Getting to the bottom of the train accident that almost blew up Verona
The Top 
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Ed Keenan once came within a few inches of blowing up half of Augusta County. He’s spent the past couple of years trying to figure out why.
“When the train started out that day, the licensed engineer didn’t know he was supposed to be supervising me, I didn’t know there was a car unloading propane at Dixie, and the conductor had been told by the operations manager, ‘The car is going to move from here to here, but I don’t want to know how it got there,’ ” said Keenan, a Churchville resident and former engineer trainee for the Shenandoah Valley Railroad who was involved in a minor train accident on Dec. 18, 2006, in the vicinity of U.S. 11 and the Augusta County Government Center in Verona. Read more
Tina Fey hatches hilarity in chick flick
Carly at the Movies column by Carl Larsen
As a big fan of TV’s whacky “30 Rock,” I expected great things from Tina Fey in her leading lady debut, “Baby Mama,” now playing at the Staunton Mall Cinemas. I wasn’t disappointed.
What last year’s over-ballyhooed “Knocked Up” could have been, “Baby Mama” is. And although not written by writer/actor Fey herself – that kudo goes to Michael McCullors – it’s full of all the charm and wit we’ve come to expect from any Tina Fey project. Read more
March for Babies
Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
The local March of Dimes is hosting the 2008 Augusta County March for Babies this weekend in Staunton.
Funds raised in conjunction with the event will be contributed to the worldwide March of Dimes event to prevent birth defects in newborns.
The fund-raiser will be held at the Gypsy Hill Park Bandstand on Saturday beginning at 9 a.m.
For more information about forming a team, volunteering, or sponsoring March for Babies, contact Sara Erasmi at 800.868.5894 or email serasmi@marchofdimes.com.
Blue Ridge Bells to play Disney
Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
The Staunton-based Blue Ridge Bells are getting ready for a pair of performances at DisneyWorld in Orlando, Fla., this weekend.
The 11-member youth handbell choir will perform at Disney’s Epcot American Adventure Rotunda and at the Florida Hospital Celebration Health event at Disney’s Celebration community on Saturday.
The choir is based at the C.F. Richards Jr. Academy in Staunton.
The choir has performed at the 2004 inaugural events for President Bush, America’s 400th Anniversary in Jamestown, the United Nations in New York City and at the Capitol Rotunda of Puerto Rico.
EMU celebrates commencement
Story by Jim Bishop
Partly-cloudy skies and pleasant temperatures provided a near-ideal backdrop Sunday for Eastern Mennonite University’s annual commencement exercises.
More than 3,500 family members and friends filled the front lawn of campus to celebrate the achievements of the 411 members of the EMU class of 2008.
President Loren Swartzendruber awarded 291 undergraduate, 89 graduate, 17 associate degrees and 14 study certificates during the ceremonies to cap the university’s 90th anniversary year. Cheers and applause erupted repeatedly and helium-filled balloons lofted skyward during the awarding of degrees. Read more
Defining the AG job
Story by Chris Graham
newdominion@ntelos.net
When we think the words attorney general, we think crime and justice.
We don’t think about the role that an attorney general plays in how government runs on a day-to-day basis.
Just because we don’t think about it doesn’t mean that it’s not an important part of the job. Read more
Long itching to get back on the field
Story by Chris Graham
sportsdom@ntelos.net
Chris Long is OK with the pomp and circumstance that goes with being a projected top-two or top-three pick in the NFL Draft.
I say that, and then I think, you know, that maybe he’s not.
“The only thing that’s taxing or annoying about it is that I’m not really able to get into a groove with my workouts. Other than that, you just kind of go with the flow. You know you’re going to have to show up at some team’s minicamp in two weeks, or maybe even less. Really, the sense of urgency to work out is really pretty high, but the opportunity to do it is not as good,” Long said by phone from New York City. Read more
