Stop the presses

The Charlottesville Daily Progress announced six more layoffs, four in the newsroom. Just across the mountain in Waynesboro, the News Virginian (already a pretty small operation) is laying off one. And a few more miles to the west, a rumor became fact when the News Leader announced it is shutting down its 40 year old Staunton press and will outsource printing to the Daily News-Record in Harrisonburg. The News Leader will cut eight full-time and 15 part-time jobs. Publisher Roger Watson says readers won't see much difference, only the printing will no longer be done in Staunton.

Editor David Fritz noted this is part of a nationwide trend hitting smaller newspapers as well as the large ones. Fritz said he didn't expect the News Leader to stop the print edition all together, but noted,

"I can't tell you the last time I've been thoroughly surprised by something I read in print. It's always a case where I heard about it earlier on the internet or on broadcast. Print has not been the medium for breaking news for quite a long time now."

My prediction - within several years, even if the economy improves, the Central Valley will lose at least one print newspaper (maybe a merger) or the papers will rely on their online edition with perhaps a weekly print compilation of local news with a large advertising section. The challenge will be to actually make money with an online edition - yes, that is much cheaper than running the presses, but will people actually pay for something they are now getting for free?

A bit of irony - newspapers' online editions are getting better and better, have interactive discussions, are more timely in reporting breaking news. Newspapers are helping to write their own obituary for the print edition - as more people get news online, fewer subscribe for the print edition and fewer advertisers buy space. Death by success?

As with most societal and economic changes, the ongoing demise of print newspapers has both good and bad consequences.

• Will newspaper boxes disappear along rural roads? Hardly seems economic or environmentally friendly to have someone driving all the back roads to drop off a skinny newspaper every morning.
• Will I have to use my own paper and ink to print vendors coupons? Will coupons even survive without a Sunday paper?
• What will I start the wood stove with? Just crumple up the laptop!
• Will we have to change laws about legal notices for public hearings? How about hiring a town crier to stand on the courthouse steps?

I grew up in a town with both a morning and an evening paper. Then the evening news on TV killed the evening newspaper. We survived that transition. Now, the internet and 24/7 news on TV is threatening to kill all but the strongest print editions of the daily paper. We'll survive this one, too.

Well, back to the newspaper... I mean laptop. Oh Hell, I'll just grab another cup of coffee and sit in the sun pondering how the loss of another print newspaper may affect my life. Or won't?

Jailbirds

Senator Jim Webb of Virginia has introduced a bill to set up a bipartisan blue ribbon commission to study, evaluate, and make recommendations for reforming America's criminal justice system, The National Criminal Justice Act of 2009. In his floor speech introducing the bill, Senator Webb said

"America's criminal justice system has deteriorated to the point that it is a national disgrace. With five percent of the world's population, our country houses twenty-five percent of the world's prison population. Incarcerated drug offenders have soared 1200% since 1980. And four times as many mentally ill people are in prisons than in mental health hospitals. Our neighborhoods are at risk from gang violence, including transnational gang violence. We should be devoting precious law enforcement capabilities toward making our communities safer.

There is great appreciation from most in this country that we are doing something drastically wrong. And I am committed to getting this legislation passed and enacted into law this year."

Senator Arlen Spector (R-PA) is the principal Republican cosponsor. Senator Webb will be hitting the media this weekend to discuss the need for a top to bottom review and overhaul of our criminal justice system. He will be on NPR's All Things Considered at 5:00 pm on Sunday and authored Parade's cover story, "What's Wrong With Our Prisons?"

Or, maybe we should ask, what's right with our prisons?

Full text and fact sheet on The National Criminal Justice Act of 2009.

Governor vetoes bad bills

Governor Tim Kaine's office announced the vetoes of several bills in which CCC has passed through the grist mill and rejected as spoiled grain. Among the vetoes:

Senator Emmett Hanger's SB 1035 would have allowed concealed weapons in restaurants and bars serving alcohol. The governor noted that this bill would put employees and patrons of these establishments at risk and that many in the law enforcement community opposed it. He also vetoed SB 877 that would have allowed retired law enforcement to carry concealed weapons in restaurants and bars selling alcohol. The governor found no compelling reason for retired officers to do so.

The governor also vetoed SB 1069, HB 2358, SB 961, HB 2638 and SB 1409, all of which expand the capital murder statute to increase the number of offenders who would be eligible for capital punishment. The governor noted that Virginia is already second in the nation (behind Texas) in the number of executions. The most controversial, SB 961/HB 2358 patroned by Senator Mark Obenshain and Delegate Todd Gilbert, would have redefined the triggerman rule so principals in the second degree and accessories before the fact could be charged as principals in certain first degree cases. 

The General Assembly reconvenes on April 8 to consider the governor's vetoes and amendments. Contact your legislator and urge him/her to sustain the governor's vetoes of these bad bills.

No pecking in the Valley grist?

The Democratic gubernatorial candidates have agreed to a series of five debates, but not one is in the Shenandoah Valley or even very close to the 6th District.

The campaigns of Creigh Deeds, Brian Moran, and Terry McAuliffe announced yesterday that the candidates will debate five times around the Commonwealth - April 19 in Williamsburg, April 23 in Hampton, April 28 in Danville, April 29 in Blacksburg, and May 19 in Annandale. Details and formats of the debates are still being debated. They've also agree to several joint appearances - again, none in the Valley.

Nearly a dozen local Democratic committees in the Shenandoah Valley, led by Rockingham and Harrisonburg, had been working for a couple months to bring the candidates to a forum/debate at JMU. Apparently they've been stiffed. A quick glance at the locations shows the first two debates only about 20 miles apart while voters in big regions of the state, including the Shenandoah Valley and central Virginia, are left to read about it in the newspaper.

It is interesting that areas in which Senator Creigh Deeds is best known, the Valley and Charlottesville, will not host a debate. Could it be the Moran and McAuliffe campaigns were a bit chicken about giving Creigh the podium in front of a friendly home crowd? Cluck!

The primary is June 9. There is plenty of opportunity within the schedule and time before the primary for the campaigns to agree to a couple more debates in other areas of the state. Lots of Democrats hope they will do it!

Assessing reassessments II

Pastures Supervisor Tracy Pyles says it is time for the battle over reassessments to end and for the county to move on to the budget and other matters. He also told the News Leader that he does not support Francis Chester's threatened lawsuit or the recall petition.

The wounds from this battle will be raw for a while, but I have no doubt the BOS can rebuild a working relationship that puts the residents of the county first. There will be challenges enough in finalizing a budget that features a cut in the real estate tax rate from 58¢ to 48¢ per hundred dollars of value (basically revenue neutral), layoffs, and cuts in services.

While the memories of the reassessment are still fresh, the board and residents should resolve to work for changes in the way the state required reassessments are conducted. Some may be achieved locally while others may need authorization or help from Richmond. A starter list:

• Reassessments should be done every two years to improve timeliness and accuracy while reducing sticker shock.
• Reassessments should be done in-house by a independent office shielded as much as possible from political pressures. The Commonwealth should pass legislation and funding to assist with technology, training, and legal safeguards.
• Legislation should be passed to place the burden on the assessor to justify large increases (say over 8 or 10% annualized) rather than being on the landowner to show why the increase is unjustified.

Sometimes our biggest disagreements can result in the best positive steps forward. Hopefully, that will be the case this time.

GOP birds flock to open seat

The number of Republicans jumping into the fray for the 17th House of Delegates district is growing. You'll recall incumbent William Fralin surprised his party by deciding to step down. The GOP flock now includes:

• Josh Johnson, 29, a Roanoke lawyer
• Melvin Williams, 36, a Roanoke lawyer
• Mike Wray, 59, a Roanoke County supervisor
• Chris Head, 46, a Botetourt County businessman
• Bill Cleaveland, a Botetourt County lawyer

The only announced Democrat is Gwen Mason, 49, a Roanoke City councilwoman.

Both parties will nominate candidates at the June 9 primary. More in The Roanoke Times.

Petition race

Terry McAuliffe became the first Democratic gubernatorial candidate to file petitions for the June 9 primary. He filed 17,243 signatures with the State Board of Elections yesterday. Jody Wagner filed 17,858 signatures for lieutenant governor. It is a bit of "race" to file first - which should earn McAuliffe and Wagner top spots on the ballot and a bit of publicity this week.

To qualify for the ballot, candidates have to secure at least 10,000 valid signatures of registered voters with at least 400 in each of the state's 11 congressional districts. Some observers think the top spot on the ballot is worth one-half to one percent in the vote - something I personally discount for the top of the ticket with three well known candidates. It may be more valuable to Wagner in the lieutenant governor contest where candidates are not nearly so well known to primary voters.

Later in the day, Brian Moran submitted 16,928 signatures. Creigh Deeds is expected to submit petitions in the next week. Wagner and Jon Bowerbank have been in the lieutenant governor race the longest, giving them an advantage over late entries Pat Edmonson and Michael Signer in the tedious signature gathering process. While both should have their petition drives finished by April 10, it is possible one will not make the deadline. Why am I thinking of  Emmett Hanger?