National town hall meeting on the budget

America Speaks, an organization dedicated to "reinvigorating American democracy by engaging citizens in the public decisions that most impact their lives," is hosting a national town hall meeting on June 26 on the economy and the budget. One of the discussion sites is in Richmond. Hosted by the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis and the … Continue reading National town hall meeting on the budget →

Is the amateur political blogosphere dead?

Chris Bowers of Open Left has written two articles  (1, 2) in which he opines that the amateur1 political blogosphere is dead. The fallout has prompted posts from other sites (1, 2, 3), who reinforce the basic premise. All of these point to the national political blogosphere, and in truth, I agree: anyone trying to … Continue reading Is the amateur political blogosphere dead? →

Statement from Gaylene

Greetings To whom much is given, much is required. - Luke 12:48 I want to take this moment to once again thank you for your support. Yesterday was a bittersweet day for me. It was joyous because, of course, WE won the 1st Vice Chair of Organization position! This victory would not have occurred without … Continue reading Statement from Gaylene →

ICYMI: Norfolk Ward 7 appointment notice

The notice to the left (click to enlarge) appeared in the business section of Sunday's Virginian-Pilot. In case you have any trouble with the image, here is the text: NORFOLK CITY COUNCIL APPOINTMENT WARD 7 The Council of the City of Norfolk is accepting letters of interest from persons who wish to be considered for … Continue reading ICYMI: Norfolk Ward 7 appointment notice →

Reminder: Norfolk School Board appointments

Just a reminder that there will be a public hearing at the beginning of the June 15th council meeting (agenda pdf) to hear from those who wish to serve on the Norfolk School Board. The terms of three members - Chairman Stephen Tonelson, and members Linda McCluney and Ursula Rhodes - expire at the end … Continue reading Reminder: Norfolk School Board appointments →

Gaylene elected

Congratulations to Gaylene on her election as 1st Vice Chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia. And my thanks to Susan Mariner for offering herself for the position. UPDATE: Congratulations are also in order for Jon Bowerbank, who was elected Vice Chair - Finance.

Slaves and the U.S. Capitol

Next week, a plaque will be placed at the U.S. Capitol, honoring those slaves who built it. How different this response is from the last time I visited the Capitol about this issue. In June 2001, I along with a number of others involved with Connecting Communities, went to Washington. Our mission was a simple … Continue reading Slaves and the U.S. Capitol →

Old versus new, change versus same

There has always been a clash of sorts between those who do things they way they have already been done and those who want to do things differently. The desire to affect change is what draws many activists to a cause, whether it be political, social or economic. But change rarely happens overnight. Many have … Continue reading Old versus new, change versus same →

Friday fun: what type of artist are you?

You Are a Thoughtful Artist You may be creative, but there's nothing messy about your approach to art. All of your art is well thought out and planned. You art ends up being close to how you initially imagined it. Your work tends to be quite deep and complex. You know how to produce something … Continue reading Friday fun: what type of artist are you? →

Update: Gaylene for 1st VP of DPVA

Gaylene continues to build support in her quest to become the 1st vice president of the Democratic Party of Virginia. Dear Virginia Democrats, I am Hampton Mayor Molly Joseph Ward and I’m writing to tell you why I’m supporting Gaylene Kanoyton for 1st Vice Chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia. Gaylene has been a … Continue reading Update: Gaylene for 1st VP of DPVA →