It's a shame we didn't get any snow this winter...

Especially since we're building this new town ski lodge.

 I mean, I guess it could potentially bring in tourism dollars, if we built some slopes and bought some snow-making machines. 

 And in the summer months, they could use all those rooms with the big windows for modern meetings, like where people Skype-in from their home offices.  We need more rooms in town that can accommodate tele-meetings.


Our Town lifeguards can double as ski instructors during the winter.    

It's a glorious new morning in the Center of the Universe! 

Valentines Day and a new feature: The COTU Calendar!

Happy Valentines Day Ashland!

I have thought for a long time that we needed a centralized calendar for our dear COTU.  There are so many things going on that we really need just one calendar to put it all on. And personally, I get annoyed with Facebook on a regular basis; I've gotten tired of the aggressive advertisements, the political posts, the annoying gossip, and the feeling that if I don't log in and check it--that I will have missed something.  I do love the baby pictures, though.

This is in the early stages of development, and I'm playing around with platforms, so bear with me.  I'm looking for a simple, interactive calendar that makes it easy for us all to plan our schedules.

Please send me your feedback AND your events!




"Ya'll are the most gettin-together people I've ever met!" -Rodney Bardwell


Thanks for reading, Ashland; have a great weekend!

xo,
Meriwether

Follow me on Twitter & Instagram: @ashlandnews, and send your news to ashlandnews@gmail.com

2/7/2020 Report from the Ball, Black History Stories, Valentine Town needs Council Members

Obviously I am not a professional photographer, but what I'd like to emphasize here is...those empty chairs that you see?  Its because everyone was one the dance floor!

The 6th Annual Ashland Police Officer's Ball was an amazing event.  The cause was worthy, the decorations were beautiful, and the food was incredible.  The silent auction, organized by the Ashland Rotary Club, was full of artistic items and fun packages. I didn't get the chance to bid on anything, though, because I was talking too much to old friends and being surprised by work colleagues who appeared unexpectedly!

In honor of Black History Month, the event "Untold Stories: Black and White Experiences in Ashland/Hanover" returns to Patrick Henry High School on Sunday, February 23rd from 4:00 to 5:30 PM.  In this digital age, we have lost so many of our personal connections.









How many children today have the chance to sit and listen to stories from their grandparents?  This evening is a chance to be a kid again.





Storytellers will be Anna Belle Ambrosen, Esther Gordon Davis, Beatrice Johnson, Billy Martin, Ernest Mason, and James Quash, Jr. Following the stories, Ajena Cason Rogers will share the story of her great, great, great grandmother, Martha Ann Fields, who was enslaved at Nutshell Plantation near Hanover Courthouse.  Bring your children to help preserve and pass along our collective memory.  This event is free and open to the community.

Have you ever thought about the changes you would make if you were elected to public office?  Now is your chance!  There are three open seats on the Ashland Town Council that are up for election on May 5th.  You can learn more by contacting the Hanover County's Elections Office at (804) 365-6080 or by clicking here.

There are lots of ways to celebrate the 14th in this Valentine Town!  You can start by getting your heart checked out on Valentines Day by the American Red Cross at the Ashland Library. They will be checking blood pressure from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Friday, February 14th, and will also give you a blood pressure card to monitor this important number.

You can also step inside those red doors for a February Special at Yoga on Center: bring a friend for free!  It would be a fun way to celebrate friendship or share a calming moment with someone you love.  You can find more information by visiting their website: www.yogaoncenter.com.

Thanks for reading, Ashland; have a great weekend!

xo,
Meriwether

Follow me on Twitter & Instagram: @ashlandnews, and send your Ashland news to ashlandnews@gmail.com

1/13/2020 Bad Dreams and Construction Updates, Memory of Failed Developments

Twice in the past week, I have woken up from bad dreams about development in the Center of the Universe.  Just last night, I dreamed that I came back to Ashland and there were woods all around where Henry Clay St. crosses Railroad Avenue.  Someone told me, in my dream, that the Henry Clay Inn had been torn down to build a park.  I woke relieved that such drastic measures hadn't really taken place, but I think I must have some inner angst about the on-going construction and development in and around Ashland.

This is kind of what it looked like in my dream- imagine that this is facing south towards town, and all the greenery on the right is where the train station and Inn used to be.

So, in an effort to calm my psyche, today's column will highlight some changes coming to our town and ways that you can be involved!

1. Railroad Park Committee Seeks Public Input 
The Downtown Ashland Association has created a committee to see if there is interest in developing a privately funded and operated railroad park that wold feature exhibits of railroad equipment.  The last chance to learn more about this proposed project is to attend a public input session at the Ashland Library on Thursday, March 5th, at 7:00 PM.  Please contact Tom Wulf (tom.wulf@yahoo.com) or Maggie Longest (director@ashlandvirginia.com) for more information.

2. Ashland Town Hall Construction
It's hard to miss the changes that are happening right in the middle of town.  The new Town Hall is being constructed and the old Town Hall will eventually be town down to accommodate our Farmer's Market and add park space.  You can learn more about the construction and watch some time lapse video here.

3. Payne Hall Construction at Randolph-Macon
RM-C is rapidly constructing this new building which will house their new Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.  This $12.5 million building will host state-of-the-art technology enhanced classrooms and laboratories, and you can watch a time lapse the construction here.

4. Chapman Street Residents to Meet to Discuss Traffic Concerns 
Nora Amos, Director of Planning and Community for the Town of Ashland will meet with residents of Chapman Street on Monday, February 10th to listen to concerns about the potential of added traffic from the Lauradell Subdivision.  The majority of Chapman Street lacks sidewalks and residents are concerned about safety and walk-ability.  Please email me (ashlandnews@gmail.com) for more details on the meeting.

5. Ashland Train Station Platform Upgrade
This is a slow-moving project as Amtrak doesn't expect completion until the fall of this year.  The purpose of this project is to make our station more accessible to handicap travelers, add a shelter to the west side of the tracks, and to add more lighting.  All of these are wonderful additions, but I think we are all a little tired of seeing that orange construction fencing.

Beyond the boundaries of our little hamlet, there are new hotels being built, massive park-like subdivisions rising from bare earth, and commercial activity along Rt. 1 continues to advance.  Does anyone remember the massive planned community that was supposed to be build along Mt. Hermon Road in the early 2000s?  What was it, Ashburn, Ashville, Ash- something?  And then there was a retirement community that was supposed to be built along Yowell and Elmont Rds just outside of the town limits.  Both of those projects were thwarted by failing economy, so lets keep our fingers crossed that all the improvements to Ashland are good ones, and that we can withstand any movements in the financial markets.

On a lighter note, next week's column will be our first Society column with a full report on the Officers' Ball!

Thanks for reading, Ashland; have a great weekend!

xo,
Meriwether

Follow me on Twitter & Instagram: @ashlandnews, and send your Ashland news to ashlandnews@gmail.com

1/24/2020 Officer's Ball SOLD OUT; Busy Hands, Warm Hearts; Goodbye Mr. Bass

Dear Ashland,

I have told you before that those Ball tickets sell out fast!  I do feel partially responsible since I didn't remind you this past November when they went on sale, but this is the 6th year in a row that we have held this spectacular event, so I don't feel that guilty.  Put a reminder on your phone for the week after Thanksgiving this year and make sure to get your ticket.  I mean, really, how many other towns do you know of that have a ball every year for their police department?  It's unheard of!

If you didn't get a ticket, don't worry.  If you are feeling left out and want to people watch, I would suggest walking over to the Ironhorse around 10:00 PM where the after-party inevitably happens.

There is so much activity these days at the Center of the Yarniverse!  Almost every evening on my commute home, the lights are bright and the shop is filled with people.  Their space is big enough now for gatherings of knitters, crocheters, and other fiber-inspired artists to come and create together.  Their space is open on Wednesday evenings (7:00- 9:00 PM) and Friday mornings (10:00- noon), and every 3rd Thursday at Origins from 6:00 - 9:00 PM.  There are also lots of classes available for all skill levels: click here for the listing.


On Tuesday, January 28th, your neighborhood Ashland library will be having a free class on how to make a body scrub- which is exactly what we all need during this winter weather!  The class is from 6:30 to 7:30 at the library.  Email ask@pamunkeylibrary.org with any questions.

There are so many great events and classes happening at the library.  You can view their calendar online here.  3D printing, anyone?

If you have ever read my column, you must know that I am not a very good editor of my own work.  Many thanks to Lorie Foley for catching my error from last week!

Auditions are for Junior Idol and Hanover Idol will take place on Saturday, February 8^th.   The actual Hanover Idols COMPETITION is March 8^th at the Ashland Theatre (3:30 PM – Junior Idols Competition; 7:00 PM – Idols Competition).  

Come show us your talent!

The Center of the Universe has lost a great one in the recent passing of Thomas Bass, and I lost a good neighbor.  Tom graduated from Randolph-Macon in 1954 and like so many of those college students, he returned to make a home here for over 60 years.  He leaves a great legacy with his wife Carleen, and their kids, and for the way he loved this community. 

Be involved, help your neighbor, stay busy so that your years on this earth are full of people who look forward to seeing you walk through the door.  Oh, and sign up to get on that stage when the Variety Show returns next year. 

Thanks for reading, Ashland; have a great weekend!

xo,
Meriwether

Follow me on Twitter & Instagram: @ashlandnews.

1/17/2020 Reading the Signs, Hanover Idol, Tickets to the Ball

Bear with me....

Does anyone else not understand this sign, or is it just me?  This sign bothers me every time I drive past it.  It sits at the crosswalk by Sweet Frog and Maple St. and directs pedestrians to cross Rt. 54 on the cross walk and go south towards Maple to avoid the sidewalk closure ahead around the train station.

So if I am walking east on 54 from Rt 1, lets say that I am visiting Randolph-Macon College and want to go have lunch at the Iron Horse, I start walking towards the train tracks and then see this sign.  Not knowing which sidewalks were closed ahead, I would probably just do what it said.  BUT if I lived here, I would know that you can certainly continue to walk straight and ignore the sign, because the closed sidewalks are on the north side of 54 and wouldn't impact me getting to the Iron Horse.  IN FACT, if I continues to walk straight and then crossed the street at the track, I would have a lighted crosswalk to make my crossing safer.

This picture shows the sidewalks that are closed- see the highlighted area.  The only thing that you are prohibited from reaching with this closure would be the north side of the tracks and the parking lot for Randolph-Macon.  

So wouldn't this sign make more sense if it was on the opposite side of 54 and directing pedestrians to cross in front of the Post Office and go north towards the college?  If I was walking from Rt 1 and wanted to go north at the railroad crossing to take a picture of the R-MC sign, I'd have to cross 54 earlier.

Thanks for listening, just had to get that out there.

Have you gotten your ticket to the Ashland Police Officer's Ball yet?  It really is the most elegant event of the year in the Center of the Universe.  Not only is the cause worthy, but the food is incredible, and the people-watching is on point.  Tickets are available at the Caboose or by going online here.


I tell people all the time about the APD. For me, they epitomize what law enforcement should be.  Please come out and support our officers in blue!




Mark your calendar for Sunday, February 23rd, for Untold Stories: Black and White Experiences in Ashland/Hanover from 4:00 to 5:30 PM at Patrick Henry High School.  This evening of story-telling is so important; we will easily forget our shared history if we don't listen to these narratives.  We have only lived in Ashland for 15 years, but I have a lot of COTU history in my head, and that makes my feel more connected to this place.  I know why there are two doors on the front of Off and Dancing.

Are you a shower singer?  Are you keeping your voice hidden behind other choir members?  Gather up your courage and come audition for the Hanover Idol Competition on Saturday, February 8th at the Hanover Arts and Activities Center.  You must sign-up ahead of time at www.hanoverarts.org.  The Junior Idol will be held later, on March 8th.


This Monday is Martin Luther King, Jr, Day, and communities everywhere are marking it as a National Day of Service.  You can find lots of volunteer opportunities by visiting the Corporation for National and Community Service not just for Monday, but all year long.  We are always better people when we give of our time.  "I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear." MLK, Jr.

Thanks for reading, Ashland; have a great weekend!

xo,
Meriwether

Follow me on Twitter & Instagram: @ashlandnews.

2020: New Decade in the Center of the Universe

Happy New Year Ashland!

It seemed fitting to me to begin a new decade with a revival of the weekly news from the Center of the Universe.  The closing of the Herald-Progress was tough, it felt like some had died and there was a big emptiness in town.  I wrote letters to the publisher and I tried get other newspapers to pick up this column by telling them about the importance of news in a small town.  I even thought about just buying reams of paper and printing up a column on my own and distributing it.  That might have worked in a 1930's movie, but didn't really make a lot of sense with me juggling a full-time job, grad school, and a family.

I thought that any on-line column that I could write would be unnecessary because of all the social media news sites and pages these days.  I found out the the beloved sushi restaurant Yokozuna was closing by reading a friend's Facebook page, and I use Twitter to keep up with the sports teams at Patrick Henry.

I also hated the idea of the Ashland News ONLY being available on the internet- I kept thinking of all the residents who don't regularly use social media and would be left out.

We were at a holiday party last week and started talking to a town employee about all the  changes that are going on in our Center of the Universe these days.  Personally, I have been wary of the development and the construction, but our friend was excited about what our town would look like in another two years.   Change is tough; I don't really like it, but I know it needs to happen.

So what can we look forward to in 2020? Besides just living in the center of the universe?

Two housing developments will add people to the town, but these projects promise to be attractive uses of land with sidewalks, walking trails, and improved surrounding roads.

Our train station is getting a major upgrade with ADA sidewalks and ramps to make it easier for everyone to travel, as well as indicators to let people know which side of the tracks to stand on.  Imagine, no more looking down the line and squinting at the bright headlight of a train while trying to determine on which track its traveling, and then everyone scrambling across the tracks (IN FRONT OF A MOVING TRAIN) to be in the correct side.

Bravo to all those who have helped reduce our risk of being run over by a train!

We think that the new nursing programs at Randolph-Macon may help attract more health-care providers to our town.  Maybe 2020 will have us looking back to our roots as a center of relaxation and serenity, where the healing spring of the slash attracted Richmonders to travel north in the early part of the nineteenth century.

You can watch the daily progress from the college in a web-cam, available here.

Besides all of the construction, all the building and changing, Ashland seems to spend these chilly winter month in the warm company of friends.  We are lucky that there are so many places to gather!  We have the Theater, all of the restaurants, and I have seen lots of creative people gathering at the Center of the Yarniverse, which reminds me of a creative collective where space is available for artists.


I always think of Ashland the way that it was when we first moved here, like when we first met.  Don't you remember when you first fell in love and how wonderful that felt?  And maybe like any relationship, the honeymoon is long gone and sometimes we feel like we're looking at a stranger.  My goal for this new decade is to bring back my weekly column.  God knows that I need an outlet to keep writing, and maybe someone else will read it and be informed, or at least amused.

Here's to a new decade and all the changes that it will bring- lets be brave and face them together.

xo,
Meriwether