Staunton: United Way kicks off ’08 campaign

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] So I wasn’t the only one new to fundraising campaigns in the room at yesterday’s local United Way of Greater Augusta campaign kickoff. “When I consider the huge number of people who depend upon the services supported by United Way, and the agencies and organizations that partner with the United…

White House ’08: Locals busy hitting forward on campaign-related e-mails

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] My in-box was hopping Friday evening with forwards of the e-mail from Anne Kilkenny of Wasilla, Alaska, which you might recognize as the town made famous by former mayor-turned-vice-presidential-nominee Sarah Palin. Seems that e-mail trees can and do make their way to Greater Augusta. “You should check this out –…

Valley News: Food Bank benefits from ‘Idol Gives Back’

Chris Graham

Item by Chris Graham [email protected] As much as many of us can’t stand the TV show “American Idol,” there’s a reason to thank Simon and Paula and Randy and Ryan and the crooners. The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank Network announced yesterday that it has received a $100,000 grant to fight child hunger in the…

Winners and Losers: McCain-Palin, NV-Jim Gilmore, reporters arrested at RNC

Chris Graham

Compiled by Chris Graham [email protected] THE PALIN CALL STILL BOTHERS ME: But what do I know? If they’d vetted her as well as they had the others, and then the ethics investigation and the Bridge to Nowhere line that doesn’t make sense given that she took the money and ran anyway and the, ahem, family…

Special Commentary: Palin-haters?

Chris Graham

Special Commentary by Chris Graham [email protected] “Sarah Palin represents everything they hate,” conservative radio host Laura Ingraham told an audience at the Republican National Convention this week. Which piqued my interest, because I’m guessing that I’m one of those they that she was referring to – a Democrat, a member of the news media. Come…

Hanna: Storm could be headed toward Valley

Contributors

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] Local emergency-services officials are keeping their eyes on the Atlantic as what is now Tropical Storm Hanna makes its way up the Eastern Seaboard toward a possible rendezvous with the Shenandoah Valley and Central Virginia this weekend. “We haven’t gotten any impact statements from the Weather Service or VDEM. The…

’08 Senate: Gilmore goes on attack against Warner

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham [email protected] Jim Gilmore standing at the podium in Glen Maury Park in Buena Vista at the foot of the Blue Ridge pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. A burly, hirsute man wearing a form-fitting Gilmore T-shirt handed the news reporter standing next to me a similarly-sized paper…