Tabitha Reeves

3 days ago | winchesterstar.com | Tabitha Reeves

WINCHESTER — One day, “Dementia Friendly” stickers will be in the windows of the shops, restaurants, medical practices and other buildings of the Northern Shenandoah Valley that understand how to best interact with a visitor who has dementia. That’s thanks to a new local initiative, Dementia Friendly Blue Ridge, which will soon bring the dementia “dos and don’ts” to various sectors of the community. “It’s highly needed,” DementiaMatters Executive Director Sue Vantine said.

3 days ago | winchesterstar.com | Tabitha Reeves

WINCHESTER — If Party City shuttering burst your balloon, you’ll be delighted to hear that a new balloon store has recently floated into Winchester. Balloon Queens opened its doors in early April on South Braddock Street across from Handley High School, boasting an inventory of birthday, retirement, graduation, holiday, baby shower and miscellaneous balloons, displayed in an organized fashion against the brightly colored walls of a newly renovated space.

4 days ago | winchesterstar.com | Tabitha Reeves

WINCHESTER — The death of Pope Francis early Monday morning sent Catholic communities around the world into a period of prayer and mourning, and Winchester’s Catholic church wasted no time in joining the global response. At Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, the flags were lowered to half-mast, an image of the pontiff was placed in the sanctuary — draped in black cloth and surrounded by candles — and black funeral bunting was hung outside the  church at 130 Keating Drive.

5 days ago | nvdaily.com | Tabitha Reeves

STEPHENS CITY — Three Stephens City Town Council members who attended this week’s work session got an update from town staff on ongoing utility line repairs. Stephens City — which bills itself as the second-oldest town in the Shenandoah Valley — has been faced with decades of replacing old pipes, as is the case with many historic localities. Town officials have recently been focused on addressing the issue large-scale and long-term.

5 days ago | winchesterstar.com | Tabitha Reeves

WINCHESTER — The historic walking mall and nearby streets of Old Town Winchester have ranked in a nationwide poll of America’s best main streets. In the USA Today 10Best competition for main street districts, Old Town Winchester — which includes the primary and secondary tax districts around the Loudoun Street Pedestrian Mall — gained the No. 9 ranking. Winchester's was the only Virginia location to make the list.