Sunday, May 31, 2009

~McDonnell ~ Bolling ~ Cuccinelli~
Governor ~ Lt. Governor ~ Attorney General

Valley Republicans will have the opportunity to greet Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling, and Ken Cuccinelli, along with House Speaker Bill Howell, on Monday, June 1, when they fly into Weyers Cave Airport at 12:00 Noon.

Come on out and join in the excitement as Virginia Republicans march toward victory in November. Questions may be directed to Craig Orndorff, Harrisonburg Victory Field Director, at (804) 814-0926 or (540) 335-9428.
h/t to Swacgirl

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Great Job By Blogger's Row

These were the contributors on Bloggers Row.
- Too Conservative
- Bearing Drift
- Project Virginia
- I'm Not Emeril
- Shaun Kenney
- Jason Kenney
- Spank That Donkey
- Spark It Up!!
- Black Velvet Bruce Li
- Yankee Phil
- Right-Wing Liberal
- At the Point of a Gun
- Family Foundation
- Rick Sincere
- Red NOVA
- I'm Surrounded by Idiots
- Crystal Clear Conservative
- United Conservatives of Virginia
- With Bias / Smart Girl Politics
- VaRight.com
- Virginia Conservative
- SWAC Girl
H/T to Swacgirl for list

CONGRATS TO OUR TEAM

The Next Attorney General, Cuchinelli
Lt.Gov. Bill Bolling
Our Next Gov. Bob McDonnell

Friday, May 29, 2009

HOT STUFF FROM RPV

Well, the fire alarm went off in hall. False alarm. That was the excitement for first meeting.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Brownlee looks for answers

Republican attorney general candidate John Brownlee's campaign says it will seek an investigation of automated phone calls attacking Brownlee.

Brownlee's campaign says the calls were made to delegates attending the Republican state convention this weekend in Richmond. Delegates will choose the GOP's nominee for attorney general and other offices.

Brownlee's campaign says the calls violate state law because there's no disclaimer indicating who paid for or authorized them. The campaign says it will ask law enforcement agencies to investigate the calls. See More at NBC-29

Augusta BOS gives green light to new shopping center

Bob Stuart with the Waynesboro News Virginian wrote:
A major hurdle for the largest commercial development ever in Augusta County was cleared Wednesday when supervisors voted 7-0 to approve rezoning from agriculture to business for Augusta Marketplace.

The 135-acre development, when built starting in 2011 by the Northern Virginia firm of Pence Friedel, would contribute nearly a million square feet of retail development, a 180-room hotel and amenities such as big box stores and a movie theater off Interstate 81 and Route 262 near Verona.

See more over at Swacgirl

Augusta BOS gives green light to new shopping center

Bob Stuart with the Waynesboro News Virginian wrote:
A major hurdle for the largest commercial development ever in Augusta County was cleared Wednesday when supervisors voted 7-0 to approve rezoning from agriculture to business for Augusta Marketplace.

The 135-acre development, when built starting in 2011 by the Northern Virginia firm of Pence Friedel, would contribute nearly a million square feet of retail development, a 180-room hotel and amenities such as big box stores and a movie theater off Interstate 81 and Route 262 near Verona.

See more over at Swacgirl

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

CONGRATS to Home Schooler, going to DC Spelling Bee

Home Schooled, Andrew Taylor, 14, of Staunton, was the winner of the 62nd Annual Regional Spelling Bee in Charlottesville, which qualified him for the trip to D.C.
The Staunton teen has been studying 44 pages worth of words from the alphabetic spectrum every day for more than two months.See the full NewsVirginian story here

Board of Supervisors hear concerns on Augusta Market Place

On Tuesday, Crisp attended the county board of supervisors workshop unveiling the latest plans for the project including a rough blueprint of shops, restaurants, and a 20-pump gas station.

The Augusta Marketplace is a step closer to becoming a reality, but it has Valley residents, like William Crisp, saying they don't like the idea.

Crisp says, "If the first thing they see is a big smoke filled auto plaza, I doubt that they are going to write home and say this is a must see location."

Crisp is worried the project will be an eyesore for tourists and essentially ruin the agricultural and historical vibe of the county and area cities.

Supervisor Chair Larry Howdyshell says, "This is a large project and we're going to have to be very patient with how we look at things and be sure we do it right."

While there is still work to be done, Howdyshell says the project doesn't necessarily mean compromised farmland.

He says, "These opportunities don't come along that often and we need to do a serious evaluation of them."

The next step for developers is to get approval to rezone the agriculture area to commercial.


See initial story here

Taxes Stay UP in Waynesboro.

Many Waynesboro real estate owners will see a bigger tax bill next year.

City council voted three to two Tuesday night to keep the tax rate at 70 cents after voting down a proposal to lower it to 67 cents. That lower rate would have offset an average 5.2 percent reassessment increase.

But the city would have needed to cut another $600,000 from the budget.

PERFECT TIME FOR TAXES TO STAY UP.

Can You Say FORECLOSURES???

Monday, May 25, 2009

JMU Grad Awarded Fulbright-CONGRATS


Traci Cox,who graduated from James Madison University in December, is spending her sunshine days learning to speak Slovak.
In September, Cox will travel to the central European country to teach English to high school students at a private school in Zilina, Slovakia's fourth-largest city.
She found out earlier this spring that she was accepted for a highly competitive Fulbright teaching assistantship.
The Fulbright Program is an international educational exchange for scholars, educators, graduate students and professionals, founded by the late U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright.
It operates in 144 countries and is one of the most prestigious awards programs worldwide.
See the full story here
Get your best bang for your bucks at JMU

Ready for hurricanes? Well you can buy supplies TAX FREE

Virginia is cutting its sales tax on supplies so people can prepare for a natural disaster.

Starting Monday there will be no state sales tax on items residents would need for many disasters

A partial ist of items available include:

Artificial Ice,

Batteries,

flashlights,

radios,

tarps,

ropes,

tie downs,

duct tape,

smoke detectors,

fire extinguishers,

gas and water containers,

stoarge coolers,

bottled water,

can openers,

cell phone chargers,

first aid kits,

and generators.

The tax break will last until Sunday, May 31.

Click link for a complete list of Items that fit the tax-free bracket

Memorial Day 2009 ... "No greater love"



"Greater love hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life for his friends."

John 15:13

Memorial Day 2009 ... moment of silence nationwide at 3 pm


A nationwide moment of silence to honor and remember America's fallen heroes will be observed Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, at 3:00 pm local time. The freedoms we take for granted each day are reminders of their ultimate sacrifice and our ongoing debt to them.

Memorial Day ... honoring those who sacrificed and remembering those who serve.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

"A Celebration of Freedom" in Harrisonburg

Align CenterThe theme is freedom!

Why freedom? It’s simple. We have fought to defend our freedoms on foreign lands, and now we must fight to defend them at home from groups like the ACLU that want to purge all references to God from the public square. For the sake of our children and of the land that we love, we must not let that happen.

Our keynote speaker is Janet Parshall, a great champion of freedom as the host of a nationally syndicated radio talk show called “Janet Parshall’s America” and winner of the National Religious Broadcasters’ “On-Air Personality of the Year” award for 2008. She is also the narrator of a 14-part TV series called “Speechless: Silencing the Christians”. We will give away 30 copies of her best books as “door prizes” to some lucky guests.

In addition, we are delighted to welcome WHSV-TV executive producer Kay Norred for the first time as our program Emcee. Our co-host, The Family Foundation of Virginia, will also provide an update on the state of freedom in Virginia, and then we will honor some special champions of liberty. Finally, we are pleased to have “The Faithful Men” and pianist Miriam Clark back with us again to provide a great medley of inspiring musical selections.

Tables are filling up fast so it is important to get your reservations in now by return e-mail or by calling (540) 438-8966. Seats for the dinner are only $25 per person, and checks should be made out to the “Valley Family Forum” and sent to the Forum at 3465 Izaak Walton Dr., Harrisonburg, VA, 22801.

I sincerely hope you can join us for a great program, delicious food, inspiring music, and a wonderful evening with hundreds of like-minded friends. Working together, we can make a difference -- for faith, for family, and for freedom.
The Forum dinners are always patriotic, entertaining, and informative. See more lower down or on Swacgirl.com

Bob Goodlatte on Energy Taxes

Posted over at Bearingdrift, Congressman Bob Goodlatte writes

As the summer months quickly approach and families start to plan vacations, our country continues to struggle with high energy costs. Unfortunately, Congressman Henry Waxman, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and other Democrats in Congress are strongly pushing legislation which implements a cap and trade system or more accurately: cap and tax. The simple truth behind the Waxman energy plan is that it raises taxes, kills jobs and will lead to more government intrusion.

The cap and tax proposal is really a $624 billion national energy tax that will hit nearly every American family. This new national energy tax will be paid by anyone who turns on a light switch or plugs in an appliance. It is estimated that the Waxman legislation will raise electricity rates 90% after adjusting for inflation, gas prices 74%, and natural gas prices 55%. A study that considered a similar proposal estimated that this type of proposal could cost every American household roughly $3,100.

Also disappointing is the fact that the Waxman cap and tax plan will hit the poor the hardest. On average, the nation’s working poor spend approximately 13 to 30 percent of their yearly income on energy costs. This average is already too high, and sadly this legislation will only dramatically increase the amount of money these workers will have to spend on energy costs. So while every American will be paying more for energy, low income households already living on the edge of desperation will be hurt even more.

The impact of this national energy tax will not only be seen in home utility bills or at the gas pump, but various estimates suggest anywhere from 1.8 million to 7 million Americans could lose their jobs as well. Proponents of the cap and tax proposal claim that the legislation will create “green jobs”. While I support the creation of “green jobs”, any new jobs created by this reckless energy policy will not come close to compensating for those that will be lost. We have no greater example of the devastation a cap and tax system can have on an economy than in Spain. After years of promoting “green jobs” Spain has the highest unemployment rate in Europe, standing at a whopping 17.5 percent.

Congress should never put hard working families in a position where they have to decide between paying for food and paying their electric bill. There are always better solutions than fewer jobs, more taxes and more government. I support an “all of the above” energy solution that produces American energy made by American workers, encourages greater efficiency, conservation and promotes the use of alternative fuels. Despite Henry Waxman and the Democrats’ best efforts to raise taxes, increase government regulation and keep much of our nation’s valuable natural resources under lock and key, I intend to continue working for energy solutions that put the American people first.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Brian Moran, Promises made, Promises wacky.

Virginia Federalist posts on Brian Moran
Moran began his comments responding to a question on why he would be the best nominee. "I'm the only candidate with a progressive vission (sic) -- opposing offshore drilling and a new coal plant in the Chesapeake Bay." It is difficult to know why this is the progressive (communist) position. Off shore drilling can reduce dependence on foreign energy sources which appears to be a position of the Obama administration. Obama has also championed the use of clean coal............
Moran reminded voters that he was the "first candidate for Governor to call for 25% of our energy to come from renewable sources by 2025." Although he does not mention how this would occur, one method would be to outlaw mechanization on Virginia farms and business and replace machinery with conscripted human labor. This would permit Moran to fulfill his promise to "create thousands of green jobs here in Virginia."

Washington Post Endorses R. Creigh Deeds

Washington Post Endorses Deeds
In 18 years in the General Assembly, Mr. Deeds has time and again supported measures that might be unpopular with his rural constituency but that are the right thing to do, for Northern Virginia and the state as a whole. He has demonstrated an understanding of the problems that matter most, the commitment to solve them and the capacity to get things done. Mr. Deeds may not be the obvious choice in the June 9 primary, but he's the right one...........

Our judgment, though, is based on who would make the best governor in the Warner-Kaine tradition, not who would be the strongest candidate. Like those Northern Virginia senators who have endorsed Mr. Deeds -- including Janet D. Howell, Mary Margaret Whipple, J. Chapman "Chap" Petersen, Charles J. Colgan and Richard L. Saslaw -- we believe that he understands Northern Virginia. We also believe that he has the character, experience and savvy to be a successful leader of the entire commonwealth.

Bob McDonnell's Latest ad

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Bob Mcdonnell coming to Weyers Cave Airport Monday

Bob McDonnell, the Republican gubernatorial candidate, will be at Weyers Cave Airport as part of a statewide fly-around on Monday, June 1, at 12:00 Noon. He will have guests with him including House Speaker Bill Howell.

Questions may be directed to Craig Orndorff, Harrisonburg Field Director, at (804) 814-0926 or (540) 335-9428.

Directions from the north (Woodstock down):
Take I-81 South to Exit 235. Take Exit 235 (Weyers Cave). At the top of the off-ramp, turn left across Interstate, onto Route 256. Follow the signs to the traffic light at Weyers Cave. Cross Keezletown Road and continue on Route 256 to signs indicating a right turn onto Airport Road, into the SVRA parking area and terminals.
From the south (Waynesboro up):
Take I-64 to I-81 South to Exit 235. Take Exit 235 East toward Weyers Cave. At the end of the off-ramp, turn right onto Route 256. Follow the signs to the traffic light at Weyers Cave. Cross Keezletown Road and continue on Route 256 to signs indicating a right turn onto Airport Road, into the SVRA parking area and terminals.

Local Delegates Explain Vote on Fed money

Over at YankeePhilip, there is a piece on why the local delegates voted NO on taking Federal Money for extending unemployment.
Delegate Chris Saxman said if there were no federal stings attached, he would have supported the plan. However, he said in the long-run it would hurt small businesses that could be faced with the burden of higher fees. Additionally, he said the move could discourage businesses from hiring part-time employees that would cost more if they were let go.
The original story in the Washington Post was..............
Assembly Rejects $125 Million for Expanded Jobless Benefits
On April 8 , the VirginiaGeneral Assembly rejected $125 million in federal stimulus money Wednesday that would have provided additional unemployment benefits to thousands of jobless Virginians.
The GOP-controlled House of Delegates, a fiscally conservative body that has long opposed fundamental changes to laws that extend such benefits, killed the proposal after members argued it would translate into higher taxes for businesses once the supply of stimulus money was exhausted.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

The Valley Family Forum and the Family Foundation of Virginia are hosting Christian talk-show host Janet Parshall. She will serve as the keynote speaker for the eighth annual Shenandoah Valley "Salute to the Family."
The dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at James Madison University's Festival Conference and Student Center.See related post at YankeePhil

A student learns

The News Leader reports on the Model General Assembly held for high school students at Verona this week.
One student learned an important lesson about politics, and it's the closing quote.
"Plus, it is a good way to get out of a couple of days of school," said John David Kenney, 18, who served as speaker of the House and is a senior at Waynesboro High School.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Goodlatte supports Birth Cert Bill

Goodlatte Supports Birth Certificate Requirement Bill
U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke, has signed on as a co-sponsor of a bill that would require presidential candidates to provide proof of their birthplace and, hence, satisfy a constitutional requirement to be able to run for the office.
Last year, questions came up about Republican candidate U.S. Sen. John McCain's eligibility under the Constitution to run for president because of his birth at a Naval air station in the former U.S. Canal Zone in Panama. McCain's parents were both American citizens.
The validity of President Obama's birth certificate also has been challenged in court.
See the Daily News Record Story here

Reassessment Trial Set for October

NBC-29 reports.........
The battle over Augusta County's property reassessments will go to court this fall.
Churchville attorney Francis Chester filed suit against county supervisors in April. He wants a judge to order the county to scrap the 2009 real estate appraisals. He has a petition with the names of more than 10,000 land owners.
Tuesday, the Augusta County judge scheduled a trial for October.

Sen. Mark Warner touts e-medical data despite recent hacker attack

The NewsVirginian reports that a hacker’s theft of millions of Virginia’s most sensitive prescription drug records isn’t slowing Sen. Mark Warner’s push for electronic medical records.
The former governor convened a conference in Richmond on Monday about the medical and cost-saving benefits of digitizing hundreds of millions of patient records nationally.

Just 2½ weeks earlier, a hacker broke into what the Virginia Department of Health Professions believed was a secure computer database for the Prescription Monitoring Program.
The hacker accessed millions of individual prescription records about such powerful and closely controlled drugs as Oxycodone, morphine, Vicodin and Valium. The intruder also left a taunting note on the DHP Web site demanding a $10 million ransom for the return of the data. State officials said the information was fully backed up and never lost. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said there will be no payments.

NBC-29 in Charlottesville talks about Dem Negative Ads

Dissecting Democrats' Negative Radio Ads
All three Democratic gubernatorial candidates are running radio ads in cities across the Commonwealth. Depending on who you talk to, the ads are negative attacks or ways for the candidates to set the record straight.
The first volley in this war of words came from Terry McAuliffe's campaign. Its ad questioned how the General Assembly dealt with high-interest lenders.
"In these tough economic times, the legislature is finally working towards fixing this problem," the ad says. "But why has it taken so long to stop these lenders from preying on Virginia's most vulnerable families?"
Insiders say the ad was targeting Democrats in the legislature, including Creigh Deeds. It prompted a quick shot back at McAuliffe from Deeds' team.
"He's even attacking Mark Warner and Tim Kaine's record in a new radio ad," Deeds' ad says. It goes on to say that "McAuliffe wants you to believe Warner, Kaine and Democrats in the legislature went easy on those payday lending companies."

Vandalism in Staunton

The Staunton Police Department is asking for the public's help in identifying vandalism suspects.
Police say the clock tower on West Beverley Street and Central Avenue was vandalized sometime between May 15 and 18.

They say the glass around the clock was broken and the letters "MS" were spray painted on the tower, resulting in about $800 worth of damage.
If you have any information about this incident, you are asked to call the Staunton Police Department at 540-332-3842 or the Central Shenandoah Crime Stoppers at 800-322-2017.
MS is associated many times with
Mara Salvatrucha MS-13

In the early 1980s a civil war erupted in El Salvador killing as estimated 100,000 people. In addition, it is estimated between one and two million people have immigrated to the United States as a result of the unstable environment in El Salvador.
The first large population of El Salvadorian refuges settled in the Rampart area of Los Angeles. This influx of immigrants looking for low cost housing and employment was not readily welcomed by the Mexican-American population who were already residing in that area. The area was already plagued with gangs and crime.
These immigrant Salvadorian youth and young adults were soon were victimized by local gangs. A group of Salvadorian immigrants created a new gang calling themselves Mara Salvatrucha also known as MS-13. It is believed they got their name from combining the name of “La Mara”, a violent street gang in El Salvador with Salvatruchas, a term used to denote members of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front. This was a group of Salvadorian peasants trained as guerilla fighters. The “13” was added to pay homage to the California prison gang, the Mexican Mafia. See more info here

A question

I've seen "Irish for McDonnell" bumper stickers.
Are there "Irish for McAuliffe" bumper stickers?

Monday, May 18, 2009

WAYNESBORO TAXPAYERS ALLIANCE sends out a new letter

WAYNESBORO TAXPAYERS ALLIANCE

Greetings!
Well folks, the information just keeps coming in! Although a majority on City Council would have you believe that they have the best interests of ALL citizens in mind, the numbers do not support this logic.

Reassessments and the Working Class
Upon further analysis of the recent real estate assessments, it appears that the burden of the proposed tax increase will fall squarely on the shoulders of the working class people of Waynesboro.

After spending most of the day researching the recent real estate assessments on the Virginia Mass Appraisal Network www.vamanet.com , it appears that the majority of homes valued under $200,000 saw the value of their homes escalate while the homes valued over this amount saw their values decrease.

In some cases, these numbers are staggering. For instance, there are only two homes on Charlotte Avenue that saw their home values decrease. In other words, 96% of all of the homes on Charlotte Avenue saw their home values increase, with one home increasing as much as $32,000 in value with no significant upgrades to speak of. Fir Street saw every single home increase in value. Compare that to Ana Marie Boulevard, Pelham Drive, or Whetstone Drive and you will see quite a different story.

Certainly, the City Councilors who support the proposed increase of the tax rate, have done their due diligence as we have and have investigated the most recent real estate assessments. These real estate assessments have obviously been affected by the current housing market. With that in mind, how in good conscious could these Councilors support a tax increase which will clearly affect those individuals and families who are the most deeply affected by today's economic climate?

While Waynesboro is having to deal with the reality of having one of the highest unemployment rates in the Commonwealth (top 20th percentile), the citizens of Waynesboro are also having to endure a 35% increase in the water rate, a 13.7% increase in the sewer rate, a 16% increase in the garbage rate as well as increases in gas and food, not to mention, there are those who have yet to recover from the 23% tax increase from just two years ago. While the net effect of the proposed tax increase may seem minimal to some, it is yet another dollar out of the pockets of those citizens who can least afford it.

How much more of a burden does the tax increasing majority on City Council think that the hard working citizens of Waynesboro can take?



What Can I Do to Help?

We need to contact our City Councilors who currently support the raising of our taxes, especially during this time of economic uncertainty. Please contact these officials and let them know that you DO NOT support any raising of taxes at this time.

Mayor Tim Williams
(540) 942-3471
bortleje@ci.waynesboro.va.us

Councilwoman Nancy Dowdy
(540) 943-9133

Councilwoman Lorie Smith
(540) 943-9835
lsmith500@comcast.net



Sincerely,
Mike Harris and Garnett WeatherholtzWaynesboro Taxpayers Alliance

Posted by Phil
at 3:17 PM
Labels: Waynesboro

Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia says Lying is No Big Deal!

Senator Jim Webb from Virginia


Just in from Fox News, "America's Newsroom with Megan Kelly." Senator Jim Webb of Virginia stated that the controversy surrounding Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi is, "No Big Deal."
Read more over at the Augusta Conservative.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

PBS Comes to Staunton


Folks from the PBS series "Road Trip to History" visited the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library in Staunton Sunday to film a documentary on Virginia's historic gardens.
The filming included a 1920's garden party with locals dressing up in period costumes.

"Staunton is a historic town and Woodrow Wilson...one of the eight presidents from Virginia...and of course he is from Staunton...and they have these lovely gardens. See the WHSV story here

Local Virginians head to W.Virginia to help with floods

Click pic if you wish to donate


The Virginia National Guard plans to send 30 soldiers to southern West Virginia to help authorities there clean up flooding damage. The National Guard says about 30 soldiers from the Cedar Bluff-based 1033rd Engineer Company will head to West Virginia tomorrow.





Jill Siegel with the American Red Cross says, "A lot of folks have lost everything they owned in this flood, and they were just living day to day and they don't know where they're going to stay, they don't know how they are going to clothes on their back, and they don't know how they're going to eat."



Susan Frushour is the first Valley woman to be deployed to the region. The Waynesboro resident is headed to downtown Gilbert, West Virginia, where most of the town is devastated, as it lies along a river that continues to rise. She says, "They told me just be careful for the mud slides, and go carefully on the roads that you travel on."



Siegel says, "Because of the rural nature of where the flood happened, Susan will likely be a member of an outreach team that will be going out into the mountains trying to identify folks who may not have gotten assistance, who may need assistance."

Meeting held on local motocross park

Locals worried about noise

Terry Argenbright, local entrepreneur, and motocross fan wants to open up an extreme sports park in Greenville. On Friday night, Terry Argenbright held a public information meeting. Motocross is a cross-country motorcycle race over a closed course of rough terrain with steep hills and sharp curves. Motorcycles are grouped into classes according to engine displacement (e.g., 125-, 250-, 500-cc). It is probably the most physically demanding motorcycle sport.See the WHSV story here

The park will have track for motorcycle racing, and BMX bikes

See a post here

This is not his first attempt at developing a park in Augusta County. See posts at Swacgirl here, here, and here

Saturday, May 16, 2009

"Click It or Ticket" runs for rest of Month


Be Careful on the roads
The Harrisonburg Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies will be cracking down on seat-belt violations during the latest "Click It or Ticket" campaign, which starts Monday and runs through the end of this month.
The purpose of the campaign, which will include multiple checkpoints and "saturation" patrols, is to increase awareness and seat-belt use by both drivers and front- and backseat passengers.


In Virginia, failing to wear a seat belt is a secondary offense, meaning a police officer must make a traffic stop for another violation before issuing a citation for not wearing one's safety belt.

Charlottesville wants more Stimulus Money

People's Republic of C'ville wants more of your money.

Charlottesville leaders are frustrated with the lack of federal stimulus money arriving.
To date, the city has received about $1 million in direct stimulus money, which is primarily intended for transit.
The city has a number of major infrastructure projects it would like funded, including an overhaul of Charlottesville's stormwater system. Money is also needed to revamp public housing sites.
"We can use an infusion of these federal dollars to run with to create jobs or retain jobs, to rebuild our infrastructure, and the reality is that it's just not going to come as fast as a lot of us had thought," Charlottesville Mayor Dave Norris said.
Norris says the city will not receive all the money it asked for. City councilors will get a full report on the stimulus money on Monday.

WaPo Virginia Politics quotes Pat Mullins

WaPo Virginia Politics quotes Pat Mullins

Pat Mullins, the new chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia said he is glad he is not a Democrat so he doesn't have "to defend a President who goes overseas and bows to dictators that would like to destroy this country."(Obama Bows at the waist )

On Webb..."I don't have to support a senior senator that's an embarrassment to everybody in this commonwealth and is gonna serve one term and be gone." (Jim Webb throws his integrity into the sewer with his latest ad )

On Warner..."I'm glad I'm not a Democrat supporting a junior senator who is adept at speaking out of both sides of his mouth and tells the business leaders in Richmond, 'well, I can't vote for the check-off in its current form, but...' and he's told us during the election that he would cherish Virginia's right to work laws. (Threatening to be American....... )

Friday, May 15, 2009

$62,817,683 in unemployment insurance modernization incentive funds to the Commonwealth of Virginia

The U.S. Department of Labor today certified for release $62,817,683 in unemployment insurance modernization incentive funds to the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Virginia qualified for the funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act by allowing workers to use their more recent earnings to be eligible for benefits. Virginia’s approved application will be posted at the department’s Employment and Training Administration Website..........
“Virginia has a UI program that better meets the needs of the 21st century workforce,” says Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. “By using recent wages when determining eligibility for benefits, Virginia enables unemployed workers who are relatively new entrants to the workforce to get the assistance they need and deserve.”
See the WHSV story here

Virtual tour of Virginia Capitol

Press release announcing Virtual Tour Website....

The Clerks’ Offices of the Virginia House of Delegates and the Senate of Virginia are pleased to announce the release of a state of the art website that brings Virginia’s State Capitol to the citizens of Virginia. The website provides online tours of both the Capitol grounds and the Capitol building. Visitors to this interactive website will have the ability to explore areas on their own or view video presentations. There is also a segment of the website that is accessible for visitors who are visually impaired.

The website presents a wealth of information from three different perspectives. First, from an educational perspective, the website highlights many points of interest that are important for both students and teachers, and includes relevant SOL information. Secondly, the history and architecture of the Capitol building is explored, providing the virtual visitor an extensive look into the fascinating history of Mr. Jefferson’s Capitol. In addition, the website offers a look into the events that occurred during the recent Capitol Restoration and Expansion project.

While touring the Capitol building, visitors will navigate through floor plans of the Capitol to tour the various rooms. While in each room, online visitors can view various artwork and points of interest and learn how the rooms have been utilized throughout the building’s history. Recent restoration efforts and discoveries made during the 2004-07 restoration and expansion of the Capitol Building are also highlighted. Panoramic photographs showcase the history and beauty of Capitol treasures, including the priceless statue of George Washington by Jean-Antoine Houdon, which is the only statue for which Washington posed.

From the Virtual Grounds, visitors can explore Capitol Square using five different maps showing how the Square has evolved over time, from its creation in 1785 to the present. Visitors will be able to view historic photographs of the Capitol building and click on various points of interest to learn many interesting facts about the beautiful and historic Capitol grounds.

The website can be accessed from the Virginia General Assembly homepage, http://legis.virginia.gov.

Augusta: Motocross park info meeting tonight

A local businessman is trying to win approval from Augusta County to build Valley Xtreme Sports Park in Greenville. A public informational meeting will be held tonight, May 15, at 7 pm at Riverheads High School.

The Board of Zoning Appeal will be in attendance and others are welcome to attend to hear from the developers as they address economic growth, job opportunities, and all aspects of what will be inside the park.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Rescue Squads to start charging for services in Augusta County.

The Augusta County Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance on Wednesday, May 13 that would allow the county rescue squads to charge for services. The reality is that the county will be charging the residents for rescue services and then they will distribute the funds back to the rescue squads and other emergency services.

Captain Bobby Snyder, of the Stuarts Draft Rescue Squad, stood before the board last evening and questioned the Supervisors about how the collected funds would be dispersed. He stated that there was no detail available and was worried that, due to charging residents for services, donations would fall short and money dispersed from the charges, back to the squads wouldn’t cover the difference. Read the rest of the story at the Augusta Conservative.

New Augusta County Position to pay $100,000/year!


On Wednesday, May 13, the Augusta County Board of Supervisors approved a motion to advertise an amendment to the code of Augusta for a new public position in the county. The Economic Development Director would be in charge of working between the Board of Supervisors and local businesses. The Director would be directly answerable to the Board of Supervisors and, according to Supervisor Tracy Pyles, could be paid in the range of $100,000/year.
Read more about this at the Augusta Conservative.

WAYNESBORO TAXPAYERS ALLIANCE

This Email was sent out today by waynesborotaxpayersalliance@gmail.com.


Greetings!
We are writing you today in regards to an issue that is important to each and every one of us - our hard earned money and the misappropriation of these funds by our local government.

Having volunteered countless hours (like many of you) working for candidates to be elected to City Council last year, and helping them to get elected by historic margins, we felt that our locally elected officials would return our local government back to its rightful owners - the taxpaying citizens of Waynesboro. After garnering 60 plus % of the vote in last May's City Council election, a mandate was made to our locally elected officials - the tax paying citizens of Waynesboro demand more restraint over how their tax dollars are spent and they demand a much more efficiently run and productive city government.

Most of us still believe in the concept of "representative democracy" where we elect individuals to govern and make decisions that would be reflective of the taxpaying citizens who elected them. We thought that after the mandate in 2008 that we would finally have our "locally represented democracy" restored.

At Monday night's City Council meeting, the taxpaying citizens of Waynesboro were reminded how short some politicians' memories can be. After enduring another increase in real estate assessments, a tax increase was put forth this evening by Mayor Tim Williams (Ward A), Councilwoman Nancy Dowdy (Ward C), and Councilwoman Lorie Smith (Ward D). Prior to this evening's meeting, a lot of the logic behind this tax increase was due to the alleged sacrifice of services that the City of Waynesboro would otherwise have to endure. 2 years ago, taxes were raised by 23%. Did you see/feel your services increase by a rate of 23%? We didn't either.

In 2009 our water rates have increased 35.2%, sewer rates have increased by 13.7%, and garbage rates have increased by 16%.. Our Dominion Power bills have increased. Gas prices have escalated to over $2 a gallon again. And now a majority of our City Council wants to raise taxes, and raise taxes on individuals and businesses while Waynesboro is enduring the highest rate of unemployment in years - 11.1%. Even our Governor, Tim Kaine has demanded that the budget be reigned in given the current economic climate.
Currently, Waynesboro ranks in the top 20th percentile of independent cities within the Commonwealth of Virginia for the highest rate of unemployment, and a majority of our City Council wants to raise taxes. Does this make sense? Is this the responsible, efficient, and productive government that we, as taxpaying citizens of Waynesboro, mandated during last year's City Council elections?

It was voiced to us loud and clear this evening that a majority of our City Council have forgotten the true desire of the citizens that they represent. We need to remind them who they represent, and as our representatives, what we expect from them in terms of fiscal restraint and wise management of our city government.

We created the Waynesboro Taxpayers Alliance to serve as an advocate for the taxpayers in Waynesboro. We are a non-partisan group whose mission is to challenge attempts to raise personal and commercial property taxes, as well as monitor real estate assessments. We have made a committment to help improve the lives of each Waynesboro citizen. We are committed to helping our local government identify budget cuts, educate the citizens on the budget and assessment processes, as well as meet with other legislators and attend/host hearings and town hall meetings.

What Can I Do to Help?

We need to contact our City Councilors who currently support the raising of our taxes, especially during this time of economic uncertaintly. Please contact these officials and let them know that you DO NOT support any raising of taxes at this time.

Mayor Tim Williams
(540) 942-3471 Home
(540) 649-0876 Cell
lwtwva@hotmail.com

Councilwoman Nancy Dowdy
(540) 943-9133
dowdy@cfw.com

Councilwoman Lorie Smith
(540) 943-9835
lsmith500@comcast.net


We would appreciate your continued involvement and support and together, we look forward to restoring the power of our local government back to its rightful owners - YOU!
Sincerely,
Mike Harris and Garnett WeatherholtzWaynesboro Taxpayers Alliance

Augusta Citizens Against Unfair Assessments

Augusta Citizens Against Unfair Assessments to meet
What: Meeting to update citizens
Where: Memorial Baptist Church, Staunton - Fellowship Hall
Date: Tuesday, June 2
Time: 7:00 pm
Info: LynnFromVa@aol.com

Churchville attorney Francis Chester will update citizens of Augusta County on the real estate assessment issue, where the court case stands now, and where it goes next. If you signed a petition ... and even if you didn't ... come out and hear the latest update.
See related post at Swacgirl

Directions: Memorial Baptist Church is located at 224 Taylor Street, Staunton 24401, beside Robert E. Lee High School. From Woodrow Wilson Bypass/Rt. 262 (Staunton Holiday Inn/Country Club exit): Turn onto Rt. 11 south toward Staunton. At split in road, bear RIGHT about 0.5 mile to next split in the road; bear LEFT on Coalter Street. Follow to traffic light; turn left onto Taylor Street. Church on right; fellowship hall in rear.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

As of 5/11, Virginia is ONLY state is getting no Stimulus Transportation $$$

Kaine Hasn't applied for money.
According to AP, stimulus projects that have been announced in 49 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Federal officials have approved 2,800 projects. The remaining projects on the AP list represent the states' official plans for the money. Only Virginia, which has not announced its plan, is not included.
See Virginia Virtucon for more info and a cute Timmy cartoon

Check Out Bill Bolling's New Website.

Bill Bolling has a campaign site

Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling today launched a new web site – www.billbolling.com, which will serve as his official campaign web site during his re-election campaign this year.

"I am very pleased to announce that our new campaign web site is now live," Bolling said. “Our new site is a state-of-the-art platform designed to educate Virginians on my ‘New Ideas For A Better Virginia’ and communicate with voters through a myriad of email, text messaging and social networking services.”

The theme of the new BillBolling.com is “New ideas For A Better Virginia”. The site includes information on Bolling's background and accomplishments in state government and details his proposals to find realistic and workable solutions to the challenges currently facing Virginia, get our economy moving again and create jobs for Virginians.

Democratic Governors Association fined for campaign finance law violation

Anita Kumar at the Washington Post is reporting that the Democratic Governors Association tripped over the red tape of campaign finance laws:
The State Board of Elections will fine the Democratic Governors Association $2,500 [Wednesday] for failing to comply with state campaign finance laws involving the group's donations in the governor's race.

The DGA has contributed $2.15 million to Common Sense Virginia, a political action committee that is running TV ads attacking Republican gubernatorial nominee Bob McDonnell across the state.
Where the DGA tripped up was failing to report donations to a PAC exceeding $2,500 as required by Virginia law, according to the WaPo. Their last report was April 15.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Dems Violate State Law-Fined over Contributions

After pouring more than $1.3 million into Virginia's 2009 race for governor last week, the Democratic Governors Association faces the prospect of a $2,500 fine Thursday for failing to identify its contributors on time.
DGA will be fined $2,500 for violating a state law that requires out-of-state political organizations to list their donors when they make contributions to candidates or political committees in Virginia races, said David Allen, campaign finance manager for the State Board of Elections.
The Washington-based DGA made recent contributions of $850,000 and $505,000 to Common Sense Virginia, a Virginia PAC set up to hound uncontested Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell while three Democrats fight toward their June 9 primary.
But DGA has not updated the list of its own contributors since April 15. decided late Tuesday to submit a new list of donors who have given to DGA through Monday.
See the full story at USAtoday.com

Kaine: Va. revenues for April below estimates

State revenues for April are well short of even their scaled-back forecasts, and Gov. Timothy M. Kaine is telling state agency chiefs to tighten spending more than they already have.
Based on declining tax receipts, collections could be $190 million to nearly $220 million less than the state’s budgeted general fund forecast of $14.6 billion for the fiscal year that ends June 30.
The governor did not prescribe specific cuts, nor did he dictate a percentage of agency budgets to be pared, a step he has three times since the current budget took effect last July.
“I’m telling them they have to be austere,” Kaine told reporters. But unless the state’s revenues brighten substantially in the final two months of the fiscal year, more specific cuts are likely, he said. See the full story at the News Virginian

Americans For Prosperity gives Kudos to Bolling

Americans for Prosperity Applauds
Virginia Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling
-Signs No Climate Tax Pledge-

RICHMOND-The Virginia chapter of the free-market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity (AFP-VA) today applauded Virginia Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling for signing the group’s “No Climate Tax Pledge.” By doing so, Bolling joins over 160 lawmakers on the federal, state and local levels pledging to “oppose legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue.”
“The one thing elected officials should be able to agree on is that global warming shouldn’t be used as an excuse to hike taxes on citizens and businesses.” said AFP-VA State Director Ben Marchi. “We encourage all of Virginia’s elected officials and candidates for elected office to sign.”
“I oppose the federal energy tax (cap and trade) and would oppose any similar federal or state legislation that would result in a tax increase on American businesses and make them less competitive in the global marketplace,” Bolling added.
President Obama has made no secret of his intent to advance the cap-and-trade legislation, which would amount to the largest tax increase in American history. One version of the scheme, introduced last year by Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and John Warner (R-VA), is scored by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office as a net revenue increase of $1.2 trillion within just the first 7 years the bill is in effect.
“Using the guise of climate change to transfer dollars from hard-working citizens to bureaucratic big government is unacceptable,” said Marchi. “Regardless of their stance on global warming, this should be common ground for all of our elected officials at all levels of government.”
The pledge is available online at http://virginiavirtucon.wordpress.com/Documents%20and%20Settings/John.Zevitas/Local%20Settings/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/New%20Jersey/www.NoClimateTax.com. AFP does not endorse candidates. All elected officials and candidates are encouraged to sign the pledge and go on the record in opposition to using the climate change issue to increase taxes and grow the size of government.

Virginia Republican Convention 2009 ... May 29-30



Join 10,000 delegates from throughout Virginia

Sean Hannity
Special guest speaker Saturday morning 10 am

Mitt Romney
Special guest speaker at Friday Gala

Hospitality Suites Friday

More info to come
www.rpv.org

McDonnell Ad


Bob 4 Jobs
“Bobs 4 Jobs,” a simple saying, one that I repeated numerous times when I was campaigning all over Virginia with Bob. A simple saying with significant meaning: Bob McDonnell is for creating jobs in Virginia. Virginia has so much to offer and Bob wants to use the all the resources Virginia has to offer, from the coal in west, to the oil offshore, to the dedicated and bright people that call it home. Bob knows the greatness that resides in Virginia, and with his leadership I know all of America will see it too.
Even though I only spent two days in Virginia with him, I really enjoyed my time with Bob - crisscrossing all over Virginia and speaking to hundreds of people that are as ready as I am for the right kind of change. During our time together, one thing in particular about Bob struck me, the passion and vision he has for Virginia became vividly clear.
The Republican party is not done, but it does need to be rebooted, and that will start in Virginia. There is a clear choice to be made, and I’m proud to stand with Bob McDonnell and I hope you will join with me in making sure he is the next Governor of Virginia.
For Victory in Virginia,
Posted by Mike Huckabee on 05/10 at 11:36 PM
See the newest Bob McDonnell ad over at YankeePhilip.

FishersvilleMike called it Warm and Fuzzy

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This blog is dedicated to Virginia people, Virginia places and Virginia ideas.


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