With our Ninth District Congressman, Rick Boucher, a sure bet to win in November, most of Southwest Virginia will be looking for a way to beat Sen. George Allen.
We have two great Democratic candidates - James Webb and Harris Miller - vying for the nomination and chance to take on Allen in November.
Neither candidate has made it down to far Southwest Virginia yet, but both say they plan to come down this way soon.
Be sure and vote in our poll with your pick for this Senate seat.
Everyone–we’re just a couple short days from a vote on Governor Kaine’s transportation plan–and he needs your help to persuade Del. Carrico to support it!
The Kaine Plan will fund improvements for roads in Southwest Virginia.
The House Republicans plan focuses on Hampton Roads–and its up to us to let Del. Carrico know that we need funding down here for our roads!
Even if you do not live in his district, he needs to hear from you–this is an issue that affects all of Southwest Virginia.
Please, take two minutes either today, tomorrow, or Friday—to e-mail or call Del. Carrico and tell him to support the Kaine Transportation plan.
Even if you have already contacted him–please do so again, as we need as many calls/e-mails going to him as possible to show him how important this is for Southwest Virginia.
Once you have contacted him, please call me at 540-467-5968, or e-mail me at jen.tomasello@gmail.com and let me know so we can keep track.
Thank you and please act today!!! Del. Carrico’s contact information is below.
Jen Tomasello
Capitol Office
General Assembly Building
P.O. Box 406
Richmond, Virginia 23218
Phone: (804) 698-1005
Fax: (804) 786-6310
Constituent Viewpoint: (800)-889-0229
Email: DelCCarrico@house.state.va.us
Room Number: 713
Legislative Assistant: Stuart Higley
Secretary During Session: Susan Jenkins
District Office
578 E. Main Street, Suite B, P.O. Box 188
Independence, VA 24348
Phone: (276) 773-9600
Fax: (276)773-2400
Email: DelCCarrico@house.state.va.us
Farmers in Wise, Russell and Washington County who have suffered crop losses due to last year’s drought conditions may be eligible to receive financial help from the federal government according to United States Representative Rick Boucher.
. . .
While farmers in these counties were previously eligible for assistance by virtue of being located adjacent to other primary disaster areas, this designation will enable farmers in Dickenson County and the City of Norton to qualify for federal assistance.
. . .
Boucher noted that the lack of precipitation experienced in Southwest Virginia in 2005 resulted in substantial damage to crops and justified the need for federal assistance to the producers of these commodities.
Farmers in localities declared as disaster areas who lose 30 percent of their income are eligible to be considered for up to $500,000 in low-interest loans from the U.S. Farm Service Agency for losses sustained as a result of this year’s drought.
I hope this will be helpful to some of our local farmers. A guy was recently telling me about how he had lost part of his crop because of the drought and I intend to mention this to him in case he has not heard about it.
In recent days, this blog and website has been getting a lot of traffic. I am not really sure why, but am glad to see folks looking for news about what is going on in Southwest Virginia politics and helping elect and support elected Democrats in Southwest Virginia.
This group is still trying to figure out what it is, if anything, we can do to help Democrats in Southwest Virginia. If you are interested in helping or have some ideas, please contact us.
If you are interested in contributing directly to this site (i.e., posting blog entries, posting events to the calendar, etc.), go ahead and register and start posting.
Thanks again for being supportive of Democratic candidates and causes in Southwest Virginia.
Everyone–the House Republicans are pushing a transportation plan that focuses on NORTHERN VIRGINIA and HAMPTON ROADS.
*This plan also diverts funding AWAY from Southwest Virginia–when Southwest Virginia has many needed projects including repairs to Route 58, I-81, and other things we all have been waiting for.*
This is an important issue for ALL of Southwest Virginia—whether you are in Del. Carrico’s district, or not–and there is something you can do to help!
Governor Kaine is pushing a transportation plan–the Kaine Transportation Plan–which covers the WHOLE state, including funds for Southwest Virginia.
*Take TWO MINUTES—only two minutes–in the next week to either call, send a letter, or send an e-mail to Delegate Carrico–tell him to support the Governor’s plan because that’s the plan that will fund the people he represents!!*
——————————————————-
*Del. Carrico’s Information*
District Office
General Assembly Building
P.O. Box 406
Richmond, Virginia 23218
*Phone: (804) 698-1005*
Fax: (804) 786-6310
*Constituent Viewpoint: (800)-889-0229
Email: DelCCarrico@house.state.va.us
*Room Number: 713
Legislative Assistant: Stuart Higley
Secretary During Session: Susan Jenkins
578 E. Main Street, Suite B, P.O. Box 188
Independence, VA 24348
*Phone: (276) 773-9600*
Fax: (276)773-2400
Email: DelCCarrico@house.state.va.us
——————————————————-
Do this as soon as you can, and please either send me an e-mail at jen.tomasello@gmail.com, or call me at 540-467-5968 to let me know you have done this. This enables us to keep track so if Del. Carrico tries to say he has not been contacted, we can pull out our list of people and verify that we have contacted him.
Thank you so much and please act today–for Southwest Virginia.
One can certainly reach that conclusion based on his opposition to HB 1590 and HB 1084. Either of these bills would have brought the salaries of Virginia’s teachers up to the national average. Who can oppose that, you ask? Del. Bill Carrico can and did - twice.
It is a goal of the Commonwealth that its public school teachers be compensated at a rate that is competitive in order to attract and keep competent teachers. It is also a goal of the Commonwealth that the average salary for Virginia public school teachers equal or surpass the national average salary for public school teachers.
HB 1084 is a little different, but the key language is still:
With such funds as are made available for this purpose, the average teacher salary in the Commonwealth shall not be less than the annual national average teacher salary, in order to ensure the availability of a corps of high-quality instructional personnel in the public schools.
On two occassions, Del. Carrico has voted to kill each of these bills in the House Education Committee, breaking ranks with other Republicans both times.
Thanks to Congressman Boucher, I see that local farmers are now eligible for some financial assistance due to crop losses. 
One can certainly reach that conclusion based on his opposition to HB 1590 and HB 1084. Either of these bills would have brought the salaries of Virginia’s teachers up to the national average. Who can oppose that, you ask? 