Environment and Outdoors

As expected, the House Judiciary Committee vote on two Articles of Impeachment this morning went along party lines – the Democrat majority voting to send those articles to the full House for a vote – the minority Republicans all voting no. Hollins University political science department chairman Ed Lynch weighs in on President Trump’s impeachment in the House – if it comes to that. Lynch was a Reagan White House staffer in the 80’s. He says the Republican-led impeachment of Bill Clinton on two charges in 1998 backfired on the party, with Democrats picking up seats in Congress that same year:

MGN

The National Weather Service has issued its second Wind Advisory of the week for much of the Roanoke region. It mainly applies to areas from the Blue Ridge westward into neighboring North Carolina and West Virginia. The advisory takes effect at noon Wednesday and runs until 6:00 am Thursday. The Weather Service says wind gusts of up to 50 miles per hour are expected, and that could result in scattered power outages and potential dangers on highways for high-profile vehicles.

FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE: Ashe-Alleghany NC-Surry-Watauga-Wilkes-Tazewell-Smyth-Bland-Giles-Wythe-Pulaski-Montgomery-Grayson-Carroll-Floyd-Craig-Alleghany VA-Bath-Roanoke-Botetourt-Rockbridge-Patrick-Franklin-Bedford-Amherst-Mercer-Summers-Monroe-Eastern Greenbrier-Western Greenbrier. Including the cities of West Jefferson, Sparta, Dobson, Boone, Wilkesboro, Tazewell, Marion, Bland, Pearisburg, Wytheville, Radford, Pulaski, Blacksburg, Independence, Whitetop, Troutdale, Volney, Galax, Floyd, New Castle, Clifton Forge, Covington, Hot Springs, Roanoke, Salem, Fincastle, Lexington, Buena Vista, Stuart, Rocky Mount, Bedford, Amherst, Bluefield, Flat Top, Hinton, Hix, Union, Lewisburg, White Sulphur Springs, Alderson, Quinwood, Duo, and Rainelle

…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON WEDNESDAY TO 6 AM EST THURSDAY…

* WHAT…West winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected.

* WHERE…Portions of central, south central, southwest and west central Virginia, north central and northwest North Carolina and southeast West Virginia.

* WHEN…From noon Wednesday to 6 AM EST Thursday.

* IMPACTS…Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects.

The public comment deadline is nearing before a proposed consent decree between the commonwealth and Mountain Valley Pipeline will be entered into court. They say the decree is unfair, unreasonable, and not in the public interest. And MVP opponents say state oversight remains insufficient. Freeda Cathcart is among to local pipeline opponents:

Under the proposed agreement between MVP and the commonwealth, the pipeline will pay a civil penalty of more than $2 million for environmental violations, and future compliance will be supervised by the courts. Pipeline officials say previous environmental shortcomings have been corrected.

Freeda Cathcart says this October 31 photo shows MVP environmental violations continue

The public comment period ends November 27.  Click here for full consent decree information, including how to file a comment, on the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality website.

Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine is conducting its 10th annual “Best of the Blue Ridge Awards” with online voting through November 7th. There are a number of categories, including best outdoor destination, Food and Drink venue – and best business, where Runabout Sports on Brambleton Avenue is one of the nominees, as are several other Roanoke area outdoor-oriented entries.

MGN

State game officials are using radio collars to help them learn a lot more about how bears live in central Virginia — and to help the population recover from what had been near elimination. Those collars provide insights about their habits and to place orphaned cubs in bear dens, where mothers almost always accept those cubs as one of their own. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:

Diana Christopulos

Local environmentalist Diana Christopulos is in the running to win the Cox Conserves National Hero award – and she’s close. Taking that top prize would mean $50,000 that she says in this promotional video would go towards Appalachian Trail protection in the valley.  A Virginian has never won the Cox Conserves National Hero award; you can vote for Diana Christopulos ONLY through tomorrow at coxconservesheroes.com/vote.