Author: Coy Barefoot

On this segment of WINA’s Charlottesville–Right Now! with Coy Barefoot, pediatrician Eric Rydland talks about children and their health, and using holistic methods to treat them. As Dr. Rydland sees it, “Holistic health involves treating a patient…with natural means, working with diet for example,” to deal with the underlying cause of a problem. He discusses the dangers of mandatory vaccinations for infants, including the possible link between mercury and autism, and causes for the rise in autism prevalence from 1 in 5000 to about 1 in 150.

And with the hyper-sanitized world we live in, what happens when we aren’t exposed to bacteria? “Our bodies have become so weak from an immune stand point, we can’t fight things off,” says Rydland. Listen to the podcast to find out more!

Dr. Rydland is also behind the children’s health brand kidsWellness. For more information about vaccines, you can visit the National Vaccine Information Center’s website.

Virginia Senator Emmett Hanger was a guest yesterday on “Charlottesville-kjRight Now!” with Coy Barefoot.

Senator Hanger spoke candidly about what he liked and didn’t like regarding the transportation plan now before the Senate. He underscored the need to compromise on some of the key facets of the plan.

Senator Hanger also talked about his bill to release public schools in the Commonwealth from some of the more onerous demands of the federal No Child Left Behind legislation. He also spoke about his firm belief in fiscal responsibility, and how he’d like to see more of that from his fellow Republicans.

Political Reporter Bob Gibson of the Charlottesville Daily Progress joins Coy Barefoot every Monday for a discussion on Virginia politics. Straight from the capitol, Gibson informs us on some new legislation moving through the General Assembly, including a plan to replace the touch-screen voting machines in Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Gibson also speaks on transportation, and limiting the impact of new development in the area.

Later on, Gibson comments on former Virginia Governor James Gilmore’s bid for the Presidency in 2008. He started off the show paying his respects to a former University of Virginia Rector, the late Hovey Dabney.

CPN recorded a recent debate on this issue sponsored by the Democratic parties in Charlottesville and Albemarle County.

Shaun Kenney, Director of Communications for the Republican Party of Virginia, and Mark Bergman, Director of Communications for the Democratic Party of Virginia, discuss the ’08 elections on this edition of Charlottesville–Right Now! Both parties are already hard at work raising funds for next year, with Virginia being “in play” for the next presidential race. Major political players will be making the trip to Virginia in the coming months, such as Senator Barack Obama for the Democratic Jefferson-Jackson Dinner this Saturday.

Kenney and Bergman also discuss an interaction between Chris Matthews of MSNBC’s Hardball and Congressman Eric Cantor of Virginia.

Steven Gould is a Senior Special Assistant to Governor Kaine, and oversees the Governor’s Fellows Program. On the February 9th edition of Charlottesville–Right Now with Coy Barefoot, Gould talks about the program, where graduating college seniors and current graduate students get a chance to work at the highest level of state government for two months in the summer in Richmond.

About 20 students will be accepted – applications are now available on their website.

Brian Bills is a senior at Charlottesville High School, and founder of its “Young Liberals” club. On the Friday, February 9th edition of Charlottesville–Right Now! with Coy Barefoot, Bills talks about the different types of political volunteering in which members of the club participate, as well as what it means to be a “liberal”. As one of the more politically active young people in the area, Bills also discusses how today’s youth think of politics and what we can do to involve them.

“When you look up ‘liberal’ in the dictionary, it means broad minded, it means tolerant, it means open to change” said Bills when asked what he thought of the word liberal. “My question is, ‘Who isn’t a liberal?’ when you really look at it?”

Jim Bacon is a political blogger, and the man behind Bacon’s Rebellion. On this segment of Charlottesville–Right Now, Bacon talks about possible changes to the gas tax, and the differences between Republican and Democratic ideas of taxing. Also on the table are “HOT Lanes” – the idea of paying extra to drive in “fast lanes” during rush hour.

Later in the program, Bacon discusses Dominion Virginia Power. With generating capacity being reached, what are the possibilities of your power bill going up? And how will implementing more environmentally friendly energy sources affect prices? Bacon answers all this and more – listen in!

Marc Fisher is a columnist and blogger for The Washington Post. He spoke with Coy Barefoot of Charlottesville–Right Now! about his new book, Something in the Air: Radio, Rock, and the Revolution That Shaped a Generation. Radio may be seen as “old school,” but what’s interesting to Fisher is how media change once they’re considered out of style. He talks about the effects that television had on radio, and he tells the stories of a few disk jockeys that pushed the envelope on radio innovation, including Hunter Hancock, Wolfman Jack, and Cousin Brucie.

Fisher takes us on a guided tour through the history of radio, from the end of live-only musical performances in the 1930s through the “payola” scandals of the ’50s and ’60s to the FM shock jocks and AM right-wing shows of today.

And what does Fisher think of the future of radioGuv,!vDjkjwith podcasts, iPods, and digital streaming now becoming so pervasive? Listen to the podcast and find out. Fisher also keeps his readers up to date on what’s going on in Washington’s radio scene.

Mark Bergman, a member of the Democratic Party of Virginia, and Shaun Kenney with the Republican Party of Virginia, regularly join Coy Barefoot on Charlottesville–Right Now! for an update on action in the General Assembly. First up in the discussion was the Transportation Compromise – should part of the budget surplus be spent on improving Virginia’s roadways? Next up, Bergman and Kenney discuss two controversial bills: HB2648, which would make abortions a felony; and HB2797, attempting to guarantee “the right to enjoyment of life” for pre-born human beings.
Both also comment on Ed Gillespie’s speech during his recent visit to the University of Virginia’s Miller Center. Some conversations Gillespie’s comments sparked dealt with financial contributions to campaigns and “Gotcha Politics” in reference to the Democratic website Assembly Access.

David Morris is a writer and former Marine, who has an essay in the Winter Edition of the Virginia Quarterly Review. On this segment of Charlottesville–Right Now! with Coy Barefoot, Morris discusses his essay and the Bush Administration’s policies regarding the war in Iraq. The article, The Big Suck: Notes from the Jarhead Underground, recounts his observations about the Marines currently serving in Iraq, gathered from spending several months with them in 2004. He delves into some of the more personal experiences Marines are going through, and tries to shed some light on how the Iraqis are reacting to American intervention.

Morris’ book on the battle of Khafji during the Gulf War, Storm on the Horizon, is in stores everywhere.

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.