In the fall of 2010, the Senior Center offered one of Rick’s programs entitled “Virginia History 101.” Running from October 7th through November 18th, this six-session lecture series was designed for those interested in Virginia’s fascinating early history. The series focused on some of the big topics that dominated the Old Dominion’s first two centuries, including, Native Virginians, Tobacco, Slavery, the Revolution, George Washington’s Presidency, and Jeffersonian Architecture. The series was followed with a travel session where participants experienced Virginia history first hand.
On October 12, 2010, Susan Kern presented “Tobacco, The First Cash Crop.” Ms. Kern is a visiting assistant professor in William & Mary’s Lyon G. Tyler Department of History. Throughout Virginia’s early history, the powers that be attempted to diversify the state’s economy, but tobacco, the evil weed, reigned supreme. Tobacco profits insured that Virginia would flourish. Tobacco profits bought trade goods from England, paid local tithes and taxes, and purchased more land and more slaves for its further cultivation.
This is the second in a six part series for 2010.
Click here to listen to all six lectures in this series:
* December 2, 2010 – The Monacan Nation – Rick Britton
* December 9, 2010 – Tobacco, The First Cash Crop – Susan Kern
* December 16, 2010 – Foodways of the Enslaved – Leni Sorensen
* December 23, 2010 – The Yorktown Campaign – Ed Lengel
* December 30, 2010 – Washington’s Presidency – David Hoth
* January 6, 2011- Architecture in the Jeffersonian Period – Ed Lay
In the fall of 2010, the Senior Center offered one of Rick’s programs entitled “Virginia History 101.” Running from October 7th through November 18th, this six-session lecture series was designed for those interested in Virginia’s fascinating early history. The series focused on some of the big topics that dominated the Old Dominion’s first two centuries, including, Native Virginians, Tobacco, Slavery, the Revolution, George Washington’s Presidency, and Jeffersonian Architecture. The series was followed with a travel session where participants experienced Virginia history first hand.
On October 7, 2010, Rick Britton himself delivered a talk on the Monacan Nation. Controlling most of the Virginia Piedmont, the Monacan Indians made war against the Tidewater’s Powhatan Nation, established five major villages, grew corn, and hunted deer, elk, and bison. Unfortunately, all that remains of this elusive people are the remnants of their tools, knives, and projectile points.
This is the first in a six part series for 2010.
Click here to listen to all six lectures in this series:
* December 2, 2010 – The Monacan Nation – Rick Britton
* December 9, 2010 – Tobacco, The First Cash Crop – Susan Kern
* December 16, 2010 – Foodways of the Enslaved – Leni Sorensen
* December 23, 2010 – The Yorktown Campaign – Ed Lengel
* December 30, 2010 – Washington’s Presidency – David Hoth
* January 6, 2011- Architecture in the Jeffersonian Period – Ed Lay
Virginia has a long history of civil political discourse, which can be repaired and restored. Part of that responsibility lies with the media and part with citizens who are consumers of media.
Bob Gibson came to the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia as executive director in March 2008. He is a 1972 graduate of the University of Virginia with a B.A. in government and foreign affairs. After serving as news director of WCHV radio, he joined The Daily Progress in August 1976 and has held a number of positions with the newspaper. He began his career covering police and local courts and has covered state and local politics and government. He was named city editor in 1982 and later special projects editor in 1992 when he wrote a series about racial disparities and justice in local courts.
In addition to his newspaper work, Bob hosted a weekly political call-in show on WINA radio in Charlottesville for seven years. He has also hosted a public radio talk show since 2001 on WVTF-FM in Roanoke and Charlottesville. He has been a regular contributor and guest on public radio station WAMU’s Kojo Nnamdi Show in Washington and often serves as host of Evening Edition on public radio WVTF.
Bob is the winner of several Virginia Press Association awards, the 1993 Virginia Bar Association Award in the Field of Law and Justice and the 1993 Southern Journalism Award for investigative reporting about racial disparities in sentencing.
Bob grew up in Arlington, VA, and has a long personal interest in Virginia’s politics and government. He is married to Sarah McConnell, who hosts the public radio program, "With Good Reason," from the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. They have three daughters: Helen, Logan and Stella.
Mr. Gibson spoke at the November 10, 2010 meeting of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. The meeting was held at The Charlottesville Senior Center. Following the presentation, questions were taken from the audience. The program was moderated by SSV member Bob McGrath.
On Wednesday October 20, 2010, Ron Wilson, who served for 25 years as historian at Appomattox Court House national park, delivered a presentation on John Brown’s Harpers Ferry raid. On October 16th, 1859, fanatical abolitionist Brown, with an "army" of 21 men, captured the Harpers Ferry-located U.S. Armory & Arsenal with the hope of inciting a slave rebellion. Instead he was captured by U.S. Marines under then Lieut. Col. Robert E. Lee, tried for treason by the State of Virginia, and hung in nearby Charles Town.
On Wednesday October 27th, Rick Britton & Ron Wilson will conduct a tour of Harpers Ferry, an absolute must see for every history enthusiast. The bus tour departs from the Charlottesville Senior Center at 8:00 am. There is a fee for the tour. Call 974-6538 for more information
This is the sixth and final part in this series for 2010.
Steve Williams was appointed executive director of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission and the Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in Charlottesville in May 2009. Under his leadership the Charlottesville-Albemarle MPO has been focusing on planning based on performance measurement, land use-transportation coordination, expansion of the region’s transit systems and bike and pedestrian transportation.
Prior to his move to Charlottesville, Steve was the executive director of the Nashua Regional Planning Commission and MPO between January 2004 and May 2009. During his time at NRPC he focused his attention on issues related to regional infrastructure, transportation systems, and coordination of land use and transportation. Prior to coming to NRPC he spent 10 years at the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments, the MPO for the three county Monterey/Salinas/Santa Cruz, California metro area in Monterey, California. He also spent seven years at the East Central Intergovernmental Association, the MPO for the three state MPO in Dubuque, Iowa. Steve received a Master of City and Regional Planning in 1985 from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo and a Bachelor of Science from Montana State University in 1983.
Steve has been married to his wife Jennifer for 26 years and has two teenage children, Joel and Rachael. In his spare time Mr. Williams enjoys recreational biking, Civil War history and reading.
Mr. Williams spoke at the October 13, 2010 meeting of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. The meeting was held at The Charlottesville Senior Center. Following the presentation, questions were taken from the audience. The program was moderated by SSV board member Tom Boyd.
Saunders Midyette, vice-president and national sales director for the St. Clair Group, Inc., presented an overview of the Patient Protection and Affordability Act. Jim Haden, president and chief executive officer at Martha Jefferson Health Services and Hospital, and Carol Craig, government relations specialist at the University of Virginia Medical Center, addressed how cost and access for Virginians will be affected by the Act.
The panelists spoke at the September 8, 2010 meeting of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. The meeting was held at The Charlottesville Senior Center. Following the presentation, questions were taken from the audience. The program was moderated by SSV board member and secretary Bill Davis.
Saunders Midyette
Since 1998, Saunders Midyette has served as vice president and national sales director for the St. Clair Group, Inc., and President, Jackson Group, L.L.C., in Charlottesville. In the three decades previous to that he held the positions of vice president and chief financial officer with the Sisters of Providence Health System in Springfield, Massachusetts (1996-1997); senior associate with The Hunter Group in St. Petersburg (1995-1996); vice president and chief operating officer for the Greater Southeast Healthcare System in Washington, DC (1994-1995); chief operating officer with the University of Virginia Medical Center (1991-1994); associate director and administrator with the University of Michigan Hospitals (1987-1991); associate director and chief financial officer with the University of Michigan Hospitals (1979-1987); associate administrator and chief financial officer with the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City (1976-1979); and controller and chief financial officer with the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania (1966-1976).
Mr. Saunders received his BA from the University of North Carolina, and his MBA from the Wharton Graduate School, University of Pennsylvania. He is a member and past fellow of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, and a past fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Mr. Saunders and his wife Shirley of 47 years moved to Charlottesville from Ann Arbor Michigan in 1991. Shirley serves as an interpreter at Monticello and when Saunders is not being called upon to present his wisdom and knowledge, he is an avid reader, tennis player, sports and classical music enthusiast.
James Haden
James E. Haden was named president and chief executive officer of Martha Jefferson Health Services in 1993. Mr. Haden received a master’s degree in Public Health/Health Services Management from UCLA in 1971. He completed his administrative residency at Scripps Hospital in LaJolla, California, and received the 1988 Alumni of the Year Award from the UCLA Health Services Management Alumni Association. Mr. Haden served as president / CEO of Queen of the Valley Health Services in West Covina, California (1986-1993). Prior to that, he served as chief operating officer of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach, California (1978-1986). He served as associate administrator at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, California (1976-1978). In 1992, Mr. Haden was chairperson of the California Association of Catholic Hospitals and was a member of the Hospital Council of Southern California (1988-1993).
Mr. Haden served as a board member on the Federal Reserve Board of Richmond from (1998-2003). He is a former board member of the Charlottesville United Way, the Piedmont Virginia Community College Foundation and Charlottesville Chamber of Commerce. He is currently a board member of the Optima Health Plans of Virginia Beach; a board member of Virginia National Bank; a board member of Voluntary Hospitals of America – (VHA) Central Atlantic; and, in 2008 and 2009 he served as chair of the United Way Excellence in Non-Profit Leadership Award Committee. Mr. Haden is a member of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia.
Mr. Haden served as a preceptor at UCLA Health Services Management Program (1981-1987) and has served as a preceptor for VCU’s Masters Program in Health Care Administration. In 2003 Mr. Haden was the recipient of the American Heart Association, Charlottesville Chapter, "Billy" Gitchell Award. In 2006 Mr. Haden was the recipient of the National Multiple Schlerosis Society Blue Ridge Chapter Silver Hope Award. Mr. Haden is the 2008 recipient of the Beta Kappa Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau, UVa School of Nursing Community Service Award. Mr. Haden is married to Sue Haden and they have three children.
Carol Huston Craig
Carol Huston Craig was appointed government relations specialist at the University of Virginia Medical Center in April 2010. In this position she is responsible for tracking state and federal legislation impacting the Medical Center; preparing advice statements on legislative and regulatory issues impacting the Medical Center; planning and organizing on-site educational programs for legislative guests and off-site visits to legislators; assisting in the preparation and submission of COPN applications; and assisting in the review of Medical Center policies.
Prior to joining the UVa Medical Center, Ms. Craig served as university counsel at the University of Maryland Baltimore (2000-2004), and previously as assistant university counsel (1997-2000). She was associate legal advisor at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Georgia (1995-1996), and an assistant legal advisor (1990-1995). She was assistant general counsel at Baylor University in Waco, Texas (1987-1990), and staff attorney (1986-1987); and an associate in private practice in New Orleans, Louisiana (1984-1985).
Ms. Craig received her B.S. in Marketing at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, attended Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans, and received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.
She and her husband, Stewart, have two children, Mary Grace and Colin, ages 15 and 12, respectively. Although working and raising her children leaves little time for leisure activities, she enjoys reading, fine dining, attending UVa sporting events, traveling, and helping others.
On Wednesday, August 18th, Col. Keith Gibson, V.M.I.’s Director of Museum Operations, delivered a presentation on the Virginia Military Institute in the Civil War. Founded in 1839 in Lexington, Virginia, V.M.I. supplied the fledgling Confederacy with a large number of military leaders. Almost 2,000 V.M.I. grads eventually served in the Southern army. During the war the cadet corps drilled volunteer infantry regiments as they arrived to defend Virginia, and played a significant battlefield role at the May 15th, 1864, Confederate victory at New Market. When a gaping hole appeared in the Confederate front line, the youngsters were ordered in. The price? Ten dead and forty-seven wounded.
On Wednesday, August 25th, Rick Britton will lead a bus tour to the beautiful Shenandoah Valley town of Lexington. The tour will see the Stonewall Jackson House (the only home the general ever owned), and Jackson’s final resting place nearby. Following lunch the tour will visit Lee Chapel (Robert E. Lee’s final resting place), and the fabulous V.M.I. Museum (where Colonel Gibson promises us a behind-the-scenes tour). Bus tour departs from the Charlottesville Senior Center at 9:00 am. There is a fee for the tour. Call 974-6538 for more information.
The Congressional Candidates Showcase Forum is a biennial event sponsored by the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. This year, two candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, Democratic incumbent Tom Perriello and Independent challenger Jeffrey Clark spoke at the event. Republican challenger Robert Hurt declined the SSV’s invitation to attend.
The event took place at the August 11, 2010 meeting of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. The meeting was held at The Senior Center in Charlottesville. Following the presentation, questions were taken from the audience. The program was moderated by best-selling author, historian, political analyst and host of WINA’s “Charlottesville – Right Now!” Coy Barefoot.
Tom Perrillo
Congressman Tom Perriello was sworn into office on January 6, 2009, and is proud to represent the 5th District of Virginia. He serves on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. During his short time in Congress, he has already successfully passed into law a $2,500 tuition tax credit for college and community college education; worked to extend job training benefits for veterans; and supported economic recovery efforts in Congress.
Born and raised in the 5th district, Congressman Perriello previously served as a national security consultant, working in conflict zones such as Afghanistan, Darfur, Kosovo, and Liberia. His work with child soldiers, amputees, and local pro-democracy groups in Sierra Leone played a significant role in the peace and reconciliation process that ended the blood diamonds war in that country. He also served as Special Advisor and court spokesperson in the prosecution of Liberian dictator Charles Taylor, peaceably forcing him from power.
He has also founded a number of nonprofit organizations aimed at bringing together faith communities to fight for children’s health care, economic fairness, environmental stewardship, and responsible solutions in Iraq. Mr. Perriello was educated in Albemarle County public schools, St. Anne’s-Belfield, and has his undergraduate and law degrees from Yale University.
Mr. Perriello has outlined the major issues to be addressed in the 5th district:
Economic R.E.V.I.V.A.L.
Relief for small businesses
Energy solutions
Vocational training and strong schools
Infrastructure
Virginia Workers First
Agriculture
Leadership
Education and job training
Lobbying and corruption
Supporting our troops and honoring our veterans
Health care
Oil independence
Farming
Second Amendment rights
Jeffrey Clark
Jeffrey A. Clark was born and raised in the tide-water area of Virginia. After high School he joined the U.S. Army and served 4 years. He was stationed for two years in Germany and the remaining two in Texas. While in Germany Jeff traveled to other European countries and he took advantage of college classes offered to soldiers. Jeff met his wife Gerri of 25 years while stationed in Texas. They have four adult children and three grandchildren.
After serving in the U.S. Army Jeff settled into a career in hospitality management, managing hotels and restaurants. Corporate relocation resulted in Jeff and his family moving up and down the east coast as well as stints in the Midwest. It was during this period of frequent relocation that Jeff’s wife Gerri began home schooling their four children. Their oldest child was home schooled from 3rd through the 12th grade. Each of their three other children were home schooled until reaching the 9th grade. Three of their children graduated from Tunstall High School in Pittsylvania County.
In 2004 Jeff and his wife chose to make Danville Virginia their new home and soon started a property inspection business drawing on his experience working summers with his grandfather who owned a commercial contracting company. In 2005 Jeff and Gerri purchased a water testing laboratory in Danville. Both Jeff and his wife are Virginia State certified laboratory directors. Gerri runs the day to day operations of the laboratory and Jeff conducts residential and commercial property inspections in Virginia and North Carolina.
Jeff has a renewable energy concept currently under patent consideration. He has presented project details and research to several universities as well as collaborated with the Department of Defense and the Department of energy. In the process Jeff has become very familiar with our country’s energy needs and shortcomings and has a fundamental understanding of the benefits, weakness and limitations of current renewable sources of energy such as wind, solar, hydroelectric and current energy storage systems.
Jeff and Gerri’s current household consists of their youngest daughter Erica and their youngest son Jeffrey Jr. and Jeff’s 93 year old grandmother Ruth Clark and his 91 year old great aunt Louise Wilson. Erica is part of the management team at a local theater and Jeffrey Jr. works at the lab and assists his father with inspections. Their oldest daughter Ashley is married and has three children and lives in Norfolk and their oldest Son Donald is in the U.S. Marine Corps stationed in California and recently returned from his first combat tour of duty in Afghanistan. They have three dogs a Great Dane named Hoss and two mixed breeds named Lilly and Little Jo.
Jeff has never run for nor held elected office. Like most citizens he has observed the abuses and corruption and mismanagement of Government and thinks things can be, and should be done different in Washington. He believes in the concept of citizen legislators serving in Washington as our Founding fathers had intended. He believes that its time to elect everyday Americans to federal office and to interject some common sense into the daily management of our Government.
On Wednesday July 21st, National Park Service historian Robert E. L. Krick spoke on the Battle of Malvern Hill (the last of the famous Seven Days’ Battles). Fought on July 1st, 1862, Malvern Hill — located approximately 15 miles southeast of Richmond — pitted Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s 85,000 men against a similar number under Union Gen. George B. McClellan. In the afternoon, following a furious artillery engagement (during which the Federal guns maintained their defensive positions, as well as their superiority on the field), Confederate forces made repeated, futile assaults, losing over 5,000 in the bloody work. Although he had won the battle, McClellan withdrew that evening to Harrison’s Landing on the James River.
On Wednesday, July 28th, Rick Britton will conduct a tour of the Malvern Hill Battlefield. In the morning tour participants will take in Richmond’s wonderful National Park Service museum at Tredegar, then lunch nearby at the Tobacco Company. After lunch you’ll walk the fascinating Malvern Hill Battlefield. There is a fee for the tour. Call 974-6538 for more information.
Adelind Horan grew up in Charlottesville to parents with a long history in area theater. Her mother Lydia and her father Michael have appeared in various Live Arts productions for many years. Now she’s returned home after graduating from Hampshire College.
The issue of mountaintop removal of coal prompted her to work on a series of oral history interviews with people in West Virginia and Kentucky, and this summer she’s debuting a one-woman show called Cry of the Mountain that tells the stories of the people affected by the practice. Leslie Channel of the group Secretly Ya’ll sat down with Horan earlier this month to find out more about the show.
Horan will give five performances of Cry of the Mountain at four theatres in the area every Thursday in July at 8:00.
On Wednesday June 23, 2010 Troy Marshall, New Market Battlefield’s Director of Interpretation, delivered a powerpoint presentation entitled "Embattled Eden" about the trials and tribulations suffered by the hard-working citizens of the Shenandoah Valley during the Civil War’s horrific four years. At least five major military campaigns were fought up and down the Valley during the war. Additionally, Marshall covered the Valley’s most famous fighting unit, the five Virginia infantry regiments that made up the hard-fighting "Stonewall" Brigade (which, of course, won its nickname at First Manassas when it "stood like a stonewall" along with Confederate Gen. Thomas Jonathan Jackson).
On Wednesday, June 30th, Rick Britton will take a tour bus up to beautiful Winchester, Virginia, where the tour will visit the fabulous Museum of the Shenandoah (with its gardens, exhibits, and historic Glen Burnie mansion), and the Old Court House Civil War Museum. The bus tour departs from the Charlottesville Senior Center at 8:00 AM. There is a fee for the tour. Call 974-6538 for more information.
Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has invoked the Patriot Act-inspired Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act to demand that the University of Virginia turn over years of private correspondence between former professor Michael Mann and other climate researchers. The demand conspicously omits one requirement of FATA — spelling out exactly how Mann would have committed fraud against the state.
Facing a precendent-setting first-ever use of FATA against an institution of higher education, the university is fighting back. Virginia ACLU Executive Director Kent Willis explains how the Virginia ACLU, the Union of Concerned Scientists and the American Association of University Professors are joining forces to file a friend-of-the-court brief arguing that Cuccinelli is way out of line, threatening academic freedom with a thinly-veiled political stunt. The outcome of this battle will say volumes about what academic freedom really amounts to in Virginia.
