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  _________________________

Community Happenings

Software Changes Coming
Just a note for our regular readers: Your (volunteer, hobbyist) webmaster is going to be making some software changes to this site between now and March 31. You'll begin to notice some differences; I'm taking the opportunity to add some new features. Actually, I would have been happy to keep the site very much as it was -- but support for the software I'm using to maintain the site is slowly dwindling away. You may get a few error messages from the site, but there will be some great new content when the switchover is done. Bridgewater Buzz, which is separately hosted, will be unaffected. Thanks, everyone!

-- Your webmaster
3/6/2008 

North River Grill Closes, Again
The restaurant location that has been home to the North River Grill, Las Palmas, Karl's and Woody's, among others, is said to have closed again. Check out the conversation at Bridgewater Buzz.
3/3/2008

Dayton Reaches Out, Big-Time
The Town of Dayton is looking to annex 1,400 acres north of the existing boundaries. The area includes developable land and -- more importantly -- the existing Wal-Mart Supercenter with its tax revenue. Dayton officials say the annexation is part of continuing efforts to diversify the town's revenue base, currently dominated by the Cargill poultry processing plant. The annexation had been predicted for some time, going back to Dayton's original agreement to supply water service to the Wal-Mart. Here is the Daily News-Record article on the annexation.
3/01/08 

Turner Ashby Shines in National Report
Turner Ashby High School received the bronze medal in rankings issued by U.S. News and World Report. This makes it one of the top high schools in its class nationally. Congratulations to all at TA who had a hand in getting the school to this level! For more on TA's ranking, check here.
1/31/2008

TV3 Channels Available on DirecTV
Local TV viewers choosing satellite service haven't had an easy way to get Harrisonburg's WHSV-TV3, but that's changing. TV3 has announced that its three major channels are now available on DirecTV. Before the change, satellite customers had to put up an antenna or subscribe to a basic cable package to get TV3. Now a DirecTV subscription can be set up for TV3 plus other broadcast and cable networks in a choice of packages. “Finally, people who have had such a strong desire to get WHSV, especially local news, weather and sports, will be able to get the station,” says Tracey Jones, Vice-President and General Manager of WHSV. Here's more on the story from WHSV's website. Here's a link to DirecTV. And finally, here's a link on HDTV and multicasting in our area.
1/16/2008

Agri-tourism Discussion
You may have heard about agri-tourism -- making money by having the farm as a tourist destination. Corn mazes and Halloween pumpkin patches are just two examples. But should the state be in the business of supporting agri-tourism? Check it out at Bridgewater Buzz.
1/7/2008

The "Secret Forecast," Again
Recent weather happenings make this especially relevant now: In addition to to the forecasts that are released to the public, there is a more accurate take on what the forecasters really think, posted as the "forecast discussion" from the National Weather Service. It's highly technical, but you can figure it out with a little effort. Here's the link.
12/10/2007

Comcast Alternatives
Recent rate increases by local cable provider Comcast have Bridgewater residents looking at alternatives. Although cable remains the easiest way to get TV signals, some residents report success with a mix of old and new technology -- the old-fashioned outdoor antenna teamed up with newer TVs and digital receivers. There's a page on one setup that works in Bridgewater here. Also check what your neighbors are saying about Comcast and the alternatives at Bridgewater Buzz.
11/17/2007

Snow Contest Returns
Fall is here and before you know it the snow will fly, but when? Join the Bridgewater Buzz snow prediction contest and you may win a prize for your prediction! The idea is to pick the day when we'll get our first inch of snow in Bridgewater. Submit your guess at Bridgewater Buzz.
10/26/07 

TV Ratings Battle Affects Valley Viewers
There's a ratings battle in progress among local TV stations -- not an unusual occurrence, but there are a few new developments:

• NBC-29 is pushing to have out-of-market NBC affiliates taken off local cable outlets.
• TV3 is going for Waynesboro-Staunton-Augusta viewers with more news coverage of the area.
• NBC-29 has started a 24-hour weather channel for its coverage area, with lots of Valley readings and forecasts.
• TV3 is doing significant Winchester-area news coverage with its TV3-Winchester operation.

See what posters to Bridgewater Buzz say about this topic.
10/19/2007

New Website for Presbyterian Church
Bridgewater Presbyterian Church has a new website at www.bridgewaterpc.org , or use the "Bridgewater Presbyterian" link under "Churches" on this page.
10/19/2007

24-Hour Weather on Digital TV
Weather reports from local sites including Bridgewater and Weyers Cave are now available around the clock on NBC-29's digital channel 29-2. A spokesman for the station calls says the service is an effort to provide "the most accurate, up-to-date, weather information to our 10-county viewing area in Central Virginia and the Central Shenandoah Valley." The station explains that the national weather is provided live, 24/7, by NBC while local weather forecasts are updated on the quarter hour. "The 'L-Bar' of live data is updated continuously by our 25 WeatherBug weather stations located throughout the area (one of which is in your hometown of Bridgewater)," the station reported. "In addition, we provide near-live (2-min delay) radar data from our NBC29 Level 2 Triple-Doppler Radar." To find out about getting 29-2 as well as WSHV's subchannels over the air, go to the local digital TV page.
9/22/07

Yard Sale Draws Modest Crowds
Bridgewater's fall yard sale drew its usual crowds on Saturday, with shoppers out in force by 8 a.m. It was smaller than the June yard sale, as expected, but a lot of treasures changed hands.
9/22/2007

End of Summer Celebration
The Town of Bridgewater's annual end of summer celebration was held Sept. 4 in Oakdale Park. Find out more here.
9/2/2007 

BC Students Back
Bridgewater College's 2007-2008 academic year kicked off with new students arriving Sept. 1 and classes starting Sept. 4. Check the schedule here. The Bridgewater College football team opened at home on Sept. 1 with a 45-19 victory over McDaniel. Here's the complete season schedule.
8/27/2007 

Weather Page Upgraded
There's a nice weather page with local information at Bridgewater WeatherNet. Just click the first link under "Our Area" at the left for live radar centered on Bridgewater, the WHSV-TV3 forecast, readings from local weather stations, and more. Check it out!
8/8/2007

Bridgewater 7-11 Is History
Bridgewater's Main Street 7-11 convenience store is history, having closed for good on July 29. Renovations are already under way for the successor store, reportedly a beer and wine shop. See what your neighbors are saying about it.
8/2/2007

County Fair Coming
The Rockingham County fair, one of the best traditional county fairs anywhere, opens Monday, August 13 for its six-day run. Here's the schedule, but what are local residents saying about it?
7/24/2007

Lawn Party Returns for 2007 Run
Bridgewater's famous Lawn Party and Steam and Gas Show opens Wednesday, July 18. Highlights include the usual tractor and antique car events, the Firefighters' Parade, and music by Pony Express, All Natural, Spell Bound and Tommy Wood. Check out our Lawn Party Page for the schedule, or go straight to the Bridgewater Fire company's website.
7/08/2007

Early Start for T.A. Football
Turner Ashby football gets off to an early start with the Fall 2007 opening game set for Waynesboro on August 24. The home opener features visiting Chancellor High School of Fredericksburg a week later on August 31. Traditional rival Harrisonburg High School visits T.A. on October 26. Check out the whole schedule here.
7/08/2007

Bridgewater College Group Headed to Niger
A group from Bridgewater College is seeking support for its upcoming August trip to Niger. The students will be working to construct a garden in a village of 3000 in the west African nation. "This village, along with much of Niger, is among the poorest communities in the world," a statement from the group says. Find out more and find out how you can help at www.bridgewaterva.com/niger .
07/2/2007

Karaoke Coming to Mt. Crawford Lawn Party
The Mt. Crawford Lawn Party is coming up July 11 thru July 14, with this year's new event a Wednesday Karaoke Night provided by High Voltage Karaoke. The fun begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 11. Find out more at Bridgewater Buzz.
7/1/2007

Quiet July 4th in Bridgewater
July 4th is likely to be a quiet holiday in Bridgewater, with no official activities planned. Harrisonburg's Valley 4th is back and there are also activities set for Fulks Run.
6/30/2007

Teenth Day Celebrated at Wildwood Park
The Rockingham County NAACP celebrated the end of slavery in American history at Wildwood Park this year. See the story from Bridgewater Buzz and TV3.
6/18/2007

Great Day for Turner Ashby High School
Saturday, June 9, was a great day for Turner Ashby High School, as the Class of 2007 became alumni and all those eager 11th graders became the seniors! See a note of appreciation at Bridgewater Buzz. And just hours later, the Turner Ashby baseball team won a second consecutive state title. Here's coverage from the Daily News-Record.
6/10/2007 

Community Yard Sale Set
Bridgewater's spring yard sale was held June 9, town-wide. See what your neighbors said about it at Bridgewater Buzz.
6/10/2007 

10-Acre Development Proposed
A 10-acre development is being proposed for the North Main Street area of Bridgewater. Under the proposal, the current "Bridgewater Trailer Court" would be rezoned for business and housing. A 0.8-acre parcel would be zoned for business, while the remaining 9.2 acres would be for housing. Under the proposal, the 9.2 acre development would include "village homes" with higher density and smaller lots, in keeping with the Town's zoning ordinance. The builder-developer team making the proposal includes David Milstead and Larry French. A public hearing is set on the proposal, which includes rezonings and a special use permit, for May 8 at 7:30 p.m. in the Bridgewater Council Chambers. What do you think about the proposed development? Go on over to Bridgewater Buzz and express yourself.
5/2/2007

Routine Increase in Water Rates Set
The Town of Bridgewater's budget for the coming fiscal year includes a routine 3.3 percent increase in water rates. Town official estimate that the average water customer will see an increase of of 56 cents per month or $6.72 for the year. A public hearing on the budget is set for 7:30 p.m. April 24 at the town hall (Bridgewater Community Center), 201 Green St.
4/21/2007

Local Students at Virginia Tech Safe
The local students attending Virginia Tech have checked in and all those from the Bridgewater-Dayton area are unharmed, as far as we can tell. Two individuals from Harrisonburg have non-life-threatening injuries. April 16 was a sad day for Virginia Tech, our state and our nation. Post your thoughts at Bridgewater Buzz.
4/18/2007

Memorial Blood Drive April 21
There was a blood drive in memory of Carol Gardner Saturday, April 21 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Bridgewater Presbyterian Church, 110 E. College St, Bridgewater. Now that the drive is past, for those who wonder about eligibility to give blood in future drives: You must be at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 lbs. For more details, visit www.vablood.org
4/4/2007

Good Friday Cross Walk
Local area churches sponsored a Good Friday Cross Walk Friday, April 6, beginning and ending at the Bridgewater College Library. Walkers took turns carrying a wooden cross to local churches for dramatic readings and interpretations.
4/3/2007

Golf Season Is Here
Bridgewater's free par three golf course opened for the season at Sandy Bottom Park on April 2, 2007. Off-season work included reworking tee boxes, sand trap maintenance and greens work. For more on the course, see http://www.bridgewaterva.com/par3.htm
4/3/2007

New Website for Lutheran Church
Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Dayton has a new website with lots of good information. Check it out at www.shepvalleylutheran.org , or use the "Lutheran" link under "Churches" on this page.
3/1/2007

That "Secret Forecast"
Regulars at www.bridgewaterva.com are already aware of this -- but if you're not, here's a useful hint when there's snow in the forecast. In addition to to the forecasts that are released to the public, there is a more accurate take on what the forecasters really think, posted as the "forecast discussion" from the National Weather Service. It's highly technical, but you can figure it out with a little effort. The main benefit of reading this forecast is that you can tell when the forecasters are uncertain -- as opposed to those times when they're fairly sure we'll have a major snow event. Here's the link.
2/9/2007

Finally, the First Snow of '06-/'07!
The first snow of the winter of 2006-2007 finally fell, on Sunday, January 21. Things were a bit slick on the secondary roads, but Town of Bridgewater crews kept in-town streets clear. Two entrants in our snow predicting contest had January predictions: adidasbasketball07 for January 15 and Va Gal for January 30 -- but, because the prize was a Christmas wreath, the contest had actually ended before Christmas with the prize going to sissy sue in a drawing. There's a place for your opinion and your reactions at Bridgewater Buzz.
1/22/2007

The Tree of Light
The Tree of Light has again made its appearance just off Airport Road southeast of Bridgewater. For the most spectacular view, drive around toward Sandy Bottom Park and look up across the river. Thanks again to our neighbors for this inspiring show of holiday cheer.
12/10/2006

sissy sue Wins Snow Contest
The bridgewaterva.com snow predicting contest is over now, with sissy sue being declared the winner by a random draw. Regulars on Bridgewater Buzz will recall that there was a contest to predict the first significant snowfall of 2006-2007. A number of entries came in. Old Man Winter, however, did not cooperate with a snowfall in October, November or the first part of December. Because the prize is a Christmas wreath, it was necessary to declare a winner in time for the prize to be enjoyed. Congratulations are due to longtime Bridgewater Buzz contributor sissy sue. Thanks are also due to the prize contributor and the snow contest moderator. See the whole story at Bridgewater Buzz.
12/19/2006 

Wildwood Dredging
Crews are using heavy equipment to dredge out the secondary channel of the North River at Wildwood Park. That's the non-flowing part that backs up under the Wildwood suspension bridge. Silt builds up there and is removed from time to time. Although the operation is messy, controls are in place and that channel of the river will look much better in the coming season because of the work currently being done.
12/19/2006  
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Decorations Go Up
Christmas decorations are again going up around Bridgewater. Town crews put up the attractive banners and light displays on the light poles, and many people in the neighborhoods have put up their household decorations. Have an opinion about decorations around town? Weigh in here.
12/05/2006

Multicasting Comes to the Area
Some local favorite television stations are now "multicasting," sending out multiple channels at once. For example, Harrisonburg's WHSV-TV3 now broadcasts its regular TV3 programming, plus FOX on a subchannel, plus MyNetwork TV on another subchannel. Among other things, this means that Andy Griffith fans can still see Andy and Barney and the rest of the gang at 5:30 p.m. weekdays on the MNTV subchannel, even as TV3 has a news broadcast on its main channel. What's the catch? Right now your old TV and old cable signal won't get you the subchannels, but check here to see how many people in our area are already getting those subchannels using ordinary antennas. 
11/10/2006

Firefighter Memorial Dedicated
A memorial in honor of Bridgewater Firefighter Eddie Caracofe was dedicated on October 28. Firefighter Caracofe was a volunteer firefighter with the Bridgewater Volunteer Fire Company. He was killed in the line of duty while fighting a mutual-aid arson fire in 1979, at Jess’s Quick Lunch in the City of Harrisonburg.
10/28/2006

Harvest Time, Standard Time Halloween
It's harvest time in the Valley and decorations are appearing. There are especially nice displays of straw bales and fall flowers at the Houff Community Center (Maple Terrace). A side note: This year's Halloween (Tuesday, Oct. 31) will occur under Standard Time for the last time this fall. Starting in 2007, Daylight Time continues through the first Sunday in November, guaranteeing more light (by the clock) for trick-or-treaters in the future.
10/7/2006

Fall Colors Appearing
The "hasty maple" trees are showing colors throughout Bridgewater now, with yellow, orange and red replacing the light green of late summer. Peak colors are expected around October 15 this year, but peak color forecasts are notoriously difficult. But as one long-time resident put it, "I never saw a fall in Bridgewater I didn't like."
9/25/2006

Turner Ashby Football Schedule Set
The fall 2006 Turner Ashby High School football schedule is posted here, copied from the Virginia High School League website. The Knights open September 1 against Brookville, away. The home opener is against Spotswood on September 22.
8/15/2006

"The Big Repave" Makes 42 Smooth
Bridgewater's repaving projects for summer 2006 continue, with Virginia 42 near Turner Ashby High School essentially completed. There's a great surface and nice new lines, and the paving contractors worked hard to minimize the disruption. 
8/14/2006

TV3 Changes Coming
WHSV-TV3's 6 p.m. newscast anchor Van Hackett is retiring at the end of August. The next news director, Ed Reams (of New Orleans), has started work but will not be on camera as regularly as Van was. Reams, who once worked at TV3, did some notable coverage of Hurricane Katrina while in New Orleans. His broadcast career has also included stops in Roanoke, Raleigh and Atlanta. Post your reactions here. Or, check up on your other favorite TV3 alumni here.
7/20/2006

Turner Ashby Baseball
Congratulations are in order to everyone associated with Turner Ashby High School's state championship baseball team: to the coaches, the parents, the fans -- but most of all, to the players who persevered through the season and the playoffs to Saturday's 5-0 victory over Tunstall. Well done, guys!
6/11/2006

Words Fail
There just aren't any words to describe the loss and sadness of our community over the loss of Carol Gardner and the critical wounding of her husband, Bill Gardner. They're two people who always stood ready to lend a hand and who enriched the community in so many ways: in leading youth, in showing the way to environmental awareness, in just being friends to so many. We can take comfort in the good they accomplished together, we can pray for Dr. Gardner's recovery, we can stand by the family -- but it will take a long time for the community to recover from the sadness of these events, if it ever does.
5/1/2006

Good Friday Pilgrimage
This, from the organizers of the Good Friday Pilgrimage in Bridgewater:

"The Good Friday Pilgrimage will begin and end at the Bridgewater College Library. Start time is 12:00 noon - end time is before 2 PM Stops in order: Presbyterian Church United Methodist Church Town Hall North River Baptist Blue Ridge Christian School Lantz Chapel

"A cross will be carried to remind us of the burden Christ carried for the world. Scripture will be read, so the story will not be forgotten. Strangers, families, students and friends will join together to show unity for our community and the message of Christ."
4/6/2006

Early Spring in Bridgewater
The worst of winter seems to have passed us by, and now the flowers are blooming and the birds are singing. What a great time of year this is!
3/13/2005

"Fiddler" Charms Locals
"Fiddler on the Roof," was presented by Turner Ashby High School February 23-26, to enthusiastic audiences. Read some of the local reaction here.
2/10/2006

TV3 Changes
TV3 is adding a Winchester-area channel and Fox programming here in the Valley. It's part of a big change coming in local TV broadcasting nationally. Part of that change is high-definition TV. Did you know you can get free HDTV locally? Check here for details.
2/4/2006

Disaster Child Care:
Montezuma Training
When there's a disaster, who cares for the kids while the adults put the pieces back together? Caring volunteers, that's who -- but you have to get training if you want to take part in this effort. That training, part of "Courage to Care Disaster Child Care," is coming to the Montezuma Church of the Brethren on March 10 and 11. Pre-registration is required, so check here for more details if you're interested.
1/31/2006

Link to the Secret Forecast
This time of year, winter weather can cause a lot of disruption -- but have you noticed how it's not usually as bad as forecast? That is, most of the time when the forecast is 4-8 inches of snow, we end up at the low end of that bracket. Well, if you want a more accurate take on what the forecasters really think, you can have a look at the "forecast discussion" from the National Weather Service. It's highly technical, but you can figure it out with a little effort. The main benefit of reading this forecast is that you can tell when they're uncertain -- as opposed to those times when they're fairly sure we'll have a major snow event. Here's the link.
12/13/2005

Local Weather Site Up and Running
There's a local weather site up and running at this link. Check it out! . . . and bookmark it if you like, or just click "Weather Center" at the upper left of this page.

The Tree of Light Again
Thanks are due again to a neighbor of ours  who makes our Christmas a little brighter each year. Each year this neighbor puts up a big "Tree of Light," a huge tree-shaped light display. It's located on the north side of Airport Road about halfway between Mt. Crawford and Bridgewater. You can easily see it from many parts of town. Each year, sometime in the first ten days of December or so, it goes up and it's turned on at night. Anyway, on behalf of all of us, thanks. You have brought some light to your community at this special time of year.
12/13/2005

A Beautiful, Late, Fall
Aren't the leaves pretty this year? I especially have in mind the maples in the College Street neighborhoods, East and West. Simply stunning. This is also a late leaf season for us. Last year the last lawn mowing at our house, with all the leaves having fallen, was on the first Saturday of November. But this year there is green grass and there are lots of leaves still in the trees at the equivalent time. Does this mean a mild winter?
11/4/2005

Sheetz Not in the Cards?
Site preparation has been going on at the corner of U.S. 11 and Va. 257 at Mt. Crawford. There was a rumor that Sheetz was looking at the site for a gasoline station and convenience store, but now the property is on the market. See what people are saying.
9/24/2005

Back to School Time
It's that time of year again, with teachers reporting August 18 and students going back August 25 to the Rockingham County Schools. Highlights of the 2005-2006 schedule include a Christmas break that goes from December 23 through January 2 and a scheduled end of the school year on June 8. Everything, of course, is subject to change when the snow flies! Check out the calendar here (and, throughout the year, at the "County School Calendar" link under "Education" at the left).
8/16/2005

Commercial Development Continues
"First Pizza, Now Coffee" is the way one community member expressed the planned opening of the Daily Grind coffee bar next to the new Papa John's Pizza in Bridgewater's Martin Center. What's next? And, for that matter, why is all that land being cleared at the southeast corner of Va. 257 and U.S. 11 (across from Exxon-Burger King)? People don't usually engage in that kind of clearing unless they having building plans. Post what you know here.
8/2/2005

Sentimental Column on the Class of 2005
Here's a link to a sentimental little column that I wrote about the Class of 2005 and the Shenandoah Valley. I received many compliments about the sentiments expressed, from as far away as Georgia (thanks, everyone!). I was hoping to link to the Daily News-Record's site, but I can't seem to find the column there. So here it is.
6/6/2005

Meals Tax Increase Approved
With no expressed opposition and brief discussion, the Town's proposed budget for the coming fiscal year was approved, includes an increase in the meals tax 
6/18/2005

Go Nats! How Good is This?
Folks, your Webmaster was wrong about one thing for sure. On April 7 I wrote about the new Washington Nationals baseball team: "It's likely that the Nationals will have to spend some years rebuilding before they're a contender, if the new management wants to put the money and effort into it." And now, here the Nats are beating the Braves and the Marlins, contending for first place in the division! (without years of rebuilding). How about that!
6/5/2005

How Much Pizza Can Our Area Eat?
Quite a bit, it seems. Papa John's Pizza is getting ready to open a location next to Ruth's Books on North Main Street. Pizza is now the universal food, it seems . . . if your send out for pizza, nobody complains!
5/12/2005

Love those Redbuds!
Bridgewater's flowering trees are putting on a show this spring, especially the redbuds. They're beautiful! Over at the 3-par golf course in Sandy Bottom, there are some nice specimens by the eighth tee. Maybe we should call it the "Redbud Tee," taking our cue from Augusta National.
4/22/2005

"Nuts about the Nats?"
That was the headline in the Harrisonburg Daily News-Record about the popularity of caps and t-shirts bearing the logo of the new Washington Nationals, now our nearest Major League Baseball team. Like a lot of folks, I'm happy to see baseball return to the nation's capital. But will Washington support bad baseball long enough for it to become good baseball? It's likely that the Nationals will have to spend some years rebuilding before they're a contender, if the new management wants to put the money and effort into it. Still, what an opportunity to see some great visiting teams. Imagine the Cubbies playing just a 2-3 hour drive away!
4/7/2005

Edgebriar Hoops are History
Edgebriar Park's basketball court is now history, having been broken up by backhoes in preparation for the new Edgebriar Park, which is to include facilities more in keeping with a little park right against a residential neighborhood. I'm looking forward to seeing the new design take shape. Though the basketball court was nice in a way, too many of the players weren't being good sports. For those who don't know this park, it's the one at the intersection of Main Street and East Riverside Drive -- just across Main Street from Seven Bridges Park.
3/4/2005

Winter's Last Gasp?
The February 28 storm is winter's last gasp before springtime -- according to my optimistic friend (See below). Get out your sunscreen! or not.
2/28/2005

A Mild Winter -- So Far
So far, this winter hasn't tested the formidable snow removal skills of our town crews. Nobody's complaining, except the schoolkids. And the 30-day outlook is for more mild weather. I know somebody who declares "Not Another Inch Day" about this time of year. The rules are that he has to take his wife out to lunch every times it snows more than an inch after Not Another Inch Day. Well, he declared Not Another Inch Day on February 6 this year!
2/13/2005.

Baseball in Harrisonburg
There's a lot of talk about the proposed stadium-hotel complex and minor league baseball in Harrisonburg. In one sense, we've got the best of it here in Bridgewater -- we can just go to the games if we wish and let Harrisonburg taxpayers pick up the public expense. But in another sense, we also have a stake in it. What development model will they follow? Will this be a prelude to paving more of the county? I don't have the answers, but some interesting questions are being asked.
1/11/2005

Bridgewater and the Loop Road?
Bridgewater town leaders are in favor of the famous "loop road" in Rockingham County and I understand why, to a point. Existing roads are too crowded; Bridgewater's Main Street carries way too much traffic; developed areas need good road access. But wait. I'm concerned that building more roads, without a change in the way we think about development, will only lead to more development -- so that the new roads will be choked and there will be calls for still more new roads. There's a smart guy in named E.M. Risse who's thought a lot about it. He and other "smart growth" advocates are interested in building communities that don't rely on so many, and so long, road trips just to get something done. Go here to check out the basic thoughts.
12/17/2004

Holiday Decorations
It's that time of year again. I saw my neighbor out on his ladder the day after Thanksgiving putting up his annual light show. Looks great! But I like it all . . . the sophisticated one-candle displays in windows, the plywood reindeer sets, the gaudy blinking lights. And, though we've heard it all before, let's remember the reason for the season. Help somebody else this holiday season -- you'll be glad you did! Are you fed up with commercialism? Here's something I wrote on the subject elsewhere.
11/29/2004

Bridgewater Buzz

What are your neighbors saying about local issues of interest? Does anyone know what's going in at the corner of 11 and 257? In short, what's the Buzz? Go on over and check it out.



Recovered old posts
Recovered older posts
Recovered oldest posts

Someone familiar to many local residents is Richi Yowell, who now is pastor of the Cedar Run Church of the Brethren.

Here's a nice site for parents of students at William and Mary.

Personal finance web site.