Virginia Music Festivals Unite at Summit
Bound by a goal to make Virginia’s music festival scene even better, members of Virginia-based live music production companies gathered in a two-day summit to examine ways to strengthen Virginia’s music festival landscape. Representatives from fan favorite festivals like Devils Backbone Hoopla, Bonnaroo, Front Porch Fest, Rooster Walk, Red Wing Roots Music Festival, FloydFest and others were present. Virginia has become a premier destination for live music fans and the group is committed to maintaining and improving the festival experience in the Commonwealth.
Top Climate Official at National Park Service Resigns
In 2011, Archaeologist Marcy Rockman became the first person ever appointed to study climate change’s impact on cultural resources in National Parks. That year, a republican controlled Congress cut her budget by 70 percent, ensuring that her program remained a party of one. Rockman was responsible for studying the effects of climate change on archeological sites, cultural landscapes and historic buildings. Her job was part of the National Park Service’s Climate Change Response Program, which was created to better understand the effects of climate change on National Park Service owned sites and resources. On Twitter, Rockman stated that she resigned after “a series of pressures from the NPS that required me to spend ever more time & energy fighting for the right to exist & perform basic tasks.” Rockman also cited gender inequality and harassment as an additional reason for leaving the National Park Service.
Warmer weather lures black vultures north where they are killing calves
The federally protected black vulture is most common in South America but as temperatures rise the vulture has extended its range, first into the southeastern U.S. and now into Midwestern states like Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois. Farmers in those states are reporting the loss of newborn livestock as black vultures swoop down and peck calves to death. Lambs, goats, foals and other small animals have also been victimized. Black vultures and the much more common turkey vultures play a critical role in our ecosystem, cleaning up dead carcasses. But black vultures attack young, live animals, sometimes during the birthing process and farmers and ranchers are grappling with ways to protect vulnerable livestock. Black vultures are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Vultures can be shot but only with a permit and proof of damage is required to get the permit.
