DougThompson.Com

At any political event, it’s fun to watch the faces of people to see how they react to the words that spill out of the mouths of elected officials. Fellow Floyd County blogger Fred First (center) doesn’t seem all that impressed by what Governor Mark Warner had to say at this point in his town meeting at the Floyd Country store on Wednesday. Or maybe he was just listening intently?
Local artist Sue Nees (top) appears slightly bemused. But the VFW member at the bottom applauded enthusiastically to the governor’s comments. Was he just being polite or did he like what he heard? We may never know because the governor can’t run for re-election (the Virginia constitution limits guvs to one term) so you can’t vote your pleasure or displeasure at the ballot box.
But wait. Warner is gearing up for a Presidential run, a dubious goal given the record of the last three Southern governors to reach the Presidency. He wants to join eight over Virginians who moved into the White House.
Let’s see. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler,Zachary Taylor, Woodrow Wilson and…and…and…Mark Warner?

Bernie Coveney’s smile is the first thing you notice. It’s far more boyish than you expect from a man of his age. It’s also infectious.
Coveney is a guitarist, a damn good one. He used to play with Emmylou Harris and that’s the kind of gig any guitar player would love to have on their resume. Nowadays he plays mostly with the Abe Goorskey Trio. Abe is a student, a mandolin player and singer. Chris Luster on bass makes up the rest of the trio.
Bernie’s work on the guitar is pure magic. You can catch it on this video from Floyd’s annual Spring Into Summer festival.

Starting a new series this week called “Faces of Floyd.” The idea is to showcase some of the people and places that make the area so unique.
My regular morning stop during the week is Cafe del Sol, Frank and Sally Walker’s coffee shop in the Winter Sun building. Unlike too many urban-based coffee shops that serve acidic swill and call it java, the brew at Cafe del Sol is drinkable, even at a buck eighty-five for a large takeout cup. On many mornings, I run late getting into the studio because someone I know strikes up a conversation.
Sally (above) is also a blues singer whose band, Little Diva and the G-Strings, is popular with local audiences. You can watch one of her performances in this video.