Arts, Leisure and Sports
Photo: Jesse Cann
A local artist has been recognized by The Rhythm of Gospel Music Awards Show. WFIR’s Emma Thomas with more:
Gravel bike riding has become more popular in recent years – riding on unpaved byways or National Park fire roads for example, a cross between paved roads and more strenuous mountain biking. Now a new “Gravel Adventure Field Guide” spotlighting 10 local routes are featured in a digital and print book that can be found at local bike shops and on the Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge website, where Kristine McCormack is VBR’s Outdoors Experiences Manager. She says the Gravel Adventure Field Guide publisher has focused on western venues; the Virginia’s Blue Ridge guide is its first on the east coast. There is a Gravel Adventure Field Guide “launch party” tomorrow from 5 to 7pm at Parkway Brewing Company, when hard copies of the guide will be available.
Pedro Szaley, photo taken from Southwest Virginia Ballet
Southwest Virginia Ballet will put on its 31st annual production of a Christmas classic. WFIR’s Emma Thomas with details:
LEXINGTON, Va. (AP) — Virginia Military Institute has hired Danny Rocco as its football coach. Rocco replaces Scott Wachenheim, who resigned after eight seasons last month.
“He is clearly someone who believes in developing his players into leaders of character in perfect alignment with VMI’s mission,” Major Genera Cedric T. Wins said in a release. “I look forward to the future success that our cadet-athletes will enjoy from his leadership.”
Rocco has a 121-65 record after head coaching stops at Liberty, Richmond and, until this year, Delaware. He’s also worked as an assistant at Virginia, Wake Forest, Maryland and Boston College, among other stops, and spent a season with the NFL’s New York Jets.
As a head coach, Rocco has won seven conference championships (4 Big South, 3 CAA) in 16 seasons, including four in the Big South and three in the Colonial Athletic Association. His teams have made Championship Subdivision playoff appearances and twice reached the national semifinals — at Richmond in 2014 and Delaware in 2020.
LEXINGTON, Va. (AP) — Virginia Military Institute has hired Danny Rocco as its football coach. The school made the announcement Saturday. Rocco replaces Scott Wachenheim, who resigned after eight seasons last month.
“He is clearly someone who believes in developing his players into leaders of character in perfect alignment with VMI’s mission,” Major Genera Cedric T. Wins said in a release. “I look forward to the future success that our cadet-athletes will enjoy from his leadership.”
Rocco has a 121-65 record after head coaching stops at Liberty, Richmond and, until this year, Delaware. He’s also worked as an assistant at Virginia, Wake Forest, Maryland and Boston College, among other stops, and spent a season with the NFL’s New York Jets.
As a head coach, Rocco has won seven conference championships (4 Big South, 3 CAA) in 16 seasons, including four in the Big South and three in the Colonial Athletic Association. His teams have made Championship Subdivision playoff appearances and twice reached the national semifinals — at Richmond in 2014 and Delaware in 2020.
