Is the Valley safer?

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C., were a wakeup call for those involved in the emergency-services community in the Shenandoah Valley. “The big thing that came out of 9/11 was the thought that, hey, we’ve got to look at our policies and…

A violation of constitutional rights? Staunton incident highlights gun-rights debate

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham “Three guys came into the restaurant, and two of them had guns in their belts. And, I mean, they didn’t look like undercover police. But then again, what does undercover police look like? But … uh … it just looks kind of odd. They kept getting up and going…

Starbury Hill

Chris Graham

Stop the Presses column by Chris Graham I went out and bought a pair of Starburys last week. Yes, I know, this is breaking news, for sure. But really, it is significant – if you know the backstory to Starburys. The basketball shoes are being hawked by New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury as the…

About faced

Chris Graham

Stop the Presses column by Chris Graham [email protected] “So after all this hemming and hawing about how print is old hat, how the Web is the future …” “Yes.” “You’re launching a print publication.” “Yes.” “And this makes sense … how?” I have to admit, my good friend and sounding board Eli had a point…

The battle for the heart and soul of the GOP

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham   For a brief moment or two after the 2006 midterm elections, it had seemed that the Republican Party was perhaps going off its ideological moorings. The talk was reaching the level of near-clamor regarding how the GOP was going to have to consider retreating from the right-wing conservative…

Right to left? In what direction will Dems take national politics?

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham   It hasn’t been that long since some in the punditry and the blogosphere were speculating aloud about how Republican victories in the race for the White House and in Congress in 2004 might be signaling the dawn of a GOP century. And it seems that now, instead of…

What the heck just happened?

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham   You listen to Bob Goodlatte, Republican congressman from the Sixth District of Red State Virginia, heading into his eighth term, finishing out his second two-year term as chairman of the powerful House Agriculture Committee, talk about life on Capitol Hill, and you realize pretty quickly that a sea…

Can we all just get along?

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham   The Shenandoah Valley is usually pretty tame as far as its politics goes – but even the solid Republican Mountain Valley has seen its share of contentiousness this political season. To wit … – One of the highlights of the Augusta County Fair this summer was an episode…

Marriage amendment – a lose-lose-lose situation?

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham   It’s politics to some people – the debate over a proposed amendment to the Virginia Constitution that would prohibit gays and lesbians from being able to enter into a state-recognized marriage or civil union. For those whose lives would be impacted directly by the much-talked-about change to the…