Commentary
Virginia’s high court passes on chance to stand up to Dominion for conflicts of interest on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline
Many Virginia leaders seem to have the notion that if our environment is being polluted and ordinary people are having their land destroyed, that must be good for business. And as a corollary, if a business wants to pollute the environment and destroy private land, that must be good for Virginia. So maybe it shouldn’t […]
Trust me, I’m a reporter
Years ago, I worked at an afternoon newspaper called The Richmond News Leader. It was a great place to work, populated by reporters and editors who ground it out every day, against the odds, hitting very tight deadlines. As the police reporter, I started my workday at 6 a.m. and my first deadline was, as […]
With pipeline projects halted, there’s a golden chance for the state to require more review. Northam doesn’t seem likely to take it.
Since before he took office in January, opponents of the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines, including a list of lawmakers and officials from his own party, have begged and cajoled Gov. Ralph Northam to get tougher on the contentious natural gas projects. Work on both pipelines is now at least temporarily stalled amid court […]
What is it about Lee anyway?
One of the more entertaining exchanges I ever heard concerning Robert E. Lee went like this. It was after a public hearing attended largely by African-Americans and largely ignored by white people. ‘”The white folks didn’t come down because they knew the fix was in, and they didn’t have to come down,” said Official A. […]
On the heels of its big legislative win, what kind of grid does Dominion want to build for us?
Imagine that you have hired a builder to design and build you a three-story house. He brings you the plans for the first floor and proposes to start work right away. “These look okay,” you say, “but I need to see the plans for the whole house.” “Don’t you worry about that,” says the builder. […]
In Buckingham’s Union Hill, a center of resistance for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, Dominion brings in a ringer
BUCKINGHAM — The sermon came from Ezekiel 33:7. “I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me,” the verse reads. And, from the pulpit at Union Hill Baptist Church during a Sunday service last month, Pastor Paul Wilson was fully […]
THE RIGHT TO KNOW: Just because you’re allowed to, doesn’t mean you have to
Most local governments and school districts in Virginia have a top administrator responsible for day-to-day management. Whether the job is called a manager, administrator, superintendent or something else, candidates are hired by the governing board and charged with both implementing and informing the board’s policies. The positions are extremely important and can be quite powerful, […]
Give thanks for President Trump
Raise your hand if you ever talked about the emoluments clause in our Constitution until about 18 months ago. Most Americans never heard of it before Donald Trump became president. Many Americans, in fact, knew nothing at all about the Constitution beyond the Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights, though they generally ignored that […]
Northam’s energy plan: A blueprint for action or destined for dusty shelf?
Forget “all of the above.” Under Gov. Ralph Northam, Virginia’s next Energy Plan will emphasize the features of a clean energy future: solar and wind, energy efficiency, electric vehicles, energy storage and offshore wind. This marks a welcome departure from previous state energy plans, though whether the end result serves as a blueprint for action […]
Are we up to reforming our civil system to help poor litigants?
Lately, we have all been horrified by the spectacle of toddlers and other children, separated from their parents at our southern border, appearing in court alone to face deportation. While our collective distaste is justified, the truth is that people of modest means, like these asylum seekers, have been shuffled through our court system unrepresented […]
Remember officials, when they’re about public business, your texts are public records
Thirty years ago, John Q. Public Servant had a report he had to produce for his boss, the county manager. He was tired and his kid was sick, so he left work a bit early to work on it at home. He sat down at the kitchen table after grabbing one of his kid’s leftover […]
Meet the Mercury: A new look at the Virginia Way
You’ve heard of the “Virginia Way.” For those inclined to consider it a cherished asset of the Old Dominion, the term conjures a tradition of restrained, courtly statesmanship and of high-minded legislating that puts principle over party and personality. At its best, they would argue, that approach to governing and lawmaking can produce breakthroughs […]