AG makes curbing animal fighting a top priority

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] The Michael Vick dogfighting case made us all take notice of the wide expanse of animal cruelty cast as sport. Count among those paying attention Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell. McDonnell included several bills on animal cruelty in his 2008 legislative agenda. The goal for McDonnell is effectively ending animal…

The 3 D’s of security

Chris Graham

Story by Bonnie P. Lofton When Lisa L. Schirch, professor of peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University, launched the 3D Security Initiative in November 2006, she had no way of knowing how long it might take for 3D to gain the attention of top decisionmakers in this country. Regardless of the months, years or even decades…

Father of AFP editor passes away

Chris Graham

William Mark “Billy” Graham, 54, of 30 Fishersville Station Road, Fishersville, died at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday (Jan. 2, 2008) at his home. He was born Sept. 14, 1953 in Deerfield, the son of the late John and Mary Adkins Graham. He was employed for 20 years at General Electric and Genicom in Waynesboro. He was also…

Peering into the Crystal Ball …

Chris Graham

Winners and Losers column by Chris Graham [email protected] WINNER: Virginia baseball wins College World Series It has to happen eventually, doesn’t it? Brian O’Connor has a pitching staff capable of shutting down anybody. This year he gets the offense to pick things up when the pitching has issues. ASCENDING: JMU men’s basketball, UR football HOLDING…

The People v. Rick Krial: Staunton obscenity case has national attention

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] The subject isn’t evolution, and the barristers aren’t William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow. But the upcoming trial of a Staunton adult-video store owner on obscenity charges has some of that Scopes Monkey Trial flavor to it. Doesn’t it? I mean, on the one side, you have the fundamentalists who…

Robertson taking no prisoners in obscenity prosecution

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] “Inga.” It was the big to-do back in 1968 when it was released in America. “Filmed entirely in Sweden,” a snapshot on movietime.com relates, “‘Inga’ brims with a European sensuality and eroticism that shocked American audiences upon its release in 1968.” That about sums it up right there, doesn’t it?…

Obscenity v. The First Amendment: Why the prosecution of X-rated films affects books

Chris Graham

Story by Matthew Warner What’s so horrible about porn other than the poor quality of most of it? And why should you care? ‘LITERARY OBSCENITY’ Watch out, you writers and purveyors of erotic horror and explicit romance. The folks here in my Bible Belt city of Staunton, Virginia, care quite a bit. Last summer, when…

Big fish in a small media-market pond: These broadcast mainstays in Valley, Charlottesville aren’t going anywhere anytime soon

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] When you’re a TV weatherman, a trip to the local burger place can be a challenge not unlike the 10K races that Eric Pritchett runs when he’s not standing in front of a television screen telling us what Mother Nature has in store for us tomorrow. “What’s it going to…