News Archive

By Martha Woodroof

Bridgewater – At the suggestion of WMRA listener Lorie Merrow, reporter Martha Woodroof spent time with Charles Johnston Churchman, Jr. who's an active member of the group Veterans for Peace.

Mr. Churchman was born in 1929, raised on the family farm near Staunton, has a masters in English from the University of Virginia, and served in the Korean War.

By Martha Woodroof

Augusta County, VA – Dorothy Rosen's family has been farming the Shenandoah Valley since the Valley was the frontier.

Although Ms. Rosen has 2 older brothers, when her mother died in 1970, she left the family's Augusta County house and land to Dorothy.

Since then, Ms. Rosen has run a prize winning cattle operation on her own... along with raising 2 children.

WMRA listener Laura Thurman worked with Dorothy Rosen on land conservation easements, to ensure her farm will remain a farm.

By Martha Woodroof

Harrsonburg, VA – Tommie Branch grew up in Franklin County, one of seven children who slept in one bed.

An African American, he lived through grinding poverty and blatant racism that he now writes songs about.

By Martha Woodroof

Harrisonburg, VA – Novelist Inman Majors teaches creative writing at JMU.

Major's is a Tennessean by birth. His uncle was legendary University of Tennessee football coach Johnny Mayors, and his father had a forty year career as a lobbyist in Nashville.

Inman Major's grew up in Knoxville, and his third novel, The Millionaires, is steeped in the changing South of his childhood. The book is a sprawling story of family and greed.

By Martha Woodroof

Broadway, VA – Two years ago, 78-year old Bob Jones and his wife moved to Broadway, Virginia, to be closer to family.

Mr. Jones joined the Air Force at 17 and was in federal service for the next 36 years.

He then spent twelve years as a regional manager of his church's extensive welfare system before Parkinson's disease forced his retirement.