David Perry New Director of Western Va. Land Trust

David Perry

The Western Virginia Land Trust has appointed interim director David Perry as the new executive director of the organization. 

Perry replaces Roger Holnback, who retired in February after 10 years with the land trust.

“The board of trustees is quite confident in David’s abilities,” says President Sandy Light. “He’ll provide a seamless transition for us and be able to move the organization forward as well.” 

"I’m honored and humbled,” Perry says. “Western Virginia is blessed with incredible resources and natural beauty that our children’s children should enjoy as we do today. I’m looking forward to meeting the challenge of conserving our special places.” 

Perry, a Blacksburg native, has been with the land trust since 2006, when he was hired as the trust’s project manager. He became assistant director in 2011. 

Perry has a master’s degree in park and resource management from Slippery Rock University and a bachelor’s degree in geography from James Madison University. Prior to coming to the land trust, he was employed with the Wicomico County Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism in Salisbury, MD and as a district executive with the East Carolina Council of the Boy Scouts of America in Kinston, NC. He and his wife and two sons live in southwest Roanoke.

GOP on Education: We Ain't Payin' for It!

Click on graphic for enlarged view.

Yet another reason to vote against the wrongheadedness of the Republican Party, where education of the American middle and lower classes is seen as a ballot box threat (as it should be):

"Mr. Romney’s response to a high school senior worried about college costs is arguably even more significant [than Rick Santorum's bias against a college education], because what he said points the way to actual policy choices that will further undermine American education.

"Here’s what the candidate told the student: 'Don’t just go to one that has the highest price. Go to one that has a little lower price where you can get a good education. And, hopefully, you’ll find that. And don’t expect the government to forgive the debt that you take on.'"

--Paul Krugman in this a.m.'s NYTimes

Dead Air in Limblab Land: As the Screws Turn

According to RawStory tonight:

"Media Matters noticed that on at least two occasions on Thursday, Limbaugh’s flagship station in New York, WABC, broadcast several minutes of dead air during commercial breaks. ...

"AdAge determined that nearly half of the 69 commercial spots during Thursday’s show had been replaced with public service announcements.

"Dead air happens when a radio or television station fails to broadcast anything over a period of time. It is generally considered to be one of the worst things that can happen in broadcast industry."

The Republican War on Women: An Overview

Graphic from HuffingtonPost (click on it and you can read it)

Here's a blow-by-blow account of how Republicans are waging war on women across the country and is especially germane today--International Women's Day.

Virginia is a dubious leader in the relentless Republican (and it's almost all Republican-inspired) attacke in state after state and in the halls of Congress. Today, of all days, Virginia's governor signed a bill mandating an intrusive test, one that adds cost, humiliation and intimidation, to the act of having an abortion, which is already about as traumatic as it gets.

The Republican Abortion Outrages Continue

This graphic is from the NYTimes and a story on disappearing abortion rights.

This fresh off Huffington Post, tells you just how bat-shit crazy and obsessed these wacked-out Republican lawmakers are with the abortion issue:

A "sweeping anti-abortion bill working its way through the Kansas Legislature would levy a sales tax on women seeking abortions, including rape victims. Buried in the 69-page bill being considered by the House Federal and State Affairs Committee are several provisions, in fact, that opponents say would increase taxes on those who seek abortions. The tax sections do not include any exemptions for women who want an abortion after a sexual assault, to end a dangerous ectopic pregnancy or to remove the remains of a fetus following a miscarriage -- the latter of which is defined as an abortion under Kansas law, according to Sarah Gillooly from Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri."

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Lance Kinzer, a Republican (as if you had to guess).

Baylor's Traffic Yellow Uniform Part of Its Strategy?

Baylor University is wearing this uniform today in the Big 12 Conference basketball tournament. Kansas State apparently declined the option to wear heavy sunglasses. Baylor is winning. K-State, one would suppose, has been blinded.

Republicans: Hating Women and the Poor Through Legislation

Today, your governor (who has about a 60+ percent approval rating, will sign bills making it harder for poor people (presumably Democrats) to vote and another punishing women who want abortions by requiring them to have totally unnecessary and harassing ultrasound scans.

Remember this when election day comes again. These people hate women and the poor. They hate them. Absolutely no question about that, based upon their actions.

Goodnight Moon Parodies: Here's the Flyer

Photo of the Day: It Was That Kinda Day Outside

If you thought it was a smidge warm for early March today, you were right. With temps hovering around 70 degrees in this mildest of winters, this guy dropped the top of his convertible and loaded up a couple of mountain bikes. Meanwhile, on City Market, dining outside was a comfortable alternative.

Sex and the Repubs: More Nonsense Legislation

Under the "ignorance is bliss" category today comes this:

"The [Republican-dominated] Utah state Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would allow schools to drop sex education, prohibit instruction on how to use contraception, and prohibit discussion of homosexuality in class, The Salt Lake Tribune reports.

"The bill lifts the current requirement that all public schools must teach sex ed in grades 8 through 12. Districts would decide whether to offer sex ed classes that teach an abstinence-only curriculum, or not offer the course at all."

--Huffington Post

Renovation of Virginian Railway Station Underway

Oldtimers line up to break ground and tell the Virginian Station's long story.

Mayor David Bowers saw a camera and started talking.

The interior is in sad shape.

More than 50 people showed up this morning at the old Virginian Railroad Station for the long-anticipated groundbreaking for the 102-year-old facility's renovations. It burned nearly completely 10 years ago and fund raising began almost immediately. More than $1.2 million is in the kitty now for renovations.

Phase I is officially underway with G&S Contracting of Salem the general contractor. Its bid on the first phase of construction was $494,000.

The station, the only all-brick station on the railroad's line, served the Roanoke Valley from 1910 to 1956. After that, it became a retail shop, among other things. It was burned in January of 2001 when a vagrant's fire got out of control.

James Cosby, president of the National Railway Historical Society (Roanoke Chapter), says the "plan is to conduct the restoration in two phases. Phase (includes abatement of the substantial asbestos and lead paint contamination on site, building stabilization and replacement of the terra cotta roof. We hope to go seamlessly into Phase II anbd complete the interior of the two buildings involved, landscaping and the parking lot within a year."

Roanoke Public TV Fundraiser Is Insulting and Vacant

It continues as a source of astonishment that Blue Ridge Public Television in Roanoke continues to use lowbrow elevator music, the Civil War, faux Celtic women, do-wop singers with walkers and every other gimmick that appeals to the elderly to raise money.

Tonight's star is a piano player named Yani and his wind machine who plays music that is so boring and without character that it doesn't rise to the level of the elevator. It is pre-packaged, homogenized music performed by Ken and Barbi dolls and watched by what appears to be an audience recruited from one of those Texas Baptist mega-churches. It's all there but the vacant eyes and the waving arms.

What has been abandoned in this process of catering to those with no taste--but a lot of money--is common sense and programming that is often quite good. This is a blatant case of kissing the ass of the old and infirm to shake loose a few more shekels, and it's embarrassing. WBRA does not need to sink to this level in order to raise money and by doing this, it is abandoning anybody with so much as a modicom of taste or who is below the age of 75 in order to milk just a smidge more moolah.

Mill Mountain Theatre discovered the results of leaning too heavily on an audience that would be dead in the next few years. Its constant run of bad musicals and familiar--but bornig--Broadway fare left it unable to navigate rough waters when its primary benefactor (Marian Via) died and her sons had no interest in sharing their inheritance with theater, which I'm sure they consider to be a bastion of liberals.

WBRA has consistently bumped its entire lineup for this embarrassing pap and it loses younger people permanently after wooing them with good shows like "History Detectives," "Frontline," "NOVA" and "Antiques Road Show."

By contrast, WVTF Public Radio, which is also running its spring fundraiser simultaneously, continues its regular  programming and interrupts on occasion (and not for long) by asking for donations. I'm not aware of it ever failing to reach its goal within the allotted time and I know its goal continues to increase because of the loss of government support. I don't know anybody who gets mad at WVTF during its fund-raisers. I know few who don't scream at the TV when Blue Ridge Public TV interrupts programming they like for this crap.

Julie Newman

My guess is that if BR Public TV'd simply have its very best public face, Julie Newman, make a 30-second pitch between normal programs, it'd be just as successful from the financial end without annoying the hell out of a lot of us. She's smart, lovely, talented and would make a perfect representation of the face of an audience they want.

Reality rules, though and you gotta wonder if they wouldn't have a Lawrence Welk performing if he were still around to do it. Some day, we all hope, they'll learn. Maybe before they go off the air.

Rush Windbag's Advertisers Falling Like GOP Support

Those leaving weren't commited anyway, right?

(Update: Think Progress reports Limbaugh has now--as of 11 p.m.--lost 35 advertisers.)

The names of advertisers dropping their ads from the Rush Windbag radio program is climbing by the hour and has reach important levels, even as the chief blabbermouth for the right now targets those dropping him. He's like a pissed off jilted lover who blames the failure of the relationship on the jilter.

Here's a link from ThinkProgress to tell you who's dropped out at this point and I can tell you that Sears and AOL are among the biggies. ABC News counts 22 advertisers and two stations as having jumped off the ship.

Here's what the Rushblob tells us [with me chiming in this way], ""They[meaning the advertisers who've wasted millions of smackers on him] decided they don't want you [pu-leeeeeeze]  or your business anymore. This program is always about you ["you" spelled "Rush"] ... I knew the political inclinations of these people[so why the hell did you let them advertise?]. They didn't care that they were profiting, and I didn't either. No radio broadcast will succeed by putting business ahead of the needs of its loyal audience [yours is the obvious exception that proves the rule, right?]."

(Photo: someofus.org)

Recycling in Northwest Roanoke: Sadly, an Opportunity Ignored

Almost everything at this trash site is recyclable.

Grass clippings should be mulched.

How much is recyclable? Most.

Every Tuesday when I take my morning walk through the neighborhood, I am confronted with a devout refusal to recycle, even though the City of Roanoke provides the means. It is disheartening to see this casual tossing of recyclables, re-usables and even mulch and compost that could enrich landscapes.

I don't know if it is laziness, ignorance, thoughtlessness or what, but I despise waste and that's what this is. My own garbage is put to the curb--at most--once every three weeks. And even then it's not full. I estimate that about 75 percent of what goes into most people's cans in this 'hood (Northwest Roanoke, where I've been for about 18 months) shouldn't be there.

That trash should be in the plastic-glass bin or the paper bin provided by the city or it should be mulched or composted for the yard, taken to Goodwill or another recycling charity. There's a place other than the expensive landfill for almost everything we use and it isn't that difficult to see that it goes there.

I would love to see the city embark on a program of education and even coercion or reward for recycling. The more we recycle, the cleaner the planet and the lower our taxes (who the hell do you think pays for that landfill?).

I know: preach, preach, preach. But dammit! it's important.

Nutty Legislatures? Consider the Hoosier State

'I'd like to present this crazy-assed bill to ..."

We're pretty much in universal agreement that the Virginia Legislature's embarrassing 2012 session has been an exercise in a kind of comic-Fascism rarely seen in these parts, generated exclusively by the Republicans who swear to their mighty god that they oppose big government or any government that interferes with the rights of the private individual. Even as they invade our bedrooms and bodies, then try to control every facet of our private lives.

We know our story well by now, but what about elsewhere? Let's take Indiana as an example. It is run by Repubs who seem to see so few problems among Hoosiers and their economy, infrastructure, unemployment levels and the like that they apparently think they need to create some friction. Here's a look at a bit of what they've done:

• Called for an investigation of the Girl Scouts, a "radical institution." (I'll do the cookies column later--the one where I say that Girl Scout cookies offer girls lessons in how to get somebody else to do your work, how to support overpriced institutions with sub-par products and how to beg for money).
• Geared up the creationism debate.
• Sen. Vaneta Becker (R-Evansville) proposed standards for performing the national anthem (which would eliminate virtually all ballpark versions, I'd assume). The Scribe says it would work this way: "The law would ... require that schools keep recordings of every performance for two years, and calls for the establishment of an office to deal with complaints regarding the national anthem."
• Called for opening the state high school basketball tournament up to all-comers (so they can re-live the movie "Hoosiers," ostensibly).
• Offered up a bill that would require cursive writing in schools.
• Presented a bill to put the entire state on Central Standard Time.

There was also a pretty nasty dust-up over the right to work, a bill that would pretty much push unions out the door in a state that needs them, but that's a serious issue and we can tell you it almost completely stumped these legislators. But the national anthem? Legislate away boys and girls.

(Photo: wbez.com)

WFIR President: Limblab Was 'Offensive ... Out of Bounds'

Rush Limblab's radio program is bread and butter to the stations that carry the top-rated radio show in America, but his recent behavior continues to be criticized. Even by those who make money off this monster, albeit in a toned-down manner.

Here is a statement from Roanoke's WFIR President Leonard Wheeler:

"We can well appreciate the fairness of discussion and/or debate about insurance companies, colleges or government supporting contraception for Women. For Rush Limbaugh to speak to that subject, or comment on Sandra Fluke’s testimony to members of Congress is of no surprise. However, to make the comments he did to illustrate his point, which were derogatory to Sandra Fluke and in our opinion to women in general, we feel were offensive and totally out of bounds."

Call for Submissions: Spoofing 'Goodnight Moon' at Hollins

On Monday April 2 at 7 p.m. in the Green Drawing Room on quad at Hollins University, you're going to be part of a whole series of belly laughs if you're there for the Margaret Wise Brown Festival. I'm going to read three spoofs on her classic children's book Goodnight Moon and about five authors from our region will read their newly-minted spoofs.

Deadline for submission is 5 p.m. March 27.

The books I'm reading are Goodnight George Bush, Goodnight Keith Moon and Goodnight iPad. MWB was a 1932 graduate of Hollins and one of its first internationally-recognized authors. Goodnight Moon has been universally beloved for many years and recently Hollins presented a marvelous play based on the book.

This post is serving as a call for spoofs from the region's writers. If you don't know the story, here it is (read to you by Susan Sarandon). The book has a perfect construction to invite inventive spoofs (can't wait to see the almost obligatory Goodnight, Rush and if somebody doesn't turn it in, I have one half finished).

The guidelines are simple: stick to the book's plot; keep it within the PG range and make it funny. Send your submissions to me at editrdan@msn.com and I'll get them to the group of Hollins people (and me) who will select the submissions that will be read. I hope you will all come to this. It's guaranteed to be a hoot.

Rumor Mill: Whole Foods to Roanoke's Ukrops Store?

I have absolutely no idea at the truth in the rumor, but the chatter is alive and well on the 'net:

Whole Foods, says the rumor, will locate in the former Ukrops store on Franklin Road in Roanoke, a building that was constructed--in a flood zone--specifically for Ukrops.

Good, bad, indifferent opinions abound and some worry that the threat would be greatest to the Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op. I doubt that. The customers there define "loyal." Could be an interesting addition to the mix, though.

Quote of the Day, Too: More GOP Nonsense on Energy

"There are lots of reasons for the rise in gas prices, but the lack of American production is not one of them. Domestic crude oil production is actually up from 5.4 million barrels a day in 2004 to 5.59 million now; imports have dropped by more than 10 percent in the same period. Despite a temporary slowdown in exploration in the Gulf of Mexico after the BP oil disaster, the number of rigs in American oil fields has quadrupled over three years. There have been new discoveries and the administration has promised to open up more offshore reserves. To say that Mr. Obama has denied industry access is nonsense."

--NYTimes editorial today

(Photo: topnews.in)

Question of the Day: OK, So Who's Really Leading?

Kaine (properly on the left) and Allen

Last week, we reported (here) that George Allen had an eight point lead over Tim Kaine in the political race for Virginia's vacant Senate seat, according to a Roanoke College poll.

Now comes this:

"A new NBC News/Marist poll shows Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Timothy M. Kaine with a 9-point lead over Republican rival George Allen and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney with a commanding lead over Texas Rep. Ron Paul heading into Tuesday’s Republican presidential primary."

Who's a body to believe?

Limbaugh Supporters: Read the Fine Print and Get a Surprise

Lord have mercy! The things you discover in the fine print:

"Disclaimer: AOL, the parent company of The Huffington Post, has an advertising deal with Rush Limbaugh."

--Sitting right here on Huffington Post at the end of the story.

(Note: AOL has now pulled its support, but you have to wonder why it was there in the first place.)



(Photo: sodahead.com. And, no, it has nothing to do with the link, but it's oddly attractive, you think?)

Today's Quote: The Decline and Fall of the Newspaper Print Industry

"Call it 'creative' if you want, but this is what economic destruction looks like. Print newspaper ads have fallen by two-thirds from $60 billion in the late-1990s to $20 billion in 2011."

-The Atlantic (story here)

Quote of the Day: 'Unsubtle Caricatures' in Congress

"There’s less and less room in American politics for a hodgepodge of positions that don’t adhere to one of the two sanctioned scripts. Unsubtle caricatures outnumber complicated characters. That will be only truer with her retirement at year’s end."

--Frank Bruni in the NYTimes about the retirement of Olympia Snowe

From Limbaugh, a Non-Apology Apology

OK, so do we see an apology in here from Rush Limbaugh, who swears this is an apology, issued today? 

"For over 20 years, I have illustrated the absurd with absurdity, three hours a day, five days a week.  In this instance, I chose the wrong words in my analogy of the situation. I did not mean a personal attack on Ms. Fluke.

"I think it is absolutely absurd that during these very serious political times, we are discussing personal sexual recreational activities before members of Congress. I personally do not agree that American citizens should pay for these social activities. What happened to personal responsibility and accountability? Where do we draw the line? If this is accepted as the norm, what will follow? Will we be debating if taxpayers should pay for new sneakers for all students that are interested in running to keep fit?In my monologue, I posited that it is not our business whatsoever to know what is going on in anyone's bedroom nor do I think it is a topic that should reach a Presidential level.

"My choice of words was not the best, and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir. I sincerely apologize to Ms. Fluke for the insulting word choices."

None of this, of course, was influenced by the fact that Limbulb's (as in Dim Bulb) advertisers are deserting him in droves, nor that this is not about sexual activity, Ms. Fluke's or anybody else's. It is about women's health and access to medications necessary to maintain that. Birth control pills are used for far more purposes than the name indicates and that was her point in testimony. 

Maureen Dowd of the NYTimes summed it up nicely: "He said insuring contraception would represent another 'welfare entitlement,' which is wrong — tax dollars would not provide the benefit, employers and insurance companies would. And women would not be getting paid just 'to have sex.' They’d be getting insurance coverage toward the roughly $1,000 annual expense of trying to avoid unwanted pregnancies and abortions, and to control other health conditions. This is something men and conservatives should want too, and not just because those outcomes actually do cost taxpayers money."

 Limbaugh has attempted to make this about morality. He, of all people preaching morality. Sheesh. 

(Cartoon Dick Kulpa here)

Closing Limbaugh's Mouth: Here Are His Advertisers; Boycott Them Until They Pull Their Ads

Sandra Fluke: Limbaugh says she's a "slut." He's an idiot.

Limbaugh's mouth doesn't seem to be able to close.

If you're interested in joining the Rush Limbaugh advertiser boycott, here's a list of advertisers of his unfortunate radio show.

Limbaugh is in trouble--this time--for his remarks about a courageous young woman (Sandra Fluke) who was speaking out for health care coverage for women, calling her a "slut" among other things. This is pretty typical of Limbaugh's rhetoric, but it seems to be the one that is resonating with a wide range of Americans fed up with his bullshit.

The only way you can make Limbaugh pay--short of violence and I won't call for that--is to hit his pocket. Remember this throwback makes $25 million a year because we buy products advertised on his radio show. You and I are supporting him. We can just as easily stop by not buying products from companies like the ones listed on this link. Some of them have already pulled their ads; let's get them all to do that.

Showtimers' 'Nunsense' Fills Its Piece of the Puzzle

The cast of 'Nunsense' at Showtimers

It has been far too long since I attended a play at Showtimers, the theater troupe that is likely Roanoke's oldest at 61, and I had, frankly, almost forgotten what traditional community theater felt like. It feels pretty good.

The show, which has consistently sold well, runs through Sunday. What few tickets remain are available here.

The production of Dan Goggin's musical comedy "Nunsense" is standard fare for amateur local theater groups. It does not challenge and it does not bring up unpleasantness. This play within a play is about as light as theater gets, good for a few laughs (sometimes at it as much as with it when it gets to this level) and an entertaining evening.

Since the closing of Roanoke's professional theater, Mill Mountain, months ago, we have relied on the edgier and often more creative side of the the genre to fill our need for theater and it has been rewarding on a number of levels. But sometimes a good escape fills the evening's entertainment need and this one provides the escape.

The story revolves around five nuns putting on a show to raise money for four funerals (that's it in a nutshell, though there are nuances) and like so much with community theater, it is performed unevenly--though often with notable talent. When Stevie Holcomb ( remember her from "Wooden Snowflakes" at Theater Roanoke, one of the best pieces I've seen in years) and Celie Holmes (as a ditzy amnesiac who was often hilarious) were in the spotlight, the show was at its liveliest, funniest and best. Cate Carney added a classy touch of talent with song and dance and Rose Guzi and Beverly Amsler had their moments. Nancy Lawrence directed.

I noted to my companion that the crowd was a good bit older than what we've seen in many months, more like the Mill Mountain Theatre crowds, when it was open. My guess is that older theater-goers like the familiar and they love musical comedy. That became one of the downfalls of MMT, which was thoroughly predictable and without creativity during its last years. Younger crowds have been filling up the venues for new plays and the more adventurous theater in Roanoke and these venues have created a whole new generation of followers here.

As I probably say far too often, we are fortunate in a locality this size to have both the amount and the quality of theater we have. Showtimers adds to this valuable quality of life element of our little Valley and I'm grateful for its existence.

Pro-Solar Power Bill Goes to Governor

My buddy Diana Christopulos sent the following release from the House of Delegates a little while ago, telling us all that solar is getting the state's blessing. Says Diana: "Good news for Virginians interested in placing solar panels on their property: this bill  allows homeowner associations to set rules for solar panels, they cannot outlaw them or sue people for installing solar panels.

"More good news: a recent study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) showed that the price of solar energy has dropped about 30 percent since the middle of 2010. The main barrier to low prices is now the cost of installation rather than the cost of materials. NREL predicts that installation costs could drop very significantly as more companies enter the solar market."

Here's the press release:

Today, the House of Delegates, in a bipartisan vote, passed Senator Chap Petersen's bill (SB627) to allow homeowners the freedom to use solar panels to power their homes without the threat of litigation by homeowner associations.

Senator Petersen (D-Fairfax City) expressed satisfaction that finally, Virginians will be able to use solar panels regardless of where they live, or under what homeowner association rules they are subject to:"The passage of SB627 is the result of a multi-year effort to allow all Virginians to take advantage of clean solar energy. This is a bipartisan bill that will bring high-paying, skilled solar panel installation and manufacturing jobs to Virginia. I am pleased to have worked with a number of Senators and Delegates from both parties to pass this bill, and I am very pleased that we could all come together to pass this common sense bill."

Delegate David Ramadan (R-Loudoun) praised Senator Petersen's bill, and defended it on the House floor: "I commend Senator Petersen for bringing this bill through, and I was happy to present and defend it on the house floor. This is a private property issue for homeowners, and its a matter of choice so that people can pick what sources of energy are useful for them."

SB627 will allow Home Owner Associations (HOAs) to regulate placement and size of solar panels, but will not allow HOAs to have an outright ban on solar panels.

The House of Delegates voted 74-24 to pass the bill and the Senate voted 31-8 to pass the bill. The bill now heads to the Governor's desk for consideration.

City Formulating Plans for Old Wasena Train Station

The old Wasena train station: Plans afoot?

Over the past 10 years, I have talked with people in Roanoke City government several times about the potential that exists in the old railroad station building in Wasena Park. The building was headquarters for the Virginia Museum of Transportation until the flood of 1985 and has not been used to any degree since then. It just sits there.

The question arises again now because the renovated River House (the old Ice House) is moving toward completion and it will bring a lot of new people to the area.

A couple of years ago, when the flood reduction project along Wiley Drive was in process and there were tons and tons of dirt being moved, I asked City Manager Darlene Burcham why she didn't have some of that dirt piled up around the edges of the station building property to seal it off from flooding. It would have been a simple, easy, cheap response and would have left the building much more desirable for use. Darlene said the dirt was "spoken for." I suspect I rolled my eyes.

This morning, I shot a note over to City Manager Chris Morrill, who is one of the most responsive public officials I've ever met, and he immediately answered.

Here's the exchange, me first:

Now that Ed Walker's River House project is taking shape, does Roanoke have any plans to renovate and re-open the old train station building in Wasena Park? My guess is that renovation would be fairly minimal. The building is beside the skate park and would make a marvelous community center. It is smack in the flood plane, but a berm built around it would keep the water out and would not be expensive to do.

It would help create a lovely community focus in that section.

Chris' response:

You are spot on about the old transportation museum. We are exploring some exciting possibilities for it that I hope we will be able to announce in the very near future.

I don't have a clue what they'll do with the building, but anything would be better than nothing. My thought has been that a teen center or a Wasena community center (much like the old building in Highland Park serves Old Southwest) would help create what the city calls "City Centers." Beside the station building is a skateboard park, tennis courts, basketball courts and softball fields. This would be a marvelous addition to that complex and would open it  up to groups for meetings, picnics and other events that could help create and sustain community.

'Tebow Bill' Dies: Let's Educate All Kids Equally

Tim Tebow was homeschooled.

I notice where a Virginia Senate committee, by an 8-7 vote, killed the "Tebow Bill" today. That's the legislation that would have allowed homeschooled kids to play sports in public schools. The argument against the legislation is that the homeschoolers can't be properly monitored for academic progress and that they don't have the same schedules as the publics and blah, blah, blah.

The bill is called the "Tebow Bill" because pro football player Tim Tebow, who was homeschooled, was a high school football all-American in Florida, which allowed him to play for a public school.

I tend to side with the Republicans here (god forbid this should happen often), but for different reasons. they tend to side with anything based in religion and my guess is that's behind their support in this. The bulk of homeschooled kids have a religious bent to their education. Some don't, though. Most whether religious or not, by a large margin, are better educated than their public counterparts and get into college easily.

The argument I make here, though, is about government services being available to all our citizens. It isn't just that homeschoolers pay the same taxes as public school parents (without getting the service), but that citizens are entitled to government services on an equal basis. Period.

Democrats insist this would hurt public schools and I argue that ultimately it would help because when some of these homeschooled kids and parents are exposed to what goes on in public schools and allowed to make friends (and teammates) with the public students, many will want to switch. They will understand that the public students aren't heathens and they don't have cooties.

The biggest problem with the legislation is that it's only about sports and not other extracurricular activities: forensics, chess, band, chorus, art, various academic clubs and on and on. The public education goal should be to educate all the students in the state in the ways it can. That's a simple and attainable goal.

Audio from the 101.5 Recent Radio Conversation

Bruce Bryan and me at 101.5 recently.

Here's the audio from my February radio conversation with Bruce Bryan on 101.5 The Music Place radio.

It was a fun half hour of roaming topics. Bruce always asks good questions and knows as much about our town as anybody I know.