A weekend to ride, think and reflect.
Spring arrived Friday afternoon and the weather is pleasant for Friday and Saturday.
So my Harley Switchback and I are headed out, first for a visit for coffee and donuts, and then on the road for some time to ride.
Part of this is love of motorcycles. But the start of this Spring comes after a long winter, one with lots of satisfaction that comes from my primary pursuit of photography, video and journalism here in Southwestern Virginia.
The Lady Buffaloes made it to the final four in Virginia High School basketball this year and came damn close to winning it all. The varisty boys made it to regional play.
Last fall, the FCHS volleyball teams went into the post-season tournament with solid play.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Stephanie Shortt became a juvenile and domestic relations judge.
On the news front, Floyd County faces an unusually-interesting year in 2015 with contested races for Sheriff, Commonwealth’s Attorney and Supervisor for Little River District. Long-time clerk Wendell Peters is retiring and his assistant is on track to replace him.
Crime continues to dominate the Circuit Court docked. A former Indian Valley resident faces six life terms for raping a 12-year-old girl. Child pornography occupied the news. A former restaurant owner faces possible jail time for embezzlement.
Hollandsworth and Voss took over the primary building at the Economic Development Park after Volvo-owned Dex split for tax benefits in North Carolina. Floyd County’s Economic Development operation, however, is still looking for a primary tenant for the new Innovation Center after a former Virginia Tech professor spent all of his grant money and moved out in the darkness of night.
Floyd County residents face an almost-certain increase in real-estate and personal property taxes after the Board of Supervisors pushed back needed increases for too many years and now faces the inevitable. Without an increase, the school system, which lost 25 school teachers last year, faces a difficult future.
Good news and bad. These are the times we face.
Welcome to Spring.