Opinions

Next Monday, Jan. 20, the Virginia Citizens Defense League is organizing what it calls “the most important Lobby Day Rally that [they] have ever had,” saying, “If you care about your gun rights in the slightest then it is vital that you show up at this rally.”I own guns. I also have a concealed weapons permit, although I never carry a weapon on me in public.

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An Earlier Start Time In Lexington?

Published on Wed, 01/15/2020 - 2:00am

For as long as anyone here can remember, Lexington City Council’s regular meetings have started at 8 p.m. That’s at least an hour later than the start times for any other governmental meetings in the Rockbridge area. It also pushes the end times to a later hour than many citizens would like to stay out on a weekday night before a work or school day.At Council’s most recent meeting earlier this month, Molly McCluer, who regularly attends Lexington’s meetings, proposed an earlier start time, suggesting a more convenient hour would increase citizen participation. To find out whether there’s public sentiment in favor of such a change, Council has scheduled a discussion of the proposal at its next meeting tomorrow, Thursday, that begins, yes, at 8 p.m., at Waddell Elementary School.

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Buena Vista's Latest Challenge

Published on Wed, 01/15/2020 - 2:00am

Buena Vista is in a precarious fiscal state. For a number of years, the city, despite having one of the highest tax rates in the region, hasn’t been generating nearly enough revenues to cover its financial obligations. As a result, the city’s fund balance has been declining at an alarming rate and will disappear altogether, in a couple of years, if current trends together.Through these difficult times, City Manager Jay Scudder has managed to maintain the city’s solvency. He’s accomplished this by cutting spending to the bone, sometimes not replacing personnel when they leave, and securing grant funds whenever possible. In addition to his duties as city manager, he has been overseeing the public works department for nearly a year.

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‘We Can Take A Stand For Equality’

Published on Wed, 01/08/2020 - 8:00am

Jan. 5, 2020 Editor, The News-Gazette: As we write this, we know our fellow citizens wonder if our nation is about to go to war on another front. Huge sections

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Proposed Laws Wouldn’t Negate 2nd Amendment

Published on Wed, 01/08/2020 - 8:00am

Jan. 6, 2020 Editor, The News-Gazette: Though it has been nearly a month, I continue to ruminate on the Dec. 9 Board of Supervisors meeting regarding the symbolic “gun sanctuary”