I’ve seen eight of them since moving back to Boone County, and it keeps getting better. It seems as if the organizers get better entertainment each year, and the exhibits and vendors continue to improve. The food has improved 100% since the beginning. There is definitely more variety as well. I mean, let’s face it. How many different people can you get to sell walking tacos and funnel cakes?

The Coal Museum grows more and more impressive each year. It must be impressing someone, because the guestbook shows that visitors from dozens of states have walked through those doors. The organizers have really gone the extra mile to collect historically accurate artifacts that show where we came from as a county and what our ancestors did to turn Boone into one of those most progressive and modern counties in West Virginia.

This year’s parade was the best ever. For some reason, the participants seemed more excited and the people watching it were anxious to see it. It was loud, people were throwing candy, kids were laughing and politicians were there. There were ambulances, flags, veterans, fire trucks of all colors, motorcycles and even horses. What more could you ask for?

The state, county and local law enforcement officers who kept the rowdy element in check were out in force, but they were just there keeping an eye on things. When there is a crowd, it’s nice to know there are a few law officers keeping everything under control and giving the stink eye to anyone who might have been thinking of causing a fuss.

Sonny Howell and his team swooped in every evening to make sure the streets were clean, the potholes were filled and everything that they were responsible for worked properly. They did their level best to make sure the festival went off without a hitch. It was initially funny to see Councilman Roger Weaver out helping workers load tables into the back of a truck the day after the festival ended, but then it occurred to me. Roger was a dedicated civil servant. He was doing what he suspected the public wanted him to do, namely, to serve.

What needs working on? It would seem that at least to this writer, something needs to be done about parking. There isn’t enough parking on a normal day in Madison. Add 5,000 more visitors in 500 cars, and it becomes a nightmare. How can people enjoy the attractions of the festival if they can’t find a place to leave their vehicles? For those handicapped people who walk on canes or walkers, they aren’t able to walk a half- mile to see a concert. Something needs to be done to accommodate these folks.

Festival president Joy Underwood suggested to this writer that having off-site parking at Scott High School and organizing shuttle buses to convey festivalgoers across town might be the answer. I tend to agree. Let us hope his organization arranges for that to happen in plenty of time. I cannot help but suspect that more people would come to the Coal Festival if they could just get to it comfortably and safely.

One thing I saw that really bugged me had nothing to do with the Coal Festival itself, rather of someone attending it. Since I am a man of modest means, but rich tastes, I tend to notice foreign cars, even though I cannot afford them. While passing the Boone County Bank last Friday evening, I noticed a Land Rover Discovery 4wd sport utility vehicle parked there.

The Rovers are nice, British off road vehicles, and can often be seen in James Bond movies and in films showing the British royal family. This one had something disturbing attached to the rear. Bolted to the back of the vehicle was a green, state of West Virginia license plate. This $40,000 or more foreign made luxury off SUV was owned by the taxpayers of our state.

It made me wonder, wasn’t there some sort of law, or executive order in West Virginia prohibiting state agencies from purchasing foreign made motor vehicles for the state fleet? As far as I know, while Land Rover is owned by Ford, none of the parts are made in West Virginia, nor are the vehicles themselves.

I know a lot of agencies have a need for SUVs. There are lots of rural roads, coal mine haul roads and fields they need to be able to get through in comfort and safety. However, aren’t there Ford, Chevy, Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep four-wheel drives that could fit the bill?

Couldn’t a $20,000+ state contract Dodge Durango serve the public just as well as a foreign built vehicle that is twice as costly? I’ve ridden in Durango’s, and folks, they are very comfy. The various Jeep models are as well. What else is the state wasting our money on?