Busby aims for improvement as player, student at FMS
Cortell Busby enrolled at Fishburne Military School for an extra year of high school with one goal in mind – to get a Division I college-basketball scholarship.
Busby, a 6’2″, 190-pound point guard from Chester, S.C.,, already has the scholarship in the bag before the Caissons play their first game this week.
Busby has committed to IUPUI (Indianapolis, Ind.) and will sign a letter of intent with the Jaquars in November. So now Busby is focused on making sure IUPUI gets the best incoming-freshman point guard that he can be.
“Going against the top-notch players that we have on our team every day has definitely made me improve my game,” said Busby, who gets to go up against UVa.’s top recruit in its class of 2012, Teven Jones, a fellow point guard, every day in practice.
“Practices here are basically college practices. It’s a college system. So we’re always working hard, always working on what we need to improve on, and just getting better as a team,” Busby said.
Off the court, Busby is focused on schoolwork – he wants to leave his year in the FMS postgrad program with a 4.0 grade point average.
“The overall experience of being in class and working on basketball every day – it’s been a good experience,” Busby said.
His mother, Laura, said Cortell was a “young” high-school senior.
“He was only 17 when he graduated. So we felt prep school would give him an extra year to prepare heading into college,” she said.
His father, Tony, feels the experience of coach Ed Huckaby, himself a former college point guard and a former college assistant coach, will be invaluable to Cortell.
“Being here gives him more development and a skillset that he definitely will need when he transitions to the D1 level,” Tony Busby said.
Tickets on sale for Boys & Girls Club raffle
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Waynesboro, Staunton and Augusta County are currently selling tickets to their annual Holiday Raffle – with a grand prize of $7,000 and second and third prizes of $1,000 and $500 to a group of lucky winners.
The tickets are selling for $100 each – and will be limited to 249 buyers.
The winners – one $7,000 prize, two $1,000 prizes and two $500 prizes – will be announced at the Boys & Girls Clubs’ holiday event on Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Waynesboro Boys & Girls Club location at 302 E. Main St.
For more information, or to purchase a ticket, call the Club at 540.942.4516.
FMS Postgrads show off dunk skills
Highlights of the dunk contest at Fishburne Military School Postgrad Basketball Media Day on Oct. 28, 2011. Video produced by Chris Graham/AFP.
Positive economic news could boost gas prices
Despite a roller-coaster week for crude oil, gas prices remained relatively steady this week, even dropping a few pennies in some areas. The national average for regular grade gasoline dropped 2 cents this week to $3.45 Friday. Prices remain 2 cents below month ago prices. Prices remain 64 cents higher than year ago prices, yet 66 cents below the all-time high of $4.11 per gallon set in July 2008.
Crude oil crossed over the $90 per barrel threshold on Monday for the first time since mid-September. The commodity continued to trade in the $90 to $95 range throughout the week, including a rally of more than 4 percent on Thursday upon news of a deal to resolve the Greek debt and euro zone debt crisis. Additional support for crude oil came from data showing the U.S. gross domestic product grew at its fastest pace of the year in the third quarter, easing some investor concern that the U.S. would lapse into another recession. Also supporting crude oil this week was a stronger U.S. dollar, which makes commodities prices in dollars more expensive for holders of other currencies. Despite a slight dip in price on Friday, crude oil saw weekly gains for the fourth straight week, closing at $93.32 Friday.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s weekly report showed crude stocks rebounded from several weeks of declines, rising 4.7 million, to 337.6 million barrels. Gasoline stocks dropped 1.4 million barrels to 204.9 million barrels. Over the last few years gasoline stocks typically bottom out in late October or early November before rebounding. Gasoline demand over the past four weeks dropped to 8.501 million barrels per day (bpd), a level reached a few times this year, but to find demand number below 8.5 million bpd one would have to go back to January 2004. Compared to the same week last year, demand is off by 9 percent.
“With positive economic news at home and abroad, confidence is slowly being restored in the global economy, abating fears of a double-dip recession,” said Windy VanCuren, Public Affairs Specialist for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “Although analysts believe gas prices will average about $3.40 per gallon through Thanksgiving, continued economic progress and strength in the crude oil markets in the last two months of the year would result in gas prices creeping upward to mimic commodity market growth.”
Motorists have been subjected to a rollercoaster ride of prices in recent weeks. What should we expect in the weeks and months ahead? Some analysts believe motorists will see gas prices remain lower in the short term, averaging $3.40 per gallon through Thanksgiving. However, they also see another vicious winter-spring rally ahead that could send gas prices as high as $4.25 per gallon in early 2012.
#9 JMU falls at #15 ODU
In the first-ever football meeting between the two programs, the #9 James Madison football team lost a tight Colonial Athletic Association battle at #15 Old Dominion, falling to the host Monarchs, 23-20, Oct. 29. With the loss, the Dukes fall to 5-3 and 3-2 in CAA play, while ODU advanced to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in league action.
A key part of the story was JMU’s offensive line, as three starters went down during the game, two in the first half and one early in the second. This stymied the Dukes to just 76 yards of offense in the second half after putting together 266 in the first.
JMU had one last chance late in the game after getting the ball at its own 28, trailing by three. The Dukes got it down to the ODU 30-yard line but sophomore kickerCameron Starke (Halifax, Va./Halifax County (West Virginia)) had his 47-yard field goal attempt blocked at the line of scrimmage as time expired.
JMU was slightly outgained overall, as ODU had 362 yards of offense to 342 for JMU. The Dukes had 103 yards of rushing and a season-high 239 yards of passing. JMU also held a slight time advantage, holding the ball 31:44 in the game.
ODU took opening kickoff and went 75 yards in eight plays for the game’s first score. The final play came on 17-yard touchdown from freshman quarterback Taylor Heinecke to wide receiver Larry Pinkard. The extra point by Jarod Brown was good and the Monarchs had an early 7-0 lead.
JMU answered with a 12-play, 60-yard drive of its own. However, the drive stalled at the Monarch’s 15 yard line. Sophomore kickerCameron Starke (Halifax, Va./Halifax County (West Virginia)) split the uprights from 32 yards out, his eighth straight made field goal, and the ODU lead was trimmed to 7-3 with 4:55 to play in the first quarter.
After JMU’s defense forced a 3-and-out possession, the Dukes got the ball back on their own 29 yard line. A 36-yard pass from redshirt-freshman quarterbackJace Edwards (Midland, Texas/Robert E. Lee) to sophomore wide receiver Renard Robinson (Baltimore, Md./Mt. St. Joseph’s) on the first play put JMU back on the ODU side of the field at the 40. Six plays later, sophomore running backDae’Quan Scott (Staunton, Va./Robert E. Lee) went around right end and cut through a hole to score the touchdown and put JMU up 10-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Old Dominion came back and appeared to be stopped short of the end zone. On 4th-and-1 from the 23-yard line, the snap was fumbled by Heinecke who was scrambling and threw a prayer into the end zone, which was caught by for a touchdown by Pinkard, giving the hosts a 14-10 lead early in the second.
Madison punched the ball on the end zone to the cap its next possession. Another key play a 34-yard pass from Edwards to wide receiverDaniel Brown (Windsor, Va./Isle of Wight) to put the ball deep in ODU territory. Scott took it the final five yards for his second touchdown of the game and the Dukes had a 17-14 advantage with just over nine minutes to go until halftime.
Another stop for the Dukes’ defense resulted in the ball coming back to JMU. From there, Madison put together a 13-play, 74-yard drive that chewed up just over six minutes on the game clock. However, the drive was squelched at the ODU 6. Starke came on and banged through his second field goal of the game, this time from 23 yards out, to push it to a 20-14 lead for the visitors with 46 seconds left in the half.
ODU got the ball in position for one final field goal attempt, but seniorTaveion Cuffee (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial (Fork Union)) came off the end and blocked Brown’s 45-yard attempt and Madison went into the locker room with a six-point halftime lead.
After a muffed kickoff resulted in JMU not getting out of its own 10 on the first possession, ODU got the ball on the Dukes’ 41 for its first drive of the second half. The drive was stopped at the JMU 3, forcing the field goal attempt. Brown hit the 19 yarder and the lead was down to 20-17 Madison with 9:45 to go in the third.
After several changes of possession, ODU put points on the board again. The 8-play, 53-yard drive again ended in JMU territory and Brown hit a 40-yard field goal attempt to tie the game at 20 with 2:05 to go in the third quarter.
The host Monarchs took the lead again on their first drive of the second half, going 56 yards in 10 plays over 2:34. Heinecke keyed the drive with his feet, getting out of the pocket at the right time and eluding the JMU defense for a 33-yard run to get the ball at the Dukes’ 11. However, the Madison defense stiffened again at the right time, forcing a 25-yard field goal by Brown that made it 23-20 ODU with 12:14 to play in the game.
Edwards finished the game 17-for-26 for a career-high 239 yards and no turnovers, while Scott was the leading rusher for the Dukes with 16 carries for 77 yards and two scores before his injury in the third quarter. Junior tight end Brian Barlow (Stephens City, Va./Sherando) had career-highs of eight catches for 79 yards. Sophomore linebackerStephon Robertson led the Dukes with 11 total tackles, the sixth time in eight games he has led JMU.
Heinecke was the key for the Monarchs, going 22-for-35 for 236 yards and two scores through the air, while rushing 11 times for 50 yards, including several key scrambles. Pinkard finished with six catches for 94 yards and two scores.
Madison will remain on the road for its next game, traveling next Saturday, Nov. 5 to Concord, N.H., to take on the #10 New Hampshire Wildcats. Kickoff is slated for noon.
Bridgewater women win ODAC cross-country title
Bridgewater College won its first-ever ODAC title while Olivia Mills (Fredericksburg, Va./Fredericksburg Christian) and BC coach Brian Flynn took home top honors Saturday at the ODAC Cross Country Championship Meet.
Mills ran away with the individual title and was named ODAC Runner of Year after she led the Eagles to a comfortable win in the team competition. Bridgewater was named ODAC Coach of the Year after watching his team win the championship.
The Eagles finished the competition with 37 points, 19 points ahead of second-place W&L with 56 points.
Mills dominated the race with a time of 22:00.60, more than one minute ahead of Washington and Lee’s Lauren Schultz. Bridgwater’s Molly Smith (York, Pa./York Suburban) placed third with a time of 23:23.30.
Bridgewater placed two more runners in the Top 10 with Stephanie Breen (Waynesboro, Pa./Smithsburg) in eighth with a time of 24:00.90 and Whitney Fitzgerald (Buena Vista, Va./Parry McCluer) in ninth with a time of 24:02.60. Katie Notarangelo (Vienna, Va./Oakton)rounded out the BC scoring with a time of 24:66, good for 16th place.
Mills and Smith earned All-ODAC first team honors while Breen and Hancock were named to the All-ODAC second team.
Author to speak about Madion’s views on nature
Is James Madison really “the forgotten father of American environmentalism”?
Andrea Wulf, design historian and award-winning author of “The Founding Gardeners: The Revolutionary Generation, Nature, and the Shaping of the American Nation,” will discuss this topic at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2, in the Health and Human Services Building on the JMU campus east of Interstate 81. The lecture will be in Room 1302.
Wulf’s talk will focus on the founding fathers and their attitudes toward plants, gardens, nature and how agriculture shaped the American nation. She will also highlight Madison’s 1818 Address to the Agricultural Society of Albemarle, which reflects his understanding of nature’s balance and the challenges facing sustainable agriculture.
Born in India, Wulf trained as a design historian at Royal College of Art and has written several books, including “The Brother Gardeners” and “This Other Eden: Seven Great Gardens and 300 Years of English History.” She has also penned reviews for Times Literary Supplement, the Guardian and the New York Times.
The lecture is sponsored by the department of integrated science and technology, the Institute for Stewardship of the Natural World and The Augusta Garden Club.
For more information about Wulf, visit
Tenebrae visits Harrisonburg
Revered by critics and audiences as Britain’s finest chamber choir, Tenebrae makes a rare visit to the U.S. for a three city tour Nov. 4-6.
Founded and directed by former King’s Singer and choral expert Nigel Short, the 20-voice choir blends the passion of a large cathedral choir with the precision of a chamber ensemble to create a unique and enchanting sound, one which is as effective in medieval chant as in contemporary works.
With an impressive discography of fifteen critically acclaimed recordings, Tenebrae recently completed its first recording project for Decca Classics. The CD is slated for release Nov. 7 in the UK and early 2012 in the U.S. and features the music of composer Paul Mealor, whose moving Ubi Caritas was performed at the recent royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Tenebrae performs in Harrisonburg Nov. 5. Here are the details:
Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011 at 8 p.m.
The Forbes Center, James Madison University, Harrisonburg
147 Warsaw Ave.
Tickets: $33-36
Program
Gustav Holst – The Evening Watch
John Tavener – Funeral Ikos
Ralph Vaughan Williams – Rest
Ralph Vaughan Williams – The Turtle Dove
Richard Rodney Bennett – A Good-Night
Hubert Parry – At the round earth’s imagin’d corners (from Songs of Farewell)
Hubert Parry – Lord, let me know mine end (from Songs of Farewell)
Intermission
Paul Mealor – Ubi Caritas
Joby Talbot – Leon (from Path of Miracles)
Joby Talbot – Santiago (from Path of Miracles)
SDDA plans special shopping, dining event
Two dozen of Staunton’s independent merchants will be showcasing the sights and sounds of a vibrant downtown at the Staunton Downtown Development Association’s annual Sparkles & Sweets shopping and dining event on Friday, Nov. 4 from 6-9 p.m.
Participating shops and restaurants will pamper guests with delicious treats and sparkling drinks while inviting them to explore the downtown experience. Free entertainment will add to the festive atmosphere, featuring strolling musical groups Baldwin Charm and Bella Voce Singers, the Blue Ridge Magic Club, costumed characters and the Queen City Fire Circus. Carriage rides will be available throughout the evening for small fee.
Participating Businesses
17 East Beverley Antiques
Bears & Buddies
Cocoa Mill Chocolate Company
Cranberry’s Grocery & Eatery
Crown Jewelers
Design @ Nine
Downtown at the Clocktower
The Emporium
Fretwell Bass & Acoustic Instruments
Grandma’s Bait
Golden Tub Bath Shop
H.L. Lang & Company Jewelers
Monica Wilson Photography
Mugshots Coffeehouse & Café
Ox-Eye Vineyards Tasting Room
Pufferbellies Toys & Books
Queen City Marketplace
Schmid’s Printery
Short Box Comics
TEASE hair design
Turtle Lane
Virginia Accents
Wilderness Adventure
The Wine Cellar
Other special events going on around downtown that evening include:
Carriage Rides by Classic Carriage~6 & under free/7-12 $3 /adults $5
Fill Out a Wish List at Crown Jewelers & $5 will be donated to charity
See the Last Minute Band at Fretwell Bass & Acoustic Instruments
Visit H.L. Lang & Co. Jewelers & Receive 15% off your next purchase
FREE Buff & Polish/Make-up Application at TEASE hair design
Cupcakes & Sparkling Drinks at The Darjeeling Café
The return of ELFis, Staunton Downtown Development’s popular gift card mascot.
Group reports on bird kills at West Virginia wind farms
With the deaths of nearly 500 birds at the Laurel Mountain wind facility earlier this month, three of the four wind farms operating in West Virginia have now experienced large bird fatality events, according to American Bird Conservancy (ABC), the nation’s leading bird conservation organization.
“Wind energy has the potential to be a green energy source, but the industry still needs to embrace simple, bird-smart principles that would dramatically reduce incidents across the country, such as those that have occurred in West Virginia,” said Kelly Fuller, ABC’s wind campaign coordinator.
There were three critical circumstances that tragically aligned in each of the three West Virginia events to kill these birds. Each occurred during bird migration season, during low visibility weather conditions, and with the addition of a deadly triggering element – an artificial light source. Steady-burning lights have been shown to attract and disorient birds, particularly night-migrating songbirds that navigate by starlight, and especially during nights where visibility is low such as in fog or inclement weather. Circling birds collide with structures or each other, or drop to the ground from exhaustion.
At the Laurel Mountain facility in the Allegheny Mountains, almost 500 birds were reportedly killed after lights were left on at an electrical substation associated with the wind project. The deaths are said to have occurred not from collisions with the wind turbines themselves, but from a combination of collisions with the substation and apparent exhaustion as birds caught in the light’s glare circled in mass confusion.
On the evening of Sept. 24 this year at the Mount Storm facility in the Allegheny Mountains, 59 birds and two bats were killed. Thirty of the dead birds were found near a single wind turbine that was reported to have had internal lighting left on overnight. This incident stands in stark contrast to industry assertions that just two birds per year are killed on average by each turbine. Data from Altamont Pass, California wind farms – the most studied in the nation – suggest that over 2,000 Golden Eagles alone have been killed there.
On May 23, 2003 at the Mountaineer wind farm in the Allegheny Mountains, at least 33 birds were killed. Some of the deaths were attributed to collisions with wind turbines and some to collisions with a substation.
“The good news is that it shouldn’t be hard to make changes that will keep these sorts of unnecessary deaths from happening again, but it’s disturbing that they happened at all. It has long been known that many birds navigate by the stars at night, that they normally fly lower during bad weather conditions, and that artificial light can draw them off course and lead to fatal collision events. That’s why minimizing outdoor lighting at wind facilities is a well-known operating standard. And yet lights were left on at these sites resulting in these unfortunate deaths. This reinforces the need to have mandatory federal operational standards as opposed to the optional, voluntary guidelines that are currently under discussion,” Fuller said.
A fourth wind farm in West Virginia, the Beech Ridge Wind Energy Project in Greenbrier County, has not experienced large mortality events, likely because it is currently prohibited by a court order from operating during nighttime between April 1 and Nov. 15.
“Some West Virginia conservation groups have suggested that other wind farms in the state should shut down their wind turbines at certain times and seasons to protect birds. Given the recurring bird-kill problems, that idea needs to be seriously considered, at least during migration season on nights where low visibility is predicted. A wind farm in Texas is doing just that, so it is possible.” said Fuller.
American Bird Conservancy supports Bird-Smart Wind Power. For more information, visit www.abcbirds.org
Dems target Allen on oil
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is launching a new online campaign to raise issue with Republican Senate candidate George Allen’s calls to protect billions in tax breaks for big oil.
The DSCC’s campaign will use geo-targeted Facebook and Google advertisements to rally opposition to Allen’s refusal to end tax subsidies to oil companies that clearly do not need it.
“For too long, George Allen has worked to protect multibillion dollar tax breaks for his big oil contributors. Now oil company profits are soaring and Virginia families are struggling. It’s time for him to stop collecting campaign contributions from the industry and then doing their bidding. Our campaign will rally opposition to Allen’s policies that put his big campaign contributors ahead of Virginia families,” said Matt Canter, spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
Allen has taken over $445,000 in campaign contributions from the oil industry, according to campaign-finance records.
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Emily Briley: How America’s military is helping America with renewable energy
Posted on October 31, 2011 · Leave a Comment
A new report prepared for the Civil Society Institute (CSI) shows that the Department of Defense has served as an incubator for some of our most important technologies. The CSI report – “Department of Defense: Renewable Energy & Tech Transfer” – had a collection of interesting findings, and framed the discussion of renewable energy in a different and distinct light.
This “plus” for the American economy is significant, but the military’s groundbreaking focus on renewable energy also keeps Americans serving in combat safer. Transport lines — or convoy routes — required for fossil-fuel energy options are a prime target for enemy attacks and a source of troop deaths. Shipments are, on average, 50 percent fuel, 20 percent bottled water and 30 percent other necessary items, including munitions. According to an Army report published in 2007, there was one casualty per every 24 fuel convoys in Afghanistan and one casualty for every 39 fuel convoys in Iraq.
Economically speaking, the total energy budget for the Department of Defense (inclusive of domestic and international installations and operations) ebbs and flows around $20 billion. Every $10 increase in price per barrel on the world market equates to an additional annual departmental energy cost of $1.3 billion. Many technologies being implemented at Forward Operating Bases, where the real human life savings will be realized, simply rely on the sun rising in the East – and last I checked there isn’t an OPEC authorizing international agency that regulates worldwide “sun” prices.
As the CSI report detailed, the Department of Defense is in a unique position to have the breadth and depth necessary to acquire emerging technologies from the civilian sector and test them in real-world settings. Once the technology has been fine-tuned and widely used within the department, a transfer back into the civilian sector is fairly seamless. Better yet, the starting price for civilians is approachable, and within a few short years the price point will be further reduced. Presently, the DoD is beginning to incorporate renewable-energy technologies in both domestic and overseas operations. Senior military leadership recognizes the tactical and strategic advantages that reduced energy dependence affords them, and benefits to the civilian sector are forthcoming.
Focus within the DoD has been placed on feasibly implementing various renewable energy technologies at Forward Operating Bases to reduce the “fully burdened cost” – human lives and economics. According to the CSI report, the Marine Corps has established an experimental forward base in Afghanistan to actually field-test various renewable energy technologies. Among the most promising technologies so far are the following:
· ReGenerator: Multi-fuel capable generator that can generate up to 1,200 watts of integrated solar, 2,400 watts of external solar and 1,200 watts of wind, along with managing fossil fuel generators. It also can store an additional 25.9 kilowatt hours in batteries that can support a charge from a 120 VAC or 240 VAC generator or grid connection. The integrated solar panels are adapted to harsh climatic conditions and have been field-tested.
· Oshkosh HEMTT-A3: Tactical hybrid truck that utilizes electricity generated from on-board diesel-electric generators to power each of the four axles. Functionality is not lost – it is capable of hauling 13 tons of cargo while cruising at 65 miles per hour.
· Arroyo 500: Perhaps the most intriguing technology in play — An air-to-water generator where moisture is captured from the air and concentrated by a high-temperature desiccant wheel, collected and purified into potable water.
Two generations ago, the military transformed American society by spearheading the advancement of non-whites into key positions, thus prompting corporate America to do the same and advance thousands of people of color. Today, the Department of Defense is demonstrating that a concerted national effort can lead to significant breakthroughs in clean energy and even greater fuel economy for transportation, as opposed to investing in cost-ineffective technology – such as expensive and risky nuclear power and non-existent “clean coal.”
And as with antibiotics, jet travel, the Internet and GPS, what is good for our warriors is even better for our civilians.
United States Air Force Emily Briley is also a senior energy and security analyst at the Civil Society Institute. She will complete her masters of Liberal Arts in Environment Management and sustainability at Harvard University in December 2011.
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