Staunton’s silent-movie star the subject of Historical Society talk

Contributors

William Haines, a native of Staunton who was the leading male film star in the world in 1930 before he rose to even greater heights as one of the nation’s most influential interior designers, will be the subject of the next Augusta County Historical Society’s Stuart Speaker Series held at the Smith Center on Thursday,…

Poll: McDonnell up eight

Chris Graham

Another new poll out this morning from Clarus Research has Bob McDonnell still comfortably ahead of Creigh Deeds at the two-week-out mark of the Virginia gubernatorial race. The 49 percent-to-41 percent lead for McDonnell lines up with recent renderings of the race from Rasmussen, which had McDonnell up 50 percent to 43 percent, and Mason…

Earth Talk | Facts on rain forests

Roddy Scheer

Dear EarthTalk: Do you have current facts and figures about how much rainforest is being destroyed each day around the world, and for what purpose(s)? – Teri, via e-mail Pinning down exact numbers is nearly impossible, but most experts agree that we are losing upwards of 80,000 acres of tropical rainforest daily, and significantly degrading…

Maureen P. Corry | Putting maternity care to work in health-care reform

Contributors

“I don’t need maternity care.” Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) lobbed this comment against Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s (D-Mich.) efforts to guarantee maternity coverage as a basic benefit in health-care reform. “Your mom probably did,” Stabenow famously shot back. That exchange and the wave of support that followed for Stabenow’s proposals illustrates how out of step Kyl…

Debate on drinking age at Bridgewater College

Contributors

James C. Fell and Barrett Seaman will debate “The Drinking Age” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, in Cole Hall at Bridgewater College. In 1984, a national drinking age of 21 was established. Does the 21 and older drinking age really discourage underage drinking, or merely drive it underground, and result in riskier and more…

African American CCC camp is focus of Historical Society fall meeting

Contributors

The young men who signed up to construct roads and buildings in the nation’s parks and forests during the Great Depression often endured back-breaking work. Those young men who were also African American endured even more. Last year the Civilian Conservation Corps celebrated its 75th anniversary. Much has been written about the CCC throughout the…

Perriello backs effort to help dairy farmers

Contributors

On Wednesday, Congressman Tom Perriello supported the Conference Report on the FY10 Agriculture Appropriations Bill, which will boost rural economies and provide much needed help to the nation’s struggling dairy farmers. Once approved by the Senate, the conference report will go to President Obama for his signature.