Starting July 1, it officially became illegal to text and drive in Virginia.

The recent loss of celebrities Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson, all in the span of a few days of one another, serve to remind the rest of us that life is indeed short and sweet.

What is more indicative of life in our area than Metro?

For those of you finishing high school, this is the first time, probably since kindergarten, that you are free of mandatory schooling.

I met Lt. Col. Mark Stratton when I was just shy of sixteen years old. My dad had just gotten back from a tour in Afghanistan and we had quickly moved across the country to Norfolk Naval Base.

On June 6, 1944, American troops poured onto the beaches of Normandy and marked the beginning of the end of World War II.

Pop quiz:

• When did Columbus land in the “New World?“
• Who was the first president of the United States?
• Which president issued the Emancipation Proclamation?

Swine flu has breached the imaginary walls of a neighboring county, a hop, skip and a jump away.

Illegal immigration. Abortion. Capital punishment. Elections. Guantanamo Bay detainees — these are just some of the areas in which it seems impossible to have a discussion.

With December’s cold air will come a new law in Virginia that will place more restrictions on smoking in restaurants, although it won’t entirely ban the habit.

The decision to move the terrorists from Guantanamo to the Brig on the Quantico Marine Base has not been officially announced, but the rumors abound that Quantico is on the very short list.

The swine flu appears to have come to Virginia, and the flu continues to spread, along with the hysteria associated with it.

The dreaded swine flu continues to spread along with fear of a pandemic.

Virginia’s political leadership rose to the occasion in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech massacre.

It’s bad enough the toys my kids play with are cheap products made in China that may or may not contain lead.

The newspaper industry, which wasn’t exactly in a state of youthful health before the economic downturn, is sliding down a destructive slope.

In an era when we hear a lot about HIV, possible flu pandemics and bizarre diseases like SARS, little attention is given to diseases like tuberculosis.

The economic malaise continues, and sometimes it feels as though it will never end. Some sink into the mire of self-pity. Some take refuge in optimism. And others take solace in lending aid.

For those wishing to lend a hand this weekend and in the weeks coming up, a few special events come to mind.

The $787 billion stimulus package was passed, and President Barack Obama has a $75 billion plan to prevent home foreclosures.

Stafford Hospital Center, which will open its doors Feb. 27, could not come at a better time. Most importantly, Stafford residents will greatly benefit from a hospital close to their homes. If a dire emergency were to happen to any one of us, or to a family member, we’d all surely be thankful that a hospital is so close by. As we all know, some emergencies don’t give us much time to wait for an ambulance to arrive.

This week, the Virginia House of Delegates voted to approve a diluted version of an earlier proposed Virginia smoking ban in restaurants and bars. What started as a compromise between Gov. Tim Kaine and House Speaker Bill Howell, R-Stafford, ended up becoming full of exception after exception, it seems.

We hope you don’t mind, but we want to use this space here to express some outrage: An economic crisis is eating out the heart of the nation. Then Barack Obama is inaugurated and Virginia has to drop millions of dollars on an event not held in Virginia, not for a Virginia politician, not related to Virginia at all but because of the state’s inclusion in the nation and its proximity to the capital.

A Florida couple recently welcomed home a new puppy, Lancelot Encore — the first commercially cloned puppy in the U.S.

To own a pet takes a lot of responsibility: buying food, keeping up with animal medications and vet bills. All of this is not getting any cheaper with today’s tight economy, but if you are clipping coupons, keep an open eye out for “animal specials” with food, pet supplies, goodies/treats, etc.

So we’ve been asked to be of greater service to our country. We’re supposed to stop putting off hard decisions. Do you suppose top presidential staffers thought part of the pain meant their salaries would be frozen?

Some people have been sitting in dread of this day since Nov. 4. Others have been waiting eight years in anticipation.

As I gather information for this newspaper, it occurs to me that life is precious.

The presidential Inauguration is a little more than a week away, and we Northern Virginia residents await it with all the bittersweet anticipation of the apocalypse.

Many thanks to all of the volunteers and contributors who made the Stafford American Legion Post 290 Post Christmas Food Basket program another great success!