Another down year for the ACC

The Best Seat in the House column by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

No, I wasn’t the guy who gave Virginia a first-place vote. So you can quelch that rumor right here and now.

Not that I think the Cavs are going to finish fifth in the Coastal Division of the ACC in 2008, either. In fact, I’m probably going to go down in history for what I said on yesterday’s “Online with Jim Bresnahan” when asked my pick for a surprise team in the ACC. Read more

Waynesboro pitcher among those honored by VBL

Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

Waynesboro righthander Jake Cowan was honored as one of the Valley League’s players of the week after throwing a complete-game three-hitter in a 5-2 win over Covington last week.

Cowan struck out 11 and walked four en route to the win. The UVa. product also picked up the win over Vienna in an exhibition game last week with an inning of relief in what turned out to a 1-0 Generals win.

Cowan is 3-1 in the Valley in 2008 with a 2.86 ERA and 33 Ks in 28 1/3 innings. Read more

An opening and a groundbreaking

Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

DuPont Community Credit Union celebrated the grand opening of a new office in Waynesboro and the groundbreaking at a site that will host a new office in Woodstock.

The new Waynesboro office is adjacent to the long-time office for the East Side of Waynesboro at 200 E. Broad St. The 7,300-square-foot facility combines the existing drive-up and ATM area into a new building as a connected structure.

Hours at the Riverside office are 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.

The new Woodstock location will be at 1025 Woodstock Common Drive. The 6,910-square-foot building is on schedule to be open in December, replacing the current DCCU office at 305 W. Court St. that opened in 2004.

McCain losing battle on Iraq withdrawal

Analysis by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

For all the posturing between Barack Obama and John McCain over what to do about Iraq, has either of them asked the American people what they want to see done?

Hint – McCain might want to begin this conversation sooner rather than later. Read more

Webcast: Obama reaching out to Latino voters

Listen to “The Augusta Free Press Show.”

[audio http://thenewdominion.podshowcreator.com/mediaserver/enclosureRedirect.mp3?item_id=1EA5FAC6A88048EB9209A8EFDF66B5B9] 

Congressman Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., joins us today via conference call to talk about the Barack Obama campaign’s efforts to reach out to Latino voters through the release of a new Spanish-language radio ad that will begin airing this week.

Hear Becerra talk about the outreach effort and hear the minute-long ad – then hear from AFP editor Chris Graham with analysis of poll data showing Obama’s political strength in the Latino community.

Show Length: 6:11

Winners and Losers: July 23, 2008

Compiled by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

WINNER: Jim Sacco at the NV is givin’ ‘em hell at Fort

I’m just adding my voice on this to the work that Jim Sacco has been doing to give the Fort Defiance High School administration hell for the way it handled the recent dismissal of beloved wrestling coach Terry Waters.

Seems to me that when you say you have something that you can make public that will explain why you’re letting a guy go, then you’d better have something to back that up when the time is appropriate. Otherwise you’re giving too room for rumor and innuendo to ruin a person’s reputation.

It’s time for the Augusta County School Board to hold its administrators accountable for their actions here.

FDHS principal Larry Landes famously said during this episode that his school was “not a democracy.” As Sacco rightly points out, it is taxpayer-funded, and since we’re paying the freight for Landes and the athletics department at the high school, we deserve more than we’re getting here, which is nothing right now.

  Read more

Credit union reports strong second quarter

Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

The DuPont Community Credit Union reported a 2.97 percent increase in total loans outstanding and a growth in its bottom-line equity in the second quarter of 2008.

Real-estate loans were up 11.5 percent in the quarter, significant in the face of the ongoing home-market crisis.

The amount of total loans in the second quarter of ‘08 was $489 million. Of that total, $29.3 million were in real-estate loans.

The credit union’s equity for the quarter was $63 million.

DCCU also reported the addition of 512 new members during the quarte, putting the number of members overall at 53,923.

Fine Virginia wine

Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

An Albemarle County winery will hold a special opening on Aug. 2 and Aug. 3 to introduce itself to the Virginia wine community.

Virginia Wineworks has set up shop at the former Montdomaine winery 12 miles south of Charlottesville. Partners Michael Shaps and Philip Stafford will offer complimentary tastings at the open house in August, which runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

Visitors can also engage Shaps in one-on-one discussions on the art of winemaking, tour the facility and take part in special demonstrations from the Charlottesville Cooking School.

For more information, go online at www.michaelshapswines.com.

No smoke, no fire

Fear and Loathing in Waynesboro column by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

How many of you are going to be surprised when you hear that I checked into today’s called and then canceled closed meeting to interview prospective candidates for the vacant city-attorney position to see if there was anything funny going on?

I hope none, by this point.

I made a couple of calls, and nope, nothing untoward, just business. Read more

Why have gas prices gone through the roof?

Column by Sam Rasoul

Those big signs at gas stations along every major road in the Sixth District shout our dilemma. We can’t afford to drive the vehicles we own. In a few short months, gas prices have destroyed the family budget and now threaten our entire economic health.

Over the past few weeks in parades, at fairs, and on doorsteps, I have heard the same concern: the price of gas. We are in a crisis, and families need help today.

What happened? And will things get better or worse? First, let’s talk about why the price escalated. Read more

Luray, Waynesboro in national top 10

Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

The streaking Luray Wranglers have moved up to #3 in the Summer 16 rankings of summer college-baseball teams, and the just-as-hot Waynesboro Generals are not far behind.

The Wranglers have won six in a row, including a win over last week’s top-ranked team in the country, the Vienna Senators of the Clark Griffith League. Luray is 28-10 heading into the final week of the Valley League regular season and have a five-game lead over Fauquier in the Northern Division.

Waynesboro also beat Vienna in an exhibition game last week and has won seven of its last nine to sit at 27-12 with a four and a half-game lead over Staunton in the Southern Division.

EMU taking part in Private College Week

Item by Jim Bishop

Eastern Mennonite University is among 25 schools in the Old Dominion taking part in Virginia Private College Week, July 28-Aug. 2, sponsored by the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia.

Rising juniors and seniors in high school – and their families – may choose to visit just one or two colleges that interest them. However, those who visit at least three during the week will receive three application fee waivers. Students may redeem these waivers in applying to any CICV-member college. Read more

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