Calling all kindergarten through third-graders. Come make a joyful noise as part of a Children’s Community Choir.
Beginning on Thursday, Jan. 31, from 4 to 5 p.m. and continuing at that same time each week for six weeks, Vicar Andy Schottelkorb of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church will lead the children in preparation for a concert on March 13. The songs will include Christian and traditional selections.

Every classic TV fan remembers the series finales of their favorite sitcoms.  Who could forget that moment on the final episode of “Cheers” when Ted Danson, as Sam Malone, announced to a customer who tried to enter his bar after closing time, “Sorry, we’re closed?”  Although I was never a fan of the show, I can clearly recall the finale of “Seinfeld” when Jerry and his gang were sentenced to a year in prison for repeated failures at being good Samaritans.  For me, perhaps the most unforgettable final episode of any TV sitcom was that of the show “Newhart,” starring comedian Bob Newhart. 

This has been a busy week.  Monday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day and there were a record number of Virginia citizens, including hundreds of school children, visiting our beautiful State Capitol.  One of our most important visitors was Marco Leung, accompanied by Coach Marrs, of Graham High School in Bluefield.  Marco is the Model General Assembly for 2008 and was here to meet with Governor Kaine and be introduced to both houses of the General Assembly.  Model General Assembly will take place in April here at the Capitol.

Old Blue Rosenbloom looked shocked when he got to the barn.  “Heard something awful,” he said.  “It’s so awful that I didn’t want to hear it.”
“You’d better sit down,” said Beck, my ole Missouri mule.  “Never saw you so shook up.”

Soul searching

What’s the meaning of this meeting?

Seventy-five years ago, a group of hungry actors stepped into the lights washing the stage and performed “After Tomorrow.”
Those actors were the first Barter actors. The play, the first the now-three-quarters of a century old theater produced.
Author Sherwood Anderson, then editor of the newspaper in Smyth County reviewed that first effort.
“The play itself wasn’t much… the acting much better than the play,” he wrote. “‘After Tomorrow’ gave us, and this is really the main thing, an honest-to-goodness evening at the theater. And Barter Theatre will surely give us more.”

We have just finished week two in Richmond.  All budget bills had to be in by 5 p.m. Thursday, and regular bills by 5 p.m. Friday. 
This week we passed several resolutions; I will highlight a few. 
The House designated Feb. 6, beginning this year, as Ronald Reagan Day.  We also designated March as Brain Injury Awareness Month.  Brain injuries have become a major concern in Virginia due to the increasing number of high impact car accidents and soldiers returning from war zones.  April 27 through May 3 has been designated as Plumbing Industry Week, and October as Dyslexia Awareness Month. 

Phillip Puckett must have plenty of spending money.  Else, he doesn’t travel much, particularly into other states.  He wants his state senate to pass legislation increasing fuel taxes from 17.5 to 20 cents per gallon.

In one of my first columns about two and a half years ago, I wrote about my efforts to improve my drinking habits by drinking the Aquacal brand of strawberry flavored water as opposed to Coca-Cola.  Having become quite addicted to the soft drink over the course of my lifetime, I remember telling you that I was uncertain as to how long this change would last.  While I cannot recall exactly how long I was able to hold out, I regret telling you that I have completely fallen off the wagon.