Lucente and Williams, the NV, Little Grill

Winners and Losers column by Chris Graham
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WINNERS: Frank Lucente and Tim Williams join bond parade
I’m calling them winners here not related to the politics of the issues involving bonds for a new West End fire station and improvements to the city library and the city stormwater system, because frankly my view on that is, stick to your guns, man.
But …
Sticking to their guns in this case would likely have meant either a costly lawsuit or a costly second referendum.
So these kudos are for Lucente and Williams doing the right thing to keep those costs from having to be realized.

LOSERS: Much ado about absolutely nothing
The News Virginian made Lucente and Williams out to be actively considering voting against the bond issues and getting the city in the middle of a legal showdown – when the two councilmen made it clear Monday night that they told the paper no such thing.
And the NV has made a big to-do about the issues in the rushed referendum that were the fault of the city while remaining almost totally silent on its role in the snafu regarding the legal advertisement that didn’t run as required.
There’s enough of a mess here without the local newspaper having to add fuel to the fire that it helped ignite in the first place.

LOSERS: Little Grill cancels anti-racist benefit
I’m not criticizing the owners of The Little Grill for apparently bowing to pressure from white-supremacist groups in their decision to cancel a planned benefit for members of a local anti-racism group, but …
You let a bully tell you what to do, and you’re always going to be letting bullies tell you what to do.