🌱 Off Campus Shootings Worry JMU Students + JMU Women's Golf Win

Morning, everybody. It's me, Sean Peek, your host of the Harrisonburg Patch newsletter. Here's everything you need to know about what's happening locally.

But first, today's weather:

Partly sunny and warm. High: 85 Low: 55.

🏡 Are you looking for a new and effective way to advertise your real estate business? If you've maxed out your lead generation with Zillow and Google, we have a fresh solution for you. Our exclusive sponsorship offers a unique opportunity to reach potential clients and stand out in the market. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top three stories today in Harrisonburg:

1. Gun violence has been prevalent in the Harrisonburg community with four shootings occurring in off-campus James Madison University (JMU) student living complexes since October. Rockingham County-Harrisonburg Sheriff Bryan Hutcheson believes that implementing tighter gun laws will do very little to counteract gun violence, but working with mental health professionals may get to the root of why an individual may resort to violence and help prevent it from happening in the future. (The Breeze)
2. JMU women's golf team had a historic season, winning three tournaments in a single season for the first time in 20 years. They began the spring season with a win in Oyster Shuck Match Play, followed by a second-place finish at the River Landing Classic, and then clinched first place at the Golfweek Intercollegiate and ECU Ironwood Invitational. The Dukes ended their season placing eighth at the Sun Belt Championship on Tuesday despite going into the tournament as the top seed. (The Breeze)
3. Civil War reenactor Gerald Leonard Drake has pleaded guilty to planting a pipe bomb at the Cedar Creek Battlefield in Virginia in 2017 and falsely blaming it on protesters in letters he wrote. Drake admitted to planting the bomb during a hearing in a federal court in Harrisonburg on Monday. The bomb did not explode but led to the cancellation of the reenactment that year. (The Pilot)

From our sponsor:

Today’s Harrisonburg Patch newsletter is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. T-Mobile has invested billions to light up their best network ever, covering 99% of people in America with LTE, which helps to keep communities like ours informed and connected. We thank T-Mobile for their support and for making today’s Harrisonburg Patch newsletter possible.

Today in Harrisonburg:

• Friday Ride With Shenandoah Bicycle Company (3:00 PM)
• Cousin Jimmy's Stringband At Pale Fire Brewery (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Eastern Mennonite University will hold a groundbreaking event on Monday, Apr. 24, at 5 p.m. to launch the construction of its new track and field complex in Harrisonburg. The $6 million campaign goal has been more than halfway reached, and the new track will feature an upgrade from six to eight lanes and more – with construction set for completion in March 2024. (Augusta Press)
• JMU Head Coach Mark Byington has been named the Virginia Sports Information Director State Coach of the Year after leading the men's basketball team to 22 wins, the most since 1981-1982. Byington has the second-highest winning percentage (61 percent) of any men's basketball coach in JMU history, and the team set season records for total points, rebounds, steals, and steals per game. (JMU Sports)
• Kempus provided a career guidance event for verified students at JMU as part of their Career Advisory Package. Over 60 students representing diverse backgrounds received guidance on securing jobs both in and outside of the U.S. after graduating from a U.S.-based university through individualized attention and sessions on career-related themes, such as personal branding and entrepreneurship. (TechNode)

You're officially in the loop for today! See you soon for another update.

— 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.