Tag: Kerry Dougherty
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Luria’s Curious Campaign Slogan
by Kerry Dougherty I’ve seen some wacky political slogans in the past: “Be Best” was inane, “Build Back Better” was worse, especially considering the mess Joe Biden’s created in just 17 months. But the most laughable? Elaine Luria’s unofficial campaign mantra as she runs for re-election to Congress: “I don’t care if I lose.” Here’s…
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Air Conditioning Is Not a Luxury
by Kerry Dougherty I don’t know why more people don’t visit cemeteries when they’re on vacation. You can learn a lot by strolling among the old graves. When my son went to school in Buffalo, New York I found my way to Forest Lawn Cemetery, a graveyard so beautiful that weddings are held there. President…
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No, Your Middle Schooler Doesn’t HAVE to Get the HPV Vaccine
by Kerry Dougherty Virginia Beach Delegate Tim Anderson took his sons to see the new “Minions” movie two weeks ago at the Regal Cinemas at Town Center. They were settled in their seats when a disturbing image appeared on the screen. The movie wasn’t offensive. But a public service announcement from the Virginia Department of…
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The Variants Are Coming! The Variants Are Coming! The Worst One Yet!
by Kerry Dougherty Looks like it has arrived. I’m talking about the eagerly anticipated “Mid-Term Variant.” You know, the “worst one yet, the shape-shifting” variety. It’s the terrifying BA.5, which is spreading right now. And if that doesn’t have you trembling and reaching for an N95, the BA2.75 is on its way. From India! This…
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Help Wanted: 300 Full-Time Jobs. Must Be Willing to Go to Work every Day
by Kerry Dougherty Big headlines last week. Virginia state workers began an “exodus” when Governor Glenn Youngkin forced them to come back to work. Youngkin announced on May 5th that he expected state employees to return to the offices they vacated when COVID struck in March of 2020. The nerve! You could hear the howling…
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Richmond Cops Say a Mass Shooting Was Foiled By a Concerned Citizen
by Kerry Dougherty In the wake of the horrific mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, it’s clear that the massacre might have been avoided if the suspect’s parents had done their part to keep weapons out of the hands of their clearly deranged son. The suspect, Robert Crimo III, has reportedly confessed to the atrocities…
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No Patient Should Ever Be Left Alone
by Kerry Dougherty Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis this week signed the Sunshine State’s “No Patient Left Alone Act,” guaranteeing that Floridians can have their loved ones with them when they are hospitalized, ill or in long-term care. What’s truly unbelievable is that this needed to be legislated. The importance of family visits was always considered…
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Prosecutors Who Won’t Do Their Jobs
by Kerry Dougherty Two local prosecutors just earned an A in both Fearmongering 101 and Grandstanding 101. Ramon Fatehi of Norfolk and Stephanie Morales of Portsmouth used the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe V Wade to summon the press and draw attention to, well, themselves. The duo pronounced themselves “horrified” that the highest court would…
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Unfair Competition for Uber, Lyft and Taxis
by Kerry Dougherty In its never-ending quest to meddle in the free market, the City of Virginia Beach on Wednesday will launch a gimmicky free ride-sharing service at the oceanfront, guaranteed to hurt local Uber, Lyft and taxi drivers. But who cares about those scrambling to make some scratch in the gig economy, am I…
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Roe v Wade Is Gone
by Kerry Dougherty I hate writing about abortion. Americans are not persuadable on the topic. Minds are made up. But here is what I will say about Friday’s Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v Wade: Any lawyer who understands the Constitution will privately admit that the 1973 decision was always on shaky ground. An over-reaching…
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Beach Politicians Want Personal Assistants
by Kerry Dougherty Keep an eye on Virginia Beach City Council. They have a habit of shoving aside controversial matters only to bring them back when they think no one’s looking. This week, the conscience of the council, John Moss, embarrassed his colleagues by shaming them for wanting “personal assistants.” They put off the vote…
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Looking in the Rearview While the Economy Crashes
by Kerry Dougherty Want to see an out-of-touch congressperson in action? Take a gander at Rep. Elaine Luria’s Twitter feed over the past 24 hours:
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Hey Grads, I’ve Got Your Commencement Address Right Here.
by Kerry Dougherty Every May and June it’s the same humbling story. Thousands of colleges and high schools hold graduation ceremonies. Almost every one features a commencement speaker. Once again, no one has invited me to the lectern. Yes, I know, I’ve mentioned this before. I’m sure they’d rather the graduates — all those Emilys,…
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The Spirit of Norfolk: Vessel Lost, Lives Saved
by Kerry Dougherty Every city with a decent harbor seems to have one: a vessel that takes passengers out for short lunch, dinner or party cruises. If you’ve lived in Tidewater for more than a decade, chances are you found yourself at one time or another on board The Spirit of Norfolk. Since it arrived…
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Youngkin Signs Bill to Limit His Own Power
by Kerry Dougherty I was at dinner earlier this week with a cousin from out-of-state. We passed a pleasant night without talking politics, but he did want to know what I liked about Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Where to start? I pointed out that the new governor of Virginia is serious about getting the commonwealth’s public…