New citizen applauds RPV Republican primary decision

Naturalization ceremony held at Mt. Vernon on July 4, 2015.

By Daniel P. Cortez

Jessica Hatchley of Fredricksburg proudly became a citizen last week during 4th of July ceremonies at Mt. Vernon. And as one the nation’s newest voters she can’t wait to vote for the next president during the Virginia primary scheduled for next March.

That was the contentious issue recently in Staunton, where the tea party wing of Virginia’s Republican Party attempted to force a convention and discriminate against their family.  That’s what it would have been.

Originally from Kaiserslautern, Germany, she met her Marine husband Robert, now stationed at Quantico, online.  They married and have a 13-month-old son, Robert Hatchley III.  They consider themselves independent voters.

As nonparty members they would have been excluded from voting for their candidate for president at a republican convention.  Not because he is in the military, but because only party members would be allowed to vote.  As a fellow independent voter who may lean conservative, I call that intense discrimination promoting exclusion.

Fortunately, a primary was recently chosen by 42-39 vote in Staunton by republican members of the state central committee.  Eric Herr, chairman of the First Congressional District Committee, and Steve Albertson, chairman of Stafford’s Republican Committee, both spoke in support of a convention.

Season 2 of AMC’s ‘Turn’ returns to film in Virginia

The first season of AMC’s “Turn,” filmed in Virginia, was a success so now the second season will continue with filming in central Virginia. Governor Terry McAuliffe’s office wrote:

Governor Terry McAuliffe announced today that the AMC television series TURN will be returning to Virginia to film its second season.  Based on Alexander Rose’s book Washington’s Spies, TURN is a historical thriller set during the Revolutionary War that recounts the story of America’s first spy ring.  TURN features Abraham Woodhull (Jamie Bell), a farmer living in British-occupied Long Island who, along with his childhood friends, is part of a group of spies called the Culper Ring.  This unlikely team of secret agents works with George Washington during the War for Independence, and in the process, creates espionage techniques still in use today.  Season 2 picks up the story of Woodhull and his compatriots as they work to balance their ordinary lives and pursuits with the extraordinary circumstances in which they find themselves.

Natural Bridge: Virginia’s newest state park once ranked as natural wonder of New World

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Natural Bridge. Once owned by Thomas Jefferson , it’s located right here in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and is now a state park. Political reporter Bob Stuart has details about the official dedication that took place Monday with Governor Terry McAuliffe and other officials.

Reporter Annys Shin wrote in the Washington Post: