AAA: Gas prices in 2011 highest ever
Motorists across the nation and in Virginia will have paid more, on average, for a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in 2011 than ever before. With just three days left in the year, the national average price for gas in 2011 is close to $3.52 per gallon ,with Virginia’s average through today at a record high $3.41.
“As analysts look at everything from economic indicators and global developments to the most popular movies and photos of the year, motorists simply look at how they will continue to put gas in their cars in 2012,” said Martha Mitchell Meade, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “The average family in Virginia is predicted to have spent $4,544 on gas in 2011 as compared to $3,713 in 2010, an increase of $841 in just one year.”
While gas prices for the year are high, they have been dropping fairly steadily as the year draws to a close. Gas prices today in Virginia are 18 cents lower than they were on Nov. 1. Nationally prices are now 21 cents lower than the beginning of November.
Analyst Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst for the Oil Price Information Service, predicts that current lower prices will continue through the year’s end and into January when they will likely hit their lowest when demand is typically low. Kloza, however, predicts that prices could go up a full $1.00 from the lows in January as we head towards spring.
#23 ‘Hoos rip Maryland-Eastern Shore
Senior forward Mike Scott scored 17 points and had six rebounds, and freshman forward Darion Atkins had career highs with 13 points and seven rebounds to lead Virginia to a 69-42 victory over Maryland-Eastern Shore Tuesday night (Dec. 27) at John Paul Jones Arena.
The victory was the ninth in a row for the Cavaliers and improved their record to 11-1 on the season. Virginia is ranked No. 23 in this week’s Associated Press poll and No. 24 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll. The loss dropped Maryland-Eastern Shore’s record to 3-10.
Virginia’s nine-game winning streak is the longest for the Cavaliers since 2001-02 and UVa is 11-1 for the first time since the 2000-01 season. The Cavaliers have won their last eight home games. Read more
Staunton Senior Center invites apartment residents for goodies
On Thursday, Dec. 22, the Staunton Senior Center invited residents of Gypsy Hill Place where SSC is located down for an informal open house.
We wanted to meet them, show them our Center, and wish them a Merry Christmas! Although only two residents took advantage of our invitation, Center members thoroughly enjoyed all the goodies, fixing plates to take home. There had been a festive atmosphere all day at the Center as there was stringed Christmas music enthusiastically played and sung by the program director’s husband and two friends and just plain merry making amongst members and staff.
We were reminded of the thoughtful spirit of this time of year as Girl Scout troop #54 dropped off some goodies the day before, so we were able to offer some of those as well as put a lot in the freezer for later occasions.
We wish everyone a most happy new year as we approach the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012 soon!
More online at www.StauntonSeniorCenter.org.
Alpha Vision Films to premiere documentary series
A local film company will be rolling out the red carpet this week for the premiere of a series of documentary films focusing on life in the Shenandoah Valley.
“This is a showcase for us to get our work out in front of the local community,” said James Overton, a local musician and the principal in Alpha Vision Films, a film company that he founded in 2010.
The premiere of the Alpha Vision Films “The Truth on the Table” series is set for Wednesday, Dec. 28, at the Waynesboro Country Club. The AVF team includes Overton, who organizes and hosts a twice-monthly film-appreciation series through the Classic Cinema Club, and CCC members Mark Miller and Theresa Reynolds Curry. Read more
Hughes featured at Art Center in January
The Shenandoah Valley Art Center, during the month of January, is presenting paintings by Malcolm Hughes.
Hughes feels that his painting results from a combination of two interests: that of studying the shape of natural things in all their particularity and the way things are mysteriously connected and interrelated as an ingredient of the phenomenon we call beauty. His paintings celebrate the diversity of color, often echoing the entire color wheel with an impressionist’s approach to color and light. His landscapes reflect our life and land.
Before relocating to North Garden, Hughes ran a professional studio for 12 years in Taos, N.M. His paintings have been collected throughout the United States and Japan. Read more
Another departure from UVa. hoops program
Virginia men’s head basketball coach Tony Bennett announced on Saturday (Dec. 24) that redshirt freshman forward James Johnson (Wildomar, Calif.) is leaving the Cavaliers’ program.
“I met with James this morning (Saturday, Dec. 24) and he informed me that he would be transferring,”Bennett said. “I wish him well. Obviously with KT Harrell yesterday and James today deciding not to continue at Virginia I am disappointed. But with that being said, if James and KT feel it’s best for them not to be here I think it’s better for everyone to part ways.”
The 6-9 Johnson has played in six games this season, scoring nine points and grabbing eight rebounds. He redshirted during the 2010-11 season.
“I love and respect all the individuals that make up the Virginia basketball program,” Johnson said. “They helped me grow in so many ways. The support and love they showed me was unbelievable and it will be very hard to leave this group. However, I feel strongly that it is in my best interest to pursue other opportunities. I will miss the guys on the team as well as the coaching staff a lot and I hope they have a great season.”
Gingrich, Perry fail to qualify for Virginia GOP primary
It looks like the 2012 Virginia Republican presidential primary will be a two-horse race. The Republican Party of Virginia reported on its Twitter feed that Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich did not qualify for ballot access to the March 6 primary.
That leaves former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Congressman Ron Paul alone to duke it out in Virginia.
Virginia has one of the more restrictive policies regarding ballot access in the country. Candidates for federal elections must file petitions with signatures from 10,000 registered voters overall and at least 400 registered voters in each of the state’s 11 congressional districts.
The failure to qualify for the ballot could be a significant setback for Gingrich, still nominally the GOP frontrunner nationally who also had a lead among Virginia Republican voters in a Quinnipiac poll released earlier this week.
Seton Hall routs Longwood
Longwood University dropped an 87-61 men’s basketball decision to visiting Seton Hall of the Big East Friday night at Willett Hall in Farmville.
The Lancers (4-8) took an early 17-6 lead just 4:47 into the contest before the talented Pirates (11-1) responded and led 45-33 at halftime en route to their eighth-straight win.
LU was led by senior Antwan Carter|St. Petersburg, Fla. (St. Petersburg) with 20 points and nine rebounds, and classmate Jan van der Kooij|Tiendeveen, The Netherlands (Roelof van Echten) with a season-high 19 points and seven rebounds. SHU was led by Jordan Theodore with a career-high and game-high 26 points, and Fuquan Edwin with 20 points to tie his career-high. Read more
Strong second half pushes Mason past Manhattan
Holding a slim two-point halftime advantage, the George Mason men’s basketball team exploded in the second half en route to a 81-61 victory over Manhattan College on Friday evening at the Patriot Center. The Patriots improved to 8-4 while the Jaspers dropped to 8-5, snapping a five-game winning streak.
Seniors Ryan Pearson and Mike Morrison each posted double-doubles, as four Patriots reached double-digit scoring. Pearson had a game-high 25 points to go with 10 rebounds, while Morrison contributed 16 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Sophomores Vertrail Vaughns and Bryon Allen rounded out the double figure scorers, chipping in 13 and 10 points, respectively.
Manhattan was led by 18 points from George Beamon and 10 points from Michael Alvarado, as they were out-shot from the field by Mason by a 54.9-to-30.5 percent margin. Read more
SMAC has reason to cheer at Hoki Christmas Meet
The Shenandoah Marlins Aquatic Club, which swims at the Waynesboro Y, sent swimmers to the Hoki Christmas Meet in Christiansburg Dec. 9-11.
Swimmers participating in the Hoki Christmas Meet were Alexis Brooks (15), Peyton Brooks (11), Chris Carmagnola (11), Lindsey Carter (15), Mackenzie Carter (12), Maya Chatterson (8), Nate Chatterson (6), Hailey Cook (10), Alice Elkins (8), Braelin Fauber (10), McKinna Fitgerald (12), Miles Fitzgerald (8), Margo Flanders (11), Alexander Flowers (13), Grace Hardiman (8), Colleen Higgins (13), Caleb Johnson (11), Ethan Johnson (9), Sarah Loomis (11), Justin Merritt (14), Jordan Miller (13), Cody Niles (16), Ella Pickering (10), Abby Prucha (6), Ben Prucha (8), John Prucha (7), Clara Riggan (9), Maggie Riggan (12), Charlotte Rumsey (11), Savannah Scarbrough (13), Hanna Shifflett (10), Tate Snyder (10), Robin Taylor (15), Madison Tegen (14), Logan Terrell (13), Elizabeth Terrell (13), Nick Wade (14), Evelyn Wade (9), Kaleb Wade (11), Kristen Wagner (9), Gannon Willcutts (14), Emma Woodworth (9), Ben Young (8), Libby Young (11) and Luke Young (9). Read more
Harrell to transfer from UVa.
Virginia men’s head basketball coach Tony Bennett announced on Friday (Dec. 23) that sophomore guard KT Harrell (Montgomery, Ala.) is leaving the Cavaliers’program.
“I was informed by KT and his parents today (Friday, Dec. 23) that he is planning to transfer,” Bennett said. “I was disappointed by his decision to leave Virginia. I was hoping he would stay, but I appreciate his contributions to our program and wish him the best in the future.”
The 6-4 Harrell has played in all 11 of Virginia’s games this season and started the first five. He is averaging 4.7 points and 1.0 rebound a game, while shooting 31.5 percent (17-54) from the field and 70.0 percent (14-20) from the free-throw line.
“I’m grateful for my experience at Virginia and for my teammates and coaches,” Harrell said. “They were very kind and good to me. I wish them the best.”
As a freshman during the 2010-11 season, Harrell played in all 31 of Virginia’s games and started 15 of them. He averaged 8.0 points and 2.1 rebounds a game. Harrell shot 42.3 percent (91-215) from the field, including 42.1 percent (24-57) from three-point range, and 64.2 percent (43-67) from the free-throw line.
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Tony Wright: Who will be the Republican nominee – and will it matter?
Posted on December 27, 2011 · 7 Comments
I write this after listening to all the different voices during the Republicans final caucus, and I want to ask a question. Who do you think the final nominee and will it matter? We’ve got Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, Ron Paul, Jon Huntsman, or Rick Santorum; so who will win?
Anyone that’s read my articles in the past knows that I am 1) ultraconservative, 2) pro-life and have a “Reagan Republican” philosophy. I have not changed in what I think I still believe in pro-life, pro-growth, low taxes, controlled spending and “’fetuses are babies at conception.” Read more
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