December 31, 2006Comment on Sunday's editorialsA tale of a city that wants to be a town Henry County's reluctance to watch Martinsville revert to an incorporated town is understandable, but that appears to be the best possible solution. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and times don't get much more desperate than they are in Martinsville and Henry County. Slow ride for boat safety Exempting out-of-state boaters from an education requirement is a huge loophole. The legislative agenda for improving safety on crowded Smith Mountain Lake is modest, indeed, compared with the aggressive measures advocates sought from this year's General Assembly -- so modest, the sole bill that will be put forward in 2007 leaves a boater education loophole wide enough, well, to drive a boat through. New River Valley Current Editorial A more robust CASA program can only help in Giles Special advocates have a good track record in other places. The child abuse and neglect rate in Giles County is absolutely unacceptable. With 104 substantiated cases in the last year for which figures are available, the rate works out to 27.2 per 1,000 children. That's seven times as many as the state average of 3.8. Help is on the way, though. Last year, the organization Court Appointed Special Advocate opened an office in Giles County. This fall, that office swore in its first three volunteers. December 30, 2006Comment on Saturday's editorialsSmart on crime beats tough on crime Virginia lawmakers are gearing up for more 'tough-on-crime' bills, while better approaches languish. It's almost time for lawmakers to return to Richmond, and they have already begun posturing for the title of "toughest on crime." It's a shame directing resources to programs that actually reduce crime and deal with its aftermath doesn't play as well with voters. A new Day, or not? One thing is clear about the latest problem to beset the Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority: It must finish the job it started in renewing the 400 block of Day Avenue. Somehow. December 29, 2006Another long weekendWe're about to hang it up for another long weekend. You got to love the holidays. We'd love them more, I'm sure, if holidays at a newspaper didn't simply mean cramming more work into less time. We've got some interesting editorials coming up over the long weekend, though, including a list of suggested resolutions for some folks in the news. Enjoy. Comment on Friday's editorialsThe House GOP's land-use grab December 28, 2006Crime and punishmentThe General Assembly is gearing up to pass stiffer punishments for all sorts of crimes. As it does so, Virginians should remember that enforcement and incarceration cost money, dollars that aren't being spent on programs that get at the roots of crime. A land-use grabLeaders in Virginia’s House of Delegates acted boldly Wednesday when they unveiled proposals to tie land development to transportation costs. In doing so, they put smart growth ideas on the state agenda, bucking the influence of well-heeled development interests. Bolder still, though, is the House GOP’s attempt to shift blame for the state's transportation crisis away from itself, where it belongs, and onto local governments. IraqFor later, we're working on an editorial about the expectations for Bush's "new way forward." We're not sure what the president could possibly pull out of his hat, especially given the grim reality reflected in this New York Times article: “I have come to the conclusion that this is no longer America’s war in Iraq, but the Iraqi civil war where America is fighting,” Major Voorhies said. A two-day reporting trip accompanying Major Voorhies’s unit and combat troops seemed to back his statement, as did other commanding officers expressing similar frustration. “I have personally witnessed about a half-dozen of these incidents of what I would call political pressure, where a minister or someone from a minister’s office contacts one of these Iraqi commanders,” said Lt. Col. Steven Miska, the deputy commander for the Dagger Brigade Combat Team, First Infantry Division, who oversees combat operations in a wide swath of western Baghdad. “These politicians are connected with either the militias or Sunni insurgents.” Bush has managed to raise expectations for a genuinely different approach to Iraq. We hope he delivers. Comment on Thursday's editorialsAn accidental hero, or goat? Give and take on re-election December 27, 2006CASAFor the Sunday Current editorial, we'll be writing about how the CASA (court-appointed special advocate) program in Giles County is finally taking off. Organized last year, the program got its first three advocate volunteers this fall. That should give the program the boost it needs to start bringing down an extremely disturbing child abuse and neglect rate. Two-term Gov.On Thursday, we will support the idea of a two-term governor. In negotiations between Gov. Tim Kaine and the House, the governor should be prepared to give up some power in exchange for the right to run again consecutively -- though Kaine himself will probably not enjoy it -- but there has not yet been enough analysis to say whether the appointment powers the House wants are the right balance. Comment on Wednesday's editorialsThe public sways an anti-tax lawmaker A free clinic in Botetourt December 26, 2006MartinsvilleFor later in the week, we're working on an editorial examining Martinsville's options. City officials are thinking about reverting from an independent city to an incorporated town. That would shift responsibility for many services - as well as the expense - to Henry County. But it would also allow the town and county to work together better than they can now. Henry County fears the expense. County officials came back this month with a suggestion for Martinsville to go all the way: unincorporate completely. Other than slashing available services to Martinsville residents, though, this wouldn't accomplish much. What this episode really demonstrates is how limiting the independent city structure is. Unique to Virginia, independent cities put up tremendous barriers between city/county cooperation. Security at nuclear plantsFor later in the week, we're working on an editorial about security at nuclear plants. The industry has asked the federal government to regulate what sort of security must be built to protect against potential attacks from planes or explosives, but the Nuclear Regulatory Commission refuses to do so. Gas taxFor Wednesday, we'll be writing about Del. John Welch III's support for a 10-cents-per-gallon gas tax increase to pay for transportation needs. Welch has been a staunch anti-tax member of the General Assembly, but his constituents finally convinced him Virginia's leaders need to do something about the problem. Now if only Virginians in other parts of the state can pull the same magic with their representatives. Botetourt's free clinicFor tomorrow, we're working on an editorial about Botetourt's new free clinic, opening next month. The clinic will help folks get earlier access to health care when they need it, but such clinics are no substitute for a comprehensive health care system. Comment on Tuesday's editorialsVirginia isn't ready for one-house rule December 24, 2006Comment on Radmacher's columnTower rises from the ashes Comment on Sunday's editorialsPutting food on the table Little progress made on biodefense New River Current Editorial: December 23, 2006Comment on Saturday's editorialsVirgil Goode's macaca moment Rep. Goode is mistaken. Not all of his constituents are narrow-minded bigots. Virgil Goode isn't about to apologize for his racist diatribe that equates Muslims with illegal immigrants and terrorists. He shouldn't apologize for his beliefs because that would just pile the sin of hypocrisy onto the heap of bigotry. But his constituents in Virginia's 5th Congressional District should be hopping mad, because Goode now has the nation believing that they are as small-minded as he is.
In this season of giving, three landowners in Southwest Virginia have given the commonwealth something special: nearly 5,000 acres of land protected from rampant development. December 22, 2006Merry Christmas...... and Happy Holidays. Sorry. Couldn't resist. We're closing up shop for the long weekend. Blogging will likely be light even into next week because we'll be short-handed. We'll try to get entries up for folks to comment on editorials even over the weekend, and I'll throw out a couple open threads in case people have thoughts to share. Enjoy your holiday, however, or whatever, you celebrate. Land preservationFor Saturday, we are writing about the creation of three large conservatoin easements in the area, protecting valuable land in Southwest Virginia. The unapologetic GoodeFor Saturday: What must the nation think of Virginians? First came George Allen's macaca meltdown and subsequent allegations of racism. Thankfully, statewide voters showed that isn't the kind of leaders they wish to support. But what of Rep. Virgil Goode? He claims his constituents support his bigotry. Chemical plant securityFor next week, we're writing about the Bush administration's belated effort to beef up federal regulation of chemical plant security. Two main problems with the proposal, aside from its tardiness: The regulations will probably pre-empt more stringent state or local rules, and they will be essentially voluntary. Comment on Friday's editorialsElectric deregulation is not for Virginia December 21, 2006Electric deregulationFor Friday: Thursday brought news of Dominion Virginia Power's plan to give the state more control over utility rates and shield Virginians from the kind of power bill spikes seen in states that have opened their retail electric markets to residents. But if the aim of the plan - inching toward legislation submitted to the 2007 General Assembly - is to retreat from a 1999 law that headed Virginia down a path toward full deregulation of utility rates, then state legislators ought to grab hold and proceed full speed ahead. Electric deregulation is not for this commonwealth. AnthraxFor Sunday: Five years after a still-unsolved anthrax attack killed five people, the United States is still not prepared for the next attack. The federal government recently canceled an $800 million contract with a company that was supposed to be working on a new, more effective anthrax vaccine. Gilmore for PresidentFor Friday: Former Virginia Gov. James Gilmore is forming an exploratory committee to determine if he should run for the presidency. Explore away. Comment on Thursday's editorialsThe Goode book, according to Virgil A bonus holiday for ChristiansburgFor the Sunday Current editorial, we'll be commenting on the Christiansburg Town Council's decision to hand out a bonus holiday to staffers this year. Their hearts are in the right place, but it's a costly proposition that they should have skipped. December 20, 2006Military expansionComing Thursday: President George Bush's call for military expansion to meet the long-term global war against terrorists begs for specifics. Bush, in an interview with The Washington Post this week, called to increase the permanent size of the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. His call comes as the nation's military is stretched to the breaking point, multiple tours are more norm than rarity, military spending levels for 2007 already are expected to be the highest since the Iraq war began, and there is not yet a definitive new strategy on the war in Iraq. "We're not winning, we're not losing," Bush told the Post. But we are slogging forward with depleting resources, with no clear strategy in sight. A plan for military expansion should not be advanced without one. The Goode bookFor Thursday: We examine Rep. Virgil Goode's warning to constituents "if Americans citizens don't wake up and adopt the Virgil Goode position on immigration there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding use of the Quran." Goode was speaking out against a Minnesota representative who plans to use a Quran during his swearing-in ceremony. A New York Times link provides Goode's position and the Council on American-Islamic Relations response. Security in the New River ValleyFor Sunday's Current, I'm working on a column about security in the NRV. A national survey ranked us third among small towns. Comment on Wednesday's editorialsKeep caps on towing fees Living by the rules in Old Southwest December 19, 2006A roof in Old SouthwestFor Wednesday: Roanoke's vision for Old Southwest sometimes runs counter to the homeowners' checkbooks. Still Aubrey Hicks should have known he was courting trouble when he bypassed the Architectural Review Board. Towing in RoanokeFor Wednesday, we're writing on the fight between tow truck companies and the city of Roanoke. We see no reason for the city to cave to company demands. If the towers don't want caps and such, they need not do business with the city. Roanoke might also want to check out the smart towing ordinance pending in Blacksburg for additional ideas on how to bring the industry under control. Comment on Tuesday's editorialsVirginia fails to protect personal information 'Grave and deteriorating' December 18, 2006IraqFor tomorrow, we're writing about Colin Powell's sobering assessment of Iraq and eroding U.S. military capabilities. There's been a lot of talk about "surging" troops into Baghdad, but the simple fact is the military is stretched to the breaking point. The nation is better off focusing on solutions that can actually work. Carilion ClinicI got a belly laugh from this one: A caller says Carilion is going to change the name of its proposed clinic from Carilion Clinic to Miracle Whip. Why? Because it wants to be Mayo. Virginia data securityFor an upcoming editorial: State agencies have woefully inadequate data security according to a report by the state's Auditor of Public Accounts. That's a problem the General Assembly should waste no time addressing. Virginians can choose which private companies they do business with, but we all must provide information to the government and should demand top-knotch protection of personal data. Comment on Monday's editorialsFDA must do more to monitor side effects Remember, kids, the camera won't blink December 17, 2006Comment on Radmacher's columnChristian bullies manufactured this 'War on Christmas' Comment on Sunday's editorialsKaine's push for good health Virginians would be wise to heed the state call for healthier living. A healthy lifestyle has the potential to improve one's quality of life and help curb rising health care costs. That in itself is not news. It is a belief long held by health care professionals, among others. But Virginia has more than a few pounds to lose before it can truly reap that potential. Breaking Congress' earmark addiction Democrats are taking a hiatus from approving any more special projects. That should give them time to clean up a corrupt system. Congressional Republicans' irresponsible abdication of a basic legislative responsibility -- completing a budget for 2007 -- may have a silver lining. Rather than spending their first few months in power trying to craft a budget that should have been finished in October, Democrats decided to simply pass a continuing resolution that extends the 2006 budget into next year. Comment on Sunday's Current editorialBlacksburg already made a wise stadium choice With nothing but old arguments to debate again, there is little need to second guess. It is only natural to suffer a twinge of buyer's remorse after wrestling with a huge decision, especially if the purchase will cost more than originally thought. Blacksburg Councilwoman Mary Holliman appears to have caught the "what if" bug in regard to a new high school stadium. December 16, 2006Comment on Saturday's editorialsThe working poor deserve a break A salute to Salem's Stagg Bowl |