Author: Vivian J. Paige

A former candidate, I've learned a lot about politics, both good and bad. I'd prefer more of the former and a lot less of the latter and I'm trying to do my part!

Pitts: Lead, follow or get out of the way

Leonard Pitts of the Miami Herald has an interesting column on teachers versus teachers unions. In it, he discusses the effect that unions can have on the educational system. Americans seem to be rallying around a demand for education reform. Apparently, we've had enough of students failing schools and schools failing students. We know our … Continue reading Pitts: Lead, follow or get out of the way →

Governor to visit Norfolk Aug. 9

Governor Bob McDonnell will hold a series of town hall meetings across the state beginning August 4. Dubbed the "Virginia Speaks" tour, the series will allow citizens to speak directly to the Governor and members of his cabinet and administration. The only Hampton Roads stop is scheduled for Monday, August 9, from 7pm to 8:30pm … Continue reading Governor to visit Norfolk Aug. 9 →

Friday fun: french fries or onion rings?

You Are French Fries You are friendly and easygoing. People can't help but like you! You are always welcome wherever you go, and people crave you more than they'd like to admit. You are extremely fun loving. You try not to think about responsibilities whenever possible. You are rich in personality and spirit. You have … Continue reading Friday fun: french fries or onion rings? →

Cuccinelli to donate tainted campaign funds

It's about time. Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has finally decided to divest himself of the campaign donations he received from Bobby Thompson, the director of the U.S. Navy Veterans Association. The organization and its director have come under scrutiny in numerous states. According to the article, six states plus Virginia have launched investigations and Thompson … Continue reading Cuccinelli to donate tainted campaign funds →

The classroom as prime real estate

Loved the headline, above, which was on my latest op-ed in Wednesday's paper.  Readers of this blog may recognize some of the content as having been from this earlier blog post. It was this Wall Street Journal article that prompted me to dust it off and update it for the op-ed. The stats I used … Continue reading The classroom as prime real estate →

Nation’s oldest surviving school for blacks?

It seems an English professor at the College of William & Mary thinks he has located the building which housed an 18th-century school for black children, both free blacks and those who were slaves. The find would be remarkable not only for its historical significance, but for its location in the political and ideological epicenter … Continue reading Nation’s oldest surviving school for blacks? →

Local races update

A not-so-quick update on what's going on in Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, and Norfolk. I'll have to wait until I have more time to catch up on the other local races in Hampton Roads this November. Portsmouth The interim mayor of Portsmouth, selected by the council, turned out to be a former Vice Mayor Bernard Griffin. … Continue reading Local races update →

Opinion, please: posting Social Security numbers

In a ruling yesterday, a three-member panel of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals allowed a website to publish the Social Security numbers of people on a website, The Virginia Watchdog. The site is dedicated to warning the public that various documents are being posted online by government officials that contain this information. In 2008, … Continue reading Opinion, please: posting Social Security numbers →

2nd CD update

We are less than 100 days to November 2 and the race in the 2nd Congressional District is well underway. After winning the Republican nomination last month, Scott Rigell found himself a little short on cash. As of June 30, Rigell had a mere $227,000 on hand while incumbent Democrat Glenn Nye had $1.26 million. … Continue reading 2nd CD update →

Portsmouth council: vote for yourself

Let me get this straight. Two of Portsmouth's council members want to be appointed mayor. So the four other council members will be interviewing the candidates, including those two. But when the deliberations start on who will be appointed, all six members of council will weigh in. What's wrong with this picture? Am I the … Continue reading Portsmouth council: vote for yourself →