Oliver North speaks to Liberty University students

Lt. Col. Oliver North, USMC (Ret), addressed Wednesday’s Convocation gathering.... (photo, continue reading here)

Lockn' Music Festival ... Woodstock in the Blue Ridge?

 Lockn' Festival photo

The hills will echo this week with music, dancing, camping, and joyous celebrations as the huge Lockn' Music Festival takes place Thursday through Sunday in Nelson County, Virginia. Last-minute preparations are underway as organizers brace for thousands who have already bought tickets for this event that could turn into a Woodstock in the Blue Ridge Mountains for a whole new generation.

But don't take my word for it. Read what was in Ohio's Toledo City Paper:

The innaugural Lockn' festival is a jam-band fan's mecca—the penultimate gathering of the best improvisational bands from every corner of the country. You have Furthur representing the West Coast, String Cheese Incident bringing their Colorado style, Widespread Panic from south of the Mason-Dixie line, and Trey Anastasio traveling from the northern East Coast.

In TCP's opinion, this 'interlocking music festival' is shaping up to be the best party of the summer—the musical highlight of an already epic year.
...
Nestled deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Lock'n is an 8 hour drive from Toledo, but it is a beautiful drive through one of the most scenic parts of the country. Festival organizers Dave Frey and Pete Shapiro shopped for locations around the U.S.—New York, California, North Carolina—before deciding on Virginia because of its 'intimate setting'. The festival's two stages stand side by side and will have interlocking performances all weekend—as soon as one band stops, the band on the opposite stage will begin.

For those of us in the central Shenandoah Valley, this four-day event is in our back yard, and only two hours from Richmond. Taking place from September 5-8, 2013, at the 5,000-acre Oak Ridge Farm, officials are expecting 25,000-30,000 people. Oak Ridge Farm is located off Rt. 29 halfway between Charlottesville and Lynchburg and, with the number of vehicles expected, exhaustive traffic plans have been made to avoid backups on Rt. 29, along with security and safety preparations.


The full lineup of musicians includes Zac Brown, the Black Crowes, and a number of other groups set to perform under the central Virginia sky.

The Lockn' Facebook page announced a pre-festival music party for Wednesday night, September 4, at the Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville.

To keep up with the latest details, follow Lockn' on Twitter.

Local vendors including food and craft beer will be available on-site. Nelson County is, after all, home of the famous Rt. 151 corridor featuring some of the finest and best-known vineyards, craft breweries, and food establishments in Virginia.

It will be an experience not forgotten anytime soon, if ever. If anyone takes photos and would like to share, I would love to post them on SWAC Girl. Send to swac.girl@gmail.com. Stay legal, safe, and have fun!

McDonnell welcomes STEM education to Lynchburg

Bringing more science-based education to Virginia's students has been a priority of Governor Bob McDonnell and so, on Monday, he was in Lynchburg to open XLR8, the 16th STEM Academy, at Central Virginia Community College. It's a move that will provide students with access to lab equipment and classroom space, and open a world of possibilities.

The goal of STEM -- an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math -- is to help close the gap between education and industry, and further the economic vitality of the region. The overall program motivates students with hands-on learning to solve real problems with real solutions in a real-world situation.

InTech reported in 2010 that STEM was a necessary part of future education because "most jobs of the future will require a basic understanding of math and science—10-year employment projections by the U.S. Department of Labor show that of the 20 fastest growing occupations projected for 2014, 15 of them require significant mathematics or science preparation." They also noted, "The 2010 ACT College and Career Readiness report found only 29% of the tested 2010 graduates are considered college-ready in science and 43% are considered college-ready in math."

The STEM Academy curriculum works toward leveling the playing field for American students, offering them an opportunity to learn in an innovative, engaging classroom where they will develop critical thinking skills through hands-on, project-based learning. STEM Academy students will receive dual enrollment credits for all courses, allowing them the option to work toward a college degree.

Additionally, the STEM Academy will offer transfer possibilities through articulation agreements with local colleges and universities for students wishing to continue their education. STEM Academy students will also be able to earn industry certifications, allowing for job readiness upon program completion.

The Governor, who is fulfilling a campaign promise to Virginia students, noted, "We set a goal of making sure that every student, regardless of their zip code, would have access to a high quality education," and continued:

“Making sure Virginia’s students have access to the best education possible is the single most important thing we can do to ensure their success in the future. In today’s highly technical global economy, careers in science, technology, engineering and math are on the rise.

"In order for our students to be successful and fill rapidly expanding technical jobs, we must ensure mastery of the STEM subjects. Over the last three years, we have seen a doubling of STEM academies in the Commonwealth.

"Today, I am pleased to join XLR8, Central Virginia Community College and AREVA to cut the ribbon and officially open the Commonwealth’s 16th STEM academy. STEM academies are partnerships created between K-12 schools and our colleges which provide our students with new opportunities through the use of state of the art labs, access to instructors at the college level, and the ability to earn dual course credit.”

Providing more science, technology, engineering, and math to students is a partnership of private business and government. In Lynchburg, the new STEM school has been a joint effort of Region 2000 Technology Council, Future Focus Foundation and Workforce Investment Board; Central Virginia Community College; the school divisions of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Campbell and Lynchburg; and area business partners including AMTI, AREVA, The Babcock and Wilcox Company, Centra, Delta Star, and Wells Fargo. XLR8 compliments current regional K-12 STEM activities and workforce development initiatives.

Cross-posted at Virginia Politics On Demand

Liberty University offers scholarship to Eagle Scout under fire

What is particularly surprising about this story is that it took place in North Carolina. Fox News reported:

A North Carolina Eagle Scout who was arrested and faces expulsion for accidentally leaving a shotgun in his pickup truck in the school parking lot has been offered a scholarship to attend Liberty University.

Political correctness run amuk?

Cole Withrow was just a few weeks from graduating with honors from Princeton High School when he was arrested on Monday and slapped with a felony weapons charge. Withrow had been skeet shooting with friends a day before and had only noticed he had left his shotgun in his truck as he reached to grab his book bag.

When he realized his mistake, he went to the front office and called his mother. An administrator overheard the conversation and called police.

The story went national ... so how did Lynchburg's Liberty University come into this?

Withrow was wearing a Liberty University tee shirt in the news story. Who should see it but Jerry Falwell Jr. himself, chancellor and president of Liberty University, who was in North Carolina and saw the story on the news ... complete with LU shirt. The rest, as they say, is history:

Falwell told Fox News that he made a few calls and discovered that Withrow’s sister is a Liberty graduate.

“I was really impressed with what a meek and humble Christian kid he is,” Falwell said. “I thought he would be a perfect fit at Liberty.”

So the chancellor made the 18-year-old an offer he couldn’t refuse.

“I told him that we would give him whatever scholarships he needed to attend Liberty University,” he said.

Falwell said the university is willing to do whatever it takes to make sure the teenager gets a college education.

“The anti-gun zealots seem to be vilifying him for making an honest mistake,” he told Fox News. “We want to reward him for trying to do the right thing.”

And that means even helping the young man finish his last few weeks of high school. Falwell said they offered to let him finish his high school work through their online academy.

Liberty's 100,000 on-campus and on-line students make it the largest Christian University in the world.

Background on the Federal Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994 (commonly known as Zero Tolerance):
- 'What's a zero tolerance policy?' 
- Information on state and local responsibilities