Hitting the ‘Back Roads’ with Bob Brown and Bill Lohmann

 By Lynn R. Mitchell

 

I have been wanting a copy of "Back Roads: People, Places and Pie Around Virginia" featuring photos by Bob Brown and narrative by Bill Lohmann, both with the Richmond Times-Dispatch, so for my birthday my step-dad presented a copy with the inscription, "Happy birthday to our ultimate 'back road' traveler."

Bill Lohmann dedicated one of his RTD columns to this work of art from these two friends, writing remembrances in his comfortable story-telling style that has made him a favorite for years (see Lohmann: Bob Brown still focused on work and fun):

It doesn't amaze me so much when we're driving down a winding back road in the hinterlands of Virginia that I can't even find on a map and Bob Brown matter-of-factly says that just around the next bend, there's a terrific little diner that serves the best breakfast (and outstanding pie at lunch). Or just over that hill coming up, on the right, next to a giant oak and across from a swinging bridge, there's a pawn shop where he once found a great deal on a really old pocketknife. Bought it for $10 and later traded it for a small Harley. Or something like that.

No, what amazes me is when we walk into these places and people know him. ... Brown and I have been gallivanting around the countryside - when we can get away with it - since I arrived at The News Leader 25 years ago. I like to tell people we discovered early on that we were a good match because we shared the same ambition: to stay out of the office as much as possible.

The visual imagery of Brown and the verbal imagery of Lohmann. It doesn't get much better than that. I actually talked with Bob Brown about this book -- I believe it was when we were at the U.S. Senate debate at the Greenbriar in July 2014 -- and how much I have always enjoyed his photos from around the Commonwealth. It is a delight to now have "Back Roads" to read and linger over the words and pictures. Now if I can catch up with these two and have them sign it....

Crossposted at LynnRMitchell.com

Richmonder Phyllis Galanti ... quiet POW crusader passes away, leaves legacy

"Lonely the days and nights, my love, that we have been apart. It seems almost forever since I held you to my heart. The moments are as restless as the waves that move the sea, but every second means a step nearer, my love, to thee."

-- POW Paul Galanti's words to wife Phyllis after his release as a POW
during Vietnam War, reciting the poem he had shared with her before they were married

Phyllis Galanti burst onto the world stage when her husband, Paul Galanti, a Navy fighter pilot shot down over Hanoi in 1966, became a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. She never wanted to be in the spotlight, this quiet and unassuming lady, but in 1971, five years after her husband's capture and imprisonment at the infamous "Hanoi Hilton," she took her battle to have him released to the people of Virginia, America, and the world, and became a national celebrity.

Sometimes the quiet reluctant ones are the chosen leaders. That was Phyllis Galanti.

On Wednesday, Mrs. Galanti passed away after battling leukemia. Her death was reported by her hometown Richmond Times-Dispatch who at first didn't see that they would become a big part in helping release Paul Galanti and other POWs from a living hell.

It was the Vietnam experience of the 1960s with a war that took America's sons halfway around the world ... a time of the draft when young men were not given the option of refusing military service, protests against the war and the military were a common occurrence on college campuses, and an overall disruption and unrest in America. As the war dragged on, brave young men who fought, died, and were captured seemed to be forgotten by most on the home front.

They were not forgotten, however, by Mrs. Galanti who waited years for her husband's release and finally had enough. Moved to action, in 1971 she addressed the Virginia Senate as she announced the "Write Hanoi: Let's Bring Paul Galanti Home," campaign. POW bracelets with his name were circulated and worn by countless Americans, and letters by the hundreds of thousands were written demanding his release.

In 1980, Don Dale wrote in Style Weekly of Mrs. Galanti's challenge to the Times-Dispatch that pulled them into what became a chapter in the history of the Vietnam War:

Early on, Phyllis had walked into the Richmond Times-Dispatch's newsroom straight out of a meeting with the governor and asked if the paper was interested in doing a story. It wasn't. Phyllis asked bluntly whether fashions and furniture were more important than the POWs, and left.

A few hours later, a T-D reporter was asking for an interview and Richmond had its own, self-described "token POW wife." Richmonders got to know Phyllis well, in print, on the radio and on TV. She told us Paul's story to make us care. And it worked. More than 450,000 Richmonders sent letters in a "Write Hanoi" campaign to urge North Vietnam to release the POWs.

Paul Galanti was released from Vietnam in 1973, two years after the letter-writing campaign began, and returned home to Virginia to continue a life interrupted.

From the Paul and Phyllis Galanti Education Center, Virginia War Memorial

Almost 40 years later, Paul and Phyllis Galanti were on hand when the Paul and Phyllis Galanti Education Center opened in 2010 at the Virginia War Memorial. The memorial's site sits high on a Richmond hill overlooking the James River and houses the names of all Virginians who paid the ultimate price for freedom. (Included among the names is my uncle, Clarence Osborne of Chesterfield, killed in Europe in the closing days of World War II.) The Galanti Education Center ensures that the sacrifice and service of America's military men and women who protect our freedoms and those of others around the world will never be forgotten.

The Galanti Center remembered and shared Mrs. Galanti's role in her husband's release:

While Paul was incarcerated as a POW, his wife Phyllis became chairwoman of the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia. In this role, she tirelessly petitioned US Congressmen, Senators and President Richard Nixon for the release of all 591 POWs.

Phyllis was instrumental in creating a letter writing campaign called “Write Hanoi.” She formulated the plan, gathered the financial support, collected the letters and then personally delivered, with the help of nine others, 750,000 letters from Virginians to the North Vietnamese embassy in Stockholm in 1971.

In 1973, President Nixon said of Mrs. Galanti and other National League of Families members, “The reason that I said these are some of the bravest people America has ever produced is that they never wavered. They always said, ‘We want our men back, but we also want peace with honor for what they fought for.’ That is what they are.”

John V. Cogbill III, the former chairman of the Virginia War Memorial Educational Foundation’s board of directors, told RTD reporters Brandon Shulleeta and Ellen Robertson that Mrs. Galanti was "a hero who was soft-spoken and easygoing, yet spent much of her life fighting for those who have served in the military, as well as spreading a message about the importance of Americans serving their country and citizens taking care of those who serve."

It is a message that should never be forgotten. I was a student growing up in Richmond during those Vietnam years when it became the epicenter of the POW movement. Mrs. Galanti appeared to be all over the news to my young eyes but I didn't realize the huge significance of it all at the time. When the war ended in 1971, we rejoiced because no more young men would be sent away in the vitriolic anti-war atmosphere prevalent in America at that time. When the POWs were released, we joyfully celebrated their return, then went about our lives.

Though I've met and talked with Paul Galanti a number of times in recent years while involved in Republican politics (Talking over iced tea with living history ... former POW Paul Galanti), I never had the opportunity to meet Mrs. Galanti, and for that I'm sorry. In 1971 when women were still finding their way in a man's world, she was a shining example of what was possible through hard work, perseverance, determination, and a plain old never-give-up attitude.

For my generation, Phyllis Galanti was a role model for what women could do ... for me as a shy introverted teenager, she was a role model who proved that even the quiet warriors among us have a place in battle and, sometimes, history.

“One dedicated woman and a handful of others had more influence
on the communist world than legions of armies and diplomats.”

--Governor Mills Godwin

Mark Warner, Ed Gillespie meet at Shad Planking ... and Bob Brown catches it in classic political photo

One of the best photos taken during Wednesday's historic Shad Planking showed Democratic U.S. Senator Mark Warner laughing as he greets a laughing Republican Ed Gillespie who is seeking to boot him out of the seat, so to speak. Under the pines in Wakefield, Warner was wearing a blue long-sleeve Oxford shirt while Gillespie was dressed in a blue shirt and navy jacket. No ties on either.

The picture was captured by photographer Bob Brown who has done it again with his photography  magic. Classic. Kudos to Brown and the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The photo can be found on page B-1 of the Metro section in hard copy. The online version can be found here.

It wasn't unusual to hear that the two senate candidates kept it "clean and cordial, " according to RTD political reporter Jim Nolan who has an account of the day's activities and sightings ("Politicians walk the Shad plank").  That's what the Shad planking is all about:

In its early days the event functioned as a political Miss America pageant for the Byrd Democratic machine, where groups of white men in coats and ties would gather to look over candidates and decide the slates for local and statewide offices.

Over the years, the shad has stayed the same — cooked over a fire on wooden planks by members of the Wakefield Ruritan Club. But the event has evolved to be more inclusive and bipartisan, reflecting a diversity that has Democrats in U.Va. baseball caps sipping red Solo cups next to cigar-smoking Republicans.

“It’s much more relaxed,” said [former Governor George] Allen. “It’s not pretentious. People from all over Virginia go to it and they get together, and you can talk to people and they can look you in the eye and ask questions, and follow up questions,” he said. “It’s the way politics ought to be.”

Politics and fish and beer, and a way to remember it. Love that photo, Bob Brown....

Former AGs call for dismissal of corruption charges against Bob McDonnell

Democratic and Republican attorneys general from Virginia are calling for dismissal of corruption charges against former Governor Bob McDonnell. Reporter Olympia Meola with the Richmond Times-Dispatch wrote:

Democrats Andrew P. Miller, Mary Sue Terry and Stephen D. Rosenthal join Republicans J. Marshall Coleman and Mark L. Earley in the filing, arguing that the “expansive interpretation of federal law” on which counts 1-11 are based “is completely alien to any legal advice that any of us would have given to any governor of Virginia.”

Earlier this week the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers called for dismissal of 11 of the 14 charges, citing that federal prosecutors are overstepping in a state issue.

Bart Hinkle: 'You just can't fix stupid' ... Ohio student with pocket knife in car sent to jail for 13 days

We've heard it over and over but the incidences seem to be growing. Zero tolerance in schools has reached the point of, well, stupid. Bart Hinkle faces it head-on today in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, noting case after case of ridiculous zero-tolerance policy "violations" from honor students,  Boy Scouts, good kids, and little kids, and the narrow-mindedness of school officials who cannot differentiate between the danger in a kindergartner's pop tart gun and the real thing.

The mind, it boggles.

Don't get me wrong. I understand the need for rules about weapons, and I've discussed this with a teacher friend in the past. But zero tolerance should not mean zero common sense.

Hinkle relates case after case of intolerant adults enforcing intolerant rules for behavior that could clearly be seen as an exception to "the rule."

Like the case of high school senior Jordan Wiser of Jefferson, Ohio, "who spent 13 days in jail on a felony charge because he drove onto school property with a pocketknife in the trunk of his car."

Let's take a minute and let that sink in. Thirteen days. In jail. For a pocket knife that wasn't even in his bodily possession but locked in the trunk of his car.

That's not the worst of it. Jordan's pocket knife was in his EMT vest. That's right ... he volunteers as an Emergency Medical Technician. Now his desire to join the Army after completing school is in jeopardy.

As if that wasn't bad enough, it gets worse. A March 18, 2014, article written by Professor Jonathan Turley, a high profile lawyer who has documented extensively about zero tolerance policies and the damage they have done to law-abiding students caught up in the madness, explored the case of Jordan Wiser:

... the school officials called police after searching the trunk of a locked car to find a pocket knife used by a senior in his work as a EMT. He was then fed into a legal system that refused to show discretion in his prosecution. Notably, prosecutor Harold Specht ran for office based on a pledge that he would maintain a “hardline, zero tolerance policy” as a prosecutor. It was the perfect storm for Wiser: zero tolerance administrators handing a student over to a zero tolerance prosecutor. But it gets worse...

Wiser may now be barred from fulfilling his dream of joining the Army. School officials say that he consented to the search but Wiser insists that he declined to give consent and asked to speak to this parents or a lawyer. School officials searched the car and found the small folding knife and an airsoft gun. (The airsoft gun was legal and used in a school club). They say that they had probable cause after monitoring comments Wiser made on an online forum. They specifically referred to videos that Wiser posted on YouTube discussing home defense techniques and self-defense.

The police was called and the school moved to expel him.

He was then charged with an illegal conveyance of a weapon for the knife.

He then spent 13 days in the county jail. That’s right, 13 days.

He now must enroll in a special online program to complete his education.

What the heck kind of message is that sending to our young people? Even more, how can adults participate in such injustice with clear consciences?

The sad part of this case is that Jordan has been barred from seeing his grandfather who is dying:

To make matters even worse, the conditions of Wiser’s bond prohibit him from having contact with his grandfather at his home because of the presence of guns in the home. His grandfather is dying from cancer.

And then this:

The first judge ordered Wiser to be held on a half million-dollar bond and a psychological evaluation. He passed the exam but he was then hit with a $50,000 bond and an ankle monitor on Christmas Eve. It is important to remember that he is not charged with a conspiracy or threat against the school. The charge remains a four-inch folding knife in a vest in a trunk in a locked car in a parking lot outside of the school.

This is just one case. A quick Google search finds dozens of others. Now, however, there are indications that some are beginning to push back against the zero tolerance policy. Sadly, it's too late for students caught up in this failed attempt to make schools safer, the kids who have been suspended, expelled, and in the case of Jordan -- jailed.

Bart Hinkle concluded, "No good deed goes unpunished. And -- as comedian Ron White likes to say -- you can't fix stupid."

Indeed.

Bill Bolling: 'Compromise ... elevate policy above politics'

By Bill Bolling
Richmond Times-Dispatch

Everyone saw it coming.

When the 2014 session of the Virginia General Assembly convened Jan. 8, everyone knew that the key debate would be over Medicaid expansion or coverage expansion, as proponents now prefer to call it.

Unfortunately, although everyone saw it coming, no one was able to avoid what everyone feared — another impasse that leaves the state without a budget agreement at the close of the annual legislative session.

At this point, there are two questions that matter: (1) Why did this impasse occur, and (2) What can be done to forge a compromise between the governor and the state Senate, who favor expansion, and the House of Delegates, which opposes expansion?

While it is easy to try and blame one party or another for the impasse, the reality is that this is a difficult issue to resolve because no one is necessarily right or wrong in the positions they have taken.

When Gov. McAuliffe and Senate leaders say they believe the business case for expansion has been made, they are right.

Over the next 10 years, Virginia families and businesses will pay about $26 billion in higher taxes and fees to finance the Affordable Care Act. Literally, the only way that we can get a portion of this money returned to Virginia is through the expansion of Medicaid. That is a compelling argument for expansion.

In addition, some studies have estimated that a full Medicaid expansion could provide as many as 400,000 Virginians, most of whom are working full-time, with health insurance and access to health care, coverage they do not currently have. That is a noble goal.

On the other hand, when Republicans in the House of Delegates express concern regarding the federal government’s ability to fund the Affordable Care Act over time, they are also right. Experts have estimated that the Affordable Care Act could cost the federal government $151 billion when fully enacted. At a time when our country already faces a national debt of $18.2 trillion, and an annual budget deficit of $514 billion, everyone should be concerned about the federal government’s ability to support another costly entitlement program.

And, if the federal government decides that it cannot afford to continue paying its share of the cost of Medicaid expansion, it could pass a larger portion of these costs on to state governments. Should this happen, it would be very difficult for the commonwealth to continue to pay for the cost of Medicaid expansion and continue to fund its other important priorities at the same time.

These are also legitimate concerns.

While it is tempting to criticize both sides for the impasse that has occurred to date, in reality both sides have set forth positions that are eminently justifiable. No one is necessarily right or wrong in the positions they have taken, and their respective positions should be respected and considered.

So, the question becomes: Where do we go from here? Two options remain.

First, the parties can continue to stand firm on their respective positions and refuse to negotiate or compromise. This is the wrong course and it will ultimately prolong the impasse and bring us closer to the possibility of a government shutdown.

While this type of high-stakes political brinksmanship may excite the most ideologically driven voices in both parties, it would clearly not be in the best interests of the commonwealth. Now is the time for the voices of reason to rise above the voices of unreason.

The second course is more preferable, but it will require the parties to recognize the legitimacy of the positions taken by their adversaries and try to find common ground — common ground that would enable us to reach an agreement on the issue of Medicaid expansion and pass a budget that addresses the other important priorities of state government.

Having spent 18 years in state government, I am confident that there is a way to resolve this dispute that enables us to move forward with some form of coverage expansion under acceptable terms and conditions that recognizes legitimate concerns regarding affordability and the need for continuing Medicaid reforms.

Those who know anything about the successful operation of government know that compromise is an indispensible part of a working democracy. With it, differences can be respected and bridged. Without it, ideology trumps practicality and government simply does not work.

The question is, are our elected officials willing to provide the leadership that is necessary to forge such a compromise against a political backdrop that too often considers compromise a sign of political weakness?

Or put differently, are our elected officials willing to elevate policy above politics, and keep their focus on the next generation, as opposed to the next election? The people of Virginia are watching closely to see which course they choose.

Bill Bolling is chairman of the Virginia Mainstream Project, a political action committee dedicated to promoting a mainstream approach to government and politics in Virginia. He is the former lieutenant governor of Virginia and a former member of the Virginia state Senate. Contact him at www.billbolling.com.

Eric Cantor's Young Guns of the GOP ride into Richmond: 2014 breakfast draws 1,700 to annual event

Congressman and House  Majority Leader Eric Cantor at Tuesday's annual breakfast where he hosted 1,700 attendees in an exhibition hall at the Richmond Center. The popular breakfast, a who's who of Virginia Republicans and the third largest Republican event in the Commonwealth, has grown in size over the years and will no longer fit in the ballrooms. The only two events larger are the Republican Convention and Eric Cantor's annual Republican Roundup held each fall in Henrico.

Congressman Cantor was joined by another of the GOP's Young Guns, Congressman Paul Ryan, who brought his conservative ideas to breakfast. The Congressional Young Guns -- Cantor, Ryan, and Kevin McCarthy -- came together in 2000 to help recruit and pull in new candidates and people to bring in fresh ideas. Those candidates believed in a small federal government, economic freedom, encouraging small business without additional government oversight, individual freedom -- supporting Americans as they pursue and build their dreams -- with common sense solutions to America's problems. Campaigning and working hard, 62 of their Young Gun recruits won seats in the House, flipping it to a Republican majority.

Congressman Paul Ryan, Chairman of the House Budget Committee, joked, "The 2012 election didn't go quite as we planned," to laughter from the crowd. He went on to say that Republicans cannot just be the party of "no" ... they have to be the party of new ideas and ways to implement those ideas. Republicans, he said, need to show they belong in leadership. He noted that, while Obamacare is not the answer to the nation's health woes, the GOP has an alternative that would prove to be more affordable. In a nod to the Commonwealth, Ryan said, "A Virginian gave us the Declaration of Independence ... that has made us the most free society on earth."

Ryan was complimentary of Cantor. "Eric Cantor is more than just your Congressman," he said. "He's a conservative who knows how to lead. It's easy to be a sayer ... it's harder to be a do-er. He's a do-er who can actually move our country forward. Eric Cantor is an effective conservative. He's such an effective conservative that 233 people in congress unanimously reelected him to be Majority Leader in Congress. We know his principles. He's smart and can get things done." Quite an endorsement from a fellow congressman, and quite a compliment for Virginia.

Linwood Cobb, Chairman of the 7th Congressional District, opened the event, welcomed everyone, and introduced his friend, Congressman Cantor. Linwood, one of the most successful Republican Congressional District chairmen in Virginia, is running for re-election at the 7th District Convention on May 10, 2014. I would urge those in the 7th to become a delegate to support Linwood who is a proven fund raiser, organizer, and works extremely hard for the Republican Party. He does what many cannot -- he has candidates who WIN.

Delegate Barbara Comstock, candidate for the 10th Congressional District, offered the invocation.

Linwood with former Lieutenant Governor John Hager.

Andrew Vehorn and Jim Hoeft

Jason Kenney

The Virginia College Republicans were there including Kelly Myers and Matt Wertman. There was also a large group of students from Henrico's Deep Run High School.

Jason and Jim hard at work.

Plates of hearty breakfast foods were wheeled out while waiting for Eric Cantor and Paul Ryan to speak.

Aaron Gulbransen of Cigar Association of Virginia fame.

Ed Gillespie was surrounded by enthusiastic supporters after festivities wrapped up. Mr. Gillespie is running for the Republican nomination to take on U.S. Senator Mark Warner in November.

Delegate Comstock was also surrounded as she greeted those in the crowd after breakfast.

Mike Thomas, Linwood, former Lt. Governor John Hager (Milas granddad!).

Linwood, Judi Lynch, John Hager, and friends.

Jon Comer, chairman of the Page County Republicans.

There were many familiar faces including Kristi Way, Judi Lynch, Mike Wade, Melissa Nelson, Marie Quinn, and a number of elected officials in town for the 2014 General Assembly session. More than 80 businesses sponsored tables including some of the most recognizable names in Richmond and the Commonwealth. Media was represented as well as bloggers Jason Kenney, Jim Hoeft, Flint Engleman, and myself.

More coverage can be found at:
- Lynn R. Mitchell: The Young Guns of the GOP
- Richmond Times-Dispatch: GOP must do more than oppose
- Bearing Drift: Cantor calls for Va to resist Obamacare expansion

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
February 25, 2014

Flashback: Brookins' Times-Dispatch Virginia winter cartoon

 

Brookins cartoon on my refrigerator circa 2009-10 from the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Upside-down weather is not new to Virginia.

A Capitol run-in with Jeff Schapiro

Bow-tied, bespeckled, long-time political reporter Jeff Schapiro with the Richmond Times-Dispatch was hurrying toward the senate chamber Friday when we passed in the Virginia Capitol hallway. He good-naturedly -- with a crack or two joking that it was delaying him -- paused long enough for a photo. I don't always agree with his political opinion but make it a point not to miss his column. Much appreciation for him humoring me and always being willing to pose for my camera....

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell
Virginia State Capitiol
January 10, 2014

Keep your powder dry, Bill Bolling

 Lieutenant Governor Bill and Jean Ann Bolling in Staunton -- August 2013.

He's been lieutenant governor of the Commonwealth for the past eight years, and served in the State Senate for ten years before that. Bill Bolling has been a dedicated servant to the people of Virginia and, in another ten days, he will step out of the spotlight. For a little while. As the old saying goes, keep your powder dry, Lieutenant Governor.

Reporter Jim Nolen with the Richmond Times-Dispatch did a nice profile article about the LG, catching up with him on the banks of the Rose River where he was enjoying one of his favorite pastimes -- fly fishing. Taking in the solace that many of us find in the Old Dominion, his joy of the outdoors was reflected in what Nolen wrote:

Within five minutes, and without any fanfare, Bolling reels in two impressive rainbow trout. He admires each of them for a moment, before gently unhooking them and returning them to the cold water.

“It’s become my getaway spot — a place that I can go and get away from everything,” Bolling said of the Rose River, in Madison County below Old Rag Mountain. “The time I spend there is therapeutic. It helps me clear my head, and the trout never talk back or disagree with me!”

After the past two years of turmoil in state politics that saw Bolling squeezed out by a Republican Party that left him, not the other way around, this LG has earned some time off. Hopefully, it won't be for long since his conservative leadership is needed now more than ever after every statewide office has flipped to the Democrats, as noted by reporter Shawn Day at the Virginian Pilot.

Through the mud-slinging, accusations, and betrayals, Bolling's humor has stayed intact even if at times it has frayed a bit. The down-to-earth LG whose values match those of most conservatives believes in governing in a more pragmatic, reach-across-the-aisle manner than that of the flame throwers. The November elections proved one thing: people didn't necessarily want a flame thrower in the Top Spot. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Bolling continues to hold the respect of business leaders and grassroots supporters throughout the Commonwealth which again leads to these four words of advice: Keep your powder dry.

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell
August 2013

Toffee Bars for Christmas

 Toffee Cookie Bars

This morning another tray of Christmas yumminess went into the oven, a new recipe that came from the Richmond Times-Dispatch's resident baker Clare Osdene Schapiro (whose husband happens to be the RTD's political writer Jeff Schapiro).

When I read Clare's recent column, The Joy of Cookies, there were several cookie recipes including this one for Toffee Bars that looked like good additions for our cookie baking day. Each year we try to incorporate a new recipe into our tried-and-true traditionals so today it was Toffee Bars.

I doubled the recipe for this bar cookie so it fit into my largest cookie sheet. When we baked Forgotten Cookies yesterday that called for two egg whites (doubled recipe), it left two lonely little egg yolks in the refrigerator which were perfect because I doubled this recipe. It was simple and tonight the bars have been cut and stored in containers.

If you're looking for something that isn't quite as sweet as other holiday offerings, this may be it. Enjoy!

Toffee Bars

Light, crisp and chocolaty -- makes 30 bars

½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1 egg yolk

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup shelled pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan.

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolk and mix well. Sift in flour, mixing well, and then the vanilla. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes.

Cover the cake layer with the chocolate chips and return to the oven for 3 or 4 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and spread the melted chocolate evenly. Sprinkle with the nuts and gently press them into the chocolate with the back of a fork. Cool completely in the pan before cutting them into bars.

-- Adapted from “The Silver Palate Cookbook”

by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins

Grayson County Fraser firs decorate Busch Gardens Christmas Town, grace Vice President Biden's home

I'm a little prejudiced about Grayson County since it's where my grandparents grew up and where lots of relatives still live but I think the Fraser firs grown in that part of Virginia are the most gorgeous Christmas trees around. Where once cows grazed in rocky meadows on mountain slopes, now rows and rows of Frasers grow in the cool temperatures of this southwestern area of the Commonwealth.

Journalist Bill Lohmann has taken a look at Grayson's Fraser fir Christmas tree industry in today's Richmond Times-Dispatch, a business that took root in the 1970s and has grown into an economic boom:

The steep and rocky mountains of Grayson County are some of the tallest, most spectacular in Virginia, wonderful for hiking and sightseeing but less than ideal for farming — unless you are growing Christmas trees.

One whiff of a Fraser and you'll be hooked.

Mr. Lohmann talked with one of the pioneers of Fraser farming in Grayson, Rodney Richardson, owner of Mount Rogers Christmas Tree Farm, who has some well-known clients. This year he sent several hundred trees to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg for their Christmas Town display, and another tree is going to Vice President Joe Biden's residence.

Good article. I could almost smell the heavenly scent of Frasier firs while reading it....

Va Senator Creigh Deeds stabbed, in critical condition; son dead -- UPDATED

In a heartbreaking turn of events, news is breaking all over social media that Virginia State Senator Creigh Deeds was stabbed this morning and his son is dead from a gunshot wound at their home.

From the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath, is in critical condition after being stabbed in his home and his son Gus is dead from a gunshot wound, law enforcement sources told the Richmond Times-Dispatch this morning.

Deeds is being treated at the University of Virginia Medical Center.

Reporter Julie Carey has reported on Twitter:

#VA State Police say after stabbing his father, St. Sen. Deeds' son killed himself in Bath County. Deeds listed in serious condition 2/2
— Julie Carey (@JulieCareyNBC) November 19, 2013

Creigh Deeds is a long-time representative for citizens in western Virginia and at one time was delegate for western Augusta County before the 20th House District was added in 2001.

In 2005 Deeds ran for attorney generation as the Democratic candidate against Republican Bob McDonnell in a contest that ended in a recount. McDonnell won with just over 300 votes.

Four years later Deeds again ran against McDonnell for governor. McDonnell won in a landslide and swept the top three.

Prayers go to Senator Deeds and his family at this tragic time.

3:30 p.m. Richmond Times-Dispatch has an updated article about the tragedy.

Holiday season brings new cookie recipes

Cookies are synonymous with the holiday season, and the Richmond Times-Dispatch's resident chef Clare Schapiro has some recipes sure to make you smile in her Wednesday column, The Joy of Cookies.

My family has a cookie baking tradition that has involved aunts, moms, grandmoms, and the children, and has continued through the generations. We have the tried-and-true, well-loved recipes, and each year we try to incorporate at least one newbie. (Photos from 2011 cookie baking weekend.)

Clare provided some yummy-sounding recipes, especially the Toffee Bars and Mocha Cookies, that have been set aside for this year's baking weekend. (Recipes are here.) Laugh, be creative, and celebrate family along with the season. Let cookie baking season begin. Fa-la-la-la-la!

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell

No gubernatorial endorsements from Times-Dispatch, Daily Progress, News & Advance, Roanoke Times ... Bill Bolling write-in suggested by two

"This marks, we believe, the first time in modern Virginia that The Times-Dispatch has not endorsed a gubernatorial nominee." -- Richmond Times-Dispatch (October 20, 2013)

In an editorial that laid it on the line, the Richmond Times-Dispatch refused to endorse Democrat, Republican, or Libertarian for Virginia's 2013 gubernatorial race. That news ricocheted around the internet as citizens woke on a Sunday morning, met with raised eyebrows and mild surprise from some while others nodded in solemn agreement.

This has, indeed, been an odd election year in Virginia.

The Times-Dispatch notes many of the issues in question and the final results are the same: they are not comfortable endorsing. Indeed, they note:

In the past, The Times-Dispatch has endorsed candidates with varying degrees of enthusiasm. We find it impossible to endorse any of the 2013 candidates with even minimal zeal.

Elections make voters complicit in the government they receive. If we would not urge a family member to vote this way or that, then we have no business recommending Cuccinelli, McAuliffe or Sarvis to our readers.

Interestingly, the Charlottesville Daily Progress, finding itself in the same boat, endorsed Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling as a write-in candidate, noting, "Do the write thing. Put Bill Bolling’s name on your ballot on Nov. 5. Virginia needs him."

UPDATE October 28, 2013: Another newspaper has refused to endorse in the 2013 gubernatorial election. On Sunday, the Lynchburg News & Advance wrote, "Put simply, not one of the three candidates for governor of Virginia deserves the office or has made a strong case that he is the best candidate. Not one of them, neither Democrat Terry McAuliffe, Republican Ken Cuccinelli nor Libertarian Robert Sarvis." And more. Be sure to read it.

UPDATE October 31, 2013: A third major Virginia newspaper has refused to endorse in the 2013 gubernatorial election. Is this unprecedented? The Roanoke Times editorial on Thursday noted, "... an endorsement carries with it the credibility of this institution. When a candidate who receives our support visits ridicule or even shame on the commonwealth, we share in that disgrace."

Then in a stunning reminder of the Charlottesville Daily Progress' endorsement of Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling as a write-in candidate, the Roanoke Times added, "Those who cannot in good conscience vote for the official candidates should consider writing in Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling."

With five days left until election day, 2013 continues to be one of the oddest, perhaps the oddest, in my memory....

Richmond Times-Dispatch's non-endorsement for Virginia governor 2013 - UPDATED

"This marks, we believe, the first time in modern Virginia that The Times-Dispatch has not endorsed a gubernatorial nominee." -- Richmond Times-Dispatch (October 20, 2013)

In an editorial that laid it on the line, the Richmond Times-Dispatch refused to endorse Democrat, Republican, or Libertarian for Virginia's 2013 gubernatorial race. That news ricocheted around the internet as citizens woke on a Sunday morning, met with raised eyebrows and mild surprise from some while others nodded in solemn agreement.

This has, indeed, been an odd election year in Virginia.

The Times-Dispatch notes many of the issues in question and the final results are the same: they are not comfortable endorsing. Indeed, they note:

In the past, The Times-Dispatch has endorsed candidates with varying degrees of enthusiasm. We find it impossible to endorse any of the 2013 candidates with even minimal zeal.

Elections make voters complicit in the government they receive. If we would not urge a family member to vote this way or that, then we have no business recommending Cuccinelli, McAuliffe or Sarvis to our readers.

Interestingly, the Charlottesville Daily Progress, finding itself in the same boat, endorsed Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling as a write-in candidate, noting, "Do the write thing. Put Bill Bolling’s name on your ballot on Nov. 5. Virginia needs him."

UPDATE October 28, 2013: Another newspaper refused to endorse in the 2013 gubernatorial election. On Sunday, the Lynchburg News & Advance wrote, "Put simply, not one of the three candidates for governor of Virginia deserves the office or has made a strong case that he is the best candidate. Not one of them, neither Democrat Terry McAuliffe, Republican Ken Cuccinelli nor Libertarian Robert Sarvis." And more.

UPDATE October 31, 2013: A third major Virginia newspaper has refused to endorse in the 2013 gubernatorial election. Is this unprecedented? The Roanoke Times editorial on Thursday noted, "... an endorsement carries with it the credibility of this institution. When a candidate who receives our support visits ridicule or even shame on the commonwealth, we share in that disgrace."

Then in a stunning reminder of the Charlottesville Daily Progress' endorsement of Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling as a write-in candidate, the Roanoke Times added, "Those who cannot in good conscience vote for the official candidates should consider writing in Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling."

With five days left until election day, 2013 continues to be one of the oddest in my memory....

AP uses sledge hammer on reporter Bob Lewis - UPDATED

The news heard 'round the internet on Monday was long-time Richmond-based reporter Bob Lewis' firing by the Associated Press. Social media lit up as supporters from all sides of the political aisle expressed shock that his earlier suspension had turned into a pink slip as he was booted out the AP door.

The entire episode began two weeks earlier, as reported by Andrew Cain with the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

AP erroneously reported the evening of Oct. 9 that documents in a federal fraud case in Rhode Island alleged that McAuliffe “lied to a federal official” investigating Joseph Caramadre, a Rhode Island estate planner who is accused of defrauding terminally ill people.

In a bulletin that night killing the story about 90 minutes after it was first posted, AP said “the indictment did not identify McAuliffe as the ‘T.M.’ who allegedly lied to investigators.”

To hear the AP retract a story sent a shiver throughout the news world. To have the questioned article be authored by Bob Lewis was even more stunning after his 28 years with the AP.

It certainly has caused a stir in Virginia's political atmosphere. From the RTD:

Lewis and Potter “have always been fair, tough and smart. Virginians deserve dedicated reporters like them,” Gov. Bob McDonnell tweeted.

Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling tweeted: “Sorry to see the AP fire Bob Lewis. Bob is one of the most respected reporters in Richmond. We all make mistakes. Bob did not deserve this.”

Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., tweeted: “AP’s Bob Lewis has been a fixture at the Va Capitol and his reporting will be missed by Virginians. Best wishes at a tough moment, Bob.”

Sen. Timothy M. Kaine, D-Va. tweeted: “Big loss for Virginia. @APBobLewis is an even-handed, talented reporter & a class act.”

As many question whether Lewis' firing was overreaction by AP, former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore took to Facebook to advocate on Lewis' behalf Monday, writing, "I add my voice calling for the AP to reinstate Bob Lewis and Dena Potter. Bob Lewis is 'Mr. AP.' They made a mistake but corrected it immediately. What if they fired every reporter who made a mistake? I got a list."

Wherever he goes, Bob Lewis will have a built-in audience of those who have followed -- and respected -- his work for years. Count me as one of them.

Update:  The reaction from Lowell at Blue Virginia and the Richmond Democrat, er, The Richmonder, confirms that reactions to Bob Lewis' firing are bipartisan even among bloggers, a good reflection of a good reporter.

Update #2: The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that a third person has been fired by the AP even as the News Media Guild has filed grievances on behalf of Lewis and his colleagues.

2013 voters won't let go of Bolling

There it was again in Saturday's Richmond Times-Dispatch ... another letter to the editor urging voters to write in Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling for Governor. At a time when you would expect the write-in talk to die down, it isn't. Tonight yet another person told me they were writing in the LG. It's something I hear on a regular basis.

On August 29, a letter writer to the RTD wrote:

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has no one to blame for his lackluster polling numbers but himself. When he became greedy and unceremoniously pushed Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling out the front door, he immediately lost the moderate support.

If Cuccinelli had run again for attorney general or lieutenant governor supporting Bolling (with his moderate force) for governor, polling data would probably be very different. If the current trend continues, it is likely that Virginia will have a second-rate governor with little or no elective or governing experience.

Joseph Childress. Palmyra.

Saturday's letter writer responded:

I agree 100 percent with letter-writer Joseph Childress (“Cuccinelli has only himself to blame”). Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli did push Bill Bolling out the front door, as Childress wrote.

I know Bolling is not seeking a write-in, but I shall write his name in on Election Day, and I hope whoever reads this will agree and do the same.

Bolling is a fine politician, a Virginia gentleman and a true friend.

Grace T. Seat. South Boston.

There's a quiet defiance rolling through Virginia. Will it grow as Election Day approaches?

Governor McDonnell tends injured Times-Dispatch reporter

Governor Bob McDonnell with injured Times-Dispatch reporter Rex Springston.

Photo by Mark Gormus with the Richmond Times-Dispatch

When Richmond Times-Dispatch reporter Rex Springston passed out while covering a boat tour with Governor Bob McDonnell on Thursday, one of the first people to spring into action was the Governor himself.

Springston, the newspapers environment reporter who was covering McDonnell's tour of an oyster shucking facility in the Northern Neck, had earlier lost his footing and fallen. He had broken his arm in the fall but didn't realize it at the time.

Reporter John Hoke picks it up from there:

The tour included a boat ride to a nearby oyster ground. Springston said that when he jumped into the boat, he stumbled and reached out with his left arm to catch himself.

“He landed kind of funny,” said Todd P. Haymore, Virginia secretary of agriculture. “The governor caught him.”

Even though his arm was hurting, Springston carried on with his interview of McDonnell. It was while reviewing those notes that he fainted and crumpled onto the floor of the boat and, when he came to, the Governor was leaning over and tending to him until EMTs arrived to take him to Rappahannock Hospital where the broken arm was discovered and treated.

Springston said the governor called him at home Wednesday evening to see how he was doing.

“I’m just glad Rex is doing alright,” McDonnell said in an email. “That was a frightening moment for everyone. It did give me a chance to use some of my old Army medical skills, but I think we both would have preferred to not have had that opportunity.”

It's nice to see a human interest story and a break from the negativity. Here's wishing a speedy recovery to Mr. Springston.

Cross-posted at Virginia Politics On Demand

Richmond: More than 20,000 fans turn out for Redskins Fan Appreciation Day

Practice has begun here at the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center, and crowds are still lined up all the way to DMV Drive, waiting to enter the facility.

More than 20,000 fans have entered already today, though many have turned around and headed right back out after seeing the conditions. Mud and fertilizer has created a pungent smell in the main viewing area, and security guards have been overmatched against the throngs trying to enter and leave at the same time.

So writes Michael Phillips in Saturday's Richmond Times-Dispatch. Sounds to me like Richmonders are really enjoying having the Redskins in town. Fan favorite RGIII has been a hit:

During the practice portion, quarterback Robert Griffin III was once again the focal point, and he hit his first four passes during 7-on-7 play.

Perhaps the enthusiastic outpouring of support will help temper the criticism surrounding the move to Richmond. Perhaps. Meanwhile, Style Weekly lightens up the atmosphere with a humorous list of eight ways to spot a Redskins Training Camp tourist.

I checked out the Redskins' Facebook page and found photos, links to press conferences, rallies and gatherings at local restaurants, and more. Seems like a win-win for Richmond and the fans.

Cross-posted at Virginia Politics On Demand