Drayage Brokersin Front Royal, VA

Operating under a new name – Hope and Rest Temporary Shelter (HARTS) – the former Thermal Shelter of Front Royal will open for the winter on Saturday. With space for 35 adult men and women, the shelter will be open from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily at the Front Royal Presbyterian Church on Luray Avenue, said the HARTS’ president Michelle Smeltzer.

Smeltzer said that she anticipates a greater demand for shelter this winter.

“We have been working with a lot more homeless this past summer. I do expect an increase at the shelter,” she said, noting that the shelter served 85 individuals, four dogs and a cat last winter.

Guests at the shelter receive a hot dinner each night and a continental-style breakfast in the morning. They can also take a lunch, drinks, and snacks to last throughout the day, Smeltzer said.

“They’re not going to go hungry. They always gain weight while they’re there,” Smeltzer said, adding that the local Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts stores have agreed to donate sandwiches or food items that are available at the end of each day.

Smeltzer said that local churches typically sign up to provide meals for the unhoused population for a week at a time. She said that there are opportunities for organizations and individuals to donate meals throughout the season.

“We already have December covered,” she said. The shelter will be operated for 18 weeks and is set to close on Saturday, April 6.

While on-site meals are covered, Smeltzer said that the shelter could use $5 gift cards for local restaurants.

“That way, when it’s super cold they can get in out of the cold, especially on Sunday when nothing is open, when they can’t go to the library. There are a lot of days when it’s freezing cold and they’re leaving at 7 a.m. and it’s 2 degrees outside,” she said, adding that the shelter tries to remain open on snow days as long as staff can get there.

Smeltzer said that volunteers are needed to help with laundry – taking the shelter’s bedding to a laundromat once a week.

“Last year we had the same volunteers who took the bedding down each week. We don’t have them this year,” she said, adding that there is a sign up sheet for volunteers on the organization’s Facebook page. “That would be a big help if we could have laundry help.”

Smeltzer said that thanks to the church’s donation of space that they formerly used for day care, the shelter is able to keep cots set up throughout the season, and offer two rooms for men and one for women, in addition to the eating area.

“We do accept pets. It’s on a case by case basis, but they’re welcome as long as they’re friendly and get along with the other pets. We’ve had some really good luck with the pets. We’ve had dogs and cats, and never had an issue with them,” she said, noting that the Humane Society of Warren County helps HARTS with food and other necessities for the animals.

While the shelter provides some outdoor clothing – hats, gloves, scarves, and such – and has a few things that guests could use in a pinch, Smeltzer said that anyone wishing to make a donation of clothes should do so at the Salvation Army or Pick of the Litter thrift stores. Shelter guests receive vouchers to shop those stores for what they need, she said.

A shelter van will pick up those in need of transportation near the Main Street gazebo, she said. Since HARTS’ opening day coincides with the town’s holiday parade and tree lighting at the gazebo, an alternate plan is being developed for that first night.

Christmas at HARTS is covered by New Hope Bible Church, which provides food and gift bags for all of the shelter’s guests, Smeltzer said.

In its 7th season, the shelter is in the process of renaming to reflect the organization’s aspirations, Smeltzer said.

“We want someday to be more than a thermal shelter,” she said, adding that donations should be made payable to HARTS. For more information on HARTS, call Smeltzer at 540-892-6108. Those in need of shelter can simply show up or call the church at 540-551-6256, she said, noting that the line is manned only in the evenings and overnight.

FRONT ROYAL — Inside the newest bakery in downtown Front Royal, pastry chef Melania Castegnaro is taking a leap of faith. One she said is guided by the memories of her childhood and her Costa Rican heritage.

“I want everyone to feel welcome,” Castegnaro said. “I want everyone to feel that they can come here and get the cookie, the cheesecake or a pop tart and it takes them back to when they were kids.”

Melania’s Gourmet, which opened Thursday to the public at the corner of Jackson Street and South Royal Avenue, will plate up pastries, Costa Rican coffee and hand-painted chocolates in an atmosphere that welcomes relaxation both indoors and out.

When she was 7 years old, Castegnaro recalled, her grandmother asked her to help prepare for a large family Christmas gathering by decorating a large number of holiday cookies. Immediately mesmerized by the various icing hues and decorative toppings like glitter and sprinkles, Castegnaro knew she had found her passion and calling in life.

“She always loved being in the kitchen and I loved being with her,” she said of her grandmother. “I think it's fair to say… this is where my love for pastry art began.”

With an extensive background and education in the culinary arts, Castegnaro has an expertise in the baking and pastry arts. Castegnaro holds a bachelor's degree in Pastries & Baking from the Culinary Arts Institute of Washington and a master's degree in Chocolate from the Escuela de Pasteleria del Gremio in Barcelona. She also has more than 10 years experience working as an executive pastry chef for multiple international businesses.

Decorated in bright colors and eclectic decor, the pastry shop will be a grab-and-go cafe, a place that Ryland Greenhouse, Castegnaro’s business partner and husband, defined as a third place — a site outside of the house where people can relax and enjoy each other's company.

“There’s been a massive boom in the pastry industry,” Greenhouse explained. “Recently specifically in higher-end elegant cafes.”

Inspired by popular bakeries he favors up north, Greenhouse said Melania’s Gourmet will take advantage of Castegnaro’s talents in creating high-quality pastries.

The couple, who met during COVID at the gym where Greenhouse worked as a fitness instructor, quickly realized that they not only shared a passion for health and fitness but also for Costa Rica. At the time Greenhouse met Castegnaro he was planning an extended stay trip to the country.

“We met, we shared our life stories and she told me that her dream was to open a cafe in Costa Rica,” Greenhouse said. “That was when I learned she was a pastry chef, her education, and that she worked for an international catering company out of Washington, D.C.”

A few months later the couple moved to Costa Rica, deep in the jungle to a town called Chirripó, named after the tallest mountain in Costa Rica. Greenhouse said there was nothing quite like living in a remote part of the country to get to know someone.

“We realized pretty early on that it was something we could do together,” Castegnaro said. “It really was the jungle culture that brought us together.”

Unfortunately, there was no market for Castegnaro's pastries, so the couple moved back to Front Royal, where Greenhouse grew up. Testing the bakery market, Castegnaro made her sacred cookies (a thin, buttery sugar cookie) for her husband to sell throughout downtown. The cookies sold out — just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Hosting additional pop-ups throughout the Valley and Northern Virginia, Greenhouse knew he was on to something bigger. After locating their perfect location, with a few upgrades, the duo is ready for their opening day, thanks to helpful family members.

“With her talents and my abilities, we put them in the same direction — and here we are," Greenhouse said.

Looking at her pastries, which could be described as works of art, it is apparent Castegnaro is able to take something as simple as a cheesecake and make it extraordinary by adding additional flavors and artful garnishes like edible gold.

“It’s an explosion of flavors,” she explained. “ And textures in your mouth. I’ve been told that many times. Which differentiates me from other pastry chefs because when you eat something I’ve made, you know — because of the flavors.”

Castegnaro uses family recipes as well as those developed from her years of creating. Ingredients like fruits and vegetables are sourced as locally as possible and are mostly organic. Knowing what she likes, Castegnaro is not one to shy away from expensive ingredients.

“My favorite chocolate is Valrhona," she said. "I know it’s a little pricey but I know that at the end you will taste the difference between a regular chocolate chip and a Valrhona chocolate chip.”

Popular menu items include Castegnaro’s cheesecake, rainbow cookies, carrot cake, key lime pie, cake pops and anything with passionfruit.

As for her baking philosophy, Castegnaro said energy is key. Music can be heard coming from the pastry kitchen, where the couple can often be seen dancing and singing along with their staff.

“I don’t think we could have done this without each other,” she said.

“We love doing it and we love having people around,” Greenhouse added. “It’s a doable dream that came true — for both of us,” he said smiling.

Located at 104 S. Royal Ave., Melania’s Gourmet will celebrate with a ribbon cutting and soft opening weekend from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

STAUNTON – Motorists should expect major traffic disruptions near Front Royal in Warren County along Route 624 (Happy Creek Road) due to Norfolk Southern Railroad maintenance work. On Wednesday, February 14 work will be at the Route 606 (Shenandoah Shores Road) crossing and on Thursday, February 15 work will be at the Route 624 crossing near Route 647 (Dismal Hollow Road. The start and end times of the crossing closures due to the railroad maintenance work are estimates provided by Norfolk Southern.

The February 14 work is estimated from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. producing a major one-day transportation disruption affecting Shenandoah Shores, Christendom College and a variety of businesses and residential areas that can only be accessed by traveling over the crossing at Route 606 and Route 624. Route 606 at the railroad crossing is the single ingress and egress for Route 606 north of Route 624. Only emergency services will be able to enter or leave the area while the railroad work is underway. There is no detour available. All who use this intersection must expect no travel in and out of the area during the scheduled work.

The February 15 work is estimated from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Route 624 will be closed just west of the Route 647 intersection. Signs will guide traffic on the following detours:

All work is weather permitting, and the closure schedule is subject to change.

For updated traffic alerts and traveler information, dial 511 or visit https://www.511virginia.org.

The VDOT Customer Service Center can assist with reporting road hazards, asking transportation questions, or getting information related to Virginia’s roads. Call 800-FOR- ROAD (800-367-7623) or use its mobile friendly website at https://my.vdot.virginia.gov. Agents are available 24 hours-a-day, seven days a week.

The VDOT Staunton District is on Facebook and X (Twitter). Follow VDOT statewide accounts on Facebook, Flickr, and YouTube.

The VDOT Web page is located at http://www.VirginiaDOT.gov.

The VDOT Staunton District serves Frederick, Shenandoah, Clarke, Warren, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rockbridge, Alleghany and Bath counties.

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Sandy.Myers@VDOT.Virginia.gov

540-292-2500 (cell)

You might find Shelly Cook in the kitchen or behind the counter at Poppy’s Place, her new restaurant in downtown Front Royal. Or maybe you’ll find her next door at Royal Oak Bookstore, which she purchased this summer.

Still no luck? Try the motel under renovation down the block where she’s bringing back its mid-century charm.

Cook, an entrepreneur and builder who operates Servants Hands Construction, is one busy lady on a mission to bring function and beauty to the town she loves.

“I’m trying to re-do the town one project at a time,” Cook said. “I want people to fall in love with our little town. No place is perfect, but I think we have the most wonderful community. I love the people here. I think they’re kind, generous, loving.”

Her latest project, the former Sunshine Inn located at 416 S. Royal Ave. in Front Royal, is mid-way through its renovation. The formerly blighted and partially burned U-shaped motel that Cook has renamed the Olive Branch is getting a major facelift.

Cook said she picked the name, a biblical reference, “because this town needs peace.”

In keeping with the name, Cook has had the building repainted an olive green.

Slated to open in January, the extend-a-stay rooms will have a mid-century modern flair with custom furniture, a kitchenette, individual heating and air conditioning units, and a flower box out front.

Rooms range in size from 400 square feet to nearly 800 square feet, with 15 standard rooms and four suits. The design includes a gathering area in the lower level that will include a laundry room, kitchenette, billiard tables, a sitting area, and a classroom with a white board.

Cook purchased the property in July and has had her crew hard at work.

“We took 100 loads of debris from the property,” Cooks said, noting that in addition to general clean up the project has also included new cathedral ceilings along the back section, a new roof, and extensive concrete work in the lower level.

Cook hopes to win a government contract to house law enforcement officers in the area for training at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Canine Training Center south of town, as well as business travelers.

Over the last few years Cook has taken on several major renovations in Front Royal, including the extensive remodel of The Trellis, a former roadside motel on John Marshall Highway east of town.

Along with the Olive Branch, Cook is also in the planning stages for a smaller scale remodel at Royal Oak Bookstore, located next door to Poppy’s Place on South Royal Avenue. She purchased the building this summer and so far has cleared the front porch to make way for a seating area and upgraded the parking lot in the back.

Interior work will begin after the holidays, she said, noting that the current store staff will stay on and operate the bookstore, leasing the south half of the building from Cook.

“I didn’t want to disrupt their business or people’s holiday shopping routines,” she said, adding that she anticipates the store will be closed for remodeling for about a month after Christmas.

Work will include repairing the roof and removing the drop ceiling.

The north half of the building will become an “enhanced sitting area,” Cook said. “You can either go to Poppy’s or the bookstore and then sit down on a couch and have wi-fi.”

She plans to have herbal teas and coffee available.

“We’re just trying to create a space where people can come in, have lunch, get a book, go over and sit down. One of the reasons I really wanted that bookstore was because I don’t want kids to lose the written word. It’s one thing to read a book on your phone, but social media is so distracting. I wanted to see them be able to feel a book and to love the written word,” Cook said.

Carnivore keepers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) in Front Royal, Virginia, are celebrating a litter of five cheetah cubs born to 8-year-old adult female Echo Tuesday, Sept. 12. Viewers can enjoy watching the cubs grow via the Cheetah Cub Cam. Note that Echo may move her cubs out of the den and around her habitat so they may be out of view at times.

Animal care staff will leave Echo to bond with and care for her cubs without interference, but as opportunities arise, staff will perform quick health checks. During a recent weight check, staff confirmed there are three males and two females. The cubs appear to be strong, active, vocal and eating well.

About Echo and Her Cubs

NZCBI is part of the Cheetah Breeding Center Coalition—a group of 10 cheetah breeding centers across the United States that aim to create and maintain a sustainable North American cheetah population under human care. These cubs are a significant addition to the Cheetah Species Survival Plan (SSP), as each individual contributes to this program. The SSP scientists determine which animals to breed by considering their genetic makeup, health and temperament, among other factors. Since 2007, NZCBI has celebrated 81 cheetah births; the facility currently houses 30 cheetahs.

Cheetahs live in small, isolated populations mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. Many of their strongholds are in eastern and southern African parks. Due to human conflict, poaching, and habitat and prey-base loss, there are only an estimated 7,000 to 7,500 cheetahs left in the wild. The International Union for Conservation of Nature considers cheetahs vulnerable to extinction.

About the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) leads the Smithsonian’s global effort to save species, better understand ecosystems and train future generations of conservationists. Its two campuses are home to some of the world’s most critically endangered species. Always free of charge, the Zoo’s 163-acre park in the heart of Washington, D.C., features 2,100 animals representing 400 species and is a popular destination for children and families. At the Conservation Biology Institute’s 3,200-acre campus in Virginia, breeding and veterinary research on 250 animals representing 20 species provide critical data for the management of animals in human care and valuable insights for conservation of wild populations. NZCBI’s more than 300 staff and scientists work in Washington, D.C., Virginia and with partners at field sites across the United States and in more than 30 countries to save wildlife, collaborate with communities and conserve native habitats. NZCBI is a long-standing accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

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SI-287-2023

Jen Zoon

301-908-3102

zoonj@si.edu

Photos and b-roll are available to download in the Zoo’s newsroom.

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