Category: Uncategorized
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In Memory of A Remarkable Bishop
By Peter Galuszka One of Virginia’s most important religious leaders in decades who held firm to his liberal beliefs died Dec. 11 at age 84. Bishop Walter F. Sullivan, former head of the Diocese of Richmond, passed away after being ill with cancer. Bishop from 1970 until 2003, Sullivan was an anomaly in a conservative…
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Another Free Market Innovation for the Age Wave
America’s population is aging rapidly, and so is the number of elderly who require assistance in daily living. Baby Boomers, to many of whom has fallen the responsibility of caring for aging parents, often find the alternatives unattractive. Nursing homes can be either too impersonal or too expensive. Caring for the parent at home is…
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Our Out-Of-Control Military
By Peter Galuszka Are we too in love with our military? Forgive the pun, given the resignation of CIA director and former Army general David Petraeus in a sex scandal. But it still needs to be asked given the decade-long gush of praise for men and women in uniform, many of whom have some Virginia…
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President Barack Obama!
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in Business and Economy, Children and Families, Consumer Protection, Courts and law, Crime, Corrections, Law Enforcement, Demographics, Disasters and Disaster Preparedness, Economic development, Education (higher ed), Education (K-12), Electoral process, Energy, Environment, Federal issues, Government Finance, Government workers and pensions, Gun rights, Health Care, Housing, Immigration, Infrastructure, Insurance, Labor and Workforce, Land use & Development, LGBQT, Media, Money in politics, Planning, Politics, Poverty & income gap, Property rights, Public safety & health, Race and Race Relations, Regulations, Gov’t Oversight, Science & Technology, Social Services and Entitlements, Taxes, Transportation, Uncategorized, Water-waste waterBy Peter Galuszka President Barack Obama’s re-election and success with Virginia in Tuesday’s contest could provide a fresh opportunity to solidify more economic recovery than what have otherwise may have happened. It could be a real chance for bipartisan progress. Here’s my takeaway at 2:30 a.m.: Virginia has again shown that it is morphing into…
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The Bicycle Movement Builds Momentum
Cyclists flexed their muscles — quadruceps and gluts, mostly — as almost 1,000 of them took part Saturday in the “Martin’s Tour” in the Richmond region, a set of 29-, 59- and 102-mile rides around the metropolitan region. (The Times-Dispatch has the story here.) The event, organized by Richmond Sports Backers and sponsored by Martin’s…
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D.C. Council Passes MWAA Reform
The Washington, D.C., City Council has adopted changes to the bi-state compact governing the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority that allow for Virginia to seat two new members, while Maryland and D.C. get to appoint one new member each. The legislation must be signed by Washington Mayor Vincent Gray to become law. Gov. Bob McDonnell, who…
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Taped Senator’s Call Links McDonnell to Uranium Mining Controversy
By Peter Galuszka Jerry A. Hagerman, a supervisor in Pittsylvania County which is at the center of a battle over proposed uranium mining, says that State Sen. Bill Stanley (pictured) told him that Gov. Robert F. McDonnell asked Stanley to lobby the county Board of Supervisors to shelve a resolution regarding uranium at its Sept.…
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Celebrating a Fine Virginia Tradition
I don’t watch many movies on the big screen but I won’t miss this: “Lawless.” The movie is based upon a true story about moonshiners in Prohibition-era Franklin County, Va. Best line from the trailer: “I’m a Bondurant. We don’t lay down for nobody.” Local boys fighting the revenuers. What’s not to like? — JAB
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A Wild and Crazy Idea: Base State Transit Funding on Performance, Not Spending
by James A. Bacon Virginia’s Department of Rail and Public Transit (DRPT) dishes out roughly $190 million a year in financial support to some 24 transit operations around the state, and that doesn’t include $50 million that goes to the Washington Metro system. Mark Aesch, CEO of the TransPro consulting firm, thinks that money can…
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Making High-Brow Art Accessible to the Masses
by James A. Bacon When you think of symphony, modern dance and other high art forms, Nelson County, Va., is not the first locale that normally leaps to mind. Bluegrass, maybe. Not Beethoven. But Nelson County is home to the Wintergreen Resort, and Wintergreen Performing Arts puts on one of the most marvelous music festivals…
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UNDERCLASS LOVER
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in Business and Economy, Courts and law, Crime, Corrections, Law Enforcement, Demographics, Disasters and Disaster Preparedness, Economic development, Education (higher ed), Education (K-12), Electoral process, Energy, Environment, Federal issues, Government Finance, Government workers and pensions, Gun rights, Health Care, Housing, Immigration, Infrastructure, Insurance, Labor and Workforce, Land use & Development, LGBQT, Media, Money in politics, Planning, Politics, Poverty & income gap, Property rights, Public safety & health, Race and Race Relations, Regulations, Gov’t Oversight, Science & Technology, Social Services and Entitlements, Taxes, Transportation, Uncategorized, Water-waste waterI want to be an underclass lover Lay it down like a big ole’ brother No mind who gets stuck With the leftover I get my F&%# Without too much workover Don’t care about the deficit Don’t give a damn about the debt ’cause when it comes to lov’in You ain’t seen noth’ yet Ya…
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Voter ID: Get Over It, and Get Out the Vote
by James A. Bacon I didn’t see any pressing need for the Voter ID law in Virginia but now that we’re going to get one, I don’t see the need to get all agitated about it. In signing the Voter ID legislation into law, Governor Bob McDonnell issued an executive order instructing the State Board…
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Former Guvs Urge MWAA to Backtrack on PLA Policy
Three former Virginia governors and a former U.S. Senator have urged the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) to “put ideology, partisan politics, pride and parochial interests aside” and reverse its decision to favor Project Labor Agreements (PLA) when evaluating construction bids for Phase 2 of the Rail-to-Dulles project. “The Project Labor Agreement (PLA), the key…
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West Palm Beach, Ho!
Blogging will be spotty the next few days. I’m off to another conference, this time the Congress for the New Urbanism. I’ll participate in a panel discussion, “Understanding the Role of Sustainable Urbanism in the Conservative Agenda,” making the case that the phrase “conservative smart growth” is not an oxymoron. I’ll also bone up on…