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THE TOP STORY: Look, ma, no phone INSIDE ... AG candidates spar over debate challenge By Chris Graham/AFP Richmond attorney Steve Baril on Thursday challenged Republican Party attorney-general nomination opponent Bob McDonnell to a series of political debates across the Commonwealth in advance of the June 14 GOP primary - a challenge that McDonnell's campaign responded to by accusing Baril of "grandstanding." "This letter is nothing more than grandstanding by a struggling campaign ..." IN FOCUS: The people have spoken By Chris Graham/AFP Staunton City Council moved a step closer Thursday to endorsing a series of changes to the city code that would give sweeping powers of discretion over fiscal matters to the city finance office. City treasurer Elnora Hazlett, meanwhile, moved a step closer to taking possible legal action to block the move that some are saying would violate the state code and the city's charter. NOTES FROM THE PRESS: State, national politics notebook By Chris Graham/AFP A bill that would have subjected those who wear their pants in such a way as to expose their underwear to a $50 civil penalty failed to make it out of a Senate committee on Thursday. The Senate Committee for Courts and Justice voted 14-0 to kill the measure that had been introduced by Norfolk Dem. Del. Algie Howell. Howell's measure had passed the House of Delegates .... EYE ON THE VALLEY: Cline I-81 package endorsed by House  By Chris Graham/AFP A series of measures introduced by Del. Ben Cline, R-Rockbridge, aimed at making Interstate 81 safer has picked up the endorsement of the Virginia House of Delegates. The House approved Cline's proposed amendment to the 2004-2006 state budget to provide $110,000 in overtime pay for state troopers patrolling I-81 to allow the Virginia State Police to beef up enforcement efforts. EYE ON VIRGINIA: The Virginia GOP's Nader By Chris Graham/AFP So it seems that the excitement on the Republican Party side of the 2005 Virginia gubernatorial race is over and done with. Warrenton mayor George Fitch has made his candidacy for the GOP nomination official. Former governor Jim Gilmore, meanwhile, has announced that he will endorse nomination-race frontrunner Jerry Kilgore, ending speculation that he was preparing to jump into the fray. ROCKINGHAM BEAT: From the WSVA newsroom ... By Karl Magenhofer Local growth behind state average Free clinic seeking money Sale of Shenandoah Electronic official WINNING AT WORKING: What is experience, anyway? By Nan S. Russell I learned in first grade that one plus one equals two. But that's not the right equation when counting work experience. We often think we're building experience to help us get ahead. In reality, we're passing time. Ten years working like a cloned Bill Murray in "Groundhog Day" is not 10 years worth of experience. STOP THE PRESSES: Pick a winner By Chris Graham/AFP It used to be a big deal to me, being able to enter journalism contests. And I've won my fair share, don't get me wrong. Alas ... They don't give out awards to writers who work outside the mainstream. "Actually, kiddo, your problem isn't that you work outside the mainstream. It's the lack of ink in the stream that you're in," said my lawyer and agent, Harvey D. Shyster III, Esquire. OBITUARIES: Feb. 11, 2005 Dewey Clemmons Morris, 78
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Guest Views The Augusta Free Press
Crying budget? I find the whole subject with the Federal Bureau of Prisons closing four of their camps to be amazing, especially since they are crying budget. They are closing FPC Eglin, FPC Nellis, FPC Seymour Johnson and FPC Allentown. It is incredible. For instance, if their budget is so bad, why then are they building new prisons on every corner like gas stations? In September 2004, they opened a brand-new facility in Yazoo, Miss.; Bennettsville, S.C.; Williamsburg, S.C.; Forrest City, Ariz., Hazleton, W.Va.; and others. Further, when requested to produce a listing of new facilities opened in 2004 and those under construction to be opened in 2005, they refused to respond. They also have privately run facilities that they could close and put these people in their own facilities thereby saving funds. Those privately run facilities are located in Big Spring, Texas; California City, N.M.; Cibola County, N.M.; Dalby, Texas; Eden, Texas; Eloy, Ariz.; McRae, Ga.; Reeves, Texas; Rivers, N.C.; and Taft, Calif. Not to mention they made money off of these camps and these inmates. Who are they really trying to convince here? - Judy Freyermuth, Riverdale, Ga. (Editor's Note: Ms. Freyermuth is the executive director of the Federal Prison Policy Project.)
Mattis and Patton A senior U.S. Marine Corps general, Lt. Gen. James Mattis, who led troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, said last week, "Actually it's quite fun to fight 'em, you know. It's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right up front with you, I like brawling". Military officials said afterward that he should have chosen his words more carefully, but (to the chagrin of the liberal national press) he will not be disciplined. Many veterans would agree that the general was simply expressing the views of other battle-worn fighters such as Gen. George S. Patton who said, "No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country". - Armond Simmons, Pell City, Ala.
Church and state What devout Christian fights for lower taxes? Churches already don't pay taxes. People pay taxes to a government that is separate from the church. What devout Christian wants less government regulation? If the government doesn't regulate corporations, who will? Capitalism was not Jesus' message; Jesus lived with His disciples and shared everything with them. That sounds almost communist, if anything. What does nationalism have to do with Christianity? Jesus was not a fascist. What devout Christian wants his church to be run with federal funds? Apparantly there a quite a few organizations that care more about money than ministry. What would Jesus say about that? Please, re-read the parts of the Bible where Jesus confronts the money changers. - H. Van Ryzin, Waterford
The views expressed by op-ed writers do not necessarily reflect those of management of The Augusta Free Press.
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