5/31/2018 Season of Mud, First Street Party of Summer- CANCELLED, Will Kimbrough, Ashland Hawk

I think somehow we missed spring this year; winter lasted into April and May has been a soggy mess.  Now, we know that it's almost summer because a tropical system moving up from the south and hurricane season begins Friday. Regrettably, all signs point to a very humid summer. 

Sorry to report that this event has been cancelled due to the predicted weather for the evening.   The first Ashland Street Party of Summer is this Saturday, June 2nd, from 6:30 to 11:00 PM behind the Library on South Center Street.  Tickets are $10 in advance and can be purchased online here or  in town at The Caboose Wine and Cheese, Ace Hardware, SONA Bank, and Coldwell Banker to name a few spots.  Tickets purchased at the gate are $20 each, but kids 12 and under are free with a paying adult.  Bring a lawn chair if you'd like to sit between dances, but no coolers or pets please.  There is always an abundance of food and drinks available to purchase there. 

Also this Saturday night Will Kimbrough returns to the Ashland Coffee and Tea, indoors! Will is an amazing singer and songwriter that we have seen several times on his tours through the COTU- once with Rodney Crowell.  He has worked with Roseanne Cash, Todd Snider, Steve Earle, and John Prine.  The concert starts at 8:00 PM; tickets are $15 in advance, or $18 at the door.  There is no need to leave the town limits this weekend. 

This evening is the Senior Awards night at Patrick Henry High School.  I know that a certain amount of euphoria exists naturally with those seniors, and rightfully so, these kids are full of enthusiasm, hope, and optimism. But on the Senior Awards night, the stage will be full of people handing out scholarships to these kids so that they can continue their education.  Some of the presenters are alumnae of Patrick Henry, and some are parents who have lost a child but give the scholarships out in their name as a way of remembering.  It is the most touching evening that I have ever experienced as a parent of a Hanover County student.  If you get the chance to go, you certainly should.

Congratulations to the Randolph-Macon Baseball team who made it all the way to the final eight teams in the NCAA Division III College World Series this past week!  What a wonderful showing for the team's first trip to this tournament.  We are so very proud and look forward to their season next year.

And as we wade through the trough of information, now unaided by any sort of local newspapers, we find ourselves creating and putting together communication in any way that we can.  I even thought about printing several hundred one-page newsletters and delivering them to doorsteps, but the web seems to be our only resource for now.

Ragan Phillips has recently founded The Ashland Hawk to serve as our virtual opinion section, or letters-to-the-editor page.  The Hawk will focus on public issues: education, housing, jobs, economic stress, and will strive to be a forum where ideas can be exchanged respectfully.  Stay informed at www.theashlandhawk.com.

Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5302, ashlandnews@gmail.com.  Have a wonderful weekend; buy a newspaper!

5/24/2018 Yellow Jackets Look To World Series, Cross Brothers Re-opens, Saturday Shopping, Memorial Day

Photo courtesy of Randolph-Macon College

So, not only are they headed to the 2018 NCAA Division III Baseball World Series, but the Randolph-Macon Baseball team is seeded number 1!  The team leaves today bound for Appleton, Wisconsin- way over on the other side of Lake Michigan- almost a thousand miles away.  Their first game will be tomorrow, Friday, May 25th, at 2:15 (our time) against the Misericordia Cougars.  Sportspage Grille, 504 England Street, will be streaming all of the RMC games. 

Ten years ago when the football field was flipped, and there was no Andrews Hall, you could sit in the stands and see the baseball field. In 2008, Ashland was getting ready for their big 150th birthday celebration to be held on the football field, and the elementary kids of Gandy and Henry Clay came out one afternoon to practice singing the national anthem.  The RMC baseball team was practicing behind them, but as these little kids started to sing, all of those boys stopped, took off their caps, and turned to face the kids.  It wasn't the start of a game, or a professional singer with a microphone, just some little kids from way across the field who weren't even aware that anyone was listening. 

The Randolph-Macon softball team had a great season this year.  Even though they got eliminated in the Regional Championships, it is a young team who will be exciting to watch next year!

Saturday will be a big day as we all have been looking forward to Cross Brother's re-opening!  We have been tempted with lots of pictures online, but the one that grabbed my attention was the box of tomatoes from Farnham, Virginia.  That's in Richmond County, folks, the Northern Neck, which grows some amazing tomatoes in its sandy soil.  All I ask is that you leave some for me. 

As always this Saturday in May, the Ashland Farmer's Market will be open and busy- I go mostly for the flowers and plants.  The Feed Store is stocked with any kind of vegetable plant that you may need for your beautiful garden.  The soil is pretty perfect now after all that rain, for planting.  I will probably have to pull a wagon with me to bring everything home.

There's a great town event this Sunday, May 27th: Ticket to Ride, a Run, Bike, Walk event through the streets of Ashland.  This 4.5 mile route will feature train stops along the way where you can learn more about Ashland and the trains that visit us each day.  This event is free, so come check in at 2:00 at the table on the south side of Archie Cannon Drive at the Railroad Track trail. 

Do you have a senior getting ready to graduate next month?  We have Patrick Henry kids getting ready to leave us for James Madison, UVA, Virginia Tech, Longwood, VCU, Tulane, and the University of Washington.  It's always wonderful to see where these kids will spread their wings and we look forward to each holiday when they come home.  

Happy birthday to A.C. Bruce who celebrates this Sunday!  Not only is he a great home builder, but a superb neighbor as well.

This Monday, Memorial Day, please take a moment to remember all the men and women who gave their lives for our freedoms.  

Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com.  Have a wonderful weekend; buy a newspaper!

5/17/2018 Rain, Street Party Moved, Rain, Cross Brothers Reopens, Rain

 Oh, now I remember what I forgot to bring out last week when I put winter clothes away...rain boots.  Although we don't have it as bad as our New England friends who are just beginning their mud season, it is certainly wet around here.  Our spongy Ashland soil will soaks up all this moisture to ensure that we have lots of humidity as soon as the sun returns.  We are the lucky ones.



And speaking of this soggy weather, the first Ashland Street Party of 2018 has had to move to Saturday, June 2nd, at 6:30 PM.  You can buy tickets online at here, for $10 each before the show, or $20 each at the gate.  Children 12 and under get in free with a paying adult.  There will be food and beverages available at the party, so please just bring a lawn chair if you would like a place to sit.  

We are excited to learn that the grand opening for the newly remodeled and restructured Cross Brothers will be next Saturday, May 26th!  I think we are all anxious to see what things look like in there, and there will be some veggies, right?  Just asking for a friend.  

Registration is now open for the Ashland Barracuda Swim Team!  Practices will start after school on Thursday, May 24th.  Will the pool be filled?  Will the water be cold?  And what about that snack bar? Well, friends, those mysteries are just one part of the excitement.  Sign up your kids, pull out the beach towels, and come find out.  Register at www.ashlandswimteam.com. 



There is always a cozy corner at your Ashland Library to sit and read a book.  It's a perfect retreat if you wanted to get away from things.  I wouldn't even think to look for you there.  This evening, Thursday, May 17th, there is a fun metal stamping class from 5:00 to 6:00 PM for kids ages 11-18, and this is free like almost everything at the library!  Call 798-4072 for more information.

There are so many opportunities to hear good music within walking distance of your Ashland home:

Ashland Coffee & Tea

England Street Tavern

Ironhorse


Enjoy the rain if you can.  From my kitchen, I can imagine that train whistles are really boats, and the clank of a flag pole in the wind is actually rigging.  You know I love you COTU, but I really wish you had a harbor.  Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com.  Have a wonderful weekend!  Go buy a newspaper.  

5/10/2018 Variety Show Delayed; All Citizens Devastated

Maybe that heading was a little extreme, but it was written after hearing the news that the Ashland Musical Variety Show, which is normally held every odd year, will be postponed until March 2020 due to renovations at Randolph-Macon's Blackwell Auditorium.  While the improvements will be very welcome, it was with shock and disappointment that we read this news.  Even years?  It's like the whole town has been thrown off its axis.  What will we do this winter with no rehearsals, no costume search, and no glitter?  We will have to plan something to keep us occupied, and to support the Arts and Activities Center, as we all struggle to hold on until 2020.

I have been reading a lot of Richmond newspapers from the early part of the 1900s, and a large majority of the news from Ashland focused on baseball games.  So nothing much has changed in one hundred years.

Eyes are watching the Randolph-Macon Baseball team who is currently ranked No. 1 in the Massey Ratings.  The boys of summer will be in Lynchburg this weekend for a double-elimination tournament to determine the ODAC champion, and to see who will be moving on to the NCAA Tournament. As you can see from this 1908 article, R-MC had "invincible battery" even then.

Not to be outdone, the Randolph-Macon softball team who is now ranked 5th in the national Division III poll!  Coach Kevin Proffit and his team are in New Jersey today getting ready to face the College of Staten Island tomorrow, Friday, at 2:30 PM in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

I don't have any Ashland Little League news other than to say that I can hear the sounds of an evening ball game in my back-yard, and it is such a wonderful noise.

CSX is performing track maintenance for a few days this week, which means all the wooden pedestrian board walks have been removed.  Cross carefully!  Do you know what CSX stands for?  They originally wanted to call it "CSM" which stood for Chessie Seaboard Merger, but that was already taken on the stock exchange.  They decided to go with "CSX" and have the X symbolize the train tracks, as any train crossing sign has a large X across it.  Just a little bit of info for the COTU.

We were all lucky to have another summer here, don’t you think?  I know that life in Ashland is not perfect, but I hope that you know it is special.  This column should never comes across as being Pollyanna-ish, or ignorant of the trials of life, but I want to remind you of the small things that we sometimes overlook: the odd sign in front of the dry cleaners, decorated bike gardens, opera singer sightings, and pool towels hung on a porch railing. 

Life in this town is good NOT because of the size of your house, the kind of car you drive, or the clothes that you wear.  Life is good here because we laugh a lot at silly things.  We have an affinity for organizing events, and we love it best when our sidewalks are crowded with people.  We leave things on each other’s front porches, we stand in the middle of the road to talk, and we absolutely love to decorate. 

This is a good town, and we will always be lucky because we found our way here. The summer is really something to look forward to in the Center of the Universe. Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com.

5/3/2018 The Return of Shade and Flowered Prints, Dr. Kiss to Speak at RMC Graduation, and an Election without Politics

By the time you read this, we may have already descended into summer...that's how fleeting spring can be in the Center of the Universe.  We have a very brief window of opportunity for chilly mornings and sunny afternoons, when we need a sweater if we are sitting in the shade.

One of the best things about spring is that Mr. Hale has brought out his floral ensembles for his bike trips around town.  While his daily bike excursions may be a confusing thing, he surely makes many people smile everyday.




I know that this recent Town Council election wasn't historic or headline news, but it I want to make sure that you know how meaningful it was.  There are very few places where we can experience democracy without the rhetoric of politics, or where we can see candidates debate without attacking one another.  In contrast to national politics, this Ashland election lets us believe that we can govern as neighbors and respected colleagues.  All three candidates have my respect and admiration for the work that they did on our behalf, and I look forward to hearing the opinions of Mr. Hodges and Mr. McGraw in the July Town Council meeting.  Alexander Hamilton would have been proud.

The next Town Council meeting is Tuesday, May 15th, at 7:00 PM.





Congratulations to the Patrick Henry Girls Varsity Soccer team who beat Highland Springs at home this week with a score of 10 to 0!  Their next home game will be tomorrow, Friday, May 4th, at 6:00 PM against Lee-Davis High School.  Cheering for your home town high school is a great way to spend an evening.

Speaking of kids, have you ever thought about hosting an international student in your home? There are students who would love the opportunity to live in the US and study at our local high schools. Families are needed for the 2018-2019 school year and all students are fluent in English.  Contact Welby Fairlie to get more information: 800-263-2936.

Randolph-Macon has announced that Dr. Elizabeth Kiss will be the commencement speaker for their graduation this year on Saturday, June 2nd.  Dr. Kiss was a professor of philosophy on our Ashland campus in 1987, and since has gone on to serve as president of Agnes Scott College in Georgia.  Dr. Kiss has recently been named the chief executive of the Rhodes Scholarship Program at Oxford University in England.



Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com.  I still believe that this town needs a printed newspaper and that there is a market for it, even in this digital age.

4/26/2018 Little Theaters Everywhere, Spring Cleaning at PH, Summer Plans, and GO VOTE!

There is a great deal of natural talent in the Center of the Universe, and hopefully you are taking every opportunity to see it.

The Patrick Henry Players will debut their spring musical next week: Disney's Beauty and the Beast.  The curtain will rise on Wed., and Thurs., May 2nd and 3rd, at 6:00 PM.  The Friday and Saturday show will start at 7:00.  Tickets are $7 in advance and $10 at the door.  Spend an evening with some wonderful kids who are so excited to entertain you!  Please call Patrick Henry for more information: (804) 365-8000.

Randolph-Macon College also has some theater for you,too, starting this weekend, "Vanya and Masha and Sonia and Spike" will debut at the Cobb Theater on April 28th and 29th (7:00 PM) and again on May 3rd, 4th, and 5th.  This play is free for all R-MC students and staff, and $5 per ticket for the public.  Please call the box office to reserve your tickets: 752-7316.

Patrick Henry High School is asking for community help on Saturday, May 5th, to clean up and refresh their campus.  The 2nd Annual PHacelift will be from 9:00 AM to noon, and groups are invited to compete for prizes with costumes. You can sign up at tinyurl.com/PHacelift2.

There are some fun events coming up next week for your little ones at the Ashland Library!  On Thursday, May 3rd, from 5:00 to 6:00 PM,  bring your elementary-aged kids to "Ashland Rocks!" where they will paint rocks to leave as treasures in Ashland for others to find.  Refreshments will be provided and registration is requested (so they can have enough rocks): 798-4072.

Then on Saturday, May 5th, stop by the library at 11:00 AM for the Story Lady as she shares her gift of storytelling with your kids.

Your COTU summer is out there waiting for you, and registration is now open for all of it!  Carter Park Pool is accepting memberships for its 2018 season, which we are calling the "Snack Bar Summer."  Get your pool pass Here!

You can do no better for your children than signing them up to swim for the Ashland Barracudas this summer.  Besides teaching them how to swim well, and learning about sportsmanship, they will find joy in being a part of a team that includes kids from 5 years old to 18.  It's how kids in this town get to know kids who aren't the same age or in the same grade.  It is a wonderful thing.  Registration is open at ashlandswimteam.com.

The Center Players Summer Theater Camp 2018 is open for registrations.  No auditions are required for this wonderful creative opportunity for kids in grades 1 through 5.  Camp will run the week of July 23rd through the 27th, and will exploring the worlds of heroes and villans!  Click here to register.

Lastly, Town Council elections are Tuesday, May 1st!  Come practice democracy at the local level and help select the next leaders for our beloved town.

One of the best things about spring in the COTU is the return of shade.  As the leaves come out and those shadows spread across our lawns, I want to be eight years old again; I want to be bored, and lay in the shade watching ants.  The shade is a peaceful place to be- let’s all go find some this week.  Send me your Ashland news, Little League scores, and ice cream truck sightings.  You can reach me at 310-5320, or Ashlandnews@gmail.com. 

4/19/2018 Race the Rail and Save the Earth, Backyard Plant Sale, Mr. Mudd Returns

The forecast is calling for a partly-cloudy Saturday, with high's in the low 60s, so bundle up if you are coming out to run the Ashland Railroad Run this weekend.  If you are a last-minute person, registrations will be taken that morning, although you may not get a t-shirt.  This is a certified 10K race, and very flat, so come record your best time!

The 5K Race and Fun Walk starts at 8:00 AM,  the Kid's 1 Mile Fun Run starts at 8:15 AM, and the 40th annual 10K Railroad Run starts at 9:00 AM.  

The Green Fair returns to the front lawn of the Center with all kinds of ecological vendors and practical demonstrations.  

We have been waiting on spring for a long time now, but those flower beds are calling our names.

The Howard Street Backyard Plant Sale will take place Friday and Saturday, May 4th and 5th, at 203 Howard Street.  

Plant donations will be accepted beginning April 27th, and you can leave those on the front porch with your name on them.  Those who donate (non-invasive, native plants) are eligible to shop the preview sale on the 4th, and to take home the free leftovers after the sale.

New this year, after the sale at 1:00 PM on Saturday, there will be a  short talk by Kristen Saacke Blunk, who serves on the administrative council for Northeast SARE - https://www.nesare.org/, and on the Ag Workgroup for the Chesapeake Bay Program, https://www. chesapeakebay.net/who/group/ agriculture_workgroup. 

You can contact Julie Erickson for more information. 

It seems that we all want to get outside and do some spring cleaning!

The 2nd Annual PHacelift Community Clean-Up will take place on Saturday, May 5th from 9:00 AM to Noon around the outside campus of Patrick Henry High School. Participants only need to bring themselves. However if you have yard supplies such as gloves, rakes, blowers, hedge trimmers, wheel barrows, etc., we welcome these additions.

Prizes will be awarded for the following categories: Largest group represented, Most Spirited PHacelift Crew, & First to PHinish section goals. For more information call 365-8000.

Your Ashland Library continues to offer wonderful programs for the community!  On Wednesday, May 9th, plan to come over after dark (7:00 to 8:00) and look at the stars in the night sky with Trevor McGuire, a member of the Richmond Astronomy Society. Trevor will show us,young and old, how to view the night stars just using our own eyes. This will be a fun night for the whole family to share.  One of my favorite memories as a child was looking at the stars with my dad.


In education news this week, we'd like to send congratulations to Michael Mudd who will return to Hanover County Public Schools this summer as the Director of Elementary Education!  It's great to have him back home, and I know the elementary educators will be excited to have his leadership.  

Also, this fall, the incredible Fred Horn will become the new music teacher at Henry Clay Elementary.  I am so envious of the little people that will get to hear his booming laugh echo those hallways!

Enjoy the spring Ashland; that beautiful green color is just atarting to sweep over the town.  Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com.  Have a wonderful weekend.