The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has advised claims for reimbursement of out-of-pocket medical expenses incurred during 2009 will be accepted beginning January 1, 2010.

You have probably made your New Year’s resolutions. Maybe you decided to eat better, exercise more, drink less or stop smoking. Or, maybe you resolved to reduce stress, put your finances in order, add to your education or volunteer for worthy causes.

In its annual effort to protect the Queen’s English, a Michigan university is insisting that “shovel ready” be buried, “tweet” be tossed and all “czars” be banished.

To kick off another holiday season, we asked staffers at The News & Advance to share their favorite Christmas movies and TV specials:

The cover of Phil Vassar’s latest album has him playing ringmaster to the circus that is life on the road.

My brother does not have faith in Simon.

Americans are generous people. Most respond without reservation to the needs of children for food, clothing, shelter and safety.

Aubrey “Chub” Barbour is something of a celebrity in Tinbridge Hill. The 71-year-old is a lifelong resident of the inner-city neighborhood and a longtime community activist.

Imagine living your life such that you had no environmental impact.

Yes, Christmas is Friday and time to find last-minute gifts is quickly evaporating. If you still need ideas for this year, below are some you can make, usually from found objects around your house that will have no impact or little impact on the Earth and its resources.

A dog named Faith walks on the only two legs she has.

Less than a minute before airtime, Randolph College students Carl Coffey and Alisha Dingus rattle off potential topics for their radio show, “Cold Sweating in a Burning Room.”

Howell, director of St. John’s Episcopal Church’s choirs, covered baroque music last year, so she set out to find a new piece this holiday season.

The worlds of opera and popular music are colliding for the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra’s latest fundraiser.

Jennifer Petticolas says the idea for her latest original play came out of nowhere.

When director Mark Hopkins set out to make a documentary about Doctors Without Borders, he didn’t want it to be a stereotypical message film.

No real discernible songs can be heard coming from inside one of Lynchburg College’s Hebb Music Center labs.

When Keith Lee started choreographing one of his newest pieces, “Partita de Paradise,” he could already envision the costumes his dancers would wear.

The Lynchburg Figure Skating Club is holding its fourth annual Christmas on Ice Show at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday at Liberty University’s LaHaye Ice Center.

Area homeowners have been decking their halls for two holiday home tours this weekend.

Is there someone on your list who has an interest in birds and you are still looking for the perfect gift? If so, why not consider giving that person a gift membership to an organization with a focus on this aspect of natural history. Listed below are two good options, both at the local and statewide level.

The Gospel of Luke records that, as he was dying on the cross, Jesus showed his boundless mercy by praying for his killers this way: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.“ Not so fast, say contributors to the Conservative Bible Project.

Jonathan Byrd will headline the latest Friends of the Bedford Public Library concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

VSA’s show is one of many going on this holiday season. Here are ten more events to keep an eye out for:

Here’s what December’s First Fridays has in store:

Theirs is a generation marked by frugality. It was a time when a single man could live on $40 a month—bread cost a nickel, a suit could be had for about $25 and a streetcar ride cost 7 cents.

Watching an auction by the 1974 World Champion Livestock Auctioneer Ralph Wade, Will Epperly decided on his future career — at the age of 5.

In November 1996 we adopted our mixed breed dog, Jazzy, from the Lynchburg Humane Society. We estimated that Jazzy was born on Aug. 17 and we’ve celebrated her birthday on this date ever since.

Two predictable periods in marriage appear to be times when couples need to communicate more and better.

Senior recital at SBC