Winners and Losers: June 30, 2008

Compiled by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

LOSER: The Frank Lucente flip-flop on stormwater, explained

Nice story in today’s NV that in part allows Frank Lucente to explain his flip-flop on funding for stormwater.

“I think we can do the whole thing with what we’ve got,” Lucente told The News Virginian.

He told me a different story a few weeks ago. The reason for the switch that he related had to do with political pressure from big business.

(Credit to Jimmy LaRoue for hinting to that in his lede.)

  Read more

New GI Bill now law

Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

It’s now law - and U.S. Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., couldn’t be any happier about the New GI Bill that he helped bring to fruition.

“This is a great day for our veterans. This bill properly provides a modern and fair educational benefit to address the needs of those who answered the call of duty to our country–those who moved toward the sound of the guns - often at great sacrifice,” said Webb, a Vietnam veteran who has a son fighting in Iraq. Read more

Wait and see …

Special Commentary by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

“Wait and see.” That sums things up rather nicely.

I’ve been spending a good deal of time the past few days talking with city-council members, department heads and line employees in City Hall to try to gauge opinion about what life is going to be like when the new self-styled conservative majority takes the reins of city government tomorrow morning.

“I don’t know that we’re going to see that much in the way of change,” one department head told me on background.

All of these conversations, incidentally, were on background. I wasn’t interested in doing interviews for attribution, assuming that there would be little or no interest on the part of the people that I wanted to talk with to go on the record with anything other than noncontroversial comments about how they were looking forward to working for the new majority and that kind of thing. Read more

It’s time, Tom

Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

Tom Reynolds can hear his dad’s voice today.

“Dad used to tell me, Son, you have bigger fish to fry here. I’ve got a church that’s looking for a significant amount of leadership. They’ve been gentle with me as a part-time pastor, but as a full-time pastor, there’s going to be significantly more in terms of expectations for my time and my efforts,” said Reynolds, who is retiring from Waynesboro City Council today and tomorrow begins a new chapter in his life. Read more

A bridge between centuries

The Top Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

Poll Question: What creature comforts could you do without for a year?

OK, so I’m a wimp. I can’t imagine life without air conditioning and cable TV and the Internet. And I’m saying this, and I lived the first two years of my life in a house with no indoor plumbing. Not that I remember much of that time, of course. Logan Ward has me beat in that respect. He can recall the barest of details about what life can be like without the creature comforts.

“We missed cold drinks, a cold beer. We missed music. We hadn’t had music in a year, so we missed just being able to put in a CD. We missed a hot shower. All of those things,” said Ward, who with his wife, Heather, relocated from New York City to rural Augusta County in 2000 to take a step back in time, literally. Read more

Obama releases second general-election TV ad

Item by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

The Barack Obama presidential campaign has released its second general-election ad of the 2008 campaign - and it will debut in Virginia and 17 other battleground states beginning today.

The 30-second ad, “Dignity,” focuses on Obama’s personal commitment to work on behalf of working-class Americans as a community activist and in the United States Senate.

[brightcove vid=1634707861&exp=1386357098&w=300&h=260]

Another political misstep

Fear and Loathing in Waynesboro column by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

Bad political move on the part of the new Lucente-Williams-Allen front group regarding who will be our next vice mayor.

“I don’t see it as a possibility,” would-be-mayor Tim Williams told The News Leader for a story published in this morning’s edition, regarding the talk that Lorie Smith could be elected vice mayor at tomorrow’s city-council reorganization meeting.

“I think it certainly should be one of the three of us, mayor and vice mayor,” Williams told the Leader.

If they were listening to me, they would elect Smith vice mayor by acclimation, and here’s why. Every time some dope like me would offer criticism of this decision or that move or some other action on the part of the new council as having been done without consulting with the political minority, they could point to Vice Mayor Smith. Read more

Preserving Virginia’s historical and natural landmarks

Column by U.S. Sen. Jim Webb

One of my highest priorities in the Senate is to preserve Virginia’s abundant natural, historical and cultural resources. As we approach the height of the summer travel season, I am pleased to report that we have enjoyed several significant accomplishments. Read more

Is corn-based plastic a good alternative to traditional plastics?

Earth Talk
From the editors of E/The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: What are the environmental pros and cons of corn-based plastic as an alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastic?
- Laura McInnes, Glasgow, Scotland

Polylactic acid (PLA), a plastic substitute made from fermented plant starch (usually corn), is quickly becoming a popular alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastics. As more and more countries and states follow the lead of China, Ireland, South Africa, Uganda and San Francisco in banning plastic grocery bags responsible for so much so-called “white pollution” around the world, PLA is poised to play a big role as a viable, biodegradable replacement. Read more

Veteran EMU professor passes away

Item by Jim Bishop

Albert N. (Al) Keim, 71, professor emeritus of history at Eastern Mennonite University, died June 27, 2008 at University of Virginia Medical Center. He had a successful liver transplant in 2007, but his health had declined in recent months.

Dr. Keim joined the EMU history department faculty in 1965 and retired in 2000. He was appointed vice-president for academic affairs/dean at EMU July 1, 1977 and served in that role seven years. Read more

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