Governor McDonnell Announces 43,000 Potholes Repaired in First Two Weeks of Pothole Blitz

VDOT Continues Repairing Potholes Statewide!

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) crews have patched, repaired or filled more than 43,000 potholes throughout the commonwealth since it kicked off the agency’s pothole blitz March 1. Governor McDonnell directed VDOT to launch its pothole blitz and focus efforts on patching the thousands of potholes resulting from this winter’s harsh weather. VDOT crews have worked day and night to address pavement hazards reported by VDOT crews, contractors, and citizens.

“We know that potholes create more than bumpy rides for motorists. They are roadway hazards. VDOT has made great strides in addressing this year’s bumper crop of potholes, but there is still work to be done,” said Governor McDonnell. “I would like to thank the citizens that have helped by reporting potholes on VDOT’s Web site and by calling in as they see potholes develop in their travels. With everyone’s help, we continue making great progress.”
Potholes are continuing to form with this month’s wet weather and varying temperatures. As citizens contact VDOT and report each new pothole, crews are dispatched to work through assigned corridors and repairs are prioritized based on severity and location.
VDOT has budgeted $45.8 million for asphalt and concrete patching for fiscal year 2010 (which runs from July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010).
To report a pothole, citizens should visit www.VirginiaDOT.org or call VDOT’s Highway Helpline at 800-367-7623 (ROAD). TTY users, call 711.

VDOT repairs potholes on state-maintained roads only, which include interstate highways and most primary and secondary roads. Local governments are responsible for repairing potholes on city streets as well as on roadways in Henrico and Arlington counties. If citizens see a pothole on a city street or an Arlington or Henrico County road, they should contact their local public works agency.
Safe driving tips, pothole patching videos, and other useful information on potholes is also available on VDOT’s Web site at http://www.virginiadot.org/info/faq-potholes.asp.

Planned Parenthood to Ask Virginia General Assembly to Approve Pro-Abortion License Plates!

That's right- if you can't get enough abortion in your life- and you could care less if your baby is stabbed in the skull by a profiteer proclaiming to be a doctor with your best interests in mind, then by all means- YOU should buy a pro-abortion license plate to support Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia!

What will your delegate vote when this is presented for approval? Have you called and asked him/her?

cross posted on RappahannockRepublic.com .

Why VRE, As Offered, is a Bad Deal for Spotsylvania by Supervisor Candidate Chris Yakabouski

Fitz Johnson’s op-ed “How can Republicans be trying to derail VRE?” (op-ed, Oct 22) offers a self-absorbed perspective on VRE that is typical of those who will enjoy a special benefit if Spotsylvania taxpayers bail out VRE. As a candidate for public office, my perspective on this issue is grounded entirely on what is in the public interest.

On August 18, 2009, the Spotsylvania County Board of supervisors voted to join VRE but left it up to the new Board to ratify or reject this deal after the election. I will vote to reject this deal because VRE is dealing from the bottom of the deck and the role of sucker was assigned to Spotsylvania taxpayers. This “deal” is forever. There is no escape and no way to modify its terms regardless of how harmful it is to the County and its residents.

The “deal” touted by Supervisors Pitts and Skinner, unless stopped, would be the most lopsided anti-taxpayer agreement ever entered into by Spotsylvania. Some of the people sounding off are claiming the language of the deal says what it doesn’t say and many of the loudest proponents will personally profit at the long-term expense of the taxpayers of Spotsylvania. I am all for free enterprise and maximizing profits but I absolutely will not stand for people unfairly doing so at the risk and expense of working Spotsylvania families.

After I hear about all the wonderful virtues of VRE, I find myself thinking why not? Sounds ok! What’s wrong with commuter rail? Who wouldn’t want free money for local roads? Who wouldn’t want to bring high paying jobs home to Spotsylvania? Those are the promises and they sound great. But before signing on the dotted line, lets look at what we are getting into and see whether those promises are real or just more pie-in-the-sky offered up by people who stand to make a lot of money at taxpayer expense or who think leadership is figuring out a new way to separate taxpayers from yet another dollar. So let’s have a look, shall we?

The first promise is that joining VRE will miraculously spur economic growth in Spotsylvania. According to the VRE visionaries, high-tech businesses will sprout like mushrooms if only Spotsylvania will impose a new gas tax and pay millions to subsidize VRE. Of course, this pie-in-the-sky promise is easily refuted by simply looking at VRE’s impact on economic development in nearby communities over the past 20 years. Obviously, the dilapidated Fredericksburg VRE station has attracted nothing but problems. VRE’s presence couldn’t even save a struggling restaurant located on top of the VRE station! Look North to Lorton in Fairfax. Several years back Lorton prison closed and the land cleared for development. There was already a VRE station nearby and so one would expect tons of these wonderful businesses to locate in this virgin area. Business parks must dot the landscape where the prison once stood, right? No. Only houses. Lots and lots of houses and lots and lots of people and as much traffic congestion as anyone could want. Lorton is much closer to D.C. than we are, but the high paying jobs didn’t materialize.

Ok, let’s look at Leeland Station in Stafford. This station is located in southern Stafford and had little development around it -- no houses, strip malls, and barely any traffic. This location is very similar to what we have around the proposed VRE station site in Spotsylvania. If you believe Supervisors Pitts and Skinner, Stafford surely must have attracted a huge first class business park with high paying jobs and associated benefits. Drive through sometime. No businesses, just more houses. Promises are one thing, reality another.

Another promise is free money for roads. But if you look at where this free money comes from, it disappears. First, the VRE agreement requires a new gas tax to be forced upon our taxpayers -- teachers, deputies, retired folks, stay at home moms, single moms and dads, those who have lost their jobs, as well as everyone else who drives a car. But at least our roads will be improved, right? Not so much. Every dollar raised by the gas tax is earmarked for VRE, period. There is no language in the proposed agreement protecting the taxpayers of Spotsylvania County. There is no minimum amount Spotsylvania is slated to receive. Instead, the County doesn’t get a dime until the full VRE fee is paid for. Spotsylvania gets the crumbs if anything is left, a huge bill if the tax falls short. And, the dirty little secret Pitts and Skinner try to hide is that if the gas tax falls short, Spotsylvania County would be legally required to raise taxes or cut services to pay the bill.

VRE sounds great. So do flying cars. But neither is a good thing upon which to bet the farm. I am all for improving traffic, and when I served on the Board of Supervisors the county received millions of dollars of traffic funds because of the many good projects which were approved. But in each of those cases, the development benefitted both the developer and the county – all were specifically designed to increase business development and solve traffic problems at the same time. For example the continuous turn lane off Route I-95 at the Spotsylvania exit was paid for, and built from a proffer by the Silver Companies. These are real improvements.

The lofty promises made by the VRE cheering squad hide a bad deal for the citizens of Spotsylvania. And the truth is, I am not opposed to joining VRE if it is a good deal for the taxpayers of Spotsylvania. In the middle of a recession, a mandatory gas tax coupled with a no-escape deal sounds like a terrible idea. As an elected official it is my responsibility to make sure our county is better off when I leave office than when was elected to office. I do not think this current agreement is in the best interest of all our citizens.

—Chris Yakabouski

The writer is the Republican Candidate for the Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors in the Battlefield District

Steve Shannon Dodges Questions at Debate and Doesn't Know Answers to Simple AG Questions!

This guy wants to be our Attorney General?? What an ass! He gets his supporters to shoot flashes into a guy's video camera! That could easily blow the circuitry and they know this. Coward!


Steve Shannon. Epic Fail!

Creigh Deeds Promises on Camera to Raise Our Taxes If Elected

Susan Stimpson to Kick Off Falmouth Supervisor Campaign in Stafford, VA - May 2 at 3:00PM

Come support a fellow Republican running for Stafford Supervisor- at the Republican Headquarters for 2009's Victory in VA!

Take Route 1 north, cross the Falmouth Bridge, and it's on the right just after the car dealership (former Mercedes) and Butler Road.

From I-95 north, take exit 133-A (east on Route 17) to intersection of Route 1. HQ is on your left as you pass through the intersection and Route 17 becomes Butler Road.

RPV Chairman Frederick Pledges to Fight the Many Calls for His Resignation

Despite calls for his resignation that began practically the week after he was elected chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia last year, Jeff Frederick has managed to stay out of reach of the old guard's grasp.

Chairman Frederick is blamed relentlessly by the neo-conservatives for any failure the GOP suffers right down to a local race as of late.

Some of this surely comes with the territory as Mr. Frederick is the face of the Virginia Republican Party. However, some of the criticism is unjustly heaped upon his back for things that were either well beyond his control or set in motion long before he had an opportunity to affect any change on the inevitable.

As recently as last week, yet another rash of calls for his resignation have spread throughout the blogosphere like a truckload of blank green cards left unguarded in Prince William County. (see here, here, and well commented on here.)

The City of Alexandria GOP committee passed a resolution that called for his removal. Portsmouth and other committees are bringing similar resolutions to a vote at their next meeting citing Frederick's apparent refusal to support Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, and his constant undermining activity toward Speaker Bill Howell.

The current action is that 3/4 of the State Central Committee has jointly signed a letter demanding that Mr. Frederick step down within 30 days.

Frederick is now making calls to garner the 20 or so votes he needs to defeat this.

On one hand you have to admire the guy for fighting for his position like a junkyard dog. He will have to answer to the rumored 10+ allegations that he failed miserably in his first few months of office. This won't be pretty even if he can justify his way out of all of them.

On the other, it's an unpaid position! If 3/4 of your fellow colleagues whom you claim you want to represent — want you gone — one would think it's reasonable to slam the door behind you and get on with your life even if you are proven right in the end. Stubbornness has its place, but this may not be the best time or place to show it.

After all, it's an election year. The Democrats are frothing at the mouth with the notion that they can pick up a few more seats in the House of Delegates, including Frederick's now that he's announced he won't seek re-election of that seat again.

Terry McAuliffe will dump tens of millions of dollars into his campaign, and all down-ticket Dems stand to benefit from this fact if he allows them to ride on his advertising coat tails.

We Republicans may be left full from the meal we just enjoyed 'eating our own' inside a party squabble, but we may well be forgetting that we have a job to do as GOP Party members: FIND GREAT CANDIDATES, RUN GREAT CAMPAIGNS AND WIN ELECTIONS.

If Chairman Frederick were to heed the call of his former supporters who've joined now with the majority of VA party leaders who oppose him, and step down as chairman, we could get on with the business of electing Republicans.

I don't blame him if he wants to defend his alleged failures in fundraising, election loses, and embarrassments on national TV during the last presidential election. But his continued denial of any responsibility, and refusal to step aside at least for the appearance of a fresh start, will come at a cost we voters will all bear of (better) party unity and focus on what's more important than who our party chairman is ... like who our governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general are!

If Frederick remains myopically focused on his chairman's seat and fighting the wind rather than on the best interests of the party at large, then Virginia will surely stay blue this November as no one is currently minding the state store and cash register.

Even CNN is watching this problem, and the Democrats are laughing louder each day it goes on.

VA Republicans Launch RPVNetwork.org- A Social Networking New Media Initiative; It's like FaceBook, only RIGHT

Visit RPVNetwork

Join now. It's FREE and you'll help grow a brand new online social network for Virginia Republicans only. Hello 'new media' - the Republicans are FINALLY here!

Photos of Sarah Palin; Fredericksburg, VA Oct 27, 2008

Sarah Palin to Visit Hurkamp Park in Fredericksburg Monday Oct 27

GET FREE TICKETS ONLINE HERE
(First come first served admission. Ticket holders are not guaranteed seats or even admission into the limited sized event area.)

Sarah Palin will “barnstorm” tour Virginia this coming Monday. According to the McCain-Palin campaign, her third trip to Virginia, Palin will start her day with an event in Leesburg at J.R.’s Festival Lakes, then zip on down to the City of Fredericksburg’s Hurkamp Park, and finish her day with a stop in Roanoke at the Salem Civic Center.

Yes- Sarah Palin is coming to Fredericksburg folks! I’ll bet we get 26,001 people to attend it too if the Free Lance Star has anything to say about it… because they strive to be balanced and all…

Update: She is expected to arrive before or around noon. Call the Regional GOP HQ for your free tickets or get them online at the link above. As more information becomes available, we'll update it here.
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Update Friday 7:00pm: Gov. Palin is expected a little after noon closer to 1:00pm Monday. The "gates" will still open at 10:00am. Satellite parking will be at the Fredericksburg Fairgrounds on Route 2 about a mile south of the City of Fredericksburg and shuttle buses will take you to the event. Plan ahead for carpooling and parking several blocks away and walking. The FRED bus schedule is expected to run on schedule, so you may be able to catch a public bus into the event as well. Call 372-1222 for FRED bus information, ask for Kathy Beck if you need special assistance.

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Update Saturday 9:00am: Todays' Free Lance-Star has a map of road closings and more information. Click HERE to read more.

11:30am: Ticket requests have exceeded 4,000 known, but there are multiple places to get them, so it's likely much more. Priority is given to people who are already signed up to volunteer their time to the local or federal Republican party and committees. Now is a great time to sign up for ACTION and PARTICIPATION in your GOP!

Photos from John McCain Rally in Prince William County, VA Today

Spotsylvania County’s “Tom the Antiquer” took these for you from his first political rally ever attended! I met Tom last night when he purchased a Victory 2008 McCain T-shirt from our county committee especially to wear to the rally.

Folks like Tom are coming out of hibernation in Virginia– and across America– to vote for McCain-Palin who have otherwise sat the past few elections out. Working men like Tom the Antiquer and Joe the Plumber know that more than just an election is at stake this time… indeed, our national sovereignty and children’s future will simply be in better hands with McCain.

Fredericksburg, VA: Obama's Bloated Attendance Report is Deflated by 100+ Actual McCain-Palin Supporters: VA IS McCAIN COUNTRY!

The Fredericksburg, VA region will not turn blue, or even a shade of purple this November as Obamamaniacs would like us to believe. This is FIRMLY Republican ground, and I've never been more convinced than today when THOUSANDS of cars honked their horns vigorously in support of today's grassroots activism display by a cooperative effort of regional McCain supporters.

This idea sprung up at a typical jam-packed nightly calling session at the regional GOP Headquarters this past Thursday night, even though we weren't certain whether Obama would cancel the MWU event to go to Washington, D.C. and put his 143 days of experience in the U.S. Senate to good use and solve the financial crisis.

You see, that's where Senator John McCain was today instead of glad-handing a bunch of ninnies like Barry Obama was.

I was proud to be part of a one-hundred-plus-strong army of McCain-Palin supporters from throughout the greater Fredericksburg region, who answered the action call of their committees to "welcome" his highness Obama to the campus of Mary Washington University today— and boy did we!

We lined a quarter-mile of Jefferson Davis Highway with patriots of Virginia who proudly held 4'x8' signs supporting John McCain and Sarah Palin. We would have gone farther, but we ran out of signs!

We let Obama know that this is McCAIN COUNTRY! Not one- repeat- NOT ONE Obama sign or supporter came out AT ALL on the road we lined for more than five hours! Not one Obama supporter or sign holder came out on any side street of the city either!

Yes, some houses have his signs in their yard like any other election, and despite more than 30 huge McCain signs being slashed and stolen the night before off of private property and front yards of houses, we managed to get them all replaced and fortified with proud McCain supporters who were happy to guard their property against these cowards and vandals and beat back the "invasion" of a few hundred Obama disciples who trickled in over the rest of the afternoon.

The press is trying to report a huge lie of seemingly insignificant information, but if this is any indication of the way they do their Sunday morning polling (when conservatives are IN CHURCH) then you too may just be a "believer" that Obama is winning too.

Who wants to decry BULLS%#T first? Here's your chance if you were there- no matter who you supported... They're saying Obama's visit to Fredericksburg, VA was greeted with "26,000 supporters." Yep- that's the official count released tonight.... in a tiny city of 21,000 total residents, on a campus of about 4,500 students that issued a permit for Obama's historic visit for 1,500 people (that's one thousand five-hundred) in a roped off area about the size of a baseball field's infield and some outfield too, they fit "26,000 people" ...reportedly. BEEE ESSS!

Watch the video news reports- you'll see quick pan shots of a crowd not more than about 25 deep in a semicircle in front of the stage...

I've never seen this kind of false propaganda get out into the news in person before except in the opposite case when the MSM (mainstream media) covers a Washington, D.C. annual Pro-Life rally and ignores the attendance volumes and plays them off as barely attended.

At least in the case of the Free Lance-Star article not written by a bonafied liberal-lover named Chelyen Davis, Kelly Hannon had the decency to mention the Pro-Lifers from multiple organizations that dutifully reminded the Obama guests that Obama supports post-birth "born alive abortions" aka, infanticide, and proudly fundraises cash for Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest taxpayer-subsidized for profit abortion chain. Not to solely pick on Obama, Hillary Clinton is close friends with Cecile Richards, the CEO of P.P., but Hillary is ollld news now, so I'll end that tangent.

Interestingly enough, both FLS writers or their editor, left out any mention in either article about the hundred-plus McCain folks outside the gates. Fortunately for our side tens of thousands saw us with their own eyes and know that they're not alone just because they're part of the so-called 'silent majority'. Election day will reveal just how silent they are. Their car horns certainly weren't silent today.

Back to the point; the press is reporting that enough people to fill HALF OF RFK STADIUM somehow squeezed into a baseball diamond. Call Guinness people- this one is for the record books!

HOGWASH! Several thousand attending— absolutely, I buy that— and why not? He's a rock star after all. Yes, several hundred- perhaps a thousand were lined up around the permitted area too and on sidewalks in the area, but it is a university for pete's sake- students are there in that volume on any given school night! I suppose you could STRETCH the numbers to hit 4,000 if you included all the students milling around too... but c'mon guys- 26,000??

While some of his drones were nice enough to give us only the thumbs down as we waved to them as they entered the campus of Mary Washington University, still other sheep gave us the middle finger and shouted "F*#@ every one of you BAS@#^&@!!" which happened at least a dozen times with the exact same quote.... one only wonders how they orchestrated this identical mantra so well when their Lord and savior (Barack Hussein Obama, a fine Christian man from the mid west the press will tell you) couldn't even get to Fredericksburg on time! He was 2 hours late getting to the stage.

Was he fashionably late or making hype build up? Maybe he just couldn't decide if he needed a tactic or a strategy to get there.

The press reported on tonight's TV news that supporters endured SIX rain storms before he got there... wow- now they rewrite the weather too! YES it poured like a monsoon from about 5:00- 5:30, and then stopped instantly. Amazingly there was even a rainbow! I figured- Obama himself MUST be on stage now... the clouds parted and a rainbow was present for heaven's sake. But no, he was practicing his speech in the car apparently.

If you listen to the same press, you'll hear how he 'won' the debate against John McCain too (though he couldn't remember the name of the soldier when he said "I have a bracelet too" to McCain in response to McCain bringing up how he wears a bracelet as a request from a mom of a fallen U.S. soldier to honor his memory.

Have YOU had enough Obama-mania? I sure have. As a local county GOP member, I'm doing something about it.

Want to get involved too? Call your local GOP committee or the Fredericksburg Regional GOP Headquarters at (202) 507-0841, located in South Stafford off exit 133b.

I'd like to extend a special thanks to the UMW Young Republicans who came out in volumes today and cheered enthusiastically for their candidate. You made all the difference in our success and filled in our ranks tremendously! Sorry, this is the only picture I snapped of you when you first started arriving- if you have a better one with all 30-40 of you, send it! (p.s. next time use permanent markers! Sorry the rain ruined all your hard work.)

Also- be sure to come to the Fredericksburg EXPO center this Thursday October 2, 2008 for a FREE event with "thousands" of your closest Republican friends: Sarah Palin debating Joe Biden live on Jumbo TV's (via satellite) See http://www.fredgop.com/ for details. You must register to attend- space is limited.

All your favorite elected officials will be there including former U.S. Senator George Allen and Congressman Rob Wittman!