n op of the alley the news virginian€¦ · o n t op of thevalley friday,october 11,2019...

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O N T O P O F T H E V A L L E Y

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2019

Waynesboro, Virginia | NewsVirginian.com $1

High: 73° Low: 47° Forecast: A2WEATHER

THE NEWS VIRGINIAN

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BY REBECCA J. BARNABIrbarnabi@newsvirginian.com

(540) 932-3568

Waynesboro Public Schools’graduation rate for 2019 falls justbelow the state rate, but AugustaCounty Schools students are grad-

uating at a higher rate.Graduation rates were released

Tuesday acrossVirginia, where thestate rate stands at 91.5 percent.

Waynesboro Schools Superin-tendent Dr. Jeff Cassell said thatthe school system’s graduationrates have improved every year for

the past five years.The school system’s graduation

rate is now at 89 percent, with adrop-out rate of 5.6 percent.

Graduation rates exclude stu-dents who earn a GED and whodo not finish high school in fouryears.

“Whenever we have a trend Ithink it shows sustainability,” saidCassell.

Augusta County Schools’ gradu-ation rate is 92.8.

“Although we are proud that wehave maintained a consistent on-time graduation rate and a low

drop-out rate, both surpassingthe state average, we realize westill have work to do,” said AugustaCounty Schools SuperintendentDr. Eric W. Bond in a statement.

The school system’s drop-out

Graduation rates atWaynesboro schools just belowstate average

BY SHANNON KELLYskelly@newsvirginian.com | (540) 932-3563

Area law enforcement will be takingsteps toward reducing assaults on Satur-day.

The fourth annual Walk a Mile in HerShoes lets law enforcement officers liter-

ally step into women’s shoespete in a relay race wearingheels, all to take a stand againsdomestic violence.

Law enforcement offi-cers representing Augusta

The rightWalk a Mile in Her Shoes to raise awareness abo

NEWS VIRGINIAN FILE

A member of the Augusta County Sher-iff’s Office’s Orange Team competes lastyear in the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes relayrace at Wilson Memorial High School in

Fishersville. His team won the race.

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See GRADUATION, Page A7

See SHOES, Page A7

FROM STAFF REPORTS

Fall’s favorite fruit will be available asa treat this weekend.

Youth from Waynesboro will be sell-ing homemade apple dumplings onSaturday starting at 8 a.m. at 1 LumosPlaza behind the Waynesboro Fire De-partment.

“We’re gearing up for another fan-tastic weekend,” said Dirk Gold, one ofthe youth leaders.

Preparation of the dumplings takesplace the day before the event, allmade from raw ingredients of flour,sugar and cinnamon as well a collec-

tion of other secret ingredients.“There’s nothing pre-made about

them,” Gold said. “It’s an all-day af-fair and the baking of the dumplingsgoes well into the night over at the fire-house so they’re homemade and fresh.The secret sauce is what really sells thedumplings.”

The annual Apple Dumpling fun-draiser is 37 years old, dating back to1982.

The event was pioneered in 1982 asa fundraiser for The Church of JesusChrist of Latter-day Saints. The apple

Apple dumplings on sale this weekend

See DUMPLINGS, Page A7

HEATHER MILLER/FOR THE NEWS VIRGINIAN

Volunteers with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintsmake apple dumplings on Oct. 4 that the church’s youth sold atApple Days Craft Show in Waynesboro last Saturday.

BY LOGAN BOGERTlbogert@newsvirginian.com

(540) 932-3562

VERONA – The AugustaCounty Board of Supervi-sors addressed questionsfrom a handful of countyresidents on Wednesdaynight regarding the ongo-ing downtown Stauntoncourthouse project.

In May of 2018, Au-gusta County supervisorsvoted to demolish the65-year-old district courtsbuilding in downtownStaunton and build a newfacility that would houseall county courts. Thecurrent 117-year-old Au-gusta County courthousewould be renovated andserve as office space forthe commonwealth’s at-torney, court services andmagistrate. The estimatedcost is $70 million. Thedecision came a yearand a half after countyvoters rejected a refer-endum to move thecounty courts to Ve-rona and build a $45million courts com-plex.

Last month, in a 5-2vote, the supervisorsdecided to purchase aneighboring property to

Supes hearconcerns onStauntoncourthouse

See SUPES, Page A7