The Valley Today

Janet Michael
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Documentary
  • Daily

The Valley Today is a radio show and podcast dedicated to shining a light on the vibrant community leaders and local events that make the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia truly special. Insightful conversations, engaging stories, and event details connect listeners with the heart and soul of the valley, showcasing its unique culture, initiatives, and people. Guests are recorded (mostly) in advance in local coffee shops, at local businesses, and during local events. The radio program airs just a few minutes after noon every weekday on The River 95.3 and Sports Radio 1450.

  1. 10h ago

    Craft Closets, Trash Bashes, and Granny Squares

    That half-used pack of sparkly blue paper in your basement could be somebody else's next masterpiece. On this Tourism Tuesday, Janet Michael and Justin Kerns of the Winchester-Frederick County Convention & Visitors Bureau head to Valley Avenue for a return visit with Misty Weaver, owner of Art Again Thrift Shop. When Janet first talked with Misty in July, the shop wasn't even open yet. A few months later, it's full of classes, community projects, and ideas, and it caught Justin's eye as just the kind of unexpected stop that small tour groups love. Misty explains how Art Again turns donated craft supplies into affordable finds, a $10 craft bar, and low-cost classes like paper making and kinusaiga fabric art. She shares the story of the first Trash Bash, a "Chopped for art" competition with a silent disco twist. She also talks about the shop's $25-a-year teacher program, the Granny Square Christmas tree, and big ideas for next year, from a repair fest to a "rage wall" for chipped dishes. Justin brings a Winter Village update and closes with a heartfelt tribute to beloved Winchester artist Eugene B. Smith. Listen in for a fun, creative conversation, and maybe a reason to finally clean out your craft closet. LINKS & RESOURCES Art Again Thrift Shop: artagainthrift.com Find them on social media at Art Again Thrift Valley Avenue, Winchester (across the street from Claudio's Pizza) Janet's first conversation with Misty (July 2026): thevalleytodaypodcast.com/art-again Winchester-Frederick County Convention & Visitors Bureau: visitwinchesterva.com Click the Events tab for Winter Village and holiday events Winter Village: Saturday, December 5, and Sunday, December 6, in Old Town Winchester Eugene B. Smith obituary: ompsfuneralhome.com/obituary/eugene-b-smith/ THE VALLEY TODAY with Janet Michael — A decade of conversations. New podcast episodes drop weekdays at 11 AM. Catch the show on The River 95.3 and Fox Sports 1450 AM weekdays just after noon. Subscribe and listen at thevalleytodaypodcast.com — available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to leave a rating or review — it helps more listeners find us. Connect with us: Facebook — facebook.com/ValleyTodayFanPage Instagram — instagram.com/thevalleytoday

    Craft Closets, Trash Bashes, and Granny Squares

  2. 1d ago

    One Campus, Many Doors

    Every nonprofit needs a roof, the lights on, and a place to meet. On the Our Health campus in Winchester, that roof costs a lot less than you might think. Janet Michael sits down in her United Way office, just down the hall from Kit Redmer, who started as Executive Director of Our Health on October 5. Many listeners know Kit from his years as communications director for the City of Winchester. A month into the new job, he shares what has surprised him most about an organization that has quietly supported the valley's nonprofits for decades. Kit explains how Our Health subsidizes rent for its campus partners. His early research puts that subsidy at 25% to 50% below private-sector rates. He also talks about the shared services Our Health offers its 94 partners across the Northern Shenandoah Valley, and the new ones he's thinking about adding. Janet and Kit talk about why paying the rent and the electric bill matters just as much as program dollars. They also explain why "co-location" makes life easier for a busy parent with one parking space and a lot of needs, and how a walk down the hall can connect someone to help they didn't know existed. Listen in to hear the vision behind the campus, how Our Health pays its own bills, and why Kit would love to give you a tour. LINKS & RESOURCES Our Health: ourhealthva.org Organization history, annual reports, and a link to donate Kit Redmer, Executive Director: kredmer@ourhealthva.org. Reach out with questions or to schedule a campus tour. Our Health campus: North Cameron Street, Winchester United Way of the Northern Shenandoah Valley's 2026 campaign: Be the Missing Piece THE VALLEY TODAY with Janet Michael — A decade of conversations. New podcast episodes drop weekdays at 11 AM. Catch the show on The River 95.3 and Fox Sports 1450 AM weekdays just after noon. Subscribe and listen at thevalleytodaypodcast.com — available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to leave a rating or review — it helps more listeners find us. Connect with us: Facebook — facebook.com/ValleyTodayFanPage Instagram — instagram.com/thevalleytoday

    One Campus, Many Doors

  3. 4d ago

    Big Picture, Local Voices

    What does the economy have in store for your business in 2027, and who better to ask than the people actually running businesses right here at home? Janet Michael sits down with Scott Harvard, CEO of First Bank; Cynthia Schneider, CEO of the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber; and Taylor Coumes, the Chamber's Director of Event Management, to preview the fifth annual Economic Summit, coming to Shenandoah University on November 19. The summit pairs a national view from Curtis Dubay, Chief Economist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, with a local perspective from Dr. Michael Hicks of Shenandoah University's School of Business and a panel of area business leaders from Johnny Blue, Winchester Regional Airport, and Trex. Scott, Cynthia, and Taylor talk about why the event is timed for budget season, why students get in free, why it's only half a day, and why even a 35-person business should make the time. Scott's answer to that last question is one you won't want to miss. EVENT DETAILS Event: 2026 Economic Summit (fifth annual), presented by First Bank Hosted by: Top of Virginia Regional Chamber, at Shenandoah University's School of Business Date: Thursday, November 19, 2026 Time: 8:30 AM–noon (continental breakfast and networking at 8:30, a mid-morning networking break, and wrap-up at lunchtime) Location: Stimpson Auditorium, Halpin-Harrison Hall, Shenandoah University, Winchester Speakers: Keynote Curtis Dubay, Chief Economist, U.S. Chamber of Commerce; featured speaker Dr. Michael Hicks, Director of the School of Business and Eldon R. Lindsey Professor of Economics, Shenandoah University; local business panel moderated by Scott Harvard Tickets: $45 Chamber members; $55 non-members; free for students. Open to everyone, not just Chamber members. Seating is limited and the event is expected to sell out. Registration deadline: November 7 How to register: regionalchamber.biz → Signature Events → Economic Summit Sponsorships: Still available. Details are on the event page, or contact Taylor Coumes at the Chamber. LINKS & RESOURCES Top of Virginia Regional Chamber (registration and sponsorships): regionalchamber.biz Shenandoah University School of Business: su.edu First Bank: https://www.fbvirginia.com/  Weekend picks from the end of the show: Last Friday market of the season, Church Street, Middletown: vendors, food trucks, and live music (Friday, Oct. 30) Monster Mash, hosted by Friends of Old Town (Saturday, Oct. 31): details on the Friends of Old Town Facebook page THE VALLEY TODAY with Janet Michael — A decade of conversations. New podcast episodes drop weekdays at 11 AM. Catch the show on The River 95.3 and Fox Sports 1450 AM weekdays just after noon. Subscribe and listen at thevalleytodaypodcast.com — available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to leave a rating or review — it helps more listeners find us. Connect with us: Facebook — facebook.com/ValleyTodayFanPage Instagram — instagram.com/thevalleytoday

    Big Picture, Local Voices

  4. 5d ago

    Beyond Hospice

    Blue Ridge Hospice opened its doors on Valentine's Day 1981, and 45 years later, hospice is only part of the story. Janet Michael talks with Ben Weber, Vice President of Business Development for Blue Ridge Care, about how the organization grew from volunteer nurses making home visits into a community care provider, and why it changed its name to Blue Ridge Care. Ben walks through everything Blue Ridge Care offers today: hospice, palliative and supportive care, free grief support that's open to anyone in the community, eight thrift shops, a growing e-cycling program, and PACE, the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. He explains who qualifies for PACE, why you don't need a doctor's referral, and how it helps seniors stay safely in their own homes. He also shares a few good stories, including the time he chased people through a parking lot to tell them PACE isn't hospice. If you've ever thought "that's not for us yet," this episode is worth a listen. LINKS & RESOURCES Blue Ridge Care: blueridgecare.org · 540-313-9200 (ask for a care navigator) Blue Ridge Care PACE (Blue Ridge Independence at Home): Hope Campus, corner of Hope Drive and Valor Drive, Winchester Ben Weber: bweber@blueridgecare.org Center for Hope & Healing (free grief support, open to the community): blueridgecare.org THE VALLEY TODAY with Janet Michael — A decade of conversations. New podcast episodes drop weekdays at 11 AM. Catch the show on The River 95.3 and Fox Sports 1450 AM weekdays just after noon. Subscribe and listen at thevalleytodaypodcast.com — available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to leave a rating or review — it helps more listeners find us. Connect with us: Facebook — facebook.com/ValleyTodayFanPage Instagram — instagram.com/thevalleytoday

    Beyond Hospice

  5. 6d ago

    Free Lung Cancer Screening at Valley Health

    A lung cancer screening takes just seconds on a CT table, and it could save your life. With Lung Cancer Awareness Month kicking off in November, Janet Michael sits down with Dr. Percival Buenaventura, a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon with Valley Health at Winchester Medical Center, to talk about who should get screened, the risk factors people overlook, and how far lung cancer treatment has come. Dr. Buenaventura explains who qualifies for a low-dose CT screening, why quitting smoking years ago doesn't mean you're in the clear, and why feeling fine can be misleading when early lung cancer has no symptoms. He also shares how Hawkeye Pierce on M*A*S*H set him on the path to surgery, why Valley Health's robotic surgery program surprised him after coming from West Virginia University, and why he'd send his own family to Winchester Medical Center. Plus, you'll get details on Valley Health's free low-dose CT screening event on Saturday, November 14, for people who are uninsured or underinsured. Spots are limited, so register early. EVENT DETAILS What: Free Low-Dose CT Lung Cancer Screening Event, Valley Health, in partnership with Valley Health Foundations When: Saturday, November 14, 2026, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Where: Winchester Medical Center Diagnostic Center, on the Winchester Medical Center campus (Pink Parking Lot) Cost: Free for uninsured or underinsured people who meet the screening criteria, including patients with Medicare Part A only and no outpatient coverage Who qualifies: Adults ages 50 to 77 with a 20 pack-year smoking history (for example, a pack a day for 20 years or a half pack a day for 40 years) who currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years What to expect: A free consultation with a pulmonologist before your scan, the low-dose CT scan, and a follow-up consultation with a pulmonologist to go over your results. Patient navigators, financial assistance information, and smoking cessation counseling and resources are available on-site. Registration: Registration and pre-screening are required, and space is limited. Call the Lung Cancer Screening Navigator at 844-LDCTNOW (844-532-8669) by Wednesday, November 11. LINKS & RESOURCES Free screening event and registration: valleyhealthlink.com/LDCT Valley Health lung cancer screening: valleyhealthlink.com/our-services/imaging/lung-cancer-screening Dr. Percival Buenaventura (profile, accepting new patients): valleyhealthlink.com/find-a-doctor/percival-buenaventura-md THE VALLEY TODAY with Janet Michael — A decade of conversations. New podcast episodes drop weekdays at 11 AM. Catch the show on The River 95.3 and Fox Sports 1450 AM weekdays just after noon. Subscribe and listen at thevalleytodaypodcast.com — available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to leave a rating or review — it helps more listeners find us. Connect with us: Facebook — facebook.com/ValleyTodayFanPage Instagram — instagram.com/thevalleytoday

    Free Lung Cancer Screening at Valley Health

  6. Oct 27

    A Toast to Legacy

    Fifty years after the first vines went into the ground, Shenandoah Vineyards is back in the hands of the family that started it all. For Shenandoah County's Tourism Tuesday, Janet Michael and Kary Haun pull up a sofa in the winery's historic tasting room with Olivia Brandt, the tasting room manager, to talk about the 50th anniversary, the return to the founding family, and why a good tasting should feel like a conversation, not a test. Olivia shares her path from a wine class in Italy to harvest in Paso Robles, her no-judgment approach to "gateway" sweet wines, and the after-hours pairings she's planning, from Route 11 chips to Valentine's chocolate. Then the conversation turns bittersweet as Brittany Clem-Hott shares her next move to Harrisonburg Tourism and the story of Clem-Hott Vineyards, the newest vineyard in New Market, which started with a soil sample (and a pretty good pickup line). Pour a glass and stay for both segments. LINKS & RESOURCES Shenandoah Vineyards: shenandoahvineyardsva.com · 3659 S. Ox Road, Edinburg, VA · Facebook and Instagram Hours: Wednesday–Sunday, 11 AM–5 PM Sign up for the monthly events newsletter on the website Clem-Hott Vineyards, New Market: Facebook and Instagram (@clemhottvineyards) Shenandoah County Tourism events calendar: visitshenandoahcounty.com THE VALLEY TODAY with Janet Michael — A decade of conversations. New podcast episodes drop weekdays at 11 AM. Catch the show on The River 95.3 and Fox Sports 1450 AM weekdays just after noon. Subscribe and listen at thevalleytodaypodcast.com — available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to leave a rating or review — it helps more listeners find us. Connect with us: Facebook — facebook.com/ValleyTodayFanPage Instagram — instagram.com/thevalleytoday

    A Toast to Legacy

  7. Oct 26

    Moving the Iceberg

    About one in three households in our region didn't always have enough food this year, and one of the most powerful things you can do about it takes less than 10 minutes. Janet Michael is back on the Zooms with Les Sinclair, Communications & PR Manager for the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, for a peek behind the curtain at the work that happens long before anyone hands out a box of food. Les shares early numbers from the new Virginia Hunger Study and explains why demand at the food bank is up 40% in four years. Les and Janet clear up a common myth about why Winchester has "so many" food pantries, and Les explains the difference between a food bank and a food pantry. Then they get into the "wonky" stuff in plain language: why SNAP matters so much, what's in the Farm Bill besides support for farmers, and why the food bank stays nonpartisan while still speaking up. Most of all, Les makes the case that your voice counts, and shows how easy the food bank makes it to call or email your elected officials. As he puts it, changing policy is like moving an iceberg: you have to push, and push regularly. Listen in to learn how to add your push, plus how to find a food pantry near you and how to get ready for Scouting for Food. LINKS & RESOURCES Blue Ridge Area Food Bank: brafb.org Advocacy tools (email or call your elected officials, with ready-made scripts): brafb.org/act-now Food Finder: a map of the food pantries closest to you, with hours and contact info. Use it to find help or to find a place to volunteer. Scouting for Food: the first two Saturdays in November. Scouts drop off reminders the first weekend. On the second Saturday, put your food donations out before 8:00 AM and scouts will pick them up. THE VALLEY TODAY with Janet Michael — A decade of conversations. New podcast episodes drop weekdays at 11 AM. Catch the show on The River 95.3 and Fox Sports 1450 AM weekdays just after noon. Subscribe and listen at thevalleytodaypodcast.com — available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to leave a rating or review — it helps more listeners find us. Connect with us: Facebook — facebook.com/ValleyTodayFanPage Instagram — instagram.com/thevalleytoday

    Moving the Iceberg

  8. Oct 23

    Taylor House 1848

    Janet and Brady Cloven, Executive Director of Friends of Old Town enjoy a coffee-flavored cocktail with no caffeine, topped with a candy cigarette as they settle into the downstairs space at Taylor House, the new restaurant breathing fresh life into the historic Taylor Hotel building (and the former Macado's) on the Old Town Walking Mall, with co-owner Ethan Lieberman. Ethan shares why he took on such a big, historic building, what's on a menu of classic American fare with a French twist, and how he went from signing a lease in May to opening on October 1, withthe last First Friday of the season on day two. He also tells a sweet full-circle story about the teenagers taking homecoming photos on his front steps. Then Brady runs through a packed end to October, from HalloWinchester and the first-ever Old Town Monster Mash to a new mural and a $44,000 grant for the Taylor Pavilion. Stick around for the moment a plate of deviled eggs arrives mid-interview and takes over the show. LINKS & RESOURCES Taylor House website: taylorhouse1848.com Taylor House on Instagram: instagram.com/taylorhouse1848 Taylor House on Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61594847913422 Visit: Taylor House, 121 N. Loudoun Street, Winchester, VA (Old Town Walking Mall, in the historic Taylor Hotel building). Open daily at 11 AM; until 10 PM Sunday through Thursday and until midnight Friday and Saturday. Friends of Old Town (community calendar for downtown events): friendsofoldtown.org Friends of Old Town on Facebook (Windows of Fright voting link): Friends of Old Town Friends of Old Town on Instagram: instagram.com/friendsofoldtownWINC HalloWinchester Brewery Crawl tickets: available on Eventbrite History of Us Tour: scan the QR codes on 20+ buildings around Old Town THE VALLEY TODAY with Janet Michael — A decade of conversations. New podcast episodes drop weekdays at 11 AM. Catch the show on The River 95.3 and Fox Sports 1450 AM weekdays just after noon. Subscribe and listen at thevalleytodaypodcast.com — available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to leave a rating or review — it helps more listeners find us. Connect with us: Facebook — facebook.com/ValleyTodayFanPage Instagram — instagram.com/thevalleytoday

    Taylor House 1848
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About

The Valley Today is a radio show and podcast dedicated to shining a light on the vibrant community leaders and local events that make the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia truly special. Insightful conversations, engaging stories, and event details connect listeners with the heart and soul of the valley, showcasing its unique culture, initiatives, and people. Guests are recorded (mostly) in advance in local coffee shops, at local businesses, and during local events. The radio program airs just a few minutes after noon every weekday on The River 95.3 and Sports Radio 1450.

Information

  • Creator
    Janet Michael
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    2.1K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Valley Today
  • Show Website
    The Valley Today

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