Today's News

According to Sergeant First Class Howard Holt (U. S. Army, ret.), a family readiness group leader is only supposed to serve in that role for three or four years. He noted that that was the pre 9/11 standard. Janine Fowler did it for six. This included the company's deployment to Afghanistan.

Recently, Bedford's National Guard company gave her a plaque honoring that work. It was a surprise. Two sergeants, in camouflage, showed up at Bedford's H and R Block office where Fowler works as the office manager.

How did she start doing that volunteer job in the first place?

My favorite line whenever someone tells me he?s home schooling his kids is ?Oh, you just wanted him to be class valedictorian...? Ba-da-bing.

I?m usually the only one who laughs at the joke. Seems these home school folks are a serious lot when it comes to their kids.

Last week, the home school bunch took a serious shot to the chops when the Education Committee of Virginia?s House of Delegates voted to defeat House Bill 375. The legislation would have allowed home schooled students to participate in VHSL sanctioned activities within their resident school districts.

Brookville completed its stranglehold on first place in the Seminole District. The only question for the Bees, at this point, is whether they will run the District gauntlet in undefeated fashion. The smart money says they will.

Brookville has assured itself of a first round bye in the District tourney and an automatic first round game in the Regional. Liberty, which settled for second place when it lost 83-66 to Brookville, is only assured of a home opener in the Districts, most likely against Staunton River.

The work of the General Assembly often descends into a sort of numb rush, as subcommittee chairs hustle bills through like fast-moving trains. Explanations are given, objections are made, amendments are tacked on, all in perfunctory fashion.