As Butch Crockett stood waiting to hear the strains of bag pipe music signaling the start of Saturday’s Appalachian School of Law graduation exercises, he felt like many other proud fathers of the graduates-to-be, who lined the hall outside the auditorium at Riverview.
     But for Crockett, things were just a bit different as he straightened his tie, took a place in the line-up and shook hands with other students.   
     While his thoughts were certainly on the walk he was about to make into the auditorium and his secret fear of tripping -- which did not happen -- they were much more focused on the fact he was making the walk in his son’s place.
     His son, U.S. Army Capt. Jarrod Crockett, was half a world away, stationed with his National Guard unit in Afghanistan. However, due to technology, Jarrod was able to hear all of Saturday’s commencement exercises, although an internet blackout prevented him from being able to see them.
     He was not able to see his fellow graduates and other supporters wearing red, white and blue ribbons in recognition of him, nor was he able to see the standing ovation he received when his absence from the Riverview gymnasium and his father’s walk as his stand-in were explained. But the fragile phone connection across thousands of miles enabled him to hear the thunderous applause which accompanied that ovation.
     A picture of Jarrod, wearing his ASL mortarboard in front of an American flag was projected on the screen to the right of the stage and from his seat with the soon-to-be graduates, Crockett stared intently at the photo, smiling as he looked at and seemed to memorize the details in the photograph of his son.
     Making the walk down the aisle and across the stage as Jarrod’s name was called out, Crockett, accepted his son’s degree and says afterwards the bittersweet experience is something he will never forget.
     And while it didn’t go off exactly as planned -- because of the internet black-out in Afghanistan at the time the ceremonies were taking place -- it was still more than the now ASL grad and his father and family had hoped for.
      Despite the distance, Jarrod was able to listen to the commencement speeches, the applause and the music via telephone and afterwards, was congratulated by family members and friends, some of whom hadn’t had the opportunity to speak with him since he left ASL in January in his final semester of law school to serve his country.

       Democrats will elect a nominee to oppose U.S. Senator George Allen on June 13. Locally, polls will open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
       Only two candidates are up for nomination -- Harris N. Miller and James H. "Jim" Webb, Jr., both of Northern Virginia. The candidate elected next month will be placed on the ballot for the U.S. Senate in November.
        Miller, who lives in Fairfax County with his wife of 25 years Deborah, was the first in his immediate family to earn a college degree. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Pittsburgh before earning a graduate degree from Yale University. Miller spent 30 years in public service, as an employee of the Carter Administration and former Congressional aide.
       In 1995, Miller ventured into the relatively unchartered territory of Information Technology. He was named president of the Information Technology association of America, based in Arlington. This experience would later gained him a nomination to the Virginia Research and Technology Advisory Board Commission by Gov. Mark Warner, the Virginia State Lottery Board by Gov. Doug Wilder and the Governor's Commission on the Federal Funding of State Domestic Programs by Gov. Jerry Baliles.

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by Cathy St. Clair
News Editor
     The bottom line is simple: pay now, or pay more.
     To put it another way, "pay now to avoid losing your car tax relief."
     That’s the message Buchanan County Treasurer Bill Keene is trying to make sure delinquent personal property taxpayers in Buchanan County fully understand.
     Keene noted that effective September 1, 2006, delinquent personal property taxpayers will become responsible for paying 100 percent of their car taxes with no relief available from the state.
     Persons who paid on time had the total amount of the car tax they paid split on a 70/30 basis, with the state paying 70 percent and the taxpayer paying 30 percent of the total amount due.
     However, changes in state law which saw the county pass an ordinance at the end of last year, will see the split gone after September 1 for delinquent taxpayers, who instead of only paying 30 percent will pay 100 percent, plus penalties and interest for paying late.
     A letter explaining the change was sent out with second billing notices advising the people to be affected by the ordinance that if they don’t pay by September, they will lose any relief that was due and will be responsible for 100 percent of the cost.
     Keene used an example of a car tax bill where $100 was due, noting that those who paid on time paid $30 while the state picked up the remaining $70. If those who are delinquent now pay by September 1, they will be entitled to the same arrangement, but they will still pay any penalty and interest due. If they wait until after September 1 to pay, however, using Keene’s example, they will pay the entire $100, plus penalties and interest. The state will pay nothing.
    Keene noted the change came about because of changes by the 2005 General Assembly related to delinquent personal property tax bills for the tax years 2000 through 2005 that remain unpaid as of September 1, 2006.

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