Absolutely Unforgettable!

My cousin Andy Koplen invited three of us to join him on his parent’s fishing boat at Smith Mountain Lake. That Lake had been manmade, part of a hydro-electric project not far from Roanoke, VA. Much like our other fishing expeditions, we drove to the house that belonged to Andy’s folks. Their boat was tied... Read More

Essays

April 13, 2023

Don’t Be Afraid to Try New Things

“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” – Vincent Van Gogh Spring is here and with it comes a time for renewal. For me, a big part of renewal is trying new things. Those who follow this column know I’ve been on a health journey for the last year or... Read More

Confessions of a 30 Something

April 6, 2023

One Patient at a Time

New CEO of SOVAH Health, Steve Heatherly wants to see the hospital make a difference in individual lives and the community. He began a career in health care over 25 years ago after obtaining an undergraduate degree in financial management from UNC-Asheville. Heatherly then earned a master’s degree in business administration from Western Carolina University... Read More

Cover Feature

March 14, 2023

There’s No Secret. Just Play.

Musically, Josh Francisco is a busy man. He plays guitar in 3 brands spanning multiple genres. “I play in a local cover band named Old 97, a thrash metal band from Greensboro, NC called Blood Ritual, and a death metal band from Richmond, VA called Blazing Tomb,” Francisco said. He has also logged many miles,... Read More

Arts + Music, Local Notes

March 10, 2023

Danville Parks and Recreation: Our Parks Are Getting More Playful

Danville Parks and Recreation: Our Parks Are Getting More Playful Danville Parks and Recreation is celebrating recent accomplishments and future activities in 2023 and beyond. The department is groundbreaking on several projects and preparing plans and funding for more improvements to the park system in the upcoming years. Third Avenue Park is now under construction.... Read More

Local, Uncategorized

March 8, 2023

Danville Public Schools: Focused on Investing in Bright Futures

Danville Public Schools: Focused on Investing in Bright Futures For Danville Public Schools, the past two years have been productive as we continue the work to improve our school division. We are focusing on creating an environment that leads to the success of all students academically, socially, and emotionally, and we are looking forward to... Read More

Local, Uncategorized

March 6, 2023

A Look at Danville’s Resurgence

A Look at Danville’s Resurgence There is a song on Black Sabbath’s Vol.4 record called “Changes.” Ozzy Osborne sings, “I’m going through changes.” The significance of this song is in the title (and chorus). It marks a change in style for the band. It’s a heartfelt ballad where most of its songs had been sludgy,... Read More

Local

March 3, 2023

From Collapse to Comeback

“I’m coming home, coming home. Tell the world, I’m coming home.” Do you remember that song from Diddy? It came out in 2010, the same year I came home to Danville after graduating from VCU in Richmond. I think about it often. When I moved back to Danville, our city was in the midst of... Read More

Confessions of a 30 Something

February 24, 2023

The River District: Downtown Living is Getting Closer

In the Main Street revitalization community, we often say that a city’s downtown is it’s “living room.” When vibrant and alive, it is where the community spends time together, entertains guests, and where residents feel a shared sense of belonging. Danville’s transformation into the “Comeback City” began in 2009 when a developer visited and seeing... Read More

Local

February 22, 2023

Feeling SAD

Some of my favorite childhood memories include snow. I always thought I was friends with winter. The break-up was sneaky at first. Since I had always looked forward to colder temperatures during sweltering summer months, I never expected winter to give me the cold shoulder. And then winter 2021 hit. I spent more time in... Read More

Work-In-Progress