Gustav: How you can help

Got information for us to include on this page? Email us at freepress@ntelos.net.

Local dropoff centers for donations:
- Augusta Free Press, 539 W. Main St., Waynesboro, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Waynesboro Democratic Committee Headquarters, 801-C W. Broad St., Willow Oak Plaza, 5-7 p.m.

Local efforts

- AFP, New Dominion, local Democratic Committee team up to help Gulf Coast
- Virginia responds to Hurricane Gustav
- Kaine activates Emergency Management Assistance Compact

National relief organizations

- American Red Cross

Helpful links

- National Weather Service
- FEMA

Looking back: AFP publisher visits Gulf Coast after Katrina

By Crystal Graham
freepress@ntelos.net

Three years ago, I visited Long Beach, Miss., to learn more about what Valley volunteers were doing to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. A local group, The Valley Responds, was regularly sending volunteers to rebuild the region.

I will never forget what I saw, both in terms of the devastation and the will and resolve of the people that I met there to rebuild. I am just hoping and praying that they don’t have to endure this a second time.

Part one: Impressions of Long Beach (10.31.05)
Part two: A Halloween to remember (11.01.05)
Part three: Rebuilding their homes, lives (11.02.05)
Part four: Life is an adventure (11.03.05)
Part five: The healing power of God (11.04.05)
Part six: Valley responds … or not (11.07.05)

With Gustav headed in the direction of the Gulf Coast again, my thoughts went back to the families that I met on my trip.

By now, their lives are likely back to a regular pace - with ballfields and schools and churches rebuilt. I’m sure, for most, the normalcy made them put Katrina out of their minds - that is, until news of Gustav hit the airwaves a few days ago. With Gustav, experts warn this could be the storm of the century.

My thoughts are with the people I met in Long Beach and Pass Christian - like Stella Wolf, who as a healthcare worker rode out the storm with her husband, and Elizabeth Fortenberry, who was operating a school out of a makeshift facility, and the Kimble family, whose home was intact but not liveable after the storm. And I will never forget Marsha and Corri Allen who tried their best to find a silver lining knowing everything they had - except each other - was gone.

It is hard to imagine that these same families have likely fled again … and don’t know what they will come home to.

As a journalist, we are told to be impartial in news stories. And yet, as a person, I came home to the Valley deeply impacted by my trip to Long Beach. The stories were real and the devastation was unimaginable.

As the publisher of Augusta Free Press, we make it our mission to invoke action whenever possible in making our community and the world a better place to live. Please join us in our mission to do what we can to help our friends on the Gulf Coast.

Gustav: AFP, New Dominion, local Democratic Committee team up to help Gulf Coast

Staff Report

How you can help

The Augusta Free Press, The New Dominion and the Waynesboro Democratic Committee are teaming up in an effort to collect items and funds to distribute to the Gulf Coast region in the wake of Hurricane Gustav.

The Augusta Free Press Publishing office at 539 W. Main St. and the Waynesboro Democratic Committee office at 801 W. Broad St. in Willow Oak Plaza will serve as local collection centers. Local residents who want to drop off items or funds can do so at the AFP office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and at the Democratic Committee office from 5-7 p.m.

“Augusta Free Press Publishing will work with local agencies to make sure that items and monies get to people in the Gulf Coast region,” AFP publisher Crystal Graham said in a statement.

“We want to mobilize the local community to assist in every way possible so that help can get there as quickly as possible,” AFP editor and Waynesboro Democratic Committee chair Chris Graham said.

Gustav, a Category 3 hurricane, is on a path to hit the Gulf Coast west of New Orleans on Monday. It was three years ago this week that New Orleans was dealt a massive blow by Hurricane Katrina, a Category 3 storm that caused billions of dollars in damage and killing more than 1,100 people in New Orleans and 1,800 people all told.

“The relief agencies are saying that the primary need right now is for monetary donations,” Crystal Graham said. The AFP will be in contact with local agencies to get an idea of the need for daily-living items as it becomes clear what those needs might be in the next couple of days.

Crystal Graham visited the Gulf Coast region after Katrina in conjunction with a Valley-based relief effort and saw firsthand the devastation that the killer storm left behind.

“I will never forget what I saw, both in terms of the devastation and the will and resolve of the people that I met there to rebuild,” Graham said. “I am just hoping and praying that they don’t have to endure this a second time.”

College Basketball: UVa. falls in Canadian finale, 88-83

Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

UVa. basketball’s trip to Canada ended on a bit of a downer with an 88-83 loss to McGill University on Sunday.

The Cavs had won the first two games of its weekend set against St. Lawrence College (107-60 on Friday) and Concordia (85-70 on Saturday).

McGill, which played defending national champion Kansas tough before losing 72-67 on Saturday, had to rally to knock off Virginia on Sunday, outscoring the ‘Hoos 13-3 in the final 3:02 after trailing 80-75.

Calvin Baker and Jeff Jones each scored 18 points to lead UVa., which trailed by as many as 13 points in the first half before rallying to take a 48-45 lead into the break. Sammy Zeglinski scored 11 points, and Jerome Meyinsse added 10 points.

“Any time you compete, the object is to win,” UVa. coach Dave Leitao said. “McGill played well, and I congratulate them on the victory. Over this weekend we’d obviously rather win than lose, but in the case of this trip, I probably coached a little differently. I was coaching to get better as a team and to find some things out. As a result of this game, we can identify areas we need to work on, and when we get started in October work on those areas to be sure by the time we get to the season we’ve shored those things up.”

College Football: USC dominates Virginia, 52-7

Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

Third-ranked Southern Cal scored on its first four possessions and was never really challenged in a 52-7 win at Virginia this evening in Charlottesville.

Quarterback Mark Sanchez had a career day, completing 26 of his 35 pass attempts for 338 yards and three touchdowns three weeks after injuring his left kneecap in practice. The Trojans outgained Virginia by a 558 yards-to-187 yards margin on the day.

Sophomore Peter Lalich completed 18 of his 35 pass attempts for 155 yards in his first career start. Lalich, who won a three-man quarterback battle to get the starting nod, also threw an interception and lost two fumbles in the second half.

Read more

Live Blog: College Football Saturday

Moderated by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

The Augusta Free Press will be live at Scott Stadium for today’s game between third-ranked Southern Cal and the University of Virginia.

Join us today as we count down to kickoff - to talk about the game between the Trojans and the Cavs, the game kicking off at noon between 17th-ranked Virginia Tech and East Carolina and the day’s other action.

Join the discussion below.

White House ‘08: Watch the Obama speech

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv8eiDvrHJ4]

High School Football: Turnovers, sloppy play plague WHS

Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

Schuyler Wilkerson scored four touchdowns, three in the first half, and Waynesboro could never get things going on offense in a 39-6 Western Albemarle romp Friday night.

The Little Giants (0-2) committed three first-quarter turnovers that led to Warriors touchdowns. Chet Berry’s first pass of the game was intercepted at the Western 33 by junior Taylor Pond, setting up the first of Wilkerson’s scores from 15 yards out a minute and a half into the game. Following a Waynesboro punt and a Western Albemarle turnover on downs, Matt Foley intercepted another Berry pass, setting up a Wilkerson five-yard run that made it 12-0 Western (1-1) with 2:20 to go in the opening quarter.

A Justin Clark fumble was cashed into points on a 16-yard run by Wilkerson that pushed the lead to 20-0 when Stephen Schuyler put in the two-point conversion.

Waynesboro got its only points of the night on an 18-yard fourth-quarter interception return by senior linebacker Erick Loya.

The Little Giants had 44 yards of total offense, and just 10 yards of offense in the second half.

***

Other Finals

- R.E. Lee 52, Alleghany 7
- Stuarts Draft 48, Wilson Memorial 13
- Buffalo Gap 25, Bath County 7
- Jefferson Forest 40, Rockbridge County 6

Earth Talk: Are some solar panels better than others?

Earth Talk
From the editors of E/The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: I am considering solar panels for my roof to provide heat for my hot water and possibly to do more than that. Are there some kinds of solar panels that are better than others? How do I find a knowledgeable installer?
- Elise, Watertown, Mass.

What type of solar energy capture system you put on your home depends on your needs. If you want to go full tilt and generate usable electricity from your home’s rooftop — and even possibly contribute power back to the larger grid — tried and true photovoltaic arrays might be just the ticket. A typical installation involves the panels, which are constructed of many individual silicon-based photovoltaic cells and their support structures, along with an inverter, electrical conduit piping and AC/DC disconnect switches.

These systems can cost tens of thousands of dollars to install, and as such may not pencil out for those looking for the cheapest power solution. But the upside is that homeowners with photovoltaic panels on their rooftops can rest assured that as long as the sun shines, they will have power to spare without generating emissions of carbon dioxide and other noxious pollutants.

Qualified solar installers can usually advise clients on which specific types of systems will work best given the specific location of a home. U.S. homeowners can find qualified photovoltaic installers via the website FindSolar.com. And the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) provides a free searchable database of its U.S. and Canadian members specializing in home solar setups.

For less demanding applications, such as for heating water for your home or swimming pool, a much simpler (and less expensive) solar thermal system might be all you need. A basic hot water system usually consists of a solar collector — basically a small metal box with a glass or plastic cover and a black copper or aluminum absorber plate inside — tied into the building’s plumbing and electrical works. According to the industry tracker website Solarbuzz, such solar collectors are usually mounted on rooftops.

Professional installers can get your home up and running with a solar thermal system for less than $4,000 in most cases. While the savings in your electric bill may be small, homeowners in it for the long haul will definitely save over time, all the while enjoying the fact that you have lowered your family’s carbon footprint significantly.

Homeowners looking to find out more about residential solar systems should be sure to check out the RealGoods Solar Living Sourcebook, a 600+ page renewable energy “bible” now in its 30th edition. The book features the latest nuts-and-bolts information on how to harvest renewable energy in a variety of ways depending on need. And RealGoods also sells much if not all of the equipment needed.

Another reason to consider going solar in one fashion or another is tax incentives. According to the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE), 17 states now offer homeowners some kind of tax rebate or incentive for the purchase and/or installation of solar power equipment of any kind. You can see what if any your state offers by logging onto the dsireusa.org website, where the searchable database is available in its entirety for free.

CONTACTS: Solarbuzz, www.solarbuzz.com; FindSolar.com, www.findsolar.com; NABCEP, www.nabcep.org; RealGoods, www.realgoods.com; DSIRE, www.dsireusa.org.

GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php.

Harrisonburg: Seminary opens with perspective on religion’s role in today’s society

Story by Laura Lehman Amstutz

“Seminary is a place where we can discover the meaning of God’s action in the world and respond with all the energy with which God infuses us,” said Eastern Mennonite Seminary Dean Ervin R. Stutzman at an opening convocation on Tuesday in Martin Chapel at the seminary.

Dr. Stutzman based his address, entitled “Living into God’s Grand Purpose,” on Romans 8:28-39. He encouraged students “to continue to seek and live God’s grand purpose for the world, even in the midst of hardship.

“The apostle Paul lived with a strong sense of being chosen by God, of being called into alignment with God’s sovereign purpose,” said Stutzman.

“Especially in difficult times, God’s purpose may be shrouded in mystery and seemingly impossible to discern or comprehend,” he continued. “Yet, we can rest assured that God is always at work for the good, in keeping with God’s grand purpose in the world.”

As is his custom, Stutzman included in his address the seminary purpose statement. However, he told the assembly that this may be one of the last times that statement is heard in its current form.

“This purpose statement has served us well,” said Stutzman. “But we are in the process of writing a new one.” He went on to say that the new purpose statement will reflect the new curriculum that seminary faculty will adopt in the next few weeks. The new curriculum will take effect next year and include new courses like “Formation in God’s Story.”

About 25 new students joined the nearly 70 returning students at EMS for convocation and the first day of classes Aug. 26.

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