Allen responds to Dems on campaign-focus issue

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham Political commentator Chris Matthews says George Allen is the frontrunner for the 2008 Republican Party presidential nomination – and he’s not alone there. But that fact helps Allen not one bit in his drive for re-election to the United States Senate representing Virginia. Indeed, it could turn out to be a…

Affordable housing the focus of Staunton leaders

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham   Staunton residents are worried about the apparent lack of affordable housing in the Queen City. Don’t think that the candidates for the three open seats on Staunton City Council haven’t noticed that. “The citizens of Staunton know what is best, and I trust their judgment. If the citizens…

Grappling with Attitude: Virginia promoter talks about changes in industry

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham It used to be easier for Travis Bradshaw to draw a few hundred fans to his Vanguard Championship Wrestling shows. “The whole business changed after The Attitude era,” said Bradshaw, whose Smithfield-based promotion runs shows across the Commonwealth. “Kayfabe got killed, and wrestling got a bad reputation. That made it harder…

A cartoon controversy – or something like it

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham It has been described as a cartoon controversy. But the issue involving the drawings depicting the Prophet Muhammad published in a Danish newspaper last fall is a lot more than that. “I liken this to a stovetop, and the pots are at a rolling boil right now in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Pakistan,…

Painful cuts could impact public broadcasting

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham Supporters of public broadcasting had thought that the war on PBS and NPR was over. “Basically, what we’re seeing here is that the administration is laying the foundation for the elimination of all federal funding for public broadcasting indefinitely,” said Kristin Wilson, a spokesman for the Washington, D.C.,-based Association of Public…

An election at the grassroots: The Valley Family Forum and its role in the race in the 26th

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham The Democratic Party targeted the 26th House District seat being left open by the retirement of Republican incumbent Glenn Weatherholtz, and for good reason – namely, a win by Democrat Lowell Fulk would give the party a plum seat in a GOP stronghold in Rockingham County and the city of Harrisonburg.

Twin peak: Terry Kilgore stumps for his brother in Valley

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham Terry Kilgore thought his brother had a future in politics – as the next great GOP campaign strategist. “Jerry actually ran my first House campaign 12 years ago,” said Terry Kilgore, the twin brother of Jerry Kilgore, the Republican Party gubernatorial nominee. “He was so good at it, so organized. He…

The Valley Responds: Impressions of Long Beach

Crystal Graham

(This is the first installment in a six-part series on The Valley Responds, an effort that links the Shenandoah Valley with residents of Long Beach, Miss.)   Impressions of Long Beach: 2005 A boat. Hundreds of feet from the Gulf Coast. Cars crumpled and littered along streets like paper along the highway. In the distance,…