They weigh up to 75 pounds, and a crowbar is needed to remove them. Sure, thieves have stolen copper wires, AC units, and downspouts for scrap, but although manhole covers are worth $100 each, scrap yards and recyclers will not accept them.
Because the city cannot replace them fast enough, the Free Lance-Star reported, "Until the city can get more covers to replace the missing ones, cones and tape are set up to block the road as a safety measure." (See photo at left.)
Virginia's Republican-run State Board of Elections has proposed striking current rules that allow further verification with a catch-all on absentee ballots if a voter's signature is illegible, The Virginian-Pilot reported Wednesday. "Those who support the catch-all provision say verification can be done simply by checking ballot return envelopes mailed by local registrars that contain identifying information for the registered voter who requested the ballot," the Pilot reported.
A State Board of Elections adviser told the Pilot, "The goal here is to get things right on a tough issue ... to err on the side of the voter." Virginia Democratic Party Executive Director David Mills sees it differently: "Virginia should place a priority on finding ways within the law to count as many votes as possible, not make it more difficult to have your vote counted if you vote absentee." The U.S. Department of Justice will need to approve the new rules.
Tune in next time when the board proposes photo ID requirements, proof of citizenship, and stricter early voting rules.
Last week he text-messaged a photo of a man's genitals to a female campaign staffer. Tom Jackman of The Washington Post's "The State of Nova" blog reported Thursday personally confirmed that Speakman sent the photo to his staffer's phone, and although he said it appears the photo is not of Speakman himself, "You do not want to see the photo." The photo shows a nude man extending his foot with the caption, "Does this look like atheletes foot?" Speakman said it was a joke.
But the fact the photo was sent and received is the only part of this episode that can be confirmed. Speakman said he and the staffer were making sexual comments before sending the photo, but she denies this. She said she was paid to post favorable comments about Speakman on blogs, but he denies this.
Speakman defended sending the photo. "I was never inappropriate with her. Have you seen the photo? It's a joke. It's a joke photo. It was going around. My son got it. I can tell you the guy that forwarded it to me. It's been around all over. It says, 'Do I have athlete's foot?'" Speakman, who lost the Republican nomination for sheriff in July, believes someone with the GOP is setting him up over the nature of the texting conversation, however.
This is the same Ronald Speakman who as a married policeman with children 20 years ago had an affair with a married mother, eventually buying a house with her – before the woman shot him. And he didn't win his party's nomination?
That's Ronald "Does this look like a lost election?" Speakman, today's Worst Virginian in the World!
