Source: Star City Harbinger
"Senator Deeds doubts science and sense behind uranium study"
Senator Deeds has serious reservations about whether uranium can be mined in Virginia. He looks forward to reviewing the study, but he believes that our top priorities must be to ensure the protection of our water supply and the safety of all workers. He is not convinced that uranium mining can meet either of these requirements.
Former Congressman Virgil Goode continues to travel around the 5th Congressional District acting as if he is still in office. It would seem that Goode has forgotten he was defeated by Ivy Democrat Tom Perriello in November, 2008.
Goode is taking credit for funds earmarked in the $410 billion Omnibus spending bill passed by the House on Wednesday and expected to pass the Senate soon.
On Thursday, Goode made presentations at Ferrum college, Franklin County and the Booker T. Washington National Monument. Goode also reportedly presented faux checks at Estes Center in Chase City and at the HBR-Historic Boydton Renaissance.
The Roanoke Times article "Perriello takes a seat at the table" shows what a fresh face, new energy and focus on the common good can bring to Washington.
To say Perriello has "hit the ground running" is somewhat of an understatement, having already had one piece of legislation passed to help fund education through tax credits.
Despite having to endure a recount, Perriello and his staff have proved more than capable of moving the 5th Congressional District forward. They now have 2 offices open and Perriello's website is up and running and constantly being upgraded.
This campaign sign still stands at the intersection of Boon Street and 220 in Boones Mill, Virginia. The election was held over 16 weeks ago, yet the owner of this sign still clings to the hope that Goode will rise from the ashes of his narrow defeat by Congressman Tom Perriello (D).
Facing the crowd that gathered at Martinsville High School's library, Congressman Tom Perriello spoke about the highlights for Virginia in the recently passed Stimulus package. Money to help Virginia's bottom line, to save state legislators from making more cuts, money for infrastructure renewal, funding for education and tax credits.
The The Danville Register & Bee just broke this story about Goodyear laying off some 5,000 employees company wide. From a business perpective, after seeing sales plummet 21% in the 4th quarter this is probably a smart move. It does nothing for the hard working men and women who will now find themselves filing for unemployment.
I would expect this will mean approximately 400 more Southside area workers to become unemployed shortly. That figure is based on limited knowledge and recent dealings with United Steel Workers employed by Goodyear.
Check out this article from today's Franklin News-Post about Congressman Perriello's vote to reauthorize S-CHIP.
A really cool thing happened at my church the other night. I decided to hold off on writing about it until today, given the holiday we celebrate today and the president we swear in tomorrow. Thursday evening, there was a gathering at First Baptist Church of Martinsville in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Our pastor, Dennis Knight, coordinated and co-hosted the event with Rev. Tyler Millner of Morning Star Holy Church in Axton.
Freshman Representative Tom Perriello, was welcomed to applause and a standing ovation after reenacting his Congressional swearing in ceremony for approximately 55 Martinsville residents last night.
Perriello told the crowd, "it's important to me to share this swearing in and the oath of office, with the 5th District voters", because the House of Representatives has always been the "people's House".
Congressman Tom Perriello will make a short foray through the district this weekend, to greet supporters and residents and hold public swearing-in ceremonies.
WHAT: Congressman Perriello invites the public to attend swearing-in ceremonies around the district to recognize the beginning of his term and the start of the new Congress. Each event will feature remarks by local elected officials, entertainment, and an opportunity for the public to greet the new Congressman.
For some reason this doesn't surprise me: according to today's Danville Register & Bee, two members of the uranium mining subcommittee have received contributions from Virginia Uranium Inc.
Last night was the first skirmish in what will undoubtedly become known as the Battle of Coles Hill. Chatham residents turned out in the hundreds for a community forum on uranium mining at a site just outside town, which is apparently the largest untapped uranium deposit in America.
Moving swiftly to get up and running at full speed, Congressman Tom Perriello announced today that Ridge Schuyler will serve as his District Director. Schuyler will oversee the District offices and staff for Perriello.
(Cross-posted at Dem Bones)
Quo vadimus?
Latin for “where are we going,” it’s a question that should be floating around many offices on Capitol Hill. For freshman Democrat Tom Perriello, the challenge is even more daunting. 
Tom promised a different kind of politics on the trail through the Fifth, a promise he followed through on by staying above Virgil Goode’s false, negative attack ads. The old kind of politics that Goode had waged in his 12 years in office was most notable for his tendency to secure appropriations earmarks for certain community projects, giving him the opportunity to go to a ribbon-cutting and drum up goodwill, and then quietly vote against the federal programs that would make those projects last long into the future.
Tom faces the difficult task of not getting sucked into Goode’s old, tired tactics, while still getting himself the notoriety within the district that will get him reelected so he can keep fighting the good fight. With his seat on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, he’s well positioned to provide Southside and the Danville/Martinsville corridor with the framework they need for future economic development. Below are two short-term and two long-term initiatives that will both do real good, more than just a Band-Aid fix, and give Tom the chance to stand beside “his” projects in the District.
New state regulations governing payday lending institutions took effect today. Anyone who has spent significant time in the Southside will recognize the importance of this legislation for our area. Martinsville and Henry County are riddled with them--driving through Collinsville, one can count at least 12 pay day lenders just in a 2-mile stretch of this blog's namesake.
(crossposted at Dem Bones and DailyKos. Full disclosure: I was a Regional Director for Tom Perriello's campaign.)
Chris Cillizza yesterday offered his list of top congressional campaigns for 2008, and it included our Perriello vs. Goode campaign in VA-5. Earlier in the week, our race graced Politico's list of election upsets. While I am elated and thankful that our work is honored by both of these lists, I am a little upset that our victory is explained in facile and erroneous terms. To their defense, these pundits have to look at 435 congressional races, so their "on-the-ground" knowledge of the district is inherently abstract and distant. I feel, however, that if I don't correct some of these misguided Perriello victory memes, later pundits will dutifully regurgitate these misconceptions.
Or; His 35 Years in Politics, was 35 Years Too Long for Me!
In the decades of outsourcing, I often found myself wishing that there was a way to outsource former 5th Congressional District representative Virgil Goode. As a resident of that legislative laughingstock’s district, I found Goode to be a total embarrassment at time. O.K., he was an embarrassment all the time.
Today’s Martinsville Bulletin has a story in which Goode “reflects” on his 35 years in politics. I would have titled it “How Not to be an effective Congressman”, but so much for editorial license.
Lawmakers should be independent thinkers and not merely follow a leader, according to (defeated) 5th District U.S. Rep. Virgil Goode Jr.
“I never was a big follower,” said Goode, R-Rocky Mount. Having been both a Democrat and a Republican, he noted that he was not afraid to voice opinions that differed from other members of either party, as well as the president.
I'm not sure what to make of this. The Martinsville Bulletin reported today that some of Virgil Goode's die-hards held a dinner for him Monday night, where some urged him to run again in 2010. As with similar speculation that has arisen recently, Goode is taking a 'neither confirm nor deny' sort of approach.
This is probably nothing more than kind words from long-time supporters, but just for fun, here are a few of my first-blush reactions to the possibility of Goode 2010:
Crossposted at What Is Right for Virginia
ABC 13 WSET-TV reported on-air this evening that Virgil Goode was attending a farewell dinner in Collinsville with supporters. Restaurant owner Buddy Arrington said the dinner had been planned for months regardless of the outcome. How nice, to send Goode back to Rocky Mt. with a full belly!
UPDATE: Today's Martinsville Bulletin has this story as a headline, proving yesterday was a slow news day.
Supporters of U.S. Rep. Virgil Goode Jr. held a farewell dinner for the outgoing congressman Monday night, but they made it clear they hope Goode isn’t going anywhere for long.
During the dinner at Buddy’s Taste of Home Restaurant in Collinsville, Goode’s supporters said they want him to run again. The six-term congressman, who was defeated by a margin of less than one-half of a percent in the Nov. 4 election, said he has not yet decided whether he will do so.
As many of you know, I like to read the blogs from the "other side", mostly for comic relief, since they rarely focus on issues. Click the link and read this blog post from From on High.
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