Perils of Perriello

Politico lists the Democratic representatives that Republicans plan to target after their energy bill vote on Friday. High on the list is Tom Perriello of the Fifth District.

No thanks, Joe

Usually the person traveling the most has the jet lag. But Vice President Joe Biden named Tim Kaine as governor of New Jersey at Thursday's fundraiser in Los Angeles.
We're not taking Jon Corzine as our governor.
We know Kaine will not be governor next year. Hopefully, neither will Corzine.

Move America Forward's TroopAThon: Andrew Breitbart to shave head for troops

From Move America Forward....

History will be made today, and one of America's most prominent figures in news and entertatinment will help make the day even more memorable - by offering to shave his head - live on the air - all for U.S. Troops.

TroopAThon co-host, Andrew Breitbart, has agreed to shed his famous locks for charity. He has agreed to have his head shaved live during the broadcast of Move America Forward’s military fundraiser “Honor Their Service” when, and if, donations surpass $1 million. The goal is to collect enough donations to send the largest shipment of care packages to U.S. Troops in history via an online broadcast.

“I will take great pleasure in seeing Andrew get his head shaved. We will see if Andrew parallels Samson and looses all of his pundit power without his mane. In all seriousness, the real joy will be that fact that it will mean that we raised $1 million for our brave troops” said Melanie Morgan, co-host of “Honor Their Service.”

Breitbart will be interviewing what is already an impressive line-up that includes Rush Limbaugh, Gary Sinise, Kelsey Grammer, Jon Voight, Laura Ingraham, Mark Levin, Michelle Malkin, Carrie Prejean and many more.

Andrew Breitbart is a well known conservative personality and commentator. He is a columnist for the Washington Times, runs Breitbart.com, Breitbart.TV and the “Big Hollywood.”

About the Project:
Today from 4-12:00 Midnight, Move America Forward, the nation’s largest grassroots pro-troop organization, will be hosting its 2nd annual “Troopathon” broadcast live from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

The event will be hosted by Melanie Morgan, co-host of the syndicated radio show “America’s Morning News,” Andrew Breitbart, who runs Breitbart.TV, and the “Big Hollywood” blog and Mark Williams, renown talk radio host.

The goal of the project is to send care packages to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. During the 8-hour event that will be broadcast on the internet and radio, viewers are encouraged to sponsor care packages for the troops as the guests and hosts discuss various topics related to supporting our military men and women.

Last year, viewers donated more than $1.5 million to send care packages to troops. With the help of Carrie Prejean, we hope to surpass that number this year.

For more information visit our new website:
http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/ct/3169640:4289395824:m:1:119568967:421FD0669D3AA17140CEC40ADC9C73D6

TODAY! Move America Forward's TroopAThon

~All-Star celebrity lineup strives for largest pro-troop drive in history!~

An All-Star lineup of celebrities will team up TODAY for an historic effort to send the largest shipment of care packages ever to U.S. troops serving overseas.

Celebrities, military figures, and leading politicians will participate in the “Honor Their Service” TroopAThon – an 8-hour Jerry Lewis style telethon that will be broadcast online at TroopAThon.org.

The TroopAThon will broadcast from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library from 4:00 pm-12:00 Midnight eastern time and will feature ...

~ President George H.W. Bush ~ President George W. Bush ~ Vice President Dick Cheney ~ Rush Limbaugh ~ Sean Hannity ~ Mark Levin ~ Jon Voight ~ Kelsey Grammer ~ John Ratzenberger ~ Ann Coulter ~ Dr. Laura Schlessinger ~ Gary Sinise ~ John Ondrasik ~ Dennis Miller ~ Jackie Mason ~ Kevin Farley ~ Gavin McLeod ~ Melanie Morgan ~ Andrew Breitbart ~ Pat Boone ~ Michelle Malkin ~ Debbie Lee ~ Laura Ingraham ~ Lars Larson ~ Greg Gutfeld ~ Monica Crowley ~ Andrea Shea King ~ Curtis Sliwa ~ Hughes Sullivan ~ Mark Williams ~ Martha Zoller ~ Jake Rademacher ~ Jed Babbin ~ Chuck Holton ~ Rich Lowry ~ Michael Graham ~ John O’Hurlsey ~ Tammy Bruce ~ Robrert Davi ~ Matt Sanchez ~ Megan Ortagus ~ Connie Stevens ~ Deroy Murdock ~ Ed Morrissey ~ Kylie Wiliams ~ Matt Lewis ~ Noel Sheppard ~ Pete Hegseth ~ Robert Spencer ~ Roger L. Simon ~ Roger Hedgecock ~ Ron Winter ~ Walid Phares ~ Elisabeth Hasselbeck ~ Buzz Aldrin ~ Rick Allen ~ Gerald McRaney ~ Jerry Haleva ~ Pat Sajak ~ Dale Dye ~ David Zucker ~ Charlie Daniels ~

Tune in, join in, and show our troops how much we care.

Protest set against ABC and Infomercial

Richmond Tea Party to protest ABC ObamaCare infomercial
On, Wednesday June 24th, ABC will spend the day with Obama in the White House promoting Obama's Nationalized Health Care Agenda. A one hour prime time broadcast without any serious opposition will be aired.

Tea party and other like-minded groups across the nation are planning protests at their local ABC affiliates on June 24th. The Richmond protest is organized by local 912project groups.

Please Join Richmond Tea Party at this important protest.

Date: Wednesday, June 24th
Location: 301 Arboretum Place, Richmond 23236
Time: All Day
What to Bring: Signs
When you make your signs, you might want to emphasize:
-- Health Care
-- Freedom of the Press
-- States Rights as Health
Cross Posted over at Swacgirl

Sparking it up on Ethanol in SWVA

Kilo from Spark it up has a few posts on turning garbage into fuel.
See them here and here
Anything that contains cellulose, from paper to cardboard to food waste, can be turned into ethanol, Ted Cox of Reclaimed Resources Inc. says. And that doesn’t just include trash — animal waste, sewage sludge, wood and yard trimmings also would work.
In the plant, trash would be run through a series of washing systems that would separate out plastics, metals, glass and other materials that can’t be turned into ethanol while the material that can be used is ground up and broken down into a pulp that’s pushed into a pipe.
The pipe would go very deep into the earth — about 2,000 feet or so — and would harness the powers of gravity, pressure and friction to generate high temperatures, which break down the trash pulp into sugars and nutrients, which can then be fermented into ethanol.
Any impurities that make it into the pipe are turned into inert, harmless material that can be used as daily cover at the landfill, Cox claimed.

RPV Chair Mullins Asks Deeds to Fess Up

Chairman Pat Mullins’ statement is as follows:

“In this time of economic crisis, every policy that can influence job growth has increased importance. Cap and Trade is certainly near the top of the list. This idea is a lethal job killer – based on liberal orthodoxy and not science. The estimated costs to a middle income family are well over $1,000 annually, but range up to over $2,100 a year for other families. Additionally, the burden on private enterprise would be substantial, limiting the ability of businesses to create jobs and spur economic growth.

“Bob McDonnell has rightly stood firm in his opposition to this terrible idea, but sadly, his opponent Creigh Deeds remains silent. It is time for Creigh Deeds to state his position on this important issue, if he is willing to step out from under Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi.”

See more at Swacgirl

BOLLING CHALLENGES WAGNER

BOLLING CHALLENGES WAGNER TO OPPOSE ENERGY TAX ON VIRGINIA FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES

-Lieutenant Governor says Waxman-Markey national energy tax plan will kill jobs and increase taxes on all Virginians-

RICHMOND – In response to a letter from American Solutions on the Waxman-Markey national energy tax plan, Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling today joined his running mate Bob McDonnell in opposition to the massive new energy taxes on Virginia families and businesses. Bolling also challenged his opponent, former Democratic Party of Virginia Vice-Chair Jody Wagner, to join him in publically opposing the Waxman-Markey national energy tax plan.

“Bob McDonnell and I have offered a comprehensive More Energy, More Jobs plan to position Virginia as the East Coast’s energy leader and create thousands of new jobs for Virginians,” said Bolling. “Our approach embraces the exploration and development of traditional sources of energy, such as oil, natural gas, clean coal and nuclear power; as well as alternative sources of energy, such as wind, solar and biodiesel.”

“Unfortunately, the Waxman-Markey cap and trade energy tax plan will result in higher taxes, higher unemployment and less prosperity for Virginians; while having minimal impact on our environment. Cap and trade is a bad policy that is based on political considerations, not sound science,” added Bolling.

According to a Heritage Foundation study, implementing the Waxman-Markey national energy tax plan would destroy 1,105,000 American jobs per year on average, with peak years seeing unemployment rise by over 2,479,000 jobs. The study also found that inflation-adjusted gasoline prices would skyrocket by 74 percent.

“This campaign will be about finding realistic and workable solutions to the challenges facing Virginia. While Bob McDonnell and I have said ‘Yes’ to More Energy, More Jobs for Virginians, Ms. Wagner has said ‘No’ the development of Virginia’s abundant energy resources and she has been silent on higher energy taxes on Virginia families and businesses,” said Bolling. “By opposing the development of clean coal and offshore oil and natural gas, she is rejecting common sense, job-creating solutions to our energy crisis. I hope she will join me in recognizing this bad policy and join me in opposing these job-killing energy taxes on Virginia families and businesses.”

Gloucester Residents had their Constitutional Rights Violated

Forty Gloucester County residents have been ordered to pay the county $2,000 each for a failed effort to remove four elected officials.
The order entered Tuesday by substitute Circuit Court Judge Westbrook Parker formalizes a ruling he issued in December that found the residents abused the judicial system for political purposes.
The residents had petitioned for the removal of four county supervisors who were indicted on charges of illegally meeting in secret.

The residents claim they were exercising their constitutional right to petition the government and they plan to appeal.
The full story is here

Maybe Westbrook should read the First Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

H/T Tertium Quids

I'm Surrounded by Idiots Asks Will Deeds follow the follies?

Will Creigh Deeds continue to follow the failed Warner-Kaine lead on the Virginia STARS project?

This is a colossal failure of management and leadership by both Mark Warner and Tim Kaine. And Creigh Deeds says he wants to follow in footsteps of the Warner-Kaine style of governance? If so, this whole state is in for more of a Charlie-Foxtrot if he gets elected.

Birthday greetings to B & B ...

... Bob McDonnell and Bill Bolling! Here's to another successful trip around the sun and hoping for many, many more. Happy Birthday to our Republican Team!

Barack endorses Creigh

~ Barack Obama sends out support letter for Creigh Deeds ~

From: President Barack Obama
Date: Mon, Jun 15, 2009 at 4:33 PM
Subject: Creigh Deeds for Virginia

Friend --

Last Tuesday, Creigh Deeds won the Democratic primary for Governor of Virginia. In a hard-fought race, Creigh ran a terrific campaign and beat two fierce competitors by winning votes in every corner of the Commonwealth.

I know a thing or two about tough primaries, and I know a thing or two about running tough races in Virginia. Creigh Deeds' victory once again shows the power of people at the grassroots to win elections and bring about lasting change -- and he will be a better candidate this fall because of his hard work to win the nomination.

Creigh has been a dedicated public servant his entire life. As a county prosecutor and state legislator, he's been a strong advocate for economic development, high-quality education, and affordable health care -- and he's gone to great lengths to protect the environment and institute smart public transportation.

Now he needs your help to make sure Democrats retain the Virginia governorship. Please visit his website and get involved today.

Creigh has an ability to bring people together, build consensus and deliver results. He will bring the same bipartisan, pragmatic approach to politics that former Governor and now Senator Mark Warner and my friend Governor Tim Kaine used to help Virginia move forward over the past eight years.

I know that approach works because I've spent some time in your great Commonwealth. In my experience, Democratic candidates with a pragmatic approach to solving problems can be successful. That's the approach my campaign took last November to put Virginia in the Democratic column for the first time since 1964. And that's how Creigh Deeds will win this fall.

Learn more about Creigh, and get involved today: http://www.deedsforvirginia.com

I look forward to working with Creigh to keep the Commonwealth strong and to bring about the economic recovery and renewed prosperity Virginians demand and deserve.

Sincerely,

President Barack Obama

Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee -- 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

H/T to I'm Surrounded By Idiots
Cross posted at Swacgirl

DAILY KOS attacks AFP-VA

From Ben Marchi, AFP-VA Director...

Let's face it, most of us don't normally like being attacked. But when the attack comes from the far left folks at the DAILY KOS blog, we're proud to wear it as a badge of honor.

On May 30, Americans for Prosperity Foundation hosted a breakfast in Richmond that brought out nearly 400 citizen-activists to learn about the dangers of Canadian style health care (aka socialized medicine.) Excellent speakers such as Kay Coles James, Ben Cline, Brenda Pogge, Tito the Builder, and others spoke the truth ... and apparently our liberal friends weren't too fond of it!

Read the liberal's attack here.

In their blog post, they've posted the great video shot by our own Col. O.P. Ditch, USAF (Ret.), and then they wrote, "KNOW THE FACE OF THE ENEMY." You hear that? YOU'RE the enemy to them!? Those are the terms they think in.

If you don't want healthcare to be run like the DMV checkout, check out the AFP Foundation's new web site. This is where we are working to educate folks all across America about what government wants to do to health care. Best wishes and keep fighting!

Ben Marchi
State Director
Americans for Prosperity-Virginia

The last standing American automobile company

From 1909... To 2009. Dennis Fleming of Luray is taking his wife and daughter on his Model T Ford from ocean to ocean.

He tells News 3 he's excited about it, "I've been planning for the last five years."

Fleming says his family is driving their 1913 Model T Ford from New York to Seattle. "This is also the 100th anniversary of the New York to Seattle run, which was done in 1909, where Henry Ford entered two model Ts."

He's doing it with American pride. "It's the last standing American automobile company and we're going to prove that the Ford car is still good."

His daughter, Katie, does not want us to forget that It is the 21st Century. That is why the family is taking their GPS in their 1913 car, along with a computer.

Katie states, "I'm actually going to be blogging the whole way." You can catch her YouTube.com videos on "Katie Across The Country."

New 135 Acre Marketplace in Augusta

The Augusta County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed the rezoning of 135 acres of county land at the I-81 and Woodrow Wilson Parkway highway interchange. The developer, Northern Virginia firm of Pence Friedel, presented a plan to build a three phase commercial and business marketplace. It would include three “Big Box” stores, a movie theater, several independent restaurants, and a 180-room hotel. The construction of the Augusta Marketplace would be the biggest commercial development in the history of Augusta County, according to The News Virginian.

See More at Augusta Conservative.

What Republican death spiral?

For today's primary election day, I have a guest editorial up at NTCnews.

For those who say the Republican party is in a death spiral, how come Republican candidates lead by double digits in this year's two gubernatorial elections?
In New Jersey, Chris Christie leads incumbent Jon Corzine 51-38 in the latest Rasmussen Poll. In Virginia, three Democrats are beating each other up for the right to face Bob McDonnell in November.
Christie has led Corzine for several months in polling, as having “Wall Street Wizard” on your resume doesn’t seem helpful this election year.
In my home state of Virginia, Democrats thought they had the state going in their direction. Instead, their fractures are showing as another big talker – Terry McAuliffe – has failed to pull away despite big money and big endorsements.
It recalls 1992-93, when Republicans won both states after Bill Clinton’s election. They won with a cowboy conservative – George Allen in Virginia – and a moderate in Christie Todd Whitman, setting the stage for the 1994 takeover of Congress.
The Democrats’ road to holding these seats grows harder each day. Because their best attacks revolve around scaring voters about the past.
Corzine opened his re-election campaign Tuesday by bashing former President George W. Bush. Sorry, he’s gone back to Texas.
The Democrats’ anti-Bob McDonnell website features Pat Robertson. If Jerry Falwell were still alive, he’d be there too. But McDonnell’s favorability polling continues to surpass his Democratic rivals.
Winning both of these states would do wonders for the GOP. It creates a positive bandwagon effect, and in Virginia would keep control of redistricting in Republican hands.
Better yet, the Democrats will be at each others’ throats with losses. Their confidence and cockiness will take a hit. The news story won’t be Limbaugh vs. Frum, but angry Democrats feeling the magic slip away.

also cross-posted at Fishersvillemike

Looking to November

The Washington Post asked several political experts for their opinions on the upcoming Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial elections.
Here's a thought from Karl Rove
Democratic defeats in Virginia or New Jersey -- or even narrow victories -- would be discombobulating for the Obama White House and signal trouble in 2010.

FDNY comes to Valley to honor a young man who dreamed of being a hero

Several New York City firefighters came to the Valley Friday night because of one local teenager.
Roy Smith III, a fallen McGaheysville volunteer firefighter, dressed up as a Fire Department of New York fireman for his homecoming just months before he died in a car crash in November 2008.His friends and fellow firemen say, even up until the day Smith passed away, he talked about his dreams of becoming a New York City firefighter.

I know many members of FDNY, including my brother-in-law.

Policemen joke that God made policemen so firemen could have heroes too, but I have to admit that job is stocked full of heroes. Here is a list of some of this years FDNY heroes

God Bless our firefighters.

And my prayers to the family of Roy Smith III.

The FDNY is invovled in the fight against terrorism.

Greene County Investigator Chad Carr, R.I.P.

The Greene County Sheriff's Office and many in the community continue to mourn the loss of Investigator Chad Carr.
Those who knew him say he was a hard worker who took his job very seriously, both as a law enforcement officer and a father.
Flags were flown half staff in front of the Greene County Sheriff's Office. Both local and state police were wearing black bands around their badges in honor of 31-year-old Carr who lost his life in a traffic crash involving a tractor trailer. See the story here

Rare that I am in agreement with ACLU

Groups Drop Lawsuit Against Elections Board
Three free-speech groups have dropped a lawsuit against the state Board of Elections after the General Assembly passed legislation that allows people to wear political clothing to the polls.
The ACLU of Virginia, the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression and The Rutherford Institute sued the State Board of Elections arguing that its ban on clothing, hats, buttons or other paraphernalia that expressly advocates the election or defeat of a candidate or issue inside polling places violates free speech rights. See the story here

Some will remember that I got real upset with this when it came up. I was imagining a mature poll worker being afraid to go up to a young ,energetic, dedicated, hard-headed, voter, and saying"Oh , you have to cover that shirt or leave." If the worker did, I saw two scenarios.
The young voter would leave, and go right to the press and say, "They are trying to suppress the vote." Stories and smears would follow. Investigations and hearings. Fortunately, that did not happen this last election.
The other scenario is ranting, raving, etc, and the worker backing down. While the mature voters all complied, and covered.
I saw problems arising more and more each year.

Congrats to Benita Stephens of Dumfries

A Prince William County school leader has been named Virginia's middle school principal of the year.
Benita Stephens of Potomac Middle School in Dumfries received the honor from the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals.
Stephens, an Atlanta native, has been a principal for eight years and an administrator for 14.
She opened the 1,100-student Potomac Middle School three years ago.
See the NBC-29 story here

D-Day sacrifice remembered ... June 6, 1944

~Remembering their valor, fidelity, and sacrifice~

Today is D-Day. How many will continue to remember this major milestone battle of World War II that played such a big part in the freedom we enjoy? How many will keep the observance alive even as the Greatest Generation dies off and the memories fade?

From the Washington Times:

It's "A Gathering of the Greatest Generation" - though this year only a small group of that era's aging heroes will commemorate the invasion of France at Normandy 65 years ago.

On Saturday afternoon, veterans will attend a National World War II Museum ceremony in New Orleans recognizing soldiers, sailors and airmen who made that invasion a turning point for Allied forces. However, organizers acknowledge few members of an already dwindling population are hardy enough to make the trip.

"We won't have a veteran from each state, unfortunately," said William Detweiler, who is in charge of the event. "They're all in their 80s and 90s now, and getting around is just too hard for many of them."

Nowhere did that touch home more than in Bedford, Virginia, where the National D-Day Memorial is located as a reminder of a small town that sacrificed so much for America:

Like eleven other Virginia communities, Bedford provided a company of soldiers (Company A) to the 29th Infantry Division when the National Guard's 116th Infantry Regiment was activated on 3 February 1941.

Some thirty Bedford soldiers were still in that company on D-Day; several more from Bedford were in other D-Day companies, including one who, two years earlier, had been reassigned from the 116th Infantry to the First Infantry Division. Thus he had already landed in both Northern Africa and Sicily before coming ashore on D-Day at Omaha Beach with the Big Red One.

Company A of the 116th Infantry assaulted Omaha Beach as part of the First Division's Task Force O. By day's end, nineteen of the company's Bedford soldiers were dead. Two more Bedford soldiers died later in the Normandy campaign, as did yet another two assigned to other 116th Infantry companies. Bedford's population in 1944 was about 3,200.

Proportionally this community suffered the nation's severest D-Day losses. Recognizing Bedford as emblematic of all communities, large and small, whose citizen-soldiers served on D-Day, Congress warranted the establishment of the National D-Day Memorial here.

Sadly, the last of the surviving "Bedford Boys" passed away April 19, 2009, at the age of 94. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported:

The storied journey of the “Bedford Boys” came to an end Sunday with the death of the group’s last surviving member, Ray Nance.

Nance, 94, was among the 35 young men from Bedford who stormed Normandy’s Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944.

In a 2007 interview, Nance recalled the day 65 years ago when he was wounded by shrapnel in his hand and foot. He took cover from machine gun fire in a pool of floating bodies. He watched friends die, he lay on the beach for hours and was ultimately rescued by a sergeant from Roanoke.

Of those 35 Bedford Boys to land on the Nazi-held beaches at the start of the D-Day invasion, 19 died in the first wave and two shortly after. The loss of 21 soldiers in Bedford’s community of 3,200 gave Bedford the highest proportional losses for D-Day, and led to the drive to build the National D-Day Memorial there.
...
“Every time I heard him talk about D-Day, he often said he never understood why he left and all the other men died,” [Bedford resident Lucille] Boggess said. “I think he was always a leader. All the men looked up to him.”

It was said after D-Day that we would never forget. Will future generations remember that promise?

Cross-posted at SixtyFour81.com and SWAC Girl

Shakin' at the Station cancelled

Because of inclement weather, tonight's Shakin' at the Station concert has been cancelled.
The band scheduled to appear will be rescheduled for another night.

For more information, call 430-0055.

Get your Shenandoah National Park License Plate

The Shenandoah National Park Trust is proud to announce the newest license plate available to Virginians.

The colorful, eye-catching plate will raise funds that will be donated to the Shenandoah National Park for priority projects that protect the treasured natural and historical resources of the Park and enhance visitors’ experiences there.

Gov. Tim Kaine signed the bill authorizing the license plate program in March. The blue and green-tone license plate features a black bear, Skyline Drive, and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The trust is now accepting applications for these new plates and must collect 350 orders with payments by July 15 in order for the Department of Motor Vehicles to begin its review and production process. Prices are $25 for non-personalized plates and $35 for personalized plates.

Pending DMV approval, the new Shenandoah National Park Trust license plates should be delivered to purchasers within about ten months. Information on how to order Shenandoah National Park Trust license plates can be found on the trust’s Website or by calling 434-293-2728.

Bob McDonnell says "Card Check" will hurt Virginia

They're two words Bob McDonnell uses in nearly every campaign stop: card check. The Republican gubernatorial nominee says the federal union bill is a job-killer.

"My opponents, I think, are going to be on the other side of that issue," McDonnell said.

"Card check" is what opponents call the Employee Free Choice Act -- a bill in Congress that makes it easier for people to organize into unions.

McDonnell says the legislation would hurt Virginia businesses.

"I'm going to be a vigorous defender of the right to work law," said McDonnell.
See the NBC 29 story here

News from far Southwest Virginia

Monday a bipartisan group of legislators held press conferences to ask Appalachian Power to withdraw a rate increase request, the Bluefield Daily Telegraph reports.
“We’ve asked AEP to withdraw,” Sen. Phillip Puckett, D-Russell, said. “We think it is the right action to take right now. There are certain things the law says Appalachian Power is entitled to. But we are trying to make the case that they just had a significant rate increase, and it is too early to be asking for another one. And considering the hard economic times we are in, we think AEP should share the pain.”
Other legislators at the press conferences included Sen. Roscoe Reynolds, D-Martinsville, Sen. William C. Wampler, R-Bristol, Delegates Ward Armstrong, D-Henry, House Minority Leader, Daniel C. “Dan” Bowling, D-Tazewell, Bill Carrico, R-Grayson, Anne B. Crockett-Stark, R-Wythe, Joseph P. Johnson Jr., D-Washington, Terry G. Kilgore, R-Scott, Danny Marshall III, R-Danville, Donald Merricks, R-Danville, Dave Nutter, R-Montgomery, Clarence E. “Bud” Phillips, D-Russell and Charles Poindexter, R-Franklin.

Tonight ... Augusta Citizens Against Unfair Assessments

Augusta Citizens Against Unfair Assessments

What: Meeting to update citizens
Where: Memorial Baptist Church, Staunton - Gym (in rear)
Date: TONIGHT -- Tuesday, June 2
Time: 7:00 pm
Info: SWAC.girl@gmail.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.

Bob McDonnell leading in $$$$$$

Republican nominee Bob McDonnell has nearly $5 million in the bank according to campaign finance reports for cash raised and spent throughout April and until May 27.

Prolific fundraiser Terry McAuliffe raised about $1.8 million and spending about $3 million in those 57 days. He has about $1.2 million on hand.

Democrats Creigh (Cree) Deeds raised more than $676,000 with about $521,000 in the bank.

Brian Moran raised $844,000 with about $707,000 in reserve.

GOP team visits Valley

Gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell and his colleagues just finished their Valley stop in the "Just say Yes" tour of the state Monday.
McDonnell, Lt. Governor Bill Bolling and Attorney General nominee Ken Cuccinelli met a enthusiastic crowd of around 100 people at Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport at Weyers Cave.
"The enthusiasm is on the side of the Republican party, thanks to you," McDonnell said in greeting the crowd. "We're ready to lead if you're ready to win."
McDonnell touted his team's combined 19 victories in elections through their careers. From energy to education and taxes, he noted areas where the Democrats will continue saying no while Republicans will say Yes.
"We are going to be the ticket to have big bold ideas for reform," McDonnell said.
Bolling echoed the themes of McDonnell's short speech.
"We have a record of working together to get things done in Richmond," Bolling said. "We have the kind of experienced, principled leadership that the people of Virginia are looking for."
Cuccinelli joined the ticket at the weekend's Republican state convention, winning a close election.
"We may be outspent, but we won't be outworked."
Links to local media coverage will be added later in the day.

7 p.m. UPDATE: Channel 3 in Harrisonburg has a story, as does NBC29 from Charlottesville.
Morning UPDATE: Coverage from the News Leader, News Virginian and News Record.