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Items by vjp

  • Governor’s budget: no car tax

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 9
    I just watched the last of Governor Kaine’s budget presentation to the money committees.  One of his proposals is to eliminate the car tax reimbursement that the state pays to the localities and which costs the state approximately $950 million.  Saying that the car tax is inherently a local tax, [...]
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    Posted: December 18, 2009, 10:41am EST
    by vjp

  • Cerrato out, Allen in

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 4
    The news out of Redskins Park is that Vinny Cerrato, executive VP of football operations, has resigned. In his place will be Bruce Allen, son of former Redskins coach George Allen, who will also be general manager. This is, of course, the first of many moves the Redskins will be making. [...]
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    Posted: December 17, 2009, 11:12am EST
    by vjp

  • 9500 Liberty: a quick review

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 4
    Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever does. — Margaret Mead I attending the screening of 9500 Liberty Tuesday night and as I watched the film, the above quote kept running through my head. The story was [...]
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    Posted: December 16, 2009, 7:45pm EST
    by vjp

  • Download software and company will donate

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 2
    SoftMaker, a company which develops office software that is an alternative to Microsoft Office but is completely compatible with it, announced today its holiday promotion: download the 2008 suite for free and the company will donate EUR 0.10 (ten Euro Cents) to charity. I first became familiar with SoftMaker back in [...]
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    Posted: December 16, 2009, 6:13pm EST
    by vjp

  • Military Spouses Residency Relief Act: it’s gonna cost us

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 16
    An article in Monday’s newspaper about the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act (MSRRA) struck me, at the time, as a case of missing the forest for the trees. The act, passed on Veterans Day, will extend residential benefits to spouses of military personnel, allowing them to retain residency in their home [...]
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    Posted: December 16, 2009, 8:15am EST
    by vjp

  • Norfolk Councilman Williams not running

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 3
    According to a story posted on PilotOnline, Ward 1 council member Don Williams will not run for re-election. “This is my Christmas present to Rose,” he said. “She’s had three serious bouts of cancer and a recent case of pneumonia. She’s healthy and it’s time for us to spend time together.” Williams [...]
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    Posted: December 15, 2009, 1:35pm EST
    by vjp

  • Where is Amiral?

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 1
    87th House district Republican candidate John Amiral has left town and owes a pile of people money, including WVEC, the station that aired this story. The biggest question I have: how in the heck did Amiral end up owing media outlets? Have they changed their policy of requiring payment in [...]
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    Posted: December 15, 2009, 11:17am EST
    by vjp

  • Reminder: 9500 Liberty screening tonite

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Just a reminder that the screening of the movie 9500 Liberty will be at 7:15pm tonight at the Naro in Norfolk. In case you want to know a bit more about the movie, check out this review. In this film, an anti-immigration blogger in Prince William County named Greg Letiecq uses [...]
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    Posted: December 15, 2009, 11:11am EST
    by vjp

  • Norfolk council: do your job!

    —Vivian J. Paige

    “I am reluctant to pull the council into this. But if we can help resolve this, we will try.” The above quote came from Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim in an article today regarding the latest turf battle between Norfolk Commissioner of the Revenue Sharon McDonald and Treasurer Tom Moss. An inquiry [...]
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    Posted: December 15, 2009, 10:40am EST
    by vjp

  • 9500 Liberty film screening in Norfolk Tuesday

    —Vivian J. Paige

    9500 Liberty will have a screening Tuesday evening at the Naro in Norfolk. Prince William County, Virginia becomes ground zero in America’s explosive battle over immigration policy when elected officials adopt a law requiring police officers to question anyone they have “probable cause” to suspect is an undocumented immigrant. 9500 Liberty reveals [...]
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    Posted: December 14, 2009, 1:42pm EST
    by vjp

  • Warner roundtable on women on combat

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Senator Mark Warner held a roundtable in the Norfolk Main Library this morning to hear from military women and representatives of various veteran support groups on the issue of combat stress. Last month, Warner sponsored legislation directing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to spend the next year studying whether [...]
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    Posted: December 14, 2009, 1:12pm EST
    by vjp

  • A Redskins win

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 4
    The Washington Redskins managed to grab a lead and hold onto it yesterday in 34-13 win over the Oakland Raiders. It’s been a long time between wins for this 4-9 team. It would have been nice to see: I missed most of the game because I had visitors. I caught [...]
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    Posted: December 14, 2009, 8:17am EST
    by vjp

  • Congratulations Annise – and Houston

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 10
    Annise Parker was the first openly gay person elected mayor of a large US city Saturday. Houston is the fourth largest city in the country.  Congratulations to Ms. Parker – and to the voters of Houston. [...]
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    Posted: December 13, 2009, 12:14am EST
    by vjp

  • Most loved, hated in Congress

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 6
    Congress, it’s been said, is like high school for old people. Seems about right The December issue of  Newsmax Magazine includes a list of the Congress members most loved or or most hated by their colleagues. A couple of Virginians made the list. Among the most loved: Senator Mark Warner. Democrats consider [...]
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    Posted: December 11, 2009, 3:27pm EST
    by vjp

  • Friday fun: what book are you?

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 6
    There’s a new book quiz out. But before I tell you what book I am, there’s an interesting disclaimer on the website: Just for the record, I really hope no one gets offended by any of this. At times, I try to add some humor into the world of books, and [...]
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    Posted: December 11, 2009, 8:15am EST
    by vjp

  • Smigiel: A new choice. A new voice.

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 4
    The first candidate to announce for the upcoming Norfolk council elections in May was Tommy Smigiel, who is taking on incumbent Randy Wright in Ward 5. Smigiel, a former Virginia Teacher of the Year, has hit the ground running. He’s got his website up and has been knocking doors and attending [...]
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    Posted: December 10, 2009, 9:10am EST
    by vjp

  • Support expansion of state health care benefits

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 1
    The articles last week on the proposal by outgoing Governor Tim Kaine to expand health care benefits of state employees didn’t tell the whole story. Now that we have the  proposed language for the changes, hopefully some of the commentors will rethink their positions. Let’s start at the beginning. In 2007, [...]
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    Posted: December 09, 2009, 2:14pm EST
    by vjp

  • Virginia Beach, Chesapeake shenanigans

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 4
    No longer can South Hampton Roads residents point to Norfolk for the follies of its elected representatives. Add Virginia Beach and Chesapeake to the mix. In Virginia Beach, Dan Lowe, the school board member representing the Bayside district, resigned. The remaining members get to appoint a replacement. Current at-large member Carolyn [...]
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    Posted: December 09, 2009, 10:46am EST
    by vjp

  • Warner & other freshmen on health care reform

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 3
    According to a press release, senator Mark Warner is leading a freshman group of 11 Senators on health care reform issues. The eleven freshmen are Sens. Mark Begich (AL), Michael Bennet (CO), Roland Burris (IL), Kay Hagan (NC), Ted Kaufman (DE), Paul Kirk (MA), Jeff Merkley (OR), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), Mark Udall (NM), Tom Udall (CO) and Mark Warner(VA).  Since Labor Day, [...]
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    Posted: December 08, 2009, 11:33am EST
    by vjp

  • Without a mention of “macaca”

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 5
    Who doesn’t remember S. R. Sidarth, the young man whose recording of then-Senator George Allen brought the word “macaca” into the consciousness of  every Virginian in 2006 and brought down the Senator’s re-election campaign? Apparently, Alex Trebek Last night, the older, clean shaven Sidarth appeared on Jeopardy, the long-running trivia game [...]
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    Posted: December 08, 2009, 9:12am EST
    by vjp

  • Portsmouth sheriff threatens removal of courthouse security

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 5
    For the second time this year, Portsmouth Sheriff Bill Watson has threatened action in the city in a dispute over compensation. Earlier this year, Watson threatened to suspend services provided by inmate work crews unless his deputies received raises. This time, Watson says he will keep his deputies from providing [...]
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    Posted: December 07, 2009, 7:30pm EST
    by vjp

  • Update: sentence reduced in Craigslist robber case

    —Vivian J. Paige

    In an earlier post, I asked your opinions on the sentence of a robber who used Craigslist to lure victims. The man was sentenced to five life terms. Due to his cooperation in the investigation, his sentence has been reduced to 33 years. Interesting is that his co-defendant, against whom the [...]
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    Posted: December 07, 2009, 11:13am EST
    by vjp

  • Exhibit #9,9999,999 on VA campaign finance reform

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 7
    Brian over at Bearing Drift brought up an issue that I had been thinking about in conjunction with last Saturday’s Republican canvass.  Although I don’t live in the 8th Senate district, I was as inundated with TV and radio ads as anyone who did. The only thing missing was the [...]
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    Posted: December 07, 2009, 9:41am EST
    by vjp

  • Deadline to Get Square is today

    —Vivian J. Paige

    If you owe back taxes in Virginia, the deadline is today to take advantage of the amnesty. The Virginia Department of Taxation has an excellent website set up to handle the filing of returns, including links to the old forms, as well as the payments. The deal is a good [...]
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    Posted: December 05, 2009, 2:21pm EST
    by vjp

  • Norfolk first in digital cities

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 3
    Somehow, I missed this earlier. The Center for Digital Government and Digital Communities Magazine named its Top Digital Cities in America for 2009 and Norfolk was named the number one city in its category (125,000 – 249,999 population). “This year’s winners demonstrate how cities have faced economic challenges with creativity and [...]
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    Posted: December 04, 2009, 2:35pm EST
    by vjp

  • Vote Wilson December 5

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 15
    The election to select the next Senator from the 8th District may be scheduled for January 12, but the real election will take place tomorrow, December 5. With no Democratic candidate, the voters in the 8th will choose their representative in a Republican canvass. I’m urging everyone – Republican and [...]
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    Posted: December 04, 2009, 8:30am EST
    by vjp

  • Kaine proposes extending state health benefits

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 4
    Governor Tim Kaine is proposing to extend state health care benefits to “other qualified adults” living in the households of state employees. Under the proposal, adults without health benefits who share a home with an insured state worker would be eligible for coverage. This would include domestic partners – heterosexual or [...]
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    Posted: December 03, 2009, 2:28pm EST
    by vjp

  • RHIP: Let him fly the flag

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 15
    There is a saying in the military that “rank has its privileges.” As a corollary to that, I often say that age has its privileges. I think both apply in the case of 90-year-old Medal of Honor recipient Col. Van T. Barfoot. According to a number of stories, the Henrico man [...]
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    Posted: December 03, 2009, 9:56am EST
    by vjp

  • Rings around the moon

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 2
    Last night, the talk on Twitter was about the moon. These two pictures were taken about midnight, when the moon was directly overhead. (Click to enlarge.) I can tell you – the pictures don’t capture the way things looked out there. The ring was so large and the moon so [...]
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    Posted: December 02, 2009, 12:55pm EST
    by vjp

  • Where does McWaters stand?

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 12
    The Virginian-Pilot broke with tradition today with its endorsement in a primary race that is tantamount to election. The winner of this Saturday’s Republican canvass will be the representative of the 8th Senate District in Virginia Beach, unless a late Democratic opponent emerges, which is unlikely. I applaud the Pilot [...]
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    Posted: December 02, 2009, 10:55am EST
    by vjp

  • Special elections date set: Jan 12

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Governor Tim Kaine announced Monday that the special elections to fill seats in the 8th and 37th Senate districts will be held Tuesday, January 12, 2010. The opening in the 37th, which covers part of Fairfax County, was created by the election of Ken Cuccinelli as Attorney General. The opening [...]
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    Posted: December 01, 2009, 8:18am EST
    by vjp

  • Monday morning quarterback: another Skins loss

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 8
    I’m no fair-weather Redskins fan. But these close losses are really hard to take. Last week, it was a 1-point loss to the much hated Dallas Cowboys. And yesterday, it was a 3-point loss to NFC East rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles. Both losses occurred due to points scored late in [...]
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    Posted: November 30, 2009, 10:48am EST
    by vjp

  • Got $87K? That’s the cost of the 12 Days of Christmas

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 4
    Now that Thanksgiving is over, time to think about Christmas. I’m sure that all of you are planning on giving your “true love” the gifts in the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Just to give you a heads up: it’s going to cost you a pretty penny. According to the [...]
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    Posted: November 30, 2009, 10:34am EST
    by vjp

  • Spammer sentenced to prison

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 9
    Each day, I start off by deleting spam: that delivered to my Blackberry, my desktop mail client, my online mail and my blog. It is perhaps the least productive part of my day. Spammers are creative: despite having spam filters everywhere (except on my BB – don’t like the way [...]
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    Posted: November 28, 2009, 11:33am EST
    by vjp

  • Happy Thanksgiving!

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 4
    I started cooking Wednesday and finished up this afternoon. The menu was pretty much unchanged from last year, except this year I cooked a whole turkey (my cats are going to love that!) instead of just a breast. A couple of my sisters stopped by just after dinner and we got [...]
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    Posted: November 26, 2009, 9:55pm EST
    by vjp

  • Who is Rosemary Wilson?

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 17
    I guess I haven’t paid nearly as much attention to the Virginia Beach City Council as I probably should have. A quick search on my blog reveals very little about the second candidate for the Republican nomination for Senate in the 8th district, Virginia Beach councilwoman Rosemary Wilson. Not a [...]
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    Posted: November 25, 2009, 8:30am EST
    by vjp

  • Speaker releases House Ethics Panel report

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 4
    Speaker Bill Howell has released the report of the House Ethics Panel inquiry into Newport News Delegate Phil Hamilton. The report (pdf) is, as expected, brief: since Hamilton has resigned, the panel says it lacks jurisdiction to proceed. In an email, Speaker Howell says: While I regret that their fact-finding inquiry did [...]
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    Posted: November 24, 2009, 12:01pm EST
    by vjp

  • VA-01 candidate Ball on MSNBC

    —Vivian J. Paige

    What a way to spend your birthday! Krystal Ball, one of two Democrats seeking to take on Republican incumbent Rob Wittman, appeared this morning on MSNBC’s “Morning Meeting.” Happy birthday, Krystal! [...]
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    Posted: November 24, 2009, 11:35am EST
    by vjp

  • Who is Jeff McWaters?

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 8
    Back in 2007, then AMERIGROUP CEO Jeffrey McWaters wrote an article about health care, which I opined on here.  Today McWaters is one of two Republican candidates seeking to represent the 8th Senate District in Virginia Beach. Due to a conflict, McWaters was unable to make our interview, which had [...]
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    Posted: November 24, 2009, 8:30am EST
    by vjp

  • Mathieson statement on vote certification

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 10
    The Electoral Board today certified the results in the November 3 election. This afternoon, the campaign of Bobby Mathieson released the following statement: There are still open questions in this race, and it is in the best interest of the voters of the 21st District for Bobby Mathieson to seek a [...]
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    Posted: November 23, 2009, 3:38pm EST
    by vjp

  • Upcoming: a look at the candidates in the 8th

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 2
    Beginning Tuesday, I’ll be taking a look at the two candidates who will be facing off in the Republican canvass in the 8th Senate district: Jeff McWaters and Rosemary Wilson.  The seat is being vacated by Ken Stolle, who was elected sheriff of Virginia Beach. The canvass will be held [...]
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    Posted: November 23, 2009, 3:09pm EST
    by vjp

  • Blogs United wrapup

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 8
    It has been two years since bloggers from around the Commonwealth gathered. This past Saturday, Blogs United held another conference. The number of bloggers was much smaller than in years past but the number of non-bloggers in attendance was larger. Most of the non-bloggers in attendance held positions within the [...]
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    Posted: November 23, 2009, 8:42am EST
    by vjp

  • Opinion, please: “Black Fur-iday”

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 18
    It seems that animal shelters find black cats and dogs difficult to be adopted. In a play on words, the Norfolk Animal Care Center is holding a “sale” on the animals, to coincide with Black Friday, the traditional start of the holiday shopping season. The “sale” provides for adoption fees [...]
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    Posted: November 20, 2009, 8:46am EST
    by vjp

  • How we did in Hampton Roads in November

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 1
    The Virginia Public Access Project today updated their website with the party performance data for statewide candidates for the House of Delegates and Senate districts. A lot of red on that house map to the left (click to enlarge). I took a look at the contested races in Hampton Roads where [...]
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    Posted: November 19, 2009, 8:56pm EST
    by vjp

  • Nye community discussion Saturday

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 7
    I won’t be able to make this (because I’ll be at the Blogs United conference) but here’s your chance to talk to Rep. Glenn Nye. [...]
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    Posted: November 19, 2009, 9:34am EST
    by vjp

  • Reminder: Blogs United Saturday

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 2
    Just a quick reminder that the Blogs United conference is coming up this Saturday, November 21. The event will be held from 9am-4pm at the David Student Union Center on the campus of Christopher Newport University in Newport News. Among the media personnel scheduled to attend are Anita Kumar of [...]
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    Posted: November 19, 2009, 9:25am EST
    by vjp

  • Hamilton latest: subpoenas, ethics rules overhaul

    —Vivian J. Paige

    The Virginian-Pilot has been all over the latest information on the Phil Hamilton situation. In an article on the front page of Tuesday’s paper (strangely buried on the website here), the cancellation of the ethics probe is causing concern. Frustrated by the halt to the inquiry, House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong, [...]
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    Posted: November 18, 2009, 6:01pm EST
    by vjp

  • Democracy in action in Norfolk

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 2
    “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever does.” — Margaret Mead The quote above is one of my favorites. And Tuesday, we got an opportunity to see it happen. It started with a phone call that I received [...]
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    Posted: November 18, 2009, 10:45am EST
    by vjp

  • Council backs off charter changes

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 1
    I’m sitting in the Norfolk City Council meeting. After the informal session, council had already decided to vote down the charter changes. Thanks to all who called, emailed and otherwise contacted our council members. This is Democracy in action, folks! [...]
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    Posted: November 17, 2009, 3:25pm EST
    by vjp

  • Powerful testimony on equality

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 16
    h/t Left of the Hill [...]
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    Posted: November 17, 2009, 9:40am EST
    by vjp

  • NORFOLK ALERT: Proposed charter changes

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 13
    City Council will meet tomorrow, Tuesday, November 17, at 2:30pm. The council agenda is here. Included on the agenda is a public hearing on charter changes, which have to be approved by the General Assembly. You can read the proposed changes in this pdf. Of particular concern to me is the [...]
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    Posted: November 16, 2009, 11:53am EST
    by vjp

  • Hamilton resigns, what of probe?

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 6
    I have just received confirmation that Phil Hamilton did indeed resign effective midnight last night, as reported by Bearing Drift.  The question now is what happens to the ethics probe. Some are saying that as a part of the deal, the probe will cease. I don’t know that such action is [...]
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    Posted: November 16, 2009, 11:15am EST
    by vjp

  • Monday this and that: open thread

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 2
    Seems both the Democrats and the Republicans kept their House leadership intact, with the exception of the addition of David Englin as Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus. Funniest thing: Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell spoke at the meeting of the Democrats but not the Republicans. ~ The Norfolk Council races are starting to [...]
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    Posted: November 16, 2009, 9:01am EST
    by vjp

  • Redskins win

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 4
    It’s been a long time since the last one but today the Denver Broncos played worse than the Washington Redskins. A win is a win – I’ll take it. Still think Dan Snyder needs to go, though. [...]
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    Posted: November 15, 2009, 4:06pm EST
    by vjp

  • Let there be light!

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 4
    The storm came through Hampton Roads Thursday and I had no problem with my power. Overnight, the power went out (not sure for how long) but it was working again when I got up this morning. Then around 10:30am, it blinked a couple of times and then went out for [...]
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    Posted: November 13, 2009, 10:48pm EST
    by vjp

  • Register for Blogs United

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 3
    It’s that time again. Bloggers from all over the Commonwealth will be coming together on Saturday, November 21, for Blogs United, a day of fun, food, and, of course, a little politics The event this year is being held at the David Student Union on the campus of  Christopher Newport [...]
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    Posted: November 12, 2009, 4:03pm EST
    by vjp

  • First thoughts on VB special election

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 17
    For months now, Republicans in Virginia Beach have been campaigning for the seat currently occupied by now Sheriff-elect Ken Stolle. Jeff McWaters jumped out early: he’s been all over the place (I’ve run into him a number of times) and a drive through Virginia Beach prior to the November election [...]
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    Posted: November 12, 2009, 1:14pm EST
    by vjp

  • Mathieson statement on election

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 10
    By now, you’ve probably heard that the votes in the 21st House of Delegates district have been counted and that Republican Ron Villanueva has been declared the winner by a scant 13 votes. I received the following statement from the campaign of Bobby Mathieson: Yesterday, more votes got counted in the 21st [...]
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    Posted: November 11, 2009, 7:07pm EST
    by vjp

  • Veterans Day 2009

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Enclosure: [download]
    Number of comments: 3
    As our nation is engaged in two wars, I was saddened to see that the front page of our local paper paid more attention to the death of a sniper than to those who serve and who have served. There was a single front page story – and it was [...]
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    Posted: November 11, 2009, 10:24am EST
    by vjp

  • Sniper to be executed tonight

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 14
    John Allen Muhammad, known as the Beltway sniper, will be put to death tonight. The only one who can save him is Governor Tim Kaine. I will be surprised if the governor steps in. I have to admit: I don’t hold a very strong stance on the death penalty. I find [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2009, 11:02am EST
    by vjp

  • The high cost of VA’s tax expenditures

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 24
    The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis released a report (pdf) this morning which assesses the cost of Virginia’s tax expenditures. Calling it a $2.5 billion drain on revenue, the Institute says that these expenditures – tax exemptions, exclusions, deferrals, credits, or preferential rates in the tax code – are implemented [...]
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    Posted: November 09, 2009, 12:23pm EST
    by vjp

  • Nye voted no on healthcare

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 31
    The emails from Saturday night’s votes are flowing into my inbox. Most of them are congratulatory ones – for Congressman Bobby Scott (D-3rd), Congressman Tom Perriello (D-5th), Congressman Jim Moran (D-8th) and Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-11th) – thanking them for their support of healthcare reform. Some of them are critical of [...]
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    Posted: November 09, 2009, 8:37am EST
    by vjp

  • A sober look at Deeds’ pollster Petts

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 24
    In my earlier post, I mentioned some consultants who should never work in politics again. I’m not generally one to name names, but since he’s been outed, David Petts is one of those guys. Told by Petts that his convincing primary win positioned him well with the Democratic base – core [...]
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    Posted: November 07, 2009, 1:14pm EST
    by vjp

  • Choo Choo!

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 1
    Get’em John UPDATE: The video has been removed. Below the fold is a transcript that I’ve seen in a number of places around the internet. JAMES BROWN: John, you have been pretty doggone outspoken on the Washington Redskins and what is not working. Maybe it is an obvious question, but why [...]
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    Posted: November 06, 2009, 12:15pm EST
    by vjp

  • Friday fun: I’m sweet potatoes

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 1
    Probably my all-time favorite food You Are Sweet Potatoes You love comfort foods, and for you, there’s nothing more comforting than Thanksgiving dinner. In fact, you’ve been known to have Thanksgiving favorites all fall… and possibly all year. You’ve got to have your sweet potatoes. There’s no one who cooked as well as [...]
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    Posted: November 06, 2009, 9:58am EST
    by vjp

  • Potential challenger for Bobby Scott

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 27
    The Virginian-Pilot political blog posted a blurb yesterday about a potential challenger for Congressman Bobby Scott (D-3rd).  Seems the original tip came from United Conservatives that Coby Dillard, who worked on the McDonnell for Governor campaign as Deputy Coalition Director (Veterans/African Americans), is considering a run. Dillard runs a blog [...]
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    Posted: November 05, 2009, 12:42pm EST
    by vjp

  • A bloodbath

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 23
    The map to the left, which I got from The Washington Post, pretty much says it all: yesterday was a bloodbath. While the map only shows the gubernatorial race, the other two statewide races maps don’t look much different. The added loss of a net of six House of Delegates [...]
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    Posted: November 04, 2009, 2:25pm EST
    by vjp

  • Congratulations and condolences

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 21
    The margin was greater than I expected, the result being the loss the number of House seats at the top of the range I anticipated. My congratulations to Gov-elect Bo McDonnell, LG Bill Bolling, and AG-elect Ken Cuccinelli. My condolences to Creigh Deeds, Jody Wagner and Steve Shannon. Congratulations to new Democratic [...]
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    Posted: November 04, 2009, 9:01am EST
    by vjp

  • Vote today

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 5
    The polls are open from 6am to 7pm. If you are unsure of your voting place, you can check it here. Unlike prior elections, I will be casting my ballot at the polls today. I will be voting for the people who most closely represent my best interests, even though there [...]
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    Posted: November 03, 2009, 12:05am EST
    by vjp

  • 32% increase in health insurance premiums

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 17
    Just opened up my premium increase notice from Anthem. Mind you, I’ve got a sizable deductible with a health savings account. With virtually no costs to my insurance company this year (heck – I’ve not met my deductible yet – only $803 out of pocket), I’m facing a 32% increase [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2009, 2:00pm EST
    by vjp

  • New governor to face at least $1bil shortfall

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 13
    While the conversation in this gubernatorial election has been focused on transportation and social issues, little attention has been paid to the looming budget deficit that the new governor is likely to face. According to a Virginian-Pilot article today, the budget deficit is expected to be $1 billion – and [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2009, 11:08am EST
    by vjp

  • For the Redskins fans among us

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 2
    In honor of the Redskins’ bye week (wait for the image to change) The original pdf is here. h/t to Maria for emailing it to me. [...]
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    Posted: November 01, 2009, 9:33am EST
    by vjp

  • Norfolk Commissioner taken to task by Treasurer

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 11
    The front page, below the fold story in Saturday’s Virginian-Pilot is a classic example of the inside baseball that Norfolk politics has become. Here we have two ticketmates – the Democratic candidates for Commissioner of the Revenue and Treasurer – engaging in what amounts to a he said/she said argument. [...]
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    Posted: October 31, 2009, 5:52pm EDT
    by vjp

  • VA Beach Sheriff’s Candidates

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 2
    Recently, the two candidates for sheriff in Virginia Beach were interviewed on WAVY TV 10. Go John Bell! [...]
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    Posted: October 30, 2009, 9:28pm EDT
    by vjp

  • Villanueva: “I need your vote … in New Jersey!”

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 8
    Ron Villanueva wants the residents of District 21 to vote for him – in New Jersey! (click to enlarge) Ha! And no, I didn’t make this up. You can see it for yourself here. (UPDATE: Not any more. The state info has been corrected on the website at that link.) To voters [...]
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    Posted: October 30, 2009, 7:57pm EDT
    by vjp

  • “Mr. Cuccinelli’s bigotry”

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 1
    So says The Washington Post editorial board. Putting aside what Mr. Cuccinelli has to say about homosexuals when he’s not trying so hard to be polite, let’s call his comments what they are: bigotry. Bigotry is as pernicious today, applied to homosexuals, as it was a century ago or less, when [...]
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    Posted: October 30, 2009, 3:06pm EDT
    by vjp

  • LBGT Phonebanking for Bobby & Joe Monday

    —Vivian J. Paige

    The LBGT community is coming together this Monday, November 2, from 6-8pm to phone bank for Delegates Bobby Mathieson and Joe Bouchard. The event will be held at the Coordinated Campaign Headquarters located at 5101 Cleveland St., 3rd Floor. Of course, you don’t have to be LBGT to participate. Come on [...]
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    Posted: October 30, 2009, 2:36pm EDT
    by vjp

  • Friday fun: are you black or orange?

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 2
    In the spirit of Halloween, how about this quiz? You Are Black You are a serious and thoughtful person. You spend a lot of time in quiet reflection. You are a friend of the honesty, and you don’t sugar coat anything. You prefer the truth in all its complexity. While you may relate [...]
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    Posted: October 30, 2009, 10:39am EDT
    by vjp

  • Videos today

    —Vivian J. Paige

    A number of new videos in the last couple of days for Democratic candidates. From Creigh Deeds: From Jody Wagner: From Steve Shannon: [...]
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    Posted: October 29, 2009, 7:54pm EDT
    by vjp

  • Predictions on Pilot endorsements – local races

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 2
    There are so many localities in this region with local races, mainly constitutional officers, that I can’t begin to keep up. There are a couple of Virginia Beach races that I’ve been aware of – sheriff and Commonwealth’s attorney – but that’s about it. As it turns out, I was [...]
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    Posted: October 29, 2009, 7:45pm EDT
    by vjp

  • Healthcare, medicare bills online

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 4
    The healthcare bills as introduced in the House of Representatives are now available online in pdf format. H.R. 3962 – Affordable Health Care for America Act – is available  here and H.R. 3961 – Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009 – is available here. While I consider healthcare a real [...]
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    Posted: October 29, 2009, 11:11am EDT
    by vjp

  • “Endorsing corruption”

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 14
    Yeah, I stole that headline from Norman Leahy. Placing a higher value on incumbency than on ethics, the Daily Press and the Virginia Gazette have both endorsed Del. Phil Hamilton for re-election. In other words, he may be a crook but he’s our crook. Honestly, I’m not surprised. As a senior member of [...]
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    Posted: October 29, 2009, 10:47am EDT
    by vjp

  • “The future of our party demands that Mr. Cuccinelli be defeated”

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 9
    Ken Cuccinelli has run the most disciplined campaign of all the candidates, keeping teh crazy – his own and that of his supporters – under wraps. If you don’t follow politics closely – and let’s face it, few do – then you’d have no idea just how far out he [...]
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    Posted: October 29, 2009, 7:30am EDT
    by vjp

  • GOTV swing with Kaine, Deeds, Shannon, Wagner

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 5
    Click to enlarge. Print out and distribute. On the Peninsula Hampton Meet & Greet 5pm YH Thomas Youth Center 1300 Thomas St Hampton, VA Newport News Event 6pm Newport News Campaign Office 11838 Cannon Blvd, Suite 100 [...]
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    Posted: October 28, 2009, 8:50pm EDT
    by vjp

  • Spruill fundraiser with Mayor Dwight Jones

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 2
    About 350 people gathered at the Greenbrier Marriot Tuesday evening for a fundraiser for Del. Lionell Spruill, Sr. Kicking things off was 3rd district Congressman Bobby Scott. The Congressman, who had appeared earlier in the day at the Obama/Deeds rally, was unable to stay for dinner. Following him was Sheriff John Newhart, [...]
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    Posted: October 28, 2009, 6:45pm EDT
    by vjp

  • Wrap up: Obama in Norfolk for Deeds

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 5
    The line snaked around the building when I arrived at the ODU Ted Constant Center for the rally with Democratic candidate Creigh Deeds and President Barack Obama. Inside, the facility was already filling up. Although the arena seats 7,319, the area behind the stage was curtained off. Approximately one-half of the [...]
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    Posted: October 28, 2009, 10:51am EDT
    by vjp

  • Pilot endorsements in the rest of Southside HR

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 3
    Wednesday’s Virginian-Pilot contained the endorsements of the rest of the South Hampton Roads endorsements. As it turns out, they did issue an endorsement in the 64th. Counting that race – on which I offered my opinion in the comments on this post – I was five out of six in [...]
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    Posted: October 28, 2009, 7:30am EDT
    by vjp

  • Villanueva supported release of sex offender

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 4
    Ron Villaneuva, the Republican candidate in the 21st district, has decided to attack Democratic Delegate Bobby Mathieson for a vote on a failed bill that would have allowed certain nonviolent felons to work on school property. The quote you see to the left comes from a mail piece that Villanueva [...]
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    Posted: October 27, 2009, 8:10am EDT
    by vjp

  • Pilot endores 2Ds, 2Rs in Virginia Beach

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 2
    The Virginian-Pilot endorsements in the Virginia Beach House of Delegates races has been published. In the three races in which I predicted an endorsement, the Pilot endorsed just as I thought they would: Democratic incumbent Bobby Mathieson in the 21st, Republican incumbent Bob Purkey in the 82nd, and Democratic incumbent [...]
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    Posted: October 26, 2009, 11:17pm EDT
    by vjp

  • Obama/Deeds rally ticket winners

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 14
    The winners of the five tickets for Tuesday’s rally with our next governor, Creigh Deeds, and President Barack Obama are: Louis Eisenberg spotter Barbara Hatton-Hall Carl Johansen Teresa Eisenberg Congratulations! Check your email! And if you didn’t win, you can still get a ticket through the campaign website here. Just make sure that you show up in [...]
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    Posted: October 26, 2009, 6:03pm EDT
    by vjp

  • “How can we trust Chris Stolle?”

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 6
    We can’t. As if that weren’t enough, both The Virginian-Pilot (not available online) and the Richmond Times Dispatch had articles on Stolle’s primary source of funds for this campaign. Stolle, brother of the state senator who is likely Virginia Beach’s next sheriff, has received $326,000. That puts him at the top of the [...]
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    Posted: October 26, 2009, 2:24pm EDT
    by vjp

  • Forum for 80th district candidates Wednesday

    —Vivian J. Paige

    The ODU College Democrats and College Republicans will host a forum this Wednesday, October 28, for the candidates in the 80th House of Delegates District. The event will be held from 6pm to 7:30pm at the Mills Godwin Life Sciences Building, Room 102. The event is free and open to [...]
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    Posted: October 26, 2009, 1:48pm EDT
    by vjp

  • Pilot endorses Shannon, no endorsement for LG

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 3
    In a strongly worded endorsement today, The Virginian-Pilot editorial board endorsed Steve Shannon for Attorney General. Much of the endorsement laid bare how bad it would be for Republican Ken Cuccinelli to win next week’s election. The Pilot concluded: To put it politely, Cuccinelli’s election would bring embarrassment to Virginia, instability [...]
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    Posted: October 26, 2009, 1:08pm EDT
    by vjp

  • Virginian-Pilot endorses Deeds

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 27
    Sometimes, I don’t mind being wrong In an editorial for the Sunday paper, The Virginian-Pilot endorsed Democrat Creigh Deeds for governor.  And, as I suspected, the issue in the forefront of the board’s mind was transportation. He offers a political strategy rather than a substantive plan for solving the state’s most [...]
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    Posted: October 25, 2009, 12:51am EDT
    by vjp

  • Redistricting is VA’s Supreme Court

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 18
    Last year, when I dared question the support of Barack Obama for president, I was told repeatedly that the Supreme Court appointments were what mattered. Well Virginia, redistricting is our Supreme Court. I’ve always been clear that the closer government is to me, the more it affects me.  At stake in [...]
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    Posted: October 24, 2009, 11:32am EDT
    by vjp

  • The Pilot’s policy on endorsements

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 1
    In an op-ed piece today, editorial page editor Don Luzzatto explained the policy of The Virginian-Pilot on endorsements. Theoretically, the article is about why they endorse: What we hope to do, with all of our editorials, is encourage substantive debate on the issues of the day, the kind of conversation that [...]
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    Posted: October 23, 2009, 11:19am EDT
    by vjp

  • Capt. John Bell garners endorsements

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Capt. John Bell, the Democratic candidate for Sheriff in Virginia Beach, has been picking up some endorsements. The Virginia Police Benevolent Association, a statewide group who represents law enforcement officers,  has endorsed his candidacy. We will ask our members, their friends and families, and all citizens who respect the strong and efficient [...]
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    Posted: October 23, 2009, 8:15am EDT
    by vjp

  • Win a ticket to Obama/Deeds rally!

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Number of comments: 25
    I’ve got five tickets for the Obama/Deeds rally coming up in Norfolk at the Ted Constant Convocation Center this coming Tuesday. These aren’t the general admission tickets. These are the guaranteed admission tickets. With these tickets, you will get in. And you can win one. Here’s how: In the comments below, tell [...]
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    Posted: October 23, 2009, 7:45am EDT
    by vjp

  • Two ways to get tickets for Norfolk Obama rally

    —Vivian J. Paige

    The Deeds campaign today released more details on the tickets for the Obama rally. Guaranteed admission: volunteer! Volunteers who complete a shift this weekend anywhere in the Commonwealth will be guaranteed admission to the rally. To sign up to volunteer this weekend, click here. General admission General admission to the rally will be on [...]
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    Posted: October 22, 2009, 7:02pm EDT
    by vjp

  • “Blatantly misleading” McDonnell black radio ad

    —Vivian J. Paige

    Enclosure: [download]
    Number of comments: 9
    So says Sen. Louise Lucas and Del. Lionell Spruill. Via The Washington Post blog, we learned that Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell has released a radio ad targeted at the black community. The ad, which is being aired in Hampton Roads,  mentions both former governor Doug Wilder and President Barack [...]
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    Posted: October 22, 2009, 6:08pm EDT
    by vjp

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