Warner: ‘(T)he status quo is bankrupting our nation’
Senator explains vote to end cloture on health-care debate
Statement by Sen. Mark Warner
www.warner.senate.gov
I voted to advance the Senate health-care bill to final passage because the status quo is bankrupting our nation and hurting our ability to compete in a global economy.
If we fail to act, Virginia’s small businesses will continue to see double-digit premium increases every year, and Virginia families could see up to 40 percent of their take-home pay consumed by health-care expenses by the year 2016. Read more
Focus | Movie theater: ‘We’re moving forward’
Theatre developer on track for planned September 2010 opening
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Brett Hayes expected the attention. He didn’t expect the expectation that something bad was going to happen to kill his movie-theater project.
“We’re moving forward,” said Hayes, who is developing a Lew Dewitt Boulevard property into an eight-screen digital movie theater that is on track to open for business in September 2010.
A run of wet and early winter weather has pushed the construction schedule internally, but the planned Sept. 1 opening for Zeus Digital Theaters is unchanged from where Hayes had things several weeks ago. Read more
VDOT continues clearing work
Interstates and primaries in decent shape; secondaries not so much
Staff Report
News Tips: freepress2@ntelos.net
The Virginia Department of Transportation is reporting this morning that most interstate and primary roads are passable and in minor to moderate condition in the Shenandoah Valley. Motorists should drive with caution as icy patches may exist in areas. Read more
Focus | All about the jazz
Barnes CD reflects personal journey in music
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
The old saying about the difference between blues and jazz has it down. Blues is three chords for a thousand people, and jazz is a thousand chords for three people.
“There’s some truth to that,” said Liz Barnes, who as a blues musician has opened for the likes of The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Delbert McClinton, and as a jazz musician has recently released her first CD collection, “Friday Morning Song.” Read more
Actions speak louder
FlyLady column by Marla Cilley
www.flylady.net
Love is a word that is very deceptive, maybe even elusive, if we look at it as a noun.
It is not something that we can buy and hold in our hands; it is a word that is filled with action. Love is a verb. This word is not just a feeling; it is a doing. For years, all I ever wanted was to feel loved. That did not happen because I was looking for love in all the wrong places, as the song says. I was not going to find this love coming at me and surrounding me as a fog. I was not going to feel this love from other people. I was searching so hard for this love that I never dreamed that it was hiding right inside of me. The reason we have a hard time finding this love is that the clutter we have in our heads is standing in the way. When we can address this most personal of our Body Clutter, we will begin finding what we are looking for. Read more
Spend more!
Column by David Reynolds
Submit guest columns and letters: freepress2@ntelos.net
I have not gone off my rocker. At least no more than usual. In this season of giving, I wish to make the case that we are not spending enough for both national defense and health care.
Yes, I know, such a pronouncement runs counter to the wisdom of cable news. Nonetheless, my argument is a simple one: Spending for these two critical needs produce benefits which far outstrip their considerable cost.
MasterCard would say that the benefits are priceless. But that’s just a cleaver advertising cop out. This column doesn’t carry ads. Instead, we try to carry a little logic. Read more
State-written history
Column by Ken Plum
www.kenplum.com
My studies in history and political science at the institution that is now Old DominionUniversity were eye-opening, exciting and fulfilling, but my resulting bachelor of arts degree did not provide me any specific career training.
That is why I entered a master in education program at the University of Virginia where I was placed as an intern teacher in Fairfax County in 1967. My teaching of United States and Virginia history was at a pivotal time in the teaching of history. The civil-rights movement that was having an impact on society generally was also having an influence on the teaching of history. Read more
A vision for our veterans
Column by Randy Forbes
www.forbes.house.gov
Stay in Washington for a couple of weeks, and you’re bound to hear the phrase “on message.” Generally, the phrase is a reminder when speaking to the press or the public to keep your comments aimed in a singular direction. In the epicenter of national and global political debate, “on message” is a communications strategy built on the idea that you’ll only be heard if you frequently and continuously repeat your point.
2009 was a year marked with extraordinary debate and division over our nation’s pressing challenges: energy, health care, spending, and the economy. The message machines on both sides of the aisle ran on overdrive for the majority of the year. And, millions of Americans – many for the first time – stood up and spoke out too. I believe our nation is better for those debates. Our policy is better for the voices willing to stand up and speak out. Read more
Maybe Scrooge was right
Column by Nan Russell
www.nanrussell.com
Thirteen percent. That number should make you pause if you manage staff, lead a group, or own a business. It’s a number recently released from an on-line survey reported by Reuters.
According to Right Management, a subsidiary of Manpower Inc, only 13 percent of employees surveyed said they “planned to stay in their current positions.” Two-thirds reported they’re looking to change jobs in 2010, and another 21 percent indicated they’re networking now, just in case.
Pent-up frustrations and workplace treatment during the economic downturn were the primary reasons given in the survey. But don’t just blame the recession. Disengaged employees are not new news. Gallup was reporting nearly seventy percent of the U.S. workforce disengaged well before recent economic troubles. Why? Why this level of disengagement? Read more
VDOT: Drive with caution Monday morning
Black ice, frozen slush will cause havoc
Staff Report
News Tips: freepress2@ntelos.net
The Virginia Department of Transportation advises motorists to drive with extra caution tonight and into the morning. Temperatures are expected to drop this evening, creating potential for wet roads to refreeze or black ice to develop. People who are driving are urged to be careful particularly on bridges, overpasses, curves, hills and ramps.
Crews will be out treating roads as long as conditions are present.
Sunday night conditions:
- Interstate 64: Severe conditions in Augusta County. Moderate conditions in Rockbridge County.
- Interstate 81: Minor conditions in Rockbridge, Augusta and Rockingham.
- Primary roads: Severe conditions in Augusta County. Minor conditions in Rockbridge and Rockingham.
- Secondary roads: Severe conditions in Rockbridge and Augusta. Moderate conditions in Rockingham.
Motorists are reminded that ice and freezing rain conditions can still produce hazardous driving conditions, even when roads are treated. People should not drive unless absolutely necessary.
Tonight’s UVa. vs. UNC-Wilmington game postponed
Schools will try to reschedule the game during the 2009-10 season
Staff Report
UVa. sports: www.virginiasports.com
Tonight’s Virginia vs. UNC-Wilmington men’s basketball game at John Paul Jones Arena has been postponed because of hazardous travel conditions caused by the heavy snowfall in the Charlottesville area. The schools will try to reschedule the game during the 2009-10 season.
“We are postponing the game in the interest of safety for the participants, staff and fans,” said Virginia athletics director Craig Littlepage. “With the hazardous travel conditions caused by the extremely heavy snowfall we are concerned about individuals getting to the arena for the game, including teams, game officials and the core staff we need to play a game.” Read more
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Fifth District Report
Posted on December 21, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Column by Tom Perriello
www.perriello.house.gov
First, I have once again signed on as co-sponsor of a measure to block members of Congress from receiving automatic pay increases, this time for the 2011 fiscal year. On Jan. 7, 2009 — the day after being sworn into office — I co-sponsored H.R. 156, which blocked the automatic pay increase for FY2010. The measure was successfully adopted by congressional leaders over the summer. Read more
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