Dennis Markatos-Soriano: Gulf disaster calls for sustainable transportation revolution

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Column by Dennis Markatos-Soriano Submit guest columns: [email protected]   The oil drilling explosion that killed 11 people on April 20th and the spill now killing massive amounts of wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico is a sign. It’s a sign of how bad our nation’s oil addiction has gotten and of how much we need…

Jim Bishop: Dave Fisher rows his boat ashore

Jim Bishop

Column by Jim Bishop Submit guest columns: [email protected]   “The river’s deep and the river is wide Hallelujah Milk and honey on the other side Hallelujah.” – “Michael,” The Highwaymen (1961) A voice from my past is silenced, but the melody lives on. Dave Fisher. The name may not strike a responsive chord – unless…

Boxing coach: We’re all in the same gang

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Story by Chris Graham [email protected]    Coach, as he is known around the gym, has worked with top-level amateur boxers and for a time was a personal trainer for Hollywood celebs including Al Pacino and Julia Roberts. Working with gang members in Waynesboro has Frank Burchette’s attention now. “That’s what drew me here,” said Burchette,…

A Wolf looking out for the folks

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   Column by Sanford D. Horn Submit guest columns: [email protected] In children’s literature, the wolf is portrayed as the ruffian, the evil-doer. He went after grandmother in Little Red Riding Hood, he huffed and puffed in The Three Little Pigs, and of course there’s Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf. Back in the adult world,…

Midlife couple declares: ‘Why knot?’

Jim Bishop

   Column by Jim Bishop Submit guest columns: [email protected] Rose Stoltzfus Shenk, 41, of Harrisonburg, is a widow with four boys between 5 and 11 years old. Bruce Buckwalter, 40, of Harrisonburg, is single and never been married. Credit an Internet computer program for bringing the two together. Rose spent her early years in East…

McDonnell announces first round of staff hires

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   Staff Report News Tips: [email protected] Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell announced the first appointments in his incoming gubernatorial administration today during a late-morning press conference at the State Capitol. McDonnell named two longtime senior staff members in the Office of the Attorney General, Martin Kent and Marla Decker, to serve as his Chief of Staff and…

Concerns regarding terror trials

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  Column by Rob Wittman www.wittman.house.gov Recently we all have learned that Attorney General Eric Holder has planned to bring several of the 9/11 attack masterminds to New York City for trial. As you know, I’ve been a voice from the beginning, against bringing these terrorists to the Commonwealth for trial or detention, and I…