Photocast: Groundbreaking day at the Wayne

Chris Graham

Photos by Crystal Graham and Mark Miller Blue Mountain Sunrise warms up those in attendance for the Wayne Theatre groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday. Waynesboro Mayor Tim Williams addresses the assemblage. Waynesboro City Councilwoman Lorie Smith was on hand for the big day. Ginny Ross and John Curry unveil the under construction sign. Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra…

Waynesboro: Moving forward with the Wayne

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] The Wayne Theatre project seems to have cleared what had appeared to be a substantial political hurdle. “This is an important occasion that marks the beginning of hard work and determination coming to fruition. The Wayne Theatre has become an example of the effectiveness of public-private relationships and has been…

Waynesboro: Alliance to break ground on Wayne project today

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] The Wayne Theatre Alliance is hosting a groundbreaking ceremony today at 5:30 p.m. in front of the Wayne Theatre in Downtown Waynesboro to mark the beginning of work on the facade and the front of the 82-year-old landmark. The event will kick off at 5 p.m. with music from Blue…

White House ’08: The Obama Effect

Chris Graham

Column by Chris Graham [email protected] Not a day goes by that I don’t hear from an Obama-Biden supporter about the Wilder Effect – or what some folks call the Bradley Effect, the basics being a major-party candidate who is African-American whose support in pre- and post-election polling registers higher than actual performance in the polls….

Virginia: Not the day the McCain-Paliners were hoping for

Chris Graham

Column by Chris Graham [email protected] Twenty thousand people, give or take, showed up to hear Sarah Palin at the Richmond International Raceway today. Good news. She yelled at some of them who were trying to tell her to speak “Louder! Louder!” because they couldn’t hear her and called them protestors while making a snarky remark…

College Football: UVa. planks Pirates, 35-20

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] A 79-yard first-quarter touchdown run by Cedric Peerman ignited a 28-point first-half outburst by Virginia, and the ‘Hoos withstood a late rally to beat back East Carolina by a 35-20 final on Saturday in Charlottesville. It was the second straight home win for the Cavs, who defeated Maryland 31-0 last…

The Valley Blue Dog: Notes from the dirty campaign trail

Steven Sisson

Column by Steven Sisson Our presidential campaign has sunk lower than the Wall Street stock index. Down, down, down … Republican operatives have historically gone negative in losing campaigns to drive down voter participation and denigrate their Democratic opposition. Guess what? Dinosaur-like GOP president nominee John McCain is losing to a first-term senator. The Blue…

Waynesboro: Smart political move by the WTA

Chris Graham

Column by Chris Graham [email protected] The big question after the May elections for Waynesboro City Council – one of the big questions, anyway – had to do with the future of the Wayne Theatre Alliance. I was among those who assumed that the Alliance and its planned $7 million renovation of the Wayne Theatre would…

Local Politics: Are we all losing our minds?

Chris Graham

Column by Chris Graham [email protected] Dinah Gottschalk is a volunteer in the Waynesboro Democratic Committee. She’s a committed Democrat, a lifelong Democrat, and she’s been working hard this campaign season at the local Waynesboro Dems election headquarters in Willow Oak Plaza with me and dozens of other Waynesboro and Augusta County Democrats. She was, to…

Sixth District: Goodlatte, Rasoul, Allen to debate

Chris Graham

Staff Report There are two Sixth District congressional candidate debates on the schedule this week. Republican incumbent Bob Goodlatte, Democratic Party nominee Sam Rasoul and independent Janice Lee Allen will appear at a candidates forum sponsored by the Roanoke County PTA tonight at 7 p.m. The forum will be held at William Byrd High School…