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Gulf States Curtail Online Dissent
DUBAI—Some Persian Gulf monarchies have been shutting down critics who use social media to spread their views, in response to rising dissent unleashed by the region's Arab Spring rebellions.
The monarchies have grown more sensitive to social-media critiques over the past year, after activists used Twitter, Facebook FB -0.61 % and YouTube to organize protests that toppled leaders in Tunisia and Egypt in 2011.
On Sunday, Kuwait's criminal court handed down a five-year prison sentence to a Twitter user convicted of defaming the ruling prince, the monarchy's ninth conviction of someone for tweets this year. Others are awaiting trial in Kuwait on charges of insulting the emir, Sabah al Ahmed al Sabah, on Twitter, according to lawyer Mohammed al Humidi, director of the Kuwait Society for Human Rights.
His client Ayyad al Harbi was sentenced on Jan. 7 to two years in prison for insulting the prince in a tweet. In February, five Twitter users were acquitted on similar charges.
Prosecutions of social-media users have increased in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar, monarchies that have weathered the Arab Spring with relatively little unrest. "Governments everywhere in the region are becoming more sensitive and less tolerant to things being said on Twitter and social media," said Abdulkhaleq Abdullah, a professor of political science at Emirates University in Dubai.
Governments in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates introduced new cyber laws late last year that call for lengthy prison terms for those who insult their rulers. A U.A.E. official said such regulations "help control slander and defamation incidents, among other cybercrimes."
The official said other countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council should work on introducing cyber laws to "deter those using foul language and those who spread falsified information from using social-media outlets." Kuwait, which has no cyber law, applies the existing penal code to cyber-related crimes.
"The Gulf governments appear interested in stability over any genuine political change," said Matt Duffy, a media researcher and adjunct professor of journalism at Georgia State University who has taught in the U.A.E. and has criticized press restrictions in the region.
Most Gulf monarchies survived relatively unscathed after the outbreak of Arab Spring protests. Only one, Bahrain, was driven to deploy a large-scale show of force to put an end to large protests, inviting troops from neighboring Gulf monarchies to back up its own security forces.
As Arab Spring rebellions swelled in 2011, the six GCC states—the U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman—introduced hundreds of billions of dollars in social programs to try to defuse economic discontent. But the Gulf monarchies remain concerned about how social media has been used to spread dissent, activists said.
There are nearly one million active Twitter users in the Persian Gulf states, according to the Dubai School of Government. Some 82% of people in Qatar and 69% in the U.A.E. use Facebook, according to media-analysis firm Socialbakers, compared with levels just above 50% in the U.S. and the U.K.
Some offending tweets are crude, some subtle; monarchs need not always be named. Among the tweets that brought Rashid al Enizi of Kuwait a two-year prison sentence in January was one that said: "The coward has run away after issuing an order."
The verdict noted that the tweet came after Sheik Sabah issued a decree limiting parliament's powers and then left the country on vacation. Kuwait's Justice and Information ministers weren't available to comment; Kuwait's information ministry, in a statement at the end of February, denied accusations by critics that it had launched an online campaign to discredit dissenting tweets.
In Qatar, poet Mohammed ibn al Dheeb al Ajami drew attention after posting on YouTube a recording of himself reading a poem praising the Tunisian revolution and criticizing autocratic Arab rulers. "We are all Tunisia in the face of the oppressing elite," the poem read.
A court sentenced Mr. Ajami to life in prison in November on charges of insulting the country's ruler and inciting the overthrow of the ruling family. In late February, Qatar's court of appeal reduced his sentence to 15 years.
In Oman, there was a recent reversal: After dozens of Omani nationals were sentenced in 2012 to prison terms of six months to a year for allegedly defaming the country's sultan, the monarch, Qaboos bin Said al Said, issued a royal pardon late last month for all activists, netizens and human-rights activists who had been convicted of defaming him, in some instances via social media outlets including Twitter and Facebook.
But with more activists being prosecuted and sentenced, international and local nongovernment organizations have complained of what they say are human-rights breaches.
Those include lengthy detentions without trial and the imprisonment of activists based on interpretations of activists' intentions in brief social-media messages.
"The arrest of people simply because they expressed their viewpoint is…against the basic human right of expressing one-self, which is protected by the international law," said Nadim Houry, Human Rights Watch deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa region.
—Rory Jones and Ellen Knickmeyer contributed to this article.
Write to Leila Hatoum at firstname.lastname@example.com


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In a month packed with cards in MMA, UFC on Versus 4 is able to put together a great card to broadcast live on television.
The card features the first bout at welterweight for former top middleweight contender, Nate Marquardt, who will be stepping in to face Rick Story. Story is taking the bout on short notice and is facing Marquardt just a month after he was able to take a decision victory from Thiago Alves.
The card also features two heavyweight bouts, Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry and Matt Mitrione vs. Christian Morecraft.
On top of the two heavyweight bouts, the card also features another welterweight showdown between Martin Kampmann, and John Howard.
Here are my predictions for UFC on Versus 4.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Related Program: Local News Hour Water Is Tricky Business In Park City By Lynn Ware Peek • Jul 30, 2013 Related Program: Local News Hour ShareTwitter Facebook Google+ Email Originally aired July 3, 2013. Park City's Annual Consumer Confidence Report on Water has shown up in mailboxes of city residents and it tells the story of a complicated water system. Lynn Ware Peek has more. Tags: waterwater issueConsumer Confidence ReportPark CityView the discussion thread.


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Submitted News Electronic textbook bill moves to House of Delegates
As we pass the mid-point of this General Assembly session, many bills are moving.
After a 30-minute debate, the Senate approved my bill prohibiting the use of electronic textbooks in public schools without a plan to provide school broadband and digital devices to every student required to use an electronic textbook.
Virginia's constitution requires that every child receive a free textbook. On the floor, I argued that without home computers, electronic textbooks create a two-tiered education system for the haves and the have-nots. Senators Adam Ebbin and George Barker joined me in stressing that even Northern Virginia's schools have significant low-income student populations who face disadvantages in the classroom without their own devices. The bill now moves to the House of Delegates.
Also, the Senate passed, 39 to 1 my legislation to reverse recent anti-sunshine Virginia Supreme Court rulings. Last year, the Court held that if one sentence of a government document is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the government can withhold an entire document instead of simply redacting the sentence. My legislation requires disclosure to the public of the text of the document that is not redacted.
Additionally, the Court held that government officials' decisions to withhold documents are entitled to "great weight." My legislation requires judges reviewing FOIA responses to look at government officials' decisions in an unbiased manner. The House of Delegates passed identical legislation 99-0 and it will be on the Governor's desk by the end of the week.
Around 100 people attended our town hall meetings this weekend in the Mount Vernon and Lee areas of Fairfax County. The number one concern raised was public school funding. Governor Terry McAuliffe's proposed budget has $54 million in new funding for Prince William County and $15 million for Stafford County. The House and Senate budgets come out this weekend and will likely include additional funds.
We also heard concerns about Potomac River oil spills and coal ash pollution, skyrocketing college tuition, protecting women's reproductive rights and strengthening mental health services. People voiced support for driver's licenses for undocumented Virginians and anger about voting restrictions.
This week, we will debate the state budget. To share your view, please email me at firstname.lastname@example.com.
It is an honor to serve as your state senator.
Submitted News Without bill, pressure builds to raise real estate taxes to fund transit
The fifth week of the General Assembly Session brought some long days and nights as we rushed to complete work on bills before our mid-session deadline called "Crossover."
First the Senate passed legislation to plug a hole in the Northern Virginia 2.1% regional gas tax that is used to fund transit. This legislation was the top priority for Fairfax, Prince William and Stafford Counties. It now goes on to an uncertain future in the House of Delegates, but without the legislation, localities will be under even more pressure to raise real estate taxes if we expect to maintain the same level of transit service.
Eleven of my bills have passed the full Senate with two more still waiting for final passage. One bill involved improving the fairness of protective order proceedings and another ensured that Virginians can enforce subpoenae in civil and criminal cases in Virginia due to a recent Supreme Court of Virginia opinion.
My legislation to help close the Digital Divide moved through committee this week. Today's children learn digitally and digital literacy is a key job skill in a modern workforce. However, low income families often cannot afford devices or broadband connections.
After I learned Fairfax County was using electronic textbooks and failing to provide computers for low income families to use them at home, I introduced legislation to require any school using electronic textbooks to provide a digital device to every student. The legislation was vetted and approved by the Joint Commission on Technology and Science but was tabled in the House. Last week, the Senate Education, Health and Welfare Committee passed the bill on a 14-1 vote.
The proliferation of companies providing background checks for people has led to an increase in dissemination of inaccurate information. This severely limits Virginians' opportunities, especially in employment and housing. My legislation to create a Virginia-based cause of action to remedy these situations and hold companies accountable for putting out inaccurate information passed the Senate.
Several of my law firm clients and lawyers in Northern Virginia have told me that some orthopedic practices are refusing to see individuals who have suffered injuries in vehicle collisions – even if they have insurance. My bill to require insurance companies to contractually prohibit doctors from refusing patients based on how they were injured was continued to 2017 so we can convene meetings between insurance companies, doctors, and other stakeholders to mediate a resolution.
If you have any feedback, please send me a note at firstname.lastname@example.com. It is an honor to serve as your state senator.
Submitted News Coal ash bill fails, other bills move forward
Submitted News Despite gun deal, legislation still incomplete
The third week of the General Assembly saw a major agreement emerge on firearm violence issues, and action on several of my bills.
Bills Moving Through
Three of my bills passed the full Senate this week. My resolution ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) passed on a bipartisan 21-19 vote. ERA remains five states short of ratification. The Senate also passed my bill to give consumers a remedy when consumer finance companies fail to include language protecting consumers in their agreements, and prohibiting local governments from requiring homeowners or condo association approval before granting a permit or license.
As trains, buses, bicycles and walking become more popular, many states have enacted "vulnerable user" laws – making it easier to convict vehicle drivers of a serious traffic offense when collisions occur with vulnerable users who are seriously injured. My legislation will be studied this summer.
My legislation to require the State Board of Education to redesign 11th Grade English examinations for English language learners passed subcommittee. This will result in a fairer tests for students. This will also result in a more accurate accreditation analysis for schools with large language learner populations such as many schools in the Route 1 Corridor.
Firearm Deal
On Friday, Governor McAuliffe announced an agreement with conservative legislators about firearms. Last month, Attorney General Mark Herring announced that he was revoking agreements to recognize out of state concealed weapon permits (CWP) in Virginia due to other state laws lacking the same protections we use in Virginia. The National Rifle Association reached out and offered to support prohibiting firearm possession by individuals subject to protective orders and requiring State Police presence at all gun shows to conduct voluntary background checks for firearms sellers without federal firearms licenses.
In return, the Governor agreed to sign legislation providing universal reciprocity for weapon permits between Virginia and other states. While the agreement provides that reciprocity will not apply to Virginians whose permits have been revoked in Virginia, it is still incomplete. If enacted, a Virginians who cannot obtain a permit in Virginia after a conviction for stalking, drunk driving, or inpatient mental health or substance abuse treatment will be able to obtain a Utah permit and legally carry a concealed gun, switchblade, machete, nun chuck, or throwing stars it in Virginia.
While I would like to see reciprocity for Virginia permit holders, our Virginians' firearms safety rules should be up to the Virginia legislature and not delegated to the legislatures of states like Utah, Idaho or Alaska. The agreement is not acceptable to me and I will not support the compromise without tighter firearm violence protections.
This week will be busy – I have over a dozen bills up this week. Please complete my constituent survey at www.scottsurovell.org and email me at email@example.com if you have any feedback.
It is an honor to serve as your state senator.
News Lingamfelter asks Governor to delay revoking gun permits
A Republican state legislator is urging Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe to delay the revocation of reciprocal agreements Virginia has with 25 states on whether to honor their concealed handgun carry permits.
Del. L. Scott Lingamfelter of Woodbridge made the request in a letter this week to McAuliffe.
"Given the fact that the State Police has told me that they have no records of any out-of-state individual with a concealed carry permit committing crimes in Virginia, I think a few months' delay hardly represents a threat to our citizens," Lingamfelter said.
His letter comes a month after Attorney General Mark Herring announced that beginning Feb. 1, Virginia would no longer recognize concealed handgun permits from 25 states, including North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky. (more…)
Submitted News Metro extension, guns issues on Surovell's docket
Last week, the 2016 General Assembly gaveled into action and I became your State Senator for Virginia's 36thDistrict.
New Committees
The Rules Committee assigned me to three committees. (1) The Local Government Committee considers legislation addressing land use, zoning and local government. (2) The Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee has jurisdiction over the safety net programs, prisons, alcoholic beverage regulation and childcare. (3) The General Laws and Technology Committee examines bills affecting homeowners associations, gambling, professional occupation regulation, procurement and the Freedom of Information Act. Each of these has jurisdiction over issues critical to the quality of life in our area.
Blue Line Extension and Multimodal Transportation
Interstate 95 is one of the most congested commuter corridors in the United States. In light of the congestion and the need for more high-quality development and employment, the Prince William County Board of Supervisors endorsed the concept of studying the extension of Metro's Blue Line from Springfield through Lorton, Woodbridge and Potomac Mills to Quantico. I have introduced legislation to direct the Department of Rail and Public Transit to conduct a multimodal study for this and U.S. 1 south of the Occoquan so we can plan for the next 25 years.
As our highways become more clogged and as bike lanes and pedestrian facilities are incorporated into our infrastructure, it is important to encourage drivers to respect other users. Many states have enacted "vulnerable rider" laws to create heightened penalties for drivers who seriously injure pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchair users and others while distracted. I have introduced a bill to create a Class 1 misdemeanor for injuring a vulnerable user while distracted.
Homeowners' Rights
Over the last two years, I have helped to push back on the growing power of homeowners' and condominium owners' associations (HOA's). Some Northern Virginia localities improperly require property owners to show HOA approval before they issue a building permits. I have introduced legislation to make clear this is prohibited.
Helping Our Hispanic Community
In August, 2014, I hosted a Hispanic Town Hall in Hybla Valley. The number one issue raised was difficulty in obtaining a driver's license or government identification. Therefore, I have introduced legislation to allow people to obtain a temporary license if they can establish that they have been living in Virginia for one year and have either filed a Virginia tax return or been claimed as a dependent on another Virginian's tax return. Fifteen other states, including Maryland and the District of Columbia, have passed similar legislation.
At the request of Prince William County Public Schools, I have introduced a bill to require Virginia schools to use a recognized English language proficiency assessment exam for children with limited English proficiency, as an alternative to the 11th grade Standards of Learning English reading exam. This is a fairer way to measure student achievement and will ensure that test scores in high schools with large ESOL populations are not affected by recently-arrived students.
Firearm Violence Prevention
During my discussions with the State Police about concealed weapon permit (CWP) proposals, we became aware that CWP's are automatically revoked for felony convictions, protective orders and other criminal offenses. However, for people who have received inpatient mental health and/or inpatient drug treatment after their CWP was issued, permits are not automatically revoked. I have introduced a bill to require automatic revocation.
Second, I have put in a bill to prohibit mentally ill people who are prohibited from possessing a firearm from also possessing ammunition. Today, mentally ill people can have as many bullets as they want – just no guns.
Third, I have re-introduced my 2014 legislation prohibiting individuals on the Terrorist Watch List from obtaining a CWP or purchasing a firearm. In 2014, the House of Delegates leadership would not give the bill a hearing.
News Surovell to replace Puller in Virginia Senate
Democrat says Prince William County changing politically, remains bellwether of state politics
Scott Surovell will replace the long-serving Virginia State Senator Toddy Puller.
Puller served in the Senate since 1999, and seven years in the House of Delegates before that. The Democrat will retire this year.
Surovell is the Democrat who campaigned against Republican Jerry Foreman, the Mayor of Dumfries. It was the first bid for state office for Foreman, while Surovell has already spent the past five years in as a Fairfax County representative in the Hosue of Delegates.
The 36th District is a Gerrymandered District made up of portions of southern Fairfax County, eastern Prince William County, and northern Stafford County. Surovell won the race by 21 points overall. He also won the majority of precincts in Fairfax, and Prince William counties, while Foreman won the majority in GOP-heavy Stafford.
"Prince William County is the battleground for Virginia…Prince William County is where the future of this state will be decided," Surovell heralded in his election night victory speech. "Prince William County is changing, we're starting to show people what Prince William County stands for."
Foreman issued this statement on his Facebook page:
Elections are always hard fought, win or lose you always pray those folks that win…have our support and prayers for guidance. As Mayor, I have the firm belief and commitment that I will work with elected officials that represent our area. This will continue.
Foreman won reelection as Dumfries Mayor in 2014. It's a job he'll keep for two more years.
Surovell campaigned heavily on the issues of title car loan companies out of business. Keeping a watchful eye on Dominion Virginia Power as they work to close coal ash ponds at the Possum Point Power Station outside Dumfries was another campaign issue.
And the ever-popular expand Metro to Woodbridge appeared once again as a campaign trail issue. Only this time the idea is catching on, and a rail extension study is supported by the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.
Surovell will be sworn into his new role in the Virginia Senate in January in time for the next General Assembly session January 18. Surovell credited Democrats working together, using a joint campaign office in Woodbridge, and literature listing the names of Democrats running for local office as some the keys to his victory.
News Dudenhefer going back to Richmond to represent Stafford, Woodbridge
Mark Dudenhefer is going back to Richmond.
The one-time Republican Delegate for the 2nd House seat, which includes portions of Stafford County and Woodbridge in Prince William County, beat Democratic Challenger Josh King by a narrow margin of 102 votes.
Dudenhefer was elected 2nd District Delegate in 2011 but lost the seat to Democratic Delegate Micheal Futrell in 2013. Futrell opted not to run for reelection to the seat and instead mounted a failed Primary Election bid for the 29th District Senate seat in Prince William County won Tuesday night by Democrat Jeremy McPike.
Dudenhefer and his wife, Kay, released this statement:
"This campaign was about our region having a voice in Richmond on the issues that matter most – fixing transportation, improving schools, and creating jobs. With your help, we were victorious tonight and I'm honored to say I'll be your voice in Richmond.
Kay and I are thankful for the time and effort all our volunteers and supporters put into the campaign. We will be forever grateful.
Thank you also to Josh King for running a spirited campaign.
Together, we will address and solve the challenges that exist in our communities, and I'm humbled to be Delegate-elect for the families of Virginia House district 02."
King keeping with traditional voter turnout in the 2nd District, the Democratic candidate won the majority of precincts in Prince William while Dudenhefer won overwhelmingly in Stafford County.
News Voters keep Stewart, Anderson to replace May on Prince William Board of Supervisors
Incumbents keep jobs at county courthouse
Prince William Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart At-large will return for his 9th year on the Board in 2016.
The Republican beat out Democrat challenger Rick Smith for the county's top job by 14 points, with nearly 57% of the vote. Stewart gained the national spotlight in his early days on the Board of Supervisors for his stance on deporting illegal immigrants convicted of crimes.
At a debate between Stewart and Smith on Oct. 1, Stewart said he's softened his approached, and learned its a better way to get things done in the county. Under the Republican, the county has invested more than $1 billion into improving transportation, placed more funding for police officers, and opened two new libraries in the county.
Stewart took to social media and posted a photo of he and his family, and thanked his supporters.
Stewart was first elected to the Board in 2006 to serve as the Occoquan District Supervisor and was elected Board Chairman the following year. Stewart won re-election as Chairman in 2011.
Republican Ruth Anderson was elected the new Occoquan District Supervisor, beating out former Town of Occoquan Mayor Earnie Porta, a Democrat by eight points. Anderson is the wife of Delegate Rich Anderson, who ran unopposed for his re-election bid for the House of Delegates.
Ruth Anderson replaces Mike May, who decided not to seek reelection to mount a bid for Prince William Commonwealth Attorney. May was defeated by Paul Ebert, who has held the position since 1968.
May posted this to his Facebook page:
The results are all in, and sadly, we came up short by just a few percentage points. The journey we have been on for the past year has been extraordinarily rewarding. I could not have imagined the huge outpouring of support, friendship, and love that we have received from people all over Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park. Amelia and I will forever be grateful to the hundreds of people who have helped us both in large ways and small during this campaign. You have all been a blessing to us.
I congratulate Mr. Ebert on a victory well won, and wish him the best in his new term in office. As I finish out these next few weeks as a member of the Board of County Supervisors and beyond, I look forward to finding new ways to serve our great community, and to seeing each of you again.
With Anderson's election to the Board, the re-election of Republican Maureen Caddigan, of the Potomac District, and Democrats John Jenkins, of the Neabsco District and Frank Principi, of the Woodbridge District, the political make-up of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors will remain the same: Five Republicans and two Democrats.
Supervisors Marty Nohe, Coles District, Peter Candland, Gainesville, and Jeanine Lawson, Brentsville — all Republicans — ran unopposed and will keep their seats.
Caddigan's Democratic challenger Andrea Bailey lost her bid to unseat the long-serving Republican by 535 votes. Democrats say it's a sign of a shifting political makeup of the Potomac District, which includes Montclair, Southbridge, and Dumfries and Quantico towns.
Principi remains cemented in his heavily Democrat-leaning Woodbridge District, defeating Republican challenger Steve Chapman by 32 points.
While Pual Ebert remains Prince William's Commonwealth Attorney, Michele McQuigg will keep her job as Clerk of the Court. The Republican beat out attorney Jacqueline Smith, a Dumfries attorney, by a narrow margin of four points.
Sheriff Glen Hill also ran unopposed and will keep his job guarding the Prince William County Courthouse.
News New chairman, faces elected to Prince William School Board
Ryan Sawyers is the new Chairman of the Prince William County School Board.
The Democrat won in a three-way race between the Republican-endorsed Tim Singstock and Independent Tracy Conroy. With 37% of the vote, Sawyers beat Singstock by two percentage points, and Conroy by 10 points.
"I am thrilled with last night's results and humbled by the support from my family and friends. Both of my opponents ran strong, passionate races and I commend them for their hard work in their campaigns. They clearly showed they care about our school system and how it impacts families.
Now the work begins. I look forward to working with our newly elected School Board and Board of County Supervisors to improve Prince William County Schools," Sawyers posted to his Facebook page.
Singstock had the endorsement of outgoing School Board Chairman Milton C. Johns, who is stepping down from the Board. Conroy is known for her vast knowledge of the workings of the school system and had the endorsements of outgoing Neabsco District School Board representation Lisa Bell, and former School Board members Lucy Beauchamp and former Chair John-David Allen.
There will also be a big change for the Potomac District School Board seat. Newcomer Justin Wilk beat out incumbent Betty Covington, who had served on the School Board since 2003 and has spent a lifetime as an educator and principal in the Prince William County Public School System.
Republican endorsed Willie Deutsch will replace Dr. Micheal Otaigbe, who is stepping down from the Coles District seat. Deutsch won the seat over his two challengers Reggie Henderson and Bill Reeder with 41% of the vote.
With Lisa Bell stepping down from the Neabsco District School Board seat, Diane L. Raulston will take her place. Raulston won the election with 71% of the vote over challenger Joseph George.
In the race for the Occoquan seat, there was a six-point difference between winner Lillie Jessie and 2nd runner-up John Gray. The incumbent Jessie beat out two challengers to keep the seat, including Gray and Prince William County school teacher Karen Boyd.
Representatives from the Brentsville, Gainesville, and Woodbridge districts, Gil Trenum, Alyson Satterwhite, and Lorree Williams, respectively, ran opposed and will keep their seats on the Board.
News Lingamfelter vows to focus on education funding, maintain state taxes
Scott Lingamfelter was first elected Virginia's 31st House District seat in 2002. This year, the Republican is defending that seat from Democrat Sara Townsend.
The district encompasses portions of Prince William and Fauquier Counties.
Potomac Local sent a questionnaire to Lingamfelter and he sent us the responses below:
Find your polling place
PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?
Lingamfelter: The top three issues that face our community are: (1) jobs and the economy, (2) quality schools that provide a safe and secure environment, challenging learning, top notch teachers, and accountability to the public, and (3) the safety of our community, which includes a reliable transportation infrastructure that keeps us moving safely and reliability, as well as neighborhoods that are free of crime where our kids can live in safety.
PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?
Lingamfelter: Jobs and the Economy: The best way to help jobs and the economy is to elect conservatives like myself that fight higher taxes and burdensome, job-killing policies. I have consistently voted for balanced budgets; voted for the most recent budget that produced a $536 Million surplus; voted to cut $7 Billion in waste; voted to keep Virginia taxes among the lowest in the U.S. My opponent, however, supports raising the sales tax, the gas tax, regional taxes and the largest ($3.5 Billion) tax increase in Virginia history, as well as expanding a broken Medicaid system that will cost us $2 Billion. All of this will kill jobs and our economy.
Education: Being married to a career teacher has helped me be very aware of the needs we have in education. I have a record, not empty rhetoric, to show what I have actually accomplished. I worked to improve teacher pay, reform the SOLs, grow virtual schools, eliminate burdensome red tape, and voted for $31 million in school security. I will build on this record.
Reliable Transportation Infrastructure and Community Safety: I have worked hard to create a more reliable and safe transit system in Northern Virginia. Through my leadership, we have restructured our financing of road projects to push more money toward local highway and road maintenance our communities use every day— the same roads our kids use to get to school. It is easy to propose sweeping mass transit projects, but not at the expense of properly maintaining what we have now. A smarter, new and more economic approach to moving people is Bus Rapid Transit, which will cost far less than expanding the Metro system which would cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
Finally, in public safety, I chair the Militia, Police, and Public Safety Committee. I have been a crime fighter since the day I was elected. My opponent has falsely asserted that I have not supported efforts to combat child predators. I supported $13.8 Million to support the State Police Internet Crime against Children (ICAC) Task Force; $3.7 million to stop child predators; a recent boost of $1.2 Million (again) to the ICAC; $8.2 Million for Child Advocacy Centers, and many other laws to fight these vile perpetrators. I have a proven record and the politically-inspired falsehoods can't alter that fact. I will continue to be a staunch supporter of anticrime efforts.
PL: From your prospective, what is the job description of the office you're seeking?
Lingamfelter: From my perspective, its best summed up in my vision for Virginia: Virginia must lead the way in protecting the Constitutional rights of all of our citizens, the vitality and prosperity of our families, the growth and success of all businesses, and the safety of our communities. I will do that by (1) pressing for bold reform in Virginia, (2) continue to insist on balanced budgets, (3) seek innovative improvements in transportation and education, (4) enhance public safety in our schools, neighborhoods, and communities, (5) press for audits of all of Virginia's agencies and divisions to ensure efficiency and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse, and (6) work to provide businesses in manufacturing, agriculture and energy the greatest consideration and opportunity to prosper and grow in Virginia.
PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?
Lingamfelter: As someone who spent his life in public service, as a soldier for 28 years—both in war and peace–and now as a senior legislator in the General Assembly, I have a lot of experience that benefits our community. I will be the senior member of the Appropriations Committee in northern Virginia, which is very important to our region and county as we ensure that we get our fair share of the tax money we send to Richmond back for our roads, schools, and communities for public safety and alike. Experience is key in this election and I am blessed to have that experience.
PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government? If not, how do you intend on improving communication with your constituency?
Lingamfelter: Citizens of our community are not only well informed, they are smart, too. My opponent thinks they are not so informed, but I have spent 15 years at the doors of the people I represent. I know them personally. They know me and I can assure you that they are more informed than my opponent may understand. To be sure, they have not been fooled one minute by the false and negative campaign she has run since July of this year. People don't want the name-calling, the falsehoods, the negative campaigning. They want a positive vision for Virginia, selfless service, and devotion to the work and they know I bring that to them.
PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they effected you?
Lingamfelter: The biggest mistake a legislator can make is to think that he or she is entitled to a seat in the General Assembly. This seat belongs to the people of the 31st District and one mistake I have never made is thinking that it is somehow "my seat."No, it belongs to the people of this district and them alone. And yes, I have made mistakes in policies and bills I have voted for in Richmond. I call these the "laws of unintended consequences" where we didn't think things through as we should have. And when I make such a mistake, I listen to people and go back and fix it. That's called "owning up."
PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?
Lingamfelter: The motto that I have followed since Day one of my service to the people of the 31st District in the general Assembly is this. Promise Made – Promise Kept. The two biggest casualties of modern politics are accountability and authenticity. I have tried to address the first in my service to this community by showing up on the doors steps of my constituents to be accountable to them. But just as important as "showing up" is being who you say you are and doing what you say you will. I am an authentic conservative who will represent this community with commonsense conservative policies and values that people look for in a leader. For that reason, I earnestly ask for your vote on November 3.
News Townsend says better education, jobs, transportation is focus of her campaign
Sarah Townsend is making a run for public office to represent the 31st District in the Virginia House of Delegates.
The district encompasses portions of Prince William and Fauquier counties. The seat is held by Republican Scott Lingamfelter.
Potomac Local sent a questionnaire to Townsend and she sent us the responses below:
Find your polling place
PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?
Townsend: Prioritizing our schools and education system Promoting good paying jobs in our communities Improving transportation and reducing traffic congestion.
PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?
Townsend: Education – As a teacher I have seen first-hand the devastating effects of increased high-stakes testing. We need to reduce the number of standardized tests so our children receive quality classroom time and are not just taught to a test. Improving education can't be just be rhetoric. We need more people with teaching experience in Richmond advocating for our students.
Jobs – We need to recruit high tech jobs to our area, promote apprenticeships and connect our local businesses with community college so that people have the proper skills to compete for 21st century jobs.
Transportation – We should extend the blue line to Prince William County, extend VRE options, promote tele-commuting, and increase job growth in our community so less people have to travel to Fairfax and DC for work.
PL: From your prospective, what is the job description of the office you're seeking?
Townsend: My job is to be a voice for constituents in Richmond and work to solve issues they face daily. Unlike my opponent, I'll be willing to compromise to get things done if it benefits my district.
PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?
Townsend: I grew up in Prince William County and Fauquier County, which are the two counties within my district. I served as a middle school teacher and professional development instructor and seen first-hand the successes and the changes that are needed in our educational system. I'm also not an entrenched, partisan incumbent politician, like my opponent is.
PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government? If not, how do you intend on improving communication with your constituency?
Townsend: I believe the average citizen could be better informed, as between the horrible traffic in our region and people working hard to raise their families, there often is not enough time in a day to focus on what is happening in our government. My opponent has abused his power in Richmond, often killing important legislation that would keep our communities safe, like protecting our kids from online sexual predators, without even allowing a vote. I would make myself more available both in the district and in Richmond. I would provide regular updates to constituents and work to make sure legislation is approved or vetoed in the light of day, so that everyone can be aware of what is happening.
PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they effected you?
Townsend: I have made mistakes in my life, but no major mistake that I am aware of.
PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?
Townsend: I hope to earn their vote because I'm not an entrenched incumbent. I was raised to vote for the person, not the party. In January I witnessed our legislators in Richmond, and how many, including my opponent, prioritize their own interests and partisan agaenda, instead of what's best for their district. I'll work with Republicans and Democrats to actually get things done and stand up to anyone who gets in the way.
News Ebert touts experience, first-time achievements in Commonwealth Attorney reelection bid
Paul Ebert is running to keep his job as Prince William County Commonwealth Attorney. It's a job that he has held since 1968, making him the longest-serving and most experienced top prosecutors in Virginia.
Ebert's opponent is Micheal C. May, who currently serves on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.
Potomac Local sent a questionnaire to Ebert and he sent us the responses below:
Find your polling place
PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?
Ebert: As it pertains to the Commonwealth's Attorney, a major issue facing the citizens of Prince William County and the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park is always a safe community in which to live, work and raise our families. Due to ever evolving technological advances, we must remain vigilant in protecting citizens from cyber-crimes. This takes training, expertise and experience to know how to prosecute complex computer-generated based crimes. Crimes involving the elderly present unique challenges as these victims are vulnerable and abuse may go undetected due to ailing health.
PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?
Ebert: I will continue to provide effective and fair prosecution of criminals and defend the rights of their victims. I and my Assistants have the experience and judgement to determine the merits of a case as well as how best to present the case before a judge or jury in order to obtain a just result. As crime evolves, so must the prosecution of crime, and during my tenure, innovative "firsts" have been achieved in many areas.
Some of these include: • First cold hit DNA prosecution • First prosecution under terrorism statute • First to get a first degree murder conviction for a child who was shaken. • First to use Animal DNA in a case of felony animal abuse. • First to add a therapy dog to help child victims feel more comfortable in court. • First to prosecute a fraudulent expert witness in a murder case for perjury even though he had been qualified to testify in seven other states. • As a result of that prosecution, first to start an Expert Witness Database. Now the state has taken it over. • First to have multiple assistants receive the prestigious Von Schuch Award for outstanding prosecution and service to our county, the Commonwealth and community. Still the only office to have three assistants currently serving who have received that award.
PL: From your prospective, what is the job description of the office you're seeking?
Ebert: The role of the Commonwealth's Attorney and the Assistants is to do justice. They must do what is fair and what is just depending on the specific circumstances of each individual case. In making this determination, the prosecutor must look at a number of factors.
These include the facts of the crime itself, injuries to a victim, credibility of witnesses, statements made by the accused and any witnesses, the criminal history of the accused, and the impact the conviction and sentencing will have on everyone involved, including the accused. A prosecutor must determine which circumstances mandate harsh treatment and which call for leniency in any particular case.
In order to make these determinations, it is necessary to have perspective and experience. The Prince William County Commonwealth's Attorney is the highest law enforcement official in Prince William County. The Commonwealth's Attorney position is above that of the Chief of Police.
The Prince William County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office prosecutes everything from petty crimes, including Trespass, Petit Larceny, and Reckless Driving, to the worst and most violent crimes, including Robbery, Rape, and Murder. They prosecute in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, the General District Court, and the Circuit Court in front of both judges and juries.
PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?
Ebert: I have dedicated my entire career to serving as the People's Attorney in Prince William County and the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park. I first started as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney where I gained the needed experience to later become the chief prosecutor.
The field of criminal prosecution has become very specialized and complex, especially in today's time. I have transformed this office into one of the most widely respected and effective in the nation. When a state senator was charged with embezzling funds from a youth civic organization in Chesterfield County, local officials disqualified themselves and asked me to prosecute the case. The senator was convicted.
When a former circuit court judge in Norfolk was charged with pistol-whipping a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, local officials disqualified themselves and asked me to prosecute the case. The former judge was convicted.
When two domestic terrorists left a trail of bodies from coast to coast and for weeks terrorized an entire region of the U.S., U.S. Attorney John Ashcroft asked me to prosecute the case. John Allen Muhammad was convicted and sentenced to death.
There are many 'firsts' that have taken place under my watch. My record speaks for itself.
As the Commonwealth's Attorney, I guide and advise the staff, and prosecute cases. I am nationally recognized for prosecuting some of the most complex and horrible crimes. This is not an on-the-job training kind of position. The People need to have someone with the expertise, knowledge, and experience who can handle the complexity of this job.
PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government? If not, how do you intend on improving communication with your constituency?
Ebert: As it pertains to the Commonwealth's Attorney, I have always had an "open door" policy in order to communicate with our citizens. I am out in the community every day and interact with individuals and groups. Within the bounds of legal ethics and the preservation of victim and witness safety, I will continue to do so.
In addition to my work in the community, my assistants serve as faculty at NVCC and GMU and volunteer to advise other colleges about criminal justice curriculum. They teach kids dance, work with 4 H, volunteer to do Wills for Heroes, work with the homeless, volunteer at animal shelters, lecture to judges, doctors, social workers , nurses, sexual assault and domestic violence counselor and publish articles on all topics in criminal law.
Our office has a member serving with the Division of Forensic Science who recently received the most prestigious "lifetime accomplishment award", and also serves on the Boyd Graves Conference Committee to review and publish the Rules of Evidence in Virginia, among many other law enforcement organizations.
We are active with many community groups and often talk about topics concerning safety. My office worked with the Sheriff's office to bring Rape Aggression Defense to the community by hosting it at the courthouse. We serve on many advisory boards including Shaken Baby Prevention. Inc, National Animal Cruelty Advisory Board, Legal Advisor to Virginia Police Canine Association.
PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they effected you?
Ebert: An old saying in the law is 'If you are not making mistakes you are not trying cases". When you try thousands of cases, things are not always going to go your way, and you sometimes reflect on whether you should have done something differently.
Litigation is the most stressful area of criminal law. You are often required to make decisions under pressure and hindsight is always 20/20.
Like everyone, I have made mistakes, but never one I didn't learn from and correct. This has played a large part in shaping my judgment over the years – the kind of judgment that only comes from experience and integrity, two of the attributes which I believe are critically important in this election.
My experience, unparalleled in Virginia history, began when I started my career as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney and has continued to grow every day that I have had the honor of serving the citizens of this jurisdiction as their Commonwealth's Attorney.
That experience has allowed me to oversee one of the largest prosecutor's offices in the state through extensive growth and change. But one thing has never changed: my commitment to keeping this community safe. But prosecuting is also about using your judgment to recognize when others have made mistakes and to know when they deserve a break.
There is no way to create a "formula" to prosecute criminal cases; it takes experience and judgment to know when and how someone deserves another shot. I do not make the same mistake twice and do not tolerate others doing so. But except where someone has intentionally hurt someone else, I have always been willing to consider giving people a second chance.
And I have instilled that principle in all of my Assistants, nearly a dozen of whom have gone on to become very fair judges on all levels of court, including the Virginia Supreme Court. It is also why my office and I are known throughout the state and nation as one of the toughest but fairest prosecutor's offices – the type of Commonwealth's Attorney that the citizens of Prince William County and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park deserve.
PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?
Ebert: I am a proven leader. Working together with the excellent police departments we have, families have been kept safe. Criminals have been prosecuted. I am blessed that many have come out to support me during this campaign, including the Prince William Police Association, and Virginia Benevolent Police Association, many community leaders and elected officials, as well as many other Commonwealth's Attorneys. With great humility and appreciation, I believe it's because I have earned their respect and they know that I can get the job done. I am not a politician, I am a career prosecutor. That is what is needed in this office.
News Video of Occoquan District Supervisors debate
Potomac Local sponsored a debate between Ruth Anderson and Earnie Porta. Both are running to replace Mike May as the Occoquan District Supervisor on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.
The debate was held at Lake Ridge Middle School in Lake Ridge on October.
Video by Bill Golden
News Shaw vows to 'work across the aisle' to fight I-66 tolls
Don Shaw is running to unseat the long-serving Robert G. "Bob" Marshall in Virginia's 13th House of Delegates District.
Shaw first came onto the local political scene last year when he announced he was running for Brentsville District Supervisor, to fill a seat vacated by Wally S. Covington who became a judge at the Prince William County Courthouse. Republican Jeanine Lawson went on to win the race.
Potomac Local sent a questionnaire to Shaw and he sent us the responses below:
PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?
Shaw: 1) Transportation – We have some of the worst traffic in Northern Virginia. Commute times increase every year, and our elected officials have done nothing to reduce them. 2) Education – We have the largest class sizes in the Commonwealth and our children's education suffers because of it. 3) Property Rights – Dominion Virginia Power has proposed overhead power lines in a residential area not designated for transmission lines.
PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?
Shaw: 1) I will work to ensure full implementation of the 2013 bipartisan transportation bill. I will work across the aisle to fight against any effort to impose tolls on I-66. Working families shouldn't have to pay an additional $85 a week just to get to work. I will advocate for real solutions to the traffic problems on Route 28, I-66, and US-29 including alternate modes of transportation such as bus rapid transit, extending VRE to Gainesville/Haymarket, and studying the feasibility of extending metro to our area.
PL: From your prospective, what is the job description of the office you're seeking?
Shaw: Voters trust that the people they elect will do two things: 1) show up to work, and 2) advocate for their interests. The first requirement is fairly simple; when there is a vote or a committee meeting, we expect our elected officials to be there. If they don't show up, it's impossible for them to advocate for their constituents' interests.
The second requirement is a bit more complex. Advocacy includes creating a business-friendly environment that brings high-paying jobs to the district; reducing the burden of commuting and increasing the funds available for a quality education. A delegate has a responsibility to foster a welcoming, inclusive climate for all constituents.
PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?
Shaw: I have dedicated my adult life to service to others. I spent a career in the military training and mentoring Soldiers and Airmen; serving my country for 20 years in the enlisted ranks, retiring as a Senior Master Sergeant. I learned about loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage and internalized those values at an early age.
I served as a senior manager in the Department of Defense for almost a decade where I worked to reduce costs and supported the relocation of a combat support agency to Fort Belvoir on time and on budget with no loss of mission capability. My division was recognized as the best of more than 85 DoD organizations in 2012.
I am the Chief Enterprise Architect at a veteran-owned small business, where we advise and support government organizations working to do more with less. We help connect strategy with implementation while identifying gaps and reducing unnecessary duplication.
So in addition to my educational background where I studied government administration and policy, I've been in government. I've seen what works and plan to put that experience and knowledge to use in Richmond.
PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government? If not, how do you intend on improving communication with your constituency?
Shaw: Yes, the average citizen has a good fundamental understanding of government. However, if you were to ask the average citizen in the 13th House District who his or her Delegate is, the majority would not know. I place a high priority on communication and will hold regular town halls at times convenient to the constituency as well as establish a rigorous communication plan that includes electronic and print media and constituent outreach programs.
PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they effected you?
Shaw: We are all human and all make mistakes. What's important is to learn from those mistakes and to use those moments as opportunities to become a better person.
PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?
Shaw: I have a proven track record of leadership in the military, the federal government, and in the private sector. Leaders show up. My opponent missed 723 votes in the past 4 years and skipped 52% of his committee meetings in the 2015 session. He doesn't chair any committees and has even estranged members of his own party. That's not leadership. Leaders work across the aisle. Politics is the art of the possible, not intransigence. Leaders are chosen to make the hard decisions, not the politically expedient ones.
News I-66 tolls, Haymarket power line at center of Bob Marshall reelection campaign
Robert G. "Bob" Marshall is running to keep his seat in the Virginia House of Delegates.
The Republican has held the seat since 1992, and has a reputation for being one of the most outspoken members of the Virginia General Assembly.
Potomac Local sent a questionnaire to Marshall and he sent us the responses below:
Find your polling place
PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?
Marshall: 1. Exorbitant Tolls proposed for I-66.
2. 110 foot high electric power towers proposed for residential areas never slated to have electric lines on their property.
3. Addressing traffic on Route 28 through Manassas Park and Yorkshire, from Manassas to Fairfax County line.
PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?
Marshall: 1. I will introduce a budget amendment to prevent Governor McAuliffe from imposing $17/day ($4,000 a year) hot lane tolls inside beltway
2. I will join a lawsuit to prevent construction of an overhead only power line and remove tax incentives for data centers which seek to locate outside of industrial areas that already have required infrastructure.
3. Continue to appeal to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, to the Prince William County Supervisors, and the General Assembly money committees to allocate funds to improve Route 28 by reversing the middle lane during rush hours to provide an extra lane for traffic.
PL: From your prospective, what is the job description of the office you're seeking?
Marshall: My job entails going to bat for constituents, representing them before state agencies as I have done for the past 24 years, soliciting their input for legislative proposals, etc. I keep in mind the people I represent in every vote I cast in the General Assembly, asking myself, "How will this affect my constituents?" I see my role as advocating for tax payers, not cozying up to special interests.
PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?
Marshall: My expertise consists of 24 years of experience serving as 13th District Delegate in the Virginia General Assembly. My background researching major public policy and legal issues has given me the ability to quickly understand legislation.
My past experience as a teacher helped me with public speaking skills, listening, answering questions, and relaying information to citizens. I have a record for promoting transparency and accountability in government.
PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government? If not, how do you intend on improving communication with your constituency?
Marshall: I send out newsletters and other letters to inform the people who live in the 13th District of important issues. For example, I have been trying to let the people know about the proposed hot lane tolls on I-66.
I have actively worked against the proposed electric power towers in western Prince William. I publicize my cell phone (703-853-4213) so that citizens can reach me readily. I walk door-to-door as much as possible to meet voters and answer questions they may have.
PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they effected you?
Marshall: Everyone makes mistakes. Mistakes help you learn valuable life lessons.
PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?
Marshall: I say what I mean, I do what I say, and even people who may disagree with some of my positions know they can trust me.
News Jessie: More rigorous courses, access to advance courses needed for all students
Lillie Jessie is running to keep her seat on the Prince William County School Board. She's represented the Occoquan District on the School Board since 2012.
Potomac Local sent a questionnaire to Jessie and he sent us the responses below:
Find your polling place
PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?
Jessie: 1. College-Career readiness for all students including students in specialty programs and from low-income, diverse neighborhoods
2. Overcrowding/class size by finding the needed space to build schools; especially on the eastern end of the county where schools have as many as twelve trailers in one school
3. Treating teachers as "professional experts" by providing competitive salaries, more career level opportunities and providing teacher coaches whose primary responsibility is to support them rather than participate in the dismissal process
PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?
Jessie: 1. Career/College Readiness: Provide more rigorous courses and access to advance courses for all students. Reduce the achievement gap. Create a Pre-school College Career mission of "Beginning with the end in mind" (Covey).
2. Hold the Board of Supervisor's to it's word of providing land for building new schools on the eastern end of the county, relooking at proffers and considering school space availability in its rezoning.
3. Follow what research says about high performing schools which includes being paid as a professional which may require us to relook at that shared revenue plan, Secondly providing coaches or master teachers to assist teachers instead of using central office supervisors who are limited in number and participate in the dismissal process at times.
PL: From your prospective, what is the job description of the office you're seeking?
Jessie: Our number one responsibility is to ensure that all students learn at a high level. Provide oversight of the school system and its budget and personnel. Write, amend or create policy and the ensuing regulations that support the forementioned. Work with the superintendent and his staff to ensure that we provide a safe, orderly and high student learning environment.
PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?
Jessie: High performing Title I (low income schools) Supervisor (Supervisor of the year) for ten years. Principal of a Title I school for twenty years. National Professional Learning Model School Nationally recognized for closing the achievement gap. Internationally recognized High Flying School for Youth at Risk Appointed by the Governor to the Standards of Learning (SOL). Innovation Committee Nationally published education author.
PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government? If not, how do you intend on improving communication with your constituency?
Jessie: No I do not. In fact I am not sure they are aware of this election. I plan to continue my work with local community organizations, and invest more time with parents. I write a column for the the Old Bridge Observer. Those articles have been well-received by the community. I would like to conduct more informational meetings, especially when it comes to understanding the need to balance the use of assessments in the school.
PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they effected you?
Jessie: My biggest mistake was under estimating the ability of a young patient early in my career. I did not believe that he could learn to read and when I look back, I watered down his curriculum. Another teacher came to this then institution for children with severe and profound handicaps and taught him reading skills I did not think was possible. That was forty years ago. It changed my expectations for learning. I am not just an advocate of high expectations for all students, I have been given an opportunity to redeem myself by seeing students not expected to learn, not only learn but learn at high levels.
PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?
Jessie: 1. I did not run for this position because of my interest in a higher office. I have and can have an positive affect on student learning.
2. I have had a plethora of experience that makes me more than qualified for the position (Educational leadership, budget, policy development, etc.)
3. Character traits I possess include being persistent, insistent and consistent when it comes to high levels of achievement and/or overcoming barriers.
4. I am a student of the research. I know that we are not competitive with other countries and that the rubric should not be how we compare to the State but how we compare to the "World."
News McCullough: Expanding Medicaid would provide health insurance to thousands of Virginians who need it
Kyle McCullough is running to unseat Jackson Miller in the Virginia House of Delegates 50th District.
The District encompasses the City of Manassas, and a portion of Prince William County.
Potomac Local sent a questionnaire to McCullough and he sent us the responses below:
Find your polling place
PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?
McCullough: Health care, income inequality and school funding.
PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?
McCullough: Implement the Medicaid expansion. Raise the minimum wage. (I advocate a graduated increase, so an employer can pay a trainee the Federal minimum for a few months before the higher State minimum kicks in.) Restore school funding to at least pre-recession levels — adjusted for inflation and student-population growth.
PL: From your prospective, what is the job description of the office you're seeking?
McCullough: To represent the people of the 50th district – to promote their values and best interests in the governance of the state.
PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?
McCullough: I think that my main expertise is my life experience. As a father and middle-class resident, I have some idea what it takes to raise a family in this area. And, while this is very hard to document, I think I have above-average empathy for people who are in different situations than my own — which I think is the most important qualification for a would be Representative, Delegate or Senator.
I think a lot of that comes from my upbringing. My mother was a speech therapist who worked with children with very diverse backgrounds. My father was the County Manager of our county who worked to serve the interests of people with a huge range of backgrounds.
And I grew up in a neighborhood and school district where most people did not have the economic or social advantages that I did. I spent a year in China, where I learned the value of good government by witnessing the lack of it. Less important, but still worth mentioning, as a computer programmer with a background in engineering, I have pretty good problem-solving abilities.
PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government? If not, how do you intend on improving communication with your constituency?
McCullough: No, I don't think that most people are. I have made two-way communications a priority in my campaign; anyone can easily reach me either at firstname.lastname@example.com or at 703-686-4804, and I reply to all polite inquiries. And I try to keep people posted on the issues through my web page and social media. I'll certainly continue and expand on that if elected.
PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they effected you?
McCullough: Well, I didn't take fundraising seriously enough, early enough.
PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?
McCullough: They should vote for me because I take their needs and concerns seriously. When I am campaigning, I tell people what I think are the biggest issues facing the General Assembly, but then I ask what are their issues, what do they believe should be our biggest concerns.
I have made the Medicaid expansion the central issue of my campaign because it is the issue that compelled me to run. Providing health insurance to thousands of Virginians who need it, adding tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic stimulus are all important; but equally important is why we are turning it down, when doing so gives no benefit whatsoever to the state.
The inescapable conclusion is that the legislators who are refusing to let Virginia have those benefits believe that doing so benefits their party. I would never do that. I would never place narrow partisan advantage ahead of the needs of my constituents.
News Reprinting Prince William election ballots could cost thousands
It could cost tens of thousands of dollars to fix misprinted election ballots in Prince William County.
Five candidates on the ballot for the November 3 General Election will not see their listed as they requested them. Many of the candidates use and requested shorter versions of their name to be listed on the ballot. They're getting their full names instead.
Here's what was requested and what voters might see instead:
Mike May (Commonwealth Attorney candidate) will be listed as Michael May
Richard "Rick" Smith (Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman candidate) will be listed as Richard Smith
Steven "Steve" Chapman (Prince William County Board of Supervisors Woodbridge District candidate) will be listed as Steven Chapman
Earnie W. Porta, Jr. (Prince William County Board of Supervisors Occoquan District candidate) will be listed as Earnest Porta, Jr.
Gerald "Jerry" Foreman (36th District Virginia Senate candidate) will be listed as Gerald Foreman
Prince William County Electoral Board Secretary Keith Scarborough said each of the affected candidates submitted the proper form to indicate how they wanted their names listed on the ballot, but the mistake happened anyway.
"It wasn't a space issue, it was our office when filling out the paperwork, messed up those forms," said Scarborough. "…we made a mistake, obviously."
The form included 28 spaces for candidates to fill in their names. It's not uncommon for candidates to want their full names listed on the ballots, along with more common nicknames placed in quotation marks.
The upcoming General Election will be the first in Prince William County where paper ballots will once again be used at all voting precincts. New laws forced the county to get rid of electronic touchscreen machines and convert back to using machine scanners that tally votes when a paper ballot is inserted into them.
Prince William County struck a deal with Hart Invercivic, an Austin, Texas-based company that makes the voting machines. It also agreed to print all the ballots needed for the first five elections, starting with the upcoming November 3 vote, as part of the purchase agreement.
Scarborough said the ballots must be printed by that company and cannot be printed locally. The cost to reprint the ballots could range between $80 and $100,000, he added.
The Prince William County Electoral Board will meet Wednesday night to discuss their options, which include reprinting ballots, or placing signs at polling stations noting the names of the five affected candidates and displaying them as intended.
Candidates we talked to say the situation is unfortunate, but they don't plan on asking for a reprint.
"The truth of the matter is, I don't want to cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars to reprint ballots. I wish it would have been done right but I understand these types of things happen," said Earnie Porta.
"There's overcrowding in classrooms, and traffic issues, so there are other things the taxpayers money would be better spent on." said Steve Chapman.
News King: We continue to underpay our teachers and they are forced to go elsewhere
Josh L. King is running for the Virginia House of Delegates 2nd District seat.
The seat is currently held by Micheal Futurell who opted not to run for reelection to the seat.
King faces Republican Mark Dudenhefer, who held the seat from 2011 to 2o13.
Potomac Local sent a questionnaire to King and he sent us the responses below:
Find your polling place
PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?
King: 1. Education- I am running because my daughter and six other autistic students spent the past school year without a teacher. This story is far too common in our public schools. Some schools in Eastern Prince William County are packing nearly 40 elementary students into a classroom. We need to start the hard work of fixing this problem today.
2. Transportation- Traffic is a perennial campaign issue, I would be lying if I said electing me or anyone else would solve the issue overnight. We need to face the reality that the HOT lanes have failed to reduce traffic and are at best a short-term solution.
Wider roads are fine but we all know that more lanes quickly means more lanes where we are stuck in traffic. We need to work toward metro in Prince William County, more VRE trains, and other mass transit options.
3. Jobs- The national capital region is one of the best regions in the country to live and work but I believe there is more that can be done to create jobs where we live. With the threat of a government shutdown averted for a few months, as a region we need to recognize that we can't count on the federal government as an employer the way we used to.
We have a very talented work force here in Prince William and Stafford counties and I think the region would be very attractive to companies specializing in the high tech fields. We need to make sure we encourage that growth with special tax zones, credits, or other deals. We must also continue to make investments in STEM education, so these new industries have an educated workforce ready to go.
PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?
King: Education- We need our fair share from Richmond plain and simple. The state contributes less per student than in 2009 but somehow still meets the SQL requirement. The burden of making up this very real short fall has been left to counties and in turn taxpayers. I believe there is also a teacher retention problem as evidenced by what happened to my daughter's class.
The biggest problem is that we continue to underpay our teachers and they are forced to go elsewhere. There is currently no requirement to track and report teacher retention to the General Assembly and Governor. I think the first step to solving this problem is to understand what is happening in our schools.
Jobs and transit are two issues that I think tie together closely. Many of us commute because our jobs are not in Prince William County, myself included. Stafford County has a better job-to-resident ratio but still has a lot of commuters too. I believe that the ultimate solution to our job and transportation problem lies with extending metro.
A recently released report by Metro indicates that nearly half of the regions jobs are within a half mile of a metro station. In the short term I think we need to look at our tax code and ways that we can incentivize Virginia businesses to place offices closer to where their workers live. We should also look at ways to improve VRE and bus service so commuters have more confidence in the mass transit that is available.
I know Metro won't get here over night but it is important to note that while the Silver Line took 30 years to plan, actual construction only took six years. If we aggressively complete the studies and planning I believe we can have a metro line in Prince William County sooner than many people think, but this will require hard work and compromise on the part of elected officials. During my time in Iraq, the only thing that mattered was getting the job done. I had to work with people of all stripes to accomplish our mission and that is the attitude I will bring to Richmond.
PL: From your prospective, what is the job description of the office you're seeking?
King: I believe that a legislator's first job is to listen and represent the best interests of their constituents. That means being available to them, understanding their lives, and working tirelessly to solve their problems. I think too often politicians forget that we have a government by, of, and for the people. I believe that working together we can do great things.
PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?
King: I will bring a willingness to find a way to get things done for the residents of Prince William and Stafford counties. I know why education, transportation, and j
obs matter.
I live in Woodbridge with my wife and three children. My two school age kids attend River Oaks and Potomac Middle school respectively. I commute to work in Fairfax County like so many others. My wife and I love the home we have here. I love taking my kids to Stafford County on the weekends.
There are so many great things about this area and I want to ensure we are even better. I also bring an expertise in law enforcement and veterans issues. Having served as a combat soldier in Iraq I know the needs of our returning veterans. I know how to help make sure we have career and education services in place to transition our veterans. As a Deputy Sheriff I work to help make sure we maintain a safe community.
PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government? If not, how do you intend on improving communication with your constituency?
King: I believe that the average citizen is as informed as they can be about local government. My local PTA has a parent engagement issue because so many parents can't make it back from work for a 7 p.m. meeting. I think the issues is that people simply don't have the time to be as engaged as they would like to be. They are probably stuck in traffic somewhere trying to get home.
PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they effected you?
King: Fortunately, I have not been in public life long enough to make mistakes. I hope I don't break this streak.
PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?
King: I have spent my life in service this country, Virginia, and our community. I believe serving our area in the House of Delegates is another extension of that service.
In the Army we never cared if someone was a Democrat of Republican. You worked together to get things done, and I will bring that same attitude to Richmond. That is a lot of potential allies in reducing class size, fixing our transportation system, and attracting jobs not just to Prince William and Stafford counties, but across the commonwealth.
News Skoloda would evaluate operation of Stafford Court Clerk office
Seketta Z. "Zee" Skoloda is running to be the next Clerk of the Circuit Court for Stafford County.
Potomac Local sent a questionnaire to Skoloda and he sent us the responses below:
Find your polling place
PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?
Skoloda: Ensure the highest quality of service. Update technology and training. Improve accessibility.
PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?
Skoloda: Establish a transition team to evaluate the operation of the office. Seek the input of the court family including on staff personnel. Network with neighboring Clerk of Court Offices. Reach out to other Stafford administrative offices where similar improvements and upgrades have been instituted.
PL: From your prospective, what is the job description of the office you're seeking?
Skoloda: The Clerk of the Circuit Court is a constitutional officer elected to an eight-year term. The clerk's duties are twofold: to administer the Circuit Court's judicial proceedings and serve as record keeper for the county.
The Clerk's Office is reflective of our county, our government and our democracy. It is a repository of our county's records; marriage licenses, business names–trade and fictitious, deeds, judgments, jury summons, and other records. The office of the Clerk of Court is the face of Stafford County to those who seek this information.
PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?
Skoloda: Among the attributes I will bring to the office are honesty, integrity and a passion for customer service and accuracy in our records management. I have experience with the Virginia Court System as well as with Maryland and the Federal System.
I have risen to positions of leadership and have experience supervising, training, budgeting and administering in very related fields. My experience includes: Child Support Enforcement Case Worker in Prince Georges County, Maryland. Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D. C. Commonwealth of Virginia's Division of Forensic Science Laboratory. Magistrate in Virginia's 15th Judicial District.
PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government? If not, how do you intend on improving communication with your constituency?
Skoloda: I feel the average citizen believes that he or she understands the workings of local government, especially if that citizen is an active voter. Making sure that understanding is correct is best accomplished by transparency and accessibility. I will ensure that the level of customer service provided is friendly, competent and professional. I will maximize the use of technology to enhance access to needed records.
PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they effected you?
Skoloda: Everyone makes mistakes, but the mistakes are experience too. Mistakes have effected me as education and training has effected me. Learn, adapt and improve and of course, remember what your goals are.
PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?
Skoloda: Stafford County has grown in the last eight years. It has grown tremendously in the last twenty years and it will grow even faster and different in the next few years. I will lead an office that stays attuned to the need for an accurate and complete repository of our important records and documents while meeting the current demands and planning for the future challenges.


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Cooking at Home: Creating the Guilt-Free Burger
Posted on 24. Jul, 2010 by gary in Cooking
For many of us, a good burger is a guilty pleasure. But does it have to be? What if your burger delivered nutrition from whole grains and vegetables? Wouldn't you feel a lot better about eating it, and feeding it to your kids?
Delicious! (But Don't Tell Them It's Healthy)
Posted on 21. Jul, 2010 by gary in Cooking
Looking for ways to improve your family"s eating habits, without adding stress at meal times? I"ve found that one of the best ways to transition family members to a healthier style of eating is to upgrade the quality of foods they already know and love. And who doesn't love spaghetti with a rich tomato sauce? Read [...]


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Emmanuelle Riva on playing part of a Michael Haneke symphony in 'Amour'
He's in that league, not a doubt about it," she says of Haneke, singling out "The Piano Teacher" and "The White Ribbon" as films of his that she had seen and particularly admired before "Amour" came her way. "From the moment you meet him, just from the way he speaks, you know you're in the presence of a very great artist – and that's how it was with Resnais, with Kieslowski, even if they've all been very different to work with."
Riva is quick to point out, however, that this aura of greatness needn't imply aloofness; she describes Haneke as a warm and generous personality on set. "On the very first day of shooting, I was taken over by this great sense of happiness and security; there was a clear fraternity of spirit on set with Haneke, the actors, the crew. I knew I could surrender, and give myself to the film – which is important when you're telling such an intimate story."
Though the principal word Riva uses to describe Haneke's style, echoing many a critic, is "rigorous" – "It's the necessity of his craft, that precision" – she says the shoot was a highly collaborative process. "He's completely in control, but his approach isn't really instructive. "It's more like a conference," she explains, before making an apt comparison for a film about classical musicians. "It's funny that music is so important in this film, because he's almost like a conductor on set: we, the actors and the technicians, are all playing our parts, and he's finding the union, the harmony, between us."
Equally crucial, and similarly productive, was her working relationship with Trintignant, with whom Riva performs a fragile, almost unbearably tender actors' duet. The intimation of a lifetime lived together, with all the subtle specificities of speech and gesture that implies, was another significant challenge of the project. Long-serving contemporaries in the French industry, the actors didn't actually know each other before "Amour," though Riva says that wasn't a hindrance.
"Quite the opposite, in fact," she says, "because we had the freedom to build an entire history for the characters, the freedom to act and behave without preconception. By imagining their intimacy and sense of friendship from the beginning, that's how we got to know each other. It's a bit like doing a play for two months: you build the relationship as you work." It was important to Haneke, meanwhile, that the couple's relationship on screen not be "too sweet," which might have been harder with a close friend as a scene partner: sentimentality was something to be avoided at all costs. "It wasn't always easy on set, but that was only right."
Riva seemingly delights in the poetic tidiness of her film career currently being bookended by two great "amours": Haneke's film, of course, and "Hiroshima, Mon Amour," which she's pleased is so well-remembered in the various appreciations of her career that have been written recently. When I ask if there's a film between them that she wishes were brought up more frequently, she deliberates for some time before settling on Georges Franju's 1965 film "Thomas the Impostor," a WWI drama adapted by Jean Cocteau from his own 1923 novel – getting to deliver Cocteau's words was a particular joy for the actress, herself a published poet.
When I confess that I haven't seen it, she sadly sighs that there's very little way of viewing it today at all; when, as an artist, you find some of your own most treasured work falling into dust and disuse, it's all the more thrilling to have a stake in new classics like "Amour." Shrugging off that melancholy interlude, Riva reverts to her effusively chatty self as we say our goodbyes, and she stresses once more that we got the wrong idea at the European Film Awards. She's a little tired – and with the reality of an Oscar nod looming, the next few weeks could be busier still – but Emmanuelle Riva is just fine.


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- September 5, 2013
On-site Physical Therapy Now Available at The Westin Riverfront at Beaver Creek
- Howard Head Sports Medicine – the official physical therapy provider for the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Olympic Team – provides innovative healing techniques performed by highly gifted physical therapists, helping patients rebuild and return to the activities that they love to do.Physical therapy services now available at Howard Head Sports Medicine at The Westin Riverfront include Active Release Technique, Aquatic Therapy, Hand Therapy, Manual Therapy, Oncology Therapy, Post-Operative Therapy, Re... MORE →
- September 3, 2013
Childbirth 101
- Before attending childbirth classes at Vail Valley Medical Center, Marian and Luke Cartin had a somewhat ominous outlook of the hospital. To them it was simply the clean, cold white box in which people experienced some of life's most dramatic and emotional moments. The classes, however, prepped and primed the couple for their first born and showed them they were not about to undertake the momentous occasion in robotic, systematic fashion. Rather, they'd be surrounded by warmth, support and know-... MORE →
- August 30, 2013
Surfing for Nutrition?
- Author Katie Mazzia MS, RD, CDE is a nutritionist at Vail Valley Medical Center. The Internet can be an awesome resource for food and nutrition information; however, not all of it is reliable or credible. Below are some of my favorite nutrition blogs and websites you can trust and might even give you a fresh perspective, inspire you to cook more, or try a new food! Nancy Clark's blog on sports nutrition: Digestive Nutrition: Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition: Make sense of ... MORE →
- August 19, 2013
The Ins and Outs of Prostate Cancer
- The most common cancer among American men, prostate cancer, is not the deadliest one out there — lung cancer is. But when it comes to testing for prostate cancer and treating it, it is one of the most complex and controversial. Because the prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system (located below the bladder), prostate cancer is unique to men, although it is often compared to breast cancer in women. "As far as incidence rates, prostate and breast cancer are similar in men and women," ... MORE →
- August 15, 2013
Diet & Inflammation
- Author Katie Mazzia MS, RD, CDE is a nutritionist at Vail Valley Medical Center. Inflammation is an important part of the healing process following an injury. It's easy to see inflammation taking place when we have an injury, with the area becoming noticeably red, warm, and swollen although some inflammation is not noticeable. It can occur during infection, immunologic reactions, obesity, poor diet and is sometimes a part of our genetic predisposition. Acute inflammation leads to repair of the ... MORE →
- August 9, 2013
Get to Know Eagle County's Only Certified Women's Health Physical Therapist: Stephanie Drew
- Having practiced physical therapy for 10 years, including work with orthopaedic patients, Stephanie Drew has specialized in women's health at Howard Head Sports Medicine since 2009, helping transform the lives of both women and men of all ages dealing with sensitive problems in the body's nether regions. Drew is one of just 194 physical therapists in the United States with a board certification in women's health. What exactly does this mean? Let her tell you. She will be the first to say that "i... MORE →
- August 1, 2013
Vail Mountain Hosts World's Largest Ski Day to Conquer Cancer
- On April 5, 2014, Vail Mountain will become a sea of pink when everyday skiers and snowboarders gather in Vail for the return of a one-day event to raise awareness and funds to support cancer fighters. Pink Vail, the world's largest ski day to conquer cancer has proven to be one of the most fun and colorful ski days of the year including live music, a celebration ski down, pink costumes and more. Pink Vail is a participation-based fundraising event similar to a run or walk to support cancer. Pa... MORE →
- August 1, 2013
In the Balance
- Imagine the life a child could grow up to have if he or she spoke multiple languages, played a musical instrument, was a champion skier/rock climber/endurance runner, had pen pals in 14 countries, earned perfect grades … and was so busy achieving things there was no time to sleep, play or just be a kid. In today's nonstop world, children are encouraged to engage in school and in extra-curricular activities. But there often comes a point when too much pressure can outweigh the benefits of partici... MORE →
- July 30, 2013
Gasping for Air
- Anyone who has had such a bad coughing fit that they end up gasping for air has an inkling of how serious whooping cough can be. While it may sound like an exotic or outdated disease to some, it's actually on the rise — particularly in Colorado. This is why the physicians and staff at Vail Valley Medical Center strongly recommend routine immunizations.Whooping cough, or pertussis as it is referenced in medical fields, produces symptoms typical of the common head cold in adults: runny or stuffy... MORE →
- July 30, 2013
Protein Busters: Building Muscle Mass
- Author Katie Mazzia MS, RD, CDE is a nutritionist at Vail Valley Medical Center. MYTH: You need large amounts of protein to build muscle mass. TRUTH: Any excess protein beyond what the body needs is burned for energy or stored as body fat. The amount of protein required by a healthy individual is based on the type and frequency of exercise. As a general guide, select the type of activity below that best describes you and calculate your protein requirements. Choose a mix of proteins from real ... MORE →


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celebrity life
Shane Warne Australia's least trusted person, says Reader's Digest
- From: news.com.au
- June 22, 2011
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- Most and least trusted people revealed
- Rudd rates higher than Gillard - just
- MPs: 'Friend' anti-Muslim Facebook page
HE may hold a place in Liz Hurley's heart, but most people wouldn't trust him.
Cricketer Shane Warne has come last in the Reader's Digest trust survey.
More than 1000 people were asked to rate how much they trusted 100 well-known people and professions on a scale of one to 10. Warnie is least trustworthy, while child health researcher Fiona Stanley topped the poll from Nobel Laureate Elizabeth Blackburn.
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd topped his successor Julia Gillard in the trust stakes as well as the opinion polls.
As Ms Gillard reaches her first anniversary as prime minister, she was placed at 97th - five places behind Mr Rudd at 92 and three places behind Liberal politician Malcolm Turnbull at 94.
However, Ms Gillard came out one place ahead of Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, who was ranked 98 out of 100.
"The Top Ten is dominated by people who 'care and protect', while the tail end of the field is full of politicians, businessmen and controversial sports figures," Reader's Digest says.
Among those in the bottom 10 are embattled sports agent Ricky Nixon (93), Mel Gibson (96) and Brendan Fevola (99).
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie was the most trusted politician coming in at 35.
"In fact, despite talkback scorn, the leading federal independents rate better than the big names from the major parties," Reader's Digest says.
Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and Bob Katter came in at 58, 65 and 73 respectively.
Greens leader Bob Brown dropped 15 points from last year to 89th.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange debuted at 82.
As part of the survey, people were also asked to rank their most trusted 45 professions.
"For the eighth year in a row, paramedics take top spot as the most trusted profession in the land, while journalists find themselves struggling behind sex workers, lawyers, bankers and tow-truck drivers," Reader's Digest says.
"In Australia we tend to place our faith in people who save our lives, care for us, protect us and give back to us."
Who do we trust the least?
Taking out the bottom five places are taxi drivers, real estate agents, car salesman, politicians and telemarketers.
The 10 most trusted people in 2011
1. Fiona Stanley - Public health specialist
2. Elizabeth Blackburn- Australia's first female Nobel Laureate
3. Ian Frazer - Award-winning immunologist and cancer researcher
4. Charlie Teo - Neurosurgeon
5. Corporal Mark Donaldson - Victoria Cross recipient
6. Fiona Wood - Burns specialist
7. Simon McKeon - CSIRO chairman
8. Father Chris Riley - Founder of Youth off the Streets charity
9. Robert French - High Court Chief Justice
10. Karl Kruszelnick - Science commentator
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Comments on this story
Peter Lolly of Greenham Common Posted at 8:58 AM June 22, 2011
Wow, I have to feel a bit sorry for Warnie here. Brendan Fevola is more trustworthy than him?
dicko Posted at 8:57 AM June 22, 2011
I trust my labrador above all of them. At least dogs are loyal, obedient, honest, faithful and predictable. A very rare quality found in humans.
Mick fro m Melbourne of Melbourne Posted at 8:53 AM June 22, 2011
Yep real estate agents and polies are right where they belong!! But there was no mention of bankers, CSA and a few others ??!