Stirred, not too shaken, not shy, not retiring

Jim Bishop

Bishop’s Mantle column by Jim Bishop Yikes, another birthday looms ahead – “another year older and deeper in debt,” as the ole Pea Picker, Tennessee Ernie, observed so astutely years ago. And it’s largely financial realities that prod this aging baby boomer to keep on keeping on at my job and other responsibilities, even though…

Move over, Super Bowl – here comes Scrapplefest

Jim Bishop

Bishop’s Mantle column by Jim Bishop There are causes celebres like Super Bowl XLI that help make the COLT winter BEARable (sorry, couldn’t resist!), but such events pale alongside a Scrapplefest. If you don’t already know that, I commend such an activity to your mental and physical well-being. I just returned from one, so I…

The battle for the heart and soul of the GOP

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham   For a brief moment or two after the 2006 midterm elections, it had seemed that the Republican Party was perhaps going off its ideological moorings. The talk was reaching the level of near-clamor regarding how the GOP was going to have to consider retreating from the right-wing conservative…

Can we all just get along?

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham   The Shenandoah Valley is usually pretty tame as far as its politics goes – but even the solid Republican Mountain Valley has seen its share of contentiousness this political season. To wit … – One of the highlights of the Augusta County Fair this summer was an episode…

Marriage amendment – a lose-lose-lose situation?

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham   It’s politics to some people – the debate over a proposed amendment to the Virginia Constitution that would prohibit gays and lesbians from being able to enter into a state-recognized marriage or civil union. For those whose lives would be impacted directly by the much-talked-about change to the…

Race issues dog Allen

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham   A group of former University of Virginia football teammates of U.S. Sen. George Allen alleges that the former quarterback regularly used the n-word to refer to African-Americans. A second group of the Republican’s former teammates has stepped up to say that this is not true. Meanwhile, the state’s…

Is wrestling recommended viewing for children, teens?

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham A large video screen in the John Paul Jones Arena replayed scenes from a ballyhooed “live sex celebration” that WWE heavyweight champion Edge and women’s champion Lita had taken part in several months earlier. And that was early in the “Monday Night Raw” show that was broadcast live on national television…