Elsewhere in the News

Channel 3 has obtained video of killer whales off the Outer Banks, which apparently is a pretty rare thing.  More from WTKR.com

Ocean Breeze Water Park in Virginia Beach has unveiled its expansion plans.  Hugh Mongous, the park's iconic giant gorilla, will not be affected.  More from The Virginian-Pilot.

The Battle of Big Bethel will be reenacted this Saturday in Hampton.  Most historians consider this the first land battle of the Civil War.  More from the Daily Press.

NASA's Messenger space probe is sending back the first ever close up views of the surface of Mercury.  The craft is carrying half its weight in fuel to help it contend with the Sun's massive gravitational pull.  More...

Gas Prices hit $3.50

Gas has hit the $3.50 per gallon mark here in Hampton Roads.  The AAA reports that gas prices have risen by five cents in just the last week and nearly 30 cents in the last month.

Everybody complains about the rising price of gas, but apparently a lot of people don't think twice about wasting it.  Take this scene at my daughter's school yesterday.  I had to pick her up from a club meeting after school.  I parked, walked in, sat down and waited about 10 minutes while the meeting wrapped up.  Lots of other parents waited in their vehicles with the engines running for at least that long.  Now imagine that scene outside every elementary school in America.

One estimate puts the gasoline wasted on voluntary engine idling (parked with the engine running, that is) at 3.8 million gallons PER DAY.

Extended Warranties

Spotted a good (but too short) segment on NBC's Today Show Wednesday on extended warranties.  Lou Manfredini, host of "HouseSmarts," says by and large, extended warranties are unnecessary.  It jibes with what Consumer Reports has said over the years, that the cost of the repair would be about the same as the cost of the extended warranty.  The segment below also includes some simple tips on getting your refrigerator, washing machine, and vacuum cleaner to work better.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Renters Insurance

Another winter has come and gone and with it, another rash of apartment fires in Hampton Roads.  In most cases, I have to report on the air that many of the people affected didn't have renters insurance and will have to pay out of pocket to replace anything they lost.  Today it occurs to me to ask, "why not?"

Take this story from over the weekend in Pennsylvania.  Almost 30 people were left homeless when fire tore through their aging apartment building.  Only one person had renters insurance.  A fire spokesman compared having a renters policy with having a smoke detector.

Compared to the cost of replacing things lost in fire, renters insurance is cheap, around $20.00 a month or less.  And it's easy to get; many insurance companies will give you a quote over the Internet if you provide the address.

So if you're helping your best friend lug furniture into a new apartment this weekend, ask him if he has renters insurance.

Marty Schottenheimer Will Coach in Hampton Roads

The United Football League's Virginia Destroyers have announced the hiring of former NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer as their head coach and general manager.  Schottenheimer is the team's third headcoach but he appears more likely to stick around that the first two, who took other jobs before the Destroyers had even played a down.

The UFL seems to be banking on the name recognition of coaches to help sell the league. Schottenheimer joins fellow former NFL coaches Jim Fassel, Jerry Glanville, and Dennis Green in the UFL.

Schottenheimer has 205 coaching victories in NFL career but has a reputation with some that he can't win "the big one."  He's not on the level of say a Bill Walsh or Don Shula, but maybe on par with Andy Reid and John Fox.  I'd say Schottenheimer puts Virginia's Destroyers on the map.

Click here for a look at Schottenheimer's 13-letter last name stretched over his old AFL jersey in the 60's.

Plan 9 Remake to be Filmed in Roanoke

Filming begins Friday in Roanoke on a remake of Ed Wood's  Plan 9 from Outer Space.  It's a movie that is considered by many to be the "Worst Ever Made."  Plan 9 wears the title well.  The original practically defines the term, "so bad it's good."

What's not to love/hate?  The cardboard sets; the cardboard actors; the ridiculous plot.  Some movies are painfully bad to watch, but not Plan 9.  It's fun seeing 300 pound pro wrestler Tor Johnson lumber through the movie as the zombified police chief.  There's the aging Bela Legosi shambling his way through a cemetery in a clip that is shown again and again and again.  And the doomed space ship scene at the end...the escape vehicle looks like a flaming charcoal briquet swung shakily on a wire.

Why remake such a beloved piece of garbage?  The teaser trailer below makes the new version look like just any other zombie movie.  Where's the sense of campy fun?  Whatever the reason, it's happening right here in Virginia.  More on the filming project from The Roanoke Times.

If you see one crummy movie this year, see the original Plan 9 From Outer Space.  And don't see it alone.  You'll need friends to help create your own "Mystery Science Theater 3000" setting.  Unfortunately, it seems Hulu.com and Netflix no longer have the classic Plan 9 available for online streaming.

More Computer Issues for the DMV

More computer issues for the DMV, but it won't be like last year's statewide computer network crash.  Due to IT system maintanence, no driver licensing can be processed on Saturday, March 26th at any DMV location.  By the way, the outage will be nationwide.  Thanks for the heads up, DMV.  More information.

New Advice on Car Safety Seats

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration are now recommending that kids stay in rear-facing car seats until age 2.  Studies have shown toddlers are better protected against spinal injuries in crashes if they're travelling backwards.  The report also recommends kids use booster seats until they're at least 4 feet 9 inches tall.

These recommendations would seem to present two problems for parents.  One, some kids are getting rather lanky by the time they hit two years of age; a child may not have much room for their legs if they're facing the rear of the seat.  Plus, some kids may not grow to 4'9" until age 12.  That's less of a physical problem and more of a social problem.  What middle schooler wants to be seen riding in a booster seat?  

Meanwhile, Drive Safe Hampton Roads recently completed its 22nd Annual Car Seat Round-Up.  700 old, discarded, or hand-me-down safety seats were turned in so they won't be a safety hazard for other kids.  They used to make a big production out of crushing the old seats, but this year, the seats were recycled by Tidewater Fiber Corporation.  Well done, Hampton Roads.

Stupid *#@%& Computer Viruses

Has this happened to you?  Last night one of those phony anti-virus programs installed itself on my desktop and soon was reminding me that it, and it alone, could rid my computer of the plague.  Most of what I know about computers I learned from fixing things I myself messed up, and such is the case in dealing with this type of computer worm.   The phony anti-virus worm has hit me twice before.

Here's how to get rid of it.

Windows Vista or Windows 7

1. Click the start button
2. In the search field at the bottom, type RESTORE.
3. Select Backup and Restore Center
4. On the left side the window, click Repair Windows using System Restore.
5. The software will then reset your computer to a state BEFORE the virus installed itself.

Windows XP

1. Click Start
2. Click All Programs
3. Select Accessories, then System Tools, then System Restore
4. The software will lead you through the few remaining steps.

The process takes a few minutes and a lot of grinding by the hard drive to complete.

System Restore can also help with other virus infestations and software glitches.

Find more details at Microsoft's help page.

Time now for me to update my firewall/virus software.

Paper or Plastic?

There's word today that supermarket chains Kroger and Safeway are ending a rebate program that was setup to encourage shoppers to bring their own reusable bags to the store.  Stores save money when customers use their own bags, but the rebates apparently weren't encouraging enough.

The reusable bags are a little tougher to work with than the traditional plastic bag and I'll admit to feeling a little bad for the baggers as I watch them wrestle with our flabby canvas bags.  We'll keep using them though, with or without a rebate.  We already have enough plastic bag.

Meanwhile, North Carolina has joined Virginia in a plastic bag recycling program.  The website, www.ABagsLife.com, will help you find a place for plastic bag recycling.  Most of the grocery stores in my area have bag recycling collection containers.

Virginia Woman Missing in Japan Earthquake Found Alive

The parents of Taylor Anderson of Midlothian, Virginia, got the good news this morning that their daughter was alive after the Japanese earthquake and tsunami.  Anderson had been teaching American culture to Japanese students in a seaside town located near the epicenter.  More from CBS News

While many of the world's nuclear powers use the disaster in Japan to review their own nuclear power programs, officials with Dominion Virginia Power are pushing ahead with planning for a third reactor at its North Anna Nuclear Power Station.  However, a spokesman for the utility says they haven't yet decided to build the new reactor.  More from the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Meanwhile, Dominion sees its Surry Nuclear Power Station as less at risk from the environment than the crippled plant in Japan, the Daily Press is reporting.  The plant could be susceptible to floods, hurricane, tornadoes, or terrorist attacks, but a utility spokesman says they are ready for such events.  Both the Surry and North Anna plants are built to withstand earthquakes of up to magnitude 6.2.  The strongest quake ever recorded in Virginia, in Giles County in 1897, measured 5.9 on the Richter Scale.  Link to the Daily Press article.

The newest nuclear power plants in the U.S. are nearly 40 years old.  None have been built since the mid-70's, partially due to fears following the Three Mile Island partial meltdown in the 1970's and the disaster at Chernobyl in the 80's.

What is a meltdown?  -- With all the talk of nuclear meltdowns, we should be asking, "what is a nuclear meltdown?"  Apparently it's not what we remember from "The China Syndrome."  The explanation here...

V-DOT Not Short of Options for Improving the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel

Another proposal for improving travel between the Peninsula and the Southside -- The Hampton Roads Mobility Group is proposing expanding the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel with four express lanes.  There would be a toll of $1.00 or $2.00 in the regular travel lanes and a premium toll for the express lanes.  Estimated cost:  3 to 4 billion dollars.  The Office of Transportation Public Private Partnership is expected to make recommendations on which of several proposals deserve further study by May 1st.

More Hampton Roads News

Pothole Blitz -- Governor Bob McDonnell has ordered a pothole blitz to repairs holes in the road from another severe winter.  The effort encourages drivers to report potholes to the Virginia Department of Transportation.  The public awareness campaign involves a V-DOT TV commercial starring pothole repairman "Phil Itkwick."  See the commercial here.

Bed Bugs Close Women's Shelter -- A women's shelter in James City County will need to replace all of its furniture because of an infestation of bed bugs.  Officials with Avalon: A Center for Women and Children tell the Virginia Gazette that the shelter is closed while the bugs are removed.  The center will now ban donations of used furniture.  More...

Hampton Roads a Top Tourist Destination -- Williamsburg and Virginia Beach have been named the nation's top two tourist destinations for families in Trip Advisor's inaugural Family Choice Awards for Great U.S. Destinations to Discover.  The rankings were based on traveler surveys.

The Lifeline for Homeless Pets

For thousands of homeless animals in the South, the only chance for life is a move to the North.  The Associated Press has documented how many animal shelters in the South, faced with falling budgets but rising numbers of cats and dogs, regularly have euthanasia rates of over fifty percent.  Shelters across North Carolina spent almost $30 million dollars last year handling homeless pets.  Animal rescue groups are routinely trucking dogs and cats to the North, where spaying and neutering is a more common practice.  Consequently, the region has fewer homeless animals.

Many animal shelters offer low cost spaying and neutering service to families that can't afford it.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has several locations in Hampton Roads, but each has its own rules.  The Norfolk SPCA, for example, is a no-kill shelter; the Virginia Beach SPCA is not.

Tell your friends who are considering a pet to contact their local animal shelter.  They often have pure breeds available.

Chesapeake:  www.chesapeakehumane.org
Newport News/Hampton:  www.peninsulaspca.com
Norfolk:  www.norfolkspca.com
Portsmouth:  www.portsmouthhumanesociety.org
Suffolk:  www.suffolkhumanesociety.com
Virginia Beach:  www.VBSPCA.com
Virginia Beach Animal Control

Here's a link to the AP story.

ODU Heads to the Big Tournament

Sports Illustrated's Andy Glockner has CAA Tournament champion Old Dominion seeded as high as eighth in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.  Good news:  it's a mark of prestige for a mid-major school.  Bad news:  if they win in round one, they will face the region's top seeded team in the second round.  We'll be watching selection Sunday to see where the Monarchs will play.  Here's the article with Glockner's projected brackets.

International Space Station Visible Over Hampton Roads Tonight

Caught this today from Craig Moeller on WVEC. Watch the sky tonight (Tuesday) as the International Space Station passes over Hampton Roads. It should appear as a very bright star between 7:21pm and 7:27pm in the northwest sky.

NASA has a somewhat difficult to understand but generally helpful applet that allows you to track the ISS and other sky objects at any time.  You'll find it here.

Joyriding in Emergency Vehicles

Two stolen emergency vehicles.  In a matter of days.  Both in Virginia.

Authorities in Loudon County have charged a 27 year old man for allegedly taking a fire truck on a joyride.  The suspect, volunteer firefighter Sean Swanson, was also charged with drunken driving.  More...

And in Charlottesville, a 27 year old man was treated at a hospital emergency room on Friday and needed a ride home afterward.  So he took one.  Police caught the suspect driving down Interstate 64 in a stolen ambulance with the emergency lights activated.  More...

E-Cycling this Saturday on the Peninsula

Drop off your e-waste, like old computers, cell phones, CD players and more, free of charge without ever getting out of your vehicle.
Date:  Saturday, March 5th
Time:  8am-5pm
Location:  Peninsula Town Center, between Outback and the Pub.
More details...

More Hampton Roads News

Dish Network Subscribers Could be Without their WAVY TV 10 and Fox 43 -- WAVY's corporate parent LIN Broadcasting and Dish Network are in negotiations over retransmission rights fees.  The contract expires at midnight Friday.

Target Coming to Pembroke Mall -- Target is planning a 4th Virginia Beach location.  The proposed store would take the space now occupied by the Pembroke Mall movie theater.  Target date (pun intended):  Fall 2012.

Free Tax Preparation for Police and Fire Officials

During the week of March 7th-13th, Liberty Tax Service is offering free tax preparation service for firefighters and law enforcement officers who are first time customers of Liberty Tax.  Call 757-417-0010 for more details.

Education Grants

As news director for three radio stations, I often receive news releases with information I know could be useful to somebody, but I usually don't have a forum for sharing it.  Until now.  Thank you, social media.

The Dominion Foundation, Dominion Virginia Power's charity arm, is offering $1,000,000 in higher education grants and is now accepting applications.  According to their news release, the grants will be for programs in business, skilled craft, engineering, environmental and technical studies, and for student-led conservation programs.  Applications are available at www.Dom.com, keywords:  higher education.  The deadline is May 1st.

Surveys Show Virginia is Full of Credit Card Debt and People Who Use their Cell Phones While Driving, and is still Competitive for the Democrats

The results of surveys on various subjects were released today.

One ranks Hampton Roads sixth in the nation for credit card debt.  Credit bureau Experian reports the average Hampton Roads resident with credit card debt owes more than $4,900.  The survey did not include card holders with no debts.  On the plus side, the amount of debt dropped slightly from 2009 to 2010.  More in the Daily Press.

Almost 75% of people surveyed by State Farm Insurance (in what they call an unscientific poll) said they use their cell phones while driving.  Nearly 1 in 5 said they surfed the Internet while driving.  More...

And a political poll is predicting the 2012 elections will be tight in Virginia.  The survey by left-leaning Public Policy Polling predicts a virtual dead heat in the U.S. Senate race between potential candidates George Allen of the GOP and Democrat Tim Kaine.  Kaine hasn't said yet if he will run.  The same survey has President Obama leading several potential Republican nominees in Virginia.

Wounded Warrior 5k

The topic for an upcoming edition of my public affairs program, Hampton Roads Topics, is the Spartyka Wounded Warrior 5k.  It's a fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior Project.  My guests were one of the organizers, Rebecca Desjardins, and the Warrior of the Day, Mike Day.

I'll admit to being a little apprehensive about talking to Mike.  Why?  Because Mike is a retired Navy SEAL who survived being shot more than two dozen times during a raid in Iraq in 2007.  And he has had a hard time with post traumatic stress disorder.

I prepared for the interview with my usual research, but I couldn't help but worry.  How do I interview a hero who has been places and experienced things I can't even imagine without seeming ignorant or patronizing?

Mike, of course, was a great guest, willingly discussing the shootout in Iraq, his injuries, his recovery, and his later battles with emotional distress. To his credit, Mike admitted he was not one to talk about himself or his life but he forces himself to do so today to help others dealing with PTSD.

You can hear my interview with Warrior of the Day Mike Day at 6am on Sunday, March 20th, on these stations:  92.9 The Wave, Star 1310, ESPN Radio 94.1 and 97.3 The Eagle.

For details about joining or supporting the Spartyka Wounded Warrior 5k, visit spartykanation.com.

Cleaning a Computer

The EM radiation of a computer attracts dust like a magnet and we humans are prone to eating crumbly snacks while using them, so our desktop buddies will need the occasional cleaning.  From Consumer Reports, some tips on cleaning it up...

The Display -- Use a soft, damp, lint-free cloth and a non-ammonia glass cleaner.  Ammonia will harm the plastics.

The Keyboard -- Use the dusting brush with your vacuum.  You may be tempted to simply flip the keyboard upside down to get the crumbs out, but don't.  The crumbs could interfere with the key switches.

The CPU -- Use the vacuum (again with the dusting brush) to suck the dust away from the ventilation fan, intake ducts, USB ports and other ports.

E-Cycling Through Best Buy

If there were one best place to recycle electronics, it might be Best Buy.  According to their website, Best Buy accepts a whole host of things for recycling and proper disposal.   Phones, video game systems, TV's, and calculators are all accepted.  In addition, they accept power cords and connectors.  And a bonus for me...they recycle DVD's and CD's.  I get at least one audio CD with PSA's I can't use in my mailbox at work every day.
Best Buy will accept up to three items per household per day.

Best Buy's Recycling Info Page