Chris Graham: A new day dawning

Contributors

The first feeling: dread. That’s what went through me as I was getting ready to go to bed early Sunday night before hearing that the president had a major announcement to make at 10:30 p.m., literally minutes away from when I heard the bulletin. Funny how we’ve been conditioned to the bad news anymore, isn’t…

Bin Laden dead

International terrorist Osama Bin Laden was killed in a U.S. military operation in Pakistan on Sunday. Four others were killed in the operation, including a woman used by Bin Laden as a human shield. No U.S. personnel were hurt in the operation. Bin Laden was the mastermind of the terrorist attacks on the United States…

Valley conservation leaders encouraged, cautioned

Chris Graham

Funding challenges, the far-reaching impact of the Chesapeake Bay Act, and the rapidly rising importance of urban conservation took center stage at the Spring Meeting of the six Soil and Water Conservation Districts serving the 13 counties of the Shenandoah Valley and adjacent highlands. Addressing the 60+ attendees, State Sen. Emmett Hanger, R-Mount Solon, noted…

Robert Hurt: The Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act

Robert Hurt

Over the past couple of weeks, I have had the great opportunity to continue to meet with and hear from Central and Southside Virginians in and across the District. I have traveled to Martinsville, Farmville, Penhook, Keysville, South Hill, Clarksville, Cartersville, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Charlottesville, and Danville. I spoke to hundreds of constituents at a town…

JMU adds two hoops recruits

Contributors

James Madison men’s basketball head coach Matt Brady announced on Tuesday the signing of two players to national letters of intent, with both joining the program as freshmen for the 2011-12 season. JMU’s spring signees include guard Arman Marks of Louisville, Ky. as well as forward Keynan Pittman of Burgaw, N.C. They join forward Enoch…

McDonnell launches teacher performance-pay initiative

Chris Graham

Gov. Bob McDonnell has invited 57 school divisions that may have difficulty attracting, retaining and rewarding experienced, fully licensed teachers to participate in his Virginia Performance-Pay Incentives initiative for hard-to-staff schools. The initiative — which was approved by the 2011 General Assembly — is a centerpiece of McDonnell’s “Opportunity to Learn” education-reform agenda. It provides…

Robert Hurt: The path to prosperity

Robert Hurt

This past week House Republicans continued to take action to bring real change to Washington by passing a long term budget plan for 2012 and beyond, which stops spending money we don’t have, lifts our crushing debt burden, and helps promote job creation. With $14 trillion in debt, $1.6 trillion in deficit spending, and the…

The AFP on WREL: Battle lines

Chris Graham

AFP editor Chris Graham talks Virginia news with WREL-1450AM’s “Online with Jim Bresnahan.” The segment begins with talk on legislative redistricting. Democrats and Republicans continue to squabble over how to redivide Virginia into legislative districts. Can Gov. Bob McDonnell serve as an arbiter for the two sides? Talk on the Virginia economy and budget woes…

Sanford D. Horn: The unfair and unbalanced media

Letters

While Congressman Jim Moran’s assault on the military and its veterans went viral Friday, April 8, one day following a town hall meeting held in Alexandria at Hammond Middle School, nary a word appeared in The Washington Post. Moran treated Wayne Tunick, a disabled 27-year veteran rudely following an important question regarding military pay in…