Author: Ryan Alessi
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Ryan Alessi, Publisher
Ryan mostly focused on covering state politics and government in Virginia’s former county of Kentucky from 2003 – 2014. Before that, he was a reporter for the now-defunct Scripps Howard News Service in Washington, D.C. In 2016, he followed his wife to Harrisonburg, where he teaches journalism and media classes at James Madison University. You can reach Ryan at [email protected]
Power is money: HEC, city leaders to consider financial effects of city schools’ solar project
Nearly two months after the Harrisonburg City School Board announced its massive solar development, sealing the deal will require more talk between leaders at the school board, the city and the Harrisonburg Electric Commission about how it could financially affect all three intertwined entities.
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After winning the election and ‘worst lottery’ ever, Cline begins congressional journey
Ben Cline spent part of December reaching out to his new constituents, starting with the four communities he lost in November as the longtime Republican state delegate from Lexington prepared to go to Congress. But the Washington experience, which officially begins with his swearing in Thursday, will likely get tougher for Cline as he enters the minority party caucus in a divided Congress and amid a government shutdown.
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Five key storylines for Hburg residents to watch on Election Night
Candidates frequently use the old cliché: The only poll that matters is on Election Day. Voters will reveal those results of that all-important poll tomorrow. In the meantime, here are the main plots and subplots to pay attention to as vote tallies start rolling in Tuesday evening.
In EMU forum, city council candidates agree on concepts, separate themselves on details
The five city council candidates spent much of Tuesday night’s forum agreeing with one another on issues like completing the Northend Greenway and police recruitment and retention, while still seeking to distinguish themselves through nuances in their answers.
The next month will be make-or-break for Skyline Literacy’s English and citizenship programs
Community support and donations over next month will determine to what degree—or even if—Skyline Literacy can continue providing reading and citizenship courses for community members next year, board members said Monday.
JMU students give job interviews to U.S. Senate, 6th Congressional District candidates
Facing more than 40 JMU students in Eagle Hall’s common room Wednesday evening, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Corey Stewart offered a brief pitch, then opened it up for students to throw it right back at him.
“No softballs,” he said.
Kelly Ryan, a freshman political science major, obliged. She asked Stewart about his call for blocking federal funding to Planned Parenthood.
Council candidates offer different philosophies in ways they should – and can – help immigrants
Saturday’s city council immigrant forum revealed a philosophical gap between the five candidates – not necessarily over political ideology – but more broadly in how they view the relationship between government and citizens. The candidates, who are vying for two seats in the Nov. 6 election, also differed over the council’s ability to actually affect certain issues, including access to health care and federal immigration policy.
In traveling town hall, candidates seek to appeal to JMU students – an untapped well of mid-term voters
Instead of only hoping JMU students show up to vote in the Nov. 6 Election, many of the candidates in the biggest races affecting Harrisonburg will bring their campaigns to JMU students on Wednesday, Oct. 10.
Candidates or representatives from Virginia’s U.S. Senate race, the open 6th Congressional District contest and those running for the two spots on Harrisonburg city council will embark on an old fashion barnstorming tour by bus – bus-storming? – to three JMU residence hall areas. It’s being billed as a Traveling Town Hall complete with free pizza and the candidates’ best talking points. Each candidate will have between five and seven minutes to address the audience of first-time or relatively new voters.
