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News from the CSPDC Region
June 2024
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L to R – Jen Debruhl, DRPT Director, Devon Thompson, CSPDC Transit Program Manager, Deanna Reed, Harrisonburg City Mayor | Devon Thompson Graduates from VTLI | In September 2023, Devon Thompson, Transit Program Manager, was selected to participate in the inaugural class of the Virginia Transit Leadership Institute (VTLI). VTLI is a program of Virginia Transit Association (VTA), the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), and state transit agencies, and is the Commonwealth’s first public transportation focused leadership program focused on cultivating and elevating future leaders within the transit industry. | |
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The CSPDC is pleased to announce that Devon Thompson and Zach Beard have been promoted from their role as Senior Planners to Transit and Transportation Program Managers.
Devon Thompson began working at the CSPDC in 2013 as an intern upon graduating from the University of Virginia’s Urban and Environmental Planning program. Over the years, Devon has worked on just about every program throughout the PDC, expanding her knowledge base first as an intern, then assistant planner, and eventually as a designated Transit Planner in 2017.
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The Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions (VAPDC) is offering a free series of virtual training sessions to be held on August 5 and September 9 at 12:00pm. Topics include The Virginia Legislative Process and Communications—Telling the PDC Story. | |
GO Virginia Region 8 Helps Fund Apprenticeship Program at VCTC | Eight high school students from the Valley Career and Technical Center (VCTC) recently signed formal apprenticeship agreements with local employers. The apprenticeship program allows students in the Augusta County, Staunton, and Waynesboro school divisions an opportunity to gain on-the-job training and technical instruction while preparing for a career. The partnership between students and their employers will serve to lessen the deficit of skilled tradespeople by empowering students to begin their journey toward careers in electricity and mechanics. | |
CSPDC and Community Partners Host Screening of The Street Project Film | The CSPDC is partnering with Augusta Health, the Central Shenandoah Valley Office on Youth, the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge, Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition, and Waynesboro Parks and Recreation to sponsor a screening of The Street Project, a film about creating safer streets for all road users – walkers, bike riders, and drivers. This event will be held at the Wayne Theater on June 20 at 7 pm. This pay-what-you-will event will include brief opening remarks, the film, and an opportunity for question and answer/discussion with local panelists following the film. | |
State Homeland Security Program Application Period is Open | On May 17, 2024, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) announced the opening of the application cycle for the FY 2024 State Homeland Security Program (SHSP). VDEM serves as the State Administrative Agency for this program that is sourced from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Grant Programs Directorate. Applications for the Commonwealth of Virginia grant program are due to VDEM by July 19, 2024. | |
Construction Continues at the Lewis Street Transit Hub | After great anticipation, construction work officially began on the Lewis Street Transit Hub on April 15. Construction crews from Virginia Infrastructure demolished the existing asphalt and have begun preparing the foundation for the new and improved transit hub. You may have seen activity on the lot as you passed by on Lewis Street. We are amazed each week at how much progress has been made since our last site visit! At the end of May, the contractors completed all excavating and grading work to level the site and have laid the base layer materials that will help mitigate water runoff ensuring the longevity of the pavement. The most notable change to the lot recently is the installation of the stone retaining wall. | |
SAW Housing Summit: Next Steps, June 27 | |
SAW Housing will convene on June 27, 2024 to discuss the next steps in addressing housing challenges in the Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro (SAW) area. Since the October 2023 SAW Housing Summit, the SAW Housing Steering Committee has been actively identifying strategies and solutions while sponsoring "Lunch & Learn" events on specific housing issues. Now, the Steering Committee is ready to introduce its proposed framework for future work.
Attendees will have the opportunity to preview the findings and recommendations from the CSPDC-commissioned Regional Housing Study. Mel Jones from the Virginia Center for Housing Research will present an overview of the SAW-specific data, while Jonathan Knopf from Housing Forward Virginia will outline the study's recommendations and strategies.
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Rachel Kinzer joined the CSPDC as their newest Regional Planner on June 3. She is a recent graduate of the University of Virginia’s School of Architecture, earning her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Urban and Environmental Planning. She was an undergraduate and graduate research assistant for UVA’s Environmental Institute’s Climate Restoration Initiative. In that role, she helped conduct qualitative research on the potential of several carbon-capturing land uses and practices in select rural and urban localities in the state. Rachel is from Farmville, VA, and currently resides in Fishersville. In her free time, she enjoys walking trails with her dog. She looks forward to supporting and providing assistance to the communities in the region. | |
The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission, a regional planning organization serving the local governments in the Central Shenandoah Region, is seeking a Planner I. This position provides planning services for localities with a primary focus on transit and transportation demand management (TDM). This planner will provide support for a regional transit system, and regional commuter assistance program. | | | | |
