JMU receives $500,000 gift towards investment in Madison District

JMU James Madison University

James Madison University received the first private investment of $500,000 from the Charlie Obaugh Auto Group towards the transformation of the Madison District.

The Madison District is a reimagined portion in the center of campus that will include student and athletic facilities as well as shopping, dining, and lodging.

Included with the gift is the 10 year naming rights of the Champions Parking Deck located just behind the football stadium.

The gift seeds a general expendable account with the JMU Foundation to receive charitable contributions supporting naming opportunities on campus.

JMU President Jim Schmidt said, “Gifts like this, along with other kinds of investments and partnerships, will be essential to turning our plans into reality. It is heartening to see that our campus vision is already resonating with the JMU community and beyond. I look forward to what we can accomplish together.”

For more information on the announcement, click here.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.

RHSPCA announces opening of on-site Veterinary Care Center

The Rockingham County- Harrisonburg SPCA announced the opening of a new Veterinary Care Center set for this Spring.

This $500,000 investment will help significantly reduce the cost of preparing animals for adoption after citing the unprecedented need for animal welfare services in the region.

In addition to the investment, the project was made possible in part through the donation of a reconfigured former modular classroom at Broadway High School.

For six consecutive months in 2025, more than 140 dogs and 350 cats were in the cars of RHSPCA and over 100 of those animals were rescued from hoarding or neglect.

Most animals arrive with little to no medical history and less than 15% of dogs have up to date records upon arrival.

Through the Veterinary Care Center, they will be able to save lives by providing faster treatment including up to 75 feline surgeries per week and expanded services for soft-tissue surgeries, dental procedures, wellness exams, lab work, and diagnostic imaging.

The in-house services will also allow the expansion of the organization’s spay and neuter capacity to provide a long term strategy to reduce stray cats.

RHSPCA also cited nearly 1,200 per surrenders in 2025 and they believe many of those could have been prevented through affordable care.

For more information on the new Veterinary Care Center, click here.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.