Month: February 2007

Charlottesville Daily Progress political reporter Bob Gibson sets the scene for the “game of chicken” being played in Richmond between the two houses of the General Assembly. With Crossover Day fast approaching, legislators have only one day left to act on bills that originate in their own houses.

“Today and tomorrow are two of the longest days in the legislative year,” says Bob during his weekly visit to WINA’s Charlottesville–Right Now. “As of this morning they had more than 1,100 bills that they had not disposed of in the house of origin. By tomorrow night, those bills have to be over in the other house.”

Legislation to be discussed on Tuesday includes the slavery resolution, a tightening of the state’s rules on collection of criminals’ DNA, and of course, what to do about funding new transportation projects.

Coy also asks Bob about his recent article on how we select nominations for circuit judges in Virginia. The legislature will have the final say on who will fill the judgeship on the Albemarle County Circuit Court. The topic has been fiercely discussed on cvillenews.com.

Today we have stories about a murder trial in Charlottesville, a fugitive nabbed in Richmond, another embezzlement in the Catholic Diocese, and new fuel for tourism at the area’s three presidentidential homes. Take a listen by clicking the arrow below, downloading the mp3, or subscribing in iTunes.

Continue reading “Feb 5. Headlines: Murder trial in Charlottesville, sludge protest, Richmond nabs criminal”

Spocko is a blogger from San Fransisco who was appalled at what he was hearing on the radio station KSFO, owned by ABC. The station had been broadcasting what Spocko described as “violent rhetoric,” and Spocko persuaded several advertisers to pull their support of the station. His blog was later served with a “cease and disist” order from ABC. On this clip of Charlottesville–Right Now! with Coy Barefoot, Spocko explains his experiences with KSFO and what the Electronic Frontier Foundation has done to help him deal with the legal side of the controversy.

Later on, Jamison Foser of Media Matters for America joins the discussion. Foser explains how anyone can call attention to this type of speech on the radio – both to management and to the advertisers who pay for it.

Senator Ken Stolle of Virginia Beach is Coy Barefoot’s guest on the February 2nd edition of WINA’s Charlottesville–Right Now. This week the Senate Finance Committee advanced its version of a plan to pay for transportation projects. Stolle says it is unfortunate that the compromise bill has killed, but he’s confident there may be a chance at a resolution.

“The good news is that three weeks in the General Assembly session is an eternity,” says Stolle. He explains some of the legislative maneuvering that can yet take place to return to compromise.

Delegate Steve Landes (R-25) joins Coy Barefoot on the February 1st edition of WINA’s Charlottesville–Right Now to discuss what’s happening in the General Assembly. Coy applauds Landes for introducing HR45, which would have required the House to set up a pilot program to podcast the chamber’s proceedings. Unfortunately, the bill did not make it out of committee. Landes himself was a journalism major at Virginia Commonwealth University Landes also talks about efforts to reformulate the No Child Left Behind Act. He patroned HB2542, which would ask the federal government to exempt Virginia from certain provisions of the accountability and standards. “Nobody disagrees with high standards and accountability,” says Landes. “But states are the ones that should determine that, and not have the federal government sent an arbitrary standard.” Here’s the bill summary: No Child Left Behind. Requires the Board of Education to request a waiver from those provisions of NCLB that are not an integral part of the Commonwealth’s existing educational accountability system as set forth in the Standards of Quality, Standards of Learning, and Standards of Accreditation. If a waiver is not received, the bill directs the Commonwealth to withdraw from NCLB and directs the Board of Education and Office of the Attorney General of Virginia to bring suit against the United States Department of Education if federal funds are inappropriately withheld as a result of the withdrawal.

Delegate David Toscano joins Coy Barefoot on the February 1st edition of WINA’s Charlottesville–Right Now to discuss the transportation plan in the General Assembly. The House and Senate are divided over how to pay for new road construction. A majority in the House wants to pay for new projects by raising bonds, while the Senate plan relies on tax increases.

“We’re setting up for a logjam,” says Toscano. He’s concerned that the Senate plan also calls for pulling money out of the general fund to pay for roads.

Toscano also gives updates on the minimum wage hike. The Senate unanimously passed Senator Chuck Colgan’s bill to raise the wage to $6.50, but its fate in the House is less than certain. Coy also asks Toscano to weigh in on the problems of legislating during an election year.

In this episode, Ken White speaks with Regina Gilgan, executive producer of CNBC’s Mad Money with Jim Cramer. Gilgan will discuss working with Cramer, coming to Darden, and what the Feb. 7 broadcast will be like.

Every weekday we produce a two-minute summary of the daily headlines from around Central Virginia, with the goal of keeping you informed of whatGuv,!v,,us going on. ItGuv,!v,,us an old-fashioned radio newscast, here on the Charlottesville Podcasting Network. You can listen by clicking the arrow below, downloading the mp3, or subscribing in iTunes.

Slavery resolution rewritten (Charlottesville Daily Progress)

Region’s homeless count increases (Richmond Times Dispatch)

Concord man sentenced for child porn possession (Lynchburg News-Advance)

Body of missing Chesterfield man found (Richmond Times Dispatch)

Goode says he would go to Muslim gathering (Richmond Times Dispatch)