The “bike shop” is located on the property of Our Community Place, 17 E Johnson Street, Harrisonburg.

“‘Every Day Bikes’promotes commuter biking for the Harrisonburg community.  Our project helps people with low or no income get bicycles to use as inexpensive, reliable, and pollution-free transportation.

Why This Project? The over use of automobiles is one of America’s most ecologically harmful activities (Union of Concerned Scientists). Cars dramatically increase global warming gases, urban sprawl, and fuel global instability. The simple act of riding a bicycle is a powerful alternative.

How Every Day Bikes Works:
Our volunteer bicycle mechanics receive donated bicycles, repair them and give them new life. People low in resources can get a bike on a work-exchange program or for a donation.  Our bicycles help people find work, get to medical appointments, get healthier, and meet other basic needs.

Projects:
• Refurbish used bicycles and repair bikes for low and no-income people
• Work-a-Bike program for adults and youth in need
• Bicycle tool use at the shop
• Lending program for bicycle trailers
• Sustainable transportation education and promotion for Harrisonburg
• Service opportunities

How You Can Help:
• Donate money, bicycles or tools
• Volunteer your time to repair bikes, keep our shop in shape, and build friendships
• Ride your bike more and drive less

Donations are tax deductible and can be sent to the nonprofit organization, New Community Project, 910 Collicello, Harrisonburg, VA 22802. For more information or to volunteer call us at 540-433-2363.”

A group of individuals get together every Monday, I’ve been told between 10a-3pm, to work on bicycles. They are very welcoming of people to stop by to help out and to donate bicycles. This is also great opportunity to keep bicycles out of the landfill and out of scrap metal piles - sometimes all these bikes need is a little bit of love.

Click Here to download a flyer about Everyday Bikes!

The thing is, those photos were taken off the school’s website years ago. I’m told some of those items, like chicken fryz, are still on the menu, but many have been taken out of rotation. There also appears to be some confusion on Digg and Holy Taco between Harrisonburg, Virginia and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

[Eddie] Bumbaugh says they closed on the building last Thursday and plan to open a new restaurant.

The new owners say the restaurant, expected to open Summer 2009, will be totally different from Taste of Thai, which will remain open.

Following on the heels of that was another news advisory regarding the wooden bridge on Water Street:

Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 20, 2008, Norfolk Southern will be performing maintenance work at the wooden bridge on Water Street between Liberty and South High Streets between 8:00 AM and 2:00 PM. The bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic during this time, however, pedestrians and bicyclists will still be able to use the bridge.

Between that and the ongoing Blacks Run bridge repairs on Elizabeth Street, driving downtown may be a little tricky tomorrow depending on your destination.

About 75 people - a hodgepodge of volunteers, the needy and homeless folks - chowed down on sloppy joes, corn on the cob, stewed tomatoes, onion rings, squash casserole and garlic bread.

Those that know Ron Copeland, formerly the man behind the Little Grill, know that he’s been working on this project for years and years.

I would have a video to post, but my battery died.

From 5:30 to 8:30, the Commission — comprised of multifarious experts and members of the state House and Senate — heard from Valley residents on the topic of illegal immigration. One after another, advocates representing various interests expressed their opinions, fears, experiences and expertise with the silent panel. All comments were limited to three minutes.

The hearing was the fourth of five public hearings across the state, as the panel prepares to draft an advisory report for state lawmakers:

The Commission shall study the costs and benefits that immigration is having on the Commonwealth. Areas of study shall include, but not be limited to the impact immigration has on the economy, public benefits, education, public safety, employment, health care, and law enforcement. All findings shall be reported to the Governor and the General Assembly.

Additionally, the Commission shall examine the effect federal immigration laws have on the Commonwealth, and address the Virginia Congressional Delegation on what issues have been identified that need to be addressed that are federally preempted. Furthermore, public hearings in various regions of the Commonwealth will be held to solicit input from Virginia’s citizens on the impact immigration is having in their communities. Finally, the Commission shall examine the tax contributions of the immigrant population on both the state and federal levels.

I had to leave an hour early, so I missed some of the comments from local law enforcement, but the overwhelming majority of commenters during the first two hours were speaking out against cracking down on unauthorized immigrants in Virginia.

It accompanies a story about a local law office and the increased demand in the Hispanic community for legal advice. The photo prominently displays a campaign sign for a Republican running for city office – who happens to be a member of the same firm, but is barely mentioned in the story.

]]> http://hburgnews.com/2008/08/12/signs-of-the-dnr/feed/ http://hburgnews.com/2008/08/12/more-dirty-water/ http://hburgnews.com/2008/08/12/more-dirty-water/#comments Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:43:31 +0000 finnegan http://hburgnews.com/?p=1150 The Lynchburg News & Advance reports that water quality in Virginia has dropped yet again. A report due to be released by the Department of Environmental Quality is expected to add more waterways to the growing list of impaired rivers and streams.

Many of the state’s rivers and streams were listed as unhealthy because of elevated levels of E. coli bacteria. The report lists agricultural practices as the chief culprit, though it also mentions urban runoff, leaking sewers, failing septic tanks, domestic animals and wildlife as contributing factors.

The article also mentions a lack of state funding to do anything about it, even cutting funds to volunteer environmental groups.

Several volunteer water quality monitors lamented the lack of sufficient state funding for their efforts. During fiscal 2008, the state government eliminated $108,000 worth of grants to volunteer water quality monitoring groups. The cut came just a few weeks before the grants were to be awarded. In fiscal 2009, the funding has been restored - for now, at least.

Bruce Lundeen, executive director of the Harrisonburg-based Shenandoah Valley Pure Water Forum, is trying to organize a statewide public service announcement campaign to boost the General Assembly’s support of volunteer water monitoring efforts. Most lawmakers, he said, “don’t have a clue” about the issue.

Reminds me of some viral marketing version of Lovemarks. Or this documentary produced by a former Harrisonburg resident.

Josh and I recently discussed conducting a Slashdot style interview with the candidates, where readers submit questions, we select the best ten (or so) and send them to all the candidates to answer. We’ll give them ample time to respond, and then post their answers as a series here on hburgnews.

So, we need your input: what questions do you have for the City Council candidates and/or City Treasurer candidates? Leave a comment on this post, or (if you wish to remain anonymous) email us.

I was jogging in Purcell yesterday morning. I didn’t see any bears, but I did see this. Now I’m thinking TV3 should trade in their “Crime Where You Live” segments for a local Threatdown.