Welcome to Virginia Tech's News Features page. Here you can preview and/or download Virginia Tech's News Features programs for use as you see fit. The programs below were distributed in December 2002. You need QuickTime 4.0 or higher to preview these audio tracks.

Archived News Features are located here.

1. “Holiday Decoration Safety” (Diane Relf/Extension Horticulture) with reporter Karen Cronin [0:56] BEFORE YOU COPY THAT BEAUTIFUL HOLIDAY DECORATING IDEA FROM A MAGAZINE, BE SURE THE DECORATION WILL BE SAFE, AS WE HEAR IN THIS REPORT FROM VIRGINIA TECH. PC version. Mac version. Wav version.

2.“Holiday Decoration Safety: Festive Fireplace” (Diane Relf/Extension Horticulture) with reporter Karen Cronin [0:56] MOST EVERYONE KNOWS THAT FIRES AND DRIED PINE TREES ARE A LETHAL COMBINATION. IN THIS REPORT FROM VIRGINIA TECH, WE HEAR THAT ALL PLANT MATERIAL MIGHT BURN. PC version. Mac version. Wav version.

3. “Holiday Safety: Tree Lights” (Diane Relf/Extension Horticulture) with reporter Karen Cronin [0:48] IT ONLY TAKES A SPARK TO GET A HOUSE FIRE GOING; BUT A FEW PRECAUTIONS CAN LESSEN THE POSSIBILITY OF TRAGEDY. MORE IN THIS REPORT FROM VIRGINIA TECH. PC version. Mac version. Wav version.

4. “Holiday Safety: Secure Your Tree!” (Diane Relf/Extension Horticulture) with reporter Karen Cronin [0:44] A TOPPLED CHRISTMAS TREE CAN BE MORE THAN JUST A BIG MESS—SOMEONE CAN GET HURT. WE HEAR HOW TO AVOID THE PROBLEM IN THIS REPORT FROM VIRGINIA TECH. PC version. Mac version. Wav version.

5. “Holiday Safety: Dangerous Plants” (Diane Relf/Extension Horticulture) with reporter Karen Cronin [0:57] YOUR HOLIDAY SAFETY CHECK LIST SHOULD INCLUDE WATCHING FOR HAZARDOUS PLANTS. MORE IN THIS REPORT FROM VIRGINIA TECH. PC version. Mac version. Wav version.

6. “Making the Holiday More Meaningful” (Celia Hayhoe/Extension Family Resource Management) with reporter Gabrielle Amos [0:52] TIME SPENT WITH YOUR FAMILY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON IS THE BEST GIFT OF ALL, ACCORDING TO A VIRGINIA TECH SPECIALIST. PC version. Mac version. Wav version.

7. “Holiday Budgeting is a Year-long Proposition” (Celia Hayhoe/Extension Family Resource Mgt.) with reporter Gabrielle Amos [0:50] PROPER PLANNING IS THE KEY TO STAYING WITHIN YOUR HOLIDAY SPENDING BUDGET, ACCORDING TO A VIRGINIA TECH SPECIALIST. AND THE BEST TIME TO START IS THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. PC version. Mac version. Wav version.

8. “Gifts that Add Meaning” (Melissa Chase/Extension Consumer Education) with reporter Gabrielle Amos [0:51] SOMETIMES THE BEST GIFTS ARE THE ONES YOU MAKE YOURSELF. A VIRGINIA TECH EXPERT TELLS WHY A REMEMBRANCE BOOK CAN BE SO SPECIAL. PC version. Mac version. Wav version.

9. “Affordable ‘Theme’ Gifts for the Holidays” (Melissa Chase/Extension Consumer Education) with reporter Gabrielle Amos [0:53] BY PUTTING SOME THOUGHT AND TIME INTO YOUR GIFTS, YOU CAN SAVE MONEY AND GIVE SOMETHING UNIQUE AND PERSONAL. MORE FROM VIRGINIA TECH. PC version. Mac version. Wav version.

10. “Giving a Gift of Your Time and Talent” (Melissa Chase/Extension Consumer Education) with reporter Gabrielle Amos [0:45] IF YOU’RE HAVING TROUBLE COMING UP WITH A GOOD GIFT IDEA, THE ANSWER MAY BE CLOSER THAN YOU THINK. MORE IN THIS REPORT FROM VIRGINIA TECH. PC version. Mac version. Wav version.

11. “Fresh Christmas Trees” (John Trobaugh/Forestry/Cooperative Extension) with reporter Paul Lancaster [0:49] BUYING A CUT CHRISTMAS TREE SITTING IN A PARKING LOT? A VIRGINIA TECH EXPERT SAYS YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE IT’S FRESH. PC version. Mac version. Wav version.

12. “Christmas Trees and the Drought” (John Trobaugh/Forestry/Cooperative Extension) with reporter Paul Lancaster [0:51] A VIRGINIA TECH EXPERT SAYS HE DOESN'T EXPECT THE ONGOING DROUGHT TO HAVE MUCH EFFECT ON THIS YEAR'S CROP OF VIRGINIA CHRISTMAS TREES. PC version. Mac version. Wav version.

13. “This Year's Christmas Tree Crop” (John Trobaugh/Forestry/Cooperative Extension) with reporter Paul Lancaster [0:48] A HARD FREEZE THIS SPRING MAY HAVE BEEN MORE OF A PROBLEM FOR STATE CHRISTMAS TREE GROWERS THAN THE DROUGHT. MORE FROM VIRGINIA TECH. PC version. Mac version. Wav version.

14. “Stonewall's Book of Maxims” (James Robertson, Jr./Alumni Distinguished Professor of History) with reporter Paul Lancaster [1:18] A BRILLIANT MILITARY LEADER TURNED TO A LITTLE BOOK OF SAYINGS TO GUIDE HIM IN LIFE. MORE FROM VIRGINIA TECH. PC version. Mac version. Wav version.

15. “Stonewall's Sayings” (James Robertson, Jr./Alumni Distinguished Professor of History) with reporter Paul Lancaster [0:50] ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST BRILLIANT MILITARY LEADERS TURNED TO A BOOK OF SAYINGS TO HELP HIM THROUGH NON-MILITARY LIFE. MORE FROM VIRGINIA TECH. PC version. Mac version. Wav version.