Opinions

20

Sep

By Dorothy Brand

Opinions

ESPN radio host says he’d never order pizza in Blacksburg. Here’s why.

Blacksburg got a mention recently on the ESPN radio network. Not for Olympic gold medalist runner Cole Hocker. Not for the 2-1 Virginia Tech Hokies football. Not for Tech’s nationally ranked women’s basketball team, which takes the court later this year under a new coach, Megan Duffy. Instead, Blacksburg got mentioned for its pizza. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a good mention. Chris Carlin, co-host of the daily “Carlin vs. Joe” show, devoted a few minutes of his Sept. 11 show to a discussion of food. The dude likes to eat, and he’s very particular about what he chows down on. He…

Read More

09

Sep

By Dorothy Brand

Opinions

Appalachian Power’s proposed rate increase threatens Southwest Virginia’s economy

On September 10th, the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) will consider a critical rate case for Appalachian Power Company that could have lasting effects on our region. As representatives of the Roanoke area, we hear regularly from constituents who are struggling under the weight of ever-increasing electric bills. Southwest Virginia residents already spend a disproportionate share of their income on energy costs. This disparity has only worsened in recent years, with Appalachian Power raising residential rates by over 46% since July 2021. Now, Appalachian Power is seeking to increase its allowable profit margin from 9.5% to 10.8%, a move that…

Read More

26

Aug

By Dorothy Brand

Opinions, Politics

Trump promises mass deportations of undocumented people. How would that work?

WASHINGTON — “Mass deportation now!” is a catchphrase for the Trump presidential campaign, as the Republican nominee proposes a crackdown on immigration that would oust thousands of undocumented people. Often citing a deportation operation enacted by former President Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s, former President Donald Trump has repeatedly vowed in campaign rallies that he plans to not only go back to the tough immigration policies of his first term in office but expand them greatly. “We’re going to have the largest deportation,” Trump said at a June campaign rally in Racine, Wisconsin. “We have no choice.” The crowd responded…

Read More

26

Aug

By Dorothy Brand

Opinions

Letter | Roxane Gilmore worked tirelessly for Virginia tourism

Roxane Gilmore, who passed away on Aug. 7, leaves a large legacy for many things, not the least of which was her support for Virginia's tourism industry. The public relations staff at the Virginia Tourism Corporation worked closely with her during her husband's years in office — from a media trip to Montreal to positioning Virginia during a London trip and to multiple cities in Germany. Never seeking publicity for herself, she kept many structured appointments in service to the commonwealth. She even worked in the heat in an archaeological dig at Jamestown. Source

Read More

26

Aug

By Dorothy Brand

Opinions

Former Gov. McAuliffe says Roanoke College poll is wrong. Here are the facts

I grew up in an era where the principal at McGaheysville Elementary School in Rockingham County kept a paddle prominently displayed on the wall in his office. I was never on the receiving end of this instrument, but the mere presence of the paddle was known to strike fear into many of us schoolchildren. I don’t remember anyone in my class suffering such punishment, but now and then we’d hear a rumor of some unfortunate lad being summoned to the office. Assume the position. Those were different days. I don’t have a paddle. Those are frowned upon nowadays. These days,…

Read More

22

Aug

By Dorothy Brand

Opinions

Wait, Can Ukraine Win the War Against Russia?

It’s been two-and-a-half years since Russia invaded Ukraine. The war has taken an unexpected turn in the past two weeks as Ukrainian troops launched a successful incursion into Russia and have now taken control of over 400 square miles in the Kursk region, which borders Ukraine in southwestern Russia. After months of gridlock in the fighting, the successful incursion could be a critical turning point in the war. “There’s certainly always a chance,” Victoria Coates said when asked if Ukraine can win the war. Coates, vice president of the Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy at The Heritage…

Read More

13

Aug

By Dorothy Brand

Opinions

Don’t let news fatigue get to you

By Dennis Lyons CNHI News Last month, I started binge-watching an old TV show some might remember called “Person of Interest.” It ran on CBS from 2011 to 2016 and told the ongoing story of an oddball, wealthy computer genius who developed a program that could predict acts of terror or violence and identify the people planning them and their potential victims. The idea, of course, was to stop the bad people from hurting the good ones. The show gave me my first introduction to Artificial Intelligence. I must admit I didn’t give AI much thought at the time. It…

Read More

09

Aug

By Dorothy Brand

Opinions

Restrictive legislation threatens investments in girls in STEM

As Cardinal News recently reported, CNBC ranks Virginia as the top state for business and 15th for technology in the United States. As a hub of tech innovation, Virginia is developing the next generation of tech professionals to compete on the global stage. During this exciting time, it is crucial to address the ongoing gender disparity in STEM and close the gender gap to strengthen our state’s tech sector. Virginia has over 330,000 tech employees, making it one of the largest tech talent pools in the United States. Yet, only 33% of tech workers in Virginia are women. As the world becomes more and more dependent…

Read More

05

Aug

By Dorothy Brand

Opinions

Virginia revenues are up, which means we should lower taxes

Last week, Virginia reported that general fund revenues exceeded forecasted revenues by $1.2 billion in FY2024. It is not unusual for actual revenues to exceed forecasted revenues in the commonwealth. In the last four years, revenues have exceeded forecast by $2.6 billion, $1.9 billion, $1.4 billion, and $1.2 billion. If not for midyear adjustments to forecasted revenues, our revenue surplus would have been over $3.0 billion in each of the last two years. We want to be conservative in developing and updating our revenue projections; we certainly don’t want to end up short. So… what is the problem? By using…

Read More

26

Jul

By Dorothy Brand

Opinions

Here’s how much Southwest Virginia has been left out of growth in the state’s economy

Ronald Reagan famously asked: Are you better off now than you were four years ago? We all know how that question worked out for him — and also for Jimmy Carter. Instead of four years, though, how about 10 years? A while back, I wrote several columns looking at some oddities in the state’s school funding formula, the Local Composite Index. Those columns looked at how an influx of new, high-income residents was skewing funding formulas for some rural counties by making it look like they’re richer than they are — and therefore, in the neutral eyes of the LCI,…

Read More