🌱 City Plans Funding Distribution + Drag Community Reacts To TN Ban

Good morning, friends. Sean Peek here with your weekend edition of the Harrisonburg Patch newsletter. Keep reading to find out all the most important things happening in town these days.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: A shower in the p.m.; breezy. High: 64 Low: 55.
• Saturday: Very windy; a morning t-storm. High: 69 Low: 36.

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Here are the top three stories today in Harrisonburg:

1. Harrisonburg's action plan for distributing $569,946 in Community Development Block Grant federal funding proposes the allocation of the largest portion of funding to community and public facilities, followed by public services, and then administrative costs. Among the recommended projects are waterline installations, parking lot expansion, and funding for community programs such as Meals on Wheels, Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services Suitcase Clinic, SpArc, and Blue Ridge CASA. Meanwhile, the city council approved the reallocation of $1 million in American Plan Rescue Act funds toward improving the Thomas Harrison Middle School soccer field. (The Breeze)
2. Tennessee has become the first state to ban all public drag shows, a move that has alarmed drag performers in Harrisonburg. The bill signed by Gov. Bill Lee aims to "protect children from the LGBTQ" by forbidding any public performances by topless, go-go or exotic dancers, strippers, or male or female impersonators deemed "harmful to minors." Some drag performers fear that the ban could reach Virginia, but James Madison University political science professor Marty Cohen thinks it's unlikely, as the state's political ideologies are more mixed. (The Breeze)
3. The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County is organizing the Great Community Give (GCG), an event in which 149 nonprofits are participating. The goal is to raise $2 million through donations, and new ways have been added to get to know the nonprofits and their causes, such as the GCG-Thon, a four-hour live stream available on Apr. 19. The event aims to make a big impact, even with small donations of at least $10. (WHSV)

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Today and tomorrow in Harrisonburg:

Friday, March 31

• Fireside Friday At CrossKeys Vineyards (5:00 PM)
• Underground Sound Concert Series: Von Berger At Taylor Down Under Stage, The Union (7:00 PM)

Saturday, April 1

• Salsa Night At CrossKeys Vineyards (5:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• New homes have been listed for sale in the Harrisonburg area! Get all the property details at the link. (Harrisonburg Patch)
• The Visibility Film Fest in Harrisonburg on Wednesday aimed to promote disability awareness and empowerment by showing films that spotlight disabled voices and stories and how they play out in romantic relationships among other themes and stigmas. The event also featured panel discussions between the films. (WHSV)
• The Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce hosted the State of the Economy event in Harrisonburg where local economic experts highlighted the state of the local economy and opportunities for economic growth and discussed future projects in both localities and economic challenges in the area. Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick commended the collaboration that has helped lead to economic growth in the area and also discussed Virginia's primary economic challenge, declining population, and efforts to transform the state's workforce development. (WHSV)

Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you around.

— 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.