Browsing: Commentary

This is not a subject that I write about often, but it is still a hazard that must be respected. We do not deal with this very often, so that is all the more reason to talk about it. Flash flooding comes from a number of different reasons. Heavy rains over a short period of time, tropical systems, dams that break and sometimes water mains that break can all lead to a flooding situation. Drainage systems and creeks can handle a lot of water, but at some point they, too, will be overwhelmed. Some places are prone to flooding. Those…

Hello and welcome back to the wonderful world of the Dogpound. Max is  making a slow recovery from his Max Attack that happened a few weeks ago. He has his decent days (for a dog that is over 14 years old), and he has his bad days when he is a bit disoriented, and his ability to stay upright is a challenge. Since I live close to work, I can come home at lunch time to check on Max and make sure he is OK. I have a walk out basement, so he stays down there during the day. That…

A little heat, a little steam and a little rain is to be expected, but, on the other hand, the weather should not matter that much. You know they make hats with fans in them, a cold one helps and praying for a cool breeze cannot hurt. This is the time of year when you do not have to sit in the house. Remember when we were saying, “I cannot put up with another day of cold and snow.” Well, it is gone. No more snow and no more cold. We should not be sitting inside the house waiting for…

We have seen two mass transit incidents lately that had totally different outcomes. The Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia injured and tragically killed many. The other incident involved a commercial bus near DC that caught on fire. Whether you are utilizing mass transit or become entangled in the aftermath of an incident, what is your plan? I traveled to DC three times in six days last week. An accident near the Dumfries/Manassas exit caused a thirty-minute delay getting to Dulles. On Sunday evening, traffic was so heavy that our average speed was probably 25-30 MPH, from Hanover to the same Dumfries/Manassas…

Hello and welcome back to the wonderful world of the Dogpound.  I got an offer in the mail the other day for another credit card.  Now, I already have four cards and this offering happened to be from a company I already have a card with.  However, this new card versus my old card would offer me a number of opportunities to earn more points on my purchases, so I gave them a call.  I went through the ritual…an automated voice asking me what I wanted to do, which took me to another automated voice asking for the last four…

Gov. Terry McAuliffe and the Virginia Board of Education honored 14 Chesterfield County schools with 2015 Virginia Index of Performance awards for advanced learning and achievement earlier last week. Not one school was honored east of the “Chesterfield Mountains” (schools in the Bermuda, Dale and southeast Matoaca Districts. Are school officials not paying attention to the southeastern schools, which allow them honors above and beyond our schools. Is that why the School Board is asking for volunteers to help students on this side of the county or is it lack of funding for our schools, a challenged student demographic or…

The Richmond-Petersburg area made it into the top fifteen U.S. cities with the worst mosquito problems.  The statistic was based on the number of customers who requested mosquito control products.  With the warm weather finally here, the threat of insect-transmitted diseases makes it necessary to think about protection during outdoor activities. There are many insect repellant products touted as effective, but products containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus (para-methane-diol) are most effective against mosquitoes.  These products are safe to apply directly to the skin and provide the longest lasting protection. DEET (diethyl methylbenzamide) is the chemical used in…

To the Editor: I am proud of the dedication of the teachers and the hard work of students in Chesterfield Public Schools. I believe the majority of the parents also believe this. I was a teacher in this system for many years, and I know the day-to-day challenges that teachers face while continuing to provide the best possible instruction. The generally positive perception has taken a hit with the many articles that have been written recently about the custodial outsourcing and capital expenditures in Chesterfield County Public Schools. My concern is the outsourcing of the custodial services which is being…

As Memorial Day has arrived, swimming pools have opened everywhere. A drowning can occur at any time during the year, but the probability of drowning goes up during the warmer months. The more people in the water, the greater the chance that someone may get in trouble. Death by drowning is preventable and it is my hope that those who read this will heed my warnings and have a great summer. As in many circumstances where children are concerned, parental supervision is a vital part of drowning prevention. Parents should constantly watch their child. Lifeguards are not babysitters, but rescuers.…

Hello and welcome back to the wonderful world of the Dogpound.  We had a bit of a scare over the weekend.  What Max? Okay, you are right it was not a small scare; it was a big scare.  I had to go to a wedding over the weekend, so I dropped Max off at the kennel that is run by my vet. What? Okay, right again, your vet but I still pay the bills. Anyway, I dropped him off on Thursday and made plans to pick him up on Monday.  I got a call from the kennel Monday morning telling…

1 83 84 85