Cindy and Marty Hauschildt of Christiansburg sent in this photo of their boxer, Riley and his likeness carved into a pumpkin. If you would like to carve your own pumpkin, visit BHG.com/dogs to find your favorite K-9 friend.
Thanks, Cindy and Marty!
Carol Sinclair of Christiansburg sent in this photo of pug sisters, Maggie and Tiny, hanging out in a pot.
Thanks, Carol!
"What are you cooking? Mckenzie Weddle is helping make sweet potato butter with her Grandma, Papa and Aunt Becca. The four year old is the daughter of Audra and Doug Weddle and little sister of Kaitlyn Weddle of Floyd. Her grandparents, Kirby and Irene Duncan of Indian Valley, submitted the photo."
Sent to us by Becky Pauley.
Teresa S. Hash submitted these photos of Thomas Hash during the Rowdy Dawg Race Oct. 25. Teresa said "The mountain bike race was great, and the weather was beautiful."
Thanks, Theresa!
Joyce Sims of Radford sent in this photo of a pumpkin man found on Ingles St. in Radford.
Thanks, Joyce!
Ashley and Chris McCoy, of Radford sent in this picture of their border collie, Noah and their two cats, Minnie and Johnny. The McCoys said "They are each others' best friends."
Thanks, Ashley and Chris!
Beth Lohman, President of the New River Valley Bicycle Association, has won the Bike Hero Award from the Regional Bicycle Advisory Committee for unusual commute -- she bicycles to the bus stop, rides the bus to Salem, then bicycles the rest of the way to work.
Here's the full release:
Bike Hero and Extraordinary Bike Professional Award Winners Announced
“Regional Bicycle Advisory Committee Recognizes Local Bicycle Advocates”
Roanoke, Va., August 3rd, 2009 – The Regional Bicycle Advisory Committee, organized by the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission, is excited to announce the first winners of its Bike Hero and Extraordinary Bike Professional awards. The awards, sponsored by RIDE Solutions, honor individuals who have shown extraordinary dedication to improving bicycle accommodations, education, access, and safety in the region. Individuals were nominated throughout this past May’s Bike Month event, and winners were selected by the Bicycle Advisory Committee. The awards and winners are as follows:
Beth Lohman, Bicycle Hero: The Bike Hero Award is awarded to an individual who has shown dedication to the use and advocacy of the bicycle as a transportation alternative in their day-to-day activities, their work in the community to improve bicycle accommodations, and their encouragement through advocacy or by example for others to replace vehicle trips with bicycle trips.
Award winner Beth Lohman is President of the New River Valley Bicycle Association and an employee of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality in Roanoke. Beth was nominated for her work forming partnerships to provide bicycle safety education, her efforts to have formal bike routes established within the NRV, and her leadership of the NRVBA. Showing a dedication to her cause, Beth commutes between the Roanoke and New River Valleys each day by bike, riding to the Smart Way stop in Christiansburg, putting her bike on the bus until the Salem park-and-ride stop, and continuing her commute by bike.
Curtis Hicks, Extraordinary Bike Professional: The Extraordinary Bicycle Professional Award is given to an employee in the public or private sector who has shown remarkable leadership in encouraging the use of bicycling as a transportation alternative.
Curtis Hicks, Director of Secondary Education with Salem City Schools and an avid outdoorsman, was instrumental in helping the City of Salem obtain a $10,000 Safe Routes to School grant to improve bicycle and pedestrian accommodations for children riding or walking to school. His hard work to help kids integrate fitness and healthy activities into their daily routine by making bicycling to school a safe option will be recognized when the award is presented to him at the August 13th City of Salem school board meeting.
The Bicycle Advisory Committee appreciates all of the nominations it received and looks forward to continuing the awards as a regular part of Roanoke’s Bike Month.
Sean Kotz, a freelancer for The Roanoke Times, sent over this press release regarding a video production company he helps run:
Old Time Music Documentary Has Surprisingly Wide Appeal
Floyd, VA. After a year in production, Horse Archer Productions has released a much anticipated documentary about the Old Time music and culture of Appalachia called Why Old Time? that is getting attention in some surprising places.
In just three weeks of internet sales from their website (www.whyoldtime.com), Horse Archer Productions has sold copies in every state of the union, plus sales in Canada, England, Ireland, France, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Australia, Finland and even Japan.
“When we started this documentary, we began by asking why so many people in the 21st Century were drawn to music that often dates back before the Civil War,”
“When we started this documentary we began asking why so many people in the 21st Century were drawn to music that was old 100 years ago,” said Chris Valluzzo, co-producer and co-director of the full length feature documentary, noting that some of the most played tunes originated before the Civil War.
In other words, the producers had been thinking largely about the appeal of the music across time rather than geographically.
”When production began I met a few people in the scene from Europe and Japan,” Valluzzo added. “But I don’t think I really understood how far reaching and diverse it is until we were a few months into production.”
As the team traveled through the mountains of Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee, they started to get a sense of the far reaching impact of the music outside the region.
Since much of the filming took place at fiddler’s conventions and organized events, the crew frequently found themselves interviewing people who had traveled anywhere from a few miles to a few thousand miles just to play with friends.
“That is a big part of the whole experience,” said co-producer and co-director Sean Kotz.
“What sets this music and experience apart from the highly commercial experience of most popular music is the fact that there is not really a line between audience and musician because they tend to be one in the same.”
In the age of American Idol and massive corporate control over the concert experience, Old Time fiddler’s conventions are distinct because they are places people gather to swap tunes, sit-in on jams and camp out.
Valluzzo believes this is as much a part of the appeal as anything else.
“When you go to an Old Time gathering,” said Valluzzo, “you find people who have planned their whole year around the event.”
“That’s because being part of the community is so important to them, which is something you can’t get from buying an overpriced ticket and standing in the middle of a screaming crowd for two hours.”
According to the directing team, this sense of community is probably the real answer to the question, “why Old Time?” Over and over again, they have heard from buyers that this is a critical aspect of the film’s success.
” I totally agree that this music is about playing together,” said Jesper Deleuran, a viewer from Denmark.
“It’s about literally sitting knee to knee and playing for and with each other, and not for performing for an audience.”
The film is getting the same reaction in the United States.
According to Valluzzo, they have gotten a great deal of mail thanking them for doing the film and commenting that it captures the experience faithfully.
"That is really rewarding,” Valluzzo said, noting that the people inside the community are likely to be the harshest critics if the film was not on the mark.
Why Old Time? is Horse Archer Productions’ third feature documentary and they feel their experience with their first film, 2007’s Hokie Nation, was incredibly valuable in their more recent production.
Horse Archer also released The Henry Reed Legacy on DVD in June. That film documents the life and impact of Giles County Old Time fiddler, Henry Reed, and compliments Why Old Time?
The Henry Reed Legacy has also sold well overseas, said Kotz.
“Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised, but it is always a bit of a kick to see an order come in from across the globe for a film about a local musician.”
Both films are available at www.whyoldtime.com and www.horsearcherproductions.com.
Tom Angleberger's latest restaurant review ran in today's Current and can be found here.
Many of you have weighed in on Tom's reviews in the past two months, and we wanted to provide more opportunity for you to do. What do you think?
Is Tom right-on? Is he way off? Tell us.
Jennifer Jones at the Wytheville-Wythe-Bland Chamber of Commerce shared these upcoming events:
Farmers Market - The 2009 Farmer's Market is now open every Saturday, 9 am - 1 pm, at 355 East Main Street in Downtown Wytheville (Former RPJohnsons & Sons location) and Main Street (beside Extension Office) in Downtown Bland opening July 11.
Horsemanship 102 Clinic - Tuesday, June 16, 6:30pm. Copper Crest Farms (Pam Umberger’s facility). To register call Wythe County Extension
Office 276-223-6040.
Blind & Vision Impaired Support Group Meeting - Tuesday, June 16, 11:30 am, Wytheville First Church of God; 228-7612
Wine Tasting - Friday, June 19, 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm, Cre8ive Expressions, 215 W. Main St. There will be a new shipment of artisan cheeses and breads along with our gourmet mixes and toppings.
