A career spent as an attorney is quite a commitment of time and effort, especially when working with cases involving children. A life on the stage, appearing nightly before appreciative audiences, can also be both challenging and rewarding for a myriad of reasons. Employment might not be steady; the voice gets hoarse or an ankle gets twisted.

Growing older and possibly retiring conjures images of our parents flocking south and taking up residence in a sunny retirement community with neatly manicured grass, palm trees, and shuffle board. But a recent study by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reveals that the geographic distribution of households headed by someone age 55 or older is fairly even across most of the country, with more than 30 percent of all households in every state meeting this description. NAHB's long-term forecast indicates that the share of 55+ households will grow every year through 2019, when the 55+ category will account for nearly 45 percent of all U.S. households.

Mary Jane Glass, a local legend and many times recognized super woman in Culpeper, has told the story about the beginning of the Culpeper Memorial Hospital, now Culpeper Regional Health System. Mrs. Glass was among the “Jaycee Auxiliary” that pioneered the beginning of what is now a significant economic driver in our region. The initiative for a hospital was visionary and has an ongoing role in our regional success.

When was the last time that you opened a 2,000 piece puzzle? How did you begin putting it together? Of course, you laid the pieces out and began searching for similar colors, patterns, and shapes. Most master puzzle makers frame the outside first since it is easy to see the straight patterns and corners. Filling in the rest takes much more time and focus to assemble.

The son of a man whose jobs kept their family moving, Jason Holloway (born in Ithaca, N.Y.), first came to Culpeper when his father was made foreman of a local dairy farm.

The Battle of Cedar Mountain began on August 9, 1862 with an assault by Gen. Nathaniel Banks on Gen. Stonewall Jackson’s Confederate forces. The arrival of Gen. A. P. Hill’s troops bolstered the Confederates and earned them a narrow victory. Each side sustained casualties in the thousands and a truce was called on August 11 in large part to bury the dead.

Virginia Morton's musical production of her novel 'Marching Through Culpeper' is a marathon event. The play lasts three hours.

Over 30,000 troops were engaged at the Battle of Cedar Mountain on August 9-11, 1862.

One hot afternoon during a recent heat wave, I saw an animal streaking across the road ahead of me in the hollow where I live. My brain was churning trying to identify what I was looking at. The first word that came to mind was “fox.” Lots have been crossing the road lately. As I got closer, the animal suddenly turned back the way it had come, so I got a chance to see more of it as I slowed down and finally stopped in the middle of the road. I realized it was not a fox, but a cat of some sort.

Bend and snap your way to Northern Virginia for “Legally Blonde – The Musical” now playing at the Alden Theatre through July 29. Presented by the McLean Community Players, the high-energy of the cast and charming performance of Kate Merryman as Elle Woods are reason enough to check out this production at the McLean Community Center.