Fa-a-a-a-t

Stop the Presses column by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

I haven’t been eating out as much lately. Which is to say, I haven’t been eating out for lunch and dinner four or five days a week.

And yes, I realize that this is contributing to the economic downturn that we’ve been dealing with here lately. And I apologize for that.

I had to do it, though. Because I had an epiphany not too long ago.

The epiphany: “I’m getting fa-a-a-a-t.” Read more

Wedding bell blues? Possibly, but frayed knot

Column by Jim Bishop

“How the time flies,

When I’m near you …”

- Jerry Wallace ( 1958 )

Time munches on … and sure gives you a lot to chew on.

That reality smacked up against my head again the other week as my good wife and I greeted another milepost on the superhighway of life. Read more

Moore going for double play

Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

Fresh off his triumph in the Telluride Troubadour competition in June, Nathan Moore has another Colorado festival title on the agenda.

The Staunton native is one of 10 finalists in the Folks Fest Songwriting Showcase set for Aug. 15. Moore will be competing with talented artists including the legendary Greg Brown and singer-songwriter Jakob Dylan.

Moore is trying to pull off a never-before-accomplished feat. No one has ever won both the Telluride and Folks Fest title in the same year.

Moore’s appearance at Folks Fest will come during his tour of the Southwest that begins next week.

For more on Moore’s doings, go to www.nathanmoore.org on the web.

Harrisonburg adds to marketing arsenal

Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

A print brochure and online resource giving tourists information about the Harrisonburg Arts and Cultural District is now available.

The city tourism office and the Harrisonburg-based Arts Council of the Valley cooperated on the marketing effort, which will include the distribution of 10,000 print brochures. Read more

Where do Obama, McCain rank on environmental issues?

Earth Talk
From the editors of E/The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: What are the major environmental issues that our next president, be it Obama or McCain, will have to confront?
- Melinda Barnes, via e-mail

Global warming is unquestionably the most pressing environmental issue facing whoever ends up in the White House in January 2009. Not only does climate change impact — and in most cases exacerbate — other environmental problems, it has even wider implications for the economy and society at large. Luckily for all of us, both Barack Obama and John McCain are committed to tackling climate change, although their proposed approaches differ in significant ways. Read more

Catching schoolers

Formulas for Fishing Success column by Jay Yelas

It might be summertime, but did you know that bass have already gone back to school? Back to schools of baitfish, that is. That’s because there are huge clouds of baitfish everywhere. The baitfish that hatched earlier in the year are now the ideal size for bass forage. And sometimes during the day, bass will tear through these schools devouring as many as they can. When bass are targeting schools of baitfish like this, they can make easy targets for anglers. Read more

Fallout from Kaine-for-VP talk

Analysis by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

Tim Kaine is vice president, and Scott Sayre is your 24th District state senator.

Think I’m reaching there? Let me take you where I am with this far-reaching scenario that’s been running through my head the past couple of days. Thinking things through, with Kaine as VP, Bill Bolling becomes governor, and as University of Virginia political-science professor Larry Sabato offered in a Crystal Ball column this week, and Christopher Newport University professor Quentin Kidd seconded in a conversation with me on Wednesday, Bolling ends up being the ‘09 Republican Party gubernatorial nominee as part of the gentleman’s agreement that Bolling and Attorney General Bob McDonnell entered into earlier this year. Read more

Political quandary

A View from the Right column by Mike Hodge

I have an important question to pose to you, but first an observation. You’ve heard all the hoopla about Tim Kaine being Barack Obama’s VP. I wanted to tell you why this is a good thing for Valley Republicans.

Bill Bolling running for governor and Bob McDonnell running for attorney general means there is an open slot, lieutenant governor. Who better to fill that slot then our own state senator, Emmett Hanger? The senator has already expressed interest in running for LG. He had been ready to run next year if Bolling had not annouced he was running for re-election. He’s made no secret that he has ambitions for a statewide office. Read more

Webcast: SCH’s Hank Bostwick talks local politics

Listen to “The Augusta Free Press Show.”

[audio http://thenewdominion.podshowcreator.com/mediaserver/enclosureRedirect.mp3?item_id=3812F3DBAB344F4C8428AEC936304476] 

Star City Harbinger editor Hank Bostwick joins us today to talk Fifth District and Sixth District politics.

The topics of discussion include recent action in Congress aimed at providing relief to homeowners, energy and fuel issues, religious issues particular to the Sixth District race and Sam Rasoul’s dodge of a foreign-policy question.

Show Length: 18:29

Once again, the best state for business

Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

And the blowhards are trying to say that Virginia would be better off without Tim Kaine …

Forbes.com has once again named Virginia as its “Best State for Business.” It was the third consecutive annual recognition for the Commonwealth by the folks at Forbes, all three on the watch of Kaine, who was inaugurated as governor in January 2006. Read more

Message on speculation starting to sink in

Analysis by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

We were getting it even before we heard that Exxon-Mobil was reporting a record second-quarter profit.

Recent polling done by Rasmussen Reports and AAA Mid-Atlantic shows that Americans think that we should focus our efforts on excessive futures-market speculation as we approach solutions to high prices at the pump. Forty-seven percent of respondents to the AAA poll listed commodity speculators as the answer to the question, “Who’s to blame for high gas prices?” Respondents to the AAA poll were able to provide up to three answers. Congress preventing more domestic drilling was the second most-popular answer at 40 percent. Read more

Friday night at Stone Soup

Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

Mary Binda and Gary Randal are playing the Friday-night gig at Stone Soup Books and Cafe in Downtown Waynesboro this week.

The show starts at 6 p.m.

There is no cover charge. Space is limited, so it is recommended that you call for seating availability.

For more information, call 540.943.0084 or go online at www.stonesoupbooks.net.

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