Melos "Mel" Ambaye

My Work

Voice of America •

At least 100 killed in RSF attack on Sudanese village

A recent attack by Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces on Wad al-Noura village has killed at least 100 people and injured dozens, according to regional officials.
Social media posts by Darfur Governor Mini Arko Minawi say women, children and the elderly were among victims of the attack, the latest in ongoing clashes between RSF fighters and the country's regular army over the past 14 months. The grassroots Madani Resistance Committee, a pro-democracy organization that monitors attacks in t...
Voice of America •

NASA unveils catalog of 126 exoplanets

A new NASA paper on exoplanets catalogs 126 confirmed and candidate exoplanets beyond our solar system, including some that could possibly support life.
The catalog, published May 23 by NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) with the W. M. Keck Observatory, measured the masses of 126 planet candidates. The scientists used the radial velocity method, which detects the "wobble" in a star caused by the planet's movement around it.
NASA program scientist Hannah Jang-Condell said the cat...
Voice of America •

Delhi sees year’s first heat wave death

Delhi recorded its first heat-related fatality of the year after a 40-year-old laborer died of heatstroke, according to local media reports Thursday.
India declared a severe heat wave as temperatures in New Delhi reached a high of 52.3 degrees Celsius (126.3 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, marking the second day of the nation’s record-high heat.
Delhi’s lieutenant governor asked the government on Wednesday to take measures to protect laborers, including providing water and shaded areas and offering...
Voice of America •

WHO: Climate change could increase spread of diseases

The World Health Organization says “urgent action” is needed to research how climate change is affecting malaria and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
Rising temperatures are changing how vector-borne diseases – diseases spread by the bite of infected insects – are spread, the WHO said in a press release last week.
Climate change expands the geographic range of vectors like mosquitos, increasing the likelihood that diseases like malaria will spread to new, unprepared areas, it added.
The healt...
Voice of America •

Many master's degrees aren't worth the investment, research shows

Nearly half of master's degrees have a negative financial return, according to new research by the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, an economic research organization.
The study indicates that many graduate degree programs do not increase lifetime earnings enough to be worth it.
While 23% of bachelor’s degree programs yield a negative financial return on investment, 43% of two-year degrees and master’s degrees fail to deliver a return, according to the study by Preston Cooper, a seni...
Voice of America •

Police arrest 33 at George Washington University protest encampment

Police in Washington cleared a pro-Palestinian protest encampment at George Washington University early Wednesday, arresting 33 people, authorities said.
Arrests were made on charges of assault on a police officer and unlawful entry, the District of Columbia's Metropolitan Police Department said.
A congressional committee canceled a hearing on the university encampment Wednesday. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Washington Police Chief Pamela Smith had been scheduled to testify about the city’s hand...
Rockbridge Report - Since 1985 •

Big decisions for local voters in November’s election - Rockbridge Report

By Melos Ambaye
Lexington voters will face several big decisions in the fall: Do they keep Frank Friedman as mayor? Do they re-elect two city council members who say they’re running? And who will they choose as they vote for school board members for the first time?
The position of mayor and three of six city council seats are up for grabs in the Nov. 5 election.
City Council Members Leslie Straughan and Marilyn Alexander, who is also vice mayor, said they plan to file their official intentions t...
Rockbridge Report - Since 1985 •

Nelson Street business owner starts new social media campaign to attract customers - Rockbridge Report

By Melos Ambaye
Some Lexington business owners on Nelson Street say they welcome a new social media campaign that’s trying to attract more customers.
Sheila Glaeser, owner of used clothing store Violett Consignment, started a Facebook account in February after she was fired on Jan. 31 from Main Street Lexington, a nonprofit organization that promotes downtown businesses.
She said she was fired from her social media coordinator position after she moved her consignment store into a larger space.
“...
Rockbridge Report - Since 1985 •

Lexington Public Works wants to repave McCrum’s Parking Lot - Rockbridge Report

By Melos Ambaye  
McCrum’s Parking Lot in downtown Lexington is about to get a facelift—at least part of it. 
The city Public Works Department is asking city council to approve $100,000 to resurface an area that contains 36 of the lot’s 75 parking spaces.  
Patrick Madigan, director of Public Works, said city officials will ask individual property owners to kick in money to pay to repair the remaining 39 spots.  
McCrum’s Lot, located on South Jefferson Street, provides parking behind businesses...
Rockbridge Report - Since 1985 •

Lexington pet store offers pairs of nocturnal, flying ‘sugar gliders’ … if you are qualified - Rockbridge Report

By Melos Ambaye
The nocturnal sugar gliders are messy, noisy and need attention. Buyers must be willing to purchase at least two of the animals at a time. An employee at Lexington Pet Place says it will probably take a year before they find suitable homes for the 10 remaining gliders.

By Melos Ambaye

The nocturnal sugar gliders are messy, noisy and need attention. Buyers must be willing to purchase at least two of the animals at a time. An employee at Lexington Pet Place says it will probably...
Rockbridge Report - Since 1985 •

Seasons’ Yield moving to new downtown location - Rockbridge Report

By Melos Ambaye
Seasons’ Yield owner Daniel Shear says he will be leaving Haywood’s to co-own a space with Rockbridge Barbell owner Red Dowdell. The owners say the new location on Main St. in Lexington provides a larger space for them to expand their services and reach more customers. The new owners say soundproof walls wills separate the two adjoining businesses.

By Melos Ambaye

Seasons’ Yield owner Daniel Shear says he will be leaving Haywood’s to co-own a space with Rockbridge Barbell owner...
Rockbridge Report - Since 1985 •

Lexington local business grapples with higher food prices - Rockbridge Report

By Melos Ambaye
Old Lexington Mercantile owners Heather and Lee Davis say they can’t continue to absorb the increases in food costs. They say they can’t afford products that they used to buy only a few months ago. But they say loyal customers tell them they don’t mind paying a little more to support a local business.

By Melos Ambaye

Old Lexington Mercantile owners Heather and Lee Davis say they can’t continue to absorb the increases in food costs. They say they can’t afford products that they...
Rockbridge Report - Since 1985 •

City Council likely to decide this spring whether to renovate City Hall - Rockbridge Report

By Melos Ambaye and Ruby Gregg
Lexington City Hall is outdated and falling apart, and officials say a renovation cannot be put off any longer.
Mayor Frank Friedman said city council will likely decide in May whether it wants to spend over $6 million to renovate the building.
The building has several issues: The elevator doesn’t work. The windows in several rooms don’t close. The electrical fuses are unsafe and shock anyone who messes with them. The roof has visible water damage. The fire escapes...
Rockbridge Report - Since 1985 •

City officials say Lexington has more parking than people think - Rockbridge Report

By Melos Ambaye
Business owners and city officials say misconceptions about a lack of parking keep people away from downtown Lexington. At least one business owner says the city could help businesses if it did a better job of telling people about the parking that is available downtown. There is free parking in open-air lots and a garage next to the courthouse.

By Melos Ambaye

Business owners and city officials say misconceptions about a lack of parking keep people away from downtown Lexington....
Rockbridge Report - Since 1985 •

Local businesses shake up downtown Lexington locations - Rockbridge Report

By Melos Ambaye
Businesses in downtown Lexington are swapping places. The former Grand furniture store at the corner of South Main and Washington Streets has two new tenants. Other stores are expanding into new locations. It’s not just one or two swaps. Officials say there are about a dozen store location changes downtown.

By Melos Ambaye

Businesses in downtown Lexington are swapping places. The former Grand furniture store at the corner of South Main and Washington Streets has two new tenants...
Rockbridge Report - Since 1985 •

Local Starbucks ‘unprepared’ for opening says more staff and other changes will improve service - Rockbridge Report

By Mel Ambaye
Lexington Starbucks store manager Bobbie Smith says she told her district manager that her store was unprepared for the demand of opening last September, but he did not believe her. The store’s long wait times and lack of available menu items have elicited complaints on social media.

By Mel Ambaye

Lexington Starbucks store manager Bobbie Smith says she told her district manager that her store was unprepared for the demand of opening last September, but he did not believe her. The...
The Ring-tum Phi •

Mike Pence talks presidential prospects, Trump in campus speech

The former vice president participated in an interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier for 2024’s Mock Convention

Former Vice President Mike Pence revealed during a campus visit that he’ll announce whether he’s running for president before summer.
Pence addressed students at Washington and Lee on March 21 for Mock Convention’s Spring Kickoff Event.

The event included a speech from Pence and a moderated discussion between the former vice president and Bret Baier, chief political anchor for Fox...

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