A Four-Hour Tour

“Sit right back” and ride with me through rural WV. See for yourself just how “clean” the natural gas drilling process called “fracking” really is. We got a up-close, four-hour tour of this Wetzel County hydrofracturing operation (a large Chesapeake Energy project) two weeks ago by some local West Virginia residents, and want to share what we saw and heard.

To be informed about what’s going on with fracking, and everything that’s at stake, is the first step to slowing down the process until citizen interests are considered first - before corporate profits, and before the land in the United States (including WV and VA) is polluted possibly beyond repair – just like the Gulf.

With hydrofracking we’re really talking about hundreds of “ground zeros,” instead of one.

This article is an example of the power of electronic journalism. Whether you’re a child, a teen, or an adult, whatever your station in life, citizens can use technology and the Internet – blogs, videos, photos, writing, social networking, cell phones, electronic devices, etc. – to tell the stories that must be told, the stories of the people, of democracy and freedom.

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What You See Is What You Get

I had heard about the hydrofracking process, had researched it, and had written a number of articles on fracking, but what I saw when I visited the Wetzel County, WV site surprised me.  I left somber.

In the Northeast U.S., natural gas is generally found in the Marcelleus shale rock formation, which extends from New York – and as many people don’t realize, down into Virginia.

In Rockingham County, VA, Carrizo Oil & Gas (a Houston firm) has applied for the first application to hydrofrack in the state of Virginia – in tiny Bergton, to be exact.

Bergton is a rural area, outside of Harrisonburg, not far from James Madison University and Eastern Mennonite University.

There are no Federal regulations against hydrofracking. Nor does Virginia have any – yet. So, the special use permit to drill a natural gas test well in Bergton is the first time hydrofracking has become a possibility in Virginia, and in the Shenandoah Valley. This is significant because once the “floodgates are open,” there will be no turning back. The water supply for the Valley, and by extension, Washington D.C., is at risk.

The situation is being studied and weighed by the local Rockingham County, VA,  Board of Supervisors (BOS) as you read this.

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Showing the Reality of Hydrofracking – Case Study: Wetzel County, West Virginia

Here’s what I learned about the process before I went on the tour… Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, involves the injection of between 3 to 8 million gallons of water, sand, and undisclosed chemicals at very high pressure down vertical pipes and then across into horizontal drilled wells as far down as 10,000 below the Earth’s surface.

The pressurized mixture causes the rock layer – in this case Marcellus shale – to crack. These fissures are held open by the sand particles so that natural gas from the shale can collect and then be pumped into holding tanks, or piped out directly to market.

The used-up fracking liquid is stored in open pits (below) and then either taken to a waste water treatment plant, or covered up by sand/dirt on site.

This is especially dangerous when a project is built on or by a floodplain.

During the process, about 200 large tanker trucks are needed to deliver the millions of gallons of water for the fracturing process for each single derrick/well.

Alternatively, although rarely disclosed in the permit and application, gas companies – can actually suck the water out of nearby streams to use for their own purposes.

What I was not prepared for was that with each step of the natural gas drilling process, there is machinery, construction, dust, invasion of the Earth’s crust – and yet another chopped-off hill – literally in every direction one looks.

There are water pipes along the side of almost every road, and up and down the hills.

There are compressor stations and storage tanks, dozens of heavy trucks, moving back and forth on small roads, and there are staging areas, where barrels of chemicals (with toxic signs on them) are just sitting outside on the ground (below).

The scale is big. It’s hard to show here. The “pads” that the derricks sit on, for example, can be as large as four or five acres. In Wetzel County, during the construction process, silt fences are not being used on any type of a regular basis. Thus, whatever is disturbed can spread to another area.

Here are some more pictures I snapped in Wetzel County, WV:

Not too far from Wheeling, the striking terrain of this remote West Virginia land (near Maud, WV on Route 7) used to be open, rolling, green-covered hills, with trees everywhere.

These are not your Old Grand Dad’s small oil derricks, ala Beverly Hillbillies style, dotting the landscape here and there, like fairy castles. No, hydrofracking is indeed an industrial undertaking.

Below are the small rural roads in Wetzel County that were never meant for dozens of 80,000 pound trucks rolling by, reducing some of the paved roads to dirt.

There is so much activity and wear & tear that the roads must be watered throughout the day just to control the dust it’s so thick (right).

The nearby streams in Wetzel County used to be freely flowing with clean water, and fish in them – and a habitat for other wildlife and plants (below).

Chesapeake Energy is taking hundreds of thousands of water a day from the local watershed to use in the fracking process. They siphon as much water from the streams as they need. Why is this permissible, when taking the water affects the whole region, not just the property that has been leased?

Quality of Life Must Trump Profiteering

Here’s the deal: The energy companies lay out their industrial operation like a grid, deciding where best to situate the wells to make the most money. If someone’s land is in that path, regardless of whether he/she has signed a lease, the oil company can still run pipes under his/her land.

That’s eminent domain in action; it takes power away from citizens, and places it into corporate hands – hands that most often have profit as a motivation, rather than quality of life.

You can see here how the water looks. It’s a red/rust color, about the consistency of chocolate milk.

One day, our “tour guide” said that he actually saw workers pulling out water from a stream as the minnows lay there dying. Many of the plants in the area are also gone. Barren land is what’s left behind.

Taking all of this water from the environment is happening even as some areas in the region have declared an emergency situation because of drought conditions.

There are other ramifications that affect the quality of life, too.

The Wetzel County residents used to be able to leave their homes at anytime without being delayed for hours because of the double-wide compressor machines that the large trucks trek up the country roads to the fracking sites three times a week. Now, citizen schedules must be built around Chesapeake’s corporate schedule.

These large trucks on the small roads also cause safety issues.

Our tour guide said that this past year EMT personnel had to use a Kybota to get an elderly woman from her home in order to take her to the hospital when the Chesapeake trucks were blocking the roads. Accidents, too, are common and have increased. A lifeline helicopter now circles above the area.

Know too…  Since 2005, the energy companies that run hydraulic fracturing operations have been exempt from compliance with The Clean Air Act and the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

Right now, in essence, we’re living in an unregulated fracking free-for-all. That kind of “environment” has been demonstrated all too well in the Gulf of Mexico.

As one of the residents in Wetzel County, WV, remarked to me when we first arrived: “They do what they want.”

Here is what the residents told us. In Wetzel County, WV, before Chesapeake Energy came in, there were weight limit signs on the small roads and bridges near the soon-to-be fracking site , but a few days before their arrival, the locals said that these weight limit signs “miraculously disappeared.” There was a obstacle; it was eliminated.

Omission of pertinent information is also an issue. For example, a complete listing of the specific chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing operations are not made available to landowners, neighbors, local officials, or health care providers, nor is it required by any government entity.

There have been reports just this month in PA where energy companies have finally been pressured to release their list of 80-plus fracking chemicals. Why is it not required of these companies upfront – to state what they plan to inject into the ground? That’s only sensible and reasonable. (Cattle in PA have also been quarantined because of runoff fracking liquid.)

Fracking Divides People and Towns

Another observation: Perhaps, the most significant harm fracking brings to a community is a social one. Suffice it to say that division occurs when a fracking operation comes to town. The issue seems to intrinsically split the community into those who are financially benefiting from the drilling (and look the other way to the environmental harms), and those who have not leased land (or, who have decided to stand up for peoples’ health and the environment – on principle.)

If you’re interested, the technical aspects of how hydrofracking works are illustrated in this ABC News video.

Or, view this earlier article on the health effects of hydrofracking, as researched by Dr. Theo Colburn.

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The Regional Backdrop: Virginia is Next on the Radar Screen

Commentary: The Wetzel County, WV, Chesapeake Energy hydrofracking operation that you’ve just seen has been going on for four years now. It’s a great case study for us in Virginia, as we decide how we’ll handle our natural gas challenge.

We have a window of opportunity here in Virginia; for how long is unclear. We have a unique chance to make a difference for the Commonwealth, and also to set an example for the rest of the country as to what we’ll put up with, and what we won’t.

Will we act swiftly and decisively to hold energy companies accountable, or will allow big business interests and the clout of those who are making big bucks from the drilling to set the stage?

Here is a picture (right) of the Cowfer #1 natural gas (fracking) operation in Osceola Mills, Pennsylvania that Carrizo Oil & Gas built.

Here are other pictures of rural Bergton, VA, where a fracking operation is now being  proposed by Carrizo Oil & Gas:

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This is the first time any area of Virginia has had to deal with these fracking  issues. As part of their due diligence, members of the Rockingham County VA Board of Supervisors recently drove up to Wetzel County, WV, and took a similar tour of the Chesapeake Energy fracking operation. They also took video and still photos.

The people must know what is going on.

Let’s see which Virginia politician – local or otherwise - stands up first and sponsors legislation in the Virginia Assembly next session to regulate this first precedent-setting fracking operation in Virginia.

Whoever does take the lead will surely be lauded.

Proposed Bergton Drill Site is Next to the Watershed that Supplies D.C. with Drinking Water

It’s important to note that the Bergton drilling site is on a flood plain. And, it’s between two tributaries of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River (Rader Run and Bennett Run.) . Just this week, Governor McDonnell declared Rockingham County, Virginia, a disaster area due to current drought conditions.   After reading the Carrizo Oil & Gas application, the source of the millions of gallons of water needed for fracking in Bergton is a mystery. They only have budgeted $11,500 for “drilling and potable water” in the application.

We are all connected

If Carrizo does the same as Chesapeake Energy and siphons water from the local streams here in VA, the water situation will worsen. And, what will fracking so close to the watershed do to the water supply for the Valley – and by extension for the Washington DC area? Will we end up with water that looks and smells like Wetzel County’s  streams?

Without strong leadership soon, it’s likely that the Bergton, VA area will become much like the industrial scene that you’ve witnessed in the pictures from West Virginia.

The People Taking A Stand, Joining Together

Let’s hope that enough people get involved to have us learn from the experience of our neighbors in NY, PA, and WV. Virginia needs to enact a moratorium until regulations can be put into place to protect Virginia citizens, Virginia land, and our regional water supply. A natural gas severance tax of some sort would be advantageous for Virginia coffers, as well.

What can you do?

1) Watch for news on 7Bends.com about an upcoming citizen dialogue meeting to be held here in Virginia in the Fall. It will use the innovative Open Space Technology (OST) format which encourages open conversation among all of the people and parties involved, most prominently involving the citizens themselves.

2) Contact your elected officials today to ask what they plan to do about the situation. Be aware that there are 24 counties in Virginia that do have Marcellus shale, so your area could be next. The Bergton decision affects all Virginians.

What about the “Energy Independence” Argument?

Before I close this article, I want to lay the energy independence issue out on the table. The powerful energy industry – with its mega bucks, mega lobbyists, hefty community contributions and media buys – are touting natural gas drilling as “a clean source of energy” that will be one of nation’s answers to energy independence for the U.S.

Many Americans, when they first hear about “natural gas drilling,” react “Way to go! We want energy independence. We won’t have to rely on just coal, or on foreign suppliers.” That is a great aim. But, the reality is … to not object to the hydrofracking process – as it now exists in its unregulated state – is just not possible once you’ve witnessed it.

Without these regulations, it’s not a decision of the heart – or any type of logic – to want hydrofracking “in your own backyard.” That is, unless you’re one of the folks getting monthly checks, and you’ve abandoned your now-polluted piece of property, and bought a nice big house somewhere else. What about the land? What about your neighbors?

The race is on

As legislators try and play “catch up,” the natural gas drilling companies are racing “to get it while the getting is good” – that is, before the process is slowed down and handled responsibly.

A scene near Bergton now (pre-frack).

Imagine a sign reading: “Welcome visitors to the once beautiful Shenandoah Valley – that is, before hydrofracking.”

The streams, vegetation, water supply, and air for many thousands of people – just one degree of separation from the “ground zeros” that are being erected all across the countryside – are being threatened.

Responsible business is one thing; we welcome that. But, this unregulated, free-for-all is unacceptable. If Virginians do not take notice and enact regulations before the energy companies come into “frack” Virginia land, it will be difficult to stop the tide, as our neighboring states can definitely agree.

I always learned: leave whatever land or property you use better than the way you found it. We must make it so.

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“In general I esteem it a good maxim, that the best way to preserve the confidence of the people durably is to promote their true interest.”                 ~ George Washington

As long as three football fields (372-yards) and 10 stories high, the newly- refurbished vessel is ready to be tested by BP and U.S. Government workers, and then go to work.

According to Socialmediaseo.net, the ship has been deployed by a Taiwanese company. “It was originally designed to be one of the world’s largest cargo vessels to transport crude oil and iron ore. But, following  the BP oil spill disaster, TMT, its owner, has modified the ship to become what is now known as the world’s first large-scale oil skimmer.”

Gulf residents wait for The A Whale to get the “go ahead”

Oil skimming efforts have been slowed this week as workers deal with Hurricane Alex; high waves and rains have required the evacuation of relief workers in the Gulf.

“BP’s relief well, which will supposedly allow the gushing pipe to be shut off completely, is not affected by the hurricane weather and is still on schedule to be completed by August,” reports socialmediaseo.net.

What’s the hold up?

A waiver must be granted before The A Whale can be utilized.

The Merchant Marine Act of 1920 (P.L. 66-261) is a United States Federal statute that regulates maritime commerce in U.S. waters and between U.S. ports. Section 27, also known as the Jones Act, deals with cabotage (i.e., coastal shipping) and requires that all goods transported by water between U.S. ports be carried in U.S.-flag ships, constructed in the United States, owned by U.S. citizens, and crewed by U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents.

According to wikipedia, the purpose of the law is to support the U.S. merchant marine industry, but agricultural interests generally oppose it because, they contend, it raises the cost of shipping their goods, making them less competitive with foreign sources.

Requests for waivers of certain provisions of the act are reviewed by the United States Maritime Administration on a case-by-case basis. Waivers have been granted in cases of national emergencies or in cases of strategic interest.

For instance, declining oil production prompted MARAD to grant a waiver to operators of the 512-foot Chinese vessel Tai An Kou to tow an oil rig from the Gulf of Mexico to Alaska. The jackup rig will be under a two-year contract to drill in the Alaska’s Cook Inlet Basin. The waiver to the Chinese vessel is said to be the first of its kind granted to an independent oil-and-gas company.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff temporarily waived the U.S. Shipping Act for foreign vessels carrying oil and natural gas from September 1 to September 19, 2005.

Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Marianas in the Pacific and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean are exempt from provisions of the Jones Act because so little shipping goes to those ports that requiring American cabotage would cause hardship.

Morrison World News reports that The A Whale could either be “an enormous boon to the region,” or conversely, ” a really big disappointment.”

They write: “Nobu Su, the CEO and founder of Taiwan Maritime Transport (TMT), told reporters in Norfolk last Friday that on account of the special holes he had cut in its sides, his vessel would roll across the Gulf ‘like a lawn mower cutting the grass.’

Though the ship and the process are entirely untested, Su insisted A Whale could ingest and process some 15 million gallons of oily water a day. By comparison, the entire emergency response since BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig exploded on April 20 has collected 28 million gallons of oily water.”

Command Center officials in News Orleans are “about as excited as you can be about something that you have no idea what it can do,” said Kati Walsh, a spokesperson for the disaster’s Joint Information Center. “They want to remain in a neutral position about it until after it proves itself,” she said. “We don’t want to get everybody excited about something that may or may not work.” The next step will be for officials to set up a meeting and test the ship’s abilities, Walsh said.

But apparently, there have been communication problems. The unified command didn’t know the ship was already in the Gulf.

It’s reported that Walsh said the Jones Act — which limits the operation of foreign flagged vessels in U.S. waters — is not a factor as much as “the nature of the ship.” Morrison World News says that “while more traditional vessels of opportunity are allowed to start skimming without government pre-approval, this one would not be allowed to do so, she said. “The ship was just built, it hasn’t been proven yet, hasn’t been officially or formally tested yet.”

Two further problems remain. The processed oily water is supposedly returned back into the Gulf waters, even though it’s still somewhat polluted. And, the question abo9ut bow much The A Whale will get paid if it indeed works has not been negotiated. TMT has made it clear though that “this is not a charity operation.” Read more on the Morrison World News web site.

“Mr. Nobu has already sailed the ship around the world and modified it at his own expense,” Maisano, a TMT spokesperson, told reporters. “I’m sure that he’s looking at least to recover his costs.”

A Whale of a Job?

I guess we’ll all be watching – along with anxious Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida residents – to see just how long it takes the U.S. Government to act – to determine if The A Whale can indeed do “a whale of a job” in the Gulf.

[Note: The above photo was taken by Jose Martins of MarineTraffic.com.)

Richmond, VA – Well, July 1, 2010 will be upon us soon. Here are some of the new laws voted by the Virginia legislature last session – that will go into effect later this week in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Citizens will want to be aware of these changes, as should visitors to Virginia, and those passing through.

While some of these laws seem straightforward and necessary, on the other hand, Virginia, like many others states, has increased the penalties and fines on its citizens to help raise money for its ailing state budget.

Changes in transportation laws in Virginia

** Texting, sending email, reading, and writing – while driving a car – is now illegal in Virginia. Be aware that the ban applies to cell phones, laptop computers, plus a host of other wireless communication devices.

According to many studies on the dangers of texting while driving, texting and driving is as dangerous as drunk driving. Virginia joins 27 others states in enacting this legislation.

The ban applies to reading or sending text messages or e-mails while driving. The texting ban is a secondary offense, meaning that individuals can be cited only after being stopped by police for another infraction. It carries a $20 fine for a first offense, and a $50 penalty for subsequent violations. Certain emergency situations will be exempt.

** The courts can now suspend the driver’s licenses of teens who miss 10 consecutive days of school. The law doesn’t apply in cases where a student has withdrawn from school for reasons beyond the student’s control, for transferring to another school, or when the student’s parent or guardian objects.

** Virginia now prohibits people from driving certain mopeds, motorized scooters, electric-powered bicycles and wheelchairs on the highway. Restricted vehicles under this law are those with a top speed of less than 35 mph. Violators of the law face a $50 fine.

** DUI – Drunk driving law changes in Virginia – Two new laws targeting drunken drivers go into effect on July 1, 2010.  One extends to 10 years from five the period of time within which a motorist convicted of a second drunken driving offense is required to have an ignition interlock installed in his or her vehicle. That device prevents a car from being started when an intoxicated driver breathes into it.

The other law clarifies the penalty for driving without a required ignition interlock, making that offense a Class 1 misdemeanor. Convicted offenders also will lose their license for one year.

** Those convicted of reckless or aggressive driving, or DUI in Virginia (see above) — will have to pay hefty fees of up to $1,000 per year for three years. The state says that the money will go toward improving roads.

** Parents in Virginia now have to put their kids in booster seats until they’re 7 instead of 5 years old.

* In Virginia, it now will be a misdemeanor to smoke within 20 feet of a gasoline pump — and if that pump catches fire, violators could face a year in jail.

** During the 2010 session, Virginia lawmakers voted to expand the Commonwealth’s Move Over law to include protection for tow truck drivers and highway workers.

As of July 1, 2010, those driving in Virginia must move over  when approaching a tow truck or highway maintenance vehicle displaying amber lights, change lanes away from the flashing lights if possible to do so safely, and/or proceed with caution given the prevailing highway conditions. The offense is punishable as a traffic infraction. Read more about the new Move Over driving laws in Virginia.

A law allowing senior citizens to take safe-driving courses online also goes into effect. Several new Virginia specialty license plates will now be offered, including an anti-abortion plate that bears the “Choose Life” slogan.

Election law changes in Virginia

** Allows voters to wear political T-shirts, buttons or other apparel to the polls. This  became an issue after the Virginia State of Elections had prohibited voters from wearing apparel with political slogans or candidates’ names at the polls on Election Day because of a state law that outlaws electioneering within 40 feet of the polling place.

** Lists of registered voters - Allows the State Board of Elections to furnish, for a reasonable fee, lists of registered voters to commissioners of the revenue and city or county treasurers for tax assessment, collection, and enforcement purposes.

In addition, a new law provides that, upon request and at a reasonable charge not to exceed the actual cost incurred, a political party or candidate is entitled to receive a copy of (i) the list of officers of election showing their party designation and assigned precinct and (ii) any instructions or information provided by the State Board to local electoral boards and registrars. The Board is required to post on the Internet its rules and regulations within three business days of their adoption.

**Political contributions – Provides that neither the Governor, his political action committee, nor any pertinent Secretaries shall knowingly solicit or accept a contribution, gift, or other item with a value greater than $50 from any bidder, offeror, or private entity who has submitted a bid or proposal pursuant to the Virginia Public Procurement Act, the Public-Private Transportation Act, or the Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act during the bidding period.

The restrictions only apply if the stated or expected value of the contract is $5 million or more and do not apply to contracts awarded as the result of competitive sealed bidding. Furthermore, no bidder, offeror, or private entity who has submitted a bid or proposal under such acts shall offer or promise to make such a gift to the Governor, his political action committee, or any of his pertinent Secretaries. Any violation shall be a civil penalty of $500 or up to two times the amount of the contribution or gift, whichever is greater.

**Electronic election reforms – The bill provides that the State Board shall provide only electronic pollbooks, and not paper pollbooks, for any election held on or after November 1, 2010, and for all subsequent years and makes corresponding amendments that become effective on November 1, 2010.

Other Changes in Virginia law as of July 1, 2010

**Novelty cigarette lighters – Prohibit stores from selling novelty cigarette lighters to those under 18. Del. Algie Howell, D-Norfolk, introduced the legislation when he learned of local fire officials’ concerns over the lighters, which often resemble toys.

**Tax on Pay-Per-View movies in hotels - Imposes a 10 percent tax on pay-per-view movies in Virginia hotel rooms, with the money divided evenly between the general fund and a pool of money that provides incentives for filmmakers to shoot movies in Virginia. The bill was sponsored by state Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth.

** Concealed handgun information – Bars public access to a statewide database of Virginians with permits to carry concealed handguns. The public still could get information on concealed carry permit holders at each circuit court. The bill was introduced after The Roanoke Times posted the state police database of permit holders on its Web site.

In addition, friction with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg led to a new Virginia law that makes it a felony for anyone other than police to make straw purchases at gun shops. A “straw purchase” involves buying a gun for someone who’s not allowed to buy one.

This new  law is in response to sting operations ordered by Bloomberg, who sent undercover investigators to five states, including Virginia, to buy firearms after learning that 80-90 percent of guns used in crimes in New York City were purchased out of state. The city later sued 27 out-of-state gun dealers.

** Additional Pay Day Loan restrictions – Bars payday lenders in Virginia from offering different types of loans in an effort to get around tough new restrictions placed on the short-term, high-interest loans.

In reaction to a 2008 law, the majority of the state’s 800 payday lenders had begun offering open-end loans, which are unregulated and have sky-high interest rates.

** College-age suicide prevention – Virginia now will require its public colleges to create policies to identify and help suicidal students. The bill was signed 11 days before the Virginia Tech killings, in which a troubled student shot and killed 32 students and faculty and himself.

** Tanning for minors – Virginians 14 and under now need parental approval to go to a tanning salon.

Read about changes to Virginia mental health laws as of July 1, 2010.

Oh, by the way, The Commonwealth of Virginia will also be increasing the speed limit from 65 mph to 70 mph – for certain sections of its highways on July 1, 2010.

hburgnews.com is reporting the following story:

“In a release sent out by the Kai Degner campaign, “Harrisonburg Virginia Mayor Degner would like to invite his three opponents, Dave Briggman, Carolyn Frank and Tony Wilt to a series of public debates held every week starting as early as late next week. This would mean a series of five debates.”

According to the Daily News Record, both Wilt and Frank are willing to participate in debates, but have questioned the feasibility of having five debates between now and the special election on June 15.

Briggman announced on his blog that he also intends to enter the race.  He has until Friday, May 14th to officially file as a candidate.

Debate topics, as proposed in Degner’s invitation, could include “issues ranging from education, public safety, transportation and economic development.”

Read more abut this story.

To learn more about Kai Degner.

HARRISONBURG, VA – Today, Senator Mark Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg) thanked Governor Bob McDonnell for granting him the opportunity to serve on the new Governor’s Commission on Government Reform and Restructuring, created by Executive Order No. 2 moments after McDonnell took office on January 16.

“It is an honor to be appointed to serve on the Governor’s Commission on Government Reform and Restructuring,” said Obenshain. “A serious examination governmental priorities and the manner in which state government provides services is long overdue.

Governor McDonnell recognizes that ‘we’ve always done it this way’ is not a reason in and of itself, and that especially now, while revenues are low, it is essential that we prioritize and find more efficient and effective ways to provide key services. Streamlining government will not solve all our problems, but it is a vital step in the right direction.”

The commission, to be chaired by Fred Malek, the founder and chairman of Thayer Capital Partners, consists of a bipartisan group of current and former legislators, local government officials, businesspeople, administration officials, and policy analysts from across the Commonwealth. Senator Obenshain is one of four senators tapped to serve, alongside Senators Mary Margaret Whipple (D-Arlington), Ryan McDougle (R-Hanover), and Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth).

The Commission is charged with identifying opportunities for creating efficiencies in state government, exploring innovative ways to deliver state services at a better value to Virginia taxpayers, seeking out means to more effectively and efficiently perform core state functions, and examine ways for state government to be more transparent and accountable.

“Anyone who has ever interacted with state government knows how frustrating the process can be,” said Obenshain. “Our responsibility is to scrutinize both what and how government delivers, and to ask whether services can be delivered more effectively and efficiently – and even, sometimes, whether government should be delivering it at all.”

A leading proponent of auditing the Virginia Department of Transportation, a proposal adopted by the Governor, and of exploring opportunities to privatize Virginia’s ABC stores, Senator Obenshain has long made government reform a top priority. “Serving on the Commission affords me an opportunity to push for much-needed changes in the way Virginia does business,” said Obenshain.

“Governor McDonnell and I are both strong advocates of government reform, and I look forward to working with the Governor and my colleagues on the new reform commission,” said Obenshain.

The Commission will hold its first meeting within the next month and will complete its initial report to the Governor by July 16, with a final report with recommendations to be issued by December 1.

Senator Obenshain represents the twenty-sixth district in the Virginia Senate. The district includes the city of Harrisonburg and the counties of Warren, Shenandoah, Page, Rappahannock and Rockingham (part).

ON THE WEB:

Mark’s website
Mark’s Facebook profile

(Picture above: Sen. Obenshain at McDonnell Rally.)

Maurertown, VA – New to Shenandoah County Parks & Recreation’s program offerings this year is the “Cruisin’ 4 A Flush” Poker Run, which will benefit the department’s Punky Riley Scholarship Program. This unique event offers children and adults the opportunity to ride for a cause – on bikes or motorcycles.

This year’s poker run is open to motorcycles and riders and will kick-off at the Shenandoah County Park on Saturday, May 8, 2010.

Check-in/registration is at 9:00 a.m. with last bikes on the route by 11:00 a.m. Each rider will receive a card at Shenandoah County Park before they leave and once they return; they will have five (5) stops to make along the 70-mile scenic route to complete their poker hand(s). The last bikes will be due back to the park by 3:00 p.m. at which time prizes will be awarded and everyone will enjoy a cookout lunch.

The cost to participate is $15/rider & bike and $5/passenger which gets your one poker hand and a cookout lunch. Riders can buy additional poker hands for $10/hand.

There is no need to pre-register; just be on-site by 9:00 a.m. for registration at Shelter #1 (near the playground), at Shenandoah County Park, in Maurertown, VA.

In order to check the weather and event status for May 8, call the Shenandoah County Parks & Rec cancellation line by dialing (540) 984-3030, and choosing Option 9. (The raindate for this event is Saturday, May 15.

For more information, visit their web site, or call (540) 984-3030.

The Town Employees 4th Annual Classic Car Day will run from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. on May 8 at Byron Memorial Park in historic Williamsport along the Potomac River and the C & O Canal.  (The rain date is May 9, Mother’s Day.) Registration is from 8 a.m. until noon, and the voting will be from noon until 1:30.m. The Awards Ceremony will be at 3 p.m. (There’s a $10 entry fee for cars – due on show day.For more information, call Les at 301-331-0186 or Bobby at 240-527-8203.)

All makes and models of cars are welcome, and will be displayed, including: classic cars, trucks, motorcycles, custom compacts and street rods.

Dash plaques will be awarded to the first 200 entries. They’ll be trophies for all classes. Those attending the show will  also enjoy homemade breakfast sandwiches, music, food and drinks, door prizes, and a 50/50 raffle.

And the fun doesn’t stop at dark. The Cruise In & 50’s Dance will be that night, May 8, at 7 p.m. at the Springfield Farm Barn (rain or shine). Tickets are $2.00 at the door.

Those who like Arts & Crafts will also enjoy “Classic Crafts in the Park” – to be held in the Community Center in Williamsport, MD on Friday, May 7, 2010 and Saturday, May 8, 2010. The arts and crafts fair will include: Boyds Bears, candles, berry wreaths, coutry crafts and more. (To show your crafts at the Fair, call Joyce at the Briar Patch – 301-223-4599.)

The business sponsors of the 2010 Classic Car Show are: Advantage Landscape & Construction, Left Overs, NAPA Auto Parts, Denny’s Auto Machine and Osborne Funeral Home. Williamsport Classic Car Day benefits the “Christmas in the Park” program.

More About Historic Williamsport

Not far from Martinburg, WV, Williamsport, Maryland is located in the heart of the Cumberland Valley “where the serpentine, tree-embowered Conococheague Creek mildly flows at long last into the Potomac River.” Here, more than 275 years ago, smoke was rising from a few scattered cabins of a then western frontier trading post called “Conococheague”.

The native Indian name “Conococheague” means “a long way”; and the name “Potomac” means “trading place” in the Algonquin tongue. Before any settlement, the area was inhabited by Delaware and Catawba Indians.

Because of the Potomac River and C & O Canal, Williamsport has been known as the ” cross-road” and “gateway” to the South, West, and East. Settlers, travelers, and pioneer families passed through the thousands on their way south and east.

To learn more about the Williamsport and what it has to offer, visit their web site.

Charles Town, WV – And they’re off! The Shenandoah Valley Music Festival (SVMF) Guild is sponsoring a Derby Day Trip to the Charles Town Races and Slots.

Celebrate the “Run for the Roses” with the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival Guild. The Guild, the Shenandoah Music Festival’s friends group, is celebrating the nation’s most famous horse race with a bus trip to Charles Town Races and Slots on Saturday, May 1, 2010.

The track is a magnificent treat for all the senses. Upon arrival, the guests will take their places in the air conditioned comfort of the glass walled Skyline Terrace, just feet from the track where whey can watch the area’s fastest horses work out or see them churn the dirt as they sprint to the finish line, all the while relaxing and partaking of the restaurant’s sumptuous epic prime rib and seafood buffet.

As a guest, you can relax in the best seats in the house and watch the track’s full racing card and when the time comes, you can watch the race from Churchill Downs – each table has its own individual television set. Want a break from the horses? The casino offers hundreds of different slot games to test your luck – and you can leave all the driving to someone else. Don’t forget to purchase your official commemorative Kentucky Derby glass while you’re there!

Tickets are $85 per person, which includes the bus trip, the epic buffet dinner, a complimentary race card, the opportunity to wager on and watch the televised Derby, and the chance to wager on Charles Town’s local races and visit the track’s slots casino.

Reserve by April 15
The cutoff date for trip reservations is April 15, 2010. The bus will leave the Lowe’s parking lot in Woodstock at 3 p.m. on May 1, and it will return at about 10:30 p.m.

The trip is open to the public. All are welcome and invited. All the net proceeds of the event will go to the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival (SVMF). To make reservations, call the Festival office at (540) 459-3396.

The Shenandoah Valley Music Festival is a not-for-profit organization supported in part by grants from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, Shenandoah County and by hundreds of individuals and businesses throughout Virginia. It presents a summertime concert series each year on the grounds of the Shrine Mont Camp and Conference Center in Orkney Springs, Va.

Visit the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival web site.
Visit the Charles Town Races and Slots web site.

Richmond, VA – Mark Obenshain, Virginia State Senator from the Shenandoah Valley issued the following statement (via email) this week, entitled: “My Votes on the Budget and Senate Leadership Playing Games.” In the email, he explains why he voted against the Virginia Senate budget bill that just passed, and which is now headed to the Virginia House for approval.

One of the main reasons Obershain voted “nay” was the 320 million dollars in new user fees that the budget will enact to raise revenues – relying on increasing the cost of a variety of services within the Commonwealth. Raising “user fees” – as opposed to raising taxes, which is not popular – is a trend across the country which means that regular citizens end up paying more for the basic “tools” they need to survive economically. (At the same time, citizens are seeing educational programs that benefit their children cut back.)

In fact, many of the user fees proposed will be on items that working Virginians need every year: including increased fees for car registration, drivers licenses, insurance coverage, and college courses, among others. These new fees, Obenshain says, will place more economic strain on the backs of already-struggling Virginians – whether they’re employed, underemployed, or unemployed.

Obenshain writes:
“About two weeks ago, the Democratic leadership of the Senate of Virginia decided that bills could die in subcommittee. The Rules of the Senate had not been amended, and no new interpretation was advanced: it’s just the way things are going to be.

And, so it is. Fast forward to this past Thursday, when a special subcommittee in Senate Courts of Justice, created for the express purpose of bottling up bills (mostly gun bills) the committee’s chairman doesn’t like, met and killed bill after bill.

They killed a dozen bills in that meeting, denying the full committee the opportunity to vote on them, as has always been the Senate’s policy (subcommittees make recommendations, but, until now, never had the power to kill a bill). These weren’t off the wall bills, either. Every one of them passed the House with bipartisan majorities and at least sixty-one votes. Eleven had seventy or more votes, five had 87-plus votes, and three actually passed the House unanimously. Yet these bills were evidently too much for the special subcommittee, which decided not to let them see the light of day. Stay tuned on this issue.

This new hardball tactic, which may be inconsistent with the Senate Rules, has garnered a lot of attention of late, and rightly so, but the budget remains everyone’s top concern.

Last week, I joined nine other Senators in voting against the Senate Budget. I would like to take a few moments of your time to explain the reasons for those votes.

I imagine that most are aware of some of the ways the budget impacts education, health, and essential services, and my colleagues and I have been working hard to keep these cuts to a minimum and to restore funding to essential programs wherever possible. I outlined many of these concerns in my last email, and will not reiterate them all here, but I will note a few areas where improvements have been made since that time.

Two Sundays ago, the two money committees met in succession to consider and adopt the budget amendments recommended by their subcommittees, and the budget bills, with those amendments, went before their respective chambers.

The Senate passed a budget last week albeit without my vote and sent it to the House. The House, meanwhile, sent us their budget bill. Since there were inevitably significant differences between the two budgets, the budget bill then went to conference, where conferees from both chambers meet to produce a bill sent to an up-or-down (yes or no) vote in both chambers.

The Senate’s conferees are guided, in part, by the Senate Budget and floor action on the House budget as well as any concerns or priorities they bring to the process individually. The conferees began to meet in earnest this past Thursday.

It is certainly my hope that I will be able to vote for the budget before me at that time, but as I mentioned earlier in this email, I voted against the Senate Budget a week and I do want to provide you with the reasons for that decision.

Both chambers were confronted with very difficult choices, and I appreciate the hard work of the Senate Finance Committee, but I believe that, on the whole, the House Appropriations Committee reported a better budget one that rejects new or increased fees, in contrast to the Senate budget, which contains in excess of $320 million in new fees, and perhaps far more, since a number of sizable fee increases do not yet have a revenue estimate.

It’s a long list, with new or higher fees for vehicle registration, telephones (both cellular and land lines), court appearances, hotel amenities, drivers’ license reinstatement, college courses, property and casualty insurance, wells and sewage systems, access to various records, marriage licenses, wine, and more. Sometimes it seems as if government is on an unending quest to tax every element of our lives, and the Senate budget bill does little to dispel this notion.

In addition to its reliance upon new and increased fees, the Senate budget relies heavily upon the time tested (unsuccessfully of late) strategy of inflating certain revenue estimates. In this instance, there are about $200 million of highly questionable projected revenue increases. Included in these projected revenues are increases in tobacco tax receipts and ABC profits and fewer claimed conservation tax credits.

To call these projections optimistic is being kind. First, tobacco use is on a downswing and taxes have not been increased, so the estimated increase in tobacco tax revenue is a total mystery. Second, since ABC stores are now allowed to stay open 7 days a week in several jurisdictions, increased profits have been projected.

Skeptics might suggest that the market for spirits will remain the same, but the sales will be spread across 7 days rather than 6 (not to mention the increased operational expenses). Third and finally, no explanation whatsoever was attached by budget writers to the anticipated windfall flowing from their belief that in each of the next two years landowners will claim $50 million less in land conservation tax credits if they are in error, that’s a $100 million hole in the budget.

Add to that an attempt to undermine the abolition of parole through the budget process and I have some real reservations about the Senate Budget. Still worse, the Senate Budget is far more reliant than its House counterpart on the assumption the hope, really that the state will receive a six month extension of enhanced Medicaid funding from the federal government, which is by no means a given. Both budgets make provision for the extra funding, but the Senate Budget is somewhat more free in dedicating the funding to essential programs. The House makes this money available for a second tier of priorities: if we get it, great, and if not, we’ll manage. With the Senate Budget, however, we’re in a far greater rut if those dollars fail to come through.

Both the House and Senate budgets made significant improvement to public education and health funding over what had been discussed in recent weeks, covered in part by additional federal funding for which Virginia qualified this past Thursday, and in larger part by a proposal by Governor McDonnell that adjust how and when the Commonwealth funds certain future pension liabilities, without changing actual compensation for existing state and local employees one iota.

I have been pleased to see significant progress made in these areas, with both budgets backfilling some of the previously planned cuts to local education and restoring Medicaid waivers for community-directed care. These community-based waivers provide a valuable alternative to institutional care for the elderly and those with disabilities a situation that favors the elderly and those with disabilities, their families, and the taxpayers, as community-based care is significantly more cost-effective than institutional care.

Neither budget, unfortunately, reflected the sort of systematic review that I would prefer, though time constraints made a more thorough examination difficult. Nevertheless, it is vitally important that, as soon as we have the budget process and this session behind us, we pour our efforts into reviewing our budget priorities. Governor McDonnell plans to convene a government reform commission, and it is my hope that they will approach the entirety of Virginia’s budget with detail and an eye to serious reform, not just cuts.

The House budget came closer to the sort of structural reform we need than did the Senate budget, and the Governor made several very good proposals on this count, but each budget proposal fell short of the sort of reform that Virginia’s long-term fiscal health will require.

I certainly do not favor all the budget amendments within the House bill, any more than I would endorse all provisions of the Senate bill. I am concerned about reductions and consolidation in the cooperative extension program, which is so important to agricultural communities, and the House bill makes a number of cuts to education that I would prefer to offset elsewhere.

What finally emerges will of necessity be a compromise between competing proposals, but sometimes compromise can be a good thing, and I look forward to carefully reviewing the budget that emerges from conference committee in the coming days. For the present, I voted against the Senate Budget given my concern about new fees this budget would impose on Virginia taxpayers and to express my reservations about a number of other provisions in the bill.

It is my hope that the conferees will return with a fiscally responsible budget that I will be able to support. I will continue to keep you apprised of further action on the budget.”

Shenandoah National Park, VA – Travel Advisory – The recent severe winter storms have left Shenandoah National Park with heavy accumulations of snow resulting in the complete closure of Skyline Drive.  Although crews are working to open the Drive to visitor use, Park staff anticipates that it will be early March at the earliest before sections of the road can be opened to the public.

Employees have experienced snowdrifts of up to eight feet. Removal of the snow requires extensive loader work due to the depth and density of the snow drifts. Skip Willoughby, Roads Work Leader and 11 year veteran of the Park, said “This is one the heaviest snows and the most we’ve had to deal with since I’ve been at the Park.”

With the depth of the snow, snowplows are unable to gain enough momentum to push snow over the rock walls making it more difficult to clear from road surfaces. Temperatures along the ridge top have not climbed above freezing, resulting in little melting. Additionally, winds continue to blow creating new drifts each night.

Hiking trails remain open to the public via the park boundary, but visitors should expect advanced hiking conditions due to the deep snow pack. Downed and hazard trees may be incurred at any time. Park staff has not assessed trail conditions at this time. Visitors should be aware that boundary parking areas and road shoulder parking may be unavailable due to snowdrifts clearing operations.

Road conditions are updated on the Shenandoah National Park’s main phone line at (540) 999-3500, and on the Shenandoah National Park website.

(Information about the snow clearing operations and a photo gallery illustrating the work in progress are also on the web site. The picture above is provided by Shenandoah National Park.)

Richmond, VA – Last year, Virginia celebrated the 75th Anniversary of the establishment of its state-run liquor stores, called “ABC stores.”  This week, a bill (SB 443) introduced by Senator Mark Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg) designed to privatize Virginia’s ABC stores was passed by indefinitely by the Senate Finance Committee to provide more time to work with the Governor to refine the proposal.

“I look forward to working with Governor McDonnell to develop legislation that divests the Commonwealth’s liquor monopoly in a financially and socially responsible manner,” said Obenshain.

Retail stores featured over-the-counter sales until a conversion to self-service stores began in 1969.

“State liquor monopolies are a holdover from the early days after the repeal of Prohibition, a product of unrealized fears,” Obenshain added. “We’re still living in the shadow of Prohibition seventy-six years after repeal.”

Virginia is one of eighteen “control” states, where both retail and wholesale operations fall completely under the purview of the state, a holdover from John D. Rockefeller’s campaign for state control of liquor sales in an attempt to prevent “moral decay.”

“We can achieve privatization in a socially responsible manner. We have three quarters of a century of evidence to show that control states do not fare any better than their non-control counterparts on underage drinking, driving under the influence, or alcoholism. In fact, states with private liquor sales do better in these areas – and still the Commonwealth refuses to release its grip on the sale of alcohol,” said Obenshain.

“Divesting Virginia’s ABC stores is a win-win situation,” Obenshain explained. “Privatization offers consumers the benefits of competition: more convenient hours, wider selection, lower prices, and innovation, just to name a few. It does away with the more than $120 million the government spends each year on administrative costs while creating new revenue streams by auctioning off wholesale and retail licenses. And it gets the state out of something in which it never had any business getting involved.”

Under Obenshain’s proposal, package store licenses, which would authorize the retail sale of alcohol beverages, would be auctioned off one at a time, with no less than one license in every city and county, and the number of licenses tied to the population of the jurisdiction, adjusted every five years. The annual state license charge on package store licenses would be determined by auction, and would be inflation-adjusted.

“This is an idea whose time has come,” said Obenshain. “Privatizing the ABC stores and using the revenue to help fund transportation is one of Governor McDonnell’s priorities, and I look forward to working with the Governor to make this a reality.”

Virginia is not alone in this effort; North Carolina, Washington, and Mississippi are currently weighing proposals to sell their distilled spirits monopolies to raise revenues, and many states divested their own operations in the 1990s. “As Governor McDonnell said in his State of the Commonwealth Address, selling Jack Daniel’s is not a core function of government,” said Obenshain.

Senator Obenshain represents the twenty-sixth district in the Virginia Senate. The district includes the city of Harrisonburg, the counties of Warren, Shenandoah, Page, Rappahannock, and part of Rockingham County.

On the web:
Mark’s website.
Senate Bill 443

Shenandoah Valley, VA – Every day, you look around and see people driving vehicles while on their cell phones, not paying attention. It’s not just a few drivers here or there, but the rule rather than the exception.

A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) shows that drivers that use cell phones while driving are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves.

Soon, in Virginia, this may be a less common occurrence.

After repeated tries in the past, this week the Virginia State Senate has passed Bill 517, banning talking on a cell phone while driving, unless using a hands-free cell device. It passed by a vote of 25 for and 15 against.

The ban has a few exceptions; it will not apply to the operators of emergency vehicles, drivers who are stopped or parked, GPS or other digital dispatch systems (i.e., OnStar), or anyone using a phone to report an emergency.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Thomas Norment, will phase in penalties for drivers who remove their hands from the steering wheel to use their electronic gadget. Beginning July 1, 2010, Virginia drivers who talk on the phone without it being in hands-free mode will face a $20 fine; the fine goes up to $50 for repeat violations. On July 1, 2011, the fines will be hiked to $100 for the first violation, and then $200 thereafter.

The bill will now move to the Virginia House of Delegates for consideration.

According to IIHS, here is the current status of cell phone bills across the United States:

- A jurisdiction-wide ban on driving while talking on a hand-held cellphone is in place in 7 states (California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Utah, and Washington) and the District of Columbia. Utah has named the offense careless driving. Under the Utah law, no one commits an offense when speaking on a cellphone unless they are also committing some other moving violation other than speeding.

- Local jurisdictions may or may not need specific state statutory authority to ban cellphones. Localities that have enacted restrictions on cellphone use include: Oahu, HI; Chicago, IL; Brookline, MA; Detroit, MI; Santa Fe, NM; Brooklyn, North Olmstead, and Walton Hills, OH; Conshohocken, Lebanon, and West Conshohocken, PA; Waupaca County, WI; and Cheyenne, WY.

- The use of all cellphones while driving a school bus is prohibited in 17 states and the District of Columbia.

- The use of all cellphones by novice drivers is restricted in 21 states and the District of Columbia.

- Text messaging is banned for all drivers in 19 states and the District of Columbia. In addition, novice drivers are banned from texting in 9 states (Delaware, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas, and West Virginia) and school bus drivers are banned from text messaging in 1 state (Texas).

Winchester, VA – As of Feb. 9 – Keep that shovel handy and get ready for another blast of snow. As of 3:04 p.m. (ES) today, the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning again for the Shenandoah Valley. This new Warning is in effect from 9 a.m. Tuesday, February 9 until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, February 10, 2010.

A Winter Storm Warning means “significant amounts of snow are
expected or occurring, and the combination of snow and strong winds
will make travel very hazardous.”

New Storm Warning for Shenandoah Valley

This new Storm Warning is calling for between 6 to 12 inches of additional snow accumulation for the Shenandoah Valley. Many schools, colleges and businesses in the Valley have already decided to close on Tuesday, after being closed today.

Temperatures are expected to be freezing on Tuesday during the day, and drop to the low to mid 20s on Tuesday night. Upper 20s are predicted for Wednesday. Fifteen to 25 mph winds are expected to blow southeasterly on Tuesday, becoming northwesterly on Wednesday morning.

The Washington, D.C,, and Baltimore, Md., Metro areas are also in a Winter Storm Warning area – with forecast accumulations of 10 to 20 inches possible from this newest storm.

State of Emergency still in effect

Still digging out from this past weekend’s storm, today, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell updated the existing State of Emergency in the Commonwealth. A State of Emergency authorizes state agencies to assist local governments responding to the past weekend’s storm.

Governor McDonnell said, “A large part of Virginia continues to recover from this past weekend’s snowstorm. The storm left 6 inches or more of snow on the ground from the Richmond metropolitan area to the north and west, with historic amounts of two to three feet common across northern and northwestern Virginia.”

To see a good visual (radar photo) of where this new storm is heading, click here.

Daily Weather Predictions for Mid-week

Here is the day-by-day forecast for this week for Winchester, Virginia – indicating when the snowstorm is expected to start and end:

Tuesday
Snow. Mainly in the afternoon. Snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches. Highs in the upper 20s. Light and variable winds – becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of snow near 100 percent.

Tuesday Night
Snow. Additional snow accumulation of 4 to 6 inches. Lows in the lower 20s. East winds around 5 mph – becoming northeast around 5 mph after midnight. Chance of snow near 100 percent.

Wednesday
Snow. Mainly in the morning. Brisk with highs around 30. Northwest winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. Chance of snow 90 percent.

Wednesday Night
Mostly cloudy and blustery. Lows around 20.

Thursday
Partly sunny. Highs in the mid 30s

Snow accumulation totals in Shenandoah Valley

ABC affiliate TV station (Channel 3) in Harrisonburg, Virginia reports these final snowfall totals for our last storm:

** Basye: 14″
**Bridgewater: 15″
**Buffalo Gap: 20″
**Churchville: 16″
**Elkton – Naked Creek Area: 18″
**Elkton: 15″
**Fishersville: 17″
**Greenville: 24″
**Grottoes: 26″
**Harrisonburg: 18″
**Linville: 18.5″
**Lost City, WV: 30″
**Luray: 20″
**Middlebrook:19″
**Moorefield, WV: 28″
**New Market: 19″
**Old Fields, WV: 24″
**Rawley Springs: 18″
**Sparkling Springs: 16″
**Stanley: 20″
**Staunton: 19″
**Stephens City: 28″
**Stuarts Draft: 18″
**Tanner’s Ridge: 26.5″
**Tenth Legion: 22″
**Timberville: 19″
**Waynesboro:12.5″
**Woodstock: 20″

Luray Rescue

On another related note, in Luray, on February 6, 2010, during the last storm, soldiers from National Guard Company A (3rd Battalion, 116th Brigade Combat Team) assisted  volunteer firefighters from Company 1, Luray Volunteer Fire Department in helping a family in Rileyville, VA, who were stranded in their home without power following a winter storm.

Stay tuned to 7Bends.com for Shenandoah Valley weather news, closings, and updates during this storm, and others.

Richmond, VA – Dan Holmes, Director of State Policy, for the Piedmont Environmental Council in Virginia provided the following summary of bills being voted on during the current session of the Virginia Legislature, the organization’s recommendations on whether to support the legislation or not, and the patron of each environmental bill.

General Assembly Bills Worth Commenting On

Many issues are discussed, including: food production, sustainability, renewable energy, energy efficiency, D.C. urban sprawl, toll roads, scenic rivers, and conservation tax credits.

“You’re probably busy preparing for the ’snow-pocalypse’ this weekend, but in between buying groceries and stocking up on movies or books, please take a minute to voice your support for (or opposition to) some of the bills making their way through the Virginia General Assembly.

SUMMARY OF LEGISLATION

HB 441 would make it possible for citizens to join together and collectively generate renewable energy for their own use.

HB 441: Community & Agricultural Net Metering – SUPPORT
This bill would permit individuals to form a group and collectively generate renewable energy for their own use under a net metering agreement. The bill would expand opportunities for small-scale renewable generation, and make it easier for farmers and homeowners to produce energy, taking pressure off of the grid. Patron: Delegate Toscano (D-District 57)

SB 71: Energy Efficiency Standard – SUPPORT
This bill would jumpstart energy efficiency initiatives in Virginia, and sets reasonable, enforceable goals for reductions in energy consumption over the next twelve years. Patron: Senator A. Donald McEachin (D-District 9)

HB 675: Minimizing the Impact of Transmission Line
Rights-of-Way – SUPPORT
This bill would require the State Corporation Commission to establish conditions to minimize impacts from transmission lines, such as discouraging clear-cutting and encouraging vegetative screening along rights-of-way. Patron: Delegate Joe T. May (R-District 33)

HB 447 would provide a funding source for easement monitoring and enforcement.

HB 447: Funding for Monitoring & Enforcement – SUPPORT
This bill from Delegate Ware would create a funding source for easement monitoring and enforcement, by removing the $10,000 cap on the 2% fee imposed on the transfer arising from the sale of land conservation tax credits.

The resulting revenues would be paid to the Department of Taxation and the Department of Conservation and Recreation first. The remaining revenues will be transferred to the public or private conservation agencies responsible for enforcing the conservation purposes of the easement.

HB 277 prioritizes a sprawl-inducing toll highway around DC.

HB 277: Prioritizes Outer Beltway Around DC – OPPOSE
This bill would divert limited resources away from projects that would help reduce congestion in Northern Virginia. This type of project has been studied over and over again, and found not to be justified due to its failure to ease traffic congestion and multi-billion dollar price tag. Patron: Delegates Albo (R-District 42) and Rust (R-District 86)

SB 442: Authority to Suspend Regulation – OPPOSE
This bill would allow the Joint Commission on Administrative Rules (JCAR), a committee of 12 legislators, to suspend any rule or regulation with the concurrence of the Governor.
Patron: Senator Frank Wagner (R- District 7)

Support for Local Food

HB 398: Procedures to Purchase Virginia-Grown Food Products by State Agencies – SUPPORT
This bill would establish procurement procedures to facilitate the purchase of Virginia-Grown food products for use in local public school divisions and state agencies.
Patron: Delegate Matthew J. Lohr. (R- District 26)

HJ95: Designates Virginia Farm to School Week – SUPPORT
This resolution would designate the second full week of November 2010 as Virginia Farm to School Week.
Patron: Delegate Edward T. Scott (R- District 30)

Scenic River Designation

HB 501: Scenic River Designation for Jordan- SUPPORT

Designates a portion of the Jordan River in Rappahannock County as a state scenic river.
Patron: Delegate C. Todd Gilbert (R- District 15)

HB 503: Scenic River Designation for Hughes – SUPPORT

Designates a portion of the Hughes River as a state scenic river.
Patron: Delegate C. Todd Gilbert (R- District 15)

It’s very important your legislators hear from you, so make sure to express your support or opposition for the bills you are interested in. You can say as much or as little as you want – but be sure to clearly state your position on each bill and provide the bill number.”

To view more information about each of these bills, visit the Piedmont Environmental Council web site. You can email the organization at: pecnews at pecva.org.

Richmond, VA – With the recent start of the Virginia Legislative session, here is Mark Obenshain’s “Week in Review” Update to Shenandoah Valley constituents:

“January 23, 2010 – As the second week of session winds down, I’d like to update you on what’s shaping up to be an interesting, if challenging, session.

As a result of declining revenues and the economic downturn, we will make difficult choices this session and will have to adopt painful cuts. These decisions will not be popular and I know that I won’t enjoy them, but I firmly believe that the only clear path to growth and prosperity is to preserve Virginia’s well-deserved reputation as a great state in which to do business, and to avoid imposing new tax burdens on our hard-working citizens and the businesses which serve as engines of growth and development.

On Monday evening, Governor McDonnell delivered his State of the Commonwealth address a joint assembly of the legislature. It was his second major address in three days, coming on the heels of his stirring inaugural address, and he won’t get to let up yet: our new governor is delivering the response to the State of the Union Address next week.

In his State of the Commonwealth Address, McDonnell expressed his understanding that we can’t tax our way out of this recession. He talked about transportation, economic development, and the need for significant funding cuts. Our challenge is to make these reductions as painless as possible, while recognizing that no one will be spared entirely.

I look forward to working with the Governor, and I’ve been working to find ways to give localities and essential service providers the tools they need to get through the rough patch. I know the importance of ensuring that each child receives a quality education, so I have worked with my local school boards to develop a legislative package that provides school divisions with greater flexibility to use state dollars where they are needed the most urgently. If schools have to be asked to do more with less, the least we can do is make sure they can use state funding in the classroom, putting more money toward instruction and less toward legislators’ pet projects.

I also recognize how critical it is that we maintain our transportation infrastructure. The transportation budget has taken a beating these past few years, and we haven’t turned the corner yet, but when we do, I want to make sure that transportation has a place at the table, which is why I’ve introduced legislation proposing that once we’re well on the road to economic recovery and have enjoyed a degree of revenue growth, an additional half a penny of the sales tax will be dedicated to transportation. This won’t take anything from other agencies or programs – the allocation is made out of revenue growth – but it’s a way to ensure that transportation isn’t neglected as our economy ultimately recovers.

We may only have a week and a half of session behind us, but the foolishness starts early: on Monday, a “dangerous dog” bill went down – thankfully – to defeat. Nobody likes a dangerous dog, but had this bill passed, any dog that reasonably induced fear that it may attempt to attack or inflict injury would constitute a dangerous dog. What would that entail? Growling? Tugging on a leash and barking?

The other day, Governor McDonnell announced, in keeping with his campaign promise, that all of the closed rest areas will reopen by April 15th. Studies show that rest areas decrease the accident rate by nearly 4%, and they help get parked trucks off exit ramps, where they pose a serious hazard. Reopening the rest areas has been one of my priorities since their politically motivated closure, and I’m pleased to be able to report that we’re on track to make our interstates safer and more inviting.

Elsewhere, in a political stunner, Republican Scott Brown won a special election and will be the next U.S. Senator from Massachusetts. I’ll put it this way: when Massachusetts is a little unsure about President Obama’s agenda, it’s not too hard to figure out where everyone else is.

I’ll close this already long update with a list of a few of the bills I’ve introduced this session. You can find all of my bills listed here.

Closing the Triggerman Loophole (SB 7)
Under the current law, prosecutors cannot seek a charge of capital murder if a criminal defendant who willfully and deliberately participated in a premeditated murder did not actually pull the trigger. It is a distinction unheard of in common law and unknown to Virginian law until 1979, and my bill would bring Virginia in line with the majority of states who make no such distinction.

Transportation Trust Fund (SB 132)
This proposal ensures that future revenue growth is set aside for transportation projects by permanently moving a half cent of the existing sales tax to the TTF.

Tax Credits for Donations to Nonprofits (SB 133)
This bill establishes tax credits for businesses that donate to nonprofit organizations providing educational funding – the Educational Improvement Tax Credit.

Voter Identification Requirements (SB 134)
This bill aims to curb election fraud by requiring that voters show some form of identification when voting.

In God We Trust License Plates (SB 136)
Authorizes the issuance of special “In God We Trust” license plates.

Audit of Transportation Programs (SB 351)
This legislation requires a performance audit of VDOT by a private auditing firm. Given dramatic decline in transportation funding, reprioritization is essential, and an outside performance audit will help the Transportation secretariat institute best practices, reduce overhead, eliminate inefficiencies and redundancies, and determine which functions can be privatized cost-effectively.

Privatization of ABC Stores (SB 443)
Providing for regional auctions of licenses for the private retail sale of alcoholic beverages in lieu of state-run ABC stores. This proposal has been adopted by the Governor as a major component of his government reform and transportation agendas.

Eminent Domain Reform (SJ 27)
A constitutional amendment that would limit the exercise of eminent domain for the purpose of public use. It specifies that, with the exception of property taken for public service corporations, public service companies, or railroads, property may not be taken if the primary purpose of the taking is private financial gain, private benefit, an increase in tax base or tax revenues, or an increase in employment.

Education Bills (SB 135, SB 352, SB 353, and budget amendment)
Legislation easing the burden on local school divisions by granting them greater flexibility to spend state-provided funding on their most urgent priorities.

I look forward to keeping in touch with you as session proceeds, and I hope you’ll keep in touch as well, as I always enjoy hearing from my constituents.”

Mark Obenshain
Virginia State Senator

To learn more about Mark’s priorities and positions, visit his web site.

It was just another Labor Day in Berkeley, California. The year was 1979. Reggie, a 19-year-old father was driving his 3-month old daughter, Tokee, to her grandmother’s. Out of nowhere, a car – driven by a drunk driver – slammed into them, killing Reggie and causing his young infant girl to fall into a coma.

Today, Devvie Turner, Tokee’s mother, lives with that memory. Along with her mother, sisters, and friends, she takes care of Tokee, who’s 30 now, still alive, comatose, in a wheelchair. Three decades later,  Devvie, a licensed nurse, is still coping. Each day Devvie sees and cares for her daughter is another reminder of one driver’s stupid decision – a decision that has kept one small girl from living a normal life.

Devvie decided to do something to ease her pain. To help heal herself, she opened Drivers Safety Improvement Clinic in Winchester, with the goal of teaching people – mainly teens and young adults – the extreme importance of keeping sober and awake. Devvie, 47, says: “This is what keeps me going and keeps me sane. If I can get through to even one person that one mistake can change lives, I will have succeeded. We need to look out for each other, not only with driving but with everything.”

Licensed by the DMV, and using the tagline “Decisions That Change Lives,” Devvie’s company offers instruction on safe driving for those who want to reduce points on their license or qualify for an insurance discount, and those who are ordered to attend a course by the DMV or court.

The small group, 8-hour Defensive Driving course costs approx. $70, and is given Tuesdays through Saturdays. Some people take the course right away after receiving a ticket or violation.

Certified by the state of Virginia, Devvie is the main instructor. “I’m as real with them as a person can be,” she says. At the beginning of the day, she shares pictures of Tokee back in 1979, and today, as a visual reminder of the self responsibility that comes with getting behind the wheel. Students also learn about: road rage; drinking and driving; dealing with stress, anger, and emotional issues; and avoiding distractions while driving (especially cell phone use). Devvie reminds students that prescription drugs, and even over-the-counter cold medicine, can also impair driving. “I often see that light bulb go off in their heads,” she says, “and that’s rewarding.”

Devvie practices what she preaches. Self-care. Her new business is part of the way she’s moving forward. It’s a constant reminder for her, as well as others, that today is all we have. “You know, whether you’re in a car, or stepping off a curb, or in an airplane, tomorrow is not promised.” She urges people to take a real look at how their actions affect others.

Contact Information:

Drivers Safety Improvement Clinic

2308 Middle Road

(located off Valley Avenue, behind Sheetz)

Winchester, Virginia 22601

Call for questions and reservations: (540) 535-1082

Visit web site

Visitor centers will be operated as follows: Loft Mountain Information Center which is open on weekends only will close on November 1; Dickey Ridge and Harry F. Byrd Visitor Centers will both remain open until November 29.

Campgrounds will operate on the following schedule: Mathews Arm and Loft
Mountain Campgrounds will close on November 1, Lewis Mountain Campground will close on November 8, and Big Meadows Campground will remain open until November 29.

Concessioner-operated restaurants, lodges and associated facilities will
operate as follows: Loft Mountain Campstore and Loft Mountain
Showers/Laundry will close on November 1; Elkwallow Wayside, Big Meadows Lodge, Lewis Mountain Cabins, and Lewis Mountain Campstore, and Loft Mountain Wayside will close on November 8. Skyland Resort, Big Meadows Wayside, and Big Meadows Showers/Laundry remain open until November 29.

This winter the following picnic grounds will remain open year round,
weather permitting: Elkwallow, Pinnacles, South River and Dundo Picnic
Grounds.  Lewis Mountain Picnic Grounds will close on November 8. The
Dickey Ridge and Big Meadows Picnic Grounds will close on November 29.
Loft Mountain Picnic Grounds remains closed.

Skyline Drive is open year round; however, the Drive may be temporarily
closed on short notice due to winter weather conditions.  During weather
closures, park staff will work to open the North and Central Districts
(from Front Royal to Route 33) first, followed by the South District (from
Route 33 to Route 250).

For more information about planning a trip to Shenandoah National Park, call the Park at (540) 999-3500, or visit their web site.

They say that Laliberte is the “first Canadian private space explorer” and that he used his voyage to “raise awareness about the need for safe drinking water all over the world.” Also onboard were Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka and American astronaut Michael Barratt. (Never heard anything from the major press or NASA about this beforehand…)

Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte, wearing a foam clown nose reminiscent of one of his productions, landed back on Earth – after a “working vacation” which set him back $35 million dollars. (It looks like money does have something to do with getting to go into space afterall.)

After launch on September 30, 2009, the space ship carrying the billionaire landed in Kazakhstan this morning, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.

Laliberte’s journey was described by Cirque du Soleil, a popular show that merges acrobatics and music, as “the first social/artistic mission in space.” Among Cirque du Soleil’s most popular shows is Criss Angel: Believe. (The photo that accompanies this article is from Criss Angel.)

Cirque du Soliel has created a wonderful, imaginative web site.

Shenandoah County, VA – Do you like looking at and working on old cars? Do you like going to antique car shows? And car museums? If you answered “yes” to all three, then you have something in common with Craig Halsted.

Located near Strasburg, VA, Halsted’s business slogan reads: “Bought, sold, traded and talked about…”

He has quite a collection, of Datsun Roadsters and parts, many of them from the 1960s, including a 1966 Datsun RL411, a 1969 Datsun 2000, and a supercharged Datsun Roadster. To mix it up, he also has a Volvo 122s Amazon and a 1940 Packard Super 8.

But, Halsted goes beyond just collecting. He also photographs many of the cars shows he attends throughout the Appalachian area, in Pennsylvania and Virginia, for example.  Two of his journeys included trips to take pictures at the Auburn Cord Duesenburg Museum, as well as the 2008 Studebaker Nationals in Lancaster, PA.

Craig Halsted can be reached at (540) 635-5752 or (540) 631-5852.

Take at look at some of his cool shots of old cars on Craig’s Webshots photo album.

Another great source on the web for old cars and old car pictures is: Automotive History Online. Here you see a photo of a Studebaker Sceptre (The Last Concept).

As per 7Bends’ press policy as it relates to all candidates, this information was furnished by the John Lesinski campaign, and is published here verbatim:

Luray, VA – John Lesinski, a candidate for Virginia’s 15th District House of Delegates, is unveiling a plan that will create jobs in the Shenandoah Valley while dramatically reducing traffic on I-81.

The Rail First Initiative would direct the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to establish a state-of-the-art freight rail system for the Valley prior to carrying out plans for I-81 expansion. Lesinski will provide details about the Rail First Initiative today at the Grand Opening of his Shenandoah County Campaign Office, located at 115 West Court Street, in Woodstock.

“A world-class rail system will bring jobs into the Valley, while improving safety on our highways,” said Lesinski.

Rail First focuses specifically on utilizing rail to expand and create new industry. The development of a viable rail transportation system would provide a strong incentive for manufacturing and other businesses to locate in the Shenandoah Valley, bringing much-needed jobs into the region. This is particularly true for regions that do not have direct access to I-81 or other major highways, such as Page County. Rail First aims to broaden rail capabilities by improving and expanding existing rail infrastructure, as well as creating new infrastructure. Moreover, the plan requires that the CTB and VDOT work with the General Assembly to create tax credits and other financial incentives for new and existing Virginia-based companies to use rail.

According to Lesinski, “Rail may not fix everything, but it’s the best first step toward putting our economy back on track.”

The cost of expanding I-81 is estimated at approximately $13 billion. Estimates for rail expansion along the I-81 corridor have been reported as low as $6 billion. Lesinski is confident that revenues generated by drawing new businesses into Virginia, as well as the money saved by opting for rail, will allow the Commonwealth to make high-priority safety improvements to I-81 while providing incentives for businesses to use the rail system. The net result of Rail First will be more jobs in the Valley; fewer trucks and commuters on I-81; environmental preservation; and a stronger financial position for Virginia.

While some of the work to expand rail in the I-81 corridor requires interstate cooperation, most of the necessary work will take place within Virginia’s borders. For example, upgrading small railroads and rail connections will dramatically improve rail operations within the Commonwealth. In fact, small railroads can be used to promote regional tourism by providing visitors with easy access to a variety of tourist locations. Maximizing rail infrastructure to Virginia’s Inland Port will also allow increased transport of domestic and international goods, without increasing regional highway traffic. For those aspects of rail expansion that require interstate cooperation, active negotiations will be necessary to ensure effective and timely implementation of rail infrastructure.

“It takes leadership, creativity, and teamwork to find solutions that all Virginians can be proud of,” said Lesinski. “We can’t afford to let another year go by without action to solve our transportation crisis.”

This is the latest in a series of economic proposals by Lesinski. Last month, Lesinski proposed an income tax holiday for new or expanding businesses that create 100 or more jobs in a previously unused industrial space. He has also been working to stem the dramatic increases in local power rates and recently proposed an employee-based tax credit for small businesses.