Monthly Archive for November, 2001

Page 5 of 6

City Creates Scholarship

Charlottesville has created a quarter-million-dollar scholarship fund for Charlottesvillians that can’t afford higher education. The program, which Council approved in August, requires matching funding from the private sector, which is being headed up by a steering committee. Jake Mooney has the story in today’s Progress.

Creigh Deeds is Democrats’ Senate Nominee

Will writes: Creigh Deeds swept the Democrat nomination, with over 50% of the votes on the first ballot, thus making a second ballot unnecessary which came as a suprise. Runner up was Nancy O’Brien, followed by Meredith Richards and Al Weed.

It was an interesting event. Very…um…white. I guess this ends the problem of what City Council would do if one of their own got elected.

Democrats’ Senatorial Nominating Convention

Last night, about 150 people (by my count) showed up at Buford Middle School for the candidate’s forum of the four hopefuls vying for the 25th District seat, to fill out Emily Couric’s term. Candidates Creigh Deeds, Nancy O’Brien, Meredith Richards and Al Weed answered a series of questions from the moderator and from the audience during the two-hour event. As always, a tremendous amount of information on the candidates can be found on George Loper’s website. The Democrats’ nominating convention is Saturday at 11am tomorrow at the County Office Building. Given that it’s highly like that a Democrat will win the election, this convention is when our next senator will be selected. If you want to have a say in this process (and you’re a Democrat), be certain to show up. Though the elections aren’t held until December 18th, the winner will be chosen tomorrow.

UVa. Med Center Settles Billing Case

UVa’s Medical Center is paying the federal government $3M as a result of a Department of Justice probe of their billing practices. Turns out that throughout the last decade they’ve misbilled the government for outpatient clinic costs, though not necessarily intentionally. WINA has the story.

Our Friend Jim Hanchett

Janis Jaquith, regular essayist for the Daily Progress and NPR’s Marketplace (and my mother), has contributed a brief essay on Channel 29 and their habit of personally thanking their “Washington correspondent.” Writes Janis, “Oh, right. Like Jim Hanchett will be at the WVIR Christmas party. I don’t think so.” Read on for her essay.

It’s so embarrassing to watch Channel 29 news these days. Whenever it’s time for the Washington report from Jim Hanchett (obviously some kind of franchise deal – Jim Hanchett is “our man in Washington” for tons of NBC affiliates) you know that the Charlottesville anchor is going to pretend to be in direct contact with ol’ Jim, and say, “Thanks, Jim.”

Oh, right. Like Jim Hanchett will be at the WVIR Christmas party. I don’t think so.

How stupid does WVIR think we are? This kind of thing has been going on for years with a variety of “McReporters”. The reason I can remember Jim Hanchett’s name is that he’s been doing this for several months now.

Whenever I’m watching the Channel 29 news and see Jim Hanchett come on the screen, I start muttering, “Don’t do it Stacey – don’t thank him! It makes you look ridiculous!”

And then I cringe as Jim Hanchett says, “Back to you” and I squeeze my eyes shut as Stacey Horst says, “Thanks, Jim.”

I don’t object to WVIR using other news sources – it’s pretending that the reporter is part of the local news staff that I find insulting.

It makes the whole operation look so rinky-dink…and deceptive. And who wants their news to come from a deceptive source? Think about it.

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