The Lynchburg Times

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The Lynchburg Times

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Lynchburg Times
Vol. I, Issue 15 • December 9, 2010
Heritage High School: The building that won’t go away
By Yvonne Behrens
The Lynchburg Times
An overflow crowd of parents, teachers, students, and former students gathered in the auditorium of Heritage High
School last Thursday to loudly and clearly
express their dismay and even outrage
at the seeming disregard that the City of
Lynchburg has shown to the capital improvement needs of this high school. Appreciative cheers and applause followed
every speaker in spite of City Manager
L. Kimball Payne’s request that the audience hold their applause. Council members were in Big Orange Country and the
crowd made sure they knew it.
The building is in bad shape. Since it
was first constructed–over 30 years ago–
it has been in bad shape.
Wikileaks: Espionage or
First Amendment 101?
By Emily Williams
The Lynchburg Times
Wikileaks founder and Editor in Chief
Julian Assange. Photo by Luis Carlos
Díaz on Flickr.
FREE
The Wikileaks fiasco has politicians,
journalists and academics across the nation reexamining how they define espionage and First Amendment rights. The
Lynchburg Times is on a quest to bring
you as many sides of the story as possible,
with special attention to local voices.
On Tuesday, Wikileaks founder Julian
Assange was arrested in London in relation to sex crime allegations in Sweden.
He is currently being held in Wadsworth
Prison without bail until December 14.
Now that Assange is in custody, there is
a possibility that he could be extradited
to the United States, should the Justice
Department find enough grounds to convince Sweden that his actions were criminal.
“As distasteful as the release of this information is, Assange is not criminally
liable,” said Mathew Staver, dean of the
Liberty University School of Law and
founder of the Liberty Council in a phone
interview Wednesday.
Staver emphasized that the First
Amendment covers Assange’s actions,
and that no legal distinction can be made
between traditional journalists and new
media when it comes to the First AmendSee WIKILEAKS, 22
The roof leaks in various places. Apparently the problem is not in the roof but in
the framework, which tends to flex in exSee HERITAGE, Golf cart stolen
The Campbell County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a grand larceny that occurred on
or about Thursday, December 2, 2010 from
the Forest RV Sales and Service located at
20795 Lynchburg Highway Forest, VA. An
unknown suspect or suspects stole a customized 2005 Club Car red and black golf cart. The golf cart is estimated to be worth approximately $4900.
Anyone with any information regarding this
crime or the identity of the suspects is asked
to call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-798-5900,
visit the Central Virginia Crime Stoppers website at www.cvcrimestoppers.org to enter a
web tip, or text “CVCS plus your message” to
274637.
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Page • The Lynchburg Times • December 9 - 15, 2010
Read every issue online at www.lynchburgtimes.com
Federal money crucial for
transportation
By Paige Cunningham
Virginia Statehouse News
Virginia has an ultra-important job
that officials say would have been considered shameful a few years ago.
That task is to nab as much federal
money as possible for transportation,
said Greg Whirley, commissioner for
the Virginia Department of Transportation. In the absence of new funding,
VDOT has struggled during the past
few years just to maintain existing
roads — let alone construct new ones.
This year, VDOT funneled most of
its dollars into maintenance, leaving
less than $100 million for construction. Even if the state continues that
tactic, taxes won’t supply revenue fast
enough, Whirley said.
That’s where the federal dollars come
in.
If VDOT plays its cards right, the
state can win more matching federal
R.S. Payne students
recreate Jamestown
Fourth graders at R.S. Payne participated in Jamestown Day Dec. 7th. This
was an all day role-playing adventure to
introduce them to the SOLs related to
the founding of Jamestown. Students
and teachers dressed in costumes and
acted out the voyage and settling of the
first permanent English settlement. They
received a charter from the King of England, got funds from the VA Company of
London, sailed on three “ships,” experienced hardships, interacted with Native
Americans, and much more! Reproduction artifacts received from the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation’s Summer
Teacher Institute were incorporated into
the event.
grants than ever before. That money
will play an increasingly crucial role, as
lawmakers appear less and less likely
to approve a gas tax hike that Democrats and some moderate Republicans
have been pushing for years.
But to win federal grants, VDOT
needs to do a better job of identifying projects and getting them ready
to go, Whirley said. It’s difficult, if not
impossible, to get the federal government to hand over money if VDOT
hasn’t already done preliminary work
and designated state funding.
That’s why Whirley says VDOT will
be spending more money on preliminary engineering next year to make
sure it has a list of projects ready for
federal beneficence.
So far, VDOT hasn’t done a great
job of lining up ready-to-go projects,
Whirley said.
“Program your money on projects,
because if you don’t, they will be
deemed inactive by the federal government, and you won’t be able to utilize that federal funding,” he said.
Whirley spoke Thursday morning at
a seminar, “What Everyone Needs to
Know about Transportation Funding,”
sponsored by the Northern Virginia
Transportation Alliance. Director Bob
Chase, who moderated the forum, said
he recalls a time not long ago when
Virginia took pride in resisting help
from the federal government.
Now, federal dollars comprise
VDOT’s single largest source of funding. This year, Virginia received $881
million from the federal government,
about one-fourth of VDOT’s total
budget.
VDOT’s second-largest source of
funding is the gas tax, which has become a highly charged political issue.
Chase, along with other officials who
spoke at Thursday’s meeting, sounded
a common theme: raising the gas tax,
currently one of the lowest in the region.
Chase said raising the gas tax by 9
cents would just restore it to its original value in 1987, the last time the
General Assembly approved an increase. In 1987 dollars, the current tax
of 17 cents per gallon would be equivalent to just 8 cents, he said.
“Next year, it will be a quarter century since we’ve done anything about
transportation funding,” Chase said.
Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw
said he’s so desperate to raise the gas
tax that he’d agree to sending half of a
1-percent sales tax hike to transportation — something he’d previously opposed because he doesn’t want to draw
general funds away from education or
social services. He’s emphatic that the
revenue shortage isn’t a VDOT management problem; rather, it’s a political problem.
“This is a political issue and sooner or
later someone’s going to have to have
a backbone to do something about it,”
Saslaw said.
Sen. Joe May, R-Leesburg, compared
opponents of a gas tax hike to homeowners who don’t want to pay their
gas or electric bills. Transportation
needs to be treated as a utility, or Virginia isn’t going to compare favorably
with her neighbors.
“I’m concerned when we cross the
North Carolina line, we’re going to
look like East Berlin if we stay on this
track,” May said.
But Del. Tom Rust, a Herndon Republican who also supports raising the
gas tax, says a hike is not going to happen anytime soon.
“To me, it’s black and white, but it’s
not black and white to a lot of my colleagues,” Rust said. “I think we’re in a
holding pattern for a year.”
The Lynchburg Times
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Emily Williams
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December 9 - 15, 2010 • The Lynchburg Times • Page GLTC: Taking the bus could solve congestion, save you money
GLTC’s current home on Kemper Street
By Emily Williams
The Lynchburg Times
Armed with new buses, stimulus money
and ambition, the Greater Lynchburg Transit Company has big plans for the next three
years. Among their aspirations is convincing
Lynchburg commuters to leave their cars at
home and take the bus.
“I think there’ll be new demands on fossil
fuels going forward and I think transit has a
big role to play there in our community and
in the nation at large,” said Michael Carroll,
GLTC General Manager.
In the December edition of GLTC’s channel 15 program “Get on Board With Blue,”
Carroll provided the public with an in-depth
look at the past year at GLTC. He also laid
out their goals for the following years.
In 2010, GLTC bused 3 million passengers,
a number that has grown by over 2 million
since GLTC teamed up with Liberty University to offer on campus transit.
“I think it’s really paid dividends for both
parties,” said Carroll.
A recent drop in ridership, specifically
in fares on the LU campus, show that this
surge in numbers may not stay.
“I think that kids are probably finding the
novelty somewhat has worn off,” said Carroll.
Carroll hoped that the use of buses to ease
traffic on the LU campus could be mirrored
in the rest of the community. He pointed out
that in a time of penny pinching due to the
economy, people could save on gas money
by commuting with the bus. He added that
transit might be the best solution to the
city’s traffic issues.
“We can’t pave our way out of our congestion problems,” said Carroll.
Liberty University spends over $1.5 million annually so its students can ride the
city’s bus system for free.
Even with the added Liberty passengers,
a large number of GLTC’s fares currently
come from “transit dependent” individuals, those without access to a vehicle, in the
community.
“That’s still a core part of our ridership…
and very important to us at GLTC,” said
Carroll.
2010 also saw a 20% increase in the use
of Paratransit. Mandated by the Americans
with Disabilities Act, the Paratransit service
is available to riders with disabilities which
prevent them from use of the regular GLTC
bus service.
In the last year GLTC, with the help of the
state of Virginia, has completed a transit development plan and comprehensive operational analysis. Some changes have already
been implicated due to the results.
One money saving change for the company came about after the purchase of a new
computerized operator program. This program optimized the drivers’ schedules, and
was able to save 40-50 hours a week. This
extra time was used to restore route 1B on
Saturdays.
Another addition to the GLTC to look for
is global positioning systems on the buses.
These will provide real time information
on the buses locations, allowing GLTC to
develop text alerts and an automated message center to answer that age old question,
“where’s my bus?” GLTC hopes to install the
locators in the Spring, and have the system
fully operation by Fall 2011. The new system
will be paid for with stimulus funds.
“There’s a lot of really interesting new
technologies out there,” said Carroll.
GLTC also has hopes for some larger
changes, including the construction of two
new buildings. The company does not own
the current transfer center, located next to
the Plaza Mall, and the owners have asked
that GLTC find a new space.
With the goal of keeping the transfer station in the Midtown area within a mile of
the old location, GLTC has found a site near
the Kemper Street Station served by Greyhound and Amtrak.
As GLTC receives 80 percent of its funding
from the federal government, it is required
to follow the NEPA process, ensuring the
new building would not have a negative impact on the environment or the surrounding community. They hope to submit their
findings for approval by January 2011. If approved, construction could start as early as
Fall 2011.
“The big question’s going to be coming up
with the operating funds,” said Carroll.
Federal partnership is very important to
the operation of GLTC. The company has
a $7 million operating budget, to which the
city contributes a little over $1 million, explained Carroll. He remained optimistic,
however, that funds would be made available for the projects.
“I think there’s really grown awareness, on
the state and federal level, about the importance that transportation has for our growing economic wellbeing,” said Carroll.
The second project in the works is a new
maintenance, operations and administration facility. GLTC’s current home on 1301
Kemper street dates back to the days of
street cars and cannot comfortably house
the growing fleet of over 50 buses. The long
term goal for this project is to begin construction by 2012 or 2013. This once again
will depend on the procurement of funds.
“Buses don’t run on air and drivers don’t
run on smiles,” said Carroll.
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Who Can Dethrone Jimmie Johnson?
It’s becoming the Annual Question That Doesn’t
Have an Answer: Who can beat Jimmie Johnson?
The same driver has won five consecutive
Sprint Cup championships. No one else in history
has ever won more than three straight (Cale Yarborough, 1976-78). Johnson’s five championships
have been accompanied by five different runnersup: Matt Kenseth (2006), Jeff Gordon (2007), Carl
Edwards (2008), Mark Martin (2009) and Denny
Hamlin (2010).
Only two drivers, Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, ever won more championships -- seven, in
both instances -- in their careers than Johnson
has won in consecutive years. Only one other
driver, Gordon, has ever won more than three.
Gordon, Johnson’s teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, won his fourth championship in 2001.
Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick came close
to putting an end to Johnson’s streak this year.
Hamlin won eight races, two more than Johnson,
and trailed him by just 39 points at season’s end.
Harvick was the series’ most consistent driver with
26 top-10 finishes, three more than Johnson.
Who steps up next to challenge Johnson, who
seems the perennial champion?
Certainly Hamlin and Johnson, but Edwards,
whose No. 99 Ford won the season’s final two
races, also will enter the 2011 campaign with high
aspirations, as will former champions Gordon
(1995, ‘97-98, 2001), Tony Stewart (2002, ‘05),
Kurt Busch (2004), Matt Kenseth (2003) and even
Bobby Labonte (2000), who is moving into a new
ride.
What of Kyle Busch, who won a total of 24
races in NASCAR’s three major series, but only
three in Cup? Or Dale Earnhardt Jr., still struggling after three years at Hendrick Motorsports?
Or Mark Martin, who will be driving that team’s
No. 5 for the final year?
One compelling long shot might be the 2009
Raybestos Rookie of the Year, Joey Logano, who
hasn’t yet made a Chase but who collected five
top-10 finishes in the season’s final six races.
The season just completed marked the closest margin of Johnson’s five titles. Johnson’s fifth
Carl Edwards, left, and Denny Hamlin
are two drivers who could possibly
derail the history-making Jimmy Johnson train in 2011. (John Clark/NASCAR
This Week photo)
marked Hendrick Motorsports’ 10th championship, equaling the total of Petty Enterprises, which
won seven titles with Richard Petty and three with
his father, Lee. Both are now enshrined in the
NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Monte Dutton has covered motorsports for The
Gaston (N.C.) Gazette since 1993. He was named
writer of the year by the National Motorsports Press
Association in 2008. His blog NASCAR This Week
(http://nascar.rbma.com) features all of his reporting
on racing, roots music and life on the road. E-mail
Monte at [email protected]
© Copyright 2010 King Features Syndicate, Inc.
1. Name the last N.L. pitcher before St. Louis’
Adam Wainwright in 2009 to not win the Cy Young
Award despite getting more first-place votes than
the winner?
2. Who was the last rookie pitcher to be a 20game winner in the major leagues?
3. Who was the first Division I-A college football
player to pass for 300 or more yards and run for
200 or more yards in the same game?
4. Name the player who holds the record for most
NBA regular-season games played.
5. How old was Jimmy Carson when he tallied 55
goals for the Los Angeles Kings in 1987-88?
6. When was the last time Mexico’s men’s soccer
team reached the World Cup quarterfinals?
7. Who holds the single-season record for the
most wins in World Cup skiing?
Answers
1. San Diego’s Trevor Hoffman, who finished second to Atlanta’s Tom Glavine in 1998.
2. Tom Browning won 20 for Cincinnati in 1985.
3. Marques Tuiasosopo, for the University of
Washington in 1999.
4. Robert Parish played in 1,611 NBA games.
5. He was 19.
6. It was 1986.
7. Vreni Schneider won 14 times in the 1988-89
season.
The 2003 New York Yankees limped into their June
inter-league series against the Cincinnati Reds riding
the shirttails of a 3-12 skid. The team’s owner, a man
cursed with a diminutive personality named George,
wasted little time in letting the town know the circus
was in town. For on that morning, he decided that his
team needed a “spark.”
Ringmaster Steinbrenner announced that the Yankees would have a new ringleader in the clubhouse,
a man who was a true leader of men. That man was
Derek Jeter, who by this time had led the Yankees to
several World Series victories.
Longtime fans and Yankee observers knew that
such a coronation would likely happen. Tongues had
been wagging ever since Jeter was allowed a single
digit number as a rookie (and yes, the Yankees really
do keep track of things like that). Steinbrenner talked
about his selection -- the 10th captain in the storied
franchise’s history -- in lofty terms meant to span the
ages.
“He represents all that is good about a leader,” Steinbrenner said. “I’m a great believer in history, and I look
at all the other leaders down through Yankee history,
and Jeter is right there with them.”
Steinbrenner wasn’t on hand for the Jeter announcement, but it wasn’t the first time Jeter had to respond to
something the owner had said through the press. A few
years into the most lucrative contract in Yankee history up to that time, Jeter had been subjected to a few
tabloid-ready barbs from Steinbrenner during spring
training that questioned his focus. Jeter had effectively
defused that situation with a calm and measured response. Likewise, his acceptance speech before the
game -- a loss to the Reds -- was hardly one for posterity.
“The impression I got is just continue to do the things
I’ve been doing,” he said before the game. Nonetheless, Jeter responded with a .324 average that season,
and the Yankees turned it around, winning 101 games
before losing in the World Series.
Now he comes off his worst season ever, just one
year removed from one of his best ever in pinstripes.
It was the final year of his contract. Negotiations have
been tough -- the Yankees low-balled Jeter back to his
2003 salary level. During negotiations, his agent reminded team brass of his “historical” significance, but it
wouldn’t be the first time the Yankees dumped an older
legendary player -- even Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson were booted unceremoniously from the Bronx.
As of this writing, Jeter appears ready to sign a deal,
but in the words of an unnamed Yankee executive,
“What’s he going to do? Play in Cincinnati?”
It wouldn’t be the first time the Bronx circus rolled
into that town.
Mark Vasto is a veteran sportswriter and publisher of
The Kansas City Luminary.
December 9 - 15, 2010 • The Lynchburg Times • Page Liberty University announces historic bond sale
Liberty University has announced the sale of
$120 million worth of tax-exempt education
facilities bonds, which will allow the Lynchburg-based college to usher in a new era of
growth and development.
Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. and a contingent
of Liberty officials traveled to New York for
the sale and pricing of the bonds at its initial
public bond offering.
Liberty benefits from a recently acquired AA
bond rating from Standard & Poor’s, placing it
among the nation’s top 44 S&P-rated colleges
and universities for financial strength.
“It is very rare for any company to receive
a AA rating as its initial credit rating,” Falwell said. Recent examples are Microsoft and
Google.
Liberty is the second private college in Vir-
ginia that currently holds this rating. Washington & Lee in Lexington is the other.
“Like other AA-rated universities, Liberty
has chosen to take advantage of low interest
rates and tax-exempt financing rather than
spend its reserves on capital projects,” Falwell
said.
For the past several years, Liberty has been
paying for its major capital projects out of its
cash reserves.
Institutional investors in Tuesday’s sale included most of the major players in the national bond market, Falwell said. Bonds were
also sold on the retail market Monday. He said
there were more orders for bonds than were
available.
Liberty’s strong financial footing in recent
years has contributed to the high bond rating.
Net assets for the university have increased
from $100 million in 2007 to $530 million today. Projections show the university’s net assets will exceed $1 billion by 2014.
“In just three years, we have achieved financially what we had hoped to achieve over a
much longer time span,” Falwell said.
Shortly before the Rev. Jerry Falwell, the
university’s founder, died in 2007 he had announced the university was seeking to obtain
a $1 billion endowment in the next 10 years.
The rating was bolstered by Liberty’s high
graduation rates and the success of alumni
finding jobs and their ability to pay back
loans.
As Liberty prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary next year, Falwell said the sale of the
bonds “will be used to pay for certain capital
projects that have been completed in recent
years and will finance the construction of a
multitude of new facilities on campus that will
greatly enhance the educational experience
for students.”
Expansion plans call for a new lawn behind
Arthur S. DeMoss Learning Center and a new
freestanding library to replace existing older
buildings, as well as a host of other construction projects to beautify the campus and add
parking facilities.
“These projects will revolutionize the look
and the feel of campus,” Falwell said.
“It is humbling for me to witness God’s
blessings of such magnitude on Liberty University. This is a wonderful Christmas gift to
Liberty and its students.”
From a release
Conservatives may use interstate compacts to fight health care law
By Stephen Groves
Conservatives state legislators are dusting off the Constitutional law books to
brew a potion to stop federal or health
care reform and federal power, and the
recipe may call for a dollop of interstate
compacts.
The idea of state legislators binding together to repeal or disable health care reform through compacts was presented to
a gathering of conservative state legislators and think tanks at the American Legislative Exchange Council policy summit,
a federalist organization, on Friday at the
Grand Hyatt hotel in Washington, D.C.
Several conservative policy experts concocted a way the believe will pave the way
for states to repeal federal laws through
interstate compacts. Compacts are agreements between two or more states and
must be passed by Congress. Some see
them as a path to a new era of federalism.
But the compacts have never been used
in that way.
“Each of you in this room has the ability to pass federal law that can trump any
other federal law,” Ted Cruz of the Texas
Public Policy Foundation told about 100
legislators and activists gathered at the
Grand Hyatt.
Under their scheme, state legislators
would have to pass agreements to re-
peal health care reform. The compact
would then go to Congress, and have to
be signed by the president, although that
provision is not specifically drawn out in
the Constitution.
Health care reform has inspired conservatives to plot creative ways to repeal the
law. A host of lawsuits against the federal
government for requiring individuals to
buy health insurance are making their
way through the courts. Several lawmakers have proposed a “Repeal Amendment”
to the Constitution to allow two-thirds of
state legislatures to repeal laws passed by
Congress.
The Affordable Care Act has drawn the
ire of some state legislatures, but simply
passing a bill against it is only a symbolic
resistance, Cruz said.
“You see some state legislatures that are
passing bills saying, ‘we will not abide by
Obama-care.’ And I think those bills are
a great thing. … They’re a great thing because they’re a political statement,” Cruz
said. “But they’re not a great thing because as a legal matter, they’re not going
to stop Obama-care.”
But an interstate compact could be a
back-door approach to repeal the Affordable Care Act, he said.
“It’s kind of like a double-reverse with a
long pass into the back of the end zone,”
said Robert Moffit of the Heritage Foundation. “They could have never seen it
coming.”
But like the trick play that conservatives
suggest that it is, it’s a long-shot.
First an interstate compact would need
to pass both houses of each state entering
into the agreement, be signed by the governor, then be approved by both houses
of Congress, according to Nick Farber, a
policy specialist with the National Conference of State Legislators.
. Interstate compacts have never been
used to stop a federal law, Farber said.
“Usually [interstate compacts] are used
for proactive efforts to advance a policy,
not to block it,” said Pietro Nivola of the
Brookings Institute. “… All these types of
maneuvers are going to be challenged in
the courts one way or the other.”
Because this type of action has not been
tested, it is impossible to say how it would
be fleshed out in court. Nivola said states
have not tried to repeal federal law in this
manner since the 1790s when Virginia
and Kentucky passed resolutions resisting the Alien and Sedition Acts.
The conservative policy experts at the
meeting suggested states could use a
majority of states entering a compact to
pressure Congress.
But conservatives don’t want to stop at
health care reform in bringing a new age
of federalism.
“This is a mechanism that is a potent
mechanism once it starts getting used a
little bit,” Cruz said.
He said they are pushing for state legislators to introduce the idea right now.
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Piedmont Medicare Advantage to
hold introduction meetings
Voted BEST MORNING SHOW in the state by
the Virginia Association of Broadcasters
6am - 10am
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Join Brian and Mari Weekdays from 6am - 10am on The Morningline.
Keep up with what’s going on around the Greater Lynchburg area. If it’s
happening locally, we’re talking about it on the Morningline. Join the
conversation by calling the studio line at 846-8255 or 866-338-1059.
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Piedmont Medicare Advantage, your local
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HERITAGE, from treme weather conditions, causing cracks
in other parts of the building. The water
from these leaks runs down the hallways
or into the classroom and, in some cases,
through the light sockets in the classroom.
There is very little insulation in the outer wall, necessitating students and teachers to wear outer coats and thick boots in
some of the classrooms during the winter
months. In other parts of the building,
the heat can be so high that teachers end
up wearing summer clothes throughout
the year.
In spite of these physical hardships, academically, Heritage ranks in the top 5%
nationwide.
Councilman H. Turner Perrow, who
represents Ward 4 of which Heritage is a
part and is also a member of the steering
committee reviewing the Heritage situation, said, “I am here to make sure that
the city has its fiscal house in order. Back
in 2007, the school board presented the
council with a feasibility study, which, in
round numbers showed renovations and
Heritage marching band student Bree Marshall reads a prepared
speech. “Heritage is our home. Heritage is our legacy,” said Marshall.
The crowd remained enthusiastic an hour into the forum.
December 9 - 15, 2010 • The Lynchburg Times • Page additions to come to about $61.6 million,
renovations and major additions to about
$69 million, and a new school to approximately $81.2 million.
Delegate T. Scott Garrett, was a city
council member at the time Sandusky
Middle School had just been authorized.
Sandusky had presented an $8-9 million
figure to renovate. But the school was in
such poor condition that estimates rapidly
moved to $18-20 million. Garrett shared
that the city has a policy that if costs of
capital improvements reach 75% of what
it would cost to build a new building, they
will just plan to build the new building.
Because Sandusky was such a poor building to begin with, looking at the cost to
renovate and the cost to replace, it made
sense to replace.
“Plans for Sandusky was to build it to be
energy efficient and we felt that the costs
savings in just that area alone made this a
much more feasible project. It has been
built to last 40 to 50 years so we voted to
build.” Garrett said. “With Heritage, the
school was built in a ravine, causing the
See HERITAGE, 11
peppermint candies
Simple Holiday Bark
Keep around the house for a holiday treat -- or
wrap it up as a gift!
12 ounces (semisweet) chocolate, chopped
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (coarsely crushed) candy canes or
1. What was Buddy Holly’s first No. 1 single
record? When was it released?
2. What was the song in question in a lawsuit between Gary U.S. Bonds and Chubby
Checker?
3. Which song is The Knack best known for?
4. Who is William Michael Albert Broad?
What was his first record?
5. Which of these Creedence Clearwater Revival songs hit No. 1 on the U.S. charts: “Bad
Moon Rising,” “Proud Mary” or “Green River”
6. Who released an album in 1990 with the
title “Smooth Noodle Maps”?
Answers
1. “That’ll Be the Day,” in 1957. The song appeared on an album of the same name.
2. “Quarter to Three” was No. 1 hit for Bonds
in 1961. He claimed that Checker used it as
a basis for “Dancin’ Party” and sued because
of the similarities. The suit was settled out of
court.
3. “My Sharona” was a No. 1 hit in 1979. It
stayed on the charts for six weeks.
4. None other than Billy Idol. His first record
was “Dancing With Myself” b/w “Mony Mony.”
Neither song broke the Top 100 chart barrier.
5. Oddly enough, none of them rose higher
than the No. 2 spot, yet all were certified either Platinum or Gold.
6. Devo.
1. Line cookie sheet with foil.
2. Microwave semisweet chocolate in bowl on
medium power 1 minute; stir. Keep microwaving at 15-second intervals, stirring, until melted
and smooth; set aside. Repeat process with
white chocolate.
3. Spread semisweet chocolate on prepared
cookie sheet about 1/3-inch thick. Drop tablespoons white chocolate on top. Swirl chocolates together with tip of knife to marble. Sprinkle with crushed candy.
Assange the Anti-American
If electing a black president with the middle
name Hussein was supposed to assuage antiAmericanism around the world, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange didn’t get the message.
The first batch of WikiLeaks documents undermined the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, violent
conflicts started by the hated, warmongering
Bush administration. The latest batch undermines
American diplomacy, the soft art of international
bargaining and persuasion as practiced by the
highly anticipated, engagement-loving Obama
administration.
Assange is an equal-opportunity America hater. It doesn’t matter if our president is black or
white, left or right, with the middle name Hussein
or Walker, so long as he’s leader of the country
Assange perversely calls a threat to democracy,
even as he provides aid and comfort to our violent, undemocratic enemies overseas.
The classic justification for a leak is to expose
malfeasance. In all his tens of thousands of released documents, Assange has exposed none,
despite his typically delusional boast that the
first dump revealed “thousands” of possible war
crimes. Assange’s goal is wanton destruction,
pure and simple.
Assange is too blinded by zeal to realize that
the content of his documents runs counter to his
twisted worldview. As Tom Joscelyn of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies notes, his
leaked Afghan war materials referred to numerous instances of decapitations perpetrated by the
4. Refrigerate 1 hour, or until firm. Peel off foil;
break bark into pieces. It will keep for about a
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Serves 11.
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Taliban. The documents told the story of a civilized army struggling to prevail against barbarism
while honoring its own norms.
Our leaked diplomatic cables again do more
to vindicate a hawk’s view of the world than Assange’s juvenile leftism. The Gulf Arab states are
as eager as Israel, perhaps more so, for the United States to strike Iran’s nuclear program. North
Korea is transferring missile technology to Iran, in
a concrete expression of the Axis of Evil. Syria is
arming Hezbollah. And on it goes.
One hopes that the Obama administration has
learned a little something about the difference
between governing and spouting comforting bromides. In keeping with his pledge to talk to our
enemies, Barack Obama fruitlessly reached out
to Tehran -- and alarmed our allies. The most pathetic episode in the documents is the administration begging countries like Slovenia and Kiribati
to take prisoners from Gitmo, in its desperation
to fulfill its foolish promise to shutter the facility
rapidly.
Confronting a dangerous world is difficult
enough without the brazen exposure of the nation’s secrets. The Obama administration must
hold accountable whoever established the woeful
security procedures that allowed Bradley Manning, an Army private in Iraq and the alleged
source of the documents, to capture massive
amounts of sensitive data with the ease of an
iTunes download. Manning should face the sternest possible charges, with the severest possible
punishment.
Assange himself exists as the cyber equivalent
of a pirate, an Australian floating between European countries and operating with impunity. Surely,
the same Justice Department that sued Arizona
for daring to enforce the nation’s immigration laws
can find a creative way to harry and shut down
Assange. Barack Obama came into office hawking the
illusion that America’s adversaries hated his predecessor, not this country. Julian Assange begs to
differ.
Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review.
• It was French playwright Albert Guinon
who made the following sage observation:
“There are people who, instead of listening
to what is being said to them, are already
listening to what they are going to say themselves.”
• Most people at all familiar with the name
Max Schmeling know him as the Great Nazi
Hope, the boxer produced by Adolf Hitler in
the 1930s to defeat Joe Louis, supposedly
proving Aryan superiority. (He did defeat
Louis in a match in 1936, though he lost a
rematch in 1938.) What most people don’t
realize, though, is that Schmeling did not
subscribe to Hitler’s beliefs -- he wasn’t
even a member of the Nazi party. In fact,
during World War II, Schmeling risked his
life to save two Jewish children.
• For reasons that are unclear now, the Supreme Court in 1893 declared that a plant
eaten during a main course was a vegetable
and one eaten afterward was a fruit.
• What do King Henry VIII, science-fiction
author H.G. Wells, English naturalist Charles
Darwin, American author Edgar Allan Poe
and composer Sergey Rachmaninoff have
in common? They all married their cousins.
• The 1958 film “Gigi,” starring Leslie Caron
and Maurice Chevalier, has the distinction of
having the shortest title of any film to win the
Academy Award for Best Picture.
• The home of sitting U.S. presidents, the
White House, didn’t become widely known
as the White House until 1902, during Theodore Roosevelt’s term in office. The building
was originally called the President’s Palace,
but the word “palace” was deemed to be too
royal-sounding, so the name was changed
to the Executive Mansion.
Thought for the Day: “We judge ourselves by
what we feel capable of doing, while others
judge us by what we have already done.” -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
December 9 - 15, 2010 • The Lynchburg Times • Page Organization pressures school boards
to move traditional graduation venue
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12 baked pretzel rods
1. Place chocolate in 4-cup measuring cup or
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Liberty Counsel has sent a letter offering pro bono
representation and advice to Cherokee County
School District officials who are facing the threat of
a lawsuit from Americans United for Separation of
Church and State (“AU”) for holding their high school
graduation ceremonies in a local church.
Cherokee County public schools have held graduation ceremonies at the local First Baptist Church
for years. The 5,000-seat church has served as an
aesthetic and efficient location for graduation ceremonies. The church charges $2,000 for such events,
while other secular venues with similar seating cost
up to $40,000. In addition to Cherokee County, several metro Atlanta school boards use similar venues,
with DeKalb County using New Birth Missionary
Baptist Church, and Cobb County making plans to
hold their upcoming graduation ceremonies at the
Turner Chapel AME Church. This is not novel, as
Cobb County reports having held graduation ceremonies in both secular and religious venues for the
past thirty years.
AU claims that holding graduation ceremonies in
a church violates the First Amendment. However,
the First Amendment does not require that schools
eliminate churches as venues for graduation ceremonies. Liberty Counsel says it stands ready to
support and assist Cherokee County School District,
as well as the other neighboring districts, regarding
the practice of permitting local religious venues to
be used for graduation ceremonies. Such practices
both have precedent and are clearly constitutional.
Mathew D. Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School
of Law, commented: “Public schools may hold graduation ceremonies in churches. The First Amendment does not eliminate churches as possible
venues for graduation. This kind of scare tactic and
misrepresentation is typical of Americans United for
Separation of Church and State. If a public school
determines that a church provides a better location
at a lower cost, then the First Amendment certainly
allows school officials to make that choice.”
Employment
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advertising sales representative for the Lynchburg area.
The ideal candidate will be organized and self-motivated. Great people skills and a professional demeanor are key. This individual should enjoy the freedom of setting his or her own
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1. MEASUREMENTS: What is the measurement of time called?
2. SCIENCE: What kind of metal is bauxite
used to create?
3. GAMES: Which is the strongest hand in a
poker game?
4. HISTORY: Who killed Alexander Hamilton
in a duel?
5. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Who was the first
president born in a hospital?
6. GEOGRAPHY: Where would one find the
popular tourist spot called “Vieux Carre”?
7. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What kind of a creature is a gibbon?
8. ASTRONOMY: Rhea is a moon of which
planet?
9. TELEVISION: Which comedians were
famous for the “Who’s on First?” vaudeville
routine?
10. MOVIES: In “The Silence of the Lambs,”
what was Hannibal the Cannibal’s last
name?
Answers
1. Chronometry
2. Aluminum
3. Royal flush
4. Aaron Burr
5. Jimmy Carter
6. New Orleans (The French Quarter)
7. Ape
8. Saturn
9. Abbott and Costello
10. Lecter
Page 10 • The Lynchburg Times • December 9 - 15, 2010
Showcase Greeting Cards
in a Holiday Scrapbook
Now that the first white advent candle is lit on our
fresh pine wreath, strings of shimmering mini lights
frame our kitchen window, and a flurry of Christmas
cards outnumbers the junk mail in our mailbox, I
can genuinely sing, “It’s beginning to look a lot like
Christmas ...”
Those holiday cards in multicolored envelopes arrive from a hodgepodge of senders, from new busi-
serve. Then I tried something new that has proven
to be a household hit. I started a simple holiday card
scrapbook tradition.
I bought an inexpensive standard-style scrapbook
with big, plain pages at a discount store, tied a 20inch length of ribbon to the top of the spiral binding, and attached a roll of double-sided tape to the
opposite end of the ribbon so it would always be
handy, dangling along the side. As cards arrived, I
simply slapped a strip of tape on the backside of
the card and immediately stuck it onto a page in the
scrapbook. Tiny cards, big cards, photo cards and
postcards -- every kind of card landed in the book in
minutes.
I glued our family Christmas photo card on the
cover, and attached a large envelope for storing
“annual holiday letters” on the inside of the back
cover. I set aside the first two pages for invitations
to Christmas parties, open houses in the neighborhood and ticket stubs from concerts and plays.
During the holidays, I leave our in-process “coffee
table book” out for all ages to thumb through at their
leisure. They don’t miss a page. Plus, it’s a great
conversation starter as we talk about memories of
old friends or share details of their new adventures.
Stringing Lights
Q: Every year, we string outdoor lights not just
around the edge of the roof but around the backyard, trees, etc. This year I noticed that about half
the lights I strung did not light up when I turned
them on. The lights seem to stop working in the
middle of the string. What’s going on? -- Buster in
Altamonte Springs, Fla.
A: Grab some replacement bulbs (the same type and
size, rated for outdoor lights) and start following the
strings to the first bulb that isn’t lit. Take a close look at
the bulb -- if you can see a tiny dark spot in the middle
or the glass is generally darker than that of nearby
bulbs, you’ve probably located your burnt bulb. Another
more telling clue is that the entire string beyond the
bulb is also not lighting up.
The reason the string behind the burned-out bulb
doesn’t light is because in most Christmas light strings,
the bulb assemblies act as individual fuses. When a
bulb burns out -- the filament inside the glass breaks,
preventing electricity from traveling along it -- the bulb
acts as a circuit breaker of sorts and stops electricity
from conducting all the way along the wire.
In newer strands, you’ll see the lights go out behind
the burned-out bulb but work up to that point. Older
light strands would completely break the circuit, meaning no lights would work -- and leading to much more
tedious time spent searching for that elusive burnt
bulb.
To replace, simply pop out the old bulb (you may
need to unhook a small plastic latch at the base of
the bulb receptacle to pop out the bulb assembly), be-
Use only light strands rated
for outdoor use on outside
lighting.
ing careful not to break the glass, and snap in a new
bulb of the same type. Test the strand by plugging it in.
Work your way along the strand and replace any other
burned-out bulbs.
Send your questions or home tips to [email protected], or write This Is a Hammer, c/o King
Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando,
FL 32853-6475. When in doubt as to whether you can
safely or effectively complete a project, consult a professional contractor.
ness associates to old friends and relatives living in
far-flung places. Receiving personalized pieces of
mail feels like an old-fashioned gesture in this digital
age, and that is why I appreciate them more and
more. While sending holiday greetings via e-mail
is “green,” and certainly a thrifty approach, there is
something about a handmade card or handwritten
greeting that pleases, as if it were a special holiday
gem chosen especially for me.
Over the years, the kids and I either taped our
Christmas cards to doorways or tossed them in a
big bowl on the dining-room table as they arrived.
But frankly, they didn’t get the attention “gems” de-
Now lined up in a neat row in our bookcase with
a bit of space left for a new 2010 edition, six bulging scrapbooks have become family holiday reference books that we find ourselves reading over and
over.
Donna Erickson’s award-winning series “Donna’s
Day” is airing on public television nationwide. To
find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday.com and link to the NEW
Donna’s Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is
“Donna Erickson’s Fabulous Funstuff for Families.”
HERITAGE, from foundation to continually shift.” Also
the $80 million price tag was forbidding.
“Ultimately, however, it was the school
board’s decision.”
“The debt service to build a new Heritage would be several million a year with
those costs,” stated Perrow. “Where
would we get the money? From taxes?
We would have to raise taxes 15 cents to
the $1, which citizens would not want.”
Heritage High is not inside the designated census tract to take advantage of
CDBG funding and, according to Garrett
when asked whether state lottery money
could be used, “Lotto pulled in $450 million this past year,” Garrett shared. “But
that money is already accounted for in
operating expenses. Also, it is spread
across the Commonwealth.”
What was clear, at the first in a series
of meetings planned to discuss Heritage’s
future, was that all those who had any
relationship with the school felt strong
ties to it. There was also strong sentiment
that it was time to do something about
the structure.
Some speakers offered constructive
suggestions as to what the next building
should provide. Some speakers became
teary-eyed. The common thread for all
the speakers was their passion and love
for the school they refer to as Big Orange
Country.
Leland Melvin, an alumnus of Heritage
and an astronaut, veteran of two space
flights who has logged over 565 hours in
space, came down from D.C. to attend
the meeting. He stated, “I felt this was
important enough to make the trip down
from Washington. We need to do the
right thing by the students.”
One area of major opposition from the
crowd was any suggestion for consolidation with E.C. Glass High School. In spite
of the fact that the members of the steering committee had clearly stated at the
beginning of the evening that there was
no decision regarding consolidation and
that a task force had not yet been created,
speaker after speaker brought these two
items up.
So how did this minefield reference to
consolidation come about? The idea has
been bandied about for at least six years.
Most recently, according to Perrow,
Councilman Michael Gillette stated, as
chair of the steering committee, that all
considerations needed to be put on the
table, including consolidation.
“Personally, I am very concerned about
any question of consolidating schools,”
stated Perrow. “It is very important that
we have two very different and distinct
high schools for many reasons.”
According to Julie P. Doyle, chair of the
school board from 2000-2009, the school
board had hired a firm to do a feasibility
study. The firm came back with three scenarios. It was clear to the school board at
that point that the projected costs would
require people to think outside the box.
“That is when we first brought up consolidation. E.C. Glass had just been renovated and there was no scenario in place that
could take on that kind of debt (the cost
to rebuild Heritage). There was no appetite to raise taxes and then the economy
fell off the cliff.”
“We had a lot of angst in pushing the
Attendees unable to fit in the auditorium watch on a projection
screen outside.
December 9 - 15, 2010 • The Lynchburg Times • Page 11
needs of Heritage off,” continued Doyle.
“We felt we needed to keep it on the radar. We found ourselves in the position
that we couldn’t afford to do what was
needed but we couldn’t afford not to do
what was needed. We were spending so
much on renovations when the real question was whether we shouldn’t replace
the whole school.”
This discourse has been going on for at
least a decade. The city owns the school.
Ultimately, it will have to pay the bill. The
school board will have to determine how
to best meet the needs of what, at present, looks like an insurmountable quagmire.
The city is inviting citizen participation
in this discussion with meetings December 8, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Dunbar Middle
School, December 9, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at
Linkhorne Middle School, and December 15, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at Sandusky
Middle School.
[email protected]
Superintendent Dr. Paul McKendrick details some problems in Heritage’s construction.
Sharon Wright, an English teacher at Heritage, reminds board members, “the responsibility for informing the public lies with you.”
7"2'NEWPDF0-
Local theatre
group donates
performance to
Jubilee Center
JLP Productions will donate proceeds from
the December 11, 2:00 p.m. performance of
Take Me Back: A Christmas Story to the Jubilee
Family Development Center . The play runs
December 10 through 12 at the Academy of
Fine Arts . Tickets are available at the AFA box
office (434) 846-TIXX (8499).
The play follows a young man who, desperate to provide for his family on Christmas Eve,
snatches a woman’s purse and is then brought
into her life. It is written and directed by Jennifer
Lipford Petticolas and produced by her company, JLP Productions.
Between July 2009 and June 2010, 7,000
young people and families were served by the
Jubilee Center which relies on individual, corporate and grant support to underwrite its programs and the cost of operations. Year-round
programming centers on educational enrichment and academic assistance, athletics and
occupational training.
For additional information, call the Jubilee
Center , 845-0433.
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[email protected]
540-683-9197
Future Focus
Foundation gets grant
The Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation has
awarded a $5,000 grant to the Future Focus
Foundation, the educational non-profit organization associated with the Region 2000 Technology
Council. The grant will support the 2011 season
of the Lynchburg Regional Junior FIRST LEGO
League. Junior FIRST LEGO is a program for 69 year olds that focuses on developing children’s
interest in science and engineering through solving a real-world challenge and designing and
building an original model complete with moving
parts.
The Future Focus Foundation, whose mission
is to prepare and encourage Region 2000 students to seek careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields, will provide
sponsorships to area Junior FIRST LEGO teams
and will hold an end-of-season event. The Junior FIRST LEGO Expo will be held at Timberlake Christian Schools on April 30, 2011. Parties
interested in forming Junior FIRST LEGO teams
can contact Janet Walton, STEM Education &
Outreach Program Coordinator, at [email protected] or at 434-847-1447, ext. 318.
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Selleck, whose publicity I did for most of his career.”
In the 1970s, a corporate raider acquired MGM, which
was the beginning of the end for the great studio. He sold
38 acres of the studio back lot to housing developers, sold
Dorothy’s ruby slippers for $15,000 and even sold Bert
Lahr’s lion suit from “Oz” for $2,400. He used the money to
As Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios -- $5 billion in debt -- build the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. MGM became
fights off bankruptcy and the same billionaire trying to take a studio without a home lot and stopped making films to
over Lionsgate, as well as the sale of its vast film library, run its hotel, which today has been stripped of all MGM
memorabilia.
we long for movies made by the most legendary studio that
In 1981, MGM acquired United Artists and became
ever existed.
MGM/UA. In 1986, the vast film library of MGM was sold to
MGM was founded in 1915 as Triangle Pictures and went
Ted Turner for his cable TV channels. Also in ‘86, Leo the
on to make some of the greatest movies of
Lion, who hung over the studio entrance for
all time. Surely you can find one of your
decades, disappeared from sight forever.
favorites in a list of classics that includes
Turner later merged with Warner Bros.,
“The Wizard of Oz,” “Gone With the Wind,”
which now controls the greatest films made
“Ben Hur,” “Showboat,” “An American in
by MGM. Today, the MGM lot is owned
Paris,” “Gigi,” “The Dirty Dozen” and “2001:
by Sony Pictures, which bought the MGM
A Space Odyssey.”
name for $5 billion. In 2006, Tom Cruise
There was a time when MGM boasted
and his partner, Paula Wagner, bought
having “more stars than in the heavens!”
United Artists to make movies under that
Famed MGM publicist Esme Chandlee rename. The deal didn’t include the James
calls, “When I worked at MGM we had 51
Clark Gable and
Bond, Pink Panther or Rocky movies,
Vivien Leigh star in
major stars under contract. Stars like Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, Elizabeth the MGM epic “Gone which MGM kept. Even though the last
with the Wind”
Bond film, “Casino Royale,” was a sucTaylor, Cary Grant, Joan Crawford, Clark
cess, the next 007 film has been put on
Gable, Fred Astaire, James Stewart and
hold due to a lack of money to produce it.
Lucille Ball, to name a few.”
Most movie people in Hollywood are sick over the way
When Clark Gable’s contract ended at MGM, he wanted
this once great studio, the backbone of Hollywood, has
no press or fanfare as he rode off the lot, just Ms. Chanbeen dissected, picked apart and sold off piece by piece.
dlee in the car with him. Esme recalls, “I was on a location
It is truly sad we will never again see the likes of the great
shooting with Gable, and he asked if I needed a ride home,
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios.
and I said that would be wonderful. Then we boarded his
Send letters to Tony Rizzo’s Hollywood, 8306 Wilshire
private plane and flew home. You’d be hard put to find any
star today who can measure up to him, except maybe Tom Blvd., No. 362, Beverly Hills, CA 90211.
ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Although taking advice isn’t always easy for the headstrong Sheep,
you might want to consider what someone you
respect says about an upcoming decision.
TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) A new offer is
tempting, but don’t be bullied into a quick decision. Rely on your keen Bovine business sense
to alert you to anything that might be questionable.
GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Your Gemini Twin
nature rallies to help you deal with this week’s
hectic schedules, both in your personal and professional lives. One caution: Watch your diet.
CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Avoid rushing
to make up for time lost on a stalled workplace
operation. Best to set up a schedule and pace
yourself. Welcome the help of colleagues.
LEO (July 23 to August 22) Despite those glittering holiday distractions you love so well, be sure
to keep your feline senses set on high to alert
you to anything that might require fast action.
VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Making an
effort to restore fraying relationships proves to
be more successful than you dared hope. The
holidays also bring new friends into your life.
LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Private
and professional matters compete for your attention. Be honest in your assessment of which
should get more of it, and for how long.
SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) A
seemingly endless list of must-do tasks is best
handled by tackling them one by one, and taking
energy-restoring timeouts between each job.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21)
A vexing relationship seems destined to deteriorate no matter what each side tries to do. A third
party’s advice just might prove helpful.
CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19)
Reach out to ease any tensions caused by home
or workplace pressures before they threaten the
relationship-building progress you’ve made.
AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) You often go out of your way to show kindness to others. So, don’t be surprised if other people want
to do something nice for you this week.
PISCES (February 19 to March 20) People in
your life respect your Piscean wisdom, so don’t
hesitate to speak up about a matter that you feel
isn’t being handled quite the way it should be.
BORN THIS WEEK: Your personal warmth
helps you make friendships, and your sense of
fair play helps you keep them.
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part
1 (PG-13) Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson
2. Tangled (PG) animated
3. Megamind (PG) Will Ferrell, Tina Fey
4. Burlesque (PG-13) Cher, Christina Aguilera
5. Unstoppable (PG-13) Denzel Washington,
Chris Pine
6. Love and Other Drugs (R) Jake Gyllenhaal,
Anne Hathaway
7. Faster (R) Dwayne Johnson, Billy Bob
Thornton
8. Due Date (R) Robert Downey Jr., Zack Galifianakis
9. The Next Three Days (PG-13) Russell
Crowe, Elizabeth Banks
10. Morning Glory (PG-13) Rachel McAdams,
Harrison Ford
gery. -- Hannah F., via e-mail
A: Actually, the 49-year-old star confessed to Oprah
Winfrey back in 2007 that he had had some excess
skin under his eyes removed. As he said: “It’s important to look awake.” If you check out some before
and after pictures online, you can see that the result is subtle and natural-looking, unlike some other
pulled-tight celebs who shall remain nameless.
Q: I was so sad to hear that one of my favorite
comedic actors, Leslie Nielson, had passed away
recently. Did he film anything before he died, to
be released posthumously? -- Jeff D., via e-mail
A: The great Leslie Nielson, 84, who began his acting career back in 1950, passed away in November
after a short battle with pneumonia. For his final
movie, he voiced a character in the animated comedy “The Waterman Movie,” which is scheduled for
release some time next year.
Q: What has happened to Rich Fields, the announcer for “The Price Is Right”? They keep having “guest” announcers. Will he return sometime
soon? -- Donna C. in New York
George Clooney
Q: Why did the ABC/Disney-produced “Legend
of the Seeker” get canceled? There is a worldwide fan campaign (saveourseeker.com) that is
working hard to get this beloved, high-fantasy
show back for a third season. Have you heard
anything about the show coming back? -- Shirley
T., Derby, Conn.
A: Rich Fields, 50, who came aboard “The Price Is
Right” after the death of longtime announcer Rod
Roddy in 2004, is no longer the announcer of the perennial game show. Before the start of the 2010 season, Rich was informed that the producers wanted
to go a different way with the show, which included
a new announcer with improvisation-comedy background. For now, the show is employing a series of
guest announcers, but hopefully the producers will
settle on one announcer soon, instead of continuing
this game of announcer musical chairs. Currently,
Rich is a part-time meteorologist in Los Angeles.
A: The Internet is exploding with campaigns to save
the show, as well as some well-placed rumors that
the show might not be finished. Back in October,
“Seeker” stars Craig Parker and Bruce Spence hinted at the fan gathering RingCon 2010 that the show
might not be over, yet. Bruce stated, “I know that a
lot of people think it’s dead, but it’s not.”
While he might just be employing positive thinking, rumor has it that many alternative stations have
been approached about picking up the show for its
third season, including SyFy and BBC (both of which
reportedly passed). For some fan-made videos, as
well as other links to help save the show, check out
craighorner.com (a fansite for the “Seeker” star).
Q: Watching older movies with George Clooney,
and comparing how he looked then with now, it
looks like he has had a little tightening done to
his face? Has he? To me, he seems like the last
person on Earth who would undergo plastic sur-
Write to Cindy at King Features Weekly Service,
P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475; or e-mail
her at [email protected]. For more news
and extended interviews, visit www.celebrityextraonline.com and twitter.com/Celebrity_Extra.
Lawmakers set out to reform quick foreclosures
By Stephen Groves
In Virginia, the home foreclosure process can send people packing in less than
two weeks.
At least two legislators, a Democratic
senator and a Republican delegate, plan
to launch efforts next session to reform
the process.
Sen. Chap Petersen, D- Fairfax, and Del.
Bob Marshall, R- Manassas, want to introduce legislation that would be the first
step in reform and shedding more light
on the foreclosure process.
“It would start to bring transparency to
those who cut corners to make a profit,”
Marshall said.
Lend Me a Tenor
to open at Heritage
Heritage High will start a four day run of
the Broadway play “Lend Me a Tenor” this
Thursday night in Pioneer theatre.
The comedy follows a Cleveland opera
house as it attempts to conceal the disappearance of a visiting world famous Italian
Tenor. “Chaos on a truly operatic level ensues,” reads the schools announcement.
Performances are scheduled for December 9, 10 and 11 at 7 p.m. and December
12 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door or online through www.
lynchburgtickets.com.
GLTC says you’ve
got a ticket to ride
The Greater Lynchburg Transit Company
will offer a free “Holiday Trolley” service in
the downtown this year. The trolley will run
on Saturdays, December 11 and 18 from
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Stops will be made
along Main, Commerce and Church streets
every 10 minutes.
The free trolley is sponsored by Lynch’s
Landing and downtown merchants. For detail information about the trolley’s stops visit
www.gltcoline.com
Virginia has one of the fastest foreclosure processes in the country. Once
a foreclosure notice of sale is posted, a
house can be sold at auction just 14 days
later in some cases, although most foreclosure processes take more time.
And because little if any paper records
are left when one lender purchases a
mortgage from another, foreclosure in
the state can be confusing.
“It’s a very disorganized system,” Petersen said. “I’m looking to standardize the
process.”
Petersen is introducing three bills, each
being worked out by Legislative Services,
he wrote Monday on his blog. The bills
aim to extend the notice period for a foreclosure sale from two weeks to 30 days
and make it illegal for loan servicers to
fake signatures or documents in order to
obtain an order of foreclosure. Petersen
also wants to make it mandatory that
loans transferred from one lender to another be recorded in the land records of
the county where the property is located.
“In modern day banking, the people
who are collecting on a loan are not the
people who actually own it,” Petersen
said.
Marshall is introducing a similar bill to
make sure borrowers can easily find out
who owns their mortgages. His bill would
require county filing fees when a loan is
transferred between lenders.
“I had constituents call me who didn’t
know who owned their loans,” Marshall
said.
And it’s not because the process is illegal.
“Currently, Virginia law does not require that assignments of mortgages be
recorded,” said Tom Domonoske, a Harrisonburg attorney who has represented
homeowners facing foreclosure.
Marshall is also awaiting an opinion
from Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli
looking into the practices of Reston-based
Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems
(MERS). Marshall questions whether the
firm, which acts as a middle-man in records keeping for millions of mortgages,
is breaking state law by not paying a fee
every time a mortgage changes lenders.
MERS said in a statement that it “does
not eliminate, omit, or otherwise fail to
report land ownership information from
public records. … Parties are put on notice that MERS is the mortgagee and notifications by third parties can be sent to
MERS. Mortgages and deeds of trust still
get recorded in the land records.”
The recent concern by lawmakers over
the foreclosure process is echoed across
the country. While Virginia has a relatively low foreclosure percentage compared
to other states, one in every 577 homes
was foreclosed in October, according
to RealtyTrac, which tracks real estate
transactions across the county. The highest foreclosure rate was on homes located between Richmond and Washington,
D.C., according to RealtyTrac.
“We’ve had in the last three or four years
in northern Virginia a storm of foreclosures,” Petersen said.
State legislatures across the country are
facing the problems that come with the
rash of foreclosures that came when the
housing market tanked.
Heather Morton, legislative analyst
with the National Conference of State
Legislatures, said they are tackling issues
in several areas, such as providing relief
to home-owners struggling to make payments, regulating the industry so better
records are kept when mortgages are
transferred, and keeping property value
up in neighborhoods that have empty
houses due to foreclosures.
“You’re not just talking about a recession,” said Ted Gayer, co-director of the
economic studies program at the Brookings Institute. “You’re talking about a recession coupled with a housing market
bust.”
The vast number of foreclosures left
mortgage lenders unprepared, Gayer
said. That, combined with the uncertainty in the foreclosure process has crippled
the market, he said.
The complexities of the market can leave
lawmakers scratching their heads on how
to react to a complicated problem. But
for Marshall, the motivation is simple:
“To ensure people who own homes or are
paying their mortgages don’t lose their
investment.”
for just $25
[email protected]
540-683-9197
• To make a bottle of travel nail-polish remover, start with a clean film canister or airtight medicine bottle. Stuff it with a foam hair
roller (with a hole in the middle) that’s cut to
fit the bottle. Saturate the foam with nail-polish remover. To use, just stick one finger at
a time down in the hole in the roller. Move
finger up and down to “scrub” the polish off.
This works really well.
• “Sew buttons on the top wrist area of
gloves or mittens for children (works for
adults, too!). They can be buttoned to a coat
or pocket. They stay attached, and it’s easier for kids to unbutton gloves than to unpin
them. On my children’s jackets that have no
buttons, I sewed a small strip of fleece into
the pocket with a buttonhole on it.” -- G.S.
in Canada
value.
• When camping, use this important tip:
Store toilet paper in a coffee can with a lid.
It’s watertight -- no dampness will ruin your
TP.
• “I like pretty buttons, and I use them to
keep track of my earrings. I pin a pair of
earrings through the holes of a button, and
store them all in a bowl. This way, I get to
enjoy both the buttons and the earrings.” - C.L. in Virginia
• “I hang a bag of clothespins in our laundry
closet. When adding an item to the basket,
I (or my family members) clip a clothespin
to any areas that need extra attention. We
do this if there’s a stain, or if it needs to be
dry-cleaned or hand-washed, for example.”
-- P.L., via e-mail
• Coffee filters are excellent for applying
shoe polish.
Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando,
FL 32853-6475 or e-mail JoAnn at heresatip@
yahoo.com.
Q: I have a Jackie Gleason sweatshirt that reads
“Baby, You Are the Greatest.” Is there any value for
it? -- Dorothy, Julian, Calif.
Frankoma
Q: What can you tell me about Frankoma? Any
value? -- Maxine, Mesa, Ariz.
A: Frankoma began as the Frank Pottery Company
in Sapulpa, Okla., in 1933. The company, under the
direction of its founder, John Frank, produced vases,
bowls and decorative figurals, all marked with the likeness of pacing leopard and the “Frankoma” mark. The
entire operation was destroyed in 1938, and it is the
early pieces from the pre-fire years that have collectors scrambling. The plant was rebuilt, and its later
production is fairly common. A second destructive fire
practically wiped out the business in 1943, and a third
in 1983. Each time the company rebuilt.
Typical prices are Donkey Mug, 1975, $35; batter
pitcher, $40; Wagon Wheel plate, $7; wall pocket in
Leaf pattern, $45; and vase in dusty rose, $35. In Arkansas and Oklahoma, interesting pieces of Frankoma
occasionally can be found in thrift stores and at yard
sales for only a dollar or two, much less than book
A: I checked several Internet auction sites and found
hundreds of Jackie Gleason items being offered for
sale, including his LPs, mostly priced in the $5 to $15
range; a comic book from 1956, $20; a collector’s plate
featuring the cast members of “The Honeymooners,”
$5; a coffee mug, $6; a 1962 Life magazine with Gleason on the cover, $6; and a sweatshirt like the one you
own for $10. Gleason died in 1987 at the age of 1971
and is buried in Florida. His epitaph reads, “And Away
We Go.”
Q: I purchased an early television set at a local flea
market. It is a DuMont Model RA-103, a tabletop
model with a 12-inch screen. When was it manufactured, and what do you think is its approximate
value? -- Stan, Rio Rancho, N.M.
A: I found your TV referenced in the Antique Trader
Radio and Television Price Guide, edited by Kyle Husfloen (Krause, $19.99). Your TV was manufactured in
1947, and Hosfloen lists its value in the $300 to $400
range.
Write to Larry Cox in care of King Features Weekly Service,
P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to
[email protected]. Due to the large volume of mail he
receives, Mr. Cox is unable to personally answer all reader
questions. Do not send any materials requiring return mail.
1. Is the book of Matthew in the Old or New Testament or neither?
2. Who was Herod’s information source as to
where the Christ Child was to be born? Joseph,
Reuben, Micah, Matthew
3. From Luke 2:13, what term describes an army
of angels praising God? Heavenly host, Covenant,
Spirit multitude, Manoah 4. What group received the angels’ announcement
of the birth of Jesus? Carpenters, Shepherds,
Tentmakers, Masons
5. Where was the young child when the Magi
came to visit Him to present gifts? Manger, Under
the stars, House, Temple
6. From Matthew 2, to what country did Mary,
Joseph and the Baby Jesus flee? Jordan, Syria,
Oman, Egypt
ANSWERS: 1) New; 2) Micah; 3) Heavenly host;
4) Shepherds; 5) House; 6) Egypt
Virginia’s budget woes better than most states
By Stephen Groves
The budget outlook for states in the coming
year isn’t pretty, and it won’t be getting better
any time soon.
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) released a state budget update
on Wednesday that detailed the woes of states
trying to make ends meet.
While Virginia’s outlook isn’t as dire as many
states’, it couldn’t be described as rosy.
Virginia is cautiously optimistic as revenues
increase, but will have to continue with strict
cost-cutting in order to get by.
In the Commonwealth, tax revenue is run-
Centra Cancer Center
breast program
receives grant
Centra Alan B. Pearson Regional Cancer
Center’s Comprehensive Breast Program
has been selected as a 2011 grant recipient
of the Central Virginia Affiliate of Susan G.
Komen for the Cure. After an in-depth grant
review process, the grant was recommended
for full funding in the amount of $50,000.00.
The cancer center, in partnership with
the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Central
Virginia, supports breast cancer awareness
and provides breast cancer screening and
treatment services to the uninsured and underserved in our community.
The Centra Alan B. Pearson Regional
Cancer Center has received a check for
$29,554 for the cancer patient support fund
from sales of pink T-shirts sold during October Cancer Awareness Month.
Lynchburg Sam’s Club, Lynchburg firefighters, Pepsi, and many other local companies,
along with students from Brookville High
School, Jefferson Forest High School, Heritage High School and Lynchburg Christian
Academy sold the shirts and raised money
from other fundraising events in October.
Send your news
tips and briefs to:
[email protected]
ning above estimates through September, and
the state’s legislatives fiscal office describes
the situation as “stable.” But as the calculators
click away in Gov. Bob McDonnell’s office in
preparation for his budget recommendations
on Dec. 17, several challenges loom on the horizon.
“Although a recovering national economy is
helping stabilize state revenues in fiscal year
(FY) 2011, serious budget challenges await
state lawmakers in the New Year,” says the
report from NCSL. “This largely stems from
fewer federal stimulus funds available for next
year’s budgets.”
If budgets were running on the financial
fumes of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) this fiscal year, states
won’t be able to get by on those in the FY
2012. States will lose $37.9 billion in federal
funds they had in FY 2011.
Borrowing will also catch up with states in
coming years as they will have to repay loans
to the federal trust fund for unemployment
benefits. McDonnell has pledged to repay the
Virginia Retirement System the $600 million
that has been borrowed from it during the
next 10 years.
The “rainy day fund” has also been depleted
from $1.19 billion in 2007 to $295 million today. Medicaid payments will also cause budget pressures.
These payments mean “that it is unlikely,
however, that any discretionary money will
be available to undo budget reductions or address non-mandated costs,” says the report
from NCSL.
For now, Virginia’s luxury is to pay into the
debts it owes.
Like Virginia, other states have cut back on
spending during the lean years, but many are
running out of things to cut budget officials
say.
“The low-hanging fruit has been picked.
A lot of difficult actions have been taken by
states already, but many budget and governors’ offices are telling us that fiscal year 2012
could be even worse,” said Scott Pattison, executive director of the National Association of
State Budget Officers.
And, the recession may expose problems
that wallowed just beneath the surface of state
budgets for years. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, expenditures
grew faster than own-source revenues in almost all states between 1977 and 2007. In the
past 30 years, health care funding has gobbled
up a greater percentage of state and local budgets, growing from 12 percent in 1978 to 20
percent in 2008.
As Ray Scheppach, executive director of
the National Governor’s Association, darkly
quipped, “We’ve got 29 new governors coming in. We just hope they don’t quit when they
see how bad the budget is.”
Many states are still scrambling to pay the
bills, with 15 predicting budget gaps in FY
2011. They range from Connecticut, which
has an $86 million budget gap, to Illinois,
which has not accounted for $13 billion.
As the NGA’s state fiscal legislative office
described it, “The fiscal situation is dire.”
It gets worse in 2012 when states must fore-
go the federal recovery dollars, leaving a majority of states with budget gaps.
“Budget officers and governors are still very,
very concerned about how do they actually get
through the next few years,” Scheppach said.
The way states survive will likely come from
more painful cuts, said Jim Johnson, a public policy professor at North Carolina’s Duke
University. He said states will look at cutting
things like Medicaid, public schools, community colleges, public universities and corrections facilities.
States also will likely change their pension
systems from “defined benefit plans” to “defined contribution plans,” in which employees pay into their pension system much like a
401(k).
It’s possible that governors will ask for extensions in funding as they did for Medicaid
— or Federal Medical Assistance Percentages
(FMAP) — this past summer.
But “there seems not to be much appetite in
Washington to extend all that,” Johnson said.
So for now, states will tighten their belts.
“You have to make big changes now, but
they don’t often save you money for 10 to 15
years,” Scheppach said.
[email protected]
This could be
your ad for just
$45
Advertise in
The Lynchburg Times
We’re in every McDonalds,
Kroger, Food Lion
& lots of other places
[email protected]
540-683-9197
8. How to Train Your Dragon (PG) animated
9. The Karate Kid (PG) Jaden Smith
10. Jonah Hex (PG-13) Josh Brolin
Top 10 DVD Sales
Top 10 Video Rentals
1. Grown Ups (PG-13) Adam Sandler
2. Toy Story 3 (G) animated
3. Charlie St. Cloud (PG-13) Zac Efron
4. Ramona and Beezus (G) Joey King
5. Predators (R) Adrien Brody
6. Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World (PG-13) Michael Cera
7. Sex and the City 2 (R) Sarah Jessica Parker
Top 10 Pop Singles
This Week................................................. Last Week
1. Rihanna ......................................................No. 2
“Only Girl (In the World)” (SRP/Def Jam)
2. Pink . ...........................................................No. 4
“Raise Your Glass” (LaFace)
3. Far*East Movement f/ Cataracs & Dev ....No. 1
“Like a G6” (Cherrytree)
4. Ke$ha . ........................................................No. 6
“We R Who We R” (Kemosabe)
5. Nelly . ..........................................................No. 5
“Just a Dream” (Derrty)
6. Katy Perry ..................................................No. 9
“Firework” (Capitol)
7. Bruno Mars ................................................No. 3
“Just the Way You Are” (Elektra)
8. Rihanna feat. Drake . .................................No. 7
“What’s My Name?” (SRP/Def Jam)
9. Cee Lo Green ...........................................No. 22
“Forget You” (Radiculture/Elektra)
10. Trey Songz feat. Nicki Minaj . ...............No. 10
“Bottoms Up” (Songbook)
Top 10 Albums
1. Susan Boyle . .............................................No. 1
“The Gift” (SYCO/Columbia)
2. Jackie Evancho ..................................new entry
“O Holy Night” (SYCO/Columbia)
3. Rihanna ...............................................new entry
“Loud” (SRP/Def Jam)
4. Josh Groban .......................................new entry
“Illuminations” (143/Reprise)
5. Kid Rock . ............................................new entry
“Born Free” (Top Dog/Atlantic)
6. Rascal Flatts .......................................new entry
“Nothing Like This” (Big Machine)
7. Keith Urban .........................................new entry
“Get Closer” (Capitol Nashville)
8. Soundtrack . ........................................new entry
“Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album”
9. Taylor Swift ................................................No. 2
“Speak Now” (Big Machine)
10. Nelly . .................................................new entry
“5.0” (Derrty/Universal Motown)
PICKS OF THE WEEK
Rihanna
Top 10 Hot Country Singles
1. Brad Paisley . .............................................No. 2
“Anything Like Me” (Arista Nashville)
2. Zac Brown Band feat. Alan Jackson .......No. 1
“As She’s Walking Away” (Capitol Nashville)
3. The Band Perry . ........................................No. 4
“If I Die Young” (Republic Nashville)
4. Rascal Flatts ..............................................No. 6
“Why Wait” (Big Machine)
5. Rodney Atkins ...........................................No. 5
“Farmer’s Daughter” (Curb)
6. Reba . ..........................................................No. 8
“Turn On the Radio” (Starstruck)
7. Jason Aldean .............................................No. 9
“My Kinda Party” (Broken Bow)
8. Sugarland . .................................................No. 3
“Stuck Like Glue” (Mercury)
9. Carrie Underwood ................................... No. 11
“Mama’s Song” (19)
10. George Strait . ........................................No. 10
“The Breath You Take” (MCA Nashville)
1. Toy Story 3 (G) (Buena Vista)
2. How to Train Your Dragon (PG) (DreamWorks)
3. The Karate Kid (PG) (Sony)
4. The Original Television Christmas Classics (NR) (Genius
Products)
5. The Pacific (M) (Warner)
6. Sex and the City 2 (R) (Warner)
7. Robin Hood (PG-13) (Home Video)
8. Diary of a Wimpy Kid (PG) (20th Century Fox)
9. Iron Man 2 (PG-13) (Paramount)
10. Cars Toon: Mater’s Tall Tales (NR) (Buena Vista)
guarantee that a movie is gonna blow chunks, look
for Shia LeBeouf in the cast list. Whether he’s dragging down the plot as Indiana Jones’ son, or in the
case of this “Wall Street” sequel as Gordon Gecko’s
protege, Jake Moore, that boy can take a mediocre
movie and turn it into something that smells like
it came straight from a corpse. Granted, “Money
Never Sleeps” wouldn’t be a very good film even
without LeBeouf. Michael Douglas looks like he’s
just phoning it in, and the movie fails to capture the
same energy as the original.
“Salt” (Unrated Edition) -- Angelina Jolie stars as
Evelyn Salt, a spy on the run (a la the Bourne films)
in this high-octane, action-fueled thriller. Salt is a
CIA agent married to a German national who visits
Korea very often. On the eve of her anniversary, a
Russian defector dying of cancer reveals that Salt
is a sleeper agent, trained since she was a child,
whose mission, when “activated,” is to assassinate
the Russian president.
Fearing for her husband’s safety, she begins her
search for him, while at the same time eluding her
fellow agents who are hellbent on killing her. The
action scenes are seemingly non-stop, and the plot
twists keep you guessing whether Salt is or isn’t a
Manchurian Candidate. Add to the mix the electric
performance of Angelina Jolie, and you’ve got a
recipe for a delicious afternoon’s diversion.
“Family Guy: It’s a Trap!” (Unrated) -- The third
installment of “The Family Guy” specials spoofing
the original “Star Wars” trilogy this time takes its
bad-taste aim at “Return of the Jedi.” The DVD release also includes deleted scenes, a Trivial Pursuit
game, the panel discussion from Comic-con 2010
and much more. Also, if you don’t already own the
previous two episodes, the entire trilogy can be had
in the boxed set: “Laugh It Up Fuzzball: The Family
Guy Trilogy.”
DOG OF THE WEEK
“Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” (PG-13) -In the 1990s, if you wanted a telltale sign that a
movie was gonna suck, all you had to do is see
if Freddy Prinz Jr. was in it. Today, if you want a
Angelina Jolie
TV SERIES
“Laugh It Up Fuzzball: The Family Guy Trilogy”
“Futurama” Volume Five
“Caprica” Season 1.5
“Gene Simmons Family Jewels” Season 5
“The Secret Life of the American Teenager” Volume
Five
“Bob Ross: Joy of Painting -- Barns Collection”
“The Guild” Season Four
“The Virginian” The Complete Season Two
“Billy the Exterminator” Season 1
“Bleach” Uncut Box Set 7
Memory Lane
Have you made a memory book for those
who come after you? This is a project that’s
better done sooner rather than later, and the
quiet week between Christmas and New Year’s
Day is perfect for getting started. Consider it a
gift to future generations of your whole life in
pictures and words.
Things to include:
Written text -- Whether you use typed and
printed pages or write in longhand, it’s your
words that have the most value.
Photos -- Pick out some photos to include in
your book and write about each one. Start at
the beginning with your earliest photographs,
which might include your parents. Include
school photos through the years. Add in teenage heartthrobs, your wedding and pictures of
your own children as they came along.
Wounded Warriors
The Department of Defense has announced the
creation of the Wounded Warrior Task Force. According to a press release, the task force will advise and make recommendations about such matters as: staffing of wounded warrior organizations,
performance and accountability standards, availability of services for traumatic brain injury and
post-traumatic stress disorder, support systems to
ease the transition from the DoD to Veterans Affairs and the effectiveness of the Senior Oversight
Committee.
That’s a lot of advising and recommending. It
could take them a while.
Meanwhile, another group, the Wounded Warrior Project, has been busy actually taking care of
veterans and their families. The group serves veterans who received service-connected illnesses
or injuries in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Music of the times -- If you can’t remember
the names of favorite songs or the year they
came out, look online or even in your own record collection.
News of the day -- Look online at history.com
to refresh your memory of specific dates and
how events affected you.
Memorabilia -- Was your spouse or a parent
in the military? Do you still have all the letters
sent home? Consider adding some of them
to the collection, or at least some selected
quotes.
NOTE: Are your photographs all in boxes?
Your first step in preparing a memory book
might well be to pick up a few of those special markers to write on the back of unidentified photographs. Then categorize them into
subjects or time periods, and spring for a few
photo boxes to put them in, or use 9 by 12-inch
envelopes instead.
Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions, but will
incorporate them into her column whenever
possible. Write to her in care of King Features
Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL
32853-6475, or send e-mail to columnreply@
gmail.com.
The WWP has programs in four areas: Mind,
Body, Economic Empowerment and Engagement.
Whether you’re a veteran with amputations, TBI,
burns, cognitive mental health conditions, PTSD
or spinal cord injuries, the Wounded Warrior Project has a recreation and sports program available.
Aligned with Sports USA, it provides year-round
programs that, besides offering a chance at some
real competition, also aid in rehabilitation.
It offers higher education, including IT training,
as well as employment assistance services. The
end goal: long-term financial stability.
WWP’s Family Support and Combat Stress Recovery Programs offer seminars on PTSD, as well
as caregiver retreats and more.
The Engagement program might be the most
valuable of all, as it helps wounded warriors stay
in touch with each other through an alumni program and peer mentoring.
If you’re a veteran with traumatic injury or are a
family member, check out the Wounded Warrior
Project at www.woundedwarriorproject.org. Scroll
around the website, and you’ll likely find programs
that can help.
Write to Freddy Groves in care of King Features
Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL
32853-6475, or send e-mail to columnreply@
gmail.com
Asthma Usually Controllable
DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am a 50-year-old female, and I have asthma that seems to be
getting worse. In October, I got the H1N1 flu
and had to go to the hospital twice because of
breathing problems. I get scared every time I
have a simple cold. I was told that my asthma
is allergy-induced, and I have been on a daily
inhaler ever since. I saw an allergist, who tested me and wanted to put me on allergy shots.
He said they may or may not work, but they
don’t cure asthma. Then what’s the point?
Does oxygen help? Are there natural ways to
prevent asthma? -- M.M.
ANSWER: Asthma is a chronic condition. Looking
for a cure is not realistic in many cases. Looking
for control is realistic. It’s an inflammation of the
airways -- the bronchi, the tubes that bring fresh air
into the lungs and remove carbon dioxide from the
lungs. The inflammation makes the airways very
sensitive. They constrict on slight provocation and
obstruct the flow of air. Furthermore, they pour out
thick mucus, which adds to airflow obstruction.
Respiratory viruses do trigger attacks, and that’s
why the flu virus was such a problem for you. You
should be sure to get the yearly flu vaccine.
Allergies can be another trigger for attacks. Allergy shots are not guaranteed to stop them, but
they can lessen their intensity and frequency. You
might want to reconsider your position.
Remove airborne irritants from your home and
bedroom by getting rid of feather pillows, shag
rugs and dust mites. If you have a pet, and you
notice that exposure to it brings on an attack, then
you have to limit where the pet is allowed in the
home. An air-conditioned home keeps outdoor allergens out of your environment.
For an acute attack, you need a medicine that
acts quickly to dilate airways. Albuterol (Proventil) is such a medicine. If your long-term control
medicine isn’t preventing attacks, get another. The
list of asthma medicines is very long. Oxygen is
helpful in severe attacks. I know of no natural substance that alleviates asthma.
The asthma booklet describes the many treatments for asthma. Readers can obtain a copy by
writing: Dr. Donohue -- No. 602W, Box 536475,
Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or
money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Canada
with the recipient’s printed name and address.
Please allow four weeks for delivery.
DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I must have bumped
my ring finger. It is painful, and the top part
is swollen on the side of the nail. I think some
pus is forming. What can I soak it in? I cannot
go to a doctor. -- B.P.
ANSWER: You describe a paronychia (PAIR-uhNICK-ee-uh), an infection of the skin and tissues
bordering a fingernail. If the skin and tissues show
only mild swelling, then frequent daily soaks in hot
water can bring it to a head and cause it to drain.
If it is quite swollen and painful, you’ll have to see
a doctor. Try an emergency-department doctor. It
has to be incised to permit drainage, and antibiotics will be needed.
Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer
individual letters, but he will incorporate them in
his column whenever possible. Readers may write
him or request an order form of available health
newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL
32853-6475.
© 2010 North America Syndicate, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Virginia GOP abide by earmark ban
By Paige Winfield Cunningham
Virginia Republicans abided by a GOP
ban on earmarks coming from Congress
this year, while a handful of their colleagues
strayed.
Last March, House Republicans passed a
year-long ban on all earmarking — money
within appropriations bills aimed for specific programs, states or localities. That ban
will now extend to Democrats as well, after
the GOP gained the majority in November
and announced another moratorium for
fiscal year 2012.
But not all Republicans went along with
the party’s ban. Among the four lawmakers
who still requested earmarks was, notably,
long-time Libertarian favorite Ron Paul of
Texas. Anh Cao of Louisiana, Don Young
of Alaska and Henry Brown of South Carolina also asked for earmarks.
Differing views of earmarks even within
the party show how contentious the practice has become in recent years. Oppo-
nents slam earmarking as wasteful use of
government money while defenders say it’s
a useful way to channel money that’s going
to be spent anyway.
Even though earmarks just designate
money that’s already headed out of Washington, Rep. Rob Wittman said the GOP
ban did have a positive impact—by reducing earmark requests by 40 percent over
last year.
“So if every request was funded, there
would be a reduction,” Wittman said. “So
there actually was an effect.”
But legislators routinely apply for many
more earmarks than are actually funded.
While actual earmark awards have hovered around $16 billion in recent years,
senators and representatives from both
parties have asked this year for 39,294 earmarks worth $131 billion, according to a
new database developed by the nonprofit
groups Taxpayers Against Earmarks, Taxpayers for Common Sense and WashingtonWatch.com.
Virginia Republicans did not add any re-
Gift Card Pros and Cons
For many who do last-minute holiday
shopping, speed is essential. There’s no
more time to ponder and compare and
wander the aisles looking for the perfect
gift.
Gift cards can be a fast purchase, but
you still need to take a little care. Consider
the recipient’s interests. Teenagers might
appreciate a gift card to a music store.
Handy homeowners will use a gift card to
the local hardware store. For women, if
you can find an all-mall card, so much the
better.
quests to that pool.
While Rep. Eric Cantor began abstaining
from earmarking four years ago, Wittman
and Reps. Randy Forbes, Frank Wolf and
Bob Goodlatte have followed suit for the
first time. While the four congressmen
brought a collective $35.3 million back to
their districts last year, that’s ended — at
least for the present.
The Republicans don’t win nearly the
dollars brought back by Rep. Jim Moran, a
member of the Appropriations Committee
who nabbed $107 million for his district
last year. Still, Wittman and Forbes both
garnered more earmark money last year
than Democratic Reps. Glenn Nye and
Rick Boucher.
A similar ban was rejected in the Senate late last month, with most Democrats
and some Republicans voting against it.
Virginia’s delegation was divided, with Sen.
Jim Webb voting against the ban and Sen.
Mark Warner voting in favor.
Wittman said he thinks earmarking
should be banned until the process is made
However, not all gift cards are alike.
While the industry used to be guilty of
abuse with gift-card expiration dates and
fees, new rules this year force merchants
to keep the cards (and the balance) active
for five years. If there are per-purchase
fees, they must be written on the package.
Balance carry-over fees can’t be assessed
until the card has been used at least once.
After that, however, fees can be assessed
once a month, and there’s nothing to limit
the amount of fees that can be charged for
that.
If the card is lost, there’s no guarantee
you can get a replacement, even with
your receipt. If you can get a replacement,
there are sure to be fees. Do your homework and be sure what you’re getting.
There are new warnings out this year
about pre-loaded gift cards you take off
the rack: There might not be any money
there by the time your recipient uses them.
Scammers have figured out how to read
the code on a card, call the toll-free number
on the back, and then spend that money.
more transparent. Wolf is undecided on
whether a ban should continue past next
year, said his spokesman, Dan Scandling.
“We’ll have to cross that bridge when you
get to it,” Scandling said. “You’ll have to
look at what the ramifications are because
some earmarks are good.”
for just $25
[email protected]
540-683-9197
Instead of buying a pre-loaded card, get a
blank card from a clerk or customer services and have the amount loaded while
you wait. Then hold on to your receipt in
case something happens.
For the Internet-savvy recipient, consider an e-gift card, also known as a virtual
gift card. You e-mail a special code to the
recipient, who prints it out and takes it to
the store. It spends just like a plastic gift
card.
Be careful of the store: If it goes bankrupt, the gift cards you buy might be worthless.
Consider giving cash instead. While it’s
thought that nearly 30 percent of gift cards
go unused every year, nobody loses track
of cash.
David Uffington regrets that he cannot personally answer reader questions,
but will incorporate them into his column
whenever possible. Write to him in care of
King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box
536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send
e-mail to [email protected]
WIKILEAKS, from ment.
“Wikileaks is no different than the New York
Times releasing the Pentagon Documents,”
said Staver.
Dianne Feinstein, Democratic senator from
California and chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, argued in an opinion piece
published Tuesday in the Wall Street Journal
that Assange should not be considered a journalist and is therefore not protected by the
First Amendment.
“He is no journalist: He is an agitator intent
on damaging our government, whose policies
he happens to disagree with, regardless of who
gets hurt,” wrote Feinstein.
In a Tweet posted November 29th, Larry
Sabato, director of the University of Virginia
Center for Politics, voiced his worries about
the Wikileaks issue effecting world opinion of
the nation.
“From economy to Wikileaks to deficit
to China, Korea & beyond, USA starting to
appear again like “a pitiful helpless giant.”
Danger 4 POTUS,” wrote Sabato.
Wikileaks may be one of the only issues Sabato nears an agreement upon with his polaropposite, political blogger Ben Tribbett, author of the “Not Larry Sabato” blog. He wrote
Tuesday in support of Donald S. Beyer, US
Ambassador to Switzerland and former Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. Beyer warned
that Switzerland “should very carefully consider whether to provide shelter to someone
who is on the run from the law,” reported NZZ
am Sonntag, a weekly Swiss magazine.
“Wikileaks is F-ing with the wrong ambassador,” wrote Tribbett.
Neither Tribbett nor Sabato could be
reached for comment late Wednesday.
Politicians in Washington also seem to be
agreeing on the Wikileaks issue in a bi-partisan manner rarely seen in this political climate.
In an interview on Meet the Press this week,
Senate Minority Leader Mitchell McConnell,
Republican of Kentucky, emphasized that Assange needs to held on criminal charges.
“He’s done an enormous damage to our
country, and I think he needs to be prosecuted
to the, the fullest extent of the law; and if that
becomes a problem, we need to change the
law,” said Senator McConnell.
Later in the show, Senator John Kerry, Democrat of Massachusetts, likened the release to
voyeurism and stated he believes Wikileaks
has “no relationship” to the Pentagon Papers.
“This is sort of a anarchical kind of act by
someone who wants attention that is not revealing some truth about a government lying
or a policy that’s been misled,” said Senator
Kerry.
In a press conference last week, Secretary
of State Hillary Rodham Clinton accused the
Wikileaks release of “sabotaging the peace-
ful relations between nations.” She went on
to allude to the inappropriateness of likening
Wikileaks to the Pentagon Papers. Secretary
Clinton argued that while there have been
“examples in history in which official conduct
has been made public in the name of exposing
wrongdoings or misdeeds… this is not one of
those cases.”
Opposing Secretary Clinton and Senator
Kerry’s views, Daniel Ellsberg, a former government analyst who leaked the famous Pentagon Papers to the New York Times in 1971,
rejected the opinion that Wikileaks and the
Pentagon papers are incomparable in a press
release that is also signed by other ex-intelligence officers.
“That’s just a cover for people who don’t
want to admit that they oppose any and all exposure of even the most misguided, secretive
foreign policy,” said Ellsberg.
An Editor’s note published November 29,
explained The New York Times’ reasoning for
using the sensitive cables. The letter explains
that while the Times did redact some information contained in the documents deemed
comprises to national security, the paper believed that much of the documents “serve an
important public information.”
“For The Times to ignore this material
would be to deny its own readers the careful
reporting and thoughtful analysis they expect
when this kind of information becomes pub-
“ZooBorns”
by Andrew Bleiman and Chris Eastland
(Simon & Schuster, $9.99)
“The Itteh Bitteh Book of Kittehs: A
LOLcat Guide 2 Kittens”
by Professor Happycat and Icanhascheezeburger.com
(Gotham Books, $12)
Reviewed by Ealish Waddell
‘Tis the season for stocking stuffers, and these
two little books packed with adorable baby animals will be a hit with any creature-loving kid -- or
adult.
“Zooborns” has handpicked some of the cut-
lic,” wrote The Times.
Independent Connecticut Senator Joseph
Lieberman is unforgiving of The New York
Times for publishing stories referencing the
Wikileaks documents.
“To me the New York Times has committed at least an act of, at best, bad citizenship,
but whether they have committed a crime is
a matter of discussion for the justice department,” Lieberman said in an interview with
Fox News.
He went on to say that he believes the justice
department should indict Assange for violation of the espionage act.
“I think this is the most serious violation of
the Espionage Act in our history,” said Lieberman.
Dean Staver disagreed either the New York
Times or Assange were in violation of the Espionage Act.
“We have to take one step back before we
get to Wikileaks,” said Staver.
He argued that instead, an investigation
should pursue the actions of Private First
Class Bradley Manning, who initially leaked
the documents to Wikileaks, and his superiors
who allowed the security breach.
[email protected]
est baby residents of zoos across the globe and
brought them together for your oohing and aahing
pleasure. Fluffy or scaly, wrinkled or round, you’ll
want to reach through the pages and cuddle them
all.
Each group of photographs is accompanied by
an introduction to the individual pictured and its
species in general. In many cases, these charming faces represent new hope for endangered animals. By drawing attention to the work that zoos
do in raising, protecting and researching threatened species, “ZooBorns” hopes to increase
awareness of their plight and inspire readers to
support and encourage wildlife conservation efforts.
“The Itteh Bitteh Book of Kittehs,” on the other
hand, is an anthology of pure silliness. A spin-off
of the popular online blog that matches up cute
photos with clever captions, this guide to the feline
mind focuses solely on kittens and their antics.
You’ll find kittens opining, complaining, cracking
wise, plotting to take over the world, and just begging for a belly rub -- sometimes all at once.
Whether they’re planning trouble or trying to get
out of it, these scamps are perfectly aware of how
adorable they are, and they put that advantage to
good use. These kitties may have a shaky grasp
on basic grammar and spelling, but what they lack
in polish, they more than make up for in attitude.
McDonnell trying to draw Lincoln to Virginia
By Stephen Groves
• On Dec. 26, 1606, William Shakespeare’s play
“King Lear” is performed at the court of King
James I of England. Shakespeare’s plays were
not published during his lifetime. After his death,
two members of his troupe collected copies of
his plays and printed what is now called the First
Folio (1623).
• On Dec. 24, 1809, Christopher Houston “Kit”
Carson, celebrated hero of the American West,
is born in Richmond, Ky. Although he spent
much of his life fighting Indians, Carson apparently had great sympathy and respect for them
-- in 1867 he became the Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Colorado Territory.
• On Dec. 25, 1914, just after midnight on Christmas morning, the majority of German troops engaged in World War I cease fire and commence
to sing Christmas carols. The soldiers of Germany, Russia, France and Britain exchanged
presents of cigarettes and plum puddings and
even played a good-natured game of soccer.
In April of 1865, President Abraham Lincoln
walked the streets of Richmond the day after the
Confederate capital fell to Union forces. And he
could be coming back.
Gov. Bob McDonnell said he has spoken with
director Steven Spielberg about filming a movie
about Lincoln in Richmond. Spielberg recently
announced he would be directing the movie
“Lincoln”, to be produced by DreamWorks Studios.
“I had a chat with Steven Spielberg the other
day,” the governor told WRVA radio. “He’s filming the Lincoln movie, and Virginia’s right near
the top of his list. We’re certainly trying to get
him to come.”
The 16th president visited Richmond on April
4, 1865, the day after the Union took control of
the city. Historians say he walked the streets
with a small escort. A large crowd, mostly freed
slaves, gathered to thank him, singing spirituals.
Lincoln was killed by an assassin’s bullet just 10
days later.
The movie is based on Doris Kearns Goodwin’
best-selling book, “Team of Rivals.” Actor Daniel
Day Lewis is slated to play Lincoln. The movie
will explore Lincoln’s mission to end slavery in
the final months of the Civil War.
The 150th anniversary of the beginning of the
• On Dec. 21, 1945, Gen. George S. Patton,
commander of the U.S. 3rd Army, dies from injuries suffered not in battle, but in a freak car
accident in Germany. Never diplomatic, Patton
once berated and slapped a hospitalized soldier
diagnosed with “shell shock,” whom Patton accused of “malingering.”
• On Dec. 22, 1956, a baby gorilla named Colo
enters the world at the Columbus Zoo in Ohio,
becoming the first-ever gorilla born in captivity. Her parents had never learned parenting
skills, so she was reared by zookeepers. Colo,
the oldest living gorilla in captivity, went on to
become a mother, a grandmother and a greatgrandmother.
• On Dec. 20, 1963, more than two years after the Berlin Wall was constructed by East
Germany to prevent its citizens from fleeing its
communist regime, nearly 4,000 West Berliners
are allowed to cross into East Berlin to visit relatives.
• On Dec. 23, 1982, the Missouri Department of
Health and the federal Centers for Disease Control inform residents of Times Beach, Mo., that
their town was contaminated when the chemical
dioxin was sprayed on its unpaved roads. The
whole town was evacuated and demolished.
Love Thy Neighbor? Not These
Dogs
DEAR PAW’S CORNER: My German shepherd, “Sandy,” is a sweet-tempered dog who
has a loud bark but is not aggressive at all.
She will lie down once a visitor comes in and
stop barking without my telling her to. However, every morning she goes over to a hole
in our fence and waits until the neighbor’s
dog is let out to play. Then, she’ll growl and
bark like mad. The other dog will do the same,
rushing up to the hole and snarling at Sandy.
I’m afraid if they see each other in the street,
they’ll fight. What can I do? -- Jane T. in Dothan, Ala.
Civil War is next year.
Spielberg was spotted scouting potential locations in the city last month.
If the movie does land in Richmond, the production crew would start rolling out equipment
in the fall of 2011. McDonnell said the movie has
a $50 million budget.
To entice Spielberg to bring his movie and
cash to the Commonwealth, the governor can
use several recent tax credits and state funds.
In the past legislative session, the General Assembly passed tax breaks to film productions
bringing jobs to the area. Film companies can
get exemptions from the state’s 5-percent sales
tax.
But Rita McClenny, Film Commissioner for
the Virginia film office said the production crew
has not asked for any tax credits yet. They are
still deciding the locations. The film office works
to attract the film industry to Virginia, often
looking for projects that are set in the Commonwealth, such as Spielberg’s movie.
McDonnell also bumped up the funding for
the Governor’s Motion Picture Opportunity
Fund from $200,000 to $2 million. The fund provides grants to movie projects that bring jobs to
Virginia.
“I do think film is an opportunity for Virginia,”
the governor said.
Recently, “Unanswered Prayers,” a madefor-TV movie produced by Garth Brooks, was
DEAR JANE: Is your neighbor aware of the situation? What’s his or her take? If you haven’t talked
about the dogs’ behavior with them yet, do so.
Don’t issue any ultimatums, just say, “Have you
noticed our dogs growl at each other through the
fence? Does it worry you?”
The easiest short-term solution, after talking to
the neighbors, is to fix the hole in the fence. This
might stop the territorial barking and growling, although neighbor dogs tend to bark at each other
despite fences they can’t see through.
If your neighbors agree, arrange a “play date”
to see how your dogs act when they’re in the
same space together. Both should be on a leash
and controlled by their owner. If they show any
aggression like snarling or lunging, separate
them immediately. A fight could make the aggression worse. Your dog and the neighbors’ dog may
be relegated to barking at each other through a
fence that doesn’t allow them to see each other,
in order to keep the peace.
Looking for more pet advice and information?
Check out pawscorner.com online! Send your pet
questions and tips to [email protected], or
write to Paw’s Corner, c/o King Features Weekly
Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 328536475.
filmed in Richmond. It aired on Monday on the
Lifetime network.
Industry professionals who live in Virginia
such as Oscar-winner Sissy Spacek and Tim
Reid have lobbied the state for a movie friendly
environment by passing tax credits.
But tax credits alone aren’t enough to draw
cameras to the area, said Mark Robyn of the Tax
Foundation.
“Almost all states offer tax credits so there is a
lot of competition,” he said.
All but seven states offer tax incentives to
draw movie productions.
Still, offering incentives pays off in jobs created, lawmakers say. The film industry has generated over $4 billion since 1980. In 2008, 4,000
Virginians found jobs in the industry and $378
million was made.
But the jobs that large productions create are
temporary, Robyn said.
“A movie comes into town, stays there for
eight to 12 weeks, and then leaves,” he said.
Still, the idea of Spielberg and other movie
stars in Virginia excites lawmakers.
“There is no good reason why the film industry cannot be big business in Virginia. As we’ve
seen in the past, the return on investment for
these projects is significant,” Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling
said when the tax credits were signed into law.
[email protected]
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The Lynchburg Times
The Lynchburg Times Crossword: EMOTIONAL STATES
DOWN
1 Horne or Olin
2 “He’s - Picker”
(‘14 song)
3 German valley
4 Church areas
5 Fit to feast on
6 Barbie or Ken
7 Unemployed
8 Sock part
9 “Le Misanthrope”
playwright
10 Minneapolis suburb
11 Helped
12 Composer Delibes
13 Massachusetts cry of
contempt?
14 Author Jong
15 Symbol
16 Forebodings
17 “Boss” Tweed’s nemesis
19 What you used to be
24 Actor Kilmer
28 Baby basset
29 Egyptian viper
31 Playwright Fugard
33 Taj town
34 Sleuth Nancy
35 Kids connect them
37 Jockey giant
38 Darjeeling dress
39 Revolutionary Guevara
41 Drollery
42 Psychic Geller
43 Inclination
45 Tennyson tale
46 - rummy
48 About
49 Bank deposit?
50 Burn a bit
54 Quiet
56 Colors
59 Maugham’s “Cakes
and -”
61 Pro-gun grp.
63 Saucepan
64 Drillers’ org.
65 TV’s “Murder, - Wrote”
66 Huff and puff
67 Feels sore
68 Impertinent
69 Cops’ org.
70 - grease
71 Indeed
72 Grievance
75 “Typee” sequel
79 Sgt. or cpl.
80 - Carta
81 Improve oneself, in a
way
83 Turn right
84 DDE’s predecessor
85 Tiny coin
86 Genesis setting
87 Hawaii’s state bird
90 Veneration
91 Freeway sounds
94 Idaho cry of excitement?
96 Jack of “The Odd
Couple”
99 Poetic preposition
101 “Hiroshima” author
103 Good time
104 Dreadlocked one
105 Set in motion
106 Kevin of “In & Out”
107 Range rope
109 Actress Meyers
110 Seafood selection
111 Accent feature
112 Mus. directive
114 - contendere
115 Summit
116 “The NeverEnding
Story” author
117 WWII gun
118 “The - Is High”
(‘80 hit)
120 Crestfallen
121 Lummox
Sudoku!
Hocus-Focus
by Henry Boltinoff
by Linda Thistle
How to play: Place a number in the empty boxes
in such a way that each row across, each column
down and each small 9-box square contains all of
the numbers from one to nine.
Difficulty this week: Challenging
This could be your full-color ad for just $57
Advertise in The Lynchburg Times and reach 20,000 readers!
We’re in every McDonalds, Kroger, Food Lion & lots of other places
[email protected]
540-683-9197
Puzzling
1 Zhivago’s love
5 Touch up the text
9 It should be square
13 “Don’t - it!”
18 Act like Etna
20 Birdbrain
21 Garfield’s pal
22 Fragrance
23 Tennessee cry of
denial?
25 “- Shuffle” (‘77 song)
26 Long walks
27 Pleasant
28 Jeroboam contents
29 Way up
30 Vend
31 Get - (be successful)
32 Mikita and Musial
33 Find the sum
36 Spring holiday
39 TV’s “- Sharkey”
40 Mature
44 North Carolina cry of
encouragement?
47 Seizes suddenly
51 Join the leisure class?
52 Item for 37 Down
53 Live on lettuce
55 Coasted
57 Texas cry of sympathy?
58 Feel wretched
59 Writer Rand
60 Second Triumvirate
member
62 EMT’s skill
64 Everything
65 Dickens character
66 Yak
69 Pennsylvania cry of
disgust?
73 - Moines, IA
74 He’ll bend over back ward for you
76 Grazing ground
77 Permit
78 Witch doctor
79 Hoopsters’ org.
80 Exec’s deg.
82 Utah cry of revulsion?
88 Chihuahua dough
89 Chihuahua snack
91 Italian port
92 Dwell
93 “Scat!”
95 Illinois cry of surprise?
97 Sampras and Rafter
98 Weeding tool
100 Duration
102 Chemical suffix
103 Buy off
106 See 129 Across
108 Orient
112 Uproar
113 Mr. Diamond
114 Least liberal
119 Gravel-voiced
120 Thailand, formerly
121 Michigan cry of chagrin?
122 Senator Kefauver
123 Cultural grp.
124 Nautical adverb
125 Concluded
126 Hackneyed
127 Big man on campus
128 Cunning
129 With 106 Across,
legendary drummer
© Copyright 2010 King Features Syndicate, Inc., All rights reserved.
ACROSS
The Lynchburg Times
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The Lynchburg Times

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