Parkway: Happy 75th!
Staff Report
News tips: freepress2@ntelos.net
The Blue Ridge Parkway’s 75th Anniversary is officially here with the advent of 2010. Construction of the 469-mile All American Scenic Byway began Sept. 11, 1935, at Cumberland Knob, near the North Carolina and Virginia border.
A celebration of this special American treasure and its importance as a cultural, historical, and natural resource includes events and activities throughout the year in communities that line the Parkway.
A list of events, which may be searched by community or region or by month, is on line at www.blueridgeparkway75.org and is updated regularly. To date, over 400 events have been identified as part of the year-long celebration. Read more
Population on the rise statewide
Staff Report
News tips: freepress2@ntelos.net
The rate of population growth in Virginia is increasing again for the first time since the beginning of the recession, according to the latest estimates from the Demographics and Workforce Group of the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.
The Cooper Center’s population estimates are the official figures for the Commonwealth of Virginia. The estimates are based on changes since 2000 in the housing stock, school enrollment, births, exemptions claimed on state income tax returns and drivers’ licenses. They are used by state and local government agencies in revenue sharing, funding allocations, and planning and budgeting.
While economic conditions remain uncertain, the population growth rate has recovered from less than 1 percent in 2006-07 and 2007-08 to 1.12 percent in 2008-09, said U.Va. demographer Mike Spar, who prepared the annual population estimates. While the state’s overall growth rate has not yet returned to previous levels – it was 1.29 percent in 2003-04 – the trend is toward higher rates of growth after the mid-decade slowdown, he said. Read more
Brown scores 29 to lead Liberty
Staff Report
Liberty U. sports: www.libertyflames.com
The weather outside the Millis Center Saturday afternoon was cold and snowy, but Liberty remained hot, extending its winning streak to eight. Devon Brown and Avery Warley both posted career-high point totals during the Lady Flames’ come-from-behind 75-62 win over Big South co-leader High Point.
Brown, a 2008 Waynesboro High School graduate, totaled 29 points and 11 rebounds, while reigning Big South Player of the Week Warley added 26 points and 14 boards. Their efforts helped Liberty improve to 15-4 overall and 6-1 in the Big South.
The Lady Flames now sit in second place in the conference standings, one-half game behind Big South leader Gardner-Webb. Read more
Hampden-Sydney limits EMU in ODAC win
Staff Report
EMU sports: www.emu.edu
Entering Saturday’s game at Hampden-Sydney, the least the Runnin Royals had scored in a game was 79 points. But Eastern Mennonite shot just 38 percent from the floor and 23 percent from long range as the men set a new mark for lowest output this season in an 80-68 loss.
EMU exploded out of the gates, grabbing a 16-4 lead on the Tigers’ home court. Eli Crawford (Staunton, Va./R.E. Lee) gave the Runnin Royals the 12-point lead after a lay-up just 6:06 into the game.
Hampden-Sydney regrouped in a hurry, however, unleashing a 14-0 run to go ahead 18-16 less than four minutes later. The Tigers kept roaring all the way to a 33-21 advantage, a surprising 29-5 run on the nation’s No. 11 team. Read more
Seeking a truce in the war on words
Column by Jim Bishop
Submit guest columns: freepress2@ntelos.net
Is conflict, often resulting from widely-divergent viewpoints in organizations, religious and secular, a bad thing? I think it largely depends on whether it’s avoided, allowed to fester or addressed head-on.
For example, argumentation and adversarial roles seem to drive most talk radio/listener call-in and “talking heads” TV news analysis programs, yet, might their value lie in allowing persons to vent strong feelings and
lower frustration levels by channeling their energies in this venue rather than directing hostilities toward those close to them or inflicting bodily harm on others?
The problem for me: many of these programs only serve to support one particular position, usually upheld by the host and reinforced by most callers. Read more
Deeds reports on General Assembly session
Column by Sen. Creigh Deeds
www.creighdeeds.com
The General Assembly session is now in full swing. The subcommittees and committees meet around-the-clock, and the halls are packed with lobbyists, legislators, and citizens interested in the process. More often than not, I have several meetings scheduled at the same time. This week has seen some interesting bills come up for discussion, but we are no closer to closing our budget gap and balancing the budget.
This week the governor laid out his proposals for economic development. Most of the ideas are ones that we can all agree on: promoting tourism and the wine and film industries, and putting more money into economic development so that we can recruit more businesses. The total price tag of his economic development plan is around $50 million, and he has proposed some adjustments to the budget to find the money. I will support efforts to bring new jobs to Virginia. Read more
‘For I was hungry, and you fed me’
Posted January 31, 2010
Column by Krysti Mayer
Submit guest columns: freepress2@ntelos.net
As he attacked the other boy, he had managed to push him into oncoming traffic, and the car in front of me was inches from hitting him. What happened next was more disturbing to me than the initial attack, because the man in the car in front of me decided to carefully go around the bloodied boy in the street and drove away.
I quickly pulled over and stepped out of my car. The boy had a bone sticking out of his cheek and eyes the size of golf balls. He was half-conscious, and all I could think about doing at that point was to peel him off the road and drive him to the emergency room. Read more
Filed under Blogs · Tagged with haiti, krysti mayer, virginia, waynesboro