Jose Wejebe ~Spanish Fly~ R.I.P.

I recall sitting across from Jose in a little "Puddle-jumper" of a plane that goes from Key West up to Miami when I was on a trip up to Virginia to see my parents and watching Jose looking out the window as soon as we got any altitude. I leaned over and asked him if he was checking the "weed-lines" for fish and he returned a very BIG smile that I remember to this day... Once we got to Miami where the plane debarks right on the ground and with no ramp-way, I look back to see Jose stopping and talking with several of the ground\maint airport workers that gathered to meet the plane upon arrival and again there was that very BIG smile on his face...
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My longtime friend and charterboat Captain Mike told me of a time where he had a family fishing with him and there was a young boy 12-14 years old who was a victim of a severe form of cancer. The parents told Mike that the boy would be going back into the hospital the following week and would not be leaving because of his disease...

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Now Mike is already known to be one of the most intense Captains when it comes to finding fish and never allowing the angler to slack or "whine" but yet in a way that makes the angler comfortable and enjoyable experience. It soon became known to Mike that this young boy was an avid follower of Jose and his ~Spanish Fly~ television show and followed it every Sunday...

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During the ride back to the dock at the end of the day of fishing Capt Mike called Jose and told him of his charter and their special angler and the situation. Jose dropped what he was doing and met the boat when it got to the dock and spent several hours with the young angler and fan making it a truly memorable day for the boy...

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Nice work Capts..

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This past week Jose Wejebe died when his private plane crashed while taking off at a small airport in the Florida Everglades. His weekly television show ~Spanish Fly~ has a incredible following and by far showed this man to be one of the most informative sportfisherman in tactics, equipment, attitude, and love of this sport... He will truly be missed by the sportfishing community and all who have met & followed him by ~Spanish Fly~...

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Adiós y vaya con Dios mi amigo...

What the Oil\Natural Gas Industry means for Virginia.....

With gasoline prices here in Augusta County right at the $3.99 gallon point it's once again time to look at what this industry already means to the citizens of Virginia as well as the potential to all of us...

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API has come out with additional facts regarding the industry in Virginia and what more can be done...

More than 128,000 statewide jobs provided or supported – with an average salary of $57,281 for non-gas station oil and natural gas employees.

$6.5 billion contributed to
state labor income.

$11.6 billion contributed
to the state’s economy.

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Virginia already has a strong economy and low un-employment rate as compared to the rest of the country and this may be the result of a state government that aggressively looks towards developing its energy industries. This was obvious at the Virginia Energy Summit a few years back...

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Imagine where we could be now if we were allowed by the Federal government and the Obama administration to drill for the know Oil\Nat gas resources off the coast of Virginia as well as other energy sources?...