Smith: Rebate?
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
It was so quick that the newspapers and TV missed it, but Waynesboro City Councilwoman Lorie Smith raised an interesting idea at last week’s City Council meeting as to what the city could decide to do with the $560,000 in found money coming from a year-end budget surplus.
“I’ve got questions around that. I don’t know if we can legally rebate some of that money to the taxpayers,” Smith said at the Jan. 25 City Council meeting, before asking City Manager Mike Hamp to explore the options available to the city to use the surplus money for a refund to taxpayers.
The focus to that point had been on using the money to fund unfinished city projects.
Smith also asked Hamp to explore the possible use of some of the monies to fund economic-development initiatives. The city has been without an economic-development director since August 2008, and development efforts have been on the backburner with the position left open.
“Those are all comprehensive discussion pieces that I’d like to see the Council undertake as we move forward so that we can work with a plan in mind,” Smith said.
Legislation to give local governments legal-ad alternatives dies in House subcommittee
Landes, Bell bills would have given localities wide range of options to disseminate public notices
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Legislation from a pair of local lawmakers that would have allowed city and county governments to bypass having to publish legal notices in newspapers of record has failed in a House of Delegates subcommittee.
The House Counties, Cities and Towns Subcommittee voted 8-3 to kill Weyers Cave Republican State Del. Steve Landes’ bill, HB 586, that would have given localities alternatives to publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the locality for legal ads and other notices of proposed action.
A similarly-worded bill from Staunton Republican Del. Dickie Bell had been rolled into the Landes bill. Read more
Perriello passes $1M mark in fundraising
Staff Report
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The Perriello campaign announced on Friday its year-end FEC filing will reflect $1,140,470 raised for the 2010 election cycle, with $874,128 cash on hand for the election year.
The campaign starts this election year in this strong position by running an aggressive, grassroots donor program, raising money from 2,118 individual donors this cycle, 77 percent of whom are small donors (under $200). That is nearly five times as many individual donors as have given to all the Republican candidates in the field combined.
“Our strategy of grassroots, people-powered politics continues to excite and inspire people, with nearly five times the number of individual donors as all the Republican candidates combined and zero dollars from lobbyists,” said Anna Scholl, finance director for the Perriello campaign. “Virginians know that Congressman Perriello is looking out for their interests, not the special interests of lobbyists, big banks, and oil companies.”
The campaign will report $308,725 raised in the fourth quarter of 2009, the strongest quarter of this cycle, with the majority of donors coming from the Fifth District.
In honor of Lilly, take action now to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act
Column by Linda Meric
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A year ago, dozens of women’s and civil-rights activists gathered at the White House to watch President Barack Obama sign his first piece of legislation into law: the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act.
The signing was a triumphant moment – especially with its namesake, Lilly Ledbetter, standing with us. The bill restored the ability of workers to seek redress for ongoing pay discrimination and its importance to ending inequity cannot be overstated.
But another year has passed, and pay discrimination persists.
The most recent U.S. Census statistics show that the pay gap between men’s and women’s earnings actually widened slightly between 2007 and 2008, from 77.8 (generally rounded to 78 percent) to 77 percent. Based on the median earnings of full-time, year-round workers, women’s earnings were $35,745 and men’s earnings were $46,367. Read more
UVa. women fall on road at Wake
Staff Report
UVa. sports: www.virginiasports.com
The 20th-ranked Virginia women’s basketball team fell on the road to Wake Forest, 64-57, Sunday afternoon. Lexie Gerson was the Cavaliers’ high scorer with a career-high 15 points, while Monica Wright had 13 points and seven rebounds.
Virginia’s record dropped to 15-6, 4-3 in the ACC with the loss. Wake Forest improved to 13-8, 4-3 in the league.
Gerson (Fort Washington, Pa.) hit three three-pointers and added two steals. Ariana Moorer (Woodbridge, Va.) was also in double figures, as she netted 14 points. Read more
Bolling: Jobs and Opportunity Agenda good for Virginia
Column by Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling
www.ltgov.virginia.gov
During this year’s statewide campaign, Bob McDonnell and I talked a lot about getting our economy moving again and creating jobs. We said then, and we reaffirm now, that this is the most important issue currently facing our state.
Over the past several months, we have worked to put together a comprehensive set of legislative and budget initiatives that will position Virginia to take full advantage of a future economic resurgence. On Jan. 26, we unveiled our Jobs and Opportunity Agenda in a press conference at the State Capitol that was attended by more than 300 legislative and business leaders.
Even though state government is current facing significant budget shortfalls, we have asked the General Assembly to appropriate an additional $50 million toward proven economic development and job creation programs. That means more money for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the Virginia Film Office, the Department of Business Assistance and more. Read more
‘So You Think You Can Dance’ star to teach benefit workshop in Waynesboro
Staff Report
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“So You Think You Can Dance” and “High School Musical 3″ dancer Jaimie Goodwin will be in Waynesboro Saturday, Feb. 6, and Sunday, Feb. 7, to teach a benefit workshop in association with Old Dominion Performance Arts Studio.
Goodwin was a finalist on “So You Think You Can Dance” and a featured dancer in the latest hit movie in the “High School Musical” series.
The benefit workshop will be held at Kate Collins Middle School in Waynesboro. Proceeds will go to Hayley Kudro, a 5-year-old Waynesboro girl and Old Dominion dancer who is battling cancer. Read more
Parkway: Happy 75th!
Staff Report
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The Blue Ridge Parkway’s 75th Anniversary is officially here with the advent of 2010. Construction of the 469-mile All American Scenic Byway began Sept. 11, 1935, at Cumberland Knob, near the North Carolina and Virginia border.
A celebration of this special American treasure and its importance as a cultural, historical, and natural resource includes events and activities throughout the year in communities that line the Parkway.
A list of events, which may be searched by community or region or by month, is on line at www.blueridgeparkway75.org and is updated regularly. To date, over 400 events have been identified as part of the year-long celebration. Read more
Population on the rise statewide
Staff Report
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The rate of population growth in Virginia is increasing again for the first time since the beginning of the recession, according to the latest estimates from the Demographics and Workforce Group of the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.
The Cooper Center’s population estimates are the official figures for the Commonwealth of Virginia. The estimates are based on changes since 2000 in the housing stock, school enrollment, births, exemptions claimed on state income tax returns and drivers’ licenses. They are used by state and local government agencies in revenue sharing, funding allocations, and planning and budgeting.
While economic conditions remain uncertain, the population growth rate has recovered from less than 1 percent in 2006-07 and 2007-08 to 1.12 percent in 2008-09, said U.Va. demographer Mike Spar, who prepared the annual population estimates. While the state’s overall growth rate has not yet returned to previous levels – it was 1.29 percent in 2003-04 – the trend is toward higher rates of growth after the mid-decade slowdown, he said. Read more
Brown scores 29 to lead Liberty
Staff Report
Liberty U. sports: www.libertyflames.com
The weather outside the Millis Center Saturday afternoon was cold and snowy, but Liberty remained hot, extending its winning streak to eight. Devon Brown and Avery Warley both posted career-high point totals during the Lady Flames’ come-from-behind 75-62 win over Big South co-leader High Point.
Brown, a 2008 Waynesboro High School graduate, totaled 29 points and 11 rebounds, while reigning Big South Player of the Week Warley added 26 points and 14 boards. Their efforts helped Liberty improve to 15-4 overall and 6-1 in the Big South.
The Lady Flames now sit in second place in the conference standings, one-half game behind Big South leader Gardner-Webb. Read more
Hampden-Sydney limits EMU in ODAC win
Staff Report
EMU sports: www.emu.edu
Entering Saturday’s game at Hampden-Sydney, the least the Runnin Royals had scored in a game was 79 points. But Eastern Mennonite shot just 38 percent from the floor and 23 percent from long range as the men set a new mark for lowest output this season in an 80-68 loss.
EMU exploded out of the gates, grabbing a 16-4 lead on the Tigers’ home court. Eli Crawford (Staunton, Va./R.E. Lee) gave the Runnin Royals the 12-point lead after a lay-up just 6:06 into the game.
Hampden-Sydney regrouped in a hurry, however, unleashing a 14-0 run to go ahead 18-16 less than four minutes later. The Tigers kept roaring all the way to a 33-21 advantage, a surprising 29-5 run on the nation’s No. 11 team. Read more
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‘For I was hungry, and you fed me’
Posted on January 31, 2010 · 1 Comment
Column by Krysti Mayer
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As he attacked the other boy, he had managed to push him into oncoming traffic, and the car in front of me was inches from hitting him. What happened next was more disturbing to me than the initial attack, because the man in the car in front of me decided to carefully go around the bloodied boy in the street and drove away.
I quickly pulled over and stepped out of my car. The boy had a bone sticking out of his cheek and eyes the size of golf balls. He was half-conscious, and all I could think about doing at that point was to peel him off the road and drive him to the emergency room. Read more
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