House passes health-care reform
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
The House of Representatives voted Sunday night to pass a health-care reform bill mirroring legislation that had passed the Senate in December. Democrats were able to muster a 219-212 majority to pass the legislation, which will extend coverage to 32 million uninsured Americans, expand prescription drug coverage under Medicare, increase federal subsidies to help people buy insurance and ban denials of coverage for pre-existing conditions.
Fifth District Democratic Congressman Tom Perriello voted in favor of the legislation after publicly wavering on the issue in recent weeks.
“At the end of the day, this decision for me came down to whether working families would see savings at the kitchen table. They will. I asked whether seniors will see the Medicare Trust Fund extended and the cost of prescription drugs drop. They will. As I have heard from our major hospitals that endorsed the bill, this legislation will improve health care and bring down costs for Virginians,” Perriello said in a statement. Read more
The New Dominion Magazine wins two VPA awards
Staff Report
freepress2@ntelos.net
The New Dominion Magazine won two awards in the 2009 News Contest sponsored by the Virginia Press Association. The awards were presented Saturday night in Roanoke at the VPA’s News Conference and Annual Meeting.
The New Dominion Magazine competes in the crowded specialty-publications division, which includes a total of 38 publications with circulation bases ranging from a few thousand to several hundred thousand per issue.
The ND won a second-place award among specialty publications in the special-sections category for its real-estate section. The spotlight award for the magazine was the third place in design and presentation, a category encompassing the editorial content, the quality of the photography and the design and layout of the magazine. Read more
WaynesboroGenerals.com: Geaux, Tigers!
Story by Chris Graham
WaynesboroGenerals.com
WaynesboroGenerals.com has the news on the signing announced today of LSU baseball players Wet Delatte and Michael Reed.
UVa. gets win in O’Connor homecoming
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Before the game, Brian O’Connor caught up with Bob Wease, who had recruited him to pitch for the Valley League’s Harrisonburg Turks back in 1990. The game itself worked out well for O’Connor’s top-ranked Virginia baseball team, which broke up a close game with a pair of unearned runs in the ninth to defeat James Madison 6-3. Afterwards, the UVa. skipper was gushing about the homecoming of sorts that had played itself out with a school-record baseball crowd of more than 2,400 including approximately 600 fans that watched the game from a hill before the left-field fence at JMU’s new Veterans Memorial Park.
“I was really, really impressed. Obviously JMU has a beautiful facility here, first-class, and to have this kind of crowd is exciting for them, and also equally exciting for us,” O’Connor said. Read more
City … finally … names economic-development director
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
The search for a new economic-development director in Waynesboro that had dragged on for 19 months is over. City Manager Mike Hamp announced in a press release Thursday morning that Greg Hitchin, currently the business development manager in Onondaga County in New York, has taken the job effective April 12. Read more
GOP candidates press Perriello – and each other
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Fifth District Congressman Tom Perriello is facing a full-court press from the Republicans gunning for the chance to knock him off in November. The press might work better if the GOP’ers weren’t trying at the same time to steal the ball from each other.
“My opponent Jim McKelvey put out a statement challenging Congressman Perriello to ‘go ahead and make my day’ by voting for the pending health-care bill. This is exactly the type of arrogant thought process the people of Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District and the country cannot afford to tolerate any longer.” Read more
Smith to host tourism summit
Edited by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Waynesboro City Councilwoman Lorie Smith is hosting a Tourism Summit tonight at 6 p.m. at the Charles T. Yancey Municipal Building.
The summit is bringing together local leaders and residents to begin work toward developing a plan to promote Waynesboro as a tourist destination.
The meeting is open to the public, and refreshments will be provided.
Weekend Watchdog: 64 … 32 … 16
Column by Mike Judge
WeekendWatchdog.blogspot.com
Ready for your TV screen to be divided into four parts, to show all the live games? Ready for your bracket to be shredded?
Thursday at noon, the first NCAA tournament game tips off on CBS. I expect Notre Dame-Old Dominion to be seen on WUSA9 in the Fishersville area, and the hard-working people at this website are trying to map all coverage of the first three rounds for wherever you are in the nation.
The first round, coverage is on from noon until 5 p.m., and resumes at 7 p.m. Read more
Live Blog: #1 UVa. at JMU
Hosted by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
We’re trying something new tonight – a live blog using Twitter and Facebook.
I will be live at Veterans Memorial Park on the campus of JMU for tonight’s baseball game between the Dukes and #1 UVa.
The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Follow us live on Twitter and Facebook. Links to our live coverage of the game are below. Read more
Schmookler: ‘Don’t trust the people who have been lying to you’
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
If you’re a rock-ribbed conservative, you would probably already think that WSVA needs to rein in that liberal kook Andy Schmookler.
Well, that liberal kook Andy Schmookler that you know and have come to loathe was Andy Schmookler playing nice. Read more
CSAs: Get your taste on
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
You might find out what a tomato is actually supposed to taste like. That’s one advantage to community supported agriculture.
“It’s picked fresh that day, so you end up with an incredibly fresh selection of vegetables that have not been treated with Clorox to preserve them,” said David Beebe, the owner of Cherry Ridge Farm in Rockbridge County, which makes its produce available to local subscribers through a community supported agriculture, or CSA, program. Read more
Latest AFP News
-
AFP builds web video promoting Waynesboro Y - Chris Graham: A catastrophe in the making
- Poll: Virginians oppose 'fox penning'
- House subcommittee votes to remove abortion funding for low-income women
- VMI wins at Radford, 65-60
- Spring Fashion Debut: Spoiling you is her business
- UVa. bounces back, bests Boston College, 66-49
- Dukes get big win over Tribe, 59-47
-
Ken Plum: A time of intolerance
Posted on March 18, 2010 · 2 Comments
www.kenplum.com
Last week I took the extraordinary step of making a motion on the floor of the House of Delegates that a bill be discharged from a committee. The rules provide for such a motion, but it is seldom made and almost never approved. Had my motion been approved, the full membership of the House of Delegates would have had the opportunity to debate a bill prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. Read more
Filed under Blogs · Tagged with ken cuccinelli, ken cuccinelli attorney general, ken plum, massive resistance, massive resistance virginia, state del. ken plum, state delegate ken plum