead in crash, 2 children seriously injured More: Staunton council to consider Richmond Avenue roundabout, Edgewood Road sidewalk projects: THE AGENDA STUARTS DRAFT — Zach Brement remembers how absolutely terrified he was to be on stage as a sophomore maybe he could just do something behind the scenes and not be on stage at all an English and drama teacher at Stuarts Draft High School "With the amount of effort she's put into making sure I am comfortable and a good actor she took me from being this little sophomore that was scared to do anything to having multiple roles in a musical," Brement said "She puts everything she has into her students." Sometimes you just stumble upon stories that you never intended to write I was sitting in a classroom at Stuarts Draft High School talking with a group of drama students about "The Lion and the Wardrobe" that the students were about to perform Some of the actors were also involved in the school's one-act play that was about to take part in the state championship but senior Carly Edwards said their teacher was involved in four different shows at the time "Hardest working person in the building," said senior Alandra Nice with the rest of our time spent taking about Bussey There were such glowing comments about the educator that I said maybe I should write a story about her A couple of months later she emailed me and asked if I was serious she would love to have a story written as the senior class gift to Bussey presented to the teacher on the final day of the spring musical Nice even gathered other seniors together after rehearsal in late February to talk about Bussey some more "I can confidently say that we all know if we ever needed anything we can go to her," Edwards said "She puts her everything into this department." She didn't really like talking with anyone she credits Bussey with building her confidence "Now I will talk your ear off if you get me talking," she said Bussey was the first teacher I had that I was like Vreeland said Bussey was always straight with her She felt like she could tell Bussey anything and would get an honest answer "She lets me open up a lot," Vreeland said "I can't tell you how many times she's cried with me I feel really bad because sometimes I'll stay like an hour after rehearsal Bussey was the first person she told whenever she got accepted to a college sometimes works closely with Bussey on projects He said she's more than a fantastic educator "I enjoy working with her throughout the year but especially on the monumental task that is the spring musical," Fauber said "I appreciate that her students want her to be recognized as that is only fitting of someone who dedicates as much time and effort to her students as Amy does I know her students benefit from her technical knowledge and leadership skills She keeps her program performing at a top level year round throughout a myriad of activities." senior Willow Ford would be having a rough day Just walking into Bussey's classroom helped make it better She'll make sure you know that you're loved and you're taken care of." "If you're uncomfortable with something or you're loving something or if you're having a problem or if you've had the best day .. she was one of the first people I told that I got accepted into the college of my dreams and she cried with me Nice remembered as a sophomore she had Bussey for English then two blocks later for advanced theater and then she was back in Bussey's room for spring musical rehearsal The students said they see Bussey more than they do family members during play season Stuarts Draft choir director Katie Glydewell said Bussey is one of the hardest workers she knows at the school she's just kind and compassionate to everyone she meets "She has a heart of gold and is an inspirational leader," Glydewell said "Amy cares deeply about the success of our students while pushing them to be the best they can be and paving a way for their future She sent her oldest daughter and her husband to direct but Bussey wasn't going to miss being a part of the show taking notes the entire time so she could provide feedback the next day "I genuinely think she cares more about us that we care about ourselves," said Alyssa Sanner The students remembered when she was in a production at Wayne Theatre and tech week — the week prior to opening night and usually the busiest week for any production — for both the show at the Wayne and a show at Stuarts Draft were the same time It's the only time any of the students can remember Bussey rushing them out of her room so she could get to Waynesboro in time The students went to watch their teacher perform so they could support her like she supports them "It's always nice to see an amazing actor be amazing at teaching others to be actors," said senior Tobi Johnson Edwards wants to be a drama and English teacher like Bussey one day She wants to make an impact on students like Bussey does "Being in her class and spending time with her can genuinely make your day so much better," Edwards said "I take a Bussey class every year but when there's a semester that I'm not in a Bussey class I am so upset Making it through my day is so much harder." Bussey pushes her students to be the best that they can "She'll make you get out of your comfort zone and try something new," said Ella Carr Nice remembers Bussey allowing her to direct a play one year She said that experience really helped her grow as an actor Meredith Gebhardt also directed a play as a student "It's cool because she'll let you take the reins but she's also there if you have questions," Gebhardt said "She pushes you out of your comfort zone," Ford said "but she's also there to catch you if you fall." one group of five students who were sharing a room asked Bussey to come in every night before they went to sleep "She tucked us in and sang us a lullaby," Edwards said "I feel like little silly stuff like that she does shows that she's willing to do anything to make your day better." More: Gypsy Hill Park stream restoration in Staunton: Timeline for completion and cost More: Corrections officer beaten with handheld radio, Broadway man indicted STUARTS DRAFT – Following multiple grand jury indictments a Stuarts Draft man is behind bars amid allegations he sexually assaulted a teenage girl is being held at Middle River Regional Jail in Verona the Augusta County grand jury indicted Cook on five charges of aggravated sexual battery along with two additional sex assault charges Authorities arrested Cook on Monday in West Virginia following the indictments Sheriff Donald Smith said the teen came forward with the allegations in early November More: Couple behind Latin Soul opening brand new Mediterranean restaurant in Staunton More: Staunton installs license plate readers throughout city: What to know STUARTS DRAFT — Stuarts Draft found its offense about three minutes into the third quarter pulling away for a 57-39 win over Riverheads in Shenandoah District girls basketball Thursday night Trailing by a point with 5:30 left in the third quarter Draft's Augusta Seibert knocked down a 3-pointer — her third of the game to that point and one of five the sophomore had on the night — to start a 13-4 run that put the Cougars in front 36-28 heading to the fourth "At halftime we talked about that we were kind of playing their game and playing slow in the half court," Augusta Seibert said we started pushing the pace and going defense to offense I think that really helped us start getting it going." After only hitting three 3s in the opening half 3-1 Shenandoah) buried seven in the second half to help open up the game Seibert had four of those in the second and finished the night with 22 points the inside out 3s," said Stuarts Draft coach Chad Seibert we had a little more energy and the shots went in .. 3-1 Shenandoah) led throughout the first quarter and stretched its advantage to five points on a 3-point play by Alexis Myrtle and a free throw from Alexis Sacra in the second quarter Stuarts Draft answered with a bucket by Tokota Moore and back-to-back 3s from sisters — Augusta and Hazel Seibert — to take its first lead of the night The game was tied at halftime and Riverheads had the early lead in the third before Draft's run Ava Flippin had 13 points in the win while Brennan Drumheller added six It was the third game in a row for Stuarts Draft without senior Madyson Mason "We're still trying to crack the code without her," Chad Seibert said of Mason "She'll be back soon and it's helping us develop depth by her not being there Some of those guys looked lost without her Stuarts Draft has a big game against Wilson Memorial the last team with an unbeaten district mark It's part of a girls-boys doubleheader in Fishersville Riverheads was led by Alexis Myrtle's 18 points but picked up her fourth foul at the 5:30 mark of the third quarter and sat until the start of the fourth Riverheads will be at home against Buffalo Gap Friday BROADWAY — Make it eight wins in a row for Staunton Joaqin Bell continued his tremendous season taking an inbounds pass from Ky'Ree Scott and knocking down a 3-pointer to give Staunton a 58-57 win over Broadway Thursday in nondistrict action The win for Staunton (13-2) comes just 10 days after beating Broadway by 20 Staunton trailed by four heading to the fourth quarter and had to get a last-second shot to get the win Bell finished with 20 points to lead the Storm Anthony Renne had 17 and Leon Woodard had 10 in the win Staunton is off Friday and returns to action Tuesday at Buffalo Gap Greenmun's double-double leads GraceSTAUNTON — Aubrey Greenmun finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds Thursday to help lead Grace Christian over Mount Carmel 39-19 Greenmun had 10 offensive rebounds in the win Graycie Kincheloe finished with 11 for Grace It was the fourth win in five games for the Warriors who now play at United Christian Academy Friday Other scores:GIRLS BASKETBALL: Staunton 51 More: Augusta County Schools may implement wearable panic buttons for staff as new security measure More: Fort Defiance's Taylor Cubbage ranked top in state for high jump, 300: Athlete of the week STUARTS DRAFT – A building that houses a grow shop in Stuarts Draft was recently raided by authorities who claim marijuana was being illegally sold there during "pop up" events the Augusta County Sheriff's Office said the investigation is ongoing and that charges are likely once the investigation concludes a confidential informant reportedly made a handful of marijuana purchases on the second floor of the building that contains the business High Grow Hydro The informant told the sheriff's office that pop-up events typically take place on Thursdays and Saturdays and that attendees could purchase marijuana products from vendors after paying a $10 entrance fee The affidavit said patrons accessed the second floor of the building through a side door that led to a stairwell The informant allegedly bought four bags of marijuana during the first visit the informant went back to another pop-up event reportedly purchasing multiple baggies of marijuana and THC products the Augusta County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant at the business during another pop-up event "The search warrant resulted in several types of narcotics and multiple firearms being seized," the sheriff's office said Marijuana and THC-infused products were confiscated with one vendor reportedly having a "distribution quantity" of marijuana A person answering the phone at the business Wednesday declined to comment but did state that no narcotics were found during the search said she could not comment about the ongoing investigation Although possessing up to an ounce of marijuana is legal in Virginia along with growing a maximum of four plants More: Looking for something to do for Halloween? How about these fun ideas in downtown Staunton More: Charge against suspect in Waynesboro shooting upgraded to second-degree murder STUARTS DRAFT — A 22-year-old Stuarts Draft man was arrested last week following an undercover online sting operation by Rockbridge County authorities after he allegedly solicited sex from what he thought was a 13-year-old girl The suspect is now facing more than two dozen felony charges the Augusta County Sheriff's Office arrested Nicholas C He's facing one charge of use of electronic means to solicit a minor with lascivious intent and 25 charges of use of electronic means to solicit a minor with lascivious intent (second or subsequent offense) Based on an affidavit to a search warrant filed last week by the Rockbridge County Sheriff's Office in June the agency was conducting a sting operation aimed at online predators an undercover deputy posing as a 13-year-old girl reportedly began conversing with Green Green allegedly asked the bogus teen if she wanted to view a photo of his genitalia Green allegedly sent five photos of his genitalia "which he was holding a blue highlighter beside it for scale," the affidavit said Green reportedly asked the bogus teen if she wanted to meet for sex "I let him know I am camping for a week and would not be in contact with him for the next week," the undercover deputy said in the affidavit Green messaged the bogus teen June 17 and asked if she'd returned from camping He allegedly sent a batch of more than a dozen photos and videos of his genitalia to the undercover deputy during the conversation After Green was told by the undercover deputy that "I don't want to get pregnant," he offered to bring lube and a Plan B pill After submitting administrative subpoenas for Kik information from the filings led authorities to Green's Stuarts Draft home Surveillance of the residence showed a vehicle parked in the driveway that was registered to Green He is being held at Rockbridge Regional Jail More: Who's running for Staunton School Board? Meet the three candidate on the ballot for 2024 More: Ex-Waynesboro High School teacher sentenced to 30-year prison term STUARTS DRAFT — The last time Stuarts Draft started a season 5-0 was 2016 Assistant coach Danielle Brenneman was a senior on that team that reached the state quarterfinals Draft lost to East Rockingham by six points This year's Cougars did their assistant coach's team one better winning their sixth game in a row to start the season Thursday night Point guard Ava Flippin attributed the chemistry of the team to the fast start "We're all close off the court," the sophomore said "I think that has helped a lot with our performance on the court." with all but three coming in the second half She doesn't always need to score on a team with a lot of firepower but this year she is looking to score more than a year ago called her a "reluctant scorer" as a freshman last season A talk with her coach during summer league led to Flippin's improved play so far this season The coach probably doesn't even remember it but what he told her gave the guard more confidence "It got me looking for my shot more," said Flippin who is averaging 10.6 points a game this season The Cougars have won all of their games except one by double digits The only one that wasn't in double figures was Tuesday on the road against Alleghany handing Alleghany it's only loss so far this season saying he realizes there's a long way to go but it doesn't hurt to stop and smell the roses now and again "We talked about it before the game because we've had some success and a little bit of attention," Seibert said Those that are humble and those that are about to be So we got here with grit and focus and that's how we're going to keep it going." Rockbridge scored the first five points of the game Thursday and then didn't score again until Draft had put 22 points in a row on the scoreboard The Cougars defense held the Wildcats without a field goal from about the six-minute mark of the first quarter until 4:30 left in the third By the time Rockbridge did score from the field again Draft led by 24 points Chad Seibert said his team was locked in defensively after the first few minutes of the game "Our zones aren't standard zones," the coach said We fly around and we say the first person to talk or to act is right and everyone else will a react accordingly go do it even if it's not the exact thing you should do Augusta Seibert scored in double figures yet again The sophomore scored 14 Thursday and is averaging 16.3 points a game Senior Madyson Mason and freshman Takota Moore both scored seven in Draft's win That's really how they're all starting to see it Draft plays Stonewall Jackson Monday night STAUNTON — Make it three in a row for the Staunton Storm Joaqin Bell's 18 points led four players in double figures Thursday as Staunton beat previously undefeated Alleghany 66-52 in the Paul Hatcher Gym while Anthony Renne had 13 and Thomas Chisley finished with 12 in the win Scott scored nine of his points in the third the same period that Renne had eight of his as Staunton opened up a nine-point lead Staunton is at Harrisonburg Monday and at Alleghany Wednesday next week before returning home Dec More: Two mobile homes catch fire in Verona More: Waynesboro man who pulled rifle on tow truck driver and opened fire sentenced to jail STUARTS DRAFT — Anna Smith remembers when she was in third grade and her mom wanted her to play basketball The little girl didn't think much of her mom's suggestion "It was one of the last sports that I wanted to try," Smith said It didn't take long for her to fall in love with the sport She's always been a competitive person and she will work that much harder at achieving success By the time she got to high school at Stuarts Draft Smith was a pretty good player and had already started thinking about playing in college a private school just outside of Crozet in Albemarle County She reclassified as a sophomore and has spent the last three years playing for the Mavericks in the summer after her sophomore year at Draft saying he really helped her improve her skills Three days before school started she got accepted at Miller and transferred "I decided it would be a good fit," Smith said "And it's a college prep school as well and their academics are phenomenal It really helped me get some college classes under my belt and take some AP classes." Miller finished as state runner-up her first year there It was a talented team with several athletes who ended up playing in college "Coming into the program it was super competitive," Smith said "I was literally the only new girl in the program so I had to work for everything and every minute that I got on that court." Last year was a rebuilding year for Miller with the team winning just nine games but this season the Mavericks are playing much better The team is 17-9 through last Monday and ranked No 7 in Division II of the Virginia Independent Schools Athletics Association Smith said at the beginning of the season the goal was to just be better than a year ago she thinks winning a state championship is realistic and that's what the players are working toward The senior recently recorded her 1,000th career rebound during a game Feb She didn't even know she was nearing the mark until about the halfway point of this season It was her stepdad who brought up that she might be close "I was like 'There's no way that I'm that close "But then it was a personal goal that I wanted." although she is averaging almost 10 points a game Smith loves getting defensive stops or rebounds making a hustle play so someone else can score "I do get my points but that's not my main goal," she said "My main goal is to try and stop the other team." Smith learned the art of rebounding while still at Stuarts Draft Her coach told her to always watch the flight of the ball Braxton has worked with her at Miller on identifying shot angles so she knows what direction the ball will typically bounce off the rim "Just figuring out where you can be on the court to get it," said the 6-foot Smith Braxton has been impressed with her quick leaping ability saying she attacks the ball at its highest point pointing out that her basketball IQ is so much better now than when she arrived three years ago we are very fortunate to have had her join our program." It was probably by the eighth grade when she played on the junior varsity team at Stuarts Draft that Smith first thought about playing in college "I have made lifelong friends at Miller," Smith said "It's definitely become like a second family and I've enjoyed it." More: Staunton School Board approves the school calendar for next academic year More: Stone Soup Books has a new co-owner, the Food Bank's CEO is retiring and Bankers Insurance has a new name: BUSINESS BEAT Matthew Grant said he and his coworkers have noticed a lot of people Bars and restaurants were closed and opportunities to meet other people were limited for about a year or so the station manager for the Stuarts Draft library The library staff began thinking of ideas on how to help connect people of similar interests with one another One idea they had was offering a social gathering event inviting people in to drink coffee and talk with one another but the library staff wasn't sure if they wanted to try that someone suggested they combine the two and the idea of speed friending was born people who attend will be assigned a number Cards with basic get-to-know-you questions will be provided and people will circulate around the room talking with others for five minutes at a time "We have gotten a lot of traffic about this on our Facebook page," Grant said it may be something we add to our regular quarterly programs list Saturday at the Stuarts Draft library station More: Solar policy returns to Augusta supervisors: THE AGENDA More: Ex-Virginia Tech professor sentenced to federal prison for child pornography Williams have been safely located.adButlerLazyLoad("2838045115011840240",100,["688449","688449","688449"],"177030"); The Augusta County Sheriff’s Office is requesting the public’s assistance with locating a missing person who was last seen today 2025 at 12:00 PM at his Stuarts Draft residence.adButlerLazyLoad("950989969241164665",100,["688449","688449","688449"],"177030"); William’s was last seen wearing a black hat Williams has dementia and takes several required medications.adButlerLazyLoad("1102351958182240890",100,["688449","688449","688449"],"177030"); If anyone has any information about this missing person please contact the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office at 540-245-5333 or Crime Stoppers at 800-322-2017 Dori Zook is a reporter at NewsRadio WINA and CvilleRightNow.com She can be reached at dzook@charlottesvilleradiogroup.com or by phone at 434-977-6397 FISHERSVILLE — In what has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride this season Wilson Memorial finished the regular season Friday night with a 30-20 win over Stuarts Draft Wilson has won four in a row now after losing back-to-back games at the end of September and beginning of October Those losses almost made the rest of the schedule must-win games for the Hornets if they wanted to get into the ultra-competitive Region 3C playoffs They had three losses at the time and weren't sure if a fourth loss would keep them from the postseason Wilson entered the game Friday in seventh place in the region Wilson athletic director Craig Flesher said a win over Draft would assure Wilson a spot in the postseason while a loss would make getting in dicey at best While the official pairings from the Virginia High School League won't be released until Sunday unofficially it appears Wilson will get the sixth spot and travel to Alleghany next Friday Stuarts Draft is likely to be the sixth seed in Region 2B and play at Riverheads None of it is official until the VHSL releases the brackets The loss Friday snapped a four-game winning streak by Stuarts Draft Wilson Memorial and Stuarts Draft traded touchdowns with Draft scoring twice on short runs by Baylor Graber and Wilson answering both times with 35-yard scoring passes from Logan Podgorski to Parker Baucom Draft's first scoring drive took 14 plays and the second 12 plays they ate nearly 12 and a half minutes off the clock used just 11 plays and less than five minutes for their two scoring plays combined Wilson's defense finally came up with a stop got its first lead of the night on a 33-yard pass from Podgorski to Baucom The duo ended up on the night connecting five times for 117 yards and the three touchdowns Podgorski threw for 177 yards total on 10 completions "Parker is a great athlete," said Wilson coach Ryan Byrd "I've said it from the beginning — he's the best athlete that's out on the field We throw the ball up to him and he's got to go make that play." Baucom told his teammates Thursday after practice that all he asked of them was to play as hard as he played because it might be his last high school game "They rallied together even when bad things happened tonight Podgorski and Keyvon Jones get a lot of credit but without the offensive line blocking none of that would be possible Herndon is one of the all-time greats to come out of Riverheads He was The News Leader's player of the year in 2013 anchoring Riverheads' offensive line at tackle and playing linebacker and defensive line He went on to sign with the University of Pittsburgh where he played on both sides of the ball at various times throughout his stay there he signed as an undrafted free agent with the New Orleans Saints but coaching may after he came to Wilson with Byrd "They've got a D1 guy (coaching them) who's been in the NFL," Byrd said of his offensive linemen Wilson's defense came up with another big play in the final minute and change of the half Keyvon Jones had his first interception of the night Then Jones broke off a 36-yard run and caught a 21-yard pass in the middle of the field Wilson had to settle for a field goal from Judah Brown Draft gave itself a chance in the second half but a high snap and a penalty put them at second-and-29 Then Wilson's Nate Wilson picked off a pass to end that Draft scoring threat Draft finally got that touchdown on a run by Baylor Graber and Draft had the ball on its own 20 down four He picked off his second pass and raced down the sideline for a 31-yard score with Draft handing it off twice before Derrick Moore tried to pass it back to Landon Graber Jones finished the night with 68 yards rushing doesn't matter if it's offense or defense," Byrd said of Jones Jones said its special getting into the playoffs because others doubted early this season that Wilson was a playoff team More: Fort Defiance volleyball headed back to states after taking down Madison More: Fort Defiance cheer overcomes obstacles to get back to states for fourth year in a row STAUNTON – Just days after her husband was sentenced to 50 years in prison for sexually assaulting two children a Stuarts Draft woman appeared in court Friday on felony charges of child neglect Mejia of Stuarts Draft pleaded guilty to 26 felony charges that included forcible sodomy aggravated sexual battery and possessing child pornography He was given a half century behind bars in a plea deal The Augusta County Sheriff's Office arrested Mejia in July after he allegedly brandished a gun at a man inside his trailer in the 1500 block of Stuarts Draft Highway reportedly found an electronic device that launched an investigation of Mejia The Augusta County Sheriff's Office said Mejia would sometimes strap the children down with bondage instruments while he sexually assaulted them The abuse took place during a three-year period Augusta County Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney William Sukovich said multiple videos of the sexual assaults were found on his phones with some footage showing him "using sex toys" on the juveniles There was also video of him sodomizing a child would also be implicated in connection with the case with both facing three charges each of child neglect Huffman is also facing a fourth charge of destroying evidence pleaded guilty to three charges of child neglect Augusta County Chief Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Lorna Hilliard said Miranda Mejia was aware of her husband's sexual abuse and witnessed it but failed to tell authorities because she was afraid of losing her certified nursing assistance license Given a chance to address the court before sentencing Miranda Mejia was sentenced to five years in prison with all of the time suspended meaning she will serve no time behind bars while being placed on three years of probation Hilliard said sentencing guidelines only called for a probationary sentence Huffman is expected to enter her pleas on Nov More: How did each SAW locality vote in the federal, state elections? 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