http://www.wvobserver.com Serving the eastern panhandle... Fri, 13 Aug 2010 19:51:01 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en By Elizabeth Wheeler Blueberry picking, that late summer ritual of voluntary tedium and toil, is my idea of peace on earth, as long as I don’t have to do it for a living.  It is a quiet pleasure, standing in a fully laden berry patch, branches drooping under the weight of ... http://www.wvobserver.com/2010/08/blueberry-tart-with-almond-butter-crust/ by Steve Chase There was music planned each morning at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, even as they opened the gates in Telluride Town Park. On the first morning, a bagpiper stood ready. As the rope was dropped and the first several dozen Festivarians began a sprint for the prime tarp locations on ... http://www.wvobserver.com/2010/08/be-a-festivarian/   David: It’s been a hot one over the past few weeks, which has brought up some interesting situations in our wine world. This month we’ve wanted to focus on what to drink when it’s hot hot hot, and how to keep those refreshing beverages cold cold cold. Christian: My mouth is ... http://www.wvobserver.com/2010/08/wine-slushies-keeping-it-chill/   by Amy Mathews Amos Amid the ongoing coverage of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, a major development in how we use and manage offshore waters has gone virtually unnoticed. On July 19th  President Obama issued an executive order directing federal agencies to develop plans to, in effect, zone the oceans within ... http://www.wvobserver.com/2010/08/obama-enacts-ocean-zoning/ By Doug Humphreys There are few things as peaceful as paddling a canoe. Simply looking at the long, subtle lines of the craft will ease the tension in a tight chest. A solo float down a quiet creek will suck the stress out of the most frazzled soul. Listening to water ... http://www.wvobserver.com/2010/08/paddling-in-peace%e2%80%a6or-pandemonium/ By Doug Vaira   HypnoCoffee’s Wake-Up Call With no hopes of finding a decent cup of coffee in tiny Thomas, W.Va., husband-and-wife team Tony and Summer Williams set out to brew up their own in 2008. The result? HypnoCoffee, a bean roastery and retail coffee shop that eventually moved to Davis in 2009. The ... http://www.wvobserver.com/2010/08/business-briefs-2/ By Emily Suranno   Delegate Nancy Peoples Guthrie told the Observer that the West Virginia legislature would enact a ban on texting-while-driving only after a delegate or senator lost a loved in a fatal crash. For many West Virginia families, that won’t help. Richard and Susan Steadman of Bridgeport, West Virginia, lost their ... http://www.wvobserver.com/2010/08/avoiding-tragedies/ By Dominic Valentine Despite several attempts, legislation banning texting while driving has yet to be enacted in West Virginia. According to Delegate Nancy Peoples Guthrie the first bill concerning banning cell phones while driving, House Bill 4047 introduced in 2008, was the closest we have come thus far. “We had enough ... http://www.wvobserver.com/2010/08/still-waiting-for-texting-legislation/   By Thomas Harding Not since the introduction of seatbelts has there been a traffic safety issue that has caused such concern among legislators and consumer protection organizations. With the rapid growth of cell-phones during the last few years, followed by the widespread practice of texting, distracted driving has become a life-and-death ... http://www.wvobserver.com/2010/08/move-toward-national-texting-ban-2/   By Thomas Harding Not since the introduction of seatbelts has there been a traffic safety issue that has caused such concern among legislators and consumer protection organizations. With the rapid growth of cell-phones during the last few years, followed by the widespread practice of texting, distracted driving has become a life-and-death ... http://www.wvobserver.com/2010/08/move-toward-national-texting-ban/