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The Alleghany Traveler for July 23, 2017
Notes On The Cheap Seats...

 
Make no mistake about it: participating in an event like the Alleghany Gran Fondo and then completing any one of its various segments means you're a pretty strong cookie. Some cyclists did the 33 mile version and many did the over 100 mile run. That's a lot of biking, and remember: this isn't Myrtle Beach! It's up hill and then downhill and in many cases "up mountain!"

Some braved Rte. 606 all the way to the top where one could cut away and end up at Ingalls Field. It must be some kind of a cyclist's "honor" to say you've done that ridiculously tough section. One local rider told us it's "legendary".

So, here's a hat tip from The Traveler to all the participants and sponsors, Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce, First National Bank, WestRock, Lumos, RoanokeOutside.com, JenFab, Chemcore, Bear Mountain Signs and the Raisin Hoe Foundation. And I cannot leave out the fine effort of race director, Matt Butterman, who recently slipped on some kind of oily substance while riding (and was promoting this particular race at that time too!) and fractured his femur.

Matt had to have pins and a rod put in his hip as a result of that very ugly crash, but he sat right at his post and did his race director's job in a first class manner just the same.

Check out the AlleghanyJournal.com's coverage of the event via 12 separate videos of racers.

Wow...one guy, Joe Young, did the 33 mile version at the age of 83. Now that's what I call an inspiration (I just stole a line from our editor there, because I agree with him!).

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OK, mark your calendars: SaraJane McDonald and Sweet Fire will perform at the Jackson River Sports Complex on Saturday, July 29 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. To get a feeling for her music please go to SaraJane McDonald and Sweet Fire and play her video. I'll see you there! The event is being sponsored by the Covington Parks and Recreation Department.

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The new construction on the east end of Clifton Forge already has a nickname and it's not a very nice one: I've heard more than one local person call it the "road to nowhere". While right now that may be the case, folks should remember that the construction has been paid with grant money (not local bucks) and that eventually, it should result in several new businesses locating along its sides. It doesn't look like much at the moment.

I've heard one local biologist claim that he found what he termed an unusual type of "summer shrimp" on one portion of the 13 acres - and that might not please the town's leaders, especially if that, in any manner, kept the expensive development from being fully used.

At any rate, despite the recent Kroger fuel station setback, it appears that that end of the town may see some substantial development and the "road to nowhere" might, indeed, have to get its nickname changed to the "the road of opportunity."

I admit that for now at least, it does appear to be the road to nowhere...

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Saw some signs around Covington indicating that more paving will soon begin. That's great news for most of us and bad news for the people who do front end alignments! The city is overdue for this kind of work and when finished, should make many important streets look much, much better and a whole lot smoother!

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Robbie Barber and Roanoke Landscapes owner Randy Brannan will be recognized at the Clifton Forge Town Council on Tuesday, July 25th. These two have landscaped a huge area along the big white wall at the west end of the town and mulched and trimmed up other areas like the Dollar General and Kroger stores as well as the new signage locations for the town...and all free to the locality. Nice job, fellas. Very nice job.

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The Community Foundation for Rockbridge, Bath & Alleghany isn't well-known in the Alleghany County area, despite having board members from this area from time to time. But I suspect that's been a result of a lack of publicity. The foundation recently obtained for the Lexington area Habitat for Humanity a big, new box truck to help with its operations and awards thousands in grants each year for a wide range of projects. Check out the foundation's website to get a better idea how it interacts with the region. It's always looking for generous donors, too. When you consider the huge amount of needs, both personal and organizational in the region, you might find yourself being tempted to give. Here is its website: Community Foundation for Rockbrige, Bath and Alleghany.

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In a recent AlleghanyJournal.com interview, Alleghany County School Division Director of Instruction Mary Jane Mutispaugh did a great job of explaining to county residents exactly what the term "New Tech" means. This is very important, for Alleghany High School's 2018 9th and 10th graders will be the first classes to use the new concept that is termed "Project-Based Learning."

There is huge potential for the idea and it's one that the Alleghany County School Board will be spending huge bucks on.

Now, couple this relatively new concept with the pressure that board feels about getting the Clifton Middle School where it wants it to be in terms of accreditation, and you get the idea that there may be some testy back-and-forth words in future school board meetings.

Well, as you probably know, that might not surprise anybody. We've just seen a few testy exchanges this summer. Board member Jacob Wright does not always believe he has to stay in step with the others and often says so. And, when I watch the various videos of the meetings, board member Todd Persinger always looks mad about something. He seems quite good at making only slightly disguised insults and statements that resemble personal demands. But in watching these same videos, I've yet to hear a single "solution" emanating from that superior attitude. I'm very interested in solutions and those who take the time to plan and design them. The "cheap seats" are normally occupied by the quippers and snippers, mom always told me.

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What's up with this new welding program supposedly soon to happen between DSLCC and the Jackson River Technical Center? I don't know...but whatever it is seems like a great idea to me. Students who learn this wonderful skill often find themselves in big demand by employers and their paychecks are often quite good. I can name several friends who never were that good at English, but are now very good with building up their bank statements.

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Somebody needs to tell VDOT that for MONTHS now, one of its traffic counter boxes has been knocked over near the DSLCC I-64 exit from Covington. The box is on the ground near the place where folks turn right to go to Selma and Low Moor. Oh, no worry! That unit is probably only worth a few thousand dollars...

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It's difficult to believe, but school starts the second week of August in many Virginia localities. Wow. When I used to carry books, we hardly ever started before Labor Day. In fact, I believe Virginia school divisions have to get special permission to start before Labor Day, unless those rules have changed.

At any rate, dear students and parents, you'd better get some fun things done relatively quickly before you've got to start hitting those books again and parents getting back into the transport business.

And speaking of transporting students: please, county parents, be patient. If you've heard that the Phillips Construction work at the Low Moor exit will make traffic there better almost immediately...well, that would be a bad lie. If you've heard that the work at the Low Moor exit EVENTUALLY will lead to far better traffic flow there...well, that IS NOT A LIE.

What everybody needs to get used to is this: Low Moor has gone from a sleepy little place to a soon-to-be highly active business center. When the Love's Travel Center opens many months from now, the place is going to be buzzing.

That may be good news for Bruce Proffitt, who has announced that he wants to sell his wonderful Cat & Owl Restaurant nearby. The traffic volume at the Low Moor exit will probably quadruple and that means many more customers seeing his business.

I've wanted to tell Bruce what a great job he's done all these years with that restaurant, but that's tough to do if one is stuffing one's mouth with his twice-baked or stuffed potatoes and other goodies.

Maybe Bruce really isn't going to retire. I have suspected all along that he would just join the PGA Senior Golf Tour. I know that's probably what he'd like to do and he'd be good for that organization's ticket sales...

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OK, Calypso has signaled that its grain time. I've hitched her up for yet another Sunday run about the region, hoping to come across more rumor/news and unique sights. For if you travel the back roads as much as we do, you'd clearly understand that there is, indeed, much that is uniquely Alleghany.

See ya right here again next week....

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