In a just-received press release, Virginia senior senator Jim Webb announced that he will not run for re-election. [A]fter much thought and consideration I have decided to return to the private sector, where I have spent most of my professional life, and will not seek re-election in 2012. I have to admit that I didn't … Continue reading Webb will NOT run for re-election
Month: February 2011
Norfolk native Judge Hassell dies
Norfolk native and former Chief Justice of the Virginia Supreme Court Leroy R. Hassell Sr. has died. According to Virginia Lawyers Weekly: Justice Hassell had been in ailing health for about a year and a half. He was seriously ill with an infection in August 2009, missing several weeks of work. He returned to the … Continue reading Norfolk native Judge Hassell dies
Governors – and voters – pushed aside
My latest op-ed, title above, appeared in The Virginian-Pilot this morning. The topic is one that has bothered me for a long time: the timing of the budget. Virginia clings to the outmoded single term governor and then further handicaps him by essentially allowing him to implement only one budget during his term. Writing when … Continue reading Governors – and voters – pushed aside
Huffington Post sold to AOL for $315 million
The Huffington Post has been sold to AOL for $315 million. According to this article, all but $15 million of the purchase price will be paid in cash. When I last wrote about HuffPo, it was to refer to this Newsweek article from July 2010. The 5-year-old site - I remember the day it launched … Continue reading Huffington Post sold to AOL for $315 million
Black History Month: Recognizing our shared heritage
My latest op-ed appeared in The Virginian-Pilot last Wednesday. (Although I love the fact that the columns are online, I have to admit that the printed newspaper looks a lot better.) A couple of points in the piece that bear a little additional information. First, despite the president's proclamation, I still consider it Black History … Continue reading Black History Month: Recognizing our shared heritage
Norfolk City Council: 2/8/11
By: Tommy Smigiel This week I have highlighted three items of interest on the City Council formal agenda. Below you will find a consent item which is a quarterly update on the City’s Legal Debt Margin. I thought the public would like to know where we stand on our debt limit. I am also including … Continue reading Norfolk City Council: 2/8/11
Plagarism? Say it ain’t so, Norfolk
Another one for the "OMG Norfolk" file. Take a look at these screenshots (click to enlarge). The first one is from seattle.gov while the second one is what the new Norfolk website looked like - at least for a couple of days. That is, until somebody noticed the similarities. According to The Virginian-Pilot, Seattle officials … Continue reading Plagarism? Say it ain’t so, Norfolk
Where McDonnell’s ABC plan went wrong
By Steve Vaughan Governor Bob McDonnell' s much-discussed, often-changed, plan to privatize the state's ABC stores and get the Commonwealth out of the liquor business is likely dead for the year. Del. Chris Jones (R-Suffolk), chairman of the House General Laws Committee has said he'll use his chairman's discretion not to bring the bill up … Continue reading Where McDonnell’s ABC plan went wrong
Push to replace pension with 401(k)-like plans dies
According to The Virginian-Pilot, Del. Chris Jones will no longer pursue the replacement of Virginia's defined benefit retirement plan with a defined contribution plan, like a 401(k), for state workers. The Suffolk Republican had proposed phasing out the Virginia Retirement System's current pension model, which promises a specified payout amount at retirement, in favor of … Continue reading Push to replace pension with 401(k)-like plans dies
OMG Norfolk – again
I thought I was going to be able to retire the "OMG Norfolk" shtick. But I should have known better. Credit cards again. This time, it is the police chief, who has been under fire lately for a death that occurred in training. The City Auditor said he reported his concerns about taxpayers footing the … Continue reading OMG Norfolk – again
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 