Wildfires continue in Shenandoah National Park and Shenandoah Valley

Shenandoah National Park and the Skyline Drive continue to be affected one of the many wildfires still burning throughout Virginia:

In what has been described as the second worst fire conditions in 50 years, Virginia experienced a weekend of out-of-control forest fires as flames broke out across the Commonwealth on Saturday amid tinder dry woods with high winds gusting up to 60 mph.

 Shenandoah National Park did not escape damage as fire raced across its borders, jumped the Skyline Drive, and burned 2,000 acres in the Smith Run area. The National Park Service reported that the scenic Skyline Drive was blocked between Front Royal and Rt. 211, and several trails have been closed including the Mt. Marshall Trail from Skyline Drive to the Bluff Trail, the Appalachian Trail between Compton Gap and the Browntown Trail, Lands Run Gap Fire Road, and the Jenkins Gap Trail.

For more, check out my post at the Washington Examiner....

Cross-posted at Virginia Virtucon

Washington Examiner Monday headlines

Michael Barone - Daniels and Christie light fuse under GOP lawmakers

As congressional Republicans mull whether to address the government's long-term fiscal problems -- House Republican leaders are being pushed by the 87 freshmen to do so, while some Senate Republicans are seeking some bipartisan accords with Democratic colleagues -- two Republican governors barrelled into Washington with the message that the lawmakers better get moving.

In style they're a contrast. Daniels is slight, balding and spoke quietly from a carefully prepared text. Christie is large and spoke bombastically without notes. But in substance they were much the same.

Timothy P. Carney - In Wisconsin, it's the unions vs. the people

The ferment in Wisconsin is no workers' uprising against the rich and powerful. It is instead political muscle-flexing by a well-funded special interest group, which is limbering up for President Obama's re-election bid. Obama's campaign, operating as Organizing for America, is bussing protesters to the state capitol and manning phone banks to apply pressure to state legislatures. Obama himself has called Gov. Scott Walker's bill curbing government-sector collective bargaining "an attack on unions."

While liberal writers wax romantic about a workers' uprising (former Labor Secretary Robert Reich wrote on Twitter "Wisconsin is spreading to Ohio -- America's microversion of Tunisia and Egypt. People are taking to the streets to get their rights"), what we're really seeing is the labor movement acting as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Democratic Party.

J.P. Freire - Wisconsin reveals class war between 'haves' and 'have yours'

To distract from the sheer avarice of this position, the AFL-CIO, the SEIU, and others are trying to get as many people as possible to protest and show some kind of consensus that Gov. Scott Walker's, R, position is unreasonable, even cruel. The numbers are impressive and the photos really do depict the us-vs-them drama, but not in the way union leaders and member hope because the chilling have yours subtext of every sign held aloft by a protesting union member is clear: We don't work for you, taxpayer. You work for us. Read More

David Freddoso - Walker: It's either this, or we fire 12,000 state and local workers

In an appearance today on Fox News, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, R, said that unless his budget fix is adopted, thousands of state and local workers will be let go in order to close a $3.6 billion budget hole. Read More

Mark Tapscott - Myths and truths on the Battle of Wisconsin, as told by the unionists and the facts

Wisconsin's Republican governor, Scott Walker, is really the reincarnation of Adolf Hitler. You didn't know that? Then you haven't been listening to the teachers and state government employee unions protesting for the past week in the  Badger State's capitol of Madison. Read More

Mark Tapscott - A brief, illustrated guide to the national stakes in the Battle of Wisconsin

Blogger Doug Ross, as usual, has assembled all the key facts of the historical background to the showdown in Wisconsin in one handy place. "Throughout American history -- and as recently as the 1950s -- there were no unions for government workers," Ross writes. "Public-sector employees were expected to earn a bit less than their private-sector equivalents. The reasons they did so included an interest in public service, job security and reasonable benefits." Read More

Virginia bloggers go to Richmond ... Bill Bolling's 4th annual bloggers day

Cross-posted in the Washington Examiner....

While some politicians cast a wary eye toward bloggers, Virginia's top Republican office holders have spent the past five years recognizing these writers who report on government and often talk one-on-one with elected officials.

It's a great idea. The first impromptu meeting five years ago at the Republican Advance with then-Attorney General Bob McDonnell brought together a dozen conservative bloggers to talk about this rising form of communication. That continued with the annual gatherings hosted by Republican Lt. Governor Bill Bolling at the Capitol for the past four years which has provided a means of fostering the lines of communication with the eclectic group of writers.

Wednesday's program offered bloggers the chance to talk with lawmakers and sit in on House and Senate sessions, photo ops, an update from political analyst Dr. Bob Holsworth who authors the Virginia Tomorrow blog, and a look into political consultant Boyd Marcus' crystal ball (he has consulted on some of Virginia's highest profile Republicans including U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Congressman Tom Bliley, Governor Jim Gilmore, and Governor George Allen). That was followed with up-to-the-minute briefings and commentary from House Republican Whip Bill Janis and the Senate Republican Caucus Leader Pro Tempore Ryan McDougle who had just finished sessions in the House and Senate.

The event kicked off in the morning as thirty-five bloggers, representing some of the best that Virginia has to offer, gathered in Gov. McDonnell's conference room as Bolling provided an informative briefing and presided over a round table discussion of topics on everyone's minds: jobs, the budget, transportation, and ABC privatization. He was flanked by his Chief of Staff Randy Marcus and McDonnell Communications Director Tucker Martin who joined in the conversation.  Included in the group was fellow Washington Examiner LOZ and EOZ blogger Norm Leahy.

There is much to write about with a Republican administration that has brought fiscal restraint back to Virginia and put an emphasis on jobs at a time when many had been lost ... and, boy, can Bill Bolling talk jobs! As the Commonwealth's chief jobs officer, he enjoys what he does and likes to share what has been accomplished in the first year of the McDonnell administration. His outgoing personality and work ethic make the pairing of McDonnell-Bolling perfect for putting Virginia on a positive employment track, now ranking fourth in the nation for number of new jobs after languishing in 35th place during the four years of Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine's administration.

That's important because the buzz on everyone's lips throughout the day was speculation over the possibility that Kaine may jump into the U.S. Senate race after Democrat Jim Webb announced he was retiring after only one term. With George Allen already running, an Allen-Kaine race would pit two former governors against one another, spotlighting Virginia at the national level. The opinion of Holsworth as well as Boyd Marcus seemed to be that Kaine would become a candidate because "they will twist his arm until he says yes," adding that he has the highest name recognition of any Virginia Democrat.

For the inner political geek that resides in every political blogger, observing the Virginia General Assembly at work is both an exercise in politics and patience. The senate chamber is more staid as 40 representatives carry out the business of the day presided by Bolling, sometimes dragging but other times moving at breakneck speed to accomplish everything in the 45 days of this year's short session.

The House of Delegates offers more excitement with its 100 members sometimes engaging in spirited exchanges, providing entertainment for visitors. Elected every two years to assure they remain in close touch with their constituents, they represent the citizens in the manner prescribed by Virginia's founders who walked the halls of the Capitol before them ... Patrick Henry, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe ... who chose to have citizen legislators govern the Commonwealth by spending most of their time at home and not in Richmond.
The wonder of cell phones has made it possible to communicate with representatives during session, something those of us visiting in the gallery took advantage of in the past and did so again this time.  After sending a message from the overhead seating to Del. Ben Cline (R-Lexington) that said, "Look up," he joined us, greeted and thanked everyone for being there, and explained the bill on the floor at that moment.

A text message sent to former blogger and new Del. Greg Habeeb (R-Salem), who won his seat in a special election held in January to replace Morgan Griffith who won the 9th Congressional seat in November, resulted in this young representative smiling and tweeting that there were bloggers in the House.

On the Senate side of the state house, Sen. Mark Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg) saw us from his desk on the floor and joined us in the gallery to talk about how conservative senators have taken a stand in the Democratically-controlled Senate even though they are constantly outvoted. With redistricting on everyone's minds, many wonder if the Senate will switch to a GOP majority in the future.

At the end of the day, all gathered for a reception at the Executive Mansion that was co-hosted by McDonnell and Bolling, and offered a unique opportunity to admire Virginia's historic governor's house from the inside. Jean Ann Bolling was also there, joining her husband and the Governor to mingle with those at the reception. Many bloggers, carrying plates with roast beef, shrimp, and other goodies that were provided, talked with the Governor, Lt. Governor, fellow bloggers, and executive staffers as they swapped stories and exchanged business cards.

The reception highlighted the comfortable working relationship between McDonnell and Bolling as the two bantered back and forth in a good-natured and easy manner. These two political allies avoided becoming political enemies two years ago when Bolling put his gubernatorial aspirations on hold, clearing the way for McDonnell to run unopposed, and providing a much-needed respite instead of a bloody primary that could have damaged the Party. In November 2009, McDonnell won by historic proportions with Bolling easily winning reelection. Together, they have made a good team for Virginia with both recognizing the importance of cultivating a relationship not just with Virginia's citizens but also with Virginia's citizen journalists.

Wildfire in Shenandoah National Park ... Virginia burning

Virginia is burning as numerous wildfires, many out of control, blaze from one end of the Commonwealth to the other.

Even Shenandoah National Park has been hit and reports are that the northern third of the Drive is closed, the fire has burned hundreds of acres, and has jumped the roadway. The National Park Service is sending 100 firefighters to help with that and other blazes.

From the deck of our house we can see billowing white smoke from two fires in the mountains of Rockingham County west of Harrisonburg.  High wind gusts up to 60 mph, low humidity, and tinder-dry conditions have created an extremely volatile situation with fires burning statewide resulting in interstate closings due to fire and smoke, reports of lost homes, and residents evacuated and sent to shelters.

Photos from Valley residents show the intensity of the fire. WHSV TV-3 has been covering the fires:

TV3 has learned that the National Park Service is bringing in about 100 firefighters from as far away as Arkansas to help battle the wildfire in Warren County.

Right now, the Department of Forestry is working with the National Park Service and fire crews from throughout the Northern Valley to get a handle on the 300 acre fire.

Fire Chief Richard Mabie says, high winds are making it nearly impossible to control, rather they are working the perimeter to stop it from spreading.

He says, they are using tractors on the North End to flank the fire.

Mabie estimates winds at 35 to 40 miles per hour near the fire. He says, they won't be able to get ahead of it until the winds die down.

Follow emergency services through this website. Thanks to Lisa Mauck for Facebook updates about the fires at her end of the Shenandoah Valley.

Prayers for our firefighters who are battling these blazes. Complete burning bans have been ordered for a number of localities including Rockingham and Augusta counties ... we are under red flag warnings (low humidity, favorable conditions for fire) during a very dry time. Stay safe out there....

More:
- North Peak Mountain evacuations in Rockingham County....
- Shenandoah County fire burns hundreds of acres
- Brush fire in Waynesboro
- Waynesboro homes saved from fire
- Brush fire in Luray (Page County)
- Central Shenandoah Valley homes saved
- Rawley Springs fire expected to burn for days

Another windy weekend in the Valley

The Shenandoah Valley is once again under a high wind warning with gusts up to 50 mph and also a Red Flag Warning because of extreme fire conditions. Check WHSV TV-3 out of Harrisonburg for the latest weather updates.

Meanwhile, the sun is bright and high temp is supposed to be around 50 (although the wind makes it feel much cooler than that). The outdoors is calling.

Yesterday's mild temperatures were nice even for this winter baby. Driving to Richmond in the early morning to attend Congressman Eric Cantor's annual campaign breakfast, we returned at mid-day to an overcast Valley with dark clouds on the horizon that brought a few rain drops at dusk. This area is dry so we needed far more than that.

SWAC Husband cleaned the grill so we could cook chicken, asparagus, and corn-on-the-cob to go with grilled peppers and onions and a garden salad for dinner. Fresh strawberries topped it off ... they were "buy one-get one free" at Martin's ... so we enjoyed their taste of summer as we all gathered around the table followed by card games and the movie, Dead Poets Society.

Plans today are to play and enjoy having family and friends here to visit. Steaks are marinating to grill later ... SWAC Daughter baked a birthday cake for her brother ... gifts are wrapped and waiting for the party. It's going to be a great weekend....

Bloggers Day in Richmond ...

Virginia House of Delegates presided over by Speaker Bill Howell.

(left to right) Sen. Mark Obenshain, Sen. Ralph Smith, Sen. Tim Hugo, Sen. Bill Stanley

SWAC bloggers misbehaving ... shhh! Can't laugh in session....

(back row left to right) Del. Steve Landes, Del. Terry Kilgore, Del. Kirk Cox

(front row, right) Del. Dickie Bell, Del. Ben Cline

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
16 February 2011

Live-blogging: Eric Cantor's annual campaign breakfast feaures Bob McDonnell

7:00: The Congressman and the Governor are in Richmond this morning.

Congressman and Majority Leader Eric Cantor is headlining his annual campaign breakfast and this year the keynote speaker is Governor Bob McDonnell as they join forces at the Richmond Convention Center. There will be almost 1,500 supporters and business leaders filling the 154 tables that are set up and waiting as the crowd filters in the doors.


Fellow bloggers are setting up at the back of the ballroom ... Jim Hoeft with Bearing Drift and Tom White with VaRight are here. Former RPV New Media Committee chair Cortland Putbrese is talking with all of us.

George Allen, Linwood Cobb, and Ben Marchi have been seen but most folks are still in the hallway visiting and greeting others.

Breakfast Agenda
Welcome & Opening Remarks:
Linwood Cobb, Chairman, 7th District Republican Committee

Pledge of Allegiance:
Carlos Valdez Talley, Lt. Col., Henrico County Sheriff's Office

Invocation:
The Honorable Bill Bolling, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia

Recognition of Elected Officials:
Linwood Cobb

Introduction of Governor Bob McDonnell:
The Honorable Eric Cantor, U.S. House Majority Leader

Remarks:
The Honorable Bob McDonnell
Governor of Virginia

8:00: Linwood Cobb is opening breakfast with welcoming remarks. Because the room is maxed out, he joked that they have a call in to Jerry Jones to see if Texas Stadium is available next year, to laughter from the crowd. More tables have been added so there are 1,500 or more in the room. This is quite an impressive crowd.

8:04: Lt. Col. Carlos Valdez Talley recognized our military men and women and led a moment of silence in thanks to them, then led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling approached to lead the invocation but first joked that he had one comment to Linwood Cobb ... this event will NEVER go to Texas," to laughter from the crowd.

8:06: Breakfast is being served. Ben Marchi is visiting Bloggers Row ... many familiar faces have stopped by ... Chesterfield Chairman Donald Williams just passed by and said hello. The room is buzzing with conversation....

8:25: Introduction of elected officials in the room by Linwood ... here's a partial list....
Congressman and Mrs. Eric Cantor, Governor and Mrs. Bob McDonnell, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, Congressman Scott Rigell, Former Lt. Gov. John Hager, Former Gov. George Allen, Del. Bill Howell, Speaker of the House of Delegates ...

... Sen. Mark Obenshain, Sen. McDougle, Sen. Ralph Smith, Sen. Steve Martin, Del. Ben Cline, Del. Kirk Cox, Del. Bill Janis, Del. Terry Kilgore, Both Delegates Bell, Del.Cole, Del. Barbara Comstock, Del. Cosgrove, Del. John Cox, Del. Nixon, Del. Scott, Del. Wilke, Del. Greg Habeeb, Del. Lingenfelter, Del. Lapossi, Del. Massie, Del. Miller, Del. O'Bannon, Del. Peace, Del. Poindexter, Del. Ware

8:30: Introduction by Linwood Cobb of Congressman Eric Cantor (standing ovation).

Eric Cantor is addressing the crowd, hitting on all things Republican ... smaller government, reined-in spending, advance small businesses to applause from the crowd. His wife, Diane, is in the crowd. The Congressman was in session in the U.S. House until late last night.

Congressman Cantor is now speaking about Bob McDonnell and the leadership he has provided for Virginians, proving that we can live within our means in the Commonwealth. Destination for business, jobs ... and recognized Maureen McDonnell and thanked her for all she does for the Commonwealth. He introduced the Governor to a standing ovation ... Gov. McDonnell thanked the Congressman for all he does, noting that he was operating on three hours sleep and will be heading back to DC immediately after the breakfast.

McDonnell is talking about inviting businesses to come to Virginia ... 235 years ago a group of principled men got together to make a great nation. He recalled that when first elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, he was stuck in the "amen" corner but he figured it was a good thing because Jefferson's statute was right behind him, and a guy to his right who looked like he was about 12 years old was Del. Eric Cantor and on his left was Del. Kirk Cox. So here's the moral of the story, he said: If you want to do something great, sit next to me! (Laughter from crowd) He talked about Eric Cantor's understanding of what it takes to get our great nation on track and thanked him for his leadership.

8:55: Congressman Cantor is thanking everyone for coming out, noting that he is now heading back to DC and wishing everyone a good day.

Good to talk with Jim, Jason, and Tom afterward as well as Melissa Nelson and Kristi Way with Congressman Cantor's office and Melissa Pugmire with Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling's office.

Governor Allen greeted folks before breakfast and received a rousing round of applause when introduced. After breakfast, the Congressman had to head directly to DC; the legislators had to head to the Capitol. In the far corner of the ballroom, there was a large gathering of people and standing in the middle of them was George Allen shaking hands, posing for photos, talking with folks. Vintage George Allen.

Del. Steve Landes ... bloggers day

Del. Todd Gilbert (left) and Del. Steve Landes at General Assembly.

Del. Steve Landes (R-25th House District) had an idea in 2000 to bring together the Republicans from Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County at a monthly breakfast held in centrally-located Staunton. Each unit had, until then, been isolated from the others and many Republicans who lived in close proximity didn't know each other.

The breakfasts began small and at Shoney's in Staunton but soon moved across the road to Rowe's and soon became more organized with a committee of six ready to lead consisting of the Staunton chair and his wife, the Augusta chair and his wife, and my husband and me. The breakfasts continued monthly for eight years until 2008 when new leadership decided to discontinue the popular event. It had been a good idea. Many thanks to Del. Landes for his leadership in the SWAC area.

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell
16 February 2011

Del. Tony Wilt

Del. Tony Wilt who represents the Harrisonburg-Rockingham area, was elected in a special election last year to fill the seat left vacant when Matt Lohr was tapped by Gov. McDonnell to become Agriculture Secretary.

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell
16 February 2011

Sen. Mark Obenshain on bloggers day

Sen. Mark Obenshain shares info on a piece of legislation. We are grateful for his conservative leadership in the State Senate.

I first met Mark Obenshain after becoming involved in Valley Republican politics over a decade ago. He has been a steady, conservative leader in the Virginia state senate, carrying the conservative principles important to many and,  during the bloggers' visit at the Capitol on Wednesdsay, he took time to visit in the gallery to talk about one of the bills. His representation is appreciated.

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell
16 February 2011

Visiting with Del. Ben Cline on bloggers day

Del. Cline in the gallery with bloggers. Here he talks (whispers) with SWAC blogger David Karaffa.

Ben checks the text message I sent ... "Look up!"

I remember the first time I talked with Ben Cline. It was, I think, 2002 and he was going to run for the delegate position in the 24th House District (Rockbridge/Lexington area). Part of his district is in southern Augusta County.

I was a volunteer with the Augusta County Republican Committee so he gave me a call to ask for help putting together a meet-and-greet. I was happy to help then and later during that and subsequent campaigns. Many thanks to Ben for his representation in the Virginia House of Delegates.

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
16 February 2011

Washington Examiner: "Bloggers go to Richmond ... Bill Bolling's 4th annual bloggers day"

Bill and Jean Ann Bolling.

I posted at the Washington Examiner about Wednesday's bloggers day in Richmond as writers statewide gathered with Lt. Governor Bill Bolling:

While some politicians cast a wary eye toward bloggers, Virginia's top Republican office holders have spent the past five years recognizing these writers who report on government and often talk one-on-one with elected officials.

It's a great idea. The first impromptu meeting five years ago at the Republican Advance with then-Attorney General Bob McDonnell brought together a dozen conservative bloggers to talk about this rising form of communication. That continued with the annual gatherings hosted by Republican Lt. Governor Bill Bolling at the Capitol for the past four years which has provided a means of fostering the lines of communication with the eclectic group of writers.

Read more about the day and the people and the events ... it was a great experience.

Part 2 ... the bloggers at Bill Bolling's bloggers day

Bearing Drift's Jim Hoeft (center) looks like he's Chairman of the Board as bloggers talk before the start of Bill Bolling's briefing. To his right is Jim Young from Skeptical Observer ... on the left is Tom White with VaRight.

Bloggers begin to gather at the Governor's conference table.

Norm Leahy (left) talks with Rick Sincere (back to camera) and Bob Kirchman (The Journey).

Bearing Drift was represented by nine of their bloggers.

Bob Kirchman (The Journey) with NovaTownhall, Josh Huffman, and Rick Sincere in background.

Ford O'Connell (left) and Norm Leahy with Chuck Young in the background.

Looks like a board meeting instead of a bunch of bloggers....

Krystle with Crystal Clear Conservative and Bearing Drift.

From all corners of the Commonwealth, bloggers made the trip to Richmond to take part in Lt. Governor Bill Bolling's 4th Annual Bloggers Day.

Bearing Drift wins the gold medal with eight or nine bloggers participating in Richmond (let's see if I can remember them all) ... Jim Hoeft, Jason Kenney, Brian Schoeneman, Krystle, DJ Spiker, Brian Kirwin, Chris Obenshain, Ward Smythe. That's eight ... I must have missed someone.

Virginia Virtucon had representation ... Jason Kenney and SWAC Girl.

Others attending were Jon Henke, Jim Young with Skeptical Observer, Steve Thomas from Fredericksburg, David Huffman, Steve Rossie with Family Foundation, David Shepherd with Virginia Gentleman, Smyth County Conservative, Tom White with VaRight, Brian Bridgeforth, O'Connell of Project Virginia, Rick Sincere ...

... SWAC bloggers David Karaffa of Augusta Conservative, Bob Kirchman of The Jouney, Jason Bibeau of Augusta Water Cooler, and SWAC Girl ...

... and I know I've missed people. Sorry ... as I go through the photos and see others, I'll add them.

Check out my post at the Washington Examiner ... Virginia bloggers go to Richmond ... Bill Bolling's 4th annual bloggers day.

Other posts about Bloggers Day:
- The Journey: Bloggers Day at the Capitol - Sights and sounds of Richmond's Capitol Square
- The Journey: Lt. Gov. Bolling hosts citizen journalists

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
16 February 2011

Part 1 ... SWAC bloggers road trip to Richmond ... great adventures and high expectations

 Heading up Afton Mountain. SWAC bloggers David Karaffa, Jason Bibeau, Bob Kirchman, and Lynn Mitchell took a road trip Wednesday to participate in Lt. Governor Bill Bolling's Bloggers Day.

SWAC bloggers approaching Capital Square.

Four SWAC bloggers left the beautiful Shenandoah Valley early Wednesday morning to attend Lt. Governor Bill Bolling's 4th annual bloggers day in Richmond along with more than 30 fellow bloggers from throughout the Commonwealth. Unfortunately, Fishersville Mike and Yankee Phil had conflicts in their schedules and were not able to join us. We missed you guys!

Augusta Conservative, The Journey, Augusta Water Cooler, and SWAC Girl had met at the parking lot before daylight, our merry band of political writers, and we piled into the car armed with note pads and cameras for a day at the Capitol.

Rowdy could best describe the trip east on I-64 with this spirited group. With the sun peeking over the horizon, the music selection began with everything 80s followed by patriotic music only to have that followed up with a Ronald Reagan speech and then theme music from various 80s television shows which found us particularly enamored with the music from "The A Team" and everyone was assigned a character from that 80s show. I never watched that show (although I certainly knew of it and knew who Mr. T was) ... they assigned me the character called "Hannibal." A mixed bag of musical selections followed along with spirited conversation about everything but most importantly political.

Adventures in Richmond when attending the General Assembly always begin with the search for parking and yesterday was no different. This parking lot is full, that one is permit only, another is private ... some things never change. We finally ended up at MCV's parking deck and hoofed our way back up to Capital Square where we arrived an hour early for the morning start of our great adventure. Thankfully, we were able to find a comfortable seating area outside the Governor's office which provided the opportunity to see each of the early-bird bloggers as they arrived.

It was just the beginning of our great adventures and high expectations on our road trip to Richmond....

See my recap of bloggers day at the Washington Examiner: "Virginia Bloggers go to Richmond ... Bill Bolling's 4th annual bloggers day."


Photos by Lynn R. Mtichell
16 February 2011

Working on Bloggers Day info

Bill Bolling's Bloggers Day 2011 was awesome. I'm working this morning on write-ups and uploading photos ... will have those later as they are finished. Please check back later to read about a packed day of one-on-one conversations, which bloggers attended, photos, and much more....

SWAC bloggers ...

... are on a road trip!

RNC research shows panic in the White House

From the Republican National Committee ...

OBAMA TRYING TO PUSH BACK ON CONSENSUS THAT HE FAILED TO SHOW LEADERSHIP ON TACKLING THE COUNTRY’S FISCAL CRISIS

The Wall Street Journal:  “This was supposed to be the moment we were all waiting for. After three years of historic deficits that have added almost $4.5 trillion to the national debt, President Obama was finally going to get serious about fiscal discipline. Instead, what landed on Congress's doorstep on Monday was a White House budget that increases deficits above the spending baseline for the next two years. Hosni Mubarak was more in touch with reality last Thursday night.”  (Editorial, “The Cee Lo Green Budget,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/15/11)

• WSJ: “This $3.73 trillion budget does a Cee Lo Green ("Forget You," as cleaned up for the Grammys) to the voter mandate in November to control spending. It leaves every hard decision to the new House Republican majority. And it ignores almost entirely the recommendations of Mr. Obama's own deficit commission.” (Editorial, “The Cee Lo Green Budget,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/15/11)
• WSJ:  “More than 95% of the savings would happen after Mr. Obama's first term in the White House is over, and almost two-thirds of the promised deficit reduction would arrive after 2016. Pretending to cut deficits by pushing all real cuts into the future is Budget Flimflam 101.” (Editorial, “The Cee Lo Green Budget,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/15/11)

Read more here....

Virginia posts 12.6% revenue growth for January

Continuing a trend that has been true for ten of the past eleven months, Virginia posted a growth in revenue for January, as announced by Governor Bob McDonnell.

According to the administration, "Governor Bob McDonnell announced today that January revenue collections increased by 12.6% over the prior year. This is the tenth month out of the last 11 in which state revenue collections exceeded the previous year’s amount. Excluding tax amnesty revenue, it is the third month in a row in which year-over-year revenue growth was greater than 9%."


Will upticks in revenue lessen the choke-hold on revenue-starved state agencies around the state? Some who have experienced deep financial cuts may consider this a sign that their fiscal woes may be about to lessen.

Kaine meeting with Obama ... reconsidering U.S. Senate seat?

The Richmond Times-Dispatch is reporting there could be a meeting as soon as today between former Virginia Governor Tim Kaine and President Barack Obama. Could Kaine be reconsidering requests that he run for senate ... or could Obama be twisting his arm trying to get him to run?

Many on the right side of the aisle are saying, "Puh-leeze run!" Kaine would have a record to run against including the $1.1 billion VDOT surplus after a McDonnell administration VDOT audit. Before those funds were discovered, Kaine shut down most of Virginia's rest areas, claiming a lack of funds to keep them running ... a claim was considered political and laughable and became more so after McDonnell's election and subsequent audit.

Stay tuned....

Cross-posted at Virginia Virtucon

Aren't you glad we have troops protecting our freedoms? Teenage blogger jailed in Syria

In the latest example of a government cracking down on bloggers, a 19-year-old teenager in Syria has been sentenced to five years in prison after she was found guilty of "divulging information to a foreign country," Breitbart reported. The Syrian government accused her of being a spy for the U.S., which has been denied.

The young lady, Tal al-Mallouhi, was sentenced to five years in prison by a state security court, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in a statement on Monday.

Bloggers around the world have been jailed throughout the years for a variety of reasons including an Egyptian who was accused of insulting Islam,  an Iranian man who was sentenced in September to 19 years in jail for comments made on his blog, and bloggers were incarcerated recently in Egypt.

It was reported in 2009 that a young blogger in his 20s, Omid Riza Misayafi, died while imprisoned in Iran.

Meanwhile, American troops are putting their lives on the line -- some losing their lives -- to protect our First Amendment rights. Great country we have, eh? Let's stand vigilant to keep it that way.

Washington Examiner's Tuesday headlines

WASHINGTON EXAMINER EDITORIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Obama adds $8.8 trillion of new debt in next decade

Examiner Editorial"Obama's budget also raises taxes by $1.5 trillion on corporations and high-income earners, imposing higher marginal rates and new limits on charitable and mortgage deductions."

Egypt's dim future

Cal Thomas, Examiner Columnist"According to a 2009 study by WorldPublicOpinion.org, 64 percent of Egyptians view the Muslim Brotherhood positively, while only 16 percent have negative views. Sixty-nine percent think the Brotherhood favors democracy."

Stop public financing of political campaigns

Gene Healy, Examiner Columnist"Presidential public funding is a particularly obnoxious waste of taxpayer dollars, based on the false hope that handouts to politicians will deliver better politics. It may be chump change, but we're the chumps, and it's past time we got a refund."

From New York to the Amazon, a shakedown lawsuit against Chevron

Carter Wood, Oped Contributor (Part One of a Three-Part Series)"The litigation against Chevron was always just about the money -- big money for U.S. trial lawyers, their Ecuadorean underlings and the anti-American regime of Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa."

An Arab-American looks at the revolution in Egypt

Lee Habeeb, OpEd Contributor"If Arab countries like Iraq -- and now Egypt -- can unleash the God-given talents of its people and extract wealth not just from the ground but its citizens as well, watch Arab self- doubt begin to fade. And with it, anti-Semitism and anti-Americanism, too."

How the GOP can keep its Pledge to America

Hugh Hewitt, Examiner Columnist"This is the week the freshmen especially have to check their guts and their past promises. Many people are watching closely and won't forget. It wasn't the House appropriators who sent these new representatives to Congress, and the appropriators won't be able to explain away any credibility gap that opens this week to voters."

Extremely blustery Valley winds reminiscent of chinooks ... red flag warnings for Augusta, Shenandoah, Rockingham, Page

Did someone skip over February when flipping the calendar pages? The high winds so far this month have been reminiscent of the blustery days identified with March.

After an extremely windy Sunday followed by a very blustery night that buffeted the house tossing around anything outdoors that wasn't nailed down and causing the house to creak on its foundation, Monday has been more of the same as the winds sweep down the eastern slopes of the Appalachian Mountains and whoosh through the mountain gaps.

Red flag warnings remain posted for Augusta, Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Page counties as WHSV TV-3 posts the latest alerts:

A Red Flag Warning is in effect from 9am to 6pm on Monday for Shenandoah, Page, Augusta, and Rockingham counties. 20-30 mph sustained with with gusts of 40-50 mph possible. Combined with the low humidity fire weather conditions are possible. A Wind Advisory is in effect for the entire viewing area until 10pm Monday night. Gusts up to 50 mph are possible, especially along ridge tops.

They further explain that the combination of gusty winds, dry conditions, and low fuel moisture could cause a fire to spread quickly. "Any open burning is considered hazardous in these conditions. A wind advisory remains in effect for the entire viewing area until 10 pm," says the alert crawl at the top of the website. Indeed, a brush fire in Augusta County has been reported in the Springhill Road area north of Staunton.

NBC-29 in Charlottesville is also reporting red flag conditions for much of central Virginia including the counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Green, Louisa, Madison, Orange, Nelson, and Buckingham.

With puffy white clouds in a blue sky and leaves swirling and flying through the air, the winds are reminiscent of the chinooks described by Laura Ingalls Wilder in her Little House book, The Long Winter.

The chinooks are described as warm, drying winds blowing down from the Rocky Mountains in western Canada and the inland northwest of the United States. That describes what we are dealing with in the Shenandoah Valley ... kind of like a "chinook east" with the thermometer reading 60 degrees at mid-day after days/weeks of bitterly cold weather.

Anyone who has read the Little House series remembers The Long Winter, a lesson in perseverance, determination, hard work, and hope. Living in Dakota Territory, later to be known as South Dakota, the Ingalls family as well as the entire town faced starvation during the severe winter of 1880-81 when a series of blizzards brought deep snows that blocked the railroad tracks and cut them off from civilization and supplies. That winter has gone down in the history books as one of the worst in that part of the country.

As food supplies dwindled, the Ingalls family also faced the possibility of death from freezing temperatures when their firewood ran out leaving them with nothing other than a stockpile of wheat for both food and heat. They survived on coarse brown bread, and twisted the wheat stalks into dense sticks to use in the place of firewood. It provided little heat causing the family to huddle around the woodstove day after day as they wove the wheat stalks and ate bread.

It was a dreary time. Pa didn't play the fiddle. The girls were glum. The family was in survival mode. The blizzard winds howled and snow sifted through cracks in the house, settling on blankets as Laura shivered through the night. It was bleak, and the winter that had begun in October delivered seven months of blizzards that lasted until April.

That was when, late one night, Laura heard the chinook wind as it began to blow. She called it the wind of spring and, as its warmth began to melt the snow and ice, she added that, because it was the chinook, "That makes all the difference."

The warmth of today's wind is a reminder that spring will return although we will have more cold weather before winter is finally over. Indeed, the 25-30 mph winds today have a cold edge to them, but it's providing a brief warm-up and, for many, that makes it possible to hold on until spring arrives.

The Budget

The U.S. budget was rolled out this morning -- $3.73 trillion -- and the reactions from the Republican side of the aisle have been less than pleased. Even Drudge's oversized red headlines dominated the website as it shouted, "Debt now totals entire U.S. economy."

Many are weighing in on the budget but I liked this succinct response from George Allen for U.S. Senate Facebook page. Gov. Allen wrote:

It is clear that President Obama is continuing to ignore the voices of We the People who are demanding that Washington rein in government spending.  Rather than tackle our fiscal crisis head-on, the President’s solution is to borrow more, tax more and allow Washington to continue to live beyond its means.

After bi-partisan rejection of a tax increase on families and job creators, President Obama’s looming tax increases will only act as a strong disincentive for businesses to plan expansion and create more jobs.  Rather than take more money from taxpayers, we need to execute our nation’s budget with the same discipline that small businesses and families use across the country.  We must work to reduce taxes on job creators, regulate the unelected regulators, unleash our plentiful energy resources to create more jobs and finally embrace a balanced budget, not lock in red ink as far as the eye can see.

What is coming down the pike was described by one money-cruncher as a looming train wreck, as reported by Bloomberg:

“It’s a slow train wreck coming and we all know it’s going to happen,” said Bret Barker, an interest-rate analyst at Los Angeles-based TCW Group Inc., which manages about $115 billion in assets. “It’s just a question of whether we want to deal with it. There are huge structural changes that have to go on with this economy.”

Time to turn back to my copy of Boomergeddon, Jim Bacon's brutally honest look at the financial future for Americans especially those who are now or soon will be entering the retirement ranks....

Valentine's at Barren Ridge Vineyard

Barren Ridge Vineyard ... Vineyard building ...

Here's a unique way to spend a quiet Valentine's evening with your spouse or friends. Barren Ridge Vineyard, located in the Fishersville area of Augusta County, will be open extended hours tonight until 9:00:

Skip the restaurant rush this Valentine’s Day. Barren Ridge Vineyards is extending its business hours until 9 pm on February 14th for you to enjoy as you wish.

Feel free to bring a picnic dinner and relax by the fire in the Audrey Blackford Room. Musicians, bring your acoustic instruments and jam for your own pleasure, and ours! There is no fee to come and our award winning wines will be for sale by the glass or bottle (no outside alcohol, please). HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY from Barren Ridge Vineyards!

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell

Daniel Morris ... in remembrance of a fallen hero ... February 14, 2007

In Memory
Lance Corporal Daniel Todd Morris, USMC
1987 - 2007
KIA - February 14, 2007 - Operation Iraqi Freedom
Semper Fi

American flags snapped in the breeze at New Providence Presbyterian Church during the funeral for Augusta County resident Lance Cpl. Daniel Morris in February 2007.

Four years ago today, 19-year-old Lance Corporal Daniel Morris from Virginia's Shenandoah Valley gave the ultimate sacrifice for his country on a faraway battle field during Operation Iraqi Freedom. It would be days before his body was returned to Augusta County but, when it was, a community turned out to honor and thank a fallen hero and his family.

Buried on an unusually mild and windy February day, hundreds attended the funeral as cars were backed up on the road 45 minutes before the 11:00 service at a small historic rural church. Mourners filled the sanctuary and balcony, and overflowed onto the grounds.

Standing guard outside, as they had at the funeral home the day before, were the Patriot Guard riders standing at attention with bowed heads as they held American flags that flapped in the stiff breeze. Along the driveway leading up the hill to the cemetery overlooking the church yard were more American flags, a tribute to a hero who now rests on that Virginia hillside.

A front page story today by reporter Bob Stuart at the Waynesboro News Virginian is a reminder of the loss that is still very fresh to the family but also a reminder that Morris' sacrifice has not been forgotten. Not only do Morris' family and friends as well as the SWAC community remember but a foundation in Pennsylvania, named for another fallen Marine who was killed in Iraq two months after Morris, remembers, too:

Now, the Travis Manion Foundation of Doylestown, Pa., is honoring Morris’ memory.

Mike Walsh, the foundation’s director of development, said the foundation’s goal is to encourage disabled veterans to perform community service in memory of a fallen veteran.

The family of late Marine Corps officer Manion started the foundation after he was killed in Iraq in 2007.

For the next several months, retired Marine Corps Sgt. Dwayne Malone will volunteer at the Smith Recreation Center in Fort Benning, Ga. in honor of Morris.

And each month, Malone will send a 500-word update on his service to [Daniel Morris' mother Carol] Moneymaker.

Malone was struck by a car and disabled after returning home from Iraq. Malone had to learn how to walk and talk again, Walsh said.

“Our motto is to honor the fallen by challenging the living,” Walsh said.

We owe a debt of gratitute to Tavis Manion and all he and his family sacrificed for our country.

And we remember Daniel Morris whose memory lives on ... his service is still remembered. Thank you. Semper Fi.

Cross-posted at Virginia Virtucon

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell

February 2007

Now and always....

"Faith, hope, love ... but the greatest of these is love."
1 Corinthians 13
My dearie since 1982 who makes every day Valentine's Day.

Valentine's Day 2011 ... hearts to you!

From Toy Story ... "You've Got a Friend In Me"
performed by Lyle Lovett and Randy Newman

Happy Valentine's Day!

Fun in historic downtown Staunton

'80s ladies ... Flashdance, anyone?

Va. burning ban takes effect Tuesday ... fire watch for Shenandoah Valley

For those who plan to burn trash, brush, or debris over the next few months, the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) reminds Commonwealth residents that the annual burning ban will take effect on Tuesday, February 15, 2011:

The Commonwealth’s 4 p.m. Burning Law goes into effect Feb. 15, 2011 – the start of spring fire season in Virginia.

This law prohibits burning before 4 p.m. each day (Feb. 15 – April 30) if the fire is in, or within 300 feet of, woodland, brushland or fields containing dry grass or other flammable materials.

A violation of this law is a Class 3 misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine. In addition to the criminal violation, those who allow a fire to escape are liable for the cost of suppressing the fire as well as any damage caused to others’ property.

Reporter Melinda Williams with the Southwest Times reported that John Miller, director of resource protection at the VDOF, considers the burn ban a helpful tool for foresters:

“This law is one of the most effective tools we have in the prevention of wildfires. Each late winter and early spring, downed trees, branches and leaves become ‘forest fuels’ that increase the danger of a forest fire. By adhering to the law and not burning before 4 p.m., people are less likely to start a fire that threatens them, their property and the forests of Virginia.”

The spring burning ban was created in the 1940s to lower the number of fires that were more likely at this time of year due to high winds, low humidity, and a build-up of debris on the forest floor.

Conditions for forest fires typically worsen at this time of year in Virginia due to elevated winds, low humidity and a dry layer of leaves having built up on the forest floor over the winter. However, after 4 p.m., winds usually calm down and the humidity climbs to make for safer conditions.

Sunday afternoon a brush fire was reported on the shoulder of I-81 in southern Augusta County near mile marker 206, a reminder of why the burn ban is about to take effect. In Page County, a brush fire got out of control Saturday evening but has now been contained.

Meanwhile, a WHSV TV-3 out of Harrisonburg has a fire alert streaming across its website:

A Fire Weather Watch is in effect for the day on Monday for Shenandoah, Page, Augusta, and Rockingham counties. 20-30 mph sustained with with gusts of 40-50 mph possible. Combined with the low humidity, fire weather conditions are possible.

Fire season has arrived in the Shenandoah Valley.

Cross-posted at Virginia Virtucon

Fox News slams cable news competition

Cable news rankings are out for the past week, and the news personalities at Fox News Channel (FNC) are ahead of the other cable news outlets.

Cable News Rankings
February 20, 2011

FOX NEWS: Bill O'Reilly - 3,325,000
FOX NEWS: Bret Baier - 2,335,000
FOX NEWS: Shaun Hannity - 2,293,000
FOX NEWS: Glenn Beck - 2,243,000
FOX NEWS: Shephard Smith - 1,936,000
FOX NEWS: Greta Van Sustern - 1,744,000

CNN: Blitzer - 1,036,000
CNN: Morgan - 941,000
MSNBC: Hardball - 844,000
MSNBC: O'Donnell - 843,000
CNN: Cooper - 826,000
MSNBC: Maddow - 765,000
CNN: Parkerspitzer - 724,000
MSNBC: Schultz - 575,000

H/T to Drudge

I-81 wrecks this week ... be safe out there

It's still winter in the Shenandoah Valley and, even though some days can be mild and a reminder that many are already looking for spring, snow and ice can still cause havoc while traveling. Wednesday's late afternoon snow that lasted into the evening caused a number of wrecks on the interstates and secondary roads. The Waynesboro News Virginian covered some of the more serious wrecks, a reminder to slow down during inclement weather.

House fire a reminder that fire & rescue vehicles need to be able to access property

Shenandoah Valley firefighters sometimes have to go the extra mile just to reach a fire, something that occurred this week when rescue personnel responded to a chimney fire in a remote area on the slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains north of Waynesboro.

Reporter Chase Purdy with the Waynesboro News Virginian wrote about the challenges faced by firefighters and their equipment while responding to the remote site on Thursday:

Four Dooms firefighters suffered minor injuries Thursday responding to an Augusta County house fire, authorities said.

Dooms Volunteer Fire Department Chief Mike Fisher said problems started when firefighters got to the private road leading to the two-story house in the 100 block of Rip Rap Road.

“It was a nightmare because of road conditions,” Fisher said. “It was rutted and full of boulders.”

Authorities said the driveway, covered in ice and snow, was riddled with gaps and holes left from last winter.

A fire truck had to be towed after it hit a boulder in the driveway, causing the engine to be pushed into the drive shaft. That truck is out of commission until repairs can be made. The house, valued at $36,000, sustained approximately $20,000 in damage.

A similar situation occurred a year ago when fire trucks had extreme difficulty navigating a steep, curvy driveway in snowy conditions. The February 2010 fire was also a chimney fire that left the $276,000 house, located in southern Augusta County, gutted and a family homeless. The News Virginian also covered that fire:

Slick snow made a curvy rural driveway impassable to fire trucks in Greenville on Tuesday afternoon, leaving firefighters without water as flames ripped through a family home.
...
Fire crews from Middlebrook, Stuarts Draft and Raphine, meanwhile, struggled with the snow-covered twists in the steep driveway.
...
Fire trucks from Middlebrook and Raphine became stuck in snow as rescuers called for reinforcements in the form of backhoes, plows and the Virginia National Guard.

Flames shot from the 2,000-square-foot home and a tower of ever-blacker smoke rose high above the trees.

Firefighters at the house could do little more than watch. Those on the driveway took up shovels and worked with three backhoes to free the trucks that had become stuck — they did not reach the home for more than an hour.

This week's fire further emphasized that access for emergency vehicles is definitely something to consider when buying a house.

Cross-posted at Virginia Virtucon

SWAC area Chamber of Commerce showcases local businesses

It's a popular annual event that showcases local businesses, hosted by the Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce, and this year it was held at the Best Western in Waynesboro. Space was too small to allow more than about 35 businesses to set up displays at the event that was open to the public on Thursday and included demonstrations, seminars, and motivational speakers.

The local chamber boasts around 1,000 members from throughout the central Shenandoah Valley area of Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County.

Birthday memories by proxy

Kathy (in photo), another classmate, and I share the same February 9th birthday, and we all went to school together in Richmond. Here Kathy good-naturedly holds the "Happy Birthday Lynn" sign while wearing the birthday sombrero.

The years and the miles fell away Wednesday night when a number of school classmates gathered in Bon Air (on the outskirts of Richmond) for a get-together that brought this growing troupe of high school friends to their old stomping grounds for what has become an occasional impromptu happy hour. This week's gathering happened to fall on the birthday of three in our group ... Kathy (pictured above), Shirley, and me. While in school, we never knew we shared the same birthday but through the wonders of Facebook, it is now common knowledge to all. Thank you, Mark Zuckerberg!

Kathy drove to Richmond from Leesburg to join the festivities and partake of some birthday cake and fellowship at a restaurant in a shopping center that didn't exist when we were all young. Built on what was known in those days as Snead's Hill, it had been a farm field where the kids from Bon Air gathered for sleigh riding on winter days. Since Shirley nor I were able to be there, birthday signs were made to include us in the festivities, and photos were shared on Facebook.

The entire evening was all spearheaded by Debbie, our fearless Pied Piper who has been rounding us up since last summer when she was flat on her back in bed with a back injury ... and got bored. She pulled out the high school year book, began scanning photos, and started hunting for us on Facebook. Some of us were already there ... others have signed up and become part of the ever growing circle of 1970s kids reuniting after all these years. Our graduating class was the largest at the time in Chesterfield County with more than 550 students so there are many more to be found.

Thanks, Debbie, for getting bored and picking up that old year book ... it has turned out to be a good thing.

RCP: "Romney rips into Obama in CPAC speech"

Former Massachusetts Republican Gov. Mitt Romney offered a sweeping preview of his message for his all-but-announced 2012 presidential run Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

In a speech designed to paint him as a credible general election challenger to President Obama, Romney went after the president right off the bat, lambasting his attempts to shake up his staff and embrace centrism as merely cosmetic.

"Make no mistake: What we are watching is not Brave New World; what we're watching is Groundhog Day!" he said to laughs in the crowd.

Mitt Romney received cheers from the capacity crowd on day two of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Read more at Real Clear Politics.

Honoring and Remembering our 40th President, Ronald Reagan

By Congressman Bob Goodlatte
Republican - 6th Congressional District

Just days ago we marked what would have been the 100th birthday of our nation’s 40th President, Ronald Wilson Reagan. It was a time to honor a man who led such an extraordinary life which had a profound impact on the span of human history.

President Reagan was born in a small town in Illinois. At his birth his father remarked, “…who knows, he might grow up to be president some day.” He couldn’t have known just how true these simple words would be one day.

Ronald Reagan spent his youth on the football field and on the stage as president of his high school drama club. With dreams of a broadcasting career Reagan headed west to California. He became a star on the silver screen and had his first taste of politics as president of the Screen Actors Guild. It was apparent that he was destined for greatness.

Ronald Reagan was twice elected Governor of California and then on November 4, 1980 he was elected to his first term as President of the United States.

In his eight years as president, Ronald Reagan accomplished many things. I believe that he was the greatest president of the twentieth century. He led America to win the Cold War by rebuilding our military. He reinstilled the economic greatness of this country from the malaise of the 1970s by restoring our faith in the free enterprise system. His efforts to reduce the tax burden on all Americans encouraged innovation. But most importantly he instilled in us his eternal optimism in America. In his first State of the Union address, President Reagan reminded us all to not “… let anyone tell you that America’s best days are behind her, that the American spirit has been vanquished. We’ve seen it triumph too often in our lives to stop believing in it now.”

I encourage all Americans to take a moment and reflect on these profound words which still ring true today. While as a country we will continue to confront challenges at home and abroad we must always remember that despite the challenging road ahead of us, we are more than equal to the task before us.

In his farewell address Reagan described how he envisioned the “shining city,” he had invoked countless times. He observed this of his time in office, “We weren't just marking time. We made a difference. We made the city stronger, we made the city freer, and we left her in good hands. All in all, not bad, not bad at all.”

Not bad reflects the modesty of the man but not the magnitude of his accomplishments. He set this nation on a new course that still inspires us. We have a right to dream great dreams he said…because after all we are Americans.

To contact me about this or any other matter, please visit my website at www.goodlatte.house.gov.

From the "tolerant" Party ...

... who once again show their total lack of understanding that there is room for all sides of a debate and always room for civility.

Carolina on my mind....

Tonight I'm thinking of the dunes of the Outer Banks ...

... thinking of the surfers near Hatteras' lighthouse ...

... and remembering watching a sailboat in the Atlantic beyond the breakers ... watching while kicked back on the deck enjoying the sun and surf.
In my mind I'm going to Carolina....

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
2010

Historic home for sale in Staunton

$384,000 - 815 West Beverley Street, Staunton, VA 24401

Thinking of moving to Staunton? This house could be for you and it's located just a few blocks from historic downtown Staunton's City Hall, shopping, restaurants, and all that the Queen City has to provide.

It belongs to a friend and I just had to share because it's a gorgeous property. This house has 4 bedrooms and 3 baths in 3,614 square feet on a lot that is 0.23 acre, and it just went on the real estate market. New listing!

Here's more from the website:

Walking through the front door, on your left is the sun-bathed living room that highlights a Victorian house built over 130 years ago. Continuing past the formal dining room you come to the family room that accesses the 12'x 21' glass conservatory; further back is the new kitchen with modern cabinets and appliances.

Off the kitchen is the pantry/mud room and laundry, leading to the back yard and patio. A very private patio awaits your morning coffee or late afternoon glass of wine. As you sit on the patio, you are surrounded by several garden areas offering beauty and bounty, utilizing native plants, xeriscaping, and an organic vegetable/herb garden.

Downstairs, opposite the living room, is the study featuring an ornate mirrored full mantle and fireplace, with shelves for over 3000 books. Continuing upstairs via the beautiful staircase, you will come to the master bedroom that mirrors the floor plan of the living room below it. Featuring a 20x15' room, you have a beautifully designed master bath with a heated ceramic floor and walk-in closet, and gas fireplaces in both rooms.

Across the hall is a bedroom that features another gas fireplace and a privately joining full bath for those special guests. Further down the hall is a 2nd floor porch to catch the morning sun, and it even has its own attached storage room. Lastly, there are 2 bedrooms at the end of the hall. A place to escape, yet you are a five minute walk to downtown Staunton with all of its entertainment and restaurants.

There are lots of features that make this home unique. From the delicate outside painting and trim to the fireplaces and gardens, this is a lot of value for someone wanting to live in Staunton's hippest neighborhood.

During the renovation in 2005, the entire physical plant was replaced. New plumbing, electrical, and Air conditioning. Kitchen, 5 gas fireplaces, including one in the study, the master bedroom, the master bath, family room, and guest bedroom.

You will have off street parking and a paved driveway to the back of the lot with its 4 bay garage. While over 100 years old, the renovation was done with great attention to detail, and there were no shortcuts taken.

This house is listed just above the assessment of $372,000 and offers a lot of value and beauty. Walk to downtown in 5 minutes, park off the street, and enjoy a beautifully restored Victorian home.

Be sure to check the website for additional information about schools and more.

The central Shenandoah Valley ... it's a wonderful place to call home.

Virginia girls

"Tough girls come from New York, sweet girls, they're from Georgia. But us Virginia girls, we have fire and ice in our blood. We can ride horses, be a debutante, throw left hooks, and drink with the boys, all the while making sweet tea, darlin'. And if we have an opinion, you know you're going to hear it." -Ashley Judd

Trump ... are some Virginians saying, "You're hired"?

Donald Trump for President? He has caught the attention of some Virginians especially after his speech Thursday afternoon at CPAC. That speech can be found at a new website called "Virginians for Trump". Check it out and see if you, too, want to become one of the "Virginians for Trump" and say, "You're hired!"

Bob McDonnell on short VP list for GOP

It happened again this week ... Politico had a story with the short list of possible future Republican vice presidential candidates:

From its highest levels to the grass roots, the GOP is buzzing over Marco, Bobby and Susana, as well as more than a half-dozen other junior Republican officeholders who have captured the party’s imagination in ways that the current 2012 presidential field hasn’t come close to doing.

That's our Bobby who's mention ... otherwise known as Governor Bob McDonnell ... who won by a whopping 17% in the 2009 gubernatorial election one short year after Barack Obama rose to the White House. Could Gov. McDonnell's future include time spent in that same White House?

Keep an eye on this rising GOP star in our own backyard....