Three Up Three Down

Three Up

Shortly after this edition hits doorsteps, trout anglers from across the Eastern seaboard will be casting into the South River as the city’s annual Fly Fishing Festival gets under way for the ninth year. Thanks to the hard work of local people and Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc., the event has emerged as the largest of its kind in the state of Virginia. Here’s to the organizers who helped make the festival a signature event in the River City.
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Well, those rabble-rousing tea-partiers sure got the attention of “The Most Trusted Name in News.” Forget the politics, Wednesday’s tax protests – which CNN “reporter” Susan Roesgen called “anti-CNN” – were an example of old-fashioned freedom of speech. Cheers to Americans willing to take to the streets for a cause celebre sans the celebs.
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Riling his boss’ allies on the left, Attorney General Eric Holder took the correct stand when he announced that the government would not prosecute CIA officials who participated in waterboarding interrogations and would defend them against foreign prosecution. The acts, Holder explained, were legal at the time. Terror fighters have enough on their hands without having to fend off their own government.

Three Down

We admire the willingness of Augusta County Supervisor Tracy Pyles to take on all comers. But his refusal Thursday to join a sit-down dinner with the other six supervisors in an attempt to cool tensions between him and them gave credence to their criticisms of him as one who doesn’t play well with others. Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neill knew how to do it: Those partisan lions fought like tigers under the political lights then treated one another as friends after the final gun. It’s called mutual respect.
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What is the deal with Minnesota? A wrestler who took too many bounces off the canvas becomes governor. Then comedian Al Franken — after winning a final court battle — is going to be a senator. Aren’t there any legitimate statesmen in the state that brought us Walter Mondale ... oh, wait, we just answered our own question.
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This just in from the Department of Homeland Stupidity: Watch out for war vets and flag-wavers. Spreading paranoia like it’s 1995, the DHS this week issued a report that warns of a budding right-wing extremist movement populated by disgruntled vets and other righties posing a terrorist threat. Of course, there’s “no specific information” about attack plans. Thanks, gang. We’ll call you when that hijacked jetliner heads for the Pentagon.