Over the banks

AFP

But Waynesboro sidesteps flood disaster   Story, photos and video by Chris Graham [email protected] Waynesboro dodged potential disastrous flooding associated with heavy rain that overswept the Shenandoah Valley Sunday and into Monday morning. The river had been projected to crest at 1 p.m. Monday at 10.5 feet, a foot over the 9.5-foot flood stage, according to the Waynesboro…

Official: South River at flood stage, expected to crest at 1 p.m. Monday

Chris Graham

   Story by Chris Graham [email protected] The South River is above flood stage in Waynesboro after Sunday’s dousing of heavy rain, and is expected to crest at 1 p.m. Monday at 10.5 feet, about a foot above flood stage, according to a report from the Waynesboro Department of Emergency Management this morning. The river is…

City officials watching weather forecast

AFP

Snow-rain double-whammy caused massive ’96 flooding Story by Chris Graham [email protected] The first of the two 100-year floods of 1996 in Waynesboro was precipitated by a massive early-January snowstorm that dumped 30 inches-plus of snow followed by a heavy-rain event a week later that forced the South River out of its banks. With snow still…

Focus | Going green to save green

AFP

    Story by Chris Graham [email protected] Going green isn’t about making a climate scientist in England or a bunch of bureaucrats in Copenhagen happy. It’s about the bottom line in places like the Town of Grottoes, where the new home for Wellness Concepts, a long-term care pharmacy, is being built with green-building principles foremost…

Planet’s future depends on Copenhagen

AFP

  Column by Sarah van Gelder Columns, letters: [email protected] As the Copenhagen Climate Summit approaches, some world leaders predict there will be either no deal or one so weak that it will be virtually worthless. Little wonder. Climate change could be one of the toughest issues the world has ever faced, less because of the…

The Rant | Why Was Kaine in Arkansas?

AFP

OK, so he had a fundraiser for the DNC on the schedule. Easy to get that. And it’s not like he needed to be in Virginia to monitor the situation with flooding associated with the remnants of Hurricane Ida. But … appearances still matter in these kinds of situations, don’t they? AFP editor Chris Graham…

Earth Talk | The gophers

Roddy Scheer

Dear EarthTalk: What would you recommend as a non-toxic/non-lethal way to keep squirrels, gophers and groundhogs away? – Faye Gillette, Coarsegold, Calif. Keeping unwanted critters away can be tricky business, and options are somewhat limited. For starters, make sure exterior garbage, recycling and compost containers are shut tight, and pick up and remove any fallen…

Earth Talk | Rainwater

Roddy Scheer

Dear EarthTalk How can I make good use of the rainwater that runs down my roof and into my gutters? – Brian Smith, Nashua, N.H. For most of us, the rain that falls on our roof runs off into the ground or the sewer system. But if you’re motivated to save a little water and…