Chris Graham: The rest of the story
Column by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Congratulations are in order to Phil and Ellen Winter, whose persistence in their search for information about the workings of the city treasurer office in Waynesboro led to their collection of dozens of pages of e-mails, memos and audit reports, an investigative report in The New Dominion Magazine, more reporting on the matter in the News Virginian, the defeat of Sandee Dixon in her bid for re-election as city treasurer, and recognition for their efforts from the American Society of Newspaper Editors. Read more
We’re cutting prices across the board
From the AFPBusiness.com Newsletter
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Augusta Free Press Newsletter (just reduced by 75%)
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Experience is the emphasis at 29
Story by Chris Graham
newdominion@ntelos.net
Bureau chief is a sexy job title, but being the bureau chief means you end up doing things like spending the morning at a middle school making sure the station can do live web-streaming of a House of Delegates debate scheduled for the next night.
WVIR-NBC29 veteran Ken Slack eventually got around to doing some reporting work, setting up an interview with Augusta County Board of Supervisors Chairman Larry Howdyshell to discuss county emergency services, and editing an interview with another Board of Supervisors member, Nancy Sorrells, for a report for the news at noon. Read more
‘A true community’
Once a fixer-upper, Staunton’s Newtown
now shining light in Queen City
Story by Chris Graham
newdominion@ntelos.net
People thought Michael Organ was crazy. That old home in Newtown was jaw-dropping beautiful, sure, but who in their right mind would stay at a bed-and-breakfast where you were as likely to get your hubcaps stolen or run into a prostitute or drug dealer as you were to enjoy the sunrise over Betsy Bell and Mary Gray?
“Gutsy” is the word Organ uses to describe his idea of the popular view of his move in 1982 to develop what has become the Belle Grae Inn, which encompasses the bed-and-breakfast, apartments designed for longer-stay corporate guests and an 80-seat restaurant. Read more
Democrats aim high
Marrow, Curren face steep hills to climb
Story by Chris Graham
newdominion@ntelos.net
A candidate for public office needs to shake as many hands and slap as many backs as possible. A Democratic Party candidate in the bright-red Shenandoah Valley has to work twice as hard to have a shot on Election Day.
“You’ve got to beat the streets, pound the pavement,” 25th District Democratic Party candidate Greg Marrow said before a meet-and-greet with voters in Waynesboro earlier this month. “I’ve gone through two pairs of shoes already. You’re hot, sweaty, tired. You want to go home and play with your children. But you just know that it’s worth it. You have to believe that it’s going to happen.” Read more
AFP kicks off inaugural Fund Drive
“I listen to public radio, and it’s free, but if I had to, I’d put the quarter in the slot. Well, fund-drive time is when you collect all the quarters and put them in the slot.”
A reader and new subscriber thus explained why she signed on to purchase from the AFP what she otherwise gets for free.
That’s the concept behind our Basic and Enhanced Subscriptions – where for as little as $5 a month you can support the news-gathering operations at the AFP. Read more
Chris Graham | The Valley’s Favorite
“Congratulations on being named the Valley’s Favorite News Reporter.”
“Huh?”
Some news reporter I am. The announcement was in the Friday, Aug. 28 News Virginian, in the paper’s annual Valley’s Favorites section, and I find out about it today at the high-school cross-country meet at Augusta Expoland.
