Local Theater: Unraveling the Drood mystery

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] Many Charles Dickens fans just assume that it was supposed to be John Jasper who would turn out to be the murderer at the end of The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Everything seems to point back to Jasper, most notably his affections for Rosa Bud, Drood’s fiancee, though a small…

Kaine addresses lawmakers on budget shortfall

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] Everything is on the table, Gov. Tim Kaine told state legislators today as the two sides began to address a projected billion-dollar shortfall in the current biennial state budget. “The need to engage in a third major round of budget reductions will mean, by necessity, that all programs — including…

Landes lauds GA action on capital improvements

Chris Graham

Item by Chris Graham [email protected] State legislators today approved a $2.6 billion bond package that will fund a host of important infrastructure improvements across the Commonwealth. State Del. Steve Landes, R-Weyers Cave, talked up the improvements that will be in the works in the Greater Augusta area as a result of the action in the…

Rasoul, Richardson talk budget, taxes

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] Bob Goodlatte threw down the gauntlet. “Their budget proposal calls for $683 billion in new taxes over the next five years. That would mean a tax increase for more than 116 million American taxpayers, who will face an average tax hike of $1,800. And while obviously businesses large and small…

A ‘special child’ responds to special care

Jim Bishop

Column by Jim Bishop Jenny Hummel of Weyers Cave, our daughter, won’t forget the time and place when she was told for certain – son Jacob, our grandson, has autism. She and husband Dallas knew for some time that “something was wrong” with their youngest son. He had difficulty responding to voices, seldom maintained eye…