Sandy Hausman

In the 21st century, Americans are sharply divided over many things.  Some people are afraid of catching COVID and want nothing to do with their neighbors.  Others are distrustful of foreigners. 

But a couple near Charlottesville  determined to break down barriers through their garden.

Virginia has sent 49 athletes to the Olympics in Tokyo – 19 from UVA, 11 from Virginia Tech, three from JMU and two from Liberty.  In mid-August, two men from the University of Mary Washington will compete in the Paralympics – swimming for gold with limited use of their legs. 

It’s been 25 years since two women were found dead at their Shenandoah National Park campsite.  Now, the FBI has put up posters, hoping to generate new leads, but the Innocence Project in Charlottesville has another idea.

In their first three years of employment, a recent study found half of all nurses leaving their jobs – often because they’re burned out.  It’s a difficult job, and hospitals are searching for ways to make the work less stressful. At the University of Virginia, three nurses came up with a way to help their colleagues relax, even for a few minutes during their busy days.

As western states brace for another season of devastating wildfires, Virginia’s foresters are rejoicing.  They’ve conducted controlled burns on more acres than ever before, making catastrophic blazes here less likely.  The preventive campaign got help from 40-pound drone that drops so-called dragon eggs on the forest floor.