Local Politics: Saxman to White House, Sayre to House?

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] Provocative headline, yes, and no, there’s not much more than conjecture behind it. But this is among the things being talked about in local politics circles. It came up most recently with me in a conversation with a local elected official yesterday when I mentioned that I was hearing that…

College Football: Virginia Tech, UNC prepare for what could be epic clash

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] This is unfamiliar territory for Virginia Tech football – heading into a game in Chapel Hill as a two and a half point ‘dog. “When you look at North Carolina, and I know we played Georgia Tech, East Carolina and Furman, but this will be the best football team we’ve…

Charlottesville: Michelle Obama talks change

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] It’s time for new solutions, Michelle Obama told a rally of 2,500 people on Grounds at the University of Virginia Wednesday afternoon, “because we know that the old ways just won’t do.” Obama, the wife of Democratic Party presidential nominee Barack Obama, and Jill Biden, the wife of Delaware senator…

Business and Economy: Fed bails out AIG, averting crisis

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] The Federal Reserve is lending $85 billion – with a b – to rescue American International Group in a move that analysts are saying will forestall a global economic crisis that could have resulted from the collapse of the insurer. “Insurance companies are not normally institutions that the federal government…

Business and Economy: Comparing the Obama and McCain tax plans

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] (First in a series.) John McCain and his surrogates are right. Barack Obama is going to raise your taxes – if you’re among the top 1 percent of wage earners. An analysis of the McCain and Obama tax plans done by the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center shows that both of…

Crystal Graham: Your mission – be prepared for worst-case scenario

Crystal Graham

Story by Crystal Graham Kathryn McMillan has a good reason for urging others to prepare for every possible emergency situation. Fire, flooding, even a tornado, are all possible on any given day, at any time. When a fire struck her apartment in Staunton years ago, she thankfully wasn’t home. Nor was her husband, Tony. A neighbor…

Shepherd Bliss: Slow Food Nation attracts 50,000 … beneath the surface

AFP

Column by Shepherd Bliss “Come to the table,” Slow Food Nation invited. And come to San Francisco over Labor Day weekend they did — around 50,000 people attending perhaps the largest food celebration in American history. Tables and straw bales appeared in the heart of the city’s Civic Center around a victory garden on about…