Learning from history: Dedicated historian, artist Danny Ricketts dies at 79

In George Lucas’s Raiders of the Lost Ark, antagonist Dr. Rene Belloq holds up a pocket watch and tells Indiana Jones, “Look at this watch. Cheap. Nothing. Take it out into the desert and bury it for a thousand years and it becomes priceless.” Belloq may have been correct, but without the written history of what… Continue reading Learning from history: Dedicated historian, artist Danny Ricketts dies at 79

“Weird” Would Be the New Norm Inside the Creative Process of Jameel Rashad Austin

“We’re all gifted with creativity, but not everyone utilizes the gift,” says Jameel Rashad Austin when asked about how he found his creative spark. Austin, a local photographer and content creator, is producing some of the most unique and thought-provoking art in our area.  Austin spent his early childhood in Trenton, New Jersey. He adds,… Continue reading “Weird” Would Be the New Norm Inside the Creative Process of Jameel Rashad Austin

Snack Sampler

Hometown favorite, The League of Ordinary Gentlemen, is putting a unique touch on music. Matt Doss, Alex Brown, Travis Williams & Joseph “Sparky” Schmitt, or as they’re collectively known “The League of Ordinary Gentlemen,” are so much more than Danville’s hometown cover band. Primarily rooted in putting a dynamic spin on hits from the 70s,… Continue reading Snack Sampler

The History of a Haunted House

With Halloween around the corner, the emergence of spooky attractions flood our weekends, especially haunted houses. Haunted houses first emerged during the Great Depression as a way to keep youngsters from vandalism and running amok on the streets. This was a way to channel the children’s energy into something constructive instead of them causing property… Continue reading The History of a Haunted House

Double the Drama

PHCC Patriot Players and TheatreWorks Community Players offer year-round entertainment in Martinsville-Henry County, Virginia No other art form can bring stories to life the way that live theatre can. There is something magical about a group of people banding together, interpreting a script and presenting the author’s words for the audience to experience in person.… Continue reading Double the Drama

The Music Man

We last spoke with Matt Crowder in November 2016. At the time, Crowder had just finished playing on Jason Springs’s debut album, Blue Collar Bones and Busted Knuckles. Since then, he has continued to play the local scene, released a debut solo album, and is this year’s top vote-getter in the 2019 Rave Awards. Crowder… Continue reading The Music Man

Out Of This World: A look at the Space Festival at VMNH

Space.  We’ve all dreamed of it, but few of us have ever had the opportunity to venture into the final frontier.  On Saturday, June 16, the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville is set to bring us all closer to our unrealized, intergalactic dreams, when it hosts its first-ever Space Festival from 9 a.m.… Continue reading Out Of This World: A look at the Space Festival at VMNH