As the Metal Straw Movement sweeps the nation in an effort to reduce plastic waste, many companies are joining in. Now, Red Owl Coffee Company is one of them. Red Owl is a local coffee shop that began its story in Valdosta in 2017. Since then, Red Owl has made its mission to provide a sense of home to customers ...

As young Valdostans’ interest in agriculture and farming decreases, economic issues within the food industry increase. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association website archives show low member numbers for new applicants. For the past couple years, the NCBA has tried to boost its membership numbers. The association hopes to gain more members to expand its numbers and encourages members to recruit ...

Throughout the year, the City Center Art District brings Valdosta’s community together through the Downtown Valdosta Art Walk. The Art Walk draws attention to the Art District by promoting an art-centered community and increasing exposure and revenue for local businesses. While the kickoff for this year was initially scheduled for March 15, inclement weather moved the date to March 22. ...

The best teams, the best players, and, according to Golf Advisor, the best golf course in Florida will all collide on March 9-11 for what will be, without question, Division II Golf’s strongest Super Regional. Present at Mission Inn Resort & Club’s El Campeón will be the nation’s top three ranked teams in Barry, Lynn, and West Florida,  No. 6 ...

The VSU and Wild Adventures co-branding has gone so well that the park decided to introduce a VSU-themed ride among its other attractions. Wild Adventures welcomed students and guests to the ride’s ribbon-burning ceremony on April 26. Previously known as “The Firecracker,” the double-action space tower ride has been renamed the “Blazer Blast Off” in homage to VSU’s football team. ...

The Lady Blazers rebound nicely. VSU Athletic Director Herb Reinhard announced May 4 of the hiring of Deandra Schirmer as the next women’s basketball coach at VSU. Schirmer replaces former head coach Carley Kuhns, who recently took the vacant head coaching position at Division I Samford University. For the last five years, Schirmer has been an assistant coach at Eckerd ...

Everyone talked but who listened. Students, community members, faculty and alumni talked. Dr. Carvajal, Dr. Miller and other administrators talked. But who was listening? On Monday, the office of Diversity and Inclusion and Student Government Association teamed to put together a forum for people to voice their opinions about the undergraduate commencement speaker, Gov. Brian Kemp. The forum felt more ...

President Richard Carvajal addressed over 400 students, faculty and staff in the Student Union ballrooms, and, standing doggedly, he said Gov. Brian Kemp is here to stay as this semester’s commencement speaker. With almost two dozen students speaking, their points were made; but then again so was the president’s. “At the end of the day, I made this decision, because ...

On Monday, April 30,  in the Student Union ballroom, President Richard Carvajal hosted a Town Hall-style meeting on the subject that’s created an undercurrent of tension across VSU’s sunbaked campus – the impending commencement speech to be delivered by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. An estimated 200-plus students filled the ballroom. A prayer was held among a few dozen students as ...

The usual narrative of college places students in a “choose-your-own adventure” pathway, making them the writers of their stories, but last fall that changed. Now, VSU is taking the reins of students’ stories. In Dr. Ted Geltner’s Reporting class (JOUR 4550) Dr. Richard Carvajal, VSU president, gave a short form “state of the university address” to the class’ student journalists. ...