The Stauntonian: Volume 1, Issue 25 | Rails, Repertoire & Remembrance
Virginia’s most famous locomotive is taking its last passengers from Staunton this weekend. A summer of world-class music begins next week. And the Queen City celebrates Juneteenth on Saturday.
This Week at a Glance
This is one of those weeks where the Queen City earns its reputation. Virginia’s legendary Norfolk and Western No. 611 steam locomotive has been thundering east out of Staunton toward Afton Mountain since last Friday and has only a few trips left before it moves on to Louisa. The Heifetz International Music Institute has just extended its partnership with Mary Baldwin University for another three years, cementing the summer music festival that has drawn world-class musicians to this city for more than a decade. Juneteenth is this Friday, with a free community celebration at Montgomery Hall Park on Saturday. And a Staunton man is in custody after a midday shooting near Gypsy Hill Park left two vehicles and a building struck by gunfire.
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Lead Stories
Last Call: The Queen of Steam Leaves Staunton This Weekend
The Norfolk and Western No. 611, Virginia’s official state steam locomotive and the sole surviving member of the 14 Class J locomotives ever built, has been hauling passenger excursions out of Staunton since June 12 as part of the Virginia Scenic Railway’s “Summer of Steam,” and this weekend is your last chance to ride it from here, per the Virginia Scenic Railway.
Trips departing from Staunton run through Sunday, June 21, with a final rare-mileage excursion on Monday, June 22, that travels east from Staunton through the historic Blue Ridge Tunnel and all the way to Gordonsville, with the diesel handling the return leg while the 611 remains under steam for the whole journey. The regular Staunton excursions are the shorter trip: approximately 40 miles round-trip, through the nearly one-mile Blue Ridge Tunnel and up Afton Mountain, returning in about 90 minutes. Tickets start at $100 per passenger, with seating ranging from coach to dome class. The 611 is running this summer in a patriotic red, white and blue vinyl livery applied May 30 in honor of America’s 250th anniversary, per Railfan Magazine. “You can’t buy a washer nowadays that lasts four or five years without it breaking,” steam operations manager Zac McGinnis told 29News. “This thing’s going to outlast all of us.”
Book tickets and see the schedule at virginiascenicrailway.com. After June 22, the 611 moves to Louisa through July 5.
Mary Baldwin and the Heifetz Institute Renew Their Partnership
Mary Baldwin University and the Heifetz International Music Institute have signed a new three-year agreement to continue the summer music program that has called the MBU campus home since 2011, per the Augusta Free Press. Students arrived on campus this week for what is the institute’s 30th anniversary season, with the Festival of Concerts running June 25 through August 1: more than 50 public concerts of classical music at venues across Staunton and the Shenandoah Valley.
“The Heifetz Institute exemplifies the kind of partnership that strengthens both Mary Baldwin University and the community we serve,” said MBU Provost Dr. Paul Deeble. “We are proud to continue this longstanding relationship and the cultural vitality and educational enrichment it brings to Staunton, our campus, and the Shenandoah Valley.” Heifetz President and CEO Benjamin K. Roe, who has announced he will retire on September 30, 2026 after 12 years of leadership, called the renewed agreement “a shared commitment to education, community engagement, and artistic excellence.” His retirement concludes at the close of the 30th anniversary season.
The timing carries additional institutional weight: MBU’s Board of Trustees announced on June 3 that Dr. Gary Daynes will serve as the university’s 12th president, with the title of Interim President and Chief Transformation Officer, beginning July 1, per the MBU Board of Trustees. The renewed Heifetz partnership, signed as new leadership arrives, signals continuity for one of Staunton’s most consistent summer cultural anchors.
Staunton Man Arrested After Shooting Near Gypsy Hill Park
Christopher S. Shifflett, 26, of Staunton was arrested Saturday, June 13, on charges stemming from a shooting that took place the previous Wednesday afternoon in the parking lot of TD Tobacco & Convenience at the intersection of Springhill Road and Churchville Avenue, per Rocktown Now and the Augusta Free Press.
According to the Staunton Police Department, Shifflett opened fire on another man at approximately 1 p.m. on June 10. The shooter fled before officers arrived. Two occupied vehicles and the building across the street, identified by AFP as The March Hare, were struck by gunfire. One person inside the building sustained a minor injury from a ricochet that did not require medical treatment. Shifflett faces charges of malicious wounding, aggravated attempted malicious wounding, shooting into an occupied dwelling, two counts of shooting into an occupied vehicle, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He is being held without bond at Middle River Regional Jail. The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Staunton Police Department at 540-332-3842.
Juneteenth Is This Weekend
City of Staunton offices and facilities will operate on modified schedules in observance of Juneteenth on Friday, June 19, per the City of Staunton. The holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and formally delivered the news of emancipation, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had taken effect.
The Shenandoah Valley Juneteenth celebration, founded in 2017 by Sheila Ahmadi and George Hunter, takes place Saturday, June 20, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Montgomery Hall Park, 1000 Montgomery Avenue, Staunton, per Rocktown Now. It is one of the longest-running Juneteenth observances in the Valley. This year’s celebration carries particular resonance alongside the Queen Miller Home marker unveiled just last month, a reminder that Staunton’s Black history deserves recognition in the present, not only on monuments.
Virginia Still Has No Budget for July 1
The General Assembly has not yet adopted a state budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and Governor Spanberger is pressing lawmakers to act, per WHSV. Virginia law requires localities to plan and operate on adopted budgets, and a state budget impasse creates funding uncertainty for schools, cities, and agencies dependent on state appropriations. Staunton City Council adopted the city’s own FY2027 budget in April, but certain state funding streams, including education and transportation dollars, flow through the state budget. The General Assembly must reconvene to resolve the standoff before July 1.
Quick Hits
I-81 and Route 250 overnight restrictions this week. VDOT contractors are setting steel girders for the southbound I-81 bridge over Route 250 during overnight hours this week, with single-lane closures and brief Virginia State Police traffic stops on Route 250 at the I-81 interchange, per VDOT. The work runs through tonight (Thursday, June 18), with occasional stops of up to 15 minutes. These restrictions are part of the ongoing $101 million I-81 widening project.
Cooling shelter at Faith Lutheran still seeking volunteers. The Staunton Cooling Shelter at Faith Lutheran Church, 17 N. Lewis Street, is opening at the end of June and still needs volunteers age 18 and up, per WHSV. Contact the church at 540-885-1444.
Drought warning remains active. The DEQ drought warning advisory for Staunton and the Shenandoah Drought Evaluation Region is still in effect, per the City of Staunton newsroom.
Out & About
Steam excursions, Juneteenth, and the opening of a world-class music festival: it is a full stretch from now through the end of the month.
This Weekend Through Sunday: N&W 611, Last Staunton Excursions
The 611’s final regular excursions from Staunton depart Friday through Sunday. Trains travel approximately 40 miles round-trip through the Blue Ridge Tunnel toward Afton Mountain and back, in about 90 minutes. Tickets from $100 at virginiascenicrailway.com.
Monday, June 22: Special Staunton-Gordonsville Excursion
One-time rare mileage trip from Staunton east over the Blue Ridge to Gordonsville and back. The 611 hauls the outbound leg east; a vintage diesel returns the train to Staunton. Book at virginiascenicrailway.com.
Saturday, June 20: Shenandoah Valley Juneteenth, Montgomery Hall Park
The annual Shenandoah Valley Juneteenth celebration runs Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Montgomery Hall Park, 1000 Montgomery Avenue. Free. More details at visitstaunton.com.
Starting June 25: Heifetz Festival of Concerts, Venues Across Staunton
The Heifetz International Music Institute’s 30th Anniversary Festival of Concerts opens June 25 and runs through August 1 with 50-plus performances at venues across Staunton and the Valley. Public concerts feature faculty, special guests, and students in a wide range of classical repertoire. Most concerts are low-cost or free. Schedule at heifetzinstitute.org.
June 27: The Honey Dewdrops at Trinity Church
Doors 6:30 p.m., concert 7 p.m. Benefit for the Arcadia Project’s renovation at 125 E Beverley Street. After-party at Ciders from Mars. Tickets at visitstaunton.com.
June 26-28: Red Wing Roots Music Festival, Natural Chimneys Park
Three-day Americana festival at Natural Chimneys Park in Mt. Solon, about 15 minutes north of Staunton, with camping, food, and beer. Tickets and lineup at redwingroots.com.
Saturdays: Staunton Farmers’ Market, West End
The Farmers’ Market continues at 2020 West Beverley Street, Saturdays 7 a.m. to noon through September.
Blackfriars Playhouse
As You Like It and Our Town continue in rotating repertory through August 8. Tickets and showtimes at americanshakespearecenter.com or call 1-877-682-4236.
River Watch
The South River at Waynesboro (USGS Station 01626000) continues to run below seasonal norm under the active DEQ drought warning. Live gauge readings at the USGS National Water Dashboard.
The Sneeze Index
Grass pollen remains at peak season through most of June. Check IQAir’s Staunton monitor and Weather Underground’s Staunton station for current air quality before extended outdoor time, especially with multiple outdoor events this weekend.
The Weekly Pump
Virginia’s statewide average for regular gasoline has fallen to $3.77 per gallon as of Wednesday, per AAA, continuing a steady decline from the Memorial Day peak of $4.431. Premium averages $4.66 and diesel $5.01 statewide. The national average stands at $4.044. Use GasBuddy for station-by-station prices near you.
Real Estate Watch
Market data sourced from Redfin, Zillow, and Realtor.com via FRED.
The most recently confirmed closed sale data from MLS records puts the Staunton city median sale price at $286,000, up 10.1% year-over-year, per Redfin’s February 2026 figures, with price per square foot at $215, up 22.8% year-over-year. Zillow puts the average home value at $276,602, up 3.4% year-over-year, with homes typically going to pending in about nine days. The Virginia REALTORS monthly local market report should now have May 2026 data available.
Who’s Hiring
Listings confirmed active on Indeed and the City of Staunton HR portal. Salaries listed only where explicitly stated.
City of Staunton, Firefighter/EMT: Staunton Fire and Rescue is accepting applications for full-time Firefighter/EMTs. Requires Firefighter II and EMT certifications and passing scores on a regional written and physical ability test. Apply at the City of Staunton HR portal.
City of Staunton, Sales & Marketing Manager (Visit Staunton): Lead tourism marketing and sales strategy for Visit Staunton. Submit a resume, cover letter, and work samples through the portal. Questions to Chief Human Resources Officer Jonathan Venn. Open until filled. Apply at the City of Staunton HR portal.
Staunton City Schools, Special Education Instructional Assistant, T.C. McSwain Elementary: Supports classroom teachers in management and instruction of students with disabilities, starting August 4, 2026. Full benefits package. Open until filled. Apply through the Staunton City Schools portal.
A Note from the Editor
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The Stauntonian covers news, culture, and civic life in Staunton, Virginia. Tips, corrections, and story ideas: brad@stauntonian.com.