Good Morning, RVA: It’s not Friday

No, it’s not Friday yet, but today is shaping up to be pretty great (although definitely not Friday).

July 31, 2014; 7:03 AM • by Ross Catrow

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Good morning, RVA! It’s 63 °F, and depending on what else you’re wearing, you may need to put on socks. Highs today stick in the mid-80s, maybe a bit warmer than yesterday, but still beautiful–makes me want to join an adult sports league or something.

Water cooler

I love this piece in the RTD about the tiny town of Columbia wrestling with the decision to unincorporate and join the rest of Fluvanna County. The last census puts their population at 79; 1/5 of the town serves as elected officials. With such a small population and a limited, all-volunteer government, the town misses out on services that could be provided by Fluvanna proper. Fascinating and just an hour west of Richmond.

Southern Seasons opens today out on Staples Mill Road. While more a fine foods and speciality products store, Southern Seasons is similar enough to a grocery store that it induces the Richmond-specific grocery-store fervor. They’ve got a killer wine and cheese selection, a ton of hot sauces, and an attached restaurant and patio.

For at least the second time someone is calling for the resignation of Virginia GOP Treasurer Bob FitzSimmonds. Responding to a statement from President Obama about Ramadan, FitzSimmonds said on Facebook, “Exactly what part of our nation’s fabric was woven by Muslims? What about Sikhs, Animists, and Jainists? Should we be thanking them too?” Earlier this year FitzSimmonds called Delegate Barbara Comstock an “offensive slang word sometimes used to refer to women” that he “mistakenly” (those are sarcasm quotes) thought had the same meaning as the world “twaddle.” I’m not sure which is worse: this guy, or that his Facebook post about Muslims got 22 likes.

Sports!

• Squirrels halted by Harrisburg in their last game at home for awhile, 3-6. They travel to Altoona.
• Nats narrowly avoid the sweep, besting the Marlins, 4-3. They host the Phillies tonight at 7:05 PM.

This morning’s longread

Should you be afraid of the Ebola threat?

A few thousand people in history have died of Ebola. Compared to AIDS or malaria or diarrhea, this affects far fewer people. More people die of diarrhea in a day than Ebola has killed in history.

tl;dr: No. Still though: the disease is terrifying, has a 50-90% mortality rate, and the current outbreak is the worst in history.

Photo by: Sky Noir

This morning’s Instagram

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July 31, 2014 7:03 AM 0