The Valley Today

Janet Michael
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Documentary
  • Updated 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. The Future is Bright: Inside the Arising Leadership Program

    9h ago

    The Future is Bright: Inside the Arising Leadership Program

    "I didn't even know there was a radio station over here." That sentence — or some version of it — came up so many times on this episode that it became the unofficial theme. On a special episode of The Valley Today recorded on the first day of the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber's Arising Leadership Program, host Janet Michael sits down in the studio with 16 high-school participants and program director Missy Spielman to talk about what brought them to the program, what surprised them about radio in particular, and where they think their futures might be headed — from anesthesiology to architecture inspired by Minecraft. You'll meet rising juniors and seniors from John Handley, Millbrook, Sherando, Clarke County, and James Wood, hear what each one is hoping to get from the week-and-a-half-long career exploration program, and find out which of them might be the next architect, anesthesiologist, attorney, dentist, sports broadcaster, business analyst, or — Janet's lobbying hard — radio station part-timer. Missy closes out with what she saw from the very first orientation: a group that walked in quiet and reserved, and within ten minutes were swapping numbers, ignoring school rivalries, and learning to network in the most authentic way possible. THE ARISING LEADERSHIP CLASS The 16 students featured on this episode, in interview order: • Owen Parker — Millbrook High School, rising senior • Lucy Gluszak — John Handley High School, 12th grade (returning as an intern after participating last year — now interning at the Winchester Regional Airport) • Sam Donohue — Clarke County High School, rising junior — interested in law • Emily Ramirez — Sherando High School, rising senior — interested in healthcare and agriculture • Cole Stockli — Millbrook High School, rising senior — interested in medical and culinary • Kimberly Andrade — John Handley High School, rising 11th grader • Hudson Slaughter — John Handley High School, rising 11th grader (older brother went through the program two years ago) • Jack Bruns — Sherando High School, junior — interested in business analytics • Tiffany Yau — Millbrook High School, rising senior — interested in engineering and medical sciences • Nyomi Coates — Sherando High School, rising senior — wants to be an architect (credit: Minecraft) • Amoni Hill — James Wood High School, rising senior — wants to be an anesthesiologist • Brennan Carter — Millbrook High School, rising senior — interested in engineering • Sierra Chastain — Clarke County High School, rising junior — wants to be a dentist (Janet lobbied for "DJ") • Noah Mandel — Sherando High School, rising junior — interested in physical therapy and sports medicine • Christiana Ekoue — John Handley High School, rising senior • Andrea Rojas — John Handley High School, rising senior IN THIS EPISODE (00:00) What the Arising Leadership Program is — and how Day 1 unfolded at The River 95.3 (00:30) How the station team split up the group: Sports Director Ryan Rutherford, Operations Manager Lonnie Hill, Business Manager Kathy Willis, and Janet (01:00) Meet the 16 students — short interviews about what drew them to the program and what they're hoping to learn (timestamps for each student are approximate, running consecutively from 01:00 to 19:00) (19:00) A sit-down with program director Missy Spielman (19:30) What Missy saw on orientation night — a quiet group that opened up in ten minutes flat (20:30) Why cross-school networking matters more than ever (and why school rivalries don't show up here the way they used to) (21:00) "You can't be it if you can't see it" — the program's mission in one sentence (21:30) Why so many former students are now the people Missy coordinates host visits with WHAT THE STUDENTS LEARNED AT THE STATION (in their own words) • Working on the elevator pitch was something they wouldn't have thought to do on their own • Communication is the foundation of everything — without it, projects "crash and burn" • Radio is much bigger than people think — multiple studios, not a closet with a microphone • The music you hear comes via satellite, often from Texas • Doing a weather blurb under a tight time limit is genuinely hard • Listeners tune out when they hear the same voice too long — voice variety keeps attention • Sports broadcasting takes far more planning than people realize ABOUT THE ARISING LEADERSHIP PROGRAM A career exploration program for rising high-school juniors and seniors across the Top of Virginia region. Over a week and a half, students rotate through industries in their own backyard — radio, aviation, law, healthcare, hospitality, culinary, criminal justice, agriculture, and more — to discover careers they may not have considered or even known existed. Coordinated by Missy Spielman through the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber. LINKS & RESOURCES • Top of Virginia Regional Chamber: regionalchamber.biz   • The River 95.3 — and yes, they're hiring part-timers and interns (ask Janet)  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

    23 min
  2. From Color Stories to Folk Opera: Summer at Barns of Rose Hill

    1d ago

    From Color Stories to Folk Opera: Summer at Barns of Rose Hill

    A rainy spring turned into a packed season at The Barns of Rose Hill. On this Tourism Tuesday Berryville/Clarke County edition of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael catches up with Martha Reynolds, Executive Director of The Barns of Rose Hill, to walk through what's coming next — and there is a lot. Two simultaneous gallery exhibitions, a VA250 concert series tied to traditional American roots music, a folk opera that's already sold out twice, and a benefit concert from a beloved local artist on the way. Martha previews everything from Color Stories (vivid contemporary stripes) and Jackson Foster's historic tavern signs to The Quiet Vast photography exhibit to a Portuguese artist who pairs her work with QR-coded music. Plus: the Forging a Nation film series with American Legion Post 41, Jules & the Agreeables benefit concert on June 27, Larry Keel and Jon Stickley's flatpicking bluegrass on 7/11, the return of the Orange on the Blue Ridge folk opera in August, and the final stretch of a 10-year endowment campaign that wraps August 31st — every dollar matched by the Eugene B. Casey Foundation. The Barns turns 15 in September, and the gala that closes the campaign is shaping up to be the celebration of the year. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00) Why spring wasn't slow this year — and the John Prine tribute screening that brought a packed house (02:00) Color Stories — contemporary stripes through June 13 (03:00) Jackson Foster's historic tavern signs — VA250 programming opens soon in the upper gallery (04:00) The Quiet Vast — Suzanne and Chris Bowers's duo photography exhibit (June 19–August 1) (05:00) Why Suzanne's new astrophotography is worth the trip on its own (05:30) Portuguese artist Leonor Brazão — color, music, and QR codes (August–September) (06:30) Why technology in galleries deepens rather than dilutes the experience (07:30) Forging a Nation film series with American Legion Post 41 — classic Americana on the big screen, with the historical inaccuracies called out up front (09:00) Roots of a Nation concert series — supported by Virginia Humanities, running well past July 4th (09:30) Coming up: Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer's From China to Appalachia (June 19), The Hot Seats, Larry & Joe (Pan-American roots, November), and Critton Hollow String Band (11:30) Jules & the Agreeables benefit concert — June 27, sponsored by Bank of Clarke Foundation (12:30) Why a ticket doesn't keep the lights on — and why a benefit concert does (15:00) Larry Keel & Jon Stickley duo — Friday, July 11 (7/11 — easy to remember), Bluegrass & BBQ series with Jordan Springs Market, sponsor still wanted (16:30) Orange on the Blue Ridge returns in August — the folk opera that's sold out two years running (19:00) The 10-year, $100,000-a-year endowment campaign — ending August 31, dollar-for-dollar match from the Eugene B. Casey Foundation (20:00) Why a $10 gift becomes a $20 gift becomes a 15-year investment (22:30) 15th Anniversary Gala — September 19, with Furnace Mountain Duo (Morgan Morrison and Dave Van Deventer) returning home (24:00) Why The Barns calls Furnace Mountain "the house band" (24:30) Where to find everything — barnsofrosehill.org, Facebook (now 10,000+ followers), and the newsletter GALLERY EXHIBITIONS THIS SUMMER • Color Stories — through June 13 (contemporary art, vivid striped color swatches) • Jackson Foster — historic tavern signs, reclaimed wood, hand-forged hardware (VA250 programming, upper gallery, opens mid-June) • The Quiet Vast — Suzanne & Chris Bowers, duo photography exhibition including new astrophotography work (June 19–Aug 1)  • Leonor Brazão — Portuguese artist pairing color, music, and QR-coded audio experience (August–September) CONCERTS & SPECIAL EVENTS • Jules & the Agreeables benefit concert — Friday, June 27 • $30 standing, ~$50 seated • sponsored by Bank of Clarke Foundation • local wine and food truck on site • Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer: From China to Appalachia — June 19 (Roots of a Nation series) • Larry Keel & Jon Stickley duo — Friday, July 11 • Bluegrass & BBQ series with Jordan Springs Market • sponsor opportunity available • The Hot Seats — Richmond-based string band with a funky twist • Orange on the Blue Ridge — folk opera by Suni Mackall, music direction by Morgan Morrison • two dates in August • historically sells out — buy now • Larry & Joe — Pan-American roots (Venezuelan + Appalachian), November • Critton Hollow String Band — 50+ years of traditional music • Forging a Nation film series with American Legion Post 41 — screenings in June, July, and October ANNIVERSARY & ENDOWMENT • Endowment Campaign — final year of a 10-year, $100,000-a-year goal, every dollar matched by the Eugene B. Casey Foundation. Campaign ends August 31, 2026. • 15th Anniversary Gala — Friday, September 19, 2026 at The Barns, featuring Furnace Mountain Duo (Morgan Morrison and Dave Van Deventer) LINKS & RESOURCES • The Barns of Rose Hill: barnsofrosehill.org (tickets, newsletter signup at bottom of homepage) • The Barns on Facebook (10,000+ followers — best place for last-minute additions and updates) 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

    27 min
  3. Breaking the Poverty Cycle: Winchester CCAP's THRIVE Project

    2d ago

    Breaking the Poverty Cycle: Winchester CCAP's THRIVE Project

    Crisis aid keeps the lights on this month. The THRIVE Project is built to make sure there isn't a next crisis. On this episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael sits down at the United Way office with longtime friend Andrea Cosans, Executive Director of Winchester CCAP, to talk about the most ambitious project of her CCAP tenure — a multi-agency, grant-funded initiative that will take up to 50 ALICE-population clients through a year of intensive support (case management, therapy, life coaching, financial literacy, job training) and follow them for a second year to see if it sticks. Andrea walks through the small-scale pilots that got her here — five clients, then ten, with results so strong they convinced funders to back a $112,000 expansion — and the partner agencies who said yes to building it together: Connected Communities, I'm Just ME, United Way Northern Shenandoah Valley, Horizon Goodwill, and Family Promise. Plus a much bigger argument about how nonprofits in this community actually do collaborate, and why "too many nonprofits, too much overlap" is the wrong story to tell about the people doing this work. Plus details on two upcoming CCAP fundraisers: An Evening of Enchantment (June 18th) and the 6th Annual Benefit Bike Ride (August 22nd). IN THIS EPISODE (00:00) Why this conversation is happening at the United Way office (it'll make sense in a minute) (00:30) CCAP's history — founded 1974 to help the population we now call ALICE (01:00) Why preventing homelessness is cheaper than fixing it (01:30) What CCAP's financial aid actually covers — rent, mortgage, utilities, heating, car repair (02:00) Why CCAP is, by design, a Band-Aid — and why a Band-Aid isn't enough (02:30) The origin story: a Legacy Wellness therapist, a life coach, a conference, and $1,000 (03:00) The first five clients — and what "wildly successful" really meant (03:30) The story of the man who came to CCAP every day, and now hasn't been seen in two years (03:30) The woman who won the Park Ranger Wheelbarrow Olympics at Great Meadows (04:30) Round two: 10 clients, 10 successes, and a $112,000 grant package (04:30) Why this can't be a one-agency program — and who said yes (05:30) Why the program follows clients for a second year (the real test) (06:30) The Valley Health Foundation and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints grants (07:00) What clients actually do — Get on Board job boot camp, financial literacy, mentoring (07:30) The forklift-certified couple, the substance-abuse and DV story, and the volunteers they became (08:30) The drug-court client who came back to teach CPR classes (09:00) Who the program is for — ALICE: asset-limited, income-constrained, employed  (09:30) The Winchester paradox — beautiful downtown, 19% food insecurity, 50% on some benefit (10:30) Trauma-informed decisions and the myth that fast food is cheaper (11:30) The week-by-week structure — case manager, therapist, life coach, classes, all of it (12:30) "Room to dream" — the single father who didn't know how to go back to college (13:30) Why nobody taught most of us how to do a family budget (Janet included) (15:30) The first meeting — Andrea, the partners, and a ground rule for letting go (16:30) Logistics: release-of-information forms, intake, referrals, who does what (17:00) Kim Wilt's policy magic — and the dream of replicating THRIVE in other communities (18:00) "They're not my clients — they're citizens who need help" (19:30) The City of Winchester visit and what workforce partnerships could look like (20:30) The 6th Annual Benefit Bike Ride — August 22 at the Wellness Center (21:00) Why people fly in from Germany, England, Florida, and Ohio for it (21:30) An Evening of Enchantment — Thursday, June 18 with New Eve Maternity Home (22:00) Silent auction, live auction, Gore Cabin staycation, Vic the magician (22:30) The hot water heater story (and why it outsold the jewelry) (23:00) Why "too many nonprofits, no collaboration" is the wrong story (24:30) How CCAP's $200/household actually works in partnership with others (25:30) The food-pantry schedule across town — Mondays at CCAP, Tuesdays at Highland, Saturdays at the Merriman's Lane church (25:30) The $50,000 United Way grant that pushed 50,000 pounds of produce across the region (26:30) The Nonprofit Collaborative and the case for citizens, not clients (27:30) What happens when Church World Services loses funding — and why CCAP feels it indirectly ABOUT THE THRIVE PROJECT A new multi-agency program led by Winchester CCAP and backed by $112,000 in initial grant funding. Designed to take up to 50 ALICE-population clients through a structured year of services — case management, therapy, life coaching, financial literacy classes, Horizon Goodwill's "Get on Board" job boot camp — followed by a second year of check-ins to measure durable change. Built around the premise that crisis aid alone won't break the poverty cycle, and that no single agency can deliver everything one person needs. THE PARTNERS • Winchester CCAP (lead) • Connected Communities • I'm Just ME • United Way Northern Shenandoah Valley (fiscal agent) • Horizon Goodwill • Family Promise Winchester Area CCAP FUNDRAISERS COMING UP An Evening of Enchantment — Thursday, June 18, 2026 • Joint fundraiser with New Eve Maternity Home • Silent auction, live auction (including a Gore Cabin staycation with dinner at Violino's), entertainment by Vic the Magician, emcee by Janet Michael • 120 tickets remaining — register at CCAPwinchester.org 6th Annual Benefit Bike Ride — Friday, August 22, 2026 8:00 AM start at the Wellness Center, 105 Campus Boulevard • ~270 riders expected, drawing participants from across the country and abroad • Volunteers still needed — contact Jessica Leonard • Register at CCAPwinchester.org LINKS & RESOURCES • Winchester CCAP: CCAPwinchester.org (new website by Wild Ember) • United Way of the Northern Shenandoah Valley (THRIVE fiscal agent) • Partner organizations: Connected Communities, I'm Just ME, Horizon Goodwill, Family Promise Winchester Area • Local food pantry network mentioned: Highland Food Pantry, Hope Again Food Pantry, Catholic Charities, Salvation Army, New Life Church, Love In Action • Workforce training partner: Laurel Ridge Community College • Funders: Valley Health Foundation, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 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

    30 min
  4. No Off-Season: How WATTS Fights Homelessness Year-Round

    5d ago

    No Off-Season: How WATTS Fights Homelessness Year-Round

    The shelter season may end with the cold weather — but homelessness doesn't. On this episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael catches up with Robyn Miller, Executive Director of WATTS (Winchester Area Temporary Transitional Shelter), to talk about what the organization is doing right now in June — the year-round case management, the two transitional homes, the cooling center that currently has no home of its own, and the everyday work of helping someone get their birth certificate so they can get a driver's license, so they can get a job, so they can get a place to live. Robyn explains why the goal at WATTS is, paradoxically, to put WATTS out of business — and walks Janet through the patchwork of partner organizations that make that possible, from Winchester CCAP to Family Promise Winchester Area to the Concern Hotline to the Winchester Police Department's addiction recovery team. Plus: the lineup of summer and fall fundraisers that keep the lights on at a privately-funded nonprofit — Caring & Sharing at Greenwood Fire Hall, the Walt Cunningham Memorial Golf Tournament at Rock Harbor, and the wildly popular Cheesin' for a Reason on the Old Town Walking Mall in November. UPCOMING WATTS EVENTS & FUNDRAISERS Caring & Sharing — Friday, August 15, 2026 • Greenwood Fire Hall • An evening of music, food, and raffles celebrating WATTS volunteers and guests, with success stories told in their own voices. Walt Cunningham Memorial Golf Tournament — Thursday, October 2, 2026 • Rock Harbor Golf Course • Lunch by Billy Sous  Named in memory of the man who got the United Methodist Church involved with WATTS. Cheesin' for a Reason — Friday, November 14, 2026 • Feltner lot at Boscawen and Loudoun Streets (Old Town Walking Mall, downtown Winchester) • Local restaurants compete with grilled cheese and tomato soup. Last year's winners: T.T. Walls and Water Street Kitchen. Over 1,000 participants in 2025. HOW TO HELP • Donate online at WATTS-homelessshelter.org • Become a Hero for WATTS — $10/month recurring (yes, you'll get free pancakes at Clem's Kitchen) • Volunteer at any of the fall fundraisers — sign-ups for Cheesin' for a Reason open in August • Sign up to serve meals during the Thanksgiving or Christmas shelter weeks • Donate or rent a building for the cooling/warming center — even nominal rent is welcome (creative arrangements have tax benefits) LINKS & RESOURCES • WATTS website: WATTS-homelessshelter.org • WATTS on Facebook and Instagram: search "Help WATTS" • Partner organizations mentioned: Winchester CCAP, Family Promise Winchester Area, Winchester Rescue Mission  • Comprehensive local resource directory — Concern Hotline (the most accurate, up-to-date list) • Winchester Police Department Addiction Recovery Team • Community Paramedic 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

    25 min
  5. Public Safety Thursday: May vs Shall

    6d ago

    Public Safety Thursday: May vs Shall

    The Virginia Code is full of one-word differences that change everything — and on this Public Safety Thursday edition of The Valley Today, Captain Warren Gosnell of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office walks host Janet Michael through some of the most common ones. "May" doesn't mean "shall." A speed limit is a maximum, not a target. A red light isn't the same as a red arrow. And driving an inspected friend's car doesn't make the friend responsible. Captain Gosnell answers a listener seatbelt question, breaks down what really happens with that "four-month grace period" for expired inspections and registrations, and explains why a $50 civil penalty might be the cheapest parenting tool a frustrated mom or dad has at their disposal. Plus a tanker-truck slow-roll on Route 522 that earned Captain Gosnell a Facebook thank-you before he even got to the studio. 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

    27 min
  6. Amish-Made and Locally Loved: Inside Lancaster County Connection

    Jun 3

    Amish-Made and Locally Loved: Inside Lancaster County Connection

    A parking-lot pop-up two years ago is now a full storefront with a now-famous 11-foot Amish blow-up greeting visitors at the door. On this Valley Business Today edition of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael sits down at the Front Royal-Warren County Chamber with Chamber Director Niki Foster and Zach Burke, owner of Lancaster County Connection, to talk about how the business grew from a single TLC parking-lot weekend into a home base inside the Loose Cow Mercantile — and what it really takes to run a quality-first, hand-picked retail business as a side hustle. Zach walks through what makes his lineup different: Amish-made wood crafts hand-selected monthly from two friends' farms in Lancaster County, paint that holds up for seven years, clean-burning Crossroads candles he discovered after his own pets got sick from chemical scents, and Lancaster County Coffee Roasters beans that don't get roasted until you order them. The conversation also gets into the realities of small-business retail — pricing your work without apologizing for it, ordering Christmas inventory in July, and competing on a timeline the big-box stores set. Plus: Niki previews Coffee & Conversation with the new Warren County Schools superintendent, and a Chamber rebrand and new website on the horizon. VISIT INFO — LANCASTER COUNTY CONNECTION (inside the Loose Cow Mercantile) 18 High Street, Front Royal (the old Happy Creek Coffee Company, behind Bungalow, across from the gazebo — look for the building with the butterflies painted on the wall) Hours: 12–6 daily (closed Tuesdays) • Saturday 10–6 • Sunday 10–6 (aligned with the Main Street farmers market) What you'll find: hand-selected Amish wood crafts, Crossroads candles, Primitives by Kathy, custom-order Amish furniture (~4–6 week lead time), customized mailboxes, freshly roasted Lancaster County Coffee Roasters coffee (taste a sample on the weekends), and a seasonal rotation that goes hard on every holiday. Custom pieces and pre-orders welcome — ask in the shop or via social media LINKS & RESOURCES • Lancaster County Connection on Facebook and Instagram (and soon TikTok)  Front Royal-Warren County Chamber of Commerce: frontroyalchamber.com (a rebrand and new site coming soon)  ALSO MENTIONED • Coffee & Conversation — Friday, June 5 • 9 AM at On Cue • Free, open to anyone (not just Chamber members) • Featuring Dr. Troy Wright, Superintendent of Warren County Public Schools  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

    27 min
  7. No Tips, Just Tails: The Story Behind Biscuits & Beans Cat Café

    Jun 2

    No Tips, Just Tails: The Story Behind Biscuits & Beans Cat Café

    Retirement, it turns out, doesn't come with a handbook. On this Tourism Tuesday Winchester/Frederick County edition of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael and Justin Kerns finally talk an avowed dog person into stepping inside a cat café — and what they find on the Piccadilly corner of the Old Town Walking Mall is something more carefully built than they expected. Chris Goebel, who retired to Virginia at 57 and went looking for purpose, opened Biscuits & Beans Cat Cafe on April 1st with his wife and family. Three weeks later they had welcomed nearly 1,400 guests and were on pace to donate $50,000 a year to local rescues. Chris and General Manager Chelsea Champ walk through the why behind every design decision — separate HVAC systems, a glass-walled "catquarium," 15 socialized cats max at a time, "no tips, just tails" as a built-in donation model, and a coffee program built entirely on steamed cold brew. Plus: how the reservation system works, what kinds of people are showing up (a younger demo than usual for the walking mall, including a lot of first dates), the June "Colored Collection" Pride drinks, and what's on the menu beyond coffee. Justin closes out with Hop Blossom, the VA 250 lineup, and a very gentlemanly update on the Middletown Maulers vintage baseball team. VISIT INFO — BISCUITS & BEANS CAT CAFÉ Located on the Piccadilly corner of the Old Town Walking Mall in downtown Winchester  Hours: Mon–Thu 10 AM–6 PM • Fri & Sat 10 AM–7 PM • Sun 10 AM–5 PM (open 7 days) Café: walk in any time during open hours — no reservation needed Cat Lounge: reservations required • 40-minute sessions • max 7 guests, up to 15 cats • $12.50 per person Private sessions: $75 for the full 40-minute space (up to 7 people) — great for first dates, girls' nights, bachelorette starts, coworker outings, or a quiet solo break  Allergy-friendly: separate HVAC and glass partition between the café and the cat lounge Kids welcome — any age, with one adult per child under 7 Adoption: meet a cat you love? You can get pre-approved before or during your visit and take them home the same day LINKS & RESOURCES • Biscuits & Beans Cat Café — biscuitsandbeans.com (reservations + menu) • Biscuits & Beans on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok • Just Tails Foundation (501(c)(3) supporting local rescues) — justtails.org • Visit Winchester events calendar (Hop Blossom, VA 250, and more): visitwinchesterva.com → Events 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

    48 min
  8. Hands in the Dirt: Celebrating Love Your Farmer Week

    Jun 1

    Hands in the Dirt: Celebrating Love Your Farmer Week

    You can't complain when a farm goes up for sale if you're not supporting the farmer. On this episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael is back on the Zooms with her Frederick County Homesteader friends — Sam Armel (founder of Frederick County Homesteaders), Jaclyn Mommen (Laurel Grove Wine Farm and Patti's Place), and Kristin Tesdall (Five Roots Farm) — to talk about the inaugural Love Your Farmer Week, June 14th through 20th, and why this hands-on volunteer week is built around the busiest, most stressful stretch of a farmer's year. The conversation moves from the practical (how to sign up as a volunteer or a host farm, what kinds of jobs are on the docket, why mobility and age aren't barriers) into bigger territory: the late-frost destruction of vineyards and orchards, the misconceptions about crop insurance, the largest farmland transfer in American history happening right now, why the average farmer is 58–64 years old, and how regenerative agriculture is really just remembering what our grandparents already knew. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00) Why Love Your Farmer Week is hands-on, not a farm tour (01:00) The dates, the time slots, and the Google forms — built for everyone from kids to elders (02:00) Why now? Because this is the busy season — and the season when farmers feel most behind (03:30) A frost-damaged spring, lavender beaten down by rain, and what farmers are really up against (05:00) Why crop insurance isn't the safety net most people think it is (06:30) Jaclyn's actual yesterday: market, vineyard, interns, dinner, then biological treatments 'til 1:30 AM (08:30) Animals don't keep a schedule — Kristin's escaped sheep and milking routine (10:30) The origin story — how 2020 grocery shortages launched Frederick County Homesteaders (13:30) Skill shares, sauerkraut, and the Snowden Bridge moms group (15:00) What Kristin needs help with — skirting fleeces, processing wool, and education (16:30) What Jaclyn needs help with — mulching pathways, weeding, and the new market garden (18:30) Five farms signed up so far — and why "small and well-loved" is the right start (19:30) The hidden labor — books, taxes, websites, social media on top of everything else (20:30) The largest farmland transfer in U.S. history is happening right now (21:30) Younger farmers, smaller acreage, and Geraghty's Microfarm as a model (23:30) "Feed your community, not the world" — and why 20-acre farms are the future (24:30) Regenerative ag isn't new — it's what our grandparents did before chemical agriculture (27:00) Where to find Patti's Place and Laurel Grove Wine Farm (28:30) Where to find Five Roots Farm (29:00) Where to sign up — for volunteers and for host farms (30:30) Spring Farm Hop recap and what's next ABOUT LOVE YOUR FARMER WEEK A new initiative from Frederick County Homesteaders, running June 14–20, 2026, where community members can sign up to volunteer directly on participating local farms during the height of harvest-prep season. Designed to accommodate civic groups, businesses, 4-H and FFA chapters, church groups, homeschool co-ops, families, and individuals — with time slots and tasks suited to all ages and mobility levels. Five farms are signed up for year one; first-come, first-served as volunteers register. HOW TO GET INVOLVED • Volunteer — sign up via the Love Your Farmer Week page at frederickcountyhomesteaders.com (search "Love Your Farmer Week") • Host farm — local farms, homesteads, markets, and vineyards can still sign up through June 5 • Need help figuring out what your farm could offer? Reach out to Frederick County Homesteaders directly — they'll help brainstorm LINKS & RESOURCES • Frederick County Homesteaders: frederickcountyhomesteaders.com (volunteer + host farm sign-ups on the Love Your Farmer Week page) • Laurel Grove Wine Farm & Patti's Place: laurelgrovewinefarm.com • Patti's Place hours: Wed–Sun 10–4 (Sun 11–4) • Café Thu–Sun 11–3 • Patti's Place on Instagram: @pattisplace_lgwf • Laurel Grove Wine Farm on Instagram: @laurelgrovewinefarm • Five Roots Farm: fiverootsfarm.com • Five Roots Farm on Facebook: Five Roots Farm • Five Roots Farm on Instagram: @_fiverootsfarm_ • Five Roots self-service farm stand: open 7 days, 9 AM–dusk • Five Roots at Stephens City Farmers Market: second Saturday of each month 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

    31 min
See All (2K)

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

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
    2K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Valley Today
  • Show Website
    The Valley Today

You Might Also Like