For the past two years, the spring has brought one more reason for me to slow down when I drive by Poor Boys’ Produce on my way in and out of downtown Pulaski. During the school year, I hit the brakes as I round that curve because I want to make sure that I don’t […]
When talking about taxes in Pulaski County, especially about raising taxes, I am often told “the farmers won’t go for that.” As a counterpoint, I was also told that farmers get a discounted tax rate and thus won’t be affected by any increase in property taxes. While I cannot know for sure what every farmer […]
Like everyone else, I spent the last few days enjoying the beautiful weather we’ve experienced here in Pulaski. Pulling out shorts for long afternoon walks in the sun. Rolling down the windows in the car as I cruise through town. Showing my son the blooming flowers around our yard. And wondering how to harness the […]
As the recent legislative session in the Virginia House of Delegates recently came to a close I wanted to take a look at what my Delegate, Nick Rush, had accomplished in the recent legislative session. You can find what bills have been proposed, and whether they have been enacted here. I was hoping to find […]
If you haven’t been to downtown Pulaski lately, you should visit. It’s difficult to keep track of all the exciting developments. As the lyrics go in my new favorite musical, “Look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now…history is happening in [Pulaski] and we just happen to be in the greatest […]
We’re all hearing a lot more about tax reform these days, and though no one who’s done their own taxes recently thinks the tax system is uncomplicated, tax reform makes navigating a 1040 seem simple. All proposals that deal with tax reform simplification have to balance out changes to tax rates with removal of deductions. […]
It’s been nearly 9 years since I took my first trip as an adult to Appalachia. My now-wife, then girlfriend, had a summer internship at a little church in the region. So one weekend I left the cornfields of Indiana in my Honda, bound southeast. I had plenty of visions in mind of where I […]
Recently I received a letter from our member of Congress, H. Morgan Griffith, regarding some questions I had for him about broadband access. I appreciate that he noted that “many families and businesses in rural areas of the country, including parts of the Ninth District,… need access to fast and reliable broadband.” Acknowledging there is […]
Congress votes tomorrow on TrumpCare. According to the numbers projected by the Center for American Progress, the average Virginia enrollee will pay $4,000 more annually by 2026. A few points of reference: $4,000 is almost 10% of the median income for Pulaski County. 1,115 Pulaski County residents were enrolled in an ACA plan in 2016 and […]
68.1% of Pulaski County voters voted for Trump, but, according to the editorial staff of the Roanoke Times, when we look at his recently shared budget proposal, 45 has “an odd way of returning the favor.” The Roanoke Times staff did a good job covering this betrayal and what it could mean for southwest Virginia […]
