Once every few years we have the opportunity to greet our readers in an issue that actually appears on January 1. Signs of the New Year are all around us: cleaning out closets, putting away decorations, making and quickly breaking resolutions, and hanging up new calendars.

New calendars: A brand-new year gives us the opportunity to start with a clean slate. Most people seize the chance to improve themselves, or to go somewhere new, or, at least, to clean their closets.

In 2015 we will soon have the unwholesome spectacle of a judge sentencing a former governor and his wife on corruption charges. Never before have Virginians had to endure such an embarrassment attached to their state leaders. We hope the bad taste left by the McDonnells’ convictions will soon be replaced by better news.

We will observe a few very significant anniversaries this year. National attention will also be focused on Virginia in April. The usually-sleepy town of Appomattox will be full of tourists, reena...