Spring has sprung

Spring is getting to the Valley... a day here and there. Most Virginians probably enjoyed this past weekend's blue skies, bright sun, and warm temps. I visited family on the far side of the state, staying off the interstates and enjoying the back roads of the Commonwealth. Also got in a little fishing and enjoyed homemade crab cakes. Umm, good.

Back home on Sunday afternoon, I worked on odd jobs outside in the warm sun. All that will change today with showers and wind and chilly temperatures (did the weather guy just utter the S-word?). But, next weekend looks nice. April has always been one of my favorite months, I guess precisely because of all the changes in the weather, the greening of the grass, buds popping on trees, the promise of fresh veggies and smell of freshly mowed grass.

So, all in all, a most excellent weekend for most Virginians. Guess the same can't be said for Jeff Frederick's weekend - he probably didn't even notice the blue skies. All-in-all, I was hoping he'd keep his "job." He was so fun, provided so much comic relief, and pissed off so many Republicans. I suspect this drama isn't over and hope for some fun at the GOP state convention.

It is great fun reading some of the reaction at Valley blogs like rightsideVA and Spank That Donkey who are in the finger pointing business - a circular firing squad may play out over the next weeks. Seems Lynn Mitchell, aka swacgirl, played a little CYOA, reversed position and voted to dump the "grassroots" (from the VAGOP Dictionary: Grassroots: noun term appropriated from broad political use meaning regular folks' involvement, that now means right wing and ultra-conservative Republican who feels abandoned by his/her party; mostly found in the rural regions) leader, Jeff Frederick. The vote was close, enhancing the betrayal felt by the "grassroots." For her part, swacgirl remains mum, posting pictures of flowers and quoting the Bible. The next meeting of the Augusta GOP might be rowdy - alert the Sheriff's Dept. that extra security may be needed.

Idiots among us

A fellow by the name of David Patterson of Lyndhurst, VA blamed the News Leader's downsizing on that paper's left wing slant. Hum, does this clown have a clue? The News Leader is a far cry from... gasp... liberal. Let's look at recent news to see what's happening in the newspaper business.

The News Virginian, with a right wing editorial slant, has gone through a couple rounds of layoffs and there are rumors it may end the print edition and go totally online. The Daily News-Record of Harrisonburg, off the right edge of the earth politically, has downsized the newspaper. And just today, the Republican... I mean Richmond Times-Dispatch, is reported to be laying off 90 employees. And, as previously noted, the wonderful eightyone is going out of business.

Mr. Patterson, the decline of the News Leader has nothing to do with the opinions expressed on the editorial page, it has everything to do with the changing media environment, TV, the internet, and the collapsing economy inherited from George Bush. Your letter was yet another example of a right wing brain duped and doped by Fox.

Stone plans to step down

Dr. Phillip Stone, president of Bridgewater College since 1994, announced he will retire at the end of the 2009-10 academic year. Under his tenure, Bridgewater College grew in enrollment, built impressive new academic buildings, achieved success on the football field and other athletics, and educated many young people who I've had the pleasure of watching develop into productive citizens. The official BC press release has many more details about Stone's work at Bridgewater College.

In his typical classy way, Stone announced his retirement early, giving the trustees a long window to seek a replacement. His shoes will be tough to fill.

April Showers Bring....

The recent rains have me thinking about.... gardening. Well yes, that is true. You know what they say about April showers. Actually, with the warmer weather and the recent rain, some of us are anticipating more opportunities for canoeing and kayaking on the Valley's many rivers. While I used to get into early spring floats, with time and aging I actually prefer warmer days (and water) for activities on the rivers. It is true we didn't get those big snows that melt slowly and replenish the rivers well into the summer months. But, spring rains are helping. Hopefully, April will be wet and the river levels will remain good well into June and July. To keep track of water levels in your favorite stream or river, check out the USGS Real-Time Data for Virginia Stream Flows.

Today's Roanoke Times has a good article on floating the Roanoke River - which is one of the region's rivers I've never dipped a paddle into. It also has a cautionary reminder about the dangers for kayakers and canoeists - a kayaker drowned in the Maury River near Goshen Pass last Sunday. Always paddle within your skill level and do not go alone. Remember a dunking on a 90° summer afternoon isn't nearly as dangerous one on a blustery 45° morning. Wear a life vest. I've always made it a rule to not go on the river when the water level is rising, rather I wait for the crest and enjoy the river while the levels are still high enough to be exciting, but they are dropping. I recall a drowning where a kayaker became entangled in a strainer (limbs/brush) and couldn't free himself or get help quickly enough in the fast rising North River. In short, there are times you should be a little chicken when dealing with whitewater!

Good resources for anybody canoeing or kayaking Virginia rivers are Roger Corbett's Virginia Whitewater and riverfacts.com. Corbett does a great job describing the all the major canoeing/kayaking rivers, including info and maps detailing put-ins/take-outs, hazards, low-water paddling, scenery, and the area history. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries maintains ramps and other river access points and has good maps and other info on boating and fishing.

Some of my favorite floats and paddles over the years:

• The last few years we've enjoyed the South Fork of the Shenandoah River near Bentonville. Mostly Class I and II, with an occasional II+. Nice scenery. Since there are several rental outfits along this stretch, and it is close to NOVA, the river can be busy on weekends and holidays. Midweek is usually quiet. Nice tent-only camping at Shenandoah River State Park.
• Don't forget the rest of the South Fork of the Shenandoah. Nearly every stretch of the river from Port Republic to Front Royal has some good canoeing. But, do a little research before jumping in the river. Some areas are pretty slow, others have hazards that you may not want to deal with.
• The Maury River from Buena Vista to the James River is fun, fairly secluded, has good fishing, and can be a day trip or overnighter.
• The James River above and through Balcony Falls is great. You can break it into segments for day trips or string them together for a one or two night camping trip. Above the falls it is mostly Class I and II but the falls, even with normal water levels on a summer day, is Class III. Be prepared to get wet and/or lose unsecured gear. I've never done the falls in cold weather, but if you are running it in March and April a wet suit makes sense. Below Balcony and a couple other smaller falls is a long stretch of flat water to the take-out. This is a year-round river and can be fun even with low water levels. This popular area can be very busy on weekends.
• The upper James from Iron Gate to Buchanan is fun, secluded, and good for an overnight trip. I spent a very cold and blustery March weekend on it a few years back.
• The New River is fun and challenging. Stretches are great for a day trip and there are good areas for one or two night canoe/camping/fishing trips. Another year-round river.
• The North Fork of the Shenandoah through the bends section near Woodstock is mostly secluded, has good fishing, and is fun. I can still taste the "surf & turf" we enjoyed along the bank while camping - grilled rib eyes and pumpkinseed. Other parts of the North Fork have good kayaking and canoeing, too.
• We've had fun day trips on the Middle River and North River. The upper part of North River, through the gorge, is usually only canoeable a few days in the spring and your skill level and equipment better be top notch.

So, on this rainy April day, don't bemoan the gloomy weather. It is good for our gardens and our rivers.

Private birds

Governor Tim Kaine has signed HB 1587 (Marshall) and SB 1431 (Cuccinelli) that prohibit the state from complying with provisions of the federal Real ID Act that compromises individual privacy rights by collecting biometric and financial data from citizens. Virginia is the 22nd state to pass legislation rejecting parts of Real ID. This law requires states to issue IDs, approved by the U.S. Government, for any person wishing to board commercial aircraft or go into federal facilities. The confidential and personal info required for the ID would be stored in a federal data base - we'd be vulnerable to identity theft and other invasions of personal privacy.

The sponsors, Delegate Marshall and Senator Cuccinelli, are two of the most conservative members of the General Assembly. This issue has united Americans of all stripes - conservative, liberal, and moderate. It is interesting to this bird that Marshall and Cuccinelli probably can't find "privacy" in the United States Constitution, they DO find privacy rights important in this instance. However, ask them about privacy rights when it comes to reproductive rights!!

But, back to Real ID. For more information about Real ID and its "Big Brother" consequences, check out the ACLU's Press Release. To thank Governor Kaine for signing the bill, click here.

In a related story, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles announced it is changing drivers licenses to include enhanced security features required by Real ID. Among the changes are black & white laser engraved photos, raised lettering, shades of various colors, and a hologram of the official seal of the Commonwealth that can can only be seen under a black light. The new security features are supposed to make licenses tamper-proof and help prevent forgeries. Where did I read that the bad guys are always two steps ahead of the government?

Blue Tide Risin'

It is now becoming clear that Democrats will field strong and aggressive candidates in ALL of the House of Delegates races in the central Shenandoah Valley. This region has been taken for granted by the GOP for years as they've waltzed into office with easy wins and, more often than not, unopposed. Everyone knows bumping off  incumbents will be tough, but every Democrat I've talked to is encouraged and energized by the prospect of such good candidates in every single district.

In the 20th District (Staunton, Highland, parts of Augusta and Rockingham), a candidate from the Staunton end of the district is committed to running. This person has filed the paperwork, started putting an organization in place, is networking with both Democrats and Republicans frustrated by the current representation that is more bent on ideology than practical results for constituents. We should hear an announcement in the next couple of weeks.

A footnote on the 20th - an interesting discussion with a Rockingham Republican revealed that there is growing dissatisfaction with the current representation. This politician told me Chris Saxman would have an opponent... a Republican opponent. As the conversation progressed, he backed off somewhat, saying that intraparty opposition would likely emerge in 2011, if Saxman is still in office seeking reelection. Wonder who...?

In the 15th District (Page, Rappahannock, Shenandoah, and part of Rockingham) the Democrats have a challenger to Todd Gilbert. Like in the 20th, this individual should be announcing in the next few weeks.

In the 26th District (Harrisonburg, part of Rockingham) attorney Gene Hart has been in the race for sometime. From what I am hearing, his organization is in place and his fundraising going well.

In the 24th District (Rockbridge, Buena Vista, Lexington, parts of Amherst and Augusta) Jeff Price has been out and about talking to voters for months. Jeff is a businessman in Amherst and been meeting with Democratic, teacher, environmental, business, and many other groups since last fall.

In the 25th District (Waynesboro and parts of Augusta, Rockingham, and Albemarle) there are two Democrats vying for the nomination. Dr. Greg Marrow has a very organized campaign that has been reaching out to Democrats and raising money in every corner of the sprawling district. His opponent is James Noel of Mt. Sidney.

It has been fun watching the incumbents position themselves as it becomes more apparent they'll have to talk to voters and justify their actions (or lack thereof). Todd Gilbert is out there with the ever-popular VDOT bashing responding to rest area closures and the other cost savings proposed by the agency. Apparently he's doesn't connect his votes to their lack of funding. Chris Saxman is claiming credit for keeping the Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents open (Governor Kaine proposed closing it to save money), but everyone knows both houses of the General Assembly and legislators of both parties supported funding it. And Steve Landes got a fluff piece on TV3 to explain why tweaking old laws consumes so much of his legislative time.

With the Democrats needing just 6 seats to gain control of the House of Delegates, a couple of these races could reach critical mass. Stay tuned for a busy summer and fall of Virginia politics.

April 1

Francis Chester says he will file suit in the Augusta County Circuit Court today demanding that the reassessments be rolled back to the 2005 level. A groundless suit filed by this "lawyer" on April Fool's Day. It couldn't have been scripted any better.

The real butts of this joke are the taxpayers of Augusta County who will have to pay the costs of defending against a frivolous case.