Richard Handler is an Anthropologist and Associate Dean at the University of Virginia. On this January 31st edition of Charlottesville–Right Now! with Coy Barefoot, Handler stresses the importance of using anthropologists in determining foreign policies of countries.
Handler discusses how nationalism plays into the difference between cultures, and the impossibility of finding one true national culture. While other cultures thrive on their multi-linguistic nature, why do Americans feel threatened by a bi-lingual society? Find out, on Charlottesville–Right Now!
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.
Chris Graham is with the Augusta Free Press Online in Stanton. On this edition of Charlottesville–Right Now! with Coy Barefoot, Graham discusses the brand new print version of the Press: The New Dominion. The inaugural issue talks about the impact of the movie-making business on Virginia’s economy, the local influx of citizens from Latin America, and problems with Interstate 81. Formerly an online-only venture, Augusta Free Press is moving this month to reach a wider audience with their quarterly magazine, which strives to focus on the why of news stories. The New Dominion will be published every January, April, July, and October; it is available online and at various local retailers around Central Virginia.
Del. John Cosgrove represents the 78th District in the Virginia House of Delegates, which covers parts of the city of Chesapeake. He talks with Coy Barefoot on WINA’s Charlottesville–Right Now! about several proposed bills in the General Assembly that would affect the Tidewater area.Some issues discussed were HB2951, which would allow for tolls on Route 17, the use of light rail systems in the Hampton Roads area, and the legality of “Payday Lending” loans.Three bills were also rejected today which would have given open access to webcasts of House proceedings. Cosgrove gives his opinion on the issue. He also expresses hope that legislation will be approved to allow cities and counties to install cameras to catch red light-runners.
Bob Gibson of the Charlottesville Daily Progress joins Coy Barefoot each week for an update on Virginia politics. The General Assembly session is coming close to the halfway point, and this Monday’s discussion begins with a talk about cockfighting. A bill has advanced in the General Assembly to felonize the practice, which has picked up in popularity among immigrants in the state since North Carolina banned the sport last year. But Gibson says the practice has a long and storied tradition in Virginia.
This was supposed to be a General Assembly session that dealt with transportation. After an original declaration of a compromise between Republicans in the House and Senate, things are a little less clear.
“It’s still fragile, and no one knows exactly what’s going to come out,” says Bob. “They have a deadline of Thursday this week for committee action on the two bills.” At issue is how any road projects should be paid for. Taxes or debt financing? Follow the compromise on Richmond Sunlight.
There’s also an update on Sen. Creigh Deed’s anti-gerrymandering bill, which passed the Senate and now awaits action in the House. Waldo Jaquith has posted YouTube video of Deeds speaking just before passage. Coy and Bob also discuss efforts to shore up Virginia’s DNA database for criminals, and the selection process to replace Judge Peatross.
Dave McNair is an author and reporter who published an article in the Hook last week about the fountains on the downtown mall. What fountains, you may ask? That’s because the fountains have been largely ignored in recent years, and the once-beautiful structures have become invisible to pedestrians.On this January 25th segment of Charlottesville–Right Now! with Coy Barefoot, McNair talks about the privatization of the downtown mall, and what has caused the fountains to become defunct. Would they be too dangerous? Should we take the risk? Leave a comment, and let us know what you think!
Peter Norton is a historian of technology in the Department of Science, Technology and Society in the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Virginia. Norton describes his job as being able to help “engineers learn from the past of engineering, because we can learn from our mistakes, but you have to know what your mistakes were before you can learn from them.”
Norton speaks with Coy Barefoot on Charlottesville–Right Now! about his article”Street Rivals: Jaywalking and the Invention of the Motor Age Street,” recently published in the Journal of Technology and Culture. Norton discusses the transition from streets being pedestrian-oriented to becoming the domain of the motorcar, and whose interests were really being served. He is also working on a book called “Fighting Traffic.”
Senator Creigh Deeds joins Coy Barefoot on the Thursday, January 25th edition of WINA’s Charlottesville–Right Now to give an update on the General Assembly session. Coy starts off the conversation by asking about Sen. Deeds about his bill to establish a Redistricting Commission. The resolution passed the Senate earlier this week on a close vote.
“In general, the bill sets up a non-partisan redistricting commission, drawn from the New Jersey model, using the Iowa criteria which sets some pretty radical notions that people come before politics,” says Deeds. He says the bill has failed each year he’s submitted it, and he’s thankful it’s finally passed. He and Coy talk about the legislation’s chances in the Senate.
Deeds, who sits on the Senate Transportation committee, also shares his thoughts on the Republican transportation plan that is currently being picked apart. He also laments the death of all of the bills that would have raised the minimum wage, and talks about SB1131, his bill to allow Charlottesville to create a housing fund to assist low-income residents. Deeds is also the patron of the now-dead SB891, which would have provided for reduced tuition for the children of university and college faculty.
John Redick is the president of the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation, and Holly Hatcher is the organization’s director of programs. CACF was originally created forty years ago by area banks to fund projects to improve the quality of life in Charlottesville and surrounding counties. These days CACF hands out over $3 million a year in grants to area organizations. Redick and Hatcher discuss the details on WINA’s Charlottesville–Right Now with Coy Barefoot. They also give details on the BAMA Works Fund, whose funds the CACF helps manage. The deadline for the next grant cycle is February 1. Hatcher also updates listeners on the progress of the Youth Service Award.
