For seven years now, outdoor enthusiast Connie Henshaw has been dreaming of the day she would through-hike the Appalachian Trail after graduation from college in 2016.

But she was barely into her freshman year at Virginia Tech when a tragic turn of events upended her plans, and she pulled out of spring semester classes to hit the trail in March – three years early. > Read more.

Ryan Kovacik, a VCU student from Glen Allen, is one of five finalists selected by Dr Pepper to compete for $100,000 in tuition money prior to the SEC football championship game Dec. 1 in Atlanta. Kovacik submitted his video to DrPepper.com explaining why he deserved to win college tuition from the Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway.

“Dr Pepper is a longtime supporter of college football, and we are proud to have helped so many students reach their dreams by removing the burden of tuition through the annual Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway,” said Leslie Vesper, director of brand marketing for Dr Pepper. > Read more.

For the eighth consecutive year, Richmond International Raceway is partnering with the Central Virginia Foodbank and the Marine Toys for Tots program to collect food and toys through Dec. 14.

Donations can be made to both organizations at the Richmond International Raceway ticket office, located at the corner of Laburnum Avenue and Richmond-Henrico Turnpike (Meadowbridge Road). > Read more.

Housing sales are picking up in Henrico County, as they are across the greater Richmond real estate market, according to a Long & Foster market report.

Chesterfield, Henrico, Goochland and Hanover counties, in addition to the City of Richmond, experienced positive trends in home sales and median sale price compared to October of last year, while inventory continued to tighten throughout the entire Richmond region. > Read more.

The Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants (VSCPA), located in Innsbrook, recently was named one of the 2013 Best Places to Work in Virginia. The annual list of “Best Places to Work” was created by Virginia Business and Best Companies Group. The survey and award program was designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Virginia, benefiting the state's economy, its work force and businesses. VSCPA was honored in the small employer category, having fewer than 100 employees. The rankings of the 3rd annual Best Places to Work in Virginia will be unveiled and published in the February 2013 issue of Virginia Business. > Read more.