🌱 ARPA Funds Community Mental Health Treatment + Cone With A Cop

Hello, friends! It's me, Sean Peek, your host of the Harrisonburg Patch newsletter — here to explain all the most important things happening in our community.

But first, your local weather:

• Wednesday: Plenty of sunshine. High: 73 Low: 41.
• Thursday: Sunny to partly cloudy. High: 70 Low: 46.

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Here are the top three stories today in Harrisonburg:

1. The City of Harrisonburg is planning to use federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to address mental and behavioral health needs in the community. The funds will support organizations providing services to low-income, underserved, uninsured, and underinsured individuals and families. An application period for local organizations interested in funding opens on May 22, with $400,000 currently allocated for the city's Mental Health Fund. (WHSV)
2. National Police Week is happening this week, and a "Cone with a Cop" event will be held at Klines Downtown today, May 17, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Children under 12 can receive a free kid's cone, and vehicles will also be on display. This event is an opportunity to enjoy a treat and interact with local law enforcement. (Harrisonburg Police Department via Facebook)
3. The Harrisonburg School Board will hold a public hearing to discuss proposed attendance zones for the new Rocktown High School and the existing Harrisonburg High School. Under the plan, certain elementary and middle schools would feed into Rocktown, while the rest of the city's schools would feed into Harrisonburg High. The board expects around 900 to 1,000 students in each school, with support from the community for the proposed plan. (WHSV)

From our sponsor:

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Today and tomorrow in and around Harrisonburg:

Wednesday, May 17

• Crafty Kids At Elkton Community Library, Elkton (4:00 PM)
• Broadway Bookends Book Club At Village Library, Broadway (4:30 PM)

Thursday, May 18

• Business After Hours At 2940 South Main St. (5:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Looking for a new job in or around Harrisonburg? Companies in various industries are searching for employees, offering positions in sales, domestic services, human resources, insurance, hotel, catering, auto body, real estate, product manufacturing, information technology, and more. (Harrisonburg Patch)
• The Hardesty Higgins House Visitor Center offers a gift shop where you can find and start collecting hand-painted "Critterz." The center has a variety of adorable animals like orioles, raccoons, skunks, and owls, making it a perfect collection for both adults and children. The shop is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 212 South Main St. (Visit Harrisonburg Virginia via Facebook)
• The Harrisonburg area real estate market is heating up. The list of this week's newest residences includes a three-bedroom house on Rhodes Hill Drive listed for $479,900 and a two-bedroom home on Hunters Road priced at $169,000. (Harrisonburg Patch)

That's it for today. I'll see you soon!

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.