"As of 12:30 p.m. Saturday, police estimated about 3,000 people had come to spend the morning in downtown Stanardsville at the Strawberry Festival and Mountain Heritage Day.

'Everybody has been very impressed,' said Betsy Carlson, a festival committee member in charge of promotion. 'For the first time doing this festival, it's amazing.'

Saturday's festival, which included a parade down Main Street and bluegrass music from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., was an extension of the 10-year-old strawberry breakfast at Stanardsville United Methodist Church.

The festival has been growing over the years, and committee members spent $10,000 on advertising this year, out of a $20,000 budget. The Industrial Development Authority, a county board that works to lure businesses to Greene County, donated half the money.

Despite some early worries about rain, organizers lucked out with a nearly cloud-free sky and 80-degree temperatures.

'We couldn't have had any better weather,' said Judy Braun, a commitee member. 'We knew we would have a lot [of attendees] if the weather was good" (Kate Andrews, The Daily Progress, June 3, 2001).

I know that I enjoyed it.

Where else would you find a Greene County Sheriff's Hummer parked in front of the Voter Registrar's Office?

Where did the money come from to pay for the Hummer? Certainly not a bake sale.

And what do they use it for? Do they ever use it to register new voters?

And then, of course, there were the Navy SEALS, who use "practice evasion techniques in Greene County forests" (Kate Andrews, The Daily Progress, June 3, 2001) and use "the mountains surrounding Greene as a training area" (Amanda K. Greene, The Observer, June 6, 2001).

Some of the children who attended the event were having their faces painted by a Navy SEAL.

But best of all were the California strawberries. We stood in a long line for strawberry icecream and strawberry shortcake and also took home a 12 pint strawberry flat.

While waiting for the icecream to freeze, I met the Dogwood Queen.

I also met Bob Bell, candidate Rob Bell's Dad.

Bob said that Rob would have been there except that he was attending the Virginia Republican Convention.

Rob Bell is a state prosecutor. He is an Eagle Scout and an assistant Coutmaster with Boy Scout Troop 102 in Earlysville and since 1998 has served as the chairman of the Albemarle County Republicans.

Here are some of the things which Rob Bell stands for:

* School choice for all parents

* Extending George Allen's truth in sentencing to include all crimes

*Restricting 'sentencing alternatives' like home electronic incarceration and weekend furloughs

*Taking a pro-taxpayer stance to Richmond

If you have comments about the Greene County Sheriff Department's Hummer, Navy SEAL exercises in Greene County or the 58th Virginia House of Delgates race, please send them to george@loper.org where the most representative will be placed on my web site with full attribution.