Virginia's Crooked Road

Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum

Jane and I are about to embark on an extended weekend visiting one major venue on Virginia's Heritage Music Trail, The Crooked Road (www.thecrookedroad.org).  As you read this we will have just returned from the FloydFest Concert featuring Ricky Skaggs, Sam Bush, Alison Krauss, and many others.  The Festival is in Floyd County just south of Blacksburg and Virginia Tech in a small town that has been named one of the 100 Best Small Arts Towns in a book by that name.  Our trip was made possible in part from a contest we won.

Floyd is just one stop on a 333-mile driving route through the scenic mountains of Southwest Virginia that connects major heritage music venues, and FloydFest is one of many festivals and concerts along the way.  We are excited about our trip because the drive through Southwest Virginia could not be more spectacular.  We will get to enjoy the music for which the region is well known from old-time fiddle and banjo, a cappella gospel and ballad singing, and bluegrass among others.  Ralph Stanley and the Carter Family are among the better known performers who called the region home.  In addition, we will be shopping for the distinctive Appalachian Mountain arts and crafts and hiking some of the trails.

The eastern most point of The Crooked Road is Rocky Mount in Franklin County, moonshine capital of the state, and heads westward and south paralleling the North Carolina and Tennessee borders.  It passes through Galax, "World's Capital of Old-Time Mountain Music," and home of the annual Old Fiddler's Convention that might be one of the world's largest (scheduled for August 6-11, 2012).  Next along the way is beautiful Abingdon, and after Gate City, the Road turns back north through the Appalachian Mountains and coal mining country to end at the Breaks Interstate Park.  There are many more venues for music and entertainment than I have listed.  I suggest taking a look at The Crooked Road travel guide at www.thecrookedroad.org.

Jane attended Virginia Tech and lived next door to the region as a college student.  I have visited the region many times on legislative and other business.  We are excited about going back even if for a short time.  Southwest Virginia is unique in its history and culture.  It is a great place to get to know.  You may want to take a trip on Virginia's Crooked Road.

Virginia Sales Tax Holiday Coming This Weekend

Don't forget Virginia's annual Sales Tax Holiday Friday, August 3 through Sunday, August 5.  This is a great time for back to school shopping.  Virginia sales tax will be suspended on approved school supplies $20 each or less and clothing and footwear $100 each or less.  Visit www.tax.virginia.gov for a complete listing.

Virginia Has First-Ever August Craft Beer Month

Virginia's reputation as a destination full of local flavor has a new experience to tout with the first-ever August Virginia Craft Beer Month.  The month's theme, Love on Tap, is a nod to the state's famous Virginia is for Lovers slogan and local craft beer on tap at more than 40 breweries and hundreds of restaurants across Virginia.  The month-long celebration culminates with the first-ever Virginia Craft Brew Festival August 25 at Devils Backbone Brewery in Nelson County.  The Virginia tourism office has created a new, interactive map on www.Virginia.org/craftbeer to help visitors find craft breweries open for tastings and tours and plan a visit.  The site also features special events and Virginia craft beer travel packages throughout August.

TaxiAccess Program

TaxiAccess is Fairfax County's discount taxi voucher program for individuals who are residents of Fairfax County or the City of Fairfax and who are registered users of MetroAccess.  Participants are eligible for 8 $33 discounted coupon booklets a year at a cost of $10 each.  Participants can register for the program by filling out an application that can be obtained by calling 703.877.5800, TTY 711.

What Do You Geek?

Geek\Verb.  1:  To love, to enjoy, to celebrate, to have an intense passion for.  2:  To express interest in.  3.  To possess a large amount of knowledge in.  4:  To promote.

Fairfax County Public Library is participating in a public awareness campaign called Geek the Library.  The campaign highlights how libraries support what people are passionate about and how, in turn, people can support their local libraries.  Geek the Library encourages the public to talk about what they 'geek' - whether it's engineering, superheroes, art, politics, or anything else.  The campaign illustrates the fact that everyone is passionate about something and the library supports them all.  "This is a fun campaign that we hope will get residents talking about the valuable role of the library and will encourage those who don't currently use the library to drop by or visit us online," said Edwin S. Clay III, library director.  "We offer thousands of free eBooks; Wi-Fi at all our branches; meeting space; computer access; tutoring and so much more."  Residents can pick up Geek the Library materials at their local branch and sign a GeekBoard.  Library Facebook and Twitter followers can post what they Geek online.  "This campaign is designed to provoke conversation about the vital role that public libraries and librarians play in today's challenging environment," said Cathy de Rosa, global vice president of marketing for Online Computer Library Center, Inc., a nonprofit library cooperative which led the campaign development.  "We hope it will spark important community discussions about how public libraries can remain strong.  As the economy slowly recovers, millions of Americans are turning to local libraries for educational opportunities, job searching resources, and entertainment.  "Fairfax County Public Library is fortunate to be expanding our hours in the fall thanks to an increase to the library budget in FY2013 by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors," said lay.  The Geek the Library campaign is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.