1. T
Culpeper Life CInside this week:
Community C2
Regional Travel C4
Great Escapes C5
Community Editor,
Tracey Ferguson
tferguson@
starexponent.com
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2005
Dr. Michael Watts
ASK DR. WATTS
Cat Scratch
fever isn’t hard
to contract
Q: What is cat scratch fever?
Could I get it from my cat?
A: Cat scratch disease is caused
by a bacteria called Bartonella
henselae. Up to 40 percent of cats
may carry this bacteria at some
point in their lives. When scratched
or bitten by an infected cat, people
may contract the bacteria. Even
small punctures or scratches can
lead to serious infection. Infection
may not be apparent for up to ten
days following a scratch.
In people, cat scratch disease
leads to excessive swelling of tissue
surrounding the wound and signifi-
cantly delayed healing. Lymph
nodes are also commonly swollen
and painful. Secondary infections
with other bacteria may complicate
the disease. Rarely, more serious ill-
nesses occur, especially among peo-
ple with compromised immune sys-
tems. Cat scratch disease is difficult
to treat and symptoms may last for
several months. Generally antibi-
otics are not considered beneficial.
According to the American
Academy of Family Physicians, you
should contact your doctor if you
notice any of the following:
A cat scratch or bite that does
not heal in the usual length of time.
An area of redness around a cat
scratch or bite that continues to get
bigger for more than 2 days after the
injury.
Fever that lasts for several
days after a cat scratch or bite.
Painful and swollen lymph
nodes for more than 2 or 3 weeks.
Bone or joint pain, abdominal
pain (without fever, vomiting or
diarrhea) or an unusual degree of
tiredness for more than 2 or 3
weeks.
Bartonella henselae has been
shown to be transmitted between
cats through flea bites. The
Companion Animal Parasite
Council recommends, “dogs and cats
should be placed on year-round pre-
ventive flea and/or tick products as
soon after birth as possible (consis-
tent with label claims) for the life of
the pet.” This is especially impor-
tant in households with young chil-
dren, elderly individuals, or people
with compromised immune sys-
tems. Bartonella henselae is also
more commonly encountered in kit-
tens and cats with immune system
diseases, like Feline Leukemia or
FIV. Effective flea control is even
more essential in these pets.
Although fleas are not thought to
transmit the disease to people, life
long flea control may reduce your
cat’s risk of carrying the bacteria.
For more information on cat
scratch disease in people, visit fami-
lydoctor.org/024.xml. For more
information in preventing parasites
in pets, visit www.capcvet.org. For
extensive information on animal
diseases that can affect people, visit
the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention site, www.cdc.gov, or
talk with your veterinarian. This
site also includes a list of some of the
he excitement of going out to eat
often disappears after a glance at
the restaurant’s menu.
Primarily seeing foods high in
calories, fat and carbohydrates can
be devastating to those people trying
to choose a more healthful meal.
Local restaurant owners and man-
agers are doing what they can to
keep that excitement from fading.
“We acknowledge special needs,”
said Frank Maragos, Foti’s owner
and chef. “We try to tend to every
person who eats here and their indi-
vidual needs whether it be allergies
or dietary needs.”
Maragos said restaurant owners
should “awaken to the fact that
healthy eating is becoming more and
more of a trend.”
“I think restaurant owners should
have items available for those who
want to splurge and for those who
don’t want to worry about what
they’ll eat when they go out for din-
ner,” he said. “There is a common
ground.”
Maragos said there are local
farmer’s markets that have fresh
ingredients readily available for
restaurant owners but ordering from
one major source is a lot quicker.
“It often takes twice as long to
seek out those smaller suppliers,” he
said. “The proper utilization of your
ingredients is key. A lot of people
say ‘with fat comes flavor’ and but-
ter is a wonderful vehicle for flavor.
Everything in moderation is the
answer.”
Having heavy and light dinners
available, Maragos said, is what
takes the worry away from his cus-
tomers who plan for a nice, nutri-
tious meal out without taking away
the splurge from those who have
planned for it all week long.
Susan Spencer, owner of Ala
Heart Café, said the reason she
opened the café was because the
community needed somewhere
entirely healthy for people to eat.
“I was told over and over again I
What is yummy
for your tummy...
isn’t always good for your health
Some area restuarants are going the distance combining flavor, good for you meals
By Staff Writer Pamela Kulick
“It is really frustrating to
go out to eat and only
be able to eat salad off
of a restaurant menu. It’s
important to be aware
of what you eat and
have enough respect for
your body not to shove it
full of junk.”
ALEXIS BEAR | ALA HEART
Staff Photo, Pamela Kulick
L to R: Bethany Dodson, and her mother, Donna, check out the menu at Ala Heart. The
menu offers a key so customers can find low fat and low carb options.
Metro Creative Graphics
Chili dogs and fries may taste good but
they also contain high amounts of fats
and carbohydrates. Some of the
restaurants in Culpeper are jumping on
the low fat and low carb bandwagon
offering choices to satisfy even those
customers with the most challenging
diets.
By Suzanne Jackson
MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE
HICKORY - Need some serious relaxation
time? Why not host a spa party for your
friends?
You don’t have to be professionally
trained to have a party. You just need a few
items to help create an atmosphere your
friends won’t soon forget.
Invite five of your closest girlfriends for a
“Spa Away from Spa” party.
Instruct all guests to bring:
Loose clothes to wear during treat-
ments, which can include a T-shirt, comfort-
able shorts or pajama pants.
Their favorite robe.
No makeup.
Favorite nail polish for pedicures.
A sense of humor and ability to relax.
You may also want to ask your guests to
chip in $10 to $15 each to cover the expenses
of spa materials like essential oils, slippers,
candles or snacks.
Remember: Just like when you were
young and had slumber parties, it’s all about
having fun!
Treatment No. 1 - Facial:
Three people lie down and their spa bud-
dies clean their faces with gentle toner and a
clean cotton pad.
Each buddy will then lightly place two
clean cotton pads, dipped in the warm water,
over their partner’s closed eyes. Avoid the
eye area with products at all times.
Each buddy will then dip the washcloth in
warm water and moisten the face of her
partner lightly. With clean hands, eachMetro Creative Graphics
Relaxation can be achieved with a little self
pampering and an at-home spa party.
How to host a fabulous spa party in
the comfort, convenience of home
Don’t forget:
robes
candles
nail polish
comfortable and
versatile clothing
For the latest in Fashion:
Can’t find the right jeans?
You are not alone. Find
the right pair and learn
about a new type of shoes.
Page 8
See SCRATCH C3
See YUMMY C3
See SPA C3

2. Sunday, September 4, 2005C2 CULPEPER STAR-EXPONENT COMMUNITY
Announcements
The Culpeper Star-
Exponent publishes
anniversary and birth
announcements at no
cost as space permits.
These briefs for the
Community Calendar
may be e-mailed to
rmoses@starexpo-
nent.com or sent to
our offices at 122 W.
Spencer St., Culpeper,
Va. 22701.
The Culpeper Star-
Exponent reserves the
right to edit for length
and clarity.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Sept. 5
American Legion Bingo:
There will be no American
Legion Bingo at American Legion
Post 330 on Labor Day night, but
meetings will resume the follow-
ing Sept. 12.
AARP Culpeper Chapter
296 will meet at 1:30 p.m. at the
Culpeper Baptist Church fellow-
ship hall. The program will be
the annual “Show and Tell.”
Members, please bring a hobbie,
craft or collectable and tell how
you happened to do this and for
how long. Members, please call
Priscilla Staples, 829-6070, if you
plan to display a craft, etc., so
that we will have enough tables
set up.
Town of Culpeper Holiday
Refuse collection schedule:
Monday, “Labor Day” schedule.
Town officers will be closed
Monday. Trash schedule will be
as follows:
Monday – Holiday; no refuse
collection
Tuesday – Monday’s and
Tuesday’s refuse collection
Wednesday – Regular refuse
collection
Thursday – Regular refuse
collection
Friday – Regular refuse col-
lection
The Town of Warrenton is
changing the way the pick up
refuse after a Holiday. From now
on after a Monday holiday, both
Monday’s and Tuesday’s refuse
will be picked up on the following
Tuesday.
Labor Day schedule:
Monday: holiday no refuse
collection
Tuesday: Monday and
Tuesday’s refuse collection
Wednesday: regular recy-
cling collections (cardboard, blue
bags and news papers)
Thursday: regular refuse
collection
Friday: regular refuse collec-
tion
There will be a refuse truck
available at the public works
facility at 360 Falmouth St.
A “Dunk-A-Cop” benefit to
help K-9 Law Enforcement
Units will be held in Madison
County at the Blue Ridge
Emporium from 11 a.m. until 4
p.m. A moonbounce will also be
available for children. All pro-
ceeds will be used to purchase
bulletproof vests, temperature
monitors (for the inside of the K-
9 vehicles to protect the K-9 from
heat) and bailouts (a device
which allows the Officer to
release the K-9 from the vehicle
with the push of a button). If you
don’t want to dunk a cop come by
and show your support by pur-
chasing one of our “Paws
Enforcing Laws” bracelets, T-
shirts or sweatshirts. Fresh
baked cookies, popcorn, snow
cones and drinks will be available
The Museum of Culpeper
History will be closed on
Monday, in observance of Labor
Day. It will resume regular hours
on Tuesday. The Museum of
Culpeper History is located at
803 South Main St. The gallery
and gift shop are open Monday
through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. and the museum’s office
hours are Monday through
Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To con-
tact the museum, please call 829-
1749/6434.
Sept. 6
U.S. Senator George Allen
(R-Va) announced that his
regional representative for
Western Virginia will hold local
office hours in Culpeper County.
Chaz Evans-Haywood will be in
Culpeper at the County Librayr,
271 Southgate Shopping Center,
from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. to discuss
issues facing the area with con-
stituents and to help anyone hav-
ing problems with a federal agen-
cy. For more information, con-
stituents may call Chaz Evans-
Haywood at (540) 421-1394.
Culpeper County Library
storytimes: Just another
reminder that storytimes at the
Culpeper County Library begin
again Tuesday, with a walk-in
evening storytime at 7 p.m.
Friday morning walk-ins resume
Friday at 10:30.
Registration for Tuesday
morning storytimes is Tuesday.
The Library opens at 10 a.m.
There will be three toddler class-
es — 10:30, 11 and 11:30 a.m —
for 2-3 year olds. Preschool chil-
dren ages 3-5 attend by them-
selves, and there will be two of
these classes — 10:30 and 11:30
a.m.
Space is limited. For more
information, contact the chil-
dren’s desk at (540) 825-8691.
Sept. 6-9
Walk In Storytimes
Resume at the Culpeper County
Library: Tuesdays at 7 p.m.
beginning Sept. 6; Fridays at 10
a.m. beginning Sept. 9.
Tuesday Morning
Storytimes: Sign up (in person
only) Sept. 6, beginning at 10
a.m. These classes are for specific
ages and are limited in size.
Toddler classes (2-3 year olds)
will be at 10:30, 11 and 11:30
a.m. Pre-school will be at 10:30
and 11:30 a.m. This is for 3-5
year olds who attend by them-
selves. The session will run from
Sept. 13 to Oct. 18. For more
information, contact the chil-
dren’s desk 825-8691.
Sperryville Volunteer Fire
Department will be having its
first Fall Harvest Festival Oct. 8
from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
We are looking for vendors. All
vendor tables are $10 each.
Please call Diana Weakley at
(540) 987-8275 or Charlotte
Jenkins at (540) 987-8683 for
table information. Please provide
your name, phone number and
type of vendor.
Anyone who can donate time
for music please call Michelle
Jenkins at 987-9440.
Please provide your name,
phone number and type of music.
Sept. 7
Parenting Classes for 2-12
year olds: 6-week sessions from
6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Culpeper
Regional Hospital Conference
room. $15 charge for textbook
(required). No daycare. Contact:
Penny Cox at Families First for
more information: (540) 829-2065
ext. 309.
The Culpeper County
Library Board will meet at 7
p.m. in the library conference
room. This meeting is open to the
public. A packet with the agenda
and supporting documentation is
available in the reference area.
Please ask at the information
desk.
Sept. 9
Culpeper Agricultural
Enterprises: The annual stock-
holders meeting will be held in
the meeting room at Culpeper
Agricultural Enterprises, at 7:30
p.m. for the purpose of electing
three directors and the transac-
tion of such other business as
may properly come before the
meeting. All stockholders are
invited and urged to attend this
meeting. All stockholders are
invited and urged to attend this
meeting.
Fauquier Community
Theatre will hold auditions for
its production of “A Christmas
Carol” from 7 to 9:30 p.m. and
Sept. 10 from noon to 3 p.m. Call-
backs if necessary, will be held
Sept. 11 from 2 to 4 p.m.
Auditions will be held at
Building, 4260 Sigler Drive, Vint
Hill Farms Station, Warrenton.
The show is being directed by
Evelyn Rice. For more informa-
tion or directions, to www.fes-
tage.org or call FCT’s phone line
at (540) 349-8760. In addition,
you may call the Director, Evelyn
Rice, (540) 347-2204.
Sept. 9 and 10
The Sterling Playmakers
announces auditions for William
Shakespeare’s classic tragedy,
“MacBeth,” on Friday, Sept. 9 at
7 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 10, at
1 p.m. at the Sterling
Community Center, 120
Enterprise Street, Sterling.
Monologues will be available
at auditions if needed. Auditions
will also include cold readings
and a demonstration of stage
combat potential.
Roles are available for 25 men
and 12 women, ages 16 and up,
two boys ages 10-13, and one girl
age 10-13.
Parental guidance is advised
due to the play’s violence and
supernatural overtones.
Production dates are Nov. 4, 5,
6, 11, 12, and 13 at River Bend
Middle School.
For further information, call
the Playmakers’ hotline at (703)
437-6117 or log on to www.ster-
lingplaymakers.com.
Sept. 9-23
Artists of Windmore 2005
Exhibition: The 10th Annual
Art Exhibition and Sale by the
Artists of Windmore featuring
the theme, “Elements”, will be
hosted again at Village
Frameworks & Gallery. The
Open House and reception will be
from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on
Saturday, with the artists in
attendance from noon to 2 p.m.
During that time, guests will
have the opportunity to talk with
the artists about their work while
enjoying light refreshments.
Also, anyone attending the open
house will have the chance to
vote for their favorite image in
the show. Everyone is invited to
attend and enjoy local artwork.
A majority of the participating
artists are showing watercolours,
but other media expected to be on
display this year include colored
pencil, acrylic, mixed media and
fabric art. All displayed art will
be related to the theme Elements
(water, air, fire and earth). The
Artists of Windmore is an active
and growing group with approxi-
mately twenty-five artists from
among the group expected to par-
ticipate.
Village Frameworks &
Gallery is located at 206 South
Main Street in Culpeper and is
open Mon., Wed., Thurs. and Fri.
from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tues. 10
a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sat. 10 a.m. to
3 p.m. For more information,
please call (540) 825-7515.
Mr. and Mrs. Mark James of
Culpeper are pleased to
announce the marriage of their
son, Matthew Alan to the former
Catherine Suzanne Sponaugle.
The bride is the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. James Sponaugle of
Doe Hill.
The wedding took place on
July 9, 2005 at Monterey United
Methodist Church in Monterey
with the Rev. Dave Boger presid-
ing.
The bride chose a strapless,
ivory satin gown with embroi-
dered bodice and matching sheer
ivory veil with tiara. The veil was
made by Lori Botkin, special
friend of the bride. The bride’s
bouquet consisted of red roses,
white daisies, field grasses and
matching ribbon.
Lora Heatwole of Mt.
Crawford was the maid of honor.
Bridesmaids were Laci
Sponaugle, cousin of the bride of
Doe Hill, Laura Moyers, cousin of
the bride of Moyers, W.Va.,
Jennifer Griffiths, friend of the
bride of Long Valley, N.J., and
Jacqulyne Zidzik, friend of the
bride of Mine Run. They all wore
full length, deep red gowns
adorned with ivory ribbon at the
bodice. They carried bouquets of
red roses and white daisies with
red and ivory ribbon streamers.
Melissa Moyers, cousin of the
bride made all the bouquets.
Emily Moyers of Covington and
Gabriella Arnott of Doe Hill
served as flower girls. They wore
long ivory dresses trimmed with
red ribbon at the bodice. They
carried baskets containing red
rose petals.
Nathan Rosenberger of
Jeffersonton was the best man.
Groomsmen were Justin James,
brother of the groom, of
Culpeper, Trey Keyser of
Moorefield, W.Va., Steven
Bowman of Wytheville and
Joshua Fleenor of Bristol, all col-
lege friends of the groom.
Cameron Mayes, cousin of the
groom, of Jeffersonton, served as
ring bearer. They all wore black
tuxedos with ivory vest and bow
ties to compliment the groom.
The mother of the bride wore
a full length, sleeveless gown
with beaded bodice in deep red.
The mother of the groom wore
a full length, sleeveless gown
with beaded bodice in navy blue.
A dinner reception was held at
the home of Mr. and Mrs. James
Sponaugle on their lawn. A
rehearsal dinner was hosted by
Mr. and Mrs. Mark James at the
Highland Inn in Monterey.
A shower in honor of the bride
was given by Jean Payne, grand-
mother of the groom and Terri
Green, aunt of the groom at
Alum Spring Baptist Church.
Lori Botkin, Ginny Neil and
G.W. Obaugh performed several
special songs for the bride and
groom during the wedding cere-
mony. The Sheads Family of
Rixeyville, entertained the
guests at the reception.
The bride is the granddaugh-
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Rembert
Moyers of Moyers, W.Va., and
Ms. Emma Sponaugle and the
late John Sponaugle of Doe Hill.
The groom is the grandson of
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel James of
Reva, and Ms. Dorothy James of
Culpeper, and Mr. and Mrs. Roy
Payne of Brandy Station.
Matthew is a 2002 graduate of
Virginia Polytechnic Institute
and State University and is cur-
rently employed by Samuel
James Construction, Inc. of
Culpeper.
The bride graduated in May
2005 with honors from Virginia
Polytechnic Institute and State
University upon completion of a
dual major earning a Bachelor of
Science degree in Agriculture
and Applied Economics and
Accounting and Information
Systems. Cathy is currently
employed by accounting firm of
Hantzmon Wiebel in
Charlottesville.
She will be pursuing her certi-
fication in accounting this fall.
The couple honeymooned in
the Great Smoky Mountains and
are now residing in their home in
Madison.
WEDDING
Sponaugle - James
Eunice Lodge is pleased to
announce the marriage of her
daughter Stacey Dawn Lodge to
Richard Bayne, Jr. son of
Richard Bayne, Sr. and Debbie
Zopp.
Stacey was given in marriage
by her uncle, George Steve
Dodson. The ceremony was per-
formed at Bethel Baptist Church,
July 16, 2005, with the Rev. Glen
Lutz performing the double ring
ceremony before family and
friends.
Maid of honor was Jamie
Kline, friend of the bride.
Bridesmaids were Ashley
Coleman, friend of the bride, and
Tiffany Scott, cousin of the bride.
Best man was Richard Bayne,
Sr., father of the groom.
Groomsmen were Dallas Roy,
friend of the groom, and Anthony
Hockman, nephew of the groom.
Ushers were Stephen Dodson,
cousin of the bride and Rusty
Burke, cousin of the groom.
Flower girl was Cierra Scott,
cousin of the bride. Ring bearer
was Sixx Bayne, brother of the
groom.
The reception was held at the
Moose Lodge of Culpeper.
The bride and groom honey-
mooned in Panama City, FLA.
WEDDING
Lodge - Bayne
Marvin and Linda Huffman
of Roanoke, are pleased to
announce the engagement of
their daughter, Blair
Elizabeth, to William
Chadwick Ellis. Chad is the
son of Robert and Kathy Ellis
of Beaverdam.
Blair is the granddaughter
of the late James Allen and
Hazel Crouch of Roanoke and
the late Rufus and Virginia
Huffman of Harrisonburg.
Chad is the grandson of Urchie
B. and Joyce Ellis of
Richmond, and Frank and
Mary Crigler Boldridge of
Culpeper.
Blair is a graduate of North
Cross School, Roanoke, and
Washington and Lee
University of Lexington, Pa.
She is beginning her third year
of law school at the University
of Pittsburgh.
Chad attended the
Governor’s School for
Government and International
Studies in Richmond and is
also a graduate of Washington
and Lee University. Chad is
currently pursuing his PhD in
Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon
University in Pittsburgh, Pa.
An April 2006 wedding is
planned in Lexington.
ENGAGEMENT
Huffman - Ellis

3. CULPEPER STAR-EXPONENT C3Sunday, September 4, 2005
For the last six years, I have
been privileged to write the
monthly newsletter at the
Culpeper County Library. I have
been fascinated by the many and
varied activities which take place
at our library.
Whenever I walk through the
library’s doors, a notice board
advertises one if not two meetings
scheduled for that day in the
meeting room; in the main lobby
there’s an attractive display of
books organized around an inter-
esting theme; at least two if not
several staff and volunteers are
behind the circulation desk;
another staff member is at the ref-
erence desk; and then there is the
almost steady stream of patrons.
Writing the library’s newslet-
ter, I am also very aware of the
variety of programs produced by
the talented and dedicated staff or
sponsored by the library’s friends.
Our library functions not only
as a 21st century information
resource, but also as a vital com-
munity center. To get a sense of
how this complicated organization
works, I turned to the director,
Susan Keller.
Our $2.2 million library opened
in March, 1998.
Keller said the library circu-
lates not only books, and also
books in large print, but also peri-
odicals, DVDs, audio books, edu-
cational software, videos and
media boxes (a media box is a col-
lection of videos, books for chil-
dren, books for parents, games,
and toys on a particular topic —
“nightmares,” for example —
developed by the library for par-
ents. The library took care to
introduce these boxes to private
day care providers.)
In fiscal year (FY) 1998, the
year the new library opened, the
total circulation was 129,399, of
which 1,559 was non-books. In
FY2005, total circulation was
352,228 —290,371 books and
61,857 non-books — nearly triple
that of 1998.
Our library was designed not
only to circulate books and other
media, but also to be a place
where different groups in our
community could get together, to
be a community. That’s why our
library has a large meeting room,
a conference room, and two study
rooms. In 1998, there were 70
meetings in the meeting room, 20
in the conference room, and 58 in
the two study rooms. In 2005,
there have been 444 meetings in
the meeting room, 367 in the con-
ference room, and 1,396 in the two
study rooms.
“Usually, we have to turn peo-
ple (who want to use these rooms)
away,” Keller said. “And, these
figures don’t reflect the meetings
sponsored by the Friends of the
Library.”
Where the Culpeper County
Library staff really shines is in the
broad array of programs it offers,
especially those for children. In
the Summer Reading Program
alone, which runs for 6 weeks, 888
children participated, along with
40 additional teen volunteers.
There are also thematic
“Storytimes” programs through-
out the year: “walkins” on Fridays
at 10 a.m. and Tuesday evenings
at 7 p.m. for the whole family, as
well as weekly programs designed
specifically for toddlers, pre-K, or
Kindergarteners. Participation in
all children’s programs has
jumped from 2,975 in FY1998 to
10,346 in FY2005 – that’s over
300 percent growth since 1998.
“One of the things people enjoy
about our children’s programs,”
according to Keller, “is their con-
sistency. All of them have themes,
and the stories, crafts and songs
are planned, coordinated, and
organized around those themes
and the motor skills of the partic-
ular age of the kids. Even two-
year-olds relax and get to know
each other.”
And it’s not just children who
are the focus of the library’s
trained staff. There are programs
for young adults, as well as train-
ing in research for the staff to
serve the general patrons who
ask an average of 10 to 14 ques-
tions an hour.
Probably least well known to
the public is the staff’s responsi-
bility for collection development.
“We carefully select materials
that are appropriate for our com-
munity,” Keller said. “We
respond not only to patrons’
requests, but to library journals,
periodicals, and numerous book
reviews.”
“How,” I asked Keller, “does
the library serve nearly 200,000
patrons a year? How did it pro-
cess 352,228 items this past year
— ‘process’ meaning not only to
catalog but also to check out,
repair items, call patrons about
reserved items, chase down over-
due items? How does the staff
design Summer Reading
Programs for several reading lev-
els, ‘Storytimes’ for various audi-
ences each week, young adult pro-
grams, and adult programs? All
this with the library open, on aver-
age, 58 hours a week in summer
and 62 hours a week in winter?”
I told Keller that is a phenome-
nal task.
Keller responded, “The only
thing phenomenal about what we
do is that we do it with so few peo-
ple.”
In 1998, in the fiscal year end-
ing June 30, there were seven full-
time or full-time-equivalent staff
members at the library. Since
then, circulation has nearly
tripled, participation in children’s
program has tripled, use of the
meeting room has increased 600
percent, use of the conference
room is up 1800 percent and use of
the two study rooms is up over
2400 percent. Yet the number of
full-time or full-time-equivalent
staff members has not even dou-
bled — it is 11.88. True, there are
90 regular volunteers who give
annually 5,000 hours to the
library, and those hours add up to
the equivalent of 2½ people.
Still, “phenomenal” doesn’t
really do justice to the many var-
ied services which our library staff
and volunteers give to the
Culpeper community.
Sara Bossong is a volunteer for
the library who writes the monthly
newsletter and also reads weekly
on Mondays at AmerAssist
House.
Spa
Continued from C1
Volunteer, Sara Bossong
FROM THE LIBRARY
Library has a lot to offer, has seen success
buddy will lightly spread the Cranberry
Rejuvenating Mask across her spa partner’s face.
Try to avoid getting the mask too close to the
hairline. Leave on for 15 minutes.
Treatment No. 2 - Massage:
While the mask is working, use the Relaxing
Lavender Massage Potion and begin a 15-minute
massage on your spa buddy.
This should include massaging the arms, hands,
shoulders, neck and upper back. Knead the hands
and arms to make sure your spa buddy feels com-
pletely relaxed and pampered.
Remove facemask:
Dip the washcloth back into the remaining water
and gently remove the facemask. Be careful to avoid
the eye area and then remove the last eye pads.
Switch:
Now it’s your spa partner’s turn to play aestheti-
cian. Ask guests to hang on to their washcloths,
which will be needed later.
After everyone has received facials and mas-
sages, clean out the bowls, refill with fresh warm
water, rinse off the washcloths and prepare for the
last fun step.
Treatment No. 3 - Pedicure:
Seated in a circle, everyone should choose two
freshly made scrubs and add one or two drops of
their favorite essential oil to the fresh bowl of
warm water, stirring lightly with fingers.
Dip washcloth and wrap around feet to soften
and soothe the skin, for about 10 minutes. Feel
free to rewet the washcloth a few times during the
10 minutes to keep softening the skin.
Wrap your towel around the washcloth as well
to keep from dripping too much on the sheet.
Scrub your own legs and feet, and then rinse
with your scented water. If you prefer to rinse
them off in the bathtub, you can slip on your flip-
flops and head to a bathroom, but it isn’t neces-
sary.
Now that your legs and feet are clean and
smooth, if you like, polish your toes with your
favorite color.
While the polish is drying:
Visit, sip on your spa drinks or enjoy another
cup of hot tea. At this time, the hostess may wish
to serve fruits, vegetables or a selection of healthy
finger food.
Suzanne Jackson is a staff writer for the Hickory
Daily Record.
Recommended reading:
“Secrets of the Spas: Pamper and Vitalize Yourself at
Home” by Catherine Bardley
“Facelift at Your Fingertips: An Aromatherapy
Massage Program for Healthy Skin and a Younger Face” by
Pierre Jean Cousin
“Herbal Home Spa: Naturally Refreshing Wraps,
Rubs, Lotions, Masks, Oils and Scrubs” by Greta Breedlove
“Making Soaps and Scents: Soaps, Shampoos, per-
fumes and Splashes You Can Make at Home” by Catherine
Bardley
“Girls’ Night In: Spa Treatment at Home” by Jennifer
Worick
Metro Creative Graphics
Putting together a home spa party is fun and simple, and the result is relaxation at its best. You only need a
few items to make it perfect.
would never make it because
people don’t go out to eat
healthy,” she said. “Eating
here doesn’t take the fun out
of going out to eat, it just
makes it easier to eat
healthy.”
Ala Heart celebrated its
year anniversary August 4.
“I’ve made it a year,” she
said. “I did feel a little ner-
vous about starting because
nobody had ever tried to start
a restaurant like this. I’m
sure it was probably because
they were afraid they would-
n’t get a response. I decided
there was a need for it in the
community and I convinced
myself to give it a try for a
year.”
Spencer’s desire to open
Ala Heart was influenced by
her husband’s health.
“He had really high blood
pressure and high choles-
terol,” she said. “It was easy
to fix stuff for him at home
but we were getting to the
point where we dreaded going
out to eat because he was so
tired of ordering salads.”
Ala Heart offers low fat,
low carbohydrate and vege-
tarian options.
“You’d be surprised how
many vegetarians there are in
Culpeper, I was shocked,” she
said. “I’ve had the hardest
time getting people to under-
stand just because its lower
in fat and has less carbs does-
n’t mean it doesn’t have fla-
vor.”
Hot dogs and chips are the
only traditional items
Spencer serves. Spencer uses
ground turkey and chicken
breast for a majority of her
meals and offers samples of
any of her side items.
Everything on the menu is
made in house except for
desserts, which include low
carb cheesecake, low fat apple
pie and low fat ice creams.
“We offer two to three spe-
cials per day, homemade
soups and usually one vege-
tarian special or soup,” she
said. “If people would come in
with an open mind and try
things they’ll find out how
easy it is to eat healthy. We
have a lot of healthy things
that taste really good.”
Alexis Bear has worked at
Ala Heart since February and
said the café is good for those
who want to go out to eat
without blowing their diet.
“It is really frustrating to
go out to eat and only be able
to eat salad off of a restau-
rant menu,” she said. “It’s
important to be aware of
what you eat and have
enough respect for your body
not to shove it full of junk.”
Bear said she believes larg-
er chain restaurants have a
hard time catering to the
health conscious population.
“Processed foods are loaded
with bad things but they’re
cheaper and you can buy
them in bulk,” she said. “To
cut waste down to a minimum
restaurants are also known to
order things with a lot of
preservatives so that they’ll
last longer. Restaurants also
use deep fryers for a lot of
things because they are
quick. We don’t own a deep
fryer.”
Dawn Peterson, Ala Heart
customer, said the café
offered a lot of “wonderful
choices” for people who want
to watch what they eat.
“It’s too easy to be tempted
when you go out, even if there
are a few healthy options on
the menu,” she said. “If you
go somewhere like Ala Heart
everything on the menu is
pretty safe.”
Donna Dodson said she
eats at Ala Heart because she
tries to remain focused on
eating healthy.
“It’s easier to eat how
you’re supposed to at Ala
Heart compared to other
restaurants,” she said.
Flavia Tonizzo, Lucio man-
ager, said she believes eating
healthy is becoming more of a
trend.
“We insist on quality and
our standards are very high,”
she said. “We acknowledge
that fact we exist because of
our guests so we take the
time to hear what they want
and try to placate them.”
Tonizzo said Lucio uses
organic products and makes
everything in house.
“We have a lot of seafood
choices that people just go
crazy for,” she said. “They
know the seafood is of high
quality and prepared
healthy.”
Prepackaged food items
have a lot to do with the fat
in a lot of meal options at
other restaurants, she said.
“A lot of restaurants don’t
have certified chefs and
therefore don’t always have
the luxury of preparing fresh,
high quality foods,” she said.
“Fresh fish, chicken breasts,
veal chops, the New York
strip, seafood and different
varieties of salads allow us to
do a lot for our guests that
want healthy options.”
Pamela Kulick can be
reached at (540) 825-3232 or
pkulick@culpepernews.com.
Yummy
Continued from C1
Scratch
Continued from C1
known health benefits to pet own-
ership.
Q: Why do some pet owners
have microchips implanted in
their dogs and cats?
A: Implanted microchips offer
a source of permanent identifica-
tion. Even pets who slip their col-
lars or who are stolen can still be
identified with the microchip.
Animal shelters and veterinari-
ans routinely scan for these small
chips.
If one is found, they contact a
national registry to find the pet
owner’s name and contact infor-
mation.
The implantation procedure is
minimally invasive and reason-
ably inexpensive.
If you are interested in having
a microchip implanted in your
pet, contact your veterinarian.
Dr. Watts is a companion
animal general practi-
tionerand owner of Clevengers
Corner Veterinary Care. He
can be reached through
Clevengers-Corner.com or by
calling 428-1000.
It’s new and
it’s all about
YouYour news
Your art
Your poetry
Your photos
Submit items for the twice-monthy Community Corner page to be
featured in Sunday’s Culpeper Life
section of the Star-Exponent to
rfinefrock@orangenews.com
or
tferguson@starexponent.com

4. C4 CULPEPER STAR-EXPONENT Sunday, September 4, 2005
This is a series of articles
following the saga of Thomas
Jefferson’s Corps of
Discovery, a military explo-
ration of the West, co-led by
Capt. Meriwether Lewis and
Capt. William Clark. The
articles follow the expedition
up the Missouri to its head-
waters, over the Rocky
Mountains and down the
treacherous Columbia River
followed by their return trip
in 1806.
C
arrying out their orders
from President Thomas
Jefferson, Captains
Meriwether Lewis and
William Clark prepared for
the final stage of their jour-
ney across the continent to
the Pacific Ocean. Leaving
the friendly Shoshone
Indians, the party began its
trek across the rugged
Bitterroot Mountains. The
rough boulder-strewn, wood-
ed country, with much down-
fall, hampered the party’s
progress up, through and
down the steep, snow-cov-
ered, heavily-timbered moun-
tain range.
From the Journals Week of
August 29, 1805:
August 29, 1805: “…about
11 o’Clock A.M. Capt. Clark
and party arrived here [back
at the Shoshone village]
…informed us that the moun-
tains were amazeing high
and rough. almost impossible
to pass over them. They had a
guide with them…[the Corps]
find [found]…the mountains
So bad that we cannot follow
the river by land and the
river So rapid and full of
rocks…is impossible for
crafts to pass down…”
Sergeant Ordway
August 30: “…finding that
we Could purchase no more
horse than we had for our
goods…I Gave my Fuzee
[rifle] to one of the men &
Sold his musket for a horse
which Completed us to 29
total horses, we Purchased
pack Cords Made Saddles &
set out on our rout down the
river by land guided by my
old guide [The Corps named
their elderly Shoshone guide,
Toby]…” Captain Clark
August 31: “…we Set out
eairly and proceeded on 2
miles passed Several Indian
lodges where we bought a
number of fine salmon…we
then proceeded on over rough
hills Some of them high &
Steep, deep Gullies…passed
along Side of a
mountain…where the Stone
lay one on an other and full of
holes…almost impossible for
horses to pass…” Private
Whitehouse
September 1,1805: “We set
out at Sun rise and proceeded
on up a high mountain at the
first pitch one of the horses
fell backwards and rolled
over, but did not hurt him
much we proceeded on up and
down the high
mountains…in the afternoon
we had Several Shower of
rain and a little hail…we
came 23 miles this day…”
Sergeant Ordway
September 2: “…proceeded
on up the creek…left the
roade… and proceeded up a
West fork…thro’ thickets in
which we were obliged to Cut
a road, over rockey hill Sides
where our horses were
in…danger of Slipping to
Ther certain distruction & up
& Down Steep hills, where
several horses fell, Some
turned over, and others
Sliped down Steep hill
Sides…one horse Crippled
and 2 gave out, with the
greatest dificuelity risqué &c.
we made five miles” Captain
Clark
September 4: the morning
clear but verry cold. Our
mockersons froze
hard…mountains covered
with snow…about 8 oClock
assended a mountain without
anything to eat. The Snow lay
on the mount. So that it kep
on our mockersons…our fin-
gers aked [ached] with the
cold…hunter killed a
deer…arrived at a large
Encampment of the flat head
[Flat Head Indian] nation…”
Private Whitehouse
Next week: The Corps
trades with the Flat Head for
more horses, and loses a
horse. Captain Lewis records
as much of the Flat Head lan-
guage as he could in a fur-
ther effort to determine
whether they are descended
from lost Welsh settlers.
Note: The Lewis and Clark
Exploratory Center (LCEC)
in Charlottesville has a full-
scale keelboat on its property
in Darden Towe Park adja-
cent to the Rivanna River; it
has also embarked on a
fundraising campaign to cre-
ate a hands-on center for
children of all ages to partic-
ipate in Lewis and Clark’s
adventures.
Every Saturday during the
summer LCEC will have per-
sonnel at Darden Towe Park
off Route 20 northeast of
Charlottesville (Stony Point
Road) from 10 AM to 2 PM, to
show the keelboat and
answer questions. For more
information visit
www.lewisandclarkeast.org.
Bill Speiden is a resident
of Orange who works with
the Lewis and Clark
Exploratory Center in
Charlottesville. Contact
him at 672-2596 or
oxpwr@yahoo.com.
Monroe Baisden
Want good
wine with
dinner?
T
here is a new restaurant in
town that definitely
deserves your attention.
Foti’s Restaurant at 219 E.
Davis St. is a jewel. My wife and I
were two of about 26 people who
attended the first wine dinner
held there Monday night, and as
I’ve been told, the plans are to
have one each month.
The six course “Tasting Menu”
was prepared by owner/chef
Frank Maragos, and the wines
were selected by Sommelier, Tyler
Packwood.
The dishes were
varied and unusual
from sushi grade
tuna grilled and
chilled and specially
presented to pesto
encrusted grilled
loin of lamb served
on white bean and
crispy bacon cas-
soulet.
The wines, how-
ever, were, for me,
the highlight. All of
the wines selected
were from small,
low production
wineries which can
be difficult to find, but are worth
the effort. Seven Hills Riesling ’04
from Columbia Valley in Oregon
is such a wine. This is a balanced
riesling with ripe apple and floral
notes with a hint of mineral and
petrol. Yes, petrol. It is not unusu-
al at all for quality Rieslings to
have this characteristic, and it is
not offensive in the least.
The Consilience Viognier ‘02
from Santa Barbara, California is
an example of the increase in
Rhone varietal production in
California.
The winery focuses on such
grapes as syrah and viognier and
sources their grapes meaning
they buy them from vineyards
and growers in Santa Barbara
County. Viogniers typically offer
big doses of apricot and peach
fruit up front with full-body and
density throughout, and this wine
was no exception.
I must admit that gewürz-
traminer is not one of my favorite
white wines, however, paired with
the right food, I love it.
The wine this night was a
Domaine Clement Klur Weineck
Schlossberg Grand Cru ’00. Quite
a mouthful in more ways than
one. This wine is dry, but full of
fruit and other flavors including
grapefruit, spice, honeysuckle and
minerals, and typical of Alsace
gewürztraminers, is full bodied
with low acidity.
The “big boy” of the tasting was
the Clos du Joncuas Gigondas ’98
paired with the lamb. This wine is
80 percent grenache, 10 percent
mourvedre, and 10 percent syrah
and is a rich, dense, full bodied
wine with just a touch of oak.
Awarded AOC status in 1971,
Gigondas wines are truly remark-
able and worth your attention.
The final wine was a Bodegas
Toro Albalá, Pedro Ximenez, Don
PX’, Gran Reserva(1971). This is a
sherry made from the grape Perdo
Ximenez and although very
sweet, has the orange and lemon
acidity to balance rich, almost
molasses-like sweetness.
Southern Spain is famous for
its sherries, and this one really
stands out.
If you can’t get to a wine dinner
at Foti’s, have your own. Invite
your friends over requesting that
each brings a dish and a wine to
go with it. What a great way to
learn more about wines and how
to match them with foods.
Monroe Baisden is the owner
of Chateau du Reaux, a wine
shop on East Davis Street.
E-mail him at
info@culpeperwines.com.
YOUR
GRAPE
ESCAPE
Bill Speiden
Corps prepare to cross continent on Pacific
ANSWERS CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE C2
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A
utumn, spring and summer
are delightful seasons to
plan a visit to the Atlantic
maritime provinces of Canada.
You might choose to do a driv-
ing tour from Culpeper, grab a
plane and rent a car, take a guid-
ed tour, or relax on a train adven-
ture with VIA Rail from
Montreal. Enjoy exclusive access
to the luxurious Renaissance
sleeping cars, where you will
relax in a comfortable seat by day
and a cozy bed by night in your
choice of private bedrooms. At
meal time proceed to the elegant
dining car to be served delectable
regional specialties.
Whatever your mode of trans-
portation you will want to stop in
New Brunswick where tides rise
and fall the height of a four-story
building twice a day, allowing
you to stroll along the ocean floor
and then kayak above the same
spot a few hours later.
This is only the beginning of
New Brunswick’s natural won-
ders, find yourself among the
300-million-year-old plant fossils
embedded in some of the oldest
visible rock on earth, be fascinat-
ed by the massive cliffs of the
Grand Falls Gorge or inspired by
400 million years of history whis-
pering through some of the oldest
mountains on the planet.
Continuing your tour of
Atlantic Canada you might head
to Prince Edward Island by way
of the fairly new, very long,
bridge or by car ferry. Prince
Edward Island is the country’s
smallest and greenest province.
It is located in the Gulf of St.
Lawrence and is blanketed with
rich red earth. Its rolling pas-
toral, agricultural landscape is
often compared to a patchwork
quilt.
Many know Prince Edward
Island as the home of one of the
world’s favorite fictional heroines,
Anne of Green Gables. The
island’s gentle green terrain is
also perfect for cycling, golfing
and general touring. Because it
is surrounded by water, the
island is blessed with sandy
beaches and pleasant swimming
temperatures in July and
August.
Then you meander along the
northern Nova Scotia coast to
Cape Breton Island where you
may drive the spectacular Cabot
Trail and take in the vistas and
landscapes of the rugged coast-
line.
If you are a history buff, get a
thrill exploring historic sites,
museums and fortresses. Step
back in time at the Fortress of
Louisbourg National Historic
Site of Canada, the largest recon-
structed 18th-century French for-
tified town in North America.
Over 100 costumed staff are
available to guide you through
the more than 60 buildings on
site.
It has been said that,
“Spending time in Nova Scotia is
a tonic for your body, mind and
soul.”
The province has long been
famous for its breathtaking coast-
line, mouth-watering seafood and
rich musical tradition.
Chances are, you’ll want to
extend your stay after experienc-
ing the revitalizing sea breezes,
the tranquil pace of life and the
warmth of the people. The
province also has several out-
standing national and provincial
parks, and 4,600 miles of stun-
ning seacoast. Swim, surf, hike
and sea kayak at your leisure or
simply set out to discover the
secrets of Halifax, Peggy’s Cove
and the surrounding country-
side.
If you are driving, rather than
returning via New Brunswick,
you may take the Scotia Prince
(an auto ferry) from Yarmouth,
Nova Scotia to Portland, Maine.
If you prefer you may take this
ferry, overnight, from Portland to
Yarmouth to begin your trip to
Atlantic Canada.
Melanie Chambers is a travel
consultant for Battlefield Travel
in downtown Culpeper. She can
be reached at 825-1393.
Autumn, perfect time to go to Atlantic Canada
Melanie Chambers
Contributed Photo
"The Pathfinders" is a painting by artist R. L. Rickards. It depicts the
journey across the Pacific Ocean.
FOR THE BEST
LOCAL NEWS
get the Culpeper
Star-Exponent.
Call 825-0771 to subscribe.

5. C6 CULPEPER STAR-EXPONENT Sunday, September 4, 2005ENTERTAINMENT
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
RICHMOND — When Mary
Badham’s mother took her to a
1961 cattle call for the film “To Kill
a Mockingbird,” the 9-year-old had
almost no acting experience.
She made up for it at the audi-
tion in Birmingham, Ala., with
innocence and a memorable
Southern drawl — exactly what
director Robert Mulligan and star
Gregory Peck wanted.
Badham won the role of feisty 6-
year-old tomboy Jean Louise
“Scout” Finch, living in a
Depression-era Alabama town.
The screen version of Harper Lee’s
novel followed Scout and her
father, Atticus, played by Peck,
who agrees to defend a young black
man accused of raping a white
woman.
Today, Badham is a 52-year-old
mother who works at a community
college, does art restoration and is
just now returning to acting. On
the eve of the Sept. 6 DVD release
of “Mockingbird,” The Associated
Press got to know Badham a little
better by, as Atticus Finch would
say, stepping inside her skin and
walking around a little.
AP: Had you read the book
before filming?
Badham: I didn’t read the book
until after I had my daughter (who
is now 21) ... There was so much
more information that wasn’t
included in the film. There were
family members that I didn’t know
we had, some of which I think I
couldhavedonewithout.Butweall
have families like that. It was very,
very good.
AP: How does the movie com-
pare to the book?
Badham:It’sawonderfuladap-
tation.HarperLeeand(screenwrit-
er) Horton Foote were so together
on this. Horton was from the South
and from that era. He knew the
sights, the sounds, the smells of the
whole thing and he loved the book.
He was able to get to the essence of
the book. And he did it admirably.
AP: And “Mockingbird” was
pretty much your last movie as an
actress?
Badham: The industry was
changing so much. ... The scripts
weren’t as good. I was at that in-
betweenage,Ihadhit13andthat’s
a real tough age for an actress
because you’re not a child anymore
but you’re not a woman either and
they really don’t know what to do
for you. They weren’t writing
scripts for that age bracket. My dad
and my mom were both very big on
education. So, we had sort of a fam-
ily meeting after I made “This
Property Is Condemned,” and it
was pretty much jointly decided
that I would retire and get an edu-
cation.
AP: What do you do now?
Badham: I have a very normal
life.I’mamomandIworkforalocal
community college. I run the test
center for the campus that I work
on, and I do art restoration. And
nowI’mbackinthemoviesagain(a
new film called “Our Very Own”).
AP: Had you stayed in touch
with Harper Lee, since you basical-
ly played her in the movie?
Badham: With Harper I don’t.
With Atticus, we stayed in touch. I
was up at the house shortly before
he passed away.
AP: You call him Atticus?
Badham: Yeah. I can’t call him
Greg, forget it. I can’t call him Mr.
Peck — that’s too formal. He’s just
my Atticus. That’s just the relation-
ship that we had. He would call me
on the phone and say, “Scout,
Scout.” That was who we were.
AP: What was it like working
with him?
Badham: Wonderful. Oh, he
was so sweet. I mean what you see
up on the screen is what you get at
home. He’s just lovely. He was so
stabilizing for me. He was such a
great role model. I lost my father
very early. My dad died when I was
21 and my mom died three weeks
afterIgraduatedhighschool.So,the
Pecks really were a stabilizing force
in my life. Atticus would call me, or
I’d call him. When you’re going
through tough times, just hearing
his voice on the other end of the line
was very calming for me. I knew
that he was there and everything
was OK. I knew that the end was
coming when he passed away, but
it’shardnonethelesstosaygoodbye.
AP: How similar was where you
grewuptowhatwasdepictedinthe
movie?
Badham: In Birmingham dur-
ing that time period things had not
changed much since the ‘30s. The
social structure was still the same.
Women were still in the same posi-
tion.Blackpeoplewereprettymuch
in the same position. It wasn’t until
later on that things really made the
major change to catch up with the
rest of the world. When I went to
California, I thought I had died and
gone to heaven because women
could work, they could be indepen-
dent, there wasn’t this tight rein on
social issues. It didn’t matter what
color you were. Everybody sort of
livedinthesameplaceandgotalong
and everybody was happy. I didn’t
fit into Alabama to begin with, but
when I went back I really didn’t fit
in. I was like, ‘We don’t have to live
like this anymore. If I want to have
black people as my friends it’s just
fine.’
AP Photo
Actor Gregory Peck and 9-year-old Mary Badham study their lines dur-
ing a break on the set of the film “To Kill a Mockingbird,” in this 1962
photo.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES — How Ellen
DeGeneres spent her summer
vacation: accepting a bouquet of
Daytime Emmys and agreeing to
host this month’s prime-time
Emmy ceremony. Oh, and recon-
sidering her trademark dancing
on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
That last item could send
DeGeneres fans reeling. The
comedian’s happy-feet boogie at
the start of her syndicated talk
show has turned into a big crowd
pleaser. Too big, maybe.
“I love to dance and I know
people love watching me dance.
But at the same time it never
was intended to be an everyday
thing on the show,” she said.
“What people talk about more
than the show itself is the
dance.”
But some kind of hoofing will
be part of the show’s third sea-
son, which starts Tuesday (check
local listings for station and
time) with guests Alicia Keys
and Ray Romano. DeGeneres
has figured out it’s important to
viewers, and why.
“I think it’s sort of representa-
tive of a freedom that I have, and
I know I have, and I think a lot of
people don’t have that,” said
DeGeneres, who swings easily
from conversational banter to
introspection.
“A lot of people stay contained
and want to come off a certain
way,” she said. “I think that
dance is an expression of free-
dom and I don’t care how I look
— this is just me being me. And
I think that people tap into that
and think, ‘That’s so much fun.”‘
And it is, DeGeneres said,
who’s reveling in the freedom of
being herself. She considers the
awards welcome — the show
earned five Emmys in May,
including best host and its sec-
ond consecutive best talk show
honors — but not proof she’s on
the right track.
“I think I let go of the need for
approval,” DeGeneres told The
Associated Press. “It certainly
feels good when you get it, but I
used to be more desperate for it.
Once I felt better inside about
myself ... I could do everything
based on how I want to do
things.”
The romantic notion of a
Hollywood comeback is overused
but clearly applies to DeGeneres,
who seemed an unlikely candi-
date for the role of daytime tele-
vision’s newest sweetheart.
When her show from Warner
Bros. Telepictures Productions
was first pitched to TV station
managers they viewed it with
skepticism, she said. After all,
consider her history: She came
out as a lesbian while starring
in a popular sitcom, lost that
show when ratings fell and saw
another comedy flop.
It seemed like a formula for
disaster to those who couldn’t
look beyond DeGeneres’ sexual
orientation.
“Nobody thought I could do
daytime and do well. Nobody
thought that housewives would
want to watch me. ‘Why would
a housewife have anything in
common with a gay woman?”‘
DeGeneres recalled hearing.
“Like you’re not going to talk
about men, not talk about
kids.”
CELEBRITY Q & A
Mary Badham remembers
playing Scout in ‘Mockingbird’
AP Photo
talk show host Ellen DeGeneres
smiles during a taping of “The
Ellen DeGeneres Show” at NBC
Studios in Burbank, Calif. on May
9. The show’s third season starts
Tuesday.
Ellen
back to
daytime
series

6. CULPEPER STAR-EXPONENT C7Sunday, September 4, 2005
The key to a successful family
trip — and we’ll define “successful”
as one not ending in the conviction
of a family member for beating
another family member senseless
with a badminton racket — is plan-
ning.
Know where you’re going. Know
how you’re going to get there. Know
how to fend off a badminton racket
attack if plans go awry.
My wife and I wisely planned a
recent getaway by first discussing a
general direction of travel. She
chose “south” while I favored “left.”
After a spirited debate in which a
badminton racket did not play a
major role, I relented because her
argument was sound and the game
was coming on.
Choosing the destination was
actually easy. Since we live near the
mountains, we travel to the beach.
That’s the rule. Go to unfamiliar
territory and act as stupid as possi-
ble. Buy enough saltwater taffy to
choke a mule. Wade in tidal pool
that is actually runoff from a bro-
ken sewer line at the Pink
Flamingo Motor Lodge and Crab
House and talk about how funny
the people look.
Conversely, those who live near
the ocean must travel to the moun-
tains, drive 12 mph in front of me in
a 68-foot wide RV, buy enough
authentic plastic Cherokee toma-
hawks to arm a small nation, float
around on a tractor tube in a creek
where the hillbillies have been
straight-piping since Roosevelt was
in office (Teddy not Franklin) and
talk about how funny the people
look.
My wife and I planned our route
by using the only navigational tool
we can’t seem to lose, a gas station
road map so out of date that it lists
major stagecoach stops.
“Ok, according to our Esso map,
we start here, take a left at the
gravy stain and travel toward this
area where someone played Tic Tac
Toe with a green crayon. Now this
says Route 9, which I believe
became Route 6 back 1972 or Route
2 back in 1976. Here it shows a one-
lane dirt road though the town of
Spitville, which I’m pretty sure
ceased to exist when the boiled
peanut stand burned down. Where
we want to go is actually not on this
map, but it would be if the map fold-
ed out to the proportions of a queen-
size sheet.
“Planning each day of the vaca-
tion while enjoying a hearty vaca-
tion-style breakfast of leftover pizza
and flat Dr. Pepper can increase
each family member’s enjoyment
and lessen the conflicts that lead to
badminton racket-related inci-
dents. Our planning sessions went
like this:My wife: I plan to enjoy a
leisurely day at the beach, building
sand castles, walking along the
edge of the surf and picking up
shells to take home as souvenirs of
our best vacation ever.
Our daughter: Five seconds after
arriving at the beach, I plan to rub
sunscreen and sand in my eyes
then hyperventilate.Me: I plan to go
to the Piggly Wiggly and get some
beer. My plans became a bit hazy
after that.
It’s also important for a success-
ful family vacation to plan for the
unexpected. If it rains every day,
have some indoor activities
planned. I suggest fun-filled games
like “Sitting and Staring at Each
Other Until Someone Screams” or
“Road Map Tic Tac Toe.”
The “Blame Game” is another
favorite. One person starts with a
statement such as, “It’s your stink-
ing fault we came to this stinking
place where it rains all the stinking
time.” Each person takes a turn
until someone is struck with a bad-
minton racket. And, if any sort of
emergency arises, make sure you
have a bag packed with emergency-
related items such as road flares,
bandages, duct tape, bullet-proof
vest, passport, penicillin, a large
can of squirt cheese and a set of bur-
glary tools.
So, to recap, the key to a success-
ful family vacation involves plan-
ning — plan the route, plan the
activities, plan for the unexpected
and plan on ducking that bad-
minton racket if it all goes wrong.
Scott Hollifield is editor of
The McDowell News in Marion,
N.C. E-mail him at:
rhollifield@mcdowellnews.com.
Scott Hollifield
Always have a
vacation plan
before you go
Have you been downtown
lately?
If not, you haven’t been to
downtown Culpeper. Ribbon
cuttings, store expansions and
special events are fast becoming
the norm for downtown
Culpeper.
Like the fashion world, down-
towns have “hot trends” and
Culpeper has captured one of
the main street’s current hot
trends. These trends are dictat-
ed by the consumer and today’s
consumer has more leisure time,
is more active and is very proac-
tive in creating a healthy
lifestyle.
Downtown Culpeper offers a
cluster of businesses that cater
to a healthy lifestyle. A well-
rounded lifestyle focuses on the
whole person — mind, body and
spirit.
The spirit is nourished by
several historical churches of
various denominations. A sim-
ple walk through the grounds
affects the spirit by the beauty
and peacefulness of these beau-
tiful buildings and grounds.
Rest the mind with yoga or a
visit to one of our day spas.
Eating healthy is a major
component of a healthy body
and a healthy lifestyle. Local
restaurants boast delectable
offerings with natural herbs and
locally grown produce, meats
and cheese.
The Food Network has
peeked our interest in cooking
and experimenting with alter-
native ways to prepare our
favorite dishes.
Check out the shops down-
town that offer fresh breads
baked from alternative grains,
packaged gluten-free mixes, and
other wheat–free products.
Need low fat milk or cheese?
Try local goat or sheep cheese
and yogurt.
Who needs processed sugar
when you can find local honey
downtown?
Fresh coffee? Did you know
one of our coffee shops roast its
own beans?
Need to know how to prepare
delicious meals with the items
purchased on your shopping
spree? Look for upcoming cook-
ing classes with chefs from pop-
ular downtown restaurants.
Move over Emeril.
Looking for a place to pamper
yourself with a relaxing mas-
sage? Visit downtown Culpeper.
Searching for locally grown
produce or alterative grains and
food products? Shop downtown
Culpeper. Looking for a great
restaurant that serves gourmet
food that is not only delicious
but healthy? Visit downtown
Culpeper.
And remember, wine and
chocolate is healthy for you.
Looking for great wine and
chocolate? Downtown Culpeper
can fill that order too.
For more information on
downtown happenings visit the
CRI website at www.culpeper-
downtown.com.
Diane Logan serves as
Executive Director of Culpeper
Renaissance, Inc. E-mail cridi-
rector@culpeperdowntown.com
or visit the CRI website at
Downtown has everything you need
What’s up
downtown?
Diane Logan
“Remember, wine
and chocolate is
healthy for you.
Looking for great
wine and choco-
late? Downtown
Culpeper can fill
that order too.”
File Photo
Food For Thought is one of the newest downtown stores.

7. C8 CULPEPER STAR-EXPONENT Sunday, September 4, 2005TRAVEL
By Lauren Williamson
MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE
HICKORY -
Boot cut.
Flare.
Skinny. Slouchy.
Low-rise. Super
low-rise.
Jeans, like
people, come in all
shapes, sizes and col-
ors.
If the thought of
shopping for a pair of
jeans makes your head spin,
you’re not alone.
With so many designers, each with
their own fits and size charts, it’s no
wonder most women leave a store with a
headache after trying on pair after pair
of jeans.
Liane Whisnant said she struggles to
find jeans that are full enough in the thighs
but small enough to fit her waist.
The hunt for new jeans usually requires trying on
at least 10 different pairs.
Whisnant said before she’ll make a purchase, a pair
of jeans must pass the “bend” test.
“I’m not trying to look like a plumber,” Whisnant
said. “I always bend down and make sure that the
back doesn’t creep down too much.”
She’s found that Levi’s seem to work well with her
body type.
Ashley Dismuke, a Dillard’s sales associate at
Valley Hills Mall, said finding the perfect pair of
jeans isn’t impossible. It just takes a little time - and
patience.
She’s seen many a woman break down in the dress-
ing room out of frustration.
The No. 1 thing to remember?
Just because you wear a size 8
in one brand doesn’t
mean you’ll wear that
size in another.
“The same size isn’t
always going to fit,”
Dismuke said. “Every
designer and every fit
is different, so you’ve
got to be open to that.”
Knowing what
you’re looking for also
helps cut down on the
amount of time you’ll
have to peruse a store.
Dismuke said she
asks clients if they’re
looking for a plain,
classic jean or some-
thing a little more fun,
like jeans with rhine-
stones or embroidery.
“It helps to know if
you want a regular pair of jeans to wear for comfort or
if you’re looking for a pair you can dress up,” Dismuke
said. “You can really dress it up with a pair of embel-
lished jeans.”
No matter what your body type, Dismuke said most
women can’t go wrong with her personal favorite
brand, Seven Jeans.
“I don’t know what it is or what does it,” Dismuke
said. “But everyone seems to love them. I have cus-
tomers tell me they’re the best jeans.
Some styles of Sevens come with a $150 price tag,
while Dillard’s version runs from $79 to $89.
If shelling out more than $50 for jeans is not your
thing, Dismuke said you can still find a reliable, flat-
tering pair with a less expensive price tag.
Let the jean hunt begin.
Lauren Williamson is a staff writer for the Hickory
Daily Record. She can be reached at (828) 322-4510,
Ext. 258 or lwilliamson@hickoryrecord.com.
On the Bod
Style for the fashion-minded
You shouldn’t have to be a
contortionist to pull up your
HICKORY - I’ll admit it.
I’m a shopaholic.
I’ll take any excuse to go shop-
ping. To me, shopping is therapy.
Not to mention I can’t pass up buy-
ing a new outfit, new shoes or some
typeofnew“It’sguaranteedtomake
you beautiful” beauty product.
With that said, there is one thing
in this world that I absolutely detest
shopping for: jeans.
Oh, the horror!
It’s been my experience that
unlessyouarerail-thin,you’rebound
to spend more than an hour in a
store dressing room trying to find
one, just one pair of jeans that does-
n’t (A) make your butt look big, (B)
push your love handles up or (C)
make your legs look like sausages.
For some reason, jean designers
are under the misconception that all
women are sized like supermodels.
Size 0? Ha, I’ve never worn a size
0inmylife.Iskippedrightoverthat
one.
EversinceIhitpuberty,I’vebeen
more “well-endowed” than most of
theothergirlsmyage.Ialwayswore
abiggerbraandhadwidehipsanda
bubble butt while all the other girls
were straight down the sides.
Finding clothes, especially pants
or jeans, that fit has always been a
struggle.
They’reeithertootightinthehips
or too big in the waist.
Unfortunately for me, my waist
isalotsmallercomparedtomyhips,
which makes finding jeans in the
right size darn near impossible.
I know I’m not the only one out
there with this problem.
The majority of women you ask
will tell you that jean shopping isn’t
one of their favorite pastimes either.
I’ve considered starting a letter-
writing campaign to all designers
out there, begging and pleading
with them to get some real women
— women with curves and imper-
fectbodies—tobetheirjeanmodels.
Then jean-shopping wouldn’t be
such a traumatic ordeal.
Maybe one day I’ll learn to
embrace my curves.
Until then, I think I’ll just keep
shopping at the store I wear the
smallest size in.
LaurenWilliamsonisastaffwrit-
er for the Hickory Daily Record. She
can be reached at (828) 322-4510,
Ext. 258 or lwilliamson@hicko-
ryrecord.com.
What’s Hot in Accessories
By Penelope M. Carrington
MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE
Build it and they will come.
Especially if it’s a great pair of shoes
with a comfort level as high as the
heels.
Millie’s, one of Hong Kong’s largest
shoe retailers, made the sale of such
shoes possible Stateside when it
launched Vago, a line of $100 to $120
shoes crafted with a technology called
Insolia.
Insolia, developed by an American
podiatrist who had treated hundreds of
high-heel-related ailments, consists of
a heel cup and forefoot support
designed to take the discomfort out of
wearing high heels by shifting the
body’s weight.
The shoes look the same but feel dif-
ferent with Insolia, which is licensed by
its New Hampshire-based parent com-
pany, HBN Shoe. Millie’s was its first
client.
In the fall of 2003, the Hong Kong
store promised $40 off its ache-free
shoes in exchange for any uncomfort-
able pair. Six thousand pairs of killer
heels were turned in over a month. The
response was the kick needed to con-
vert American skeptics of a “high-heel
revolution” led by Insolia inventor and
New Hampshire podiatrist Howard
Dananberg.
Respected for research that helped
make athletic shoes more comfortable,
Dananberg’s pump obsession led many
colleagues to brand him a David bat-
tling Goliath in Pradas that pinched.
“I had no idea how obsessed I was
getting compared to everyone else,”
said Dananberg, speaking by phone
from Bedford, N.H.
Generally, people walk heel to toe
with their weight balanced between
the two points. High heels, however,
pitch that weight forward, impeding
balance, among other things. The
imbalance forces body weight and its
problem-causing pressure to the ball of
the foot and the toes. Dananberg con-
ducted tests with a pressure mapping
system and came to this conclusion:
High-heel pain is a weight-shift and
foot-alignment problem.
His solution? A forefoot support that
shifts the foot — and body weight — to
the best position for specific heel
heights. The cup at the shoe’s heel
gives that weight, which is redirected
backward, more area on which to set-
tle.
Penelope Carrington is a writer for
the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Fancy shoes that don’t hurt your feet?
Maybe I’ll
learn to
embrace
my assets
Jeans
In Style
with
Lauren
Williamson
Media
General
News
Service
For Curvy Women:
Women with a few curves
should look for jeans ...
With a darker wash
With bigger pockets, placed higher
on the seat of jeans
With a boot cut or flare - no
tapered legs
What’s suggested: Ashley
Dismuke, a Dillard’s sales associate at
Valley Hills Mall, suggests Silver
Jeans, Levi’s or Polo Ralph Lauren.
Other styles to try: American Eagle
Blue-Issue jeans, True Religion Brand
Bobby Jeans
Plus-size styles to try:
Avenue jeans or Seven Jeans at
Lane Bryant stores
To find shoes made with Insolia, visit
www.insolia.com, www.ipanemashoes.com
or www.jcpenney.com. In stores, look for the
Insolia logo on the shoes’ soles.
MGNS Photo
Jessica Balkaran, 18, tries on jeans that fit well. It’s very important to find jeans that you feel
comfortable in and that have a proper fit. .