CHINCOTEAGUE -- The Chincoteague Elementary School Parent Teacher Association's Pumpkin Tour will be held at the Island Nature Trail on Saturday, Oct. 23, from 6:30-8 p.m.Businesses, organizations and families are invited to participate. Bring flashlights. Admission is $1 with refreshments available for purchase.
Contact Joanne Moore 443-569-9003 for more information.
Norfolk, VA – The Virginia Zoo is sad to announce that the giraffe calf born on October 9, 2010 has failed to thrive. He died Thursday, October 14, 2010. Preliminary findings from the necropsy indicate he had acute septicemia. Although the young animal had appeared alert and well, he collapsed on Thursday morning. Zoo keepers were providing supplemental feedings for the calf because its first time mother displayed minimal maternal instincts.
This lack of care is common in the wild where the concept of survival of the fittest is protection for the herd. If a mother in the wild senses that a newborn is not healthy and will not thrive, conditions that are not detectable to humans, she may abandon it. These instincts are strong even in animals living in Zoos.
The male calf was the offspring of the Zoo’s adult male giraffe, Billy, and one of the females, Keana. He was Keana’s first calf. The Zoo’s other female giraffe gave birth to a female calf in October 2009. That giraffe proved to be healthy and strong, and she was transferred to Disney’s Animal Kingdom this week where she will join a herd of young giraffe on exhibit.
ACCOMAC — An Accomack employee had a county-owned laptop computer stolen while on a personal vacation to Las Vegas, and with it the names and Social Security numbers of roughly 35,000 county residents.In some cases, actual addresses of county residents also may have been included in computer files.
“It was taken there without permission,” said County Administrator Steve Miner of the computer.
Miner said the worker remains employed. The matter was discussed during a closed meeting of the Board of Supervisors on Wednesday.
“We really haven’t resolved the personnel side of this,” he said.
The incident happened on the evening of Oct. 7. The county waited seven days before issuing a prepared release to media warning citizens of it.
He said letters will be sent to affected residents “very soon.”
Miner said the county began determining what was on the computer immediately after its theft.
“We have since been trying to work on the problem,” he said. “That was not something we knew, in terms of files. That took some forensic work. Then we had to figure out what it meant.”
Neither Miner nor the release named the employee who had the computer stolen.
A prepared release stated the theft is under criminal investigation. An official with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department confirmed the investigation on Thursday.
County officials believe at least one file, and possibly several, on the computer contained taxpayer identity information, according to the release.
The county advised any citizens who are concerned about the security of their identity may request a fraud alert on their credit report by calling 888-766-0008, 888-397-3742 or 800-680-7289.
The release stated that the county will not comment further during the criminal investigation and personnel review.
“We’re working with all the diligence we can muster through the number of issues to get to a place where we can speak to the matter further,” said county attorney Mark Taylor.
NEWPORT NEWSThe body of a Coast Guardsman who fell overboard during an anti-terrorism training exercise was found this afternoon.
Crews discovered the body near the Monitor-Merimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel about 5 p.m., a Coast Guard news release said.
The Coast Guardsman's identity was being withheld pending notification of his next of kin. He was an enlisted man from New York, said Capt. Mark Ogle, commander of the service’s Hampton Roads sector.
The accident occurred between the Monitor-Merrimac and Hampton Roads bridge-tunnels at 9:15 p.m. Wednesday as high tide began.
Ogle said the guardsman was part of a team being trained in how to recapture ships that are taken over by terrorists. The crewman was boarding a buoy tender via a ladder as part of an exercise with the cutter Frank Drew when he fell in the water.
The guardsman was wearing a personal flotation device, but it’s not known whether it inflated properly when he fell in the water, said Lt. j.g. Scott McBride.
“We know he had on the same kind that’s a standard part of our tactical gear, but that’s all we can say right now,” McBride said.
A search for the man continued through the day. Ogle said participants in the search included the Coast Guard, police and fire departments from Chesapeake, Newport News, Virginia Beach, Hampton and Norfolk, the Virginia Marine Police, the state police and the Navy. A helicopter and airplanes were also used.
“It is a difficult task to conduct any search and rescue operation, even more so, when it is one of your own that needs help,” Ogle said.
The missing crew member was part of the Coast Guard’s Maritime Safety and Security Team New York, which is based in New York. The unit is in Hampton Roads working with local Coast Guard crews.
CHINCOTEAGUE -- Those who attend the Saturday dedication of the new Chincoteague drawbridge will witness the formal completion of the project and have a chance to own a piece of history.The Virginia Department of Transportation, which is organizing the 11 a.m. dedication at Robert Reed Park near the island library, will distribute commemorative keepsake plaques recognizing the event.
The plaques, which are 5 by 7 inches, will contain a piece of the old bridge. There will be 1,000 available and will be distributed while supplies last.
"We're hoping that every family will have an opportunity to have a piece of the old bridge," said Nora Chivers, VDOT spokesperson. "It's a piece of history."
Expected at the dedication will be state and local officials, including members of the state transportation board.
From noon-2 p.m., the public will be able to walk on the old swing drawbridge that is being replaced and have photos taken on it. The photos will be available on a website following the event.
The new bridge opened to traffic at 7:41 p.m. on April 1 after decades of planning and a $70 million construction project that lasted more than three years.
It replaces two bridges built in 1939 and 1940, which along with the causeway connected Chincoteague with the mainland.
The first bridge connecting the island to the mainland was finished in 1922.
The old drawbridge will remain open until the Marsh Island Connector is complete. Then it will be removed, Chivers said.
The bridge dedication is being held in conjunction with the island's annual Chili and Chowder Cook-off, which runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Reed park.
The park provides a view of the past and present for those at the bridge dedication.
SNOW HILL -- Have you ever seen ghost hunting shows on TV and wondered how it is done, or if it is even real? Now is your chance to find out. From 7-11 p.m. on the night of Oct. 30, come explore the grounds of Furnace Town Living Heritage Museum with the Peninsula Ghost Hunters Society. Participants are welcome to bring their own camera and encouraged to bring a flashlight.The Ghost Hunters will explain the basics of what to look and listen for when trying to find evidence of the paranormal. Then, join them for a real investigation of the grounds of Furnace Town.
Space is limited and advance registration and payment is required. The cost of this program is $20, with the proceeds benefitting Furnace Town and the Peninsula Ghost Hunters. The program is intended for mature audiences; participants must be 18 years old or older. Please call 410-632-2032 to make reservations.
Hope your day is filled with lots of happiness and lemon meringue pie!
Police agreed to let the Perry and the teen settle the shoplifting crime by having the 18-year-old wear the Bert costume and hold the sign of guilt in shifts for a total of six hours. However, if the young man does not show up for the rest of punishment on Saturday, the store will press charges.
Perry was also gracious enough to leave the young man's identity concealed by the costume, acknowledging that a petty theft charge could ruin his life.
"It could mess up the rest of his life. You go to get a job, it shows you shoplift, no-one wants someone with a criminal background. So, I thought it be nice to get the word out and take care of it," said Perry.
Shoppers agree the deal is more than fair. While the 18-year-old getting busted and having to pay it off wearing the costume and sign is quite humorous, they say it also serves a purpose without costing the public.
“I would much rather wear a costume, than have charges against me,” said Ellen Sonifrank.
If he gets a little bit of embarrassment out of it may be he'll learn a better lesson from it,” added Misty Turner.
As the Sesame Street character stands alone out in front of the seasonal store in Albemarle County, his message to anyone else thinking about getting sticky fingers.
“Don't shoplift. It's not worth it.”
Richmond, Va. --America's dependence on overseas petroleum puts U.S. dollars in hostile pockets, Pickens said, at the same time the country has a 200-year supply of natural gas.
Thanks to recent gas shale discoveries, "we're No. 1 in the world with natural gas," he said.
If the U.S. doesn't take advantage of those resources, he warned last night, "We're going to go down as the dumbest generation that ever came to town."
More than a thousand business representatives, government officials, academic researchers, energy entrepreneurs and lobbyists filled the Greater Richmond Convention Center for the energy conference, which ends today.
And state Secretary of Commerce and Trade James Cheng told the conference, "Energy means jobs" for Virginia.
America imports two-thirds of the oil it consumes, Pickens said, mostly to fuel cars and trucks. Just by converting the nation's fleet of 18-wheelers to natural gas, the U.S. could cut its dependence on OPEC oil in half in seven years.
"We need to use our own resources instead of buying from the enemy," Pickens said earlier, at a news conference with Gov. Bob McDonnell. "Part of what you're paying for oil is going to the Taliban."
Concerns about extracting natural gas from shale deposits by hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," are overblown, said Pickens, because gas shale lies far beneath aquifers. "There's no way anything can get into the aquifer," Pickens said.
Earlier in the day, McDonnell challenged business people to suggest ways state government can aid the development of Virginia's energy sources.
"I want to solve problems," McDonnell said in a luncheon speech. "I want to fix things."
Calling energy a "critically important issue," McDonnell said he favors an "all-of-the-above strategy" that involves increased development of Virginia's fossil fuels such as coal; possible alternative sources such as wind; and also nuclear power.
McDonnell renewed his call for the drilling of oil and natural gas off the Virginia coast -- a possibility the federal government put on hold in spring, after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
The governor said he expects the federal government eventually to allow exploratory drilling off the coast.
McDonnell also called on federal officials to speed up the issuance of permits for energy projects.
The governor's $500 green-jobs tax credit left Alexandria's Kent Baake cold. Baake's Continuum Energy Solutions designs and installs solar energy systems.
"I'm a business owner," Baake said. "That incentive is not a motivation for me to hire more employees."
He urged creating special tax credits to spur the solar energy business.
Glen Besa, director of the Virginia chapter of the Sierra Club, said the governor offered "no new solutions or initiatives."
"This is a conference in search of a purpose," Besa said.
State Secretary of Natural Resources Doug Domenech said government's role in the energy sphere, should be to:
• encourage cost-effective, viable energy alternatives, while supporting efforts to increase energy security;
• promote innovation without picking winners and losers; and
• remove unnecessary government bureaucracy while still protecting the environment.
"Get out of the way and let entrepreneurs risk their money for profit," Domenech said.
SAN JOSE MINE, Chile (AP) - The last of the Chilean miners has been raised from deep beneath the earth. All 33 men have now been delivered from the longest underground entrapment in history. The foreman who held the group together when they were feared lost was the last man out. Luis Alberto Urzua was hoisted to safety in a joyous climax to a flawless rescue that captivated the world
The intricately planned rescue that ended late Wednesday moved with remarkable speed -- and flawless execution -- hauling up miner after miner in a cramped cage through a narrow hole drilled through 2,000 feet of rock.
The 33 men spent more than 69 days trapped in the lower reaches of the mine after a huge collapse of rock blocked the way out on Aug. 5.
BERLIN — Two Worcester County residents have been charged with seven counts of drug related charges after the Berlin Police Department responded to a complaint.Jerrell Lamont Harmon, 26, of Snow hill and Garry Bicille Waples, 54 of Berlin, were both charged with trespassing, possession with intent, possession of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of paraphernalia.
After being called to Bay Terrace Garden Apartments, 517 Bay Street, officers observed the two allegedly arrive at the location. They officers had prior knowledge that Harmon had been barred from the property, according to police documents.
After placing Harmon under arrest for trespassing, police say, a K-9 unit searched the vehicle, resulting in the discovery of Oxycodone pills, Colonazepam pills, crack-cocaine, marijuana, Ecstasy pills and drug paraphernalia.
Chilean President Sebastian Pinera and Bolivan President Evo Morales Wednesday praised the miners before rescuers hoisted the 15th man to safety.Victor Segovia, 48, gave Pinera a thumbs up and a hug as he stepped from the rescue capsule, the 15th of 33 trapped miners rescued. Segovia kept a journal while trapped underground for 69 days.
Victor Zamora, 33, the 14th miner rescued, hugged and kissed his six-months-pregnant wife.
Carlos Barrios, 27, the 13th miner to come out, had only begun mining eight months before the Aug. 5 collapse at the San Jose mine.
Pineria said the rescues were a victory of fear over death.
Earlier, cheers greeted Edison Pena, the 12th trapped miner rescued from the Chilean mine. Pena, 34, who jogged more than two miles a day in dark tunnels, kept other miners' spirits up by leading exercises and singing Elvis Presley songs, CNN said Wednesday.
Mario Heredia Gomez, at 62 the oldest miner of the group, was the ninth extracted. He donned his sunglasses to shield his eyes, then waved a Chilean flag soon after he emerged from the specially designed rescue capsule about 8 1/2 hours after the rescue operation began.
Florencio Avalos, 31, was the first miner to get into the capsule after rescuer Manuel Gonzalez was lowered into the mine. Plans called for four rescuers to join the miners below the surface during the rescue operation, which was expected to take as much as 48 hours.
Gonzalez is an expert in mine emergencies and vertical ascents, the Santiago Times reported. Television news organizations aired live pictures of Gonzalez emerging from the capsule to a warm greeting from the trapped miners.
BLOXOM -- Members of the Bloxom Volunteer Fire Company are looking forward to moving into their new firehouse nearly four years after the old one burned down in a blaze of unknown cause.The new $1.2 million, 12,000-square-foot structure should be completed by early November, Chief Jody Bagwell said.
Construction began last December, but a month or more was lost to the nearly continuous bad weather last winter, Bagwell said.
Crutchley Enterprises of Melfa is the company building the new firehouse.
On the morning of Jan. 18, 2006, Bloxom volunteers, including Bagwell, were out fighting another blaze when they received a call for a fire at their own firehouse.
The fire destroyed the 50-year-old building, but firefighters, including some from several other fire companies, were able to protect several nearby buildings from damage.
The fire company never stopped responding to calls after losing its home, which was a center of activity in the town of 400.
The station went out on calls the day after the fire, Bagwell said at the time, with calls to the fire department for a time being forwarded to his own home phone.
The Bloxom Volunteer Fire Company is continuing to raise funds to help defray the cost of the building, including a successful car show it held a few weeks ago and an upcoming raffle. The company took out a loan with Taylor Bank of Pocomoke City to help pay for the building.
The new firehouse takes up the entire footprint of the fire company's original lot on Route 316, and additional land was purchased to accommodate parking and stormwater management.Bagwell said the company also has replaced the equipment it lost in the fire, thanks in part to a FEMA grant. The company lost two ambulances in the blaze. Isle of Wight County, Va., and Caroline County, Md., firefighters donated equipment to Bloxom soon after the fire.
The fire company plans to hold an open house once the firehouse is ready for occupation, both to celebrate its opening and to thank the extensive list of people who have donated toward its cost.
Donations to the Bloxom Volunteer Fire Company can be sent to PO Box 132, Bloxom, Va. 23308.
October 8th through 14th is National Fire Prevention Week, and the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) reminds everyone that fall wildland fire season is just around the corner. The only way Virginia will avoid most wildland fires is if people are very careful.John Miller, VDOF’s director of resource protection, said, “Virginia had a very dry summer, though Tropical Storm Ernesto provided some much-needed rainfall and has seemed to shift things back to a wetter cycle. We’re still going to need some steady rain about every five days or so for the next two months to reduce the risk of wildland fires during the fall fire season.”
Fall fire season in the Commonwealth runs from October 15th through November 30th. The combination of fallen leaves, low humidity, increased winds and minimal rainfall make conditions ripe for wildland fire.
Fred Turck, VDOF’s fire prevention coordinator, said, “Human carelessness, negligence or actual intent caused nearly all of the 1,208 wildland fires we’ve had in Virginia this year.”
These wildland fires have burned 12,665 acres of land and destroyed or damaged 58 structures in the Commonwealth this year. Most of the land and the structures were owned by private citizens. But it could have been much worse. Suppression efforts by various fire departments and the VDOF prevented the loss of nearly 800 structures this year.
Since most wildland fires are human-caused, there are a number of things you can do to reduce the risk:For more information about wildfire in Virginia, go to http://www.dof.virginia.gov/index.html. You can also visit http://www.dof.virginia.gov/fire/firewise-index.shtml for helpful tips for preventing wildland fire around your home.
RE: "Shift in services is a big concern in Pocomoke City," Oct. 11; "Pocomoke residents are looking for some answers," Oct. 12Public safety is a core mission of government that is taken seriously by Pocomoke City's mayor and council. We have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in technology dedicated to thwarting and reducing crime in our city. This includes a bank of 24/7 targeted surveillance cameras monitored by police personnel. We have also focused efforts on building strong ties and relationships with our young people, in particular those deemed to be "at risk."
This has been done through direct support of the Save the Youth Organization, the Salvation Army Youth Programs, and a host of grant funded programs created and administered by our police department. We are the only municipal government in Maryland to be consistently recognized and awarded each year by the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention for these efforts.
We are an active partner with our local schools and were thrilled last week when Pocomoke Middle School received national recognition as one of the top schools in the nation. Principal Caroline Bloxom and her staff represent everything that is right in fostering a protected, learning environment for our young people. She provides them with hope and a future.
Pocomoke City takes a multi-faceted approach:
~A new comprehensive master plan for growth and developmentConsidering our city's future needs, we are reviewing options for construction of a new police department facility. Our existing facilities provide a full gymnasium for use by local nonprofits; we are examining ways to continue providing this service. Once all options are identified, they will be discussed openly at a regular meeting of the mayor and council.
With local investment in our downtown, including the Mar-Va Performing Arts Theater, Delmarva Discovery Center, new Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center, Sturgis One-Room Schoolhouse, Costen House and the new riverfront restaurant breaking ground in the spring, it is no wonder new businesses are locating here.
City Hall will remain in its historic location, downtown, irrespective of any potential move by the police department. The city's commitment to a thriving downtown is self-evident.
I recently attended a celebration honoring Bishop Isaac Jenkins for his 50 years of service as pastor at New Macedonia Baptist Church. One can learn much from the dedication and commitment the reverend has displayed over five decades. He always focuses on that which is "good" and "positive," encouraging us to do the same.
Anyone can throw stones, but it takes vision to see how each stone can be used to build up a community. Pocomoke City has been blessed with citizens who gather and build up "the friendliest town on the Eastern Shore."
Google will buy a 37.5 percent stake in the development stage of the Atlantic Wind Connection project, Rick Needham, director of green business operations at the Mountain View, Calif.-based company, said on Google's blog. The project will cost about $5 billion and Google's initial investment will likely be about $200 million, according to project leader Trans-Elect Development Co. of Chevy Chase.The network, running from New Jersey to Virginia, would tie into the electrical grid that serves 13 states and Washington D.C. It would carry enough electricity to power hundreds of thousands of homes.
The transmission network is likely to spur the development of wind farms, including one planned off the coast of Ocean City, which could produce 1 gigawatt of electricity, according to the Maryland Energy Administration. Ian Hines, spokesman for the agency, said the network would make offshore wind farms more affordable.
Hines compared the transmission line to a power-strip that homeowners would use to connect many appliances. Instead of each wind farm sending electricity back to shore, "you've got a big power strip, a 350-mile power strip that these wind farms can plug right into, and that will direct the energy right onto the land. The point is that if there are four places where that energy is coming onto the land rather than 14, that makes it much more cost-effective for everybody."
The network and Google's involvement will help spur the wind energy industry in the U.S., which has lagged behind China in installing turbines, said Charlie Hodges, a wind industry analyst at Bloomberg New Energy Finance in London. Wind-power investment may reach $202 billion within two decades, according to estimates at industry group Global Wind Energy Council.
"The North American wind industry hasn't had any players involved with the motivation and financial heft to really move this market forward," Hodges said. "Google could play that role."
Google and Good Energies, an investor in renewable-energy projects, agreed to each buy 37.5 percent of the equity portion of the project. Japan's Marubeni Corp. will own a 10 percent stake and a group led by Trans-Elect will own the remaining 10 percent, said Trans-Elect CEO Robert L. Mitchell.
The transmission network will span 350 miles and will be able to connect to 6,000 megawatts of power from wind turbines, according to the companies.
The group will conduct a feasibility study by 2013 and plans to start the first phase in 2016, Marubeni spokesman Yo Nomura said, declining to comment on the cost of the project.
Mitchell says the first phase will run 150 miles in federal waters from New Jersey to Delaware and will be complete by early 2016. It would be capable of delivering 2,000 megawatts of wind energy, enough to power about 500,000 homes.Hines said that while the Maryland Energy Administration had not been involved with this specific proposal, it has worked with Trans-Elect in the past year and a half to encourage the federal government to consider state priorities when deciding energy regulations.
Trans-Elect, formed in 1999, owns and manages more than 12,600 miles of transmission lines in North America, according to its Web site. Over the years, the company expanded its business to develop and build new transmission projects.
In 2004, Trans-Elect partnered with Pacific Gas and Electric and the U.S. Department of Energy's Western Area Power Administration to build a $250 million power line in California to address transmission deficiencies that contributed to the rolling blackouts a few years earlier.
Google made its first direct investment in clean energy in May, buying a $38.8 million stake in two North Dakota wind farms.
"We believe in investing in projects that make good business sense and further the development of renewable energy," Needham wrote in a blog post Monday. "We're willing to take calculated risks on early stage ideas and projects that can have dramatic impacts while offering attractive returns."
Google has also been trying to rely on renewable energy sources for its data centers, whose demands for power are increasing as the company sets up more computers in its bid to index all of the world's online data.
Halifax, Va. -- James "Mac" McGee popped a few painkillers, washed them down with Sprite and soaked in the serenity surrounding him. The thick forest, the open fields, the still ponds.
"It's a really nice place to be," said McGee, an Army veteran who had been, by his own description, in a "bad place" physically and emotionally, as he recovered from injuries suffered in a fall in Iraq.
"If you want to just get away from the world, you can come here, and get your mind right. It's quiet. It relaxes me. It's amazing."
Former NASCAR driver Ward Burton, who knows and loves this place better than anyone, couldn't have described it better.
As a child, he roamed these woods. As a young man, he discovered tranquility here that helped give direction to his life. As a successful racer, he helped purchase the property through his foundation and preserve it for future generations.
"This land is like one of my children," Burton said Friday as we sat in the shade on a glorious autumn afternoon.
All of which gives you a sense of how personal and heartfelt it is when Burton invites military veterans -- "American heroes," as he calls them -- to spend a day enjoying the outdoors with him and other volunteers in this piece of paradise.The Cove is its name, given because of the horseshoe route the Staunton River takes around the 2,000-acre property. I believe we can describe it as deep in Southside Virginia. The route to this destination in northern Halifax County goes from four-lane to two-lane to a gravel path meandering through the woods.
It's quiet enough to hear your spirit reboot.
Twice a year, the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation, along with corporate partners, opens The Cove to dozens of veterans for a day of fishing, archery and target shooting. It's a way, South Boston native Burton says, to say thank you and to let them know they are not forgotten. It's also an opportunity for the vets, many of whom still are dealing with the effects of their service, physical and otherwise, to take a break from the stress, frustration and even depression that characterizes so many of their lives.
"You can't imagine what we're talking about unless you live that way," said McGee, 48, who remains part of the Warrior Transition Unit at Fort Eustis in Newport News. "I can't tell you in words what this place has done for me and my family.
"If God could reach in and grab your heart and just touch it and give you that special feeling, that's how I feel about this place."
McGee, who has attended previous events at The Cove, joined 44 other vets from around the country at Friday's outing. Participants are selected from various veterans' organizations, but Burton -- who last raced in 2007 and is almost as well-known now for his conservation work -- is always open to hear from others who might want to visit.
When he started this program three years ago, Burton figured it would focus on wounded warriors only. But he discovered quickly the need -- and advantage -- of including not just those with obvious injuries."The first event, we had six guys from Texas," Burton recalled. "Three of those gentlemen had lost a limb, and the other three had not been able to quite figure out how to deal mentally with their experiences. We spent three days with them and what we saw happen was the gentlemen who had lost the limbs were still just as gung-ho . . . and they picked up the ones dealing with some backlash mentally.
"When those six left, they left as one."
Billy Herrell, 35, who suffered a back injury in Iraq, requires the assistance of a walker to get around and has been in the transition unit at Fort Eustis for more than two years, said a gathering at The Cove is "a lot like a family reunion."
Burton would like to develop permanent facilities for future events as a way to connect the heritage of the land with the legacy of America's military service.
"We don't know from the current conflict to some of the ones in the past whether they were right or wrong; the truth will always come out in time," Burton said. "But at the end of the day, that doesn't matter. It's the men and women doing what they're asked to do for our country. They're true patriots and heroes."
8th Trev McClellan Blue Chevy FULL 15.021 sec.
9th Bruce Vogel No Shame FULL 15.070 sec.
10th Orville Wells Digger FULL 16.049 sec.
11th Daniel Harrison Friends-n-Low Places FULL 16.761 sec.
12th Tony Kosar Dirty Money II FULL 19.324 sec.
13th Thomas Jackson Modzilla FULL 26.945 sec.
Virginians looking to vote in the November election have until 5 p.m. Tuesday.The state Board of Elections says Tuesday is the deadline to register to vote or to update voter information. Virginians can register to cast a ballot as long as they will be 18 or older by Nov. 2.
They can register to vote at any of the 74 Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles customer service centers or 57 DMV Select locations throughout the state or at their local registrar's office.
Residents also can check their voter status and polling places on the board's website, http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/.
Assistance also is available by calling the board at 1-800-552-9745 or the local registrar's office.
The gentleman walking around with the camera was Chuck Regner from WBOC TV. Chuck is working with Mike Parker on the serious 'Outdoors Delmarva'. The video he shot will be used in an upcoming episode which will air on WBOC sometime later this month or first of November. 
That didn't seem to stop Chuck....................
He just got out of the truck, camera by his side, and took off walking.................
.....destination unknown. I never saw him after this photo. I do hope that he was able to keep his wits about him during his ride enough to video what it looks like going through the mud!Mudbogging is not easy! Being a mudbogger cameraman can't be either.
Thanks Chuck for being there for the drivers and thanks for being a good sport. All of us look forward to seeing what you managed to video.
October 9/SALISBURY, Md. -- Three Accomack County men are being held after another round of weekend shootings left residents shaken and city officials scrambling to address the ongoing problem.Three Virginia men are in custody in connection with a shooting early last Sunday morning on Olivia Street that sent one man to the hospital, according to the Wicomico Bureau of Investigation.
Police said Tyrone Greene, age and residency unknown, was walking on the 700 block of Olivia Street at about 1:30 a.m. when a vehicle approached him and fired multiple gunshots, one of which struck the victim in the upper thigh. Greene was taken to Peninsula Regional Medical Center, where he was treated and released.
Only a few minutes after the first shooting occurred, police responded to a call on Linwood Avenue, where a second victim, an 18-year-old man, was shot in the thigh, according to Capt. Mark Tyler of the Salisbury Police Department. The man's injuries were nonlife-threatening.
Police later located the vehicle suspected in the Olivia Street shooting and took 21-year-old Breon Lamar Ayers, 18-year-old Tyquon Demetrius Robins and 21-year-old Ronrecus Lestie Strand, all of Nelsonia, into custody.
Tyler said police are trying to determine whether the two shootings are connected, as there were no witnesses in the second incident.
Mayor Jim Ireton said police are waiting for ballistics to compare bullet casings found on Linwood Avenue to weapons found in the suspected Olivia Street shooting vehicle.
The city has been plagued by shootings during the past month, and Ireton said he's working diligently to find out why.
"These boys came from Virginia, the last group came from Delaware, and I'm wondering what's bringing them here," he said. "Right now, I'm in touch with crime prevention experts from all over the country ... trying to nail this down."
Points are very important to the drivers of these trucks because caring for one can be quite overwhelming at times and at the end of the year one really needs to know where one stands for the season.
It kind of helps a driver put into perspective all of the hard work, time and expense he or she has put into the machine throughout the year. It doesn't matter if you win or lose...... the time and frustration seems worth it.
For the drivers of the 187 East Performance team no one has to tell them and they don't need to know the numbers to know who the 1st place winner is in Prostock this year.
The first place honor goes to Patrick Long and his truck "All Night Soldier" of the 187 East Performance team.
Here's the video of Patrick's last run for the season this past Saturday.
More on the Gumboro Mudbog soon...........
Simmons, who turns 84 next month, is doing his part by donating every single apple, pear, peach and cherry from his modest orchard atop Irons Mountain to the Salvation Army in Cumberland. Salvation Army volunteers distribute more than 30,000 pounds of fruit from the Simmons orchard each year.
Kitty Willison, director of social services at the Salvation Army on East First Street in South Cumberland, said the fresh fruit adds to the agency’s food pantry and is a highly desired commodity each season.
“Something like that would be a little different,” Willison said. “A lot of times (clients) will ask us if we have fresh fruit or vegetables.”
On Friday, eight young men from the Green Ridge Youth Center in Flintstone toiled under the supervision of Mark Miller, resident adviser, on a cool and breezy morning. Simmons expected that over a four-hour period, the youth center crew would pick and pack into small boxes approximately 2,000 pounds of apples. Maybe more.
The adjudicated youth are not being named due to their status as minors. However, they were pleasantly surprised at the variety — and the taste — of apples of various sizes.
“Is this edible?” one young man asked.
After Simmons sighed, smiled with patience and assured him it was, the boy took a hesitant bite.
“Actually, it’s pretty good,” the boy said before heading to the nearest apple tree.
It wasn’t long ago when Simmons, believing he was nearing the age of retirement, envisioned an empty orchard and planned to cut down his trees. He credits Judy Hodel, director of the youth center, in saving both the orchard and people in need from going hungry.
“When she found out, she says, ‘Don’t you dare,’” Simmons said. “Without her, there’d be no more orchard.”
Simmons used the opportunity to chat with the boys — he loves to tell a tale — and suggest that they use their time at the youth camp wisely.
“I don’t know what you did and I don’t care,” Simmons told the group while on a short break. “Get yourselves straight. Work hard.”
Hodel believes the work and the atmosphere serve the boys well. She credited Simmons with sending the camp some apples to share with everyone, providing the work crew lunch “plus lots of stories.”
“It’s a beautiful place,” Hodel said of the Simmons orchard. “It’s a place of serenity in its own right.”
The boys, Hodel said, “get a sense of helping other people. They get a work ethic. They get some teamwork skills (and) social time that’s not out getting into trouble on the streets. A lot of them probably have never experienced an apple orchard.”
Hodel is thankful Simmons is willing to keep the orchard operational.
“He does a great service,” Hodel said. “He feeds people with his apples. He donates everything he has. I hate to see that get lost.
