Center wants more small businesses to utilize its services.  The Lord Fairfax Small Business Development Center (LFSBDC) wants more clients!  This center serves Clarke, Frederick, Shenandoah, Warren and Rappahannock counties and cities and towns within them.  According to Dale Maza, a counselor with the center, we provide businesses education, training and mentoring services in areas such as management, finance, marketing, licensing, planning, expansion and human resources.  It also is able to link businesses to other sources of assistance for them. These services are provided for free and Congress mandates that SBDC's provide their services confidentially.  For further information call 540-868-7093 or email dmaza@lfsbdc.org.  (Information taken from The Winchester Star article, Monday, July 30, 2018.)  

Schools join pushback against plastic straws.  Amid a growing natural trend to ban plastic drinking straws to be more environmentally friendly, Clarke County Public Schools will no longer offer them to middle and high school students in the cafeteras.  Straws will still be offered in elementary schools to young students to help them avoid spills when they drink milk.  Winchester Public Schools and Frederick County Public Schools have no plans to stop offering plastic straws.  (For more information see The Winchester Star article for Thursday, August 2, 2018.)

Artisan Trail open house on Saturday.  The Top of Virginia Artisan Train will hold its monthly open house tour on Saturday, August 4th.  The public is invited to tour artists' studios as several Trail sites will showcase their businesses through demonstrations, special exhibits and activities.   Look for bright yellow, red and black signs that say "Open Door Tour."  The Top of Virginia Artisan Trail was launched in 2016 when Frederick County, Clarke County and the city of Winchester partnered with the Artisans Center of Virginia to cultivate and promote the regional craft and agricultural artisans.  (For a list of participant businesses see the Winchester Star article dated Thursday, August 2, 2018.)  

Frederick County Fair continues.  The Frederick County Fair continues through Saturday with all sorts of rides, games and concessions and a petting zoo along with animal exhibits and contests.  (For more information go to https:// www.frederickcountyfair.com)