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
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.
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.
