South of the James

As many of you know, 2007 is shaping up to be a year of major changes for me professionally. As such, I believe that it would be most appropriate to set aside this blog in order to focus my attention and energy. This is a decision that I am making of my own volition, something that I choose eagerly as there are many new roads ahead.

For over a year-and-a-half, I’ve had the good fortune (or misfortune) of musing about culture, media, politics and such from my perch on this side of the river. It’s been an interesting facet of what turned out to be a 2-year plus stint hanging out in alternative media and grassroots community activism circles. Despite some hiccups along the way, this wild and crazy ride has been tons of fun.

As President Eisenhower once commanded, “Politics ought to be the part-time profession of every citizen who would protect the rights and privileges of free people and who would preserve what is good and fruitful in our national heritage.” SOTJ served as an outlet for creative expression motivated by a desire to maximize my contribution to our democracy. When added to my other volunteer work, it’s been quite a journey into civic engagement. As clichéd as it sounds, I hope that this blog made a difference to someone, somewhere.

Before I drop the mike and leave this particular stage, I want to thank all of the readers, comment-makers, and fellow travelers who promoted my work and offered criticism, the dozen or so guest writers who lent me their voices on occasion, as well as the established media outlets that published my “random acts of journalism.” I also owe a debt of gratitude to my wife, family, and friends for their moral support and for telling (or admitting to) everyone they knew that I was one of those blogger people. Without you all, I’d basically be that tree that fell in the woods when no one was around.

My father constantly tells me to never tell people “good bye,” so I’ll take his advice this time. After all, I’m not going away forever, just taking my leave of this particular forum. So, I’ll see y’all later!

For Immediate Release

Contact: Jessica Smith

c: 202-236-3002

jsmith@webbforsenate.com

January 3, 2007

Washington, D.C., January 3 – Senator-elect Jim Webb announced today the appointment of several members to his senior staff.

“Over the course of the past several weeks, we have been working to assemble an experienced staff of professionals who can help advance the agenda I articulated in the fall campaign,” Senator Webb stated. “I am extremely pleased that this outstanding team has agreed to serve Virginia and our nation in the coming six years.”

Webb’s additional staff members include:

Michael Sozan – Legislative Director. As Legislative Director, Sozan will coordinate all committee and floor activities for Senator Webb and assist in establishing legislative priorities. Sozan has served since 2004 as Legislative Counsel in Senator Bill Nelson’s (D-FL) office. He grew up in Clifton, graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1991 and George Washington University School of Law in 1994. Prior to working on Capitol Hill, he was an Associate at Arnold and Porter.

Kathryn M. Wilmoth – Administrative Director. The Administrative Director is responsible for office accounts, personnel policies and technology systems. Wilmoth is a 21-year veteran of the Senate, having served in similar capacities for Senators John H. Chafee (R – RI) and Lincoln D. Chafee (R – RI). She grew up in Arlington County and is a 1985 graduate of Northern Virginia Community College.

Louise F. Ware – State Director. The State Director will manage Webb’s regional offices and coordinate constituent casework. Ware has a long record of public service in Virginia government and at the federal level. During the administration of Governor Mark Warner, she managed the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. She has also served in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and on the Democratic National Committee. Ware is a native of Lynchburg and holds a B.S. from Lynchburg College and a M.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Gordon I. Peterson – Military Legislative Assistant. The Military Legislative Assistant will serve as the key staff person for Webb on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Peterson is a retired Captain in the U.S. Navy. He is currently a strategic communications specialist with General Dynamics supporting the U.S. Coast Guard’s Deepwater Program. His previous positions include Director of Congressional and Public Affairs for the Naval Sea Systems Command, and Deputy Chief of Information for the Department of the Navy. He is a naval aviator with more than 500 combat missions during the Vietnam War. Peterson, who is long-time resident of Virginia, holds a B.A. from the United States Naval Academy and an M.S. from George Washington University. He also graduated with highest distinction from the U.S. Naval War College.

Lisa Marie Stark – Director of Scheduling. Stark is currently the Deputy Scheduling Director for Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm. As Webb’s scheduling director, she will coordinate state travel and his daily activities in Washington. Stark holds a BA. in International Relations from Michigan State University and is a candidate for a masters degree at the University of Michigan.

Conaway B. Haskins, III – Deputy State Director. As Deputy State Director, Haskins will assist in managing Webb’s regional offices and in coordinating constituent casework. He will also focus on economic development and special projects. Haskins currently serves as a Senior Program Officer for the Cameron Foundation, a non-profit organization in the Petersburg area that focuses on regional development. He holds a B.A from George Mason University and a M.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Michael “Mac” McGarvey – Legislative Assistant for Veterans Affairs. McGarvey will serve as Webb’s principal aide for the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. McGarvey has long been involved with veterans’ issues. He served in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as a prosthetics specialist from 1985 to 2001. He served as a Marine infantryman in Vietnam, where he was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.

Phillip Thompson – Executive Assistant. As executive assistant, Thompson will handle Webb’s personal correspondence, help coordinate long range planning, and support the communications staff. Thompson served in a similar capacity in Webb’s campaign. Thompson, who is a long-time resident of Virginia, is a former Marine combat veteran and journalist. He is a native of Mississippi and a graduate of Ole Miss.

Webb noted that additional staff members will be appointed over the next several weeks.

Paid for by James Webb for U.S. Senate

Congratulations to Jon Henke on his new gig with the Senate Republicans. Jon’s a good guy, virtually a neighbor (for a little while more), and he’s an elite blogger. Democrats would be wise to watch his moves as he helps Sen. McConnell navigate the closely-divided Senate.  At any rate, to the extent that Jon’s blogging will decrease, Virginia’s loss is will be Beltway Republicans’ gain.

The Carytown NYE was fun and funny. It was a large outdoor festival in the misty confines of the River City’s finest shopping district. I feel bad for the folks who went to Can-Can looking for a nice, sophisticated, francophile way of ringing in the new year. What they got was a raucous, free-champagne, American version instead. It was off “le crochet“(I took Spanish…sorry).  Big kudos to my man Albert for the coffee and bread hook-up as one of Richmond’s best-designed restaurants played host to the most unusual NYE I’ve ever had.

With the recent “Bash Waldo” fiesta that ensued after Mr. Jaquith yanked a blog from his aggregator, I’m beginning to rethink my earlier comments regarding the nonpartisan Media Bloggers Association (which is full of Pajamas Media, thus it can’t be a liberal ploy to attack Republicans, folks). This situation – regardless of the motives involved – demonstrates why 2007 may bring days of reckoning to the blogosphere in terms of teasing out the quality among the quantity. After striking it rich in the brave new world of 2006 politics, blogland may be reaping a bit of what it has sown, particularly as the MSM and political establishment (right and left) signal that they have wised up to the goings-on and reach of our community. The golden age is over, folks. It’s time to think outside the text box…

At any rate, though it’s not yet a full day old, 2007 promises to be a very interesting year…

A few years back, I sampled my first glass of Chenin Blanc at Downtown DC’s Chef Geoff’s during a business dinner. Ever since, I’ve been intrigued with this unheralded white wine because it is not readily found on most wine lists or in retail outlets. It’s basically a Left Coast underdog that does not originate in the ubiquitous Napa or Sonoma regions of California, with the grapes of this particular version grown in the Sacramento area.

When I dashed off to the store for one last NYE grocery run, I was pleasantly surprised to see some bottles of 2005 Dry Creek Vineyards Dry Chenin Blanc. I figured that it was worth trying, especially since the price was south of $10. Well, it was a good choice. This baby came in at 12.5% alcohol and 100% good taste. It had flavors touching on honeydew and little bit of pineapple.

Sadly, Chenin Blanc’s are not terribly popular in the US which is a shame since it’s a really versatile food partner (we did it with chicken & seafood), and it is pretty inexpensive in the range of $9-12 per bottle. The 2005 rated an 86 by Wine Enthusiast, keeping with the pattern of the last few years for this varietal, and the San Francisco Chronicle dedicated a weekly podcast to it as a “wine of the week” in August 2006.

With a great taste and great price what more can you ask for to end 2006?

Wine and holiday season seem like natural fits. Sipping a nice glass of quality vino can be a joyful way to spend time with loved ones, or it can be an absolute necessity to coping with them. Or both, depending on the family member(s) in question. Well, this Christmas happened to trend more toward the former, and during one of the Christmas events that I went to, I spied an interesting bottle of wine sitting on a rack. The label indicated that it had been produced “organically,” and the owner of said bottle encouraged me to pop the cork and try it out.

Now, I’ve always been a sucker for learning about how wine is produced, and thanks to Virginia’s own wineries, the plethora of good wine books, and researchers who put good information on the Web, it’s pretty easy to bone up on the complexity of viticulture and enology. But, when it comes to organic wines, I know much, much less. As a result, I nursed a healthy skepticism about whether high-quality wine could be made organically. Well, let’s just say that Santa brought a little education my way this Christmas.

The wine in question – Frey Vineyard’s 2004 Organic Zinfandel – is produced in a burgeoning organic wine and food hotbed, Mendocino County, California. Frey is regarded as the nation’s oldest organic winery, and the organic status is blasted all over the bottle. The labels also note that the wine “contains no detectable sulfites” and “no sulfites added,” which is terribly important to those who are really sensitive to the chemicals. For good measure, the 2004 Zin was certified organic by both USDA and the California Certified Organic Farmers, thus it’s legit.

This particular Zinfandel has a dark ruby color and a fruity taste which the label describes as hints of blackberries and raspberries. Personally, I tasted cherries, plums and prunes, and an interesting aftertaste of apples. but to each his/her own. The Zinfandel will probably pair well with Italian dishes, pork tenderloin, prime rib, and maybe even a piece of salmon cooked medium to well done. It does have a rather high alcohol content (14.3%), and probably should be aerated in the bottle for about 20-30 minutes for full enjoyment.

It rated in the mid-high 80’s by several reviewers (I’d concur with that assessment) and it’s won several medals in competition. From the looks of things on-line, you can probably snag a bottle of the 2004 Organic Zinfandel for between $15-18. That’s not bad for good wine. Maybe I’ll use that Total Wine gift card that I got for Christmas and pick up a few bottles. What a great way to ring in 2007 – stepping back in time to 2004.

By Krysta Jones

Guest Writer

Krysta Jones is a government relations representative for the American College of Obstetricians where she handles a variety of women’s health issues. In May 2006, she founded the nonpartisan Virginia Leadership Institute to increase the overall number of black elected officials in the Commonwealth, focusing its efforts on Northern Virginia. Krysta serves on the Arlington County Multicultural Advisory Commission and was a 2006 Political Leaders Program Fellow at the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia. She earned a master’s degree in Legislative Affairs from the George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Florida.

The Virginia Leadership Institute (VLI) aims to correct a longstanding ill in our society- the lack of African-American elected officials. African-Americans come from a strong history of leadership and activism. From Senator Blanche K. Bruce to Representative Shirley Chisholm to Representative John Conyers, African Americans have understood the importance of political empowerment as a means to ensure justice and provide opportunity for all people.

I started the VLI to continue this tradition in Virginia. Having more qualified black elected officials is critical, and the VLI aims to find out how to increase this number, and provide training and networking opportunities to those interested in serving as public officials. Generally African-American officials tend to better understand the unique needs of blacks in America, just as representatives of any group are likely to have common experiences as their constituents. More blacks in Virginia deserve the opportunity to have a representative who shares these experiences.

Electing more blacks to office could be a measure of the progress that we have made in society. No one is assuming that blacks always vote the same, or that a black official would always represent the desires of all African-Americans in their district. But because of our bleak history of denying blacks the most basic level of participation in the political process, we would be able to see the fruits of our legislative initiatives of the 1960’s which aimed to increase black representation.

Having a black perspective, in our city councils and state legislatures is just as important as having a white perspective, Latino perspective, wealthy perspective or gay perspective. Our representatives are each unique for the experiences that they bring to policy making, and we should strive to continue to diversify our policy making bodies so that we have a greater chance of building bridges within our communities and proposing new policies and solutions.

Lastly, we should elect more black officials because we can. I have met so many qualified and experienced African-Americans throughout the state that any American would be proud to have as their representative. In order to continue down the path that our forefathers started, we must move Virginia fully forward by increasing opportunities for African-Americans qualified to represent us as constituents of the great commonwealth of Virginia.

For more information on the Virginia Leadership Institute, please visit www.virginialead.org.

VLI Board of Directors

Krysta Jones Chair, Arlington County, Democrat, Lobbyist American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology

M. Allyn Brooks-LaSure, Arlington, Democrat, Press Secretary, U.S. Senate

Davon Gray , Prince William, Republican, lobbyist at the American Hospital Association

Sheena D. Franklin, Alexandria, Independent, Campaign and PAC Compliance Specialist, Perkins Coie LLP

Charniele L. Herring, Alexandria, Democrat. Attorney

Yvonne Johnston, Louisa, Independent, Assistant Vice President Relationship Manager at Wachovia

Christopher Lewis, Alexandria, Democrat, Grassroots organizer for GenerationEngage

Christopher L Turner, Arlington, Democrat, Government Affairs Consultant

Terron D. Sims II, Arlington, Democrat, Senior analyst for ASM Research, Inc.

Updated at 8:30pm on December 26, 2006

For the past month or so, I’ve had a page up on the blog simply titled “Virginia Society of Bloggers” in order to generate positive discussion about the idea of an association of some form and a common ethical code. In light of the sad, but not unexpected brouhaha over the VPB, I’m taking this page down and instead posting the comments contained therein and in the initial Bacon’s Rebellion piece (sans hyperlinks…sorry, I’m still a little slow on the techie end) that started the SOB discussion as a separate post in hopes of generating some discussion.

For those who aren’t already familiar, several “codes” exist that various bloggers adhere to, some of which have been mentioned before. Check them out for yourselves.

• Media Bloggers Association

• Bacon’s Rebellion

• Martin Kuhn’s “Interactivity and Prioritizing the Human: A Code of Blogging Ethics” (featured on Bacon’s Rebellion.

 

Notable Blogger Responses

Adam Sharp: “I’m in.”

Bruce Roemmelt: “…reporting for duty sir.”

Liberal Pi: “I’m in too.”

Greg Bouchillon: “Did someone order a whackjob? Right behind you Conaway.”

F.T. Rea: “Would this supposedly responsible bloggers society’s members be able to hide their identities? Or, should those onboard be obliged to be accountable for their posts by making their verifiable identity known?”

Greg Bouchillon: “I think that’s an important point. Can someone agree anonymously to a code of ethics? I like how Bacon does it.”

Badrose: “I have no problem with legally changing my name to Badrose. I’m down. Also, I hope we can use this society as a conduit for networking as most of us also have “real” jobs!”

Josh Chernila: “You know I’m an SOB.”

Waldo Jaquith: “Sign me up for the information superhighway. But with a different name, I hope.”

Bryan J. Scrafford: “I’m not ambivalent about this — it’s a GREAT IDEA!!! I most definitely would like my mumblings to be part.”

Alton Foley: “Of course. I’ve been on board since Conaway first mentioned the idea.”

Kevin (Tom Joad’s Place): “You down with SOB…yeah you know me!”

Norm Leahy: “I think this idea is worth pursuing — and the ‘SOBs’ does have a nice ring to it. It does seem to me that I’ve seen something along these lines elsewhere — a code of conduct that any blogger could agree to, link to and, it’s assumed, abide by. There also is the possibility of adapting the Media Bloggers Association code of conduct for our own uses, or a version of the code which would suit our particular needs. A simple page with a code, an icon and perhaps a list of signatory blogs would be a good first step.”

Jim Bacon: “…all in favor of establishing a confederacy of bloggers to look after blogger interests…After the first (Sorensen) blogger conference, I started agitating for a statement of basic standards as a way to establish the blogosphere as a credible alternative to the Mainstream Media — don’t libel people, don’t repeat unverified rumors, that sort of thing…At a minimum, an association of bloggers could continue to put on blogger summits and allow for the continued interaction of the bloggers face to face.”

Shaun Kenney: “If anyone is interested or inclined to help, I have reserved a URL — www.blogcodeofethics.com/org/net for precisely this purpose – a voluntary code of ethics with a button of some sort one could post on their website… self-imposed.”

Vivian Paige: “…sounds good…It’s going to be hard to get the diehards on both sides (of the partisan divide) to come together.”

Ben Tribbett: “…sounds like an awesome idea. Let me know how I can help!”

Claire Gastanaga: “Conaway, Count me in.”

Greg Letiecq: “I’m going to keep an eye on this and lend some input from time to time. I’ll make a decision about participating when the particulars become a little more developed. In general the idea has great merit, but as always it’s the actual implementation which will determine the worthiness of an S.O.B. Regardless of my level of participation, it should be interesting to see some of the commentors in this thread attempt to comply with a code of ethics. If they do however, this exercise would have been well worth it.”

Conaway Haskins: As one who beats the drums in the blogosphere for the “Society of Bloggers” idea, I am well aware that I have fallen short and will continue to fall short of the very notions of ethics that I an others are promoting. As one who laments some of the seedier elements of media & political activism, I am also guilty of countenancing and sometimes participating in the very actions that I criticize. While it may make me a hypocrite on occasion, it also makes me quite human.

And, so it’s time to put the blog away for a winter’s nap until after Santa does his thing. Also, it’s time to do some last-minute shopping, and thinking about “content,” “page views,” “hit counts,” and all that jazz simply gets in the way. For those of you who don’t celebrate Christmas, enjoy your time off. Be sure to watch out for a jolly old elf driving a reindeer-powered sleigh. We wouldn’t want to lose anyone over the holiday season.

Regardless of whether you’ve been naughty or nice, check out yesterday’s NPR feature on Richmond’s very own Tacky Lights Tour tradition. If you haven’t done the TLT, you should give it a try. Granted, it’s a lot more fun if you’re on a bus with a group, especially when there are libations to make the season bright

Merry Christmas!

By Mike Harton & Marleen Durfee

Guest Writers

Mike Harton is the president and Marleen Durfee is the executive director of the Responsible Growth Alliance of Chesterfield. The mission of the RGAC is to “protect and secure a high quality of life and economic development in Chesterfield County by encouraging policies and programs that improve our communities, and to educate citizens on the methods and processes they can use to achieve livable, sustainable community in partnership with residents, public and private agencies, businesses and elected officials.”

The past year was quite an active one for our organization!

Most notably, after months of deliberations and soliciting feedback from you, we made several significant changes. First, our organization is now known as the Responsible Growth Alliance of Chesterfield (RGAC). This name was selected based upon widespread sentiment that “Task Force” implied a temporary status. As you all know, there is nothing temporary about us – we are a permanent fixture within the Chesterfield community, and the new name reflects this. Second, we clarified our mission statement to explicitly reinforce our desire for increased commercial growth in the county, as well as our position as a resource for citizens, businesses, and county leaders. Third, in an effort to solidify our base of support and develop organizationally, we defined the terms through which county residents can be “members” of the RGAC. Fourth, we launched a new blog – our new home on the Internet – which allows us to keep you informed about key happenings affecting quality of life and economic development in Chesterfield. The blog also allows for interactive comments from members and concerned citizens, thus giving us instantaneous feedback from you. You can find it at http://www.responsiblegrowth.org.

On the advocacy front, we continued working diligently to inform public policymaking and media coverage in Chesterfield by attending and speaking at over 50 public hearings held by the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, School Board and the Richmond Times-Dispatch and through hosting representatives of leading county agencies at our monthly meetings. We encourage commercial development and have been in favor of mixed-use development like the Watkins Centre. We led the effort for the revision of the Upper Swift Creek Plan that is now closer to completion. We reached out to surrounding jurisdictions and gave a voice to regional growth and development issues as a founding member of the Partnership for Smarter Growth. Finally, we are putting the finishing touches on the first-ever county-wide Community Image Survey, the results of which should be available in the coming months.

None of this work would have been possible without the dedication of our members and supporters. Going forward, your moral and financial support will be critical in helping us fulfill our mission, to protect and secure a high quality of life and economic development in Chesterfield County by encouraging policies and programs that improve our communities, and to educate citizens on the methods and processes they can use to achieve livable, sustainable community in partnership with residents, public and private agencies, businesses and elected officials.”

In short, we need your help to sustain our efforts at representing your interests to policymakers, the media and other community leaders. We ask that you consider contributing a modest annual gift of $30 for Voting Membership in order to defray some of the costs of our activities. Additionally, we wholeheartedly encourage those of you who wish to donate in a greater amount to do so at your pleasure. You can rest assured that your contribution will be money well-spent as we continue to give voice to the citizens of Chesterfield.

Your contribution can be mailed to us at P.O. Box 5747, Midlothian, VA 23112, or you can leave it with us at one of our regular meetings held at 7pm on the third Thursdays in each month at the Hampton Inn located 3620 Price Club Blvd, Midlothian, VA 23112, just off of Hull Street Road.

We thank you for your time and support. We look forward to working with you and for you in the future. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to us via email at responsiblegrowth@gmail.com. You may also contact RGAC President Mike Harton at mike@harton.net or Executive Director Marleen Durfee at marleenk@msn.com

With the county’s population in the 300,000 range, Chesterfield’s 5 magisterial districts may soon be on par with House of Delegates districts in terms of size. As Virginia’s 4th-largest jurisdiction, discussions about enlarging the board of supervisors to 7 seats has ensued in corners of the community, and some have talked of having an at-large BOS chairmanship. This is not unprecedented as Chesterfield’s counterparts among Virginia’s largest municipalities have moved in this direction. However, there are legal concerns over civil rights and representation that are often mentioned in the debates.

As it stands, Fairfax has a 10-member BOS with an elected chairman, Virginia Beach has an 11-member City Council with an elected mayor and 3 at-large seats, Prince William has an 8-member BOS with an elected chairman, and Loudoun has a 9-member BOS with one at-large seat. Our northern neighbor, Henrico, maintains 5 district seats like Chesterfield.

Over a year ago, RGAC board member Bob Herndon asked, “Would you like to elect the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors? Do you see the benefits of a Chairman with a four year term v. one year? Do you want the leader of your County government directly accountable to all the voters of Chesterfield County?”

It would be interesting to know what citizens and observers of the county think of this issue. Chime in.