Tag: Scott Dreyer
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Spying in Salem
by Scott Dreyer On March 9, 2010, in the heated struggle to approve the controversial “Obamacare” legislation (aka “Affordable Care Act”), then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) made national headlines when she tried to support the bill and remarked, “But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in…
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Must Be an Election Year: Kaine’s Staff Is Answering the Phone!
by Scott Dreyer Life is full of surprises, and I got one today when I called the Roanoke office of US Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA)… and a real voice picked up! The receptionist was friendly and professional as I requested the senator help block the proposed Kroger buy-out of Albertson’s. I then asked her why…
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Roanoke’s Murder Crisis
by Scott Dreyer Roanoke City, with about 97,000 residents, suffered a record-breaking 31 murders in 2023,causing some to question the city’s leadership and direction. Based on public announcements and appearances, how concerned are Roanoke’s leaders about the Star City’s murder pandemic? In Mayor Sherman Lea Sr.’s (D) announcement that he will not run for re-election…
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A Red Wave in Roanoke County
by Scott Dreyer In contrast to some big Democrat wins in the eastern part of the state giving them control of both houses of the General Assembly, the Roanoke and NRV experienced a regional red wave in the November 7 elections. Of particular significance, the GOP won both of the most competitive, high-stakes races in…
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Delegate Won’t Correct False Accusation About Israel
by Scott Dreyer On October 17, around noon Virginia time, a missile allegedly hit a Baptist hospital in Gaza. Almost immediately, many US mainstream news outlets blamed Israel for the attack and claimed “over 500” had been killed. As reported here, about four hours after the blast, Del. Salam “Sam” Rasoul (D-Roanoke) posted to X,…
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“Completely Ignored by Our School”: Roanoke College Swimmers, Part 4
by Scott Dreyer At Hotel Roanoke on October 5, members of the Roanoke College women’s swim team calmly and clearly delivered blistering indictments of what they described as failed, unresponsive leadership at their school, the NCAA, and USA Swimming. Some of their gut-wrenching stories about being forced to train, compete, and share facilities with a…
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“We Were Silenced”: Roanoke Swimmers, Part 3
by Scott Dreyer As reported in Parts One and Two, ten members of the Roanoke College women’s swim team held an “NCAA — Save Women’s Sports!” press conference on October 5 at Hotel Roanoke, to draw attention to what they described as “emotional blackmail” and “neglect” at the hands of their school administrators, NCAA, and…
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“My Defeat Was Written in Biology”: Roanoke College Swimmers, Part 2
by Scott Dreyer As reported in Part 1, in a move hailed as “historic” and “first in the nation,” members of the Roanoke College women’s swim team held a press conference at Hotel Roanoke on October 5 to highlight the emotional, mental, academic and physical trauma they have been experiencing this semester. In essence, the…
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Meeting the Free Speech Challenge in Richmond
by Scott Dreyer On the evening of Friday, Sept. 22 and on Saturday, Sept. 23, The Virginia Council and Common Sense Society were planning to host citizen-journalist Andy Ngo (pronounced no) at a forum in Richmond. The intention was to hear Ngo speak about his experiences exposing the violence and intimidation from leftwing Antifa and…
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Cline, Good, Griffith Outvoted in Bid to Secure Border, Stop CR
by Scott Dreyer The federal government’s fiscal year ended September 30, and in what has become a frequent occurrence, the Congress had failed to present a budget for the president’s signature. In the weeks and days before September 30, many politicians, pundits, and average citizens were debating what would happen and what would be best…
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Winsome Earle-Sears Makes the Case in Roanoke
by Scott Dreyer On a late summer Thursday evening at the Vinton War Memorial Senior Center, the Roanoke County GOP met for a fundraiser barbecue dinner to support Sen. David Suetterlein’s fall campaign and to fire up the room full of party faithful. Following the meal, several people on the ballot this fall introduced themselves…
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Roanoke’s Remarkable Symphony Under the Stars
by Scott Dreyer As more folks are putting the Covid lockdowns in the rearview mirror, larger gatherings are occurring, as seen by the crowds at the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra’s (RSO) “Symphony Under the Stars” on Saturday, August 26. The hillside amphitheater in Roanoke’s Elmwood Park was packed by music-lovers as the sun went down, the…
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Decency and Democracy Prevail in Roanoke County
by Scott Dreyer In recent years, much of America has been convulsed by riots, arson, looting, and mayhem to the point where basic safety and simple dialogue have become impossible. When faced with shocking headlines, many can only shudder in horror and be thankful they don’t live in such places. In what some call “the…
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The Value of an Old School Roanoke County Education
by Scott Dreyer These remarks were shared with the Roanoke County School Board by email on August 17, 2023. I share these thoughts with the Roanoke County School board as someone who grew up in the County from ages 1 to 18 and attended County Public Schools from grades 1-12 until graduating from Northside. I…
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Roanoke County Quietly Extends Contract For $109,000 Year Registrar But Questions Persist
by Scott Dreyer For many historical and cultural reasons, America has traditionally been what sociologists call a “high-trust” society. As reported in this report from the Pew Research Center, cultures with high trust (such as Canada and Sweden) usually have low crime and corruption while the reverse (such as South Africa and Peru) is also…