Subcommittee blocks Fusion Center expansion
A House of Delegates subcommittee on Friday struck from its docket a bill to authorize Virginia’s secretive Fusion Center to expand its scope from collecting information on terrorist threats to also collecting data on ordinary crimes.
The ACLU of Virginia had led an effort to publicly oppose the bill, saying that a heavily criticized 2009 Fusion Center report that was leaked onto the Internet showed the agency was already exceeding its scope and that its analysis of data it had collected was unreliable.
That report–entitled “2009 Virginia Terrorism Threat Assessment”–concluded that the state’s colleges were “nodes of radicalization” and that areas with high concentrations of racial minorities were breeding grounds for terrorism. It also reported more than 400 encounters with al-Qa’ida in Virginia in a single year, although no examples were given.
The tendency of the report to stereotype and exaggerate alarmed then-Governor Tim Kaine, who ordered an investigation to be conducted into the Fusion Center’s operations. The results of that investigation were not announced to the public.
The Fusion Center expansion bill, HB 1953, was sponsored by Delegate Ronald A. Villanueva, with backing from the governor’s office. It was stricken by Subcommittee #3 of the House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee. A similar bill, SB 918, was introduced by Senator Ryan T. McDougle. It has not yet been addressed by a legislative committee.
A second bill introduced by Del. Villanueva, HB 1948, sought to change the requirement for reviews of the Fusion Center’s operations from every year to once every five years. HB 1948 was amended by the same House Militia, Police and Public Safety Subcommittee to mandate reviews every three years. HB 1948 will likely be taken up by the full committee next week.
“We’re pleased that the subcommittee struck down this bill,” said ACLU of Virginia executive director Kent Willis. “With no indication that the Virginia Fusion Center does anything productive and with every indication it is inclined toward hyperbole and racial stereotyping, this is not the time to be expanding its operations.”
“The ACLU might feel differently about the expansion bill if we trusted the Fusion Center and we knew more about it,” added Willis. “But, thus far, the Center has resisted attempts to become more accountable to the public, and the one leaked report available to us is a sham.”
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
ACLU: Giles County posting of Ten Commandments is violation
The ACLU of Virginia on Friday objected to a decision by the Giles County School Board to re-post the Ten Commandments in public schools, and says it will consider legal action.
“This action flies in the face of both strong legal precedents and our fundamental notions of what religious equality means in the United States,” said ACLU of Virginia executive director Kent Willis.
“When the government promotes one faith, whether it is through the Ten Commandments or other religious documents,” added Willis, “it automatically diminishes all other faiths. Religious equality is an empty principle if something as powerful and influential as a school board is allowed to impose its religious views on the students who attend the schools under its jurisdiction.”
For at least the last ten years, large framed versions of the Ten Commandments hung in all five Giles County public schools, next to a copy of the Constitution. After the Freedom from Religion Foundation in Wisconsin complained last month that the documents violated the First Amendment’s mandate for separation of church and state, the copies of the Ten Commandments were removed and replaced with copies of the Declaration of Independence.
But yesterday, at a meeting attended by more than 200 county residents who objected to the removal of the Ten Commandments, the school board voted unanimously to put them on the school walls.
In doing so, the school board ignored not only clear U.S. Supreme Court precedents but also acted against the advice of its attorney and the school superintendent’s earlier decision to remove the Ten Commandments.
“After government officials hear from organizations like the ACLU,” said Willis “they typically consult with their own attorneys. When legal advisors on their own payroll support our position, that solves the problem then and there. What is unusual about this situation is that Giles County School Board members are ignoring advice from their own attorney.”
Willis added: “There are some circumstances in which the Ten Commandments may be temporarily displayed in a public school, such as when they are part of a large exhibit about the development of laws and mores throughout history. But that is not the case here.”
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Creigh Deeds: General Assembly Report
The 2011 session is proving to be one of the busiest I’ve seen. A typical day starts before 7 a.m. when constituents come to the General Assembly Building to meet with their legislators, followed quickly by 7:30 a.m. subcommittee meetings. Standing committees meet before and after the 12 p.m. session and last into the evening,
The challenges before us this year are enormous. As always, adjustments to the $78 billion two-year spending plan predominate. This fiscal year we saw growth in revenue for the first time in a couple of years; unfortunately, the actual growth did not meet expectations, creating a shortfall. New budget projections will be made available next month, so the money committees are working to develop a budget plan based on fluctuating numbers. The estimates suggest a shortfall in the range of $200 to $300 million. The Governor’s budget contains about a billion dollars of new spending, offset with nearly half a billion dollars of spending cuts. Those cuts come primarily from Medicaid, K-12 education, and the state workforce. Needless to say, none of the cuts or proposed spending increases come without controversy. We are entrusted by the people to put aside partisan differences and work together for the good of the Commonwealth but, in this environment, that is becoming increasingly difficult.
Virginia’s legislative process is special in many respects. Every other state legislative process and the federal process is based on the system of government first established in Virginia in 1619. The part-time nature of the Virginia General Assembly and that legislators must earn their primary income outside legislative service is important. Our legislative sessions are short, which keeps legislators close to the people. We have much to be proud of, and it is hard not to reflect on the historical nature of this body and of our great country. It is within this context I have viewed with some trepidation a new trend in legislation.
During this week, a number of measures were considered in an ongoing campaign by many to confront the federal government through state government action. Frankly, I do not support every vote taken by the U.S. Congress either, but I am not convinced that the General Assembly session, with limited time to meet the enormous challenges at the state level, is the appropriate forum to wage war against federal authority. In my view, we should focus on rebuilding the infrastructure of this economy, invigorating job growth, making sure that college education is affordable for all Virginians, and providing a K-12 system that works in every part of the state to give young people the opportunity to advance. Crusades like the ones we have seen to challenge federal law through the state government, rather than through the courts and the ballot box, is in my view a trend toward making the legislature full-time. We are better served by a limited part-time government. During the past ten days, we have spent an inordinate amount of time on these issues, such as the repeal amendment and some labor amendments, which will do little to address the pressing needs of the Commonwealth.
Every year I carry legislation at the request of the many jurisdictions I am honored to represent. This week the Senate advanced the bills embodying the Alleghany-Highlands Citizens Committee’s agreement with respect to consolidation of Alleghany County and Covington. If these measures pass the General Assembly, we will be one step closer to the ultimate decision that will be made by the voters on consolidation.
I also introduced two bills relating to bike safety at the request of a work group in the City of Charlottesville. The work group was formed following a couple of tragic accidents in the City. One proposal sought to create an alternate charge to reckless driving for cyclists and drivers. The final bill, which would have created a reckless cycling offense, was stricken at my request to give bike safety groups around Virginia the opportunity to discuss this issue in depth and determine if this is the correct way to promote safety.
This week saw the deadline come and go for the introduction of bills, and the budget amendments submitted by legislators are now available on line. The committee dockets are full of countless measures to be considered, many which are aimed at incentivizing job growth throughout Virginia. The next thirty-five days will go rapidly and the issues before us are significant.
It continues to be an honor for me to serve in the Senate of Virginia. Do not hesitate to contact us if we may be of assistance. I can be reached at (804) 698-7525 or by email at district25@senate.virginia.gov. My legislative aide is Tracy Eppard. If you have questions, concerns, or comments, or if you would like to schedule a trip to see your General Assembly at work, please feel free to contact us.
Creigh Deeds is a Virginia state senator.
Robert Hurt: The first step, not the last, towards true health-care reform
The people of the Fifth District sent a clear message on Election Day in support of repealing the government takeover of health care.
This week, I was proud to put the will of the people into action by co-sponsoring and voting to repeal the health care law that raises costs, increases taxes and spending, and destroys jobs.
I have heard from many constituents about the negative ramifications this law has had on people throughout Central and Southside Virginia.
I took to the House floor this week to share the story of one such Charlottesville-based doctor.
After making large sacrifices to serve those in the Charlottesville area by owning and operating an urgent care center, this doctor made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that the fear and uncertainty regarding the new health care law threatens both the present and future success of his practice.
Due to the tax hikes, added regulations and bureaucracy, and overall government intrusion, the doctor is no longer sure he can afford to stay in business – which means over 16,000 patients in the area served by his practice may lose access to this reliable and affordable care.
What a crushing blow to the innovators that are seeking new ways to provide quality medical care to their fellow man. What a crushing blow to the entrepreneurial spirit for those who are seeking to succeed. And what a crushing blow to the very spirit upon which our nation was founded.
This is just one example of why it is important and necessary to repeal the government takeover of health care.
Voting in favor of the repeal bill, however, does not mean a return to the status quo.
It is critical that we continue to work towards providing the people of the Fifth District with long lasting solutions to their health care needs.
That is why I was proud to co-sponsor and support a resolution that passed the House this week which instructs committees of jurisdiction to report legislation replacing the health care law.
Four committees will be charged with putting together legislation that is going to be guided by the principles of the market economy. It will not take a sledgehammer to the current quality of the health care we have, but instead will seek to reduce premiums, lower costs, and extend access to all Americans based on market-oriented solutions.
I remain committed to finding ways to reduce health care costs and keep quality care while removing the government from the patient-doctor relationship, and I look forward to debating and finding these solutions in an open and transparent manner throughout the 112th Congress.
Robert Hurt represents the Fifth District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Ken Plum: Busy life in Richmond
For at least five days a week through the end of February I will be in Richmond for the annual General Assembly session. The normally quiet Capitol Square starts to buzz with activity as the 100 members of the House of Delegates and the 40 members of the State Senate, their staff of one or two persons per members, and the more than 800 lobbyists who work the session come to town. Add to that number the citizens, advocacy group members, and constituents who come to the session, and the elevators in the General Assembly Building get packed and create jams in all the hallways of persons waiting for them. As quickly as all this assemblage occurs, it will fold up and disband just as quickly in late February when the session adjourns. The citizen-legislators return to their homes and professions where they have to live for the rest of the year knowing the consequences of the laws they have passed.
My temporary residence in Richmond has changed as the apartment I rented in the past on Church Hill near historic St. John’s Church was not available this session. Instead I am living in an apartment three blocks from the Capitol on Broad Street in the Miller and Rhoads residences. For almost a century the premier downtown department store in Richmond was Miller and Rhoads. The store closed more than a decade ago when it could no longer compete with suburban shopping center stores. The façade of the building has been left intact including its large sign, but the interior has been converted to a Hilton Garden Inn Hotel and Miller and Rhoads Residences of condominiums and rentals. Its easy access to the Capitol means that I may not move my car during the week. Next door is a temporary ice skating rink that brings more people downtown. Carpenter Center with its grand theatre is also next door.
Communication during the session has been enhanced with all the electronic advances. I was in the pilot program nearly a decade ago that grew into total use of laptops in the legislature. This session I am among those field-testing the iPad for use in the legislature. Almost all communications from constituents comes by e-mail (kenplum@aol.com). Since the legislative process moves so quickly, snail mail is not a practical way to communicate during the legislative session.
The historic Capitol building in Richmond is an interesting place to visit any time of the year. Please call my office if you need help in planning a trip. My local office number, 703.758.9733, is forwarded to my Richmond office without additional cost to you. Hope to see you in Richmond soon.
Ken Plum is a member of the Virginia House of Delegates.
Jim Bishop: Aging like fine wine, except I don’t drink
It’s definitely hard for me to do – to sit in a small, florescent-lit room, waiting – waiting for the door to slowly open and the man in white to enter and likely say, “How are you doing today?”
Having this question answered is precisely why I undergo this ritual every year about this time.
I’m at my primary care physician’s office for my annual – not diagnostic, thankfully – physical exam. For the next little while, Dr. Roussel will beat on me with a (soft) hammer, massage my feet and do some things I’d best not repeat. I brought my yellow legal pad with me, thinking that some column idea might emerge.
I’ve somehow gotten into a pattern of having this important procedure done at the worst possible time of year – immediately after the holidays when once again I allowed my taste buds to run rabid. Last summer, through regular swimming and other vigorous exercise, I’d attained my goal weight of 160 pounds. On my weigh-in today, the scales that don’t lie screamed out, “You’ve gained 15 pounds!” That’s heavy-duty bad news. The good news – my blood pressure and pulse, were “normal” for my age.
Right on the spot I vowed to return to a lightweight 160. It has to happen, for my own well-being, but why must it be more difficult with each passing year?
The wait continues. A tinge of anxiety ripples through my person, as much related to knowing things that await my attention back at work as to what lies ahead in this lonely, spartan examining room.
I call the office on my cell – “you have no new messages.” Great, but several other earlier ones need a response upon my return. At least it’s Friday, the weekend’s coming, and that prospect lightens my spirits.
“Careful what you say and do,” I think of telling the doc, clutching my note pad, jotting down random thoughts and phrases as they ricochet up and down my neural passage.
Another 20 minutes pass, then the door opens, Dr. Roussel sticks his head in and apologizes for the wait – “detained at the hospital,” he says – leaves to put on his white sport coat sans pink carnation, returns, scans the two-page medical update I’d completed, and we gets down to the business at hand – literally.
After several minutes of pokes, prods and questions, I find myself identifying more and more with the Dale Pridgeon song, especially this verse:
“I went to the doc for my annual physical exam,
Stood there in the buff, and he said, ‘Man!’
What is it, Doc, some fatal disease? I just gotta know the score.
‘Nope, you just don’t look good naked anymore.’”
I’m especially thankful to still have thick hair – no, I don’t wear a wig as some suspect – even as I’m slowly turning gray around my temples. I have no desire to grow a beard to compensate for any impending loss at the top of my pate. I sported a mustache for nearly 20 years but shaved it off when it took on a “salt and pepper” appearance. My wife didn’t notice until the next day.
The worst part of the exam (ahem) behind me, I get dressed as Dr. Roussel reviews his findings and advises me that any exercise regime, as valuable as it is, won’t keep the extra pounds off. Rather, he says, a regular practice of pushing away from the table instead of helping myself to seconds, along with having calorie-laden desserts sparingly, will make more difference in the long run.
I fret with the doctor about being able to cover our health care costs once Anna and I enter retirement later this year and give up the coverage provided by our respective employers. We’re already Medicare card carrying members, but it’s the price tag for Part B and D that concerns us.
Dr. Roussel graciously writes a prescription for a generic brand to replace a more costly medication I must keep taking and hands me a sheet ordering up a battery of blood work. If I pass these “tests,” I’ll feel like I’ve been given a new lease on life for the next while.
I thought again what a privilege it is to have access to modern medical procedures and services from a caring health care professional. Any infirmities are identified and treatment recommended before they become life-threatening. Even more, what a blessing it is to have reasonably good physical and mental health these many years. I can’t recall when I last took a sick day at work, even though there have been occasions when I should have.
I check in at the front desk, make an appointment for another exam a year from now – January 2012 (gulp!) – and brace myself to face the brisk wind and cold that has been standard fare for weeks in the Valley.
Stepping outside into a bright winter sky, I feel strangely warmed and pause to utter words of gratitude to my Creator that I am “fearfully and wonderfully made.”
Jim Bishop is public information officer at Eastern Mennonite University. He can be contacted at bishopj@emu.edu.
Liberty holds off VMI
Jesse Sanders had 21 points and 13 assists, David Minaya scored 22 points and the Liberty Flames defeated the VMI Keydets 100-82 in a Big South showdown played at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.
For the game, Liberty shot 56.3% from the field, including 9 of 11 from three-point range (81.8%). The Flames (14-7, 8-1 Big South) placed five players in double figures, and had 26 assists to VMI’s 15. Minaya’s point total and Sanders’ assist mark were both career highs. Read more
Chris Saxman: Cold Fusion Friday
Still don’t think Obama can win re-election?
Consider these facts – his numbers are up – mid 50s in polls that sample everyone and upper 40s with LIKELY VOTERS. His negative numbers are less intense that just four months ago. That and the GOP needs to win ALL of the following states to get to 270 – Florida, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, Indiana and Colorado. Good luck with that.
The upcoming State of the Union (SOTU) by the President of the US (POTUS) will be laundry list designed to lay the groundwork on the 2012 re-elect. Very specific issues that test poll well will be woven in with the larger themes of bipartisanship, working together and getting things done for the American people. Cue the Chris Matthews thrill up the leg moment…
My question is – how many Supreme Court justice post for the speech after being blasted year for the Citizens United decision DURING the SOTU? I put the over/under on that at 5.
Here in Virginia, Governor McDonnell has proposed a $4 billion road construction program with specific projects being funded. Naturally, those supporting it say thanks but it doesn’t go far enough and those opposing got the vapors because it uses debt. Oh, it’s a bond package. $4 billion. Now, when people buy a house, do they pay cash or do they go to the bank for a mortgage? 10 year, 15 year or 30 year mortgage? But the big question always is – what rate did ya get?
When it comes to public financing of infrastructure no one ever asks the terms of the debt. They simply reply “you’re mortgaging the future of our children!!”. Usually on 10 -12 or 15 year notes with rates below 5%. As bond rates go up, that makes the debt more expensive. But how does a 10 year note mortgage the future of an 8 year old? At 18 they drive to college on safer roads to a new college dorm or classroom having just finished a K-12 education with a recently renovated high school. Suffocating…
This is not to say that debt is neither all good nor all bad. It is relative.
But also consider right now that, in Virginia, it is the stated policy of the Commonwealth having been voted into existence by the legislature in 2002 with House Bill 1285 and signed by Governor Warner. Don’t recall that little nugget? No one does. Heck, I had to surf the General Assembly website to find it. I wonder who voted for THAT and now opposes the Governor’s package?
That bill states that the financing policy of the Commonwealth is basically this – below 5% revenue growth and capital projects should be financed with bonds, between 5-8% growth – a mix of cash and bonds and above 8% revenue growth – all cash. Only two negative votes on final passage and one of those guys is no longer in the House. So, only one legislator serving today voted against HB1285. Who dat? Lee Ware – man among men.
Keep in mind also that the Constitution of Virginia states that no more than 15% of General Fund obligations can be used for debt payments and that the internal, unwritten cap is actually 5%.
The rating agencies have said this package will not jeopardize the AAA rating of Virginia’s bonds. Not that rating agencies have a better record than my NFL picks last weekend, BUT I think they know more about bond financing than most people commenting on the package offered by the Governor.
But if you want to have some fun – after someone praises or decries the bond package, or any bond package for that matter – ask them this question – “That’s interesting. Can you tell me what the rates and term of the debt is likely to be when they go to market with the package?” There will be more glaze over those eyes than a Christmas ham.
Speaking of the NFL – I am 4-3 in the playoffs. Picking the Steelers to beat the Jets – Troy Polamalu is going to play and they are 16-4 with him in the lineup over the last two years. The Steelers also have three really fast WRs who can get behind the secondary of any team. The defensive coordinator of the Steelers, Dick LeBeau -living legend, will draw up a plan that should shut down Mark Sanchez – the average QB of the Jets. Namath he ain’t.
Picking the Packers because they are playing well, have a great quarterback and receiving corp. But mainly because one of my best friends is a Packers fan and I would like us to finally have a Steeler-Packer Super Bowl.
Sound like a dumb reason to pick a game? It’s not like I am actually using my money and mortgaging the future of my children.
Can’t say the same about our federal government and their friends in lower Manhattan….
p.s. Who do I thank for the Hollywood award shows which remind me I don’t need to go to the movies?
p.p.s Who do I thank for all of those commercials that show men to be worthless, overweight dipwads which really help me cross that company off my “will buy from them in the future list”?
p.p.p.s (last one) – do you realize our cultural representations of the American male have gone from Robert Young, Ozzie Nelson and Ward Cleaver to Archie Bunker, Al Bundy, Homer Simpson and today’s characters whose names you probably can’t even recall….
Column by Chris Saxman
Hokies dominate Terps, 74-57
Erick Green scored a career-high 24 points to make Maryland pay for its attention on Malcolm Delaney, and Virginia Tech was able to hold the Terps’ Jordan Williams in check in posting a surprisingly easy 74-57 win at the Comcast Center on Thursday.
Green was 12-of-16 from the field, and was equally dangerous in both halves – going 7-for-10 in the first half and 5-for-6 in the second half. Maryland’s defense was focused at the outset on Delaney, who recorded seven assists on the night and finished with a quiet 19 points.
Tech (12-5, 3-2 ACC) jumped out to a 12-0 lead out of the gate and never trailed. The Hokies’ lead was 40-29 at the half and grew to 17 early in the second half before Maryland (11-7, 1-3 ACC) went on an extended run to cut the margin to eight at 61-53 with 7:15 to go. Virginia Tech outscored Maryland 13-4 down the stretch to seal the victory.
Williams, who entered the game averaging 18.1 points per contest, was held to 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting from the field in 36 minutes as the Hokies went to a zone defense for long stretches to keep the ball out of his hands in the post.
Payne invited to all-star game
Virginia running back Keith Payne has been invited to the NFL Players Association Game, formally known as the Texas vs. The Nation All-Star game.
In addition to a new name, the game has moved from the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas to the Alamo Dome in San Antonio. The premise of the game remains the same, collegiate players from Texas schools, or those who hail from the state, square off against players from all over the nation. Payne will represent The Nation team. Kickoff is at 1:00 pm CST on February 5, 2011 in San Antonio’s Alamodome. Read more
Help the Wildlife Center name its new hawk
The Wildlife Center of Virginia, a leading teaching and research hospital for wildlife, is enlisting the help of area elementary-school children in coming up with a name for a Red-tailed Hawk – an non-releasable hawk that will soon be visiting schools as one of the Center’s environmental ambassadors.
Earlier this month, the Wildlife Center contacted 39 area elementary schools to ask students to provide suggestions for a name for the Red-tailed Hawk [the schools are in Augusta and Rockingham Counties and in Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Waynesboro]. The hawk was hit by a car in Dayton, Virginia in February 2010 and admitted as a patient to the Wildlife Center. Upon admission, the Center’s veterinary team found a fracture in her left wing as well as severe trauma to her right eye. While her wing healed, her eye had to be surgically removed. With limited vision, the bird cannot see well enough to be released into the wild. Since May 2010, Center staff have been working with the hawk to determine her suitability as an education ambassador – a bird that would accompany Center staff on trips to schools, county fairs, and other public events.
At the Wildlife Center, patients are assigned numbers, but education animals (permanent residents) are given names. Thus far the Center has received several dozen entries from about 15 schools; the deadline for submission is January 31.
At the end of the month, Center staff will review the names suggested and winnow the list down to a few top choices. Those names will be posted on the Center’s website, and the winner will be determined by an on-line vote.
In addition to bragging rights, the winning school will also received a special visit from the hawk and Center staff.
“Our education animals help students better understand our state’s wildlife and the steps each of us can take to protect wildlife and the environment,” Amanda Nicholson, the Center’s director of outreach, said. “It’s such a treat for students to get to see a hawk or an owl or an opossum up close. We’re delighted that area students will help us name this hawk, who will become another special ‘teacher’ at the Wildlife Center.”
Additional information about the Red-tailed Hawk and this naming contest is available on the Center’s website at www.wildlifecenter.org.
The newly named hawk will join about two dozen hawks, owls, eagles, falcons, turtles and snakes that are part of the Center’s corps of education animals (permanent residents that, because of injuries or behavioral modifications, cannot be released back to the wild).
Other current members of this team of ambassadors are Scarlette (another Red-tailed Hawk); Junior (a Golden Eagle); Edie (an American Kestrel); and Wilson (an Eastern Box Turtle).
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
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Mason hands Dukes first home loss
Posted on January 22, 2011 · Leave a Comment
Mason improved to 14-5 with the win and 6-2 in the CAA. JMU lost its second straight league game to fall to 15-5 overall and 5-3 in the CAA. The Dukes suffered their first home loss after starting the year 9-0. Read more
Filed under Blogs · Tagged with caa basketball, george mason, jmu basketball