More than 15,000 Loudouners are without power at this time following a massive thunderstorm that barreled through the county after 3 p.m. today.

With their feet keeping beat to the piano processional, a crowd entered the Stone Bridge auditorium to a sea of applause. Dressed in identical blue robes with yellow tassels, the students ranged from teenagers with facial piercings to an adult with a gray five o'clock shadow. Despite the differences, they all proudly walked together, apart of something many of them never thought they'd experience: they were graduating.

The Loudoun Times-Mirror on June 7 awarded 28 high school students with Athletes of the Year awards during the inaugural banquet.

This week's headlines include: Caretaker pleads guilty, bond revoked || Local races uncontested this fall || The Rapp for June 13 || The pasture-powered network || Town weighs menu for B&B dinners || Editorial: It’s about time || and more . . .

A Hamilton man on June 1 won $1,000 for life in the Virginia Lottery.

By Tuesday night’s deadline, the Rappahannock County Registrar of Voters had received petitions for just one candidate for each of the supervisor and school board positions up for grabs this November.

Get into SNP for free this weekend, sign up for summer camps, meet the director of "Copperhead," attend a bee forum and learn how valuable those busy little insects are, audition for RAAC's new play and join the First Friday festivities at Laurel Mills in this week's Rapp column.

On June 10, six Loudoun County high schools held their graduations, the last ones of this academic year.

Fifty years . . . a half century . . . that’s a long time! Any half-century anniversary – marking the passage of such a big chunk of time – sparks big questions, even for once-inattentive high school history students.

Grand Knight Bill Jarrett (left) and St. Peter’s Catholic Church pastor Father Christopher Murphy present the "Outstanding Young Man and Woman" awards.