Governor’s Office: Winter storm emergency resources in place

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Download 511 mobile app to monitor road conditions.

Governor Terry McAuliffe announced Sunday night that Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) crews are prepared and ready for a statewide winter storm that is expected to bring significant snow fall across Virginia beginning Monday morning. Up to a foot of snow is expected in the far western region of the state and four to nine inches of snow across the rest of the state.

During the height of a statewide storm, 2,500 crew members in addition to contractors work in shifts to treat roads and remove snow.  VDOT and its contractors have nearly 12,000 pieces of equipment, including plows, trucks and motor graders for snow removal operations. VDOT started the season with over 550,000 tons of salt, sand and treated abrasives and about 565,000 gallons of calcium chloride and salt brine.

Gov. McAuliffe in hospital with broken ribs – updated

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Ouch.

I hurt at just the thought of Governor Terry McAuliffe dealing with seven — count them, seven! — broken ribs. Our prayers and thoughts go out to him as he recuperates from this horse riding accident.

Below is the official statement from the Governor’s office:

“While on vacation with his family in Africa, Governor McAuliffe was thrown from a horse, which resulted in seven broken ribs. While the injury did not impair his ability to do his job and his doctors expected the injury to heal on its own, today they identified increased fluid around his lungs that will require a procedure to remove. He is being admitted today and is expected to be back in action after 2-3 days of recovery.”

Updated: On Monday afternoon Virginia’s First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe released the following statement after doctors at the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center completed a procedure to drain fluid from Governor Terry McAuliffe’s chest cavity following an accident in which he was thrown from a horse while on vacation in Africa last month:

“My husband is resting comfortably after a successful procedure this afternoon. He and I want to thank the outstanding medical team at VCU Medical Center who just informed us that he is expected to recover well and get back to his full schedule within the next few days.

“We would also like to thank the many well-wishers from all across Virginia who expressed concern and support for Terry as he continues to recover.”

LTE: ‘Former governor did not receive a fair trial’

[Editor’s note: This letter to the editor appeared in the Progress-Index on December 31, 2014.]

As the sentencing date for former Gov. Bob McDonnell’s conviction on corruption charges approaches, one wonders “Did Gov. McDonnell receive a fair trial?” Consider:

During the Fourth of July weekend in 2013, a rumor surfaced that McDonnell was about to plead guilty and resign from office. Due to the holiday weekend, the rumor received wide publicity before it could be discredited. McDonnell’s image was severely tarnished and there were several calls for his resignation.

Ethics commission submits first report to Governor

By Lynn R. Mitchell

The Commission on Integrity and Public Confidence in State Government, headed up by former Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling and former Congressman Rick Boucher, turned in an interim report on their recommendations on ethics reforms. The report contains recommendations that will strengthen ethics oversight and enforcement, place new restrictions on gifts and loans, reduce the potential for conflicts of interests, and clarify post-public service restrictions. Governor McAuliffe will review the report and make final decisions on his legislative initiatives in the coming weeks.

Special Issue: LynnRMitchell.com writers, guests discuss Atlantic Coast Pipeline

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Today at LynnRMitchell.com, we are looking at the Atlantic Coast Pipeline issue that has stirred opinions both for and against in Augusta County and elsewhere. Posts from guest writers and regular contributors include Augusta County supervisors, citizens, information from Dominion, and an editorial cartoon.

Here is the list of articles in today’s Special Pipeline Issue:

• Atlantic Coast Pipeline: Better ways to the same end by Supervisor Tracy Pyles
• Dominion, environmentalists, and pipeline hypocrisy by Joel Salatin
• Augusta County: Too valuable and vulnerable for this pipeline? by former Supervisor Nancy Sorrells
• Dominion’s Growth – What, Why, How, and Controlling Features by Calvin Lucy
• The Dominion Pipeline Maze by Kurt Michael
• Schedule for 2015 Dominion Atlantic Coast Pipeline open houses from Dominion
• Myths & facts about Atlantic Coast Pipeline from Dominion

Previous articles on the pipeline:

• Dominion Virginia Power pipeline in Augusta County by Supervisor David Karaffa
• Augusta County residents organize against pipeline by Supervisor David Karaffa
• What if Dominion Virginia Power ran high speed internet with Atlantic Coast Pipeline? by Lynn R. Mitchell
• Governors McAuliffe, Tomblin, McCrory provide bipartisan support for Atlantic Coast Pipeline by Lynn R. Mitchell
• Business community, public officials support Atlantic Coast Pipeline by Lynn R. Mitchell
• Augusta supervisors deliver resolution asking for more info, Dominion says 75% of landowners in pipeline path agree to surveying  by Lynn R. Mitchell

Cross-posted

Dominion, environmentalists, and pipeline hypocrisy

By Joel Salatin
Owner, Polyface Farm
Guest Post

This is acute for people in our locality, but has broad applications for similar tensions around the country. Dominion (sounds ominous, no?) is a large energy development company in Virginia (Old Dominion) proposing to install a 42-inch high pressure gas line from West Virginia fracking fields down to North Carolina and out to Yorktown (a major seaport).

Business community, public officials support Atlantic Coast Pipeline

By Lynn R. Mitchell

The proposed natural gas pipeline in Augusta County just got a whole lot more important with support from Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and a public outpouring of support from the business community as well as public officials including former Augusta County-Staunton Delegate Chris Saxman (R-20th), now executive director of the Virginia Foundation for Research and Economic Education.

Governors McAuliffe, Tomblin, McCrory provide bipartisan support for Atlantic Coast Pipeline

By Lynn R. Mitchell

In a press conference Tuesday at the state capitol in Richmond, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) went against some in his own party when he enthusiastically expressed support for a proposed 550-mile long natural gas pipeline that would stretch from West Virginia through Virginia and to North Carolina. Approximately 44 miles of the pipeline will cross Augusta County.

Preview: Ed Gillespie’s new TV ad … ‘Changed’

By Lynn R. Mitchell

The newest ad from the Gillespie campaign is out and will begin airing Saturday: “Senator Mark Warner’s actions in relation to a matter under FBI investigation, and he refuses to answer questions about his role in the scandal. In what has been described as ‘raw, ugly politics,’ Senator Warner ‘dangled a lifetime appointment to the federal bench’ in an effort to help Governor Terry McAuliffe expand Obamacare in Virginia.” From the Gillespie campaign:

Remind me … what is quid pro quo?

By Lynn R. Mitchell

The Washington Post published the transcript of a potentially explosive voicemail allegedly from Governor Terry McAuliffe’s Chief of Staff Paul Reagan that was left on then-State Senator Phil Puckett’s phone before his resignation from the state senate (see Transcript: Voicemail from McAuliffe’s chief of staff).

The voicemail, published Thursday night, includes this:

If there’s something that we can do for her [Puckett’s daughter], I mean, you know, we have a couple of big agencies here that we still need agency heads. We could potentially, potentially, subject to approval of the governor and so forth, you know, the department of mines, minerals and energy could be available. … We just need you really, we need you for the rest of your term and beyond, but in the immediate future, we need you to help us get this Medicaid deal through and I think we’ve got a way to do it. So anyway, please let’s keep all this confidential.

Quid pro quo: something for something.

Of course, if this proves to be true, the first question would be, “Who provided the voice mail? And why?”

Read the entire transcript here.

Hispanic celebrations focus on community issues and Dream Act legislation

By Daniel Cortez

There remains opportunity for Virginia’s political candidates to cultivate a booming Hispanic vote this November. Amidst Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations the question is which side of the aisle wants it more?

President Obama’s delay in fulfilling campaign promises on immigration reform has Latinos politically despondent. That’s one reason democrats appear more focused on the Latin vote.

RPV Chairman Pat Mullins’ partisan retort is not helpful in search for ethics reform

By Lynn R. Mitchell

No sooner had Governor Terry McAuliffe announced a bipartisan commission on ethics reform to be headed up by former Republican Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling and former Democratic Congressman Rich Boucher than the Republican Party of Virginia’s Chairman Pat Mullins came out with a snarky response.

I’m not the only one who has grown weary of partisan politics. This was the latest childish retort from Mullins (see Ethics Reform. Terry McAuliffe. Really?):

Today’s Naturalization ceremony at Frontier Culture Museum

By Andrea Oakes

Governor Terry McAuliffe delivered remarks at today’s Naturalization Ceremony at the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia.

(Photo by Staunton City Councilwoman Andrea Oakes)

Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s statement after McDonnell verdict

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Virginia Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe responded after the verdict on Thursday for former Republican Governor Bob McDonnell:

“I am deeply saddened by the events of the trial that ended in today’s verdict, and the impact it has had on our Commonwealth’s reputation for honesty and clean government. Dorothy and I will continue to pray for the McDonnell family and for everyone who was affected by this trial.”

Gov. Terry McAuliffe supports proposed natural gas pipeline

By Lynn R. Mitchell

In a press conference Tuesday at the state capitol in Richmond, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) went against some in his own party when he enthusiastically expressed support for a proposed 550-mile long natural gas pipeline that would stretch from West Virginia through Virginia and to North Carolina. Approximately 44 miles of the pipeline will cross Augusta County.