Staunton Senior Center: Director of Va. Quilt Museum Visited SSC
Judith Shuey, director of the Virginia Quilt Museum in Harrisonburg, paid a visit to SSC last week, loaded down with an armful of Depression-era quilts.
Shuey told us a little bit about the mission of the Museum, which is to preserve old quilts. Her program, called Stories Through Quilts, was very interesting and fascinating as she focused on the quilts that had either been made during the Great Depression or the tops of the quilts had been made then, put away, and then finished by another person in the 1970s for example.
Each quilt did hold a story as Shuey tried to decipher from observing the piece of work something about the maker. She could tell if the woman had some money or if she was very poor by the pieces of material which had been chosen for the quilt. It was interesting to note that the women picked brightly colored fabric for their quilts then in order to cheer themselves and others during the hard Depression years. There were certain colors that were used often (a green and a pink), and there was special fabric chosen for children as these were times when the importance of children was being recognized more.
There were so many interesting facts about quilts during this time and also the Civil War and Revolutionary War eras that they cannot all be contained in this one announcement! If you are curious to learn more, we suggest you contact Judy to make a visit to your center; wintertime would be a wonderful time to cozy up and learn more about the history behind quilts! Shuey only whetted our appetites to visit the Museum at some point as we sat around the table soaking in her knowledge and stories.
Gas prices inch upward for second straight week
Earlier this month gas prices were falling at about 1-cent per day and were expected to continue their decline through the autumn and early winter months. However, over the past two weeks prices at the pump have shifted gears, rising at the rate of about 1-cent per day or even more in some areas. In the last week, the national average for regular grade gasoline rose 3 cents to $3.47 Friday, yet prices are 10 cents below month ago prices. Prices remain 64 cents higher than year ago prices, yet 64 cents below the all-time high of $4.11 per gallon set in July 2008.
Crude oil continued to trade in the $80 to $90 range throughout the week, inching upward early on in the week, then pulling back Wednesday and Thursday. Affecting the commodity this week – France and Germany have assured the markets that European leaders will present a comprehensive solution to the euro zone debt crisis at a summit this weekend and next week. Also, U.S. economic data remains weak (indicating less demand for fuel), however, the Federal Reserve showed a slight increase in consumer spending in September. Lastly, the demise of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi will speed up Libya’s oil industry, which has already ramped up to 430,000 barrels per day after being off line for most of the spring and summer months. Analysts believe crude oil will continue to be range bound between $85 to $90 range in the short term, barring any significant national or international news event that would move the needle in either direction. Crude closed the week at $87.40.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) weekly report showed crude stocks fell sharply by 4.7 million barrels, to 332.9 million barrels. Gasoline stocks dropped 3.3 million barrels to 206.3 million barrels. Gasoline demand over the past four weeks was 8.598 million barrels, the lowest level since early February and 1.5 percent behind the same time last year.
“For the second straight week, motorists continue to feel price hikes at the pumps,” said Windy VanCuren, Public Affairs Specialist for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “Economic fears, nationally and internationally, have fueled the recent rise in crude oil prices, which ultimately leads to gas price increases. Gas prices could buck typical downward seasonal trends with an autumn and early winter upswing, rather than previously forecast declines.”
Motorists will likely continue to feel the pinch at the pump in the week ahead, barring any unforeseen circumstance that would tumble crude oil prices or affect demand, as gas prices continue to inch upward. As crude oil tests the $85 to $90 per barrel range, gas prices will likely break through the $3.50 per gallon mark in the coming week and potentially beyond.
Scott German: Wolfpack deals Cavaliers reality bite
After a stunning win just last Saturday over previously unbeaten and 12th-ranked Georgia Tech that Virginia appeared primed to build upon, the Cavaliers welcomed winless in Atlantic Coast Conference play North Carolina State University to Scott Stadium on Saturday. But the Wolfpack had different ideas on the outcome of the game and defeated Virginia 28-14, leaving the Virginia faithful scratching their heads heading for the parking lots. And for the second consecutive season the Cavaliers have followed an improbable win (beating Miami in 2010) with an almost unexplainable loss.
In Saturday’s contest Virginia coach Mike London once again played the “let’s take turns at quarterback” card with signal-callers Michael Rocco and David Watford, and the outcome was a flat bust. Thus Virginia squandered a wonderful opportunity to build up last weeks win against a less-than-formidable N.C. State squad.
“Hey we’re in still in the middle of the pack in the conference, and we have to define what direction we’re going in, that’s my job” said London after the game.
Another task London might consider is making a final decision on who the full-time quarterback will be. The shuffling between the two players early in the season was by necessity, now it seems by indecisiveness by London. Watford , a true freshmen from Hampton, appears to be a potential game-changing player, and London’s desire to get him playing time is admirable, but his decision to yank Rocco from the State game made absolutely no sense, to anyone. especially after Rocco led a nifty nine-play scoring drive, capping it with a six-yard scoring strike to Clifton Richardson. That score put Virginia up 7-0 and had Scott Stadium jumping.
As in past games, Londo’s explanation of the change, “It was the fourth drive,” rings hollow. Come on, Coach , enough already. Game number seven of the season, and you’re still treating these two young men like schoolkids?
On Watford’s second snap, he threw short to intended receiver Darius Jennings and was intercepted. On the very next play, Wolfpack quarterback Mike Glennon connected with Bryan Underwood for a 33-yard touchdown pass that seemingly deflated the fans and the Virginia sideline. Rocco returned to the game on the next series as scripted but failed to complete another pass the entire game. Rocco was 7-of-9 before giving Watford “his turn” and 0-10 afterwards. Coincidence, or do not momentum and rhythm play a huge part of the role of quarterback, and Rocco clearly lost both.
After the game, a clearly disappointed Rocco said of the quarterback shuffling, “We’re kind of getting used to it. It’s not easy getting momentum, but it’s what we’re given, and we have to make do with it.”
Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor also needs to be accountable for some questionable play-calling. After averaging nearly five yards per carry on the ground in the first half, the Cavaliers put the ball in the air on eight of their first 11 plays in the third quarter. Rocco went 0-of-5 and was benched for the remainder of the game.
Having surrendered 21 straight points, Virginia faced a 21-7 deficit when Watford found Tim Smith for a 60-yard touchdown that sliced the deficit to 21-14. After three consecutive stands for the Cavalier defense, they took possession of the ball at their own four with 6:19 left, a tough mountain to climb for any quarterback, much less a true freshmen. Watford’s second-down pass across the middle was intended for Smith but deflected off his fingertips into the hands of State’s James Amerson, who returned his eighth interception of the season for a 12-yard touchdown that signaled the end for the Wahoo faithful.
“I think I threw it a bit too hard,” said Watford. Nonsense, any “softer” and the pass would surely had been picked off. Smith needed to make that catch and keep the chains moving.
Watford’s second interception of the contest came on another pass that should have been caught. His bullet pass to Kris Burd went through his hands into the cornerback’s hands for the pick.
Maybe with some game experience with the same quarterback Virginia’s receivers can get a better sense of the touch a particular quarterback has-or doesn’t have. Until then similar results like Saturday can be expected.
With a Thursday night game in South Florida against a hot Miami team there is little time for more experimentation behind center.
Column by Scott German
Second-half outburst dooms VMI
Thirty-five second half points, including 21 in the third quarter, broke open a close game and propelled the Stony Brook Seawolves past the VMI Keydets, 42-14, in Big South football action Saturday at VMI’s Foster Stadium in Lexington, Va.
Early on, the contest was a defensive struggle, with the only points coming on a late Stony Brook (4-3, 2-0 Big South) drive that gave the Seawolves a 7-0 halftime lead. The visitors then scored 21 points in the first six minutes of the second half, including 14 in a nine-second span at one point, to take a 28-0 advantage.
VMI responded with an 81-yard touchdown pass, as Adam Morgan hooked up with Aaron Lewis for the seventh-longest pass play in school history, but Stony Brook notched the next 14 points, including a 60-yard touchdown run by Miguel Maysonet, to take a 42-7 edge with 12:09 to play. Chaz Jones had a three-yard touchdown run with 5:13 to play, accounting for the final margin and moving him into eighth place on the Institute’s all-time rushing touchdown list, with his 17th career TD rush.
SBU’s Kyle Essington threw for 255 yards and two touchdowns, while the vaunted Seawolf rushing attack gained 228 yards on the ground, led by Maysonet’s 141. VMI used three quarterbacks, led by Eric Kordenbrock’s 14 for 26 effort. Morgan was 2 for 7 for 90 yards, and A.J. Augustine made his collegiate debut by going 0 for 3 on VMI’s final possession. In addition, Mike Smith had a career-high 11 tackles for the Keydets.
Neither team threatened in the first quarter, as the squads combined for seven punts and just 73 yards of total offense. Stony Brook had the first sustained drive of the game, as they had the ball at the end of the opening period and start of the second quarter. Their eight-play, 40-yard drive included a 21-yard pass from Essington to Kevin Norrell, but one play later, Charlie Jones forced a Maysonet fumble and A.J. Gross recovered at the Keydet 22, giving VMI the ball with 11:59 left in the half.
The next three drives, two by VMI and one by the visitors, ended in punts, and Stony Brook took over with 4:27 left in the half in a scoreless contest. After an incompletion to start the drive, Essington found Norrell for back to back first downs, putting the ball into Keydet territory. Three plays later, Matt Brevi had a 23-yard catch and run on third down, putting the ball at the Keydet 2, and Essington scored on third down, taking advantage of a bootleg and running in from one yard out. The touchdown and point after came with 27 seconds left in the half, and gave the Seawolves a 7-0 halftime lead.
Despite the touchdown drive, Stony Brook had still been held to just 51 yards rushing in the first half, but the tide of the game turned quickly after halftime. VMI’s opening kickoff went out of bounds, giving SBU a short field, and the visitors took advantage.
A second down pass from Essington to Jordan Gush went for 23 yards, and two plays later, the Seawolf quarterback found Norrell on a post pattern down the middle of the field. Norrell went up for the ball, which appeared to be slightly underthrown, and was able to come down with it in the endzone for the 31-yard touchdown, giving SBU a 14-0 lead just 2:33 into the second half.
After a Keydet three-and-out, the Seawolves came back once again. On first down, Maysonet galloped for 37 yards, and one play later, Essington found Gush for 18 yards, moving the ball to the VMI 15. Two runs for Brock Jackolski, the last of which covered seven yards, got the visitors in the endzone at the 9:16 mark. The point after made it 21-0, SBU.
On the ensuing kickoff, Tracy Hairston returned the ball to the VMI 29, but was hit there by SBU’s Jawara Dudley. Hairston fumbled the ball, Grant Nakwaasah grabbed it and brought it back for a touchdown, giving the Seawolves 14 points in nine seconds and a 28-0 edge.
Morgan relieved Kordenbrock at quarterback, and was able to move the chains, but SBU’s defense held and forced a punt. The Seawolves had to punt as well, giving VMI the ball with 4:18 left in the quarter, and the Keydets took advantage. Morgan lofted a deep pass for Lewis, who caught the pattern near the right hash mark and outraced the defender to the endzone for the 81-yard touchdown pass. The point after cut the lead to 28-7, as the completion was the seventh-longest pass play in school history, just one yard further than an 80-yard effort (Kordenbrock-Mario Scott) against the Seawolves last season on Long Island.
Stony Brook responded with a 10-play, 83-yard drive on which Essington went 6 for 6, ending on an eight-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Gush, on which the quarterback rolled to his right and threaded three Keydet defenders with the bullet pass to the corner of the endzone. Gush was ruled in bounds for the touchdown, and Wesley Skiffington’s extra point made it 35-7, SBU.
After a VMI punt, Maysonet took a handoff with 12:19 to go, carrying it off tackle and into the second level of defense, where he found an extra gear and galloped for a 60-yard touchdown run, SBU’s longest play of the day and their final score of the afternoon as well. Skiffington added the point after, giving the visitors a 42-7 advantage. The teams traded punts, giving the Keydets the ball with 8:01 to go.
Kordenbrock returned to the game and went 5 for 5 on the drive, including three passes to James Rogers, and Jones carried the ball in from three yards out to cap the six-play, 83-yard drive and make it SBU 42, VMI 14 with 5:13 to go. That would cap the day’s scoring.
By moving into eighth on VMI’s all-time rushing touchdown list, Jones surpassed Howard Abegesah and Sam Horner’s 16 career TD runs. Rogers had five catches, while Norrell led Stony Brook with eight grabs for 129 yards.
VMI will be back in action next Saturday, as the Keydets travel to Charleston, S.C. to play The Citadel in a resumption of the Military Classic of the South series. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
QUOTES – VMI Head Coach Sparky Woods
“It was a shame to start the second half the way we did. We had the wind and we kicked the ball out of bounds. You can’t do that if you want to win. We’ve just got to put a whole game together. They (Stony Brook) have a good team, and you cannot make mistakes against them. They scored on the first drive of the second half, and later, we had the kickoff return taken back for a touchdown after the fumble. You can’t get behind like that. We got a touchdown and got everyone excited a bit, but too many errors in the first part of the third quarter made it tough for us.”
“We had too many three-and-outs on offense. If we’re going to win, we’ve got to try to score and not just lay on the ball. We gave up too many big plays, and long runs and long passes for touchdowns. We have to tackle and get them off the field. We have to force them to go three-and-out.”
Blues at the Gateway
Mojo Saturday Nite with Bluesman Kevin Chisnell will return to the Gateway at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22.
The show is becoming popular for a place to spend the third Saturday of the month. The Gateway provides not only an eclectic range of blues talent, but offers food and beverages that make Mojo Saturday Nite a true evening out.
The Oct. 22 show will be headlined by The Pure Blind Luck Band and Chris Yung. Pure Blind Luck is a contemporary electric blues band comprised of musicians from all over Central Virginia. The band plays a variety of styles of blues cover songs by artists such as Big Mama Thornton, Koko Taylor, Susan Tedeschi and The Allman Brothers Band as well as their own upbeat originals. The years of experience combined with the copious amount of talent of all six members is sure to leave their audience hungry for more.
Chris Yung is another popular blues performer who calls Central Virginia home. He brings is a unique style to the genre.
Performances begin at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $10 and can be obtained online at
www.WaynesboroGateway.com or at the box office. Beverages, snacks and pizza are available.
Sanford D. Horn: Loyalty has its benefits
If the sight an American flag is a distraction causing you to lose your appetite, pack your bags and get the hell out of the United States. The pervasive anti-American attitude by American businesses and in American schools must be thwarted immediately.
Not once again, but thrice again, political correctness rears its vile and unsavory head. Within the span of a week three incidents in three southern states have occurred that should make the hair of any patriot stand up on end. If they don’t, then perhaps you are not paying attention to the fast track down the road to hell this country is traversing.
An Olive Garden in Oxford, AL denied a local Kiwanis club’s attempt to hang an American flag in the restaurant prior to their banquet. Darden, the parent company of Olive Garden claimed the lack of a private dining room led to the anti-American decision.
“To be fair to everyone and avoid disrupting the dining experience for all other guests, they’re unable to accommodate flags or banners of any type in the dining room,” said a statement from a nameless official from the corporate offices in Orlando, FL.
Darden is also the parent company of Red Lobster, Longhorn Steakhouse, The Capitol Grille, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52. For their patently anti-American attitude and the disrespect shown to a meaningful civic organization as Kiwanis, I will certainly not “disrupt” a single Darden restaurant with my business or economic support.
Quite frankly listening to a half dozen waiters and waitresses butchering “Happy Birthday” so badly that Simon Cowell would lose his lunch is disrupting to me.
I strenuously implore the over 275,000 Kiwanis International members to do likewise and not give another dollar or euro to any Darden restaurant in their cadre. They can live up to their motto of “Serving the Children of the World,” and set an example for others.
Unfortunately, the Kiwanis did not respond with their wallets in this instance by taking their business elsewhere. Instead, Marti Warren, 80, of Anniston, AL told the banquet attendees to imagine the flag while they recited the pledge.
Another flag flap occurred with the firing of Sean May, 26, a now former employee of Casa Monica Hotel in St. Augustine, FL for wearing an American flag on his jacket lapel. And while the employee handbook bars the donning of any and all pins, buttons, etc., a mega-sized American flag hangs high and majestically above the posh hotel.
May, a two-year employee of Casa Monica said he has worn the flag every day on the job and is often complimented for it by patrons. Ironically, Casa Monica has had a change in management and has been quoted as wanting to revamp its image. Firing a loyal employee for demonstrating pride in his country will tarnish, not enhance, the image of a hotel where May, a front desk supervisor was the first line of welcome to out of town guests.
We live in an era when pride in one’s country is waning due to an abominable so-called leader who spends his time on his apology tour around the globe as thousands of capricious, spoiled malcontents make irresponsible and unconscionable demands of the government and the banking system. May ought to be applauded for doing his job well and with aplomb while clearly having a positive impact on guests who management should hope would return to enjoy the amenities the property has to offer.
Casa Monica is one of 10 upscale lodging properties owned by The Kessler Enterprise, Inc., and whose CEO is Richard Kessler. In addition to Florida, Kessler Enterprises hotels are also located in Colorado, Georgia, New Mexico and North Carolina. I urge anyone with a reservation at one of the Kessler properties to cancel with support of May as the reason and suggest future reservations be made at non-Kessler hotels.
While the Casa Monica and any privately owned business has the right to set its dress code, code of conduct and policies for its employees, to fire someone for demonstrating pride in his country with a simple lapel pin is outrageous. Perhaps that particular rule ought to be amended. Some hotels have not just the names of their employees on their name tags, but their country of origin as well. I have front desk hotel experience and also adorned my jacket with an American flag lapel pin.
In addition to the flag friction, there is an even more insidious situation of political correctness that must be addresses.
In a McAllen, TX high school, the Spanish class of sophomore Brenda Brinsdon, 15, has been forced to not only memorize, but sing the Mexican national anthem as well as recite the Mexican pledge of allegiance. This too is unconscionable and fostering not just loyalty toward a foreign nation, but disloyalty to the United States. After all, these are still impressionable students, many of whom go along to get along without questioning.
Bravo to young Miss Brinsdon for video recording the activities in her class, bringing the to the attention of her father, who equally outraged, and rightfully so, complained to the school district administrators. The response the father received was support of the teacher by the district, comparing the lesson to the teaching of Shakespeare or poetry.
In seven years of Spanish at the junior high school, high school and college levels there was no memorization of any foreign anthem or pledge required. Learning the alphabet, verb tenses, vocabulary, cultures of Spanish speaking nations, conversational Spanish, ordering from menus and the like was the order of the day in Spanish class, not an attempt at indoctrination of impressionable youths.
There is little enough loyalty toward this country, encouraging loyalty to another is just another example of the dangers of political correctness run amok. Between the schools and the businesses too afraid to demonstrate national pride, apparently a refresher in Being a Proud American 101 should be mandatory course in today’s America.
Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, Ind.
MBC receives $15M to pursue grad programs in health sciences
Propelled by the promise of a $15 million gift, this week the Mary Baldwin College Board of Trustees voted unanimously to pursue new graduate programs in health sciences, paving the way for a major programmatic and physical expansion for the 169-year-old university.
The gift and board vote follows months of extensive research into the feasibility of adding a new co-educational health sciences graduate school.
A donor close to the college has made a commitment to make a gift of $15 million to launch the new program, which will hit the ground running with three degree offerings: Doctor of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy Doctor, and Master of Physician Assistant Studies. By the time of launch, each of the new programs will be positioned to be competitive in the regional and national markets.
The establishment of a new graduate school is the latest in a series of recent investments the college has made to help ensure its future success. Earlier this year, construction began on a multimillion dollar, multi-phase renovation of MBC’s Pearce Science Center. And, just last month, the college announced a new partnership with the Heifetz International Music Institute to host its summer program for elite strings students.
“We see this as a new way of fulfilling our historic mission, which is to prepare our students to compose lives of purpose as confident, compassionate changemakers,” said MBC Board of Trustees Chair Lyn McDermid ’95, who announced the initiative at a news conference this morning. “This mission applies to health care practitioners just as surely as it applies to undergraduates studying the liberal arts and sciences. For many of us on the Board, establishing this new graduate school will be the greatest legacy we can leave as trustees.”
The health sciences venture promises to attract a new market of graduate students to the college and will be a natural complement to the liberal arts and sciences programs and emphasis on research that Mary Baldwin already offers.
After earning a psychology degree from MBC in 2007, Jennifer Oliveri found that her liberal arts background provided a solid foundation as she pursued an advanced degree in health sciences at the University of New Hampshire.
“It helps to be a well-rounded person,” said Oliveri, who graduated in May with a master’s degree in occupational therapy. “Not only to be able to talk to patients to establish a rapport, but also, in OT, it’s important to show some level of creativity in assisting patients.”
To accommodate the new program, Mary Baldwin will need to find a suitable, off-campus facility and is considering locations within Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County. Options include renovating an existing facility or building anew.
The initial gift of $15 million represents a major percentage of required funding, but the college plans to seek additional contributions as well as fruitful new partnerships within the community. MBC President Pamela Fox is confident that the community will respond positively to the new programs, which, according to a feasibility study, will help fulfill a need that will only continue to expand over time. Response from the health care community to initial conversations has been positive.
“Our market research shows that there is growing demand for these careers,” Fox said. “There are more qualified applicants to such programs nationally than there are slots, and demand for qualified practitioners in these fields is growing rapidly. The time to develop such programs is now.”
MBC predicts this venture will bring substantial economic return to the local community. Salary expenditures will begin as early as 2012, with payroll exceeding $4.5 million by 2019-20. In the more immediate future, there will be an investment in facilities construction.
In early 2012, MBC expects to select a location and hire a dean. The first class of students is expected to enroll as early as 2014.
Staunton Senior Center: SSC enjoyed entertaining at Fall Harvest Festival
SSC was a busy place Oct. 20 as the Center entertained members from Waynesboro Senior Center and Churchville Senior Center at their Fall Harvest Festival. In all, there were over sixty seniors visiting for the morning and on into the afternoon. The first order of the day was coffee and socializing of course! At 10:30 the singing husband wife duo named Me and Martha (Martha Hills and Don DePoy from McGaheysville) rocked the Activity Room with their bluegrass style music, stories, and their smiles and laughter.
Ten JMU nursing students who were just beginning their four-week assignments at SSC and WSC arrived with energy and enthusiasm, assisting throughout the day by readying special additions to the luncheon menu and visiting with seniors. They delivered trays and wheeled carts with chips, drinks, and dessert to the members, serving them faithfully throughout the meal.
Eleven door prizes were given away after lunch, provided by the Centers and Baldwin Park. Also following lunch, members entertained each other with a Variety Show which included the reading of a poem, guitar, piano music and singing, a funny skit concerning weight watchers, and jokes and stories by Larry. Special guests included a local tap dancer and a special appearance by Tina Turner! What a talented group we have! Each member participating received a prize donated by Baldwin Park. Many thanks to all the folks who helped make the day a success; it truly was a team effort!
Staunton Senior Center: Spanish students from Grace Christian visited SSC
Spanish 3 students from Grace Christian High School visited the Center for the first time to lend a hand in teaching some basics of the language to interested members.
Both generations enjoyed each others company as always happens at SSC when young people arrive, as they struck up relationships in the midst of the teaching and learning of some conversational Spanish. One member actually got five-on-one attention as no one else joined her group that day.
The students were amazed at how much she remembered of the language as she was interested in taking the class as a refresher. The hope is that the students will be returning on a regular basis with a variety of activities that will hold the interest of all involved. The members seemed excited about the prospect of the students visiting monthly.
More information at www.StauntonSeniorCenter.org.
Chamber event highlights agritourism
The Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce is holding its first Shenandoah Valley Agritourism Festival … A Fields of Gold Celebration 1-6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, at Hermitage Hill Farm & Stables off of Madrid Road in Augusta County.
The Festival will be a family-centered afternoon to celebrate our agriculture heritage. More than 50 hometown/homegrown products and services will be on hand for sale, demonstration, to taste and educate visitors on getting back to the basics of living.
“We have been overwhelmed with the response from the vendors,” said Chamber President Linda Hershey. “This is the first time the Shenandoah Valley has had so many agriculture and agritourism-related businesses available at the same time for the community to be able to get back to their roots and observe!”
Headline speaker for the agriculture seminars is Joel Salatin, Polyface Farm, who will be speaking on the topic of “Aesthetically, Aromatically and Sensually Romantic Farms.” “Grow More Than You Mow-How Did We Get Here” is the topic of Tim Byrd, Blue Ridge Community College, and Jason Carter, Virginia Tech Extension, will round out the afternoon with a presentation on “What is Agriculture in Augusta County?”
Children’s activities will include a pedal pull contest, a petting farm, pumpkin and face painting, a rolling miniature speedway,sheep herding and blacksmithing demonstrations, along with prizes for the best-dressed scarecrow.
Staunton Fire Department honored for prevention efforts
The Staunton Fire and Rescue Department has been presented with a Life Safety Achievement Award for the year 2010 by the Residential Fire Safety Institute in partnership with the Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company.
For 19 years, the Life Safety Achievement Award has recognized local fire prevention efforts that have contributed to reducing the number of lives lost in residential fires. The Staunton Fire and Rescue Department qualified for this award in year 2010 because it recorded zero fire deaths in structures. In addition, the department was able to demonstrate the existence of an active and effective fire prevention program and a clear commitment to reducing the number of fires in homes within the community.
Although residential fires in the U.S. account for only 20 percent of all fires, they result in 80 percent of all fire deaths.
The RFSI is a public interest group whose mission is to reduce residential fire deaths and injuries. The RFSI advocates the use of residential fire sprinklers, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and teaching people fire-safe behavior. The RFSI assists fire departments with implementing residential sprinkler/smoke alarm programs on a local basis. The RFSI’s partners include the United States Fire Administration, the National Association of State Fire Marshals and private industry/associations with an interest in and commitment to residential fire safety.
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Carly at the Movies: Reel fun at Halloween
Posted on October 23, 2011 · 1 Comment
That’ll be just fine for next week, but I’ve spent several days recently creeping about the local screen venues in search of some newer scary fare that might be worth your time. So join me, if you will, whilst we flutter (graceful as a bat) from TV to motion pictures on the wings of “Walking Dead,” “Reel Steel,” and the current remake of “The Thing.”
Let’s take the bestest firstus. Frankly, I’ve never been a big fan of Zombies. Those shuffle-along, single-minded carnivores have been the subject of scads of bad movies as well as a handful of good ones. But last year Frank Darabont created a TV show based on a series of graphic novels by Robert Kirkland called “The Walking Dead.” And it was simply spectacularly good because Darabont believes that good stories are about interesting people, whether they are sitting or walking or alive or dead.
The series was nominated at the Emmy Awards and a host of other kudo-type affairs and won an above-ground audience of ardent admirers, yours truly included. It was one of those catch-lightning-in-a-bottle things, and was able to portray that elusive Feeling of Impending Doom as well as “Rosemary’s Baby” or “Alien,” to name just two of the classics.
This story of a small group of people facing a horde of zombies in a post-apocalyptic world is not a brand new idea. But it is done with characters who have made you care about them – a trick not easy to do when surronded by undead critters lusting to gnaw on your gizzard. And the second season of the show, just recently started, moves the story forward with the same craftsmanship (although, admittedly, leaning toward the gorier aspects of .cannibalistic consumer consmption just a bit heavier).
The cast is not loaded with headliners, though you will probably recognize Jeffrey DeMunn as one of the better elderly character actors from his busy 30 year career on stage and screen. The assembled crew is well-cast, dedicated, and react as normal humans might in such an abnormal situation.
Trying to convince an adult fellow film buff to watch something called “Walking Dead” on TV is harder than pulling teeth, believe me. I’ll leave it to you, and gently place it among your hoped-for collection of future delightful surprises.
“Real Steel,” with Hugh Jackman in the starring role, was a pleasant surprise for me. It combines elements of “The Champ” and “Rocky,” set in a near-future where human boxing has been outlawed and robots have taken over that husky task. Rock ‘em sock ‘em robots? Yeah, kinda.
The story is told with a sly humor that makes the familiar turns more palatable. Jackman is no surprise as he resurrects a discarded hunk-o-junk ‘bot and takes it to the inevitable championship bout, a la “Rocky,” with the help of youthful Dakota Goyo (as The Kid) and Evangeline Lily (remember her on TV in “Lost” – glad to see this talented beauty moving on with her career).
It’s a fun film, just right for a family Halloween outing, and a sequel is already in development, due in 2014.
The thing about “The Thing” is, about halfway through it you begin to wonder why somebody remembered to bring along a flame-thrower and a box of hand grenades on a scientific expedition to the South Pole.
Otherwise, this little prequel fits in nicely just before John Carpenter’s 1982 gooey version under the same title. They both pale, of course –- one is tempted to call them “Polar opposites” unless one contains oneself — before the original 1951 “The Thing From Another World.”
Saturday morning I watched the prequel at a movie theater, came home and watched the 1982 version on Netflix, and then downloaded the short story (John W. Campbell, Jr.’s chilling “Who Goes There?”) they were all based upon to my Ipad. If I was a Mouseketeer, Saturday would surely have been “Any Thing Can Happen Day.”
What happens is, a whole bunch of Norwegian semi-scientists (who all look alike) accompanied by star Mary Elizabeth Winstead discover a flying saucer buried at the South Pole.
The unpleasant Thing inside starts gobbling up people and dogs alike and morphing into their bodies, proving once and for all that imitation is the sincerest form of forgery.
Now the alien monster is probably a second-cousin to the creature from “Alien.” It’s got the requisit Gaping Maw as well as slimey tentacles, gooey insides, spidery legs, bad breath, and an unpleasant disposition.
Time to break out the flame-throwers, gang. Only problem is, which one of us is truly the creature in disguise? Well that’s the premise of the film, and it careflly predates the Carpenter version, even perfectly dovetailing its own end credits with the beginning of the 1982 film. They make a great double feature.
The 1982 film is actually a lot better than the new one, stars Kurt Russell and Wilford Brimley (sans mustache), and is quite enjoyable even though the viscous victims fall hither and yon before the vile villain. And it’s all set to a wonderful musical score by Ennio Morricone. Voila!
Can’t leave without a few words about that beloved 1951 film “The Thing From Another World.” James Arness (in his pre-Gunsmoke days) is the monster, come to conquer the earth all by himself, and arriving from some far galaxy’s fresh vegetable bin. This is the first truly naturalistic science fiction film I ever saw. The characters talk over each others lines (just like real people, who never listen to one another anyway) and it’s mostly underplayed and straight-arrow, which really convinced me – I was 17 at the time – that it would be great to explore the Arctic and interview monsters from outer space.
So all in all, there’s quite a variety of movies on local screens for Halloween. Having had my fill of them, I plan to stay home to watch a few old time classic horror films, heavy with makeup and dialogue that makes you want to groan. And to feel safe, maybe I’ll just clean and reload my trusty flame-thrower.
Filed under Blogs · Tagged with carl larsen, carly at the movies, halloween, halloween movies