However, in smaller independent jurisidictions (like Falls Church City), the Dillion Rule provides a measure of protection from very parochial local politics. Our council memebers are usually elected by swinging thirty votes or so. Every local election is a grusome fight in a phone booth.

If the Dillion Rule is modified, it should be done in a way that does not throw smaller jurisdictions to the local political dogs.

* I was glad to get the chance to meet Mr. Gebhart at Sen. Miller’s Poquoson town meeting tonight. He says that the Daily Press article leaves the entirely wrong impression concerning his position on post-Army Fort Monroe. I take him at his word. I’ll be grateful if he chooses to join the fight to save Fort Monroe. And I’m all ears to hear if he’ll choose to do better than his fellow Democrats have done so far concerning that national treasure that — despite what Gov. Kaine and Sen. Webb think — belongs not to a powerful handful of people in Hampton, but to all of us. (Again, please note, in my view many Republicans have also failed concerning Fort Monroe. Gov. Kaine’s chief collaborator in the General Assembly, in fact, was former Republican Sen. Marty Williams, who really did believe — and who acted on — the nonsense in those Daily Press quotations that Mr. Gebhart disowned this evening.)

* Eileen: Lieutenant governor candidate Jody Wagner, who has left the Fort Monroe Authority to campaign, is a nice lady and an able leader, in my view. I’ve been to her house for a Democratic Party event, and I wish her well. But sometime when I haven’t already been as long-winded as I’ve been here, I’ll tell you a revealing story about her lack of awareness — which I can always hope is now only a _former_ lack of awareness — that Fort Monroe is anything but an economic plum for one single city to exploit short-sightedly.

* Eileen again: Sen. Webb, as you know, is the U.S. Senate’s leading Civil War preservationist. So it’s ironic and troubling that he has failed so completely in the fight to stop inappropriate disposition of a place that helps confer on the Civil War its actual meaning: Fort Monroe, which as I said above, is not just _a_ place where slavery began to die, but is _the_ place where slavery began to die. However, there’s hope: his staffer Charlie Stanton faithfully attends Fort Monroe Authority meetings, and not only listens carefully to the program, but also listens carefully to people like me who attend to watch. We appreciate that. (Full disclosure: Charlie and I regularly played golf together back in the 80s. I disclose that, but Charlie knows full well that if I had a Fort Monroe criticism about him, I’d make it publicly. My only criticism of him is that he works for a senator whom I’ve admired for decades, whose work generally as a Democrat I admire, but who has nevertheless failed to act like a real Democrat when it comes to Fort Monroe. But then, I guess I might already have mentioned that here in Vivian’s blog.)

* Eileen yet again: Congressman Nye’s office has promised to invite a delegation from Citizens for a Fort Monroe National Park to meet with him. Fort Monroe is in his district. He could do wonders, if he chose to. What will he choose to do?

Thanks.

I noticed that Jody Wagner was not in attendance at today’s FMFADA meeting. Is she still on that board? If she still is, how’s her attendance been? Just curious…

That is all.

I’d say that’s pretty broad.

2. Honestly, though, from all the whispers that float around, of all the people this could have happened to among Pres. elect Obama’s nominees, Richardson is the least surprising.

Leases of the historic structures for the types of uses listed above will go a long way towards providing the necessary funds to support the forts infrastructure and preservation needs. But that alone, will not bring enough money.

What will bring significant dollars to the region is National Park Service management of the 570 acres. When Fort Monroe becomes a park, federal funding will come and, because of the public knowledge that National Parks manage only the highest value historic tourism sites, people will come, with the result that non-residents will be spending their money in our region.

Hampton will prosper. Our region will prosper. But most of all, we will, by saving the open space at Fort Monroe, save something we and future generations need, a bit of space. A place to roam and recreate as we renew our spirits.

This is it folks. If we loose the wonderful vistas of the bay and the beach areas of Fort Monroe to excessive and inappropriate development, or to inadequate funding, it is over… There is no other large open area close to Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Newport News, Hampton, and the other cities in the area.

Putting the broader and more medium and longer term interests of America, Virginia, Hampton Roads and Hampton first, by maximizing public open space (including reserving the Wherry Quarter as largely open space for the long term) to go with adaptive reuse of historic buildings, limited new construction in North Gate, Entry Gate and Historic Village and a national park unit at least in moated fort and other key historic areas, would produce a magnificent and self-sustaining Fort Monroe. And a magnificent Fort Monroe, ironically, does far more for Hampton, including for its economy, than the course Gebhart advocates. And, yes, Corneliussen is right, Republican Tom Gear displays far more understanding of this than Gebhart and other Democrats who supposedly are more attentive to protecting our nation’s historical, architectural, scenic and natural heritage.

It wasn’t until 2003 when Doug Wilder campaigned for the elected mayor referendum that the mayor position was given any real authority.

When all this clears up, I hope Obama has a place for him.

And I will be updating it after Tuesday’s swearing ins

MB - good idea! Know anyone who can make that happen?

Actually, I turned it on to see what was in the time slot to discover it was a Cindy Crawford infomercial on her skin care line.

I wonder what WVEC pocketed for it……

Bye bye

I do not think you want to go too far into the Jesus thing if you get my point. My opinion is supported by both human logic and religion.

And remember, you were the one who said you were trying to be more like Jesus. WWJD?

If you need an apology here it is.

Please forgive me for being so stupid. Wait wait, not stupid, just ignorant.

Please accept my humble apology that came along with an explanation. I am counting on that the explanation makes you more willing to accept the apology.

Why give up a mile when you only have to give up an inch?

I guess I was just too sensitive to the slurs some people assign to anyone who’s name begins with Mc.

Otherwise, “Macker” makes me think of Big Mac’s and boo… I’m on a diet. Mmmm… Big Mac’s…

How about an even simpler twist of “Moran” into “Moron”?

But I guess you would object to that, right? Moran is your favored candidate.

I wish to identify I have no horse in this race. I am still even considering the Republican.

I did not get around to introducing this to the conversation until after this happened. Nobody else had seemed to notice it. But surprisingly everyone seemed to be aware of the leap second.

To cover all bases you just needed to start your kiss one second early and linger a little bit.

Will it be tomatoes, beans or potatoes? Maybe some corn?

All of the above

Will it be tomatoes, beans or potatoes? Maybe some corn?

Hope you are doing well…..