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Christmas list represents the changes we all encounter
Aunt Louise holds a special place of honor on my Christmas card list this year. She’s the last living aunt or uncle, for that matter — following the deaths of several family elders since the start of 2023. Aunt Lou is the Washington football franchise’s biggest fan, and the 96-year-old has the Commanders’ paraphernalia and […]
Polio’s horror is a distant memory; we should keep it that way
I remember, when I was maybe just 5 years old, chewing a sugar cube to ward off a horrible, deadly disease. My father was with me in the long line some 60 years ago as we fought polio, an affliction that killed people or left them paralyzed. Polio was — and to a small extent, […]
Vaccines protect your children and others, too
Parents in Virginia who don’t vaccinate their young children, a percentage that’s grown over the past decade, are making a risky bet with their kids’ health – and maybe even their lives. It’s a dangerous trend, perhaps attributable to the bleats of vaccine deniers who elevate misinformation, emotion and quackery over science. Some adults may […]
Localities, state rake in casino revenues, but they can’t be sole economic strategy
Joyce Jackson was eager to get inside the sprawling Rivers Casino Portsmouth on a recent weekday. Nor was she reticent to express her opinion about the full-scale gaming center that opened early last year. It’s one of five casinos that’s already operating or being planned across the commonwealth. “I love it!” said Jackson, 76, who […]
Trump hopes journalists, a last line of defense, will cower in the face of his threats
Donald Trump, the once-and-future president, holds special animus for people who dare question his statements and actions. At a rally just before Election Day, he placed journalists in the cross-hairs, at least figuratively. Trump told rallygoers in Pennsylvania it wouldn’t bother him if someone shot the reporters there covering the event. He had mentioned an […]
Virginia seniors, don’t let Medicare con artists siphon your wallets
Welcome, autumn: Leaves change color and flutter to the ground. Daylight hours shorten. Scam artists also descend like locusts upon unsuspecting seniors who are changing coverage options during Medicare open enrollment, which runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. The only difference from the insects? Pesky scammers strike every year, with nary a respite. Medicare […]
New law puts Virginians more in control over costly subscriptions
It’s so simple – and soooo seductive – to sign up for offers touting cheap “teaser” rates. You know what I mean: Just $10 for a gym membership for three months. Or a free trial period from retail-order conglomerates. Online news websites are fond of introductory fees of, say, $1 for six months. The problem […]
Secrecy over officers’ names, pay keeps Virginians in the dark
Virginia’s feckless Freedom of Information Act – so riddled with exemptions and other shortcomings that transparency experts say it’s subpar compared to other states – has suffered another loss. Recently, a Chesterfield County judge sided with that locality’s police department in refusing a citizen’s request to reveal the names and salaries of hundreds of its […]
In sop to ex-president, Youngkin panders about nonexistent voting by noncitizens
When it comes to hyping phantom voter fraud – most recently by noncitizens reputedly casting ballots in presidential contests, which is already illegal – Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin keeps playing lapdog to Donald Trump. The former president’s lies about the subject have earned tacit support from Youngkin and other Republican officials in the run-up to […]
Locking up homeless people is a callous response to long-running problem
Charlottesville city officials say they have no plans to roust homeless individuals from the well-known Downtown Mall pedestrian area, despite complaints from some business owners that the latter’s presence affects the “safety” and “cleanliness” of the area and they should be rounded up. “It’s a super complex issue,” city spokeswoman Afton Schneider told me. “It’s […]
Mississippi ruling reflects Virginia’s history of felon voter disenfranchisement
Republican officials in Virginia and nationwide – recognizing the ongoing shift in racial demographics across America – surely would overhaul their messaging, I reasoned, to become more welcoming toward African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans and others. The GOP would favor increasing voter registration totals, I thought. It would work diligently to persuade more folks to […]
New rite of the season, unfortunately, includes uptick in COVID-19 cases
Summertime in Virginia: Temps are sweltering and show no sign of abating. Children are out of school and bored. Various fruits and vegetables are ripe for the picking, even in this hellish heat. And cases of COVID-19, the scourge of our nation and the planet, tick up around the commonwealth. It’s become a rite of […]