Ken Plum: Opportunity for leadership

Ken Plum

As Spock in the 1991 film Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country quoted “an ancient Vulcan proverb, only Nixon could go to China,” only Gov. Bob McDonnell can save Virginia’s transportation funding program from bankruptcy. Nixon had a strong anti-communist reputation. He was able to go to China and open diplomatic relations without fear of…

David Reynolds: It’s next year!

David Reynolds

Contrary to last year’s press clippings, fist fights did not break out at this year’s Lexington-Rockbridge-Buena Vista “State of the Community” breakfast. Instead it was the usual sea of harmony sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, aka the local Pollyanna Society. The breakfast proved once again that there is a media bias. Representatives from our…

Grant funds go to violence-prevention efforts

Chris Graham

Seventy-three grants, worth more than $3.1 million, have been awarded by the Criminal Justice Services Board to support programs to assist victims of domestic and sexual violence, protect children from Internet predators, and improve criminal justice services throughout the Commonwealth. Five localities that participate in one of the two Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces…

The young shall lead: Freshmen key to UVa. win

Scott German

Freshman K.T. Harrell scored 15 points as homestanding Virginia posted a much-needed win, 64-50, over Louisiana State University Sunday in John Paul Jones Arena. The Cavaliers (9-5) broke a two-game losing streak despite the absence of leading scorer and rebounder Mike Scott, who missed his second consecutive game relating to ankle surgery in mid-December. LSU,…

VMI posts Big South win

Contributors

Senior guard Austin Kenon and junior guard Keith Gabriel combined for 48 points to lead VMI over UNC Asheville, 83-72, Friday afternoon at the Justice Center. VMI secured its first Big South Conference win of the year and snapped a 13-game UNC Asheville homecourt winning streak. The Keydets prevailed for the fourth time in its…

Shepherd Bliss: The Magic of 2-year-Olds and Death by Cell Phone Use

Contributors

The biggest surprise of my 2010 was relationships with four unrelated 2-year-olds, who are so authentic and full of magical, life-giving vitality. They live in the present moment, rather than being impeded by their brief pasts or by futurizing. I am 66 years old and have never had 2-year-olds in my adult life. They have…

Hillenbrand’s Unbroken opens eyes to capacity for man’s good, evil

Contributors

I spent several Tuesdays with a man named Karl Baumann back in 1998 learning about the World War II prisoner of war camp out near Sherando Lake. I’d considered myself a student of history, but I’d never known about Stateside POW camps until visiting the Waynesboro Heritage Museum one summer day and asking an innocent…

Winners and Losers

Chris Graham

LOSER: Tuesday Night Football Disadvantage: Philadelphia, which needs to win on Tuesday against Minnesota and then on Sunday against Dallas while getting a Sunday loss by Chicago to Green Bay to secure a first-round playoff bye. It wasn’t automatic that the game had to be moved back, either. Among the critics of the move: Pennsylvania…