Virginia’s Press Virginia Press Association 11529 Nuckols Road Glen Allen, VA 23059 Spring 2013 Volume 100 • Number 1 www.vpa.net If the title hadn’t already been used a movie version of the Virginia Press Association’s experiences during the 2013 Gen- eral Assembly could have been named “e Fast and the Furi- ous.” e 45-day, fast-moving “short session” was punctuated with furious efforts to defeat six bills aimed at public notices in newspapers and amend others that sought to limit access to government. It was highlighted by the first-ever VPA Day at the Capitol on January 17, when publishers of VPA member newspapers came to Richmond to meet with legislators and raise the association’s visibility in Capitol Square. It was also marked by a handful of hard-fought, unsuccess- ful battles in the access arena, such as the passage of a bill that closed access to all concealed handgun permits aſter a quick- change substitute was reported from a House committee, and of a bill that reversed the basic premise that records are open unless closed, requiring an opt-in for parents registering their children for parks and recreation department activities. Once again, VPA members mobilized to fight the challenge to public notices with editorials, house ads, news coverage, visits, emails and calls to legislators. Members of VPA’s Public Notice Task Force planned strategies and conducted research to bolster the association’s legislative efforts. VPA was buttressed by other organizations which joined its coalition and/or offered support, including the Virginia Coalition for Open Government, the Society of Professional Journalists, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Virginia Conservation Network, the Virginia Library Association, As- sociated General Contractors of Virginia, Fairfax County Wa- ter Authority, AARP Virginia and the Virginia League of Con- servation Voters. All 2013 bills monitored by VPA are included on the online legislative charts at www.vpa.net. Highlights of key bills of in- terest are listed here, as follows: HB 1373, Del. Christopher Head (R-Roanoke); incorpo- rated HB 1378, Del. Mark Cole (R-Fredericksburg): is bill would have allowed localities with a population of 30,000 or greater to meet certain notice requirements by utilizing their websites, radio, or television instead of a newspaper of gen- eral circulation.e bill, opposed by VPA, failed in the House Six public notice bills defeated in 2013 General Assembly Counties, Cities and Towns Subcommittee #2. HB 1426, Del. Israel O’Quinn (R-Bristol) and SB 765, Sen. Charles Carrico (R-Galax): ese companion bills would have allowed the towns of Damascus and Glade Spring to publish required legal notices on their website instead of advertising them in a newspaper having a general circulation in the locali- ty. VPA opposed both bills. HB 1426 failed in the House Coun- ties, Cities and Towns Subcommittee #2; SB 765 was defeated in the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology. HB 1823, Del. Ronald Villanueva (R-Virginia Beach), and HB 2170, Del. Mark Cole (incorporated into HB 1823): is bill, virtually identical to HB 1193 from 2012, would have re- quired local public bodies to post required procurement no- tices on the Department of General Services’ central electronic procurement website and would have made newspaper pub- lication or posting on other appropriate websites optional. Del. Villanueva later offered a substitute bill that would have required DGS to provide data files of procurement notices to requesting newspapers. VPA opposed all versions of the bill, which failed 10-3 in Senate General Laws. HB 1524, Del. Ronald Villanueva: is bill reverses the de- fault rule of FOIA that certain parks and recreation records of minors are subject to the mandatory disclosure provisions of FOIA unless the parent or an emancipated person who is the Inside for 2013-14 Celebrates 100 years Schedule in this issue VPA Conference VPA leaders Central Virginian Walter Segaloff, VPA Virginian of the Year 2013 w w w . v p a . n e t subject of the record requests in writing that the record not be disclosed. Under the bill, these records would be exempt from public disclosure unless and until the parent or emancipated person who is the subject of the record waives the protection. VPA opposed the bill, which passed both houses. SB 1335, Sen. Mark Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg): As orig- inally introduced and passed by the Senate, the bill would have prohibited the clerk of a circuit court who issued a concealed handgun permit from disclosing any information, including all personal identifying information contained in the protect- ed person’s permit application, for a person who is protected by a protective order. VPA did not oppose this bill. When the bill was heard in the House Committee on Militia, Police and Public Safety, it was quickly exchanged for a substitute bill that would close access to ALL concealed handgun permits (simi- lar to HB 25 from 2012), which VPA opposed. e substitute bill was reported from committee before opponents, includ- ing VPA, could testify against it. Despite forceful opposition, the substitute bill passed the House and was adopted by the Senate. HB 1790, Del. Scott Garrett (R-Lynchburg), and SB 1138, Sen. Jeffrey McWaters (R-Virginia Beach): ese companion bills establish the Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium Au- Continued on page 4 Continued on page 5 His dream has helped young people achieve theirs uates who have gone on to two- or four-year colleges or military careers. Every student and his/her parents, in order to remain in the school, are required to sign a contract to study hard and avoid drugs and pregnancy. e Achievable Dream schoolday is longer than that of regular public schools, including additional coursework in money management, conflict resolution and etiquette. VPA representatives discuss strategies over coffee and posi- tion papers during VPA Day at the Capi- tol on January 17. L-R: Craig Merritt, Ginger Stanley, Michael Phelps, Keith Stickley, Nick Cadwallender, Jim Maxwell and Matt Paxton. Photograph by Judith Lowery; courtesy of Daily Press In 1992, Newport News businessman Walter Segaloff had a dream. He believed that a good education could improve the lives of at-risk children in urban neighborhoods. And to that end, he founded the Achievable Dream Academy, beginning with programs at four city elemen- tary schools. Flash forward 20 years: e program, which has ex- panded to middle and high schools and become a year- round institution, has produced approximately 500 grad- Pages 6, 7, 12 Page 4 Page 9
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Transcript
Virginia’s Press Virginia Press Association11529 Nuckols RoadGlen Allen, VA 23059
Spring 2013 Volume 100 • Number 1www.vpa.net
If the title hadn’t already been used a movie version of the
Virginia Press Association’s experiences during the 2013 Gen-
eral Assembly could have been named “Th e Fast and the Furi-
ous.”
Th e 45-day, fast-moving “short session” was punctuated
with furious eff orts to defeat six bills aimed at public notices
in newspapers and amend others that sought to limit access to
government. It was highlighted by the fi rst-ever VPA Day at
the Capitol on January 17, when publishers of VPA member
newspapers came to Richmond to meet with legislators and
raise the association’s visibility in Capitol Square.
It was also marked by a handful of hard-fought, unsuccess-
ful battles in the access arena, such as the passage of a bill that
closed access to all concealed handgun permits aft er a quick-
change substitute was reported from a House committee, and
of a bill that reversed the basic premise that records are open
unless closed, requiring an opt-in for parents registering their
children for parks and recreation department activities.
Once again, VPA members mobilized to fi ght the challenge
to public notices with editorials, house ads, news coverage,
visits, emails and calls to legislators. Members of VPA’s Public
Notice Task Force planned strategies and conducted research
to bolster the association’s legislative eff orts.
VPA was buttressed by other organizations which joined
its coalition and/or off ered support, including the Virginia
Coalition for Open Government, the Society of Professional
Journalists, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Virginia
Conservation Network, the Virginia Library Association, As-
sociated General Contractors of Virginia, Fairfax County Wa-
ter Authority, AARP Virginia and the Virginia League of Con-
servation Voters.
All 2013 bills monitored by VPA are included on the online
legislative charts at www.vpa.net. Highlights of key bills of in-
terest are listed here, as follows:
HB 1373, Del. Christopher Head (R-Roanoke); incorpo-
rated HB 1378, Del. Mark Cole (R-Fredericksburg): Th is bill
would have allowed localities with a population of 30,000 or
greater to meet certain notice requirements by utilizing their
websites, radio, or television instead of a newspaper of gen-
eral circulation.Th e bill, opposed by VPA, failed in the House
Six public notice bills defeated in 2013 General Assembly
Counties, Cities and Towns Subcommittee #2.
HB 1426, Del. Israel O’Quinn (R-Bristol) and SB 765, Sen.
Charles Carrico (R-Galax): Th ese companion bills would have
allowed the towns of Damascus and Glade Spring to publish
required legal notices on their website instead of advertising
them in a newspaper having a general circulation in the locali-
ty. VPA opposed both bills. HB 1426 failed in the House Coun-
ties, Cities and Towns Subcommittee #2; SB 765 was defeated
in the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology.
HB 1823, Del. Ronald Villanueva (R-Virginia Beach), and
HB 2170, Del. Mark Cole (incorporated into HB 1823): Th is
bill, virtually identical to HB 1193 from 2012, would have re-
quired local public bodies to post required procurement no-
tices on the Department of General Services’ central electronic
procurement website and would have made newspaper pub-
lication or posting on other appropriate websites optional.
Del. Villanueva later off ered a substitute bill that would have
required DGS to provide data fi les of procurement notices to
requesting newspapers. VPA opposed all versions of the bill,
which failed 10-3 in Senate General Laws.
HB 1524, Del. Ronald Villanueva: Th is bill reverses the de-
fault rule of FOIA that certain parks and recreation records of
minors are subject to the mandatory disclosure provisions of
FOIA unless the parent or an emancipated person who is the
Insi
de
for 2013-14 Celebrates 100 years Schedule in this issue
VPA Conference VPA leaders Central Virginian
Walter Segaloff , VPA Virginian of the Year 2013
w w w . v p a . n e t
subject of the record requests in writing that the record not be
disclosed. Under the bill, these records would be exempt from
public disclosure unless and until the parent or emancipated
person who is the subject of the record waives the protection.
VPA opposed the bill, which passed both houses.
SB 1335, Sen. Mark Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg): As orig-
inally introduced and passed by the Senate, the bill would have
prohibited the clerk of a circuit court who issued a concealed
handgun permit from disclosing any information, including
all personal identifying information contained in the protect-
ed person’s permit application, for a person who is protected
by a protective order. VPA did not oppose this bill. When the
bill was heard in the House Committee on Militia, Police and
Public Safety, it was quickly exchanged for a substitute bill that
would close access to ALL concealed handgun permits (simi-
lar to HB 25 from 2012), which VPA opposed. Th e substitute
bill was reported from committee before opponents, includ-
ing VPA, could testify against it. Despite forceful opposition,
the substitute bill passed the House and was adopted by the
Senate.
HB 1790, Del. Scott Garrett (R-Lynchburg), and SB 1138,
Sen. Jeff rey McWaters (R-Virginia Beach): Th ese companion
bills establish the Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium Au-
Continued on page 4
Continued on page 5
His dream has helped young people achieve theirsuates who have gone on to two- or four-year colleges or
military careers.
Every student and his/her parents, in order to remain
in the school, are required to sign a contract to study hard
and avoid drugs and pregnancy.
Th e Achievable Dream schoolday is longer than that
of regular public schools, including additional coursework
in money management, confl ict resolution and etiquette.
VPA representatives discuss strategies over coffee and posi-tion papers during VPA Day at the Capi-tol on January 17. L-R: Craig Merritt, Ginger Stanley, Michael Phelps, Keith Stickley, Nick Cadwallender, Jim Maxwell and Matt Paxton.
Photograph by Judith Lowery; courtesy of Daily Press
In 1992, Newport News businessman Walter Segaloff
had a dream.
He believed that a good education could improve the
lives of at-risk children in urban neighborhoods.
And to that end, he founded the Achievable Dream
Academy, beginning with programs at four city elemen-
tary schools.
Flash forward 20 years: Th e program, which has ex-
panded to middle and high schools and become a year-
round institution, has produced approximately 500 grad-
Pages 6, 7, 12Page 4 Page 9
Vir
gini
a’s
Pres
s •
Spr
ing
2013
2
Driving into Downtown Richmond at
6:15 a.m. on a dark, cold and rainy winter
day is not my idea of a pleasure trip.
A bus driver laid on the horn as I steered
my black sedan through a turn and into a
one-way street. He must have wondered if
I was suff ering the ill eff ects of a long night
out.
Th e intermittent wipers went off to reveal
a warning that the parking garage I fi nally
had found was not a public facility. Th e rear
of my car was still in the lane of traffi c. More
horns sounded.
Th is is no place, I thought, for one whose
daily commute passes more farm animals
than humans. It was a 15-minute walk in
bone-chilling temperatures to the Virginia
General Assembly Building for a 7 o’clock
hearing of the House of Delegates Subcom-
mittee on Counties, Cities and Towns.
Once inside, I
folded a rain-soaked
umbrella and caught
an elevator to the
fi ft h fl oor. Famil-
iar faces greeted me
as I entered a small,
low-ceilinged room
where the committee
would soon convene.
Ginger Stanley,
the long-time Virginia Press Association ex-
ecutive director, had been here many times.
She was no stranger to those who would de-
cide that morning whether or not to pass
out of committee a bill that would infl ict
yet more economic harm on the Common-
wealth’s newspapers and, more important,
reduce public access to the workings of gov-
ernment.
Virginia’s newspapers were well repre-
sented. Tom Silvestri, publisher of the Rich-
mond Times-Dispatch, was there and so too
were David Mele of the Virginian-Pilot, Mi-
chael Phelps of the Washington Examiner,
Jim Maxwell of the Pulitzer Prize-winning
Bristol Herald-Courier, Digby Solomon of
the Daily Press, Matt Paxton of the Lexing-
ton News-Gazette and Paul Fletcher of Vir-
ginia Lawyers Weekly.
House Bill 1373 would have removed the
statutory requirement that public notices be
published in a newspaper. Th e bill would
have replaced the requirement with an op-
tion that would allow those notices to be
posted to government websites.
HB 1373 was one of six bills introduced
this General Assembly session that would
have changed the public notice requirement.
Th at executives of Virginia’s newspapers
had gathered at the state capitol was a wa-
tershed event. Th e jury was still out on the
eventual result of VPA Day at the Capitol.
Newspapers were not alone in this fi ght.
Th e Virginia Municipal League, the Virginia
Association of Counties, city and county at-
torneys and lobbyists representing govern-
ment entities statewide had joined the fray,
all of them on the other side and each car-
rying a tax-supported checkbook. If fi nanc-
ing the adversary is fair play, Goliath surely
brought the stones.
At introduction, HB 1373 would have
given the public no-
tice option only to
about 40 counties,
cities and towns
statewide or those
with populations
greater than 50,000.
By the time it had
reached the House
subcommittee hear-
ing, however, its pa-
tron had amended it to reduce the popula-
tion threshold to 30,000. He wanted to be
certain the City of Petersburg no longer
would be required to post its notices in the
local paper. What the bill’s patron didn’t say
was that reducing the population require-
ment would extend the option to many of
Virginia’s rural communities whose website
management oft en is either unfunded or un-
derfunded and oft en a burden neglected.
(On the day of the committee hearing,
the website for my county, Shenandoah, a
community of 42,000, listed one of Virgin-
ia’s two U.S. Senators as John Warner, called
attention to a public hearing “to be held”
in 2008 and listed the address of the local
chapter of the American Red Cross, an of-
fi ce that closed two years ago. Th ough a new
commonwealth’s attorney had taken offi ce
12 months earlier, the website for that offi ce
was still under construction.)
Employees and lobbyists for the cit-
ies, counties and
towns argued that
HB 1373 and other
similar bills would
save money and
that print media
“is a dinosaur.”
Most Virginians,
they contend, get
their news online,
and that money
now being spent on
newspaper adver-
tising could be put
to better use. Th ey didn’t specify what that
might be.
VPA’s Stanley objected on the basis that
far more Virginians still read newspapers
and their websites than any other published
source of news and information and that no
compelling reasons exist for changing the
publishing requirement. It has become a fa-
miliar refrain, the remaining theme of a fi ght
in its last rounds.
Curiously, one member of the committee
asked the City of Petersburg manager how
those without Internet service and those
who have no intentions of securing it would
fi nd public notice ads confi ned to the web.
Th e lawmaker identifi ed himself as one such
person. Reacting as though he had encoun-
tered an alien, the city manager off ered no
reply.
HB 1378 was rolled into HB 1373 and
killed in this same subcommittee a week
later. A similar bill, HB 1426, was presented
and defeated on a 10-3 vote.
Any of these would have eff ectively re-
pealed the requirement for public notices
in newspapers. During the protracted fi ght
over these and similar measures in the Sen-
ate, Virginia newspaper folks weighed in,
phoning or emailing legislators seeking sup-
port.
VPA’s Stanley, meanwhile, remained in
the Capitol daily, testifying before commit-
tees in both houses on behalf of Virginia’s
newspapers. Only one public notice bill
made it to the Senate. It died there on a 10-3
vote in committee.
A line had formed at the coff ee machine
VPA Board of Directors
Offi cersPresident Keith Stickley
The Free Press, Woodstock
President-Elect Nick Cadwallender
The Free Lance-Star,
Fredericksburg
Vice President Jay Bondurant
The Bedford Bulletin
Secretary Eric Lieberman
The Washington Post
Treasurer Anne Adams
The Recorder, Monterey
Immediate Past Peter Yates
President Daily News-Record,
Harrisonburg
Asst. Secretary/ Ginger Stanley
Treasurer VPA
DirectorsDaniel Finnegan, Richmond Times-Dispatch
Gail Harding, The Enterprise, Stuart
Steven Kaylor, Danville Register & Bee
Cindy Morgan, The Progress-Index, Petersburg
Bill Owens, The Virginian-Pilot, Norfolk
Matt Paxton, The News-Gazette, Lexington
Marisa Porto, Daily Press, Newport News
Steve Stewart, The Tidewater News, Franklin
Michael Stowe, The Roanoke Times
Jenay Tate, The Coalfi eld Progress, Norton
Steve Weddle, The Central Virginian, Louisa
Diane White, Womack Publishing, Chatham
VPA/VPS StaffGinger Stanley, Executive Director
Kim Woodward, Assistant Director
Diana Shaban, Advertising Director
Caroline Cardwell, Editor
Ron Clark, Accounting Manager
Janet Madison, Member Services Manager
Adriane Long, Advertising/Network Coordinator
Diane Spencer, Tearsheet Coordinator
How to reach us:
Phone: (804) 521-7570
Fax: (804) 521-7590 or (800) 849-8717
Website: www.vpa.net
VOLUME 100, Number 1
(USPS 621-640)
VIRGINIA’S PRESS (ISSN 0887-5227), the offi cial publica-
tion of the Virginia Press Association, is published four
times a year.
Subscriptions are $15 per year in Virginia, $20 per year
out-of-state, by Virginia Press Association / Virginia Press
Services Inc.,
11529 Nuckols Road, Glen Allen, VA 23059, (804)
521-7570.
Periodicals class postage paid at Glen Allen, VA, and
additional post offi ces.
POSTMASTER, please send change of address to:
Virginia Press Association
11529 Nuckols Road, Glen Allen, VA 23059
Copyright 2012, Virginia Press Association
OUR MISSIONThe mission of the Virginia Press Association is to sup-
port our membership through responsive services and
resources. We champion the common interests of Virginia
newspapers and the ideals of a free press in a democratic
society.
OUR PURPOSEWe connect our members through valuable business ser-
vices, eff ective representation, practical communication
and information, and relevant education and recogni-
tion.
OUR VALUESThe values important to the work of the VPA are fairness,
dedication, integrity and honesty.
Keith Stickley
“That executives of
Virginia’s newspapers had
gathered at the state capitol
was a watershed event.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Did Goliath really bring the stones?
Virginia lost a longtime champion of open
government on February 19, when former
Del. Clift on A. Woodrum of Roanoke, better
known as “Chip,” died at 74. Woodrum was
known as one of Virginia’s brightest (and wit-
tiest) legislators during his years (1980-2003)
in the House of Delegates, oft en spicing his re-
marks with allusions to history and literature.
He helped create the Virginia Freedom of In-
formation Advisory Council and served as its
chair; he also established the Virginia Birth-
Related Neurological Injury Compensation
Program, among other accomplishments.
Woodrum is remembered as a lawmaker who
had the respect of allies and adversaries alike
Th e quote, “‘Th e fi rst provocative,
justice-advocating edition of the Rich-
mond Free Press hit the streets on Jan.
16, 1992,’ began the fi rst article in the
Richmond Free Press’ 20th-anniversary
section,” featured in the Virginia’s Press
article on newspapers’ milestone anni-
versaries in the Winter 2012 issue, was
written by Raymond H. Boone. Since
the newspaper’s founding 21 years ago,
99 percent of Free Press editorials were
written and edited by Raymond H.
Boone. Th e second quote in the article
was from a story, also in the special an-
niversary section, by Free Press staff
member Jeremy M. Lazarus.
In memoriam: Del. Clifton A. “Chip” Woodrum
for his “humor, dedi-
cation, fairness, in-
telligence and com-
passion,” as stated by
Gov. Bob McDon-
nell in his statement
following the an-
nouncement of Woo-
drum’s death.
“When times
were really tense,
Chip would always remind us of the better nature of ourselves,’’
Sen.Creigh Deeds said of his former colleague
in an interview with the Associated Press.
CORRECTION
Continued on page 5
Vir
gini
a’s
Pres
s •
Spr
ing
2013
3
Minutes,
VPA Board of DirectorsFOR THE RECORD
Th e Virginia Press Association Board
meeting was held on October 19, 2012, at the
Hampton Inn & Suites in Woodstock, Vir-
ginia.
Board members in attendance: Keith
Stickley, Jay Bondurant, Eric Lieberman,
Anne Adams, Peter Yates, Ginger Stanley,
Danny Finnegan, Gail Harding, Bill Owens,
Matt Paxton, Marisa Porto, Steve Stewart,
Michael Stowe, Jenay Tate, and Diane White.
Ron Clark, VPA accountant, was also present
at the meeting.
Call to Order: President Keith Stickley
called the meeting to order at 9 a.m.
Minutes: Minutes of the July 13, 2012,
board meeting at Th e Cavalier Hotel in Vir-
ginia Beach were presented by Secretary Bon-
durant for approval. Upon motion duly made
and seconded, the Board approved the min-
utes without amendment.
Financial Report: Treasurer Anne Ad-
ams, along with Ron Clark, presented asso-
ciation fi nancials through July 31, 2012. Th e
consolidated fi nancial statement for VPA and
VPS showed operating revenues at 14.74%
above budget and 19.84% above last year at
this same time; operating expenses at 19.96%
above budget and 21.61% above last year; op-
erating revenues over expenses at 3.17% be-
low budget and 12.86% above last year; and
net income at 2.45% above budget and 25.31%
above last year. Upon motion duly made and
seconded, the Board approved the fi nancial
statements. Treasurer Adams and Mr. Clark
next presented the audit report for the year
ended June 30, 2012. Upon motion duly made
and seconded, the Board approved the audit
report. Th e Board also reviewed VPA’s 2011
income tax returns and Form 990.
President’s Report: President Keith Stick-
ley made his report to the board. He said that
the current fi nancials for the association were
good. But he cautioned that the fi nancial fu-
ture of VPA is not secure so long as the associ-
ation depends heavily on advertising revenue
to fund its operations. He said that the asso-
ciation does not have a separate foundation to
help fund its activities, accept gift s from es-
tates, defray association expenses, and reduce
overall tax liability. Upon motion duly made
and seconded, the Board authorized staff to
investigate the possibility of establishing a
foundation as an additional source of funding.
October 19, 2012, Hampton Inn & Suites, Woodstock, VirginiaMinutes submitted by Secretary Eric Lieberman
Stickley said that he hoped the idea would be
vetted during Winter 2013 and prepared for a
board vote in Spring 2013.
Executive Director’s Report: Executive
Director Stanley reported that the associa-
tion had a good fi rst quarter. She said that the
annual staff job review took place in July for
the fi rst time as a group, open fl oor discus-
sion rather than one-on-one meetings with
individual staff members, that it went well,
and that it provided an opportunity for every-
one to understand the fi nancial challenges in
VPA’s future. She further reported that VPA’s
committees are working hard on their various
programs. She then asked the Board to submit
nominations for various VPA awards so that
peers and special citizens could be recognized
at the April meeting. Stanley also noted that
VPA honored Randy Jessee with a surprise
luncheon on October 4 at VPA headquarters
to recognize his contribution to the associa-
tion. Stanley also asked the board to review a
proposal she circulated to sell sponsorships at
various levels with corresponding benefi ts for
VPA’s 2013 annual conference.
Legislative Report: Executive Director
Stanley reported on several important legisla-
tive developments. First, she reported that the
U.S. Postal Regulatory Commission approved
a Negotiated Services Agreement for Valassis
Direct Mail Inc. that would provide a special
low contract price for postal delivery of a new
shared mail advertising program. Th e Valas-
sis NSA puts newspaper preprint revenue at
risk. She described the actions she has taken
on behalf of the association to reverse the
agreement or mitigate its potentially harmful
eff ects on the industry. She also asked Board
members to monitor the Valassis direct mail
packages in their communities for signs that
Valassis is selling the new shared mail pro-
gram authorized by the NSA. Stanley next
reported on the activities of the FOIAC sub-
committees. Th e subcommittee appointed to
study access to Parole Board records disband-
ed rather than holding an interested stake-
holders meeting to draft legislation to bring
the board under the Va. FOIA. Th e Electronic
Meetings subcommittee considered a draft
bill in September that would allow all public
bodies to meet without a quorum present in
one physical location so long as other mem-
bers of the public body participated by audio
and video. Stanley said she strongly opposed
any such legislative proposal, but expressed a
willingness to explore whether the rules could
be relaxed for state subcommittees. She told
the subcommittee that VPA would not budge
on the issue of whether local public bodies
should be able to meet without a quorum be-
ing physically present in one location. Th e
Criminal Investigative Records subcommit-
tee was considering legislation that would
curtail current access to 911 tapes. Stanley
said that Craig Merritt would prepare a rebut-
tal to the proposal and she did not think the
FOIAC would recommend it. Finally, Stanley
mentioned two legislative proposals that VPA
would oppose -- one to give law enforcement
discretion over whether to release adult ar-
restee photographs, and the other to exempt
certain meetings of more than two members
of a public body from the requirements of Vir-
ginia’s open meetings law.
Calendar of Events: President Stickley
presented the calendar of important VPA/
VPS dates through July 2013.
Committee Reports:Audit Committee: VPA received an un-
qualifi ed opinion from its auditors at its meet-
ing on September 27, 2012.
News Awards Committee: Th e News
Awards committee recommended eliminat-
ing the requirement that a freelance reporter
or photographer be published in a publication
at least three times during the contest year in
order to be eligible for the contest. Th e Board
considered the recommendation but decided
to retain the current requirement.
Conference Program Committee: Th e
Conference Program Committee is exploring
whether grant monies are available to defray
the cost of speakers for the annual conference
program.
Contest (Ad) Committee: Upon motion
duly made and seconded, the Board approved
the 2012 Advertising Contest rules as pro-
posed.
First Amendment Trustees: Th e First
Amendment trustees approved spending
$2000 expenditure from the First Amend-
ment Fund to join an amicus brief in Hunter
v. Virginia State Bar, a case pending before the
Virginia Supreme Court. Th e case involves a
challenge to the constitutionality of disciplin-
ary sanctions imposed by the State Bar on an
attorney based on the contents of his blog.
Legislative Committee: Th e Public Notice
Task Force met in August to prepare for the
2013 General Assembly session. Th e Board
discussed a number of issues relating to public
notice legislation, including but not limited to
the following: the need to collect information
by fi ling FOIA requests on the amount that
state and local governments spend on public
notices; the fact that other state press associa-
tions have decided to write compromise leg-
islation on public notice advertising; the fact
that some newspapers in Virginia are charg-
ing their highest rates for public notice adver-
tising; the fact that Illinois and Florida passed
legislation to require all public notices to ap-
pear on newspaper websites and on govern-
ment websites; the need for easy accessibility
to public notices on member newspaper web-
sites; and the possibility of seeking a four-year
moratorium on changes to current public no-
tice requirements. Th e Board decided to ask
the Public Notice Task Force to recommend
acceptable compromise legislation, if needed.
Membership Committee: Upon motion
duly made and seconded, the Board approved
FauquierNow.com’s application for member-
ship.
Virginian of the Year: Th e Board dis-
cussed the need for members to submit nomi-
nations for the 2013 Virginian of the Year
award.
Staff Reports:Advertising: VPA sold $570,000 in politi-
cal advertising for the month of October 2012,
and expects to sell even more political adver-
tising revenues before the election season
ends. VPA’s advertising networks are growing
with the addition of new members. VPA’s ad-
ditional holdbacks are helping stabilize the as-
sociation’s fi nances. VPA sold approximately
$12,000 in advertising for the 2013 Total Me-
dia Directory versus $800 in advertising in the
prior year before it was reformatted. VPA is
making eff orts to recruit more college news-
papers as members.
Old Business: None.
New Business: VPA received a thank you
letter from VCOG for renewing its member-
ship.
Th e meeting was adjourned at 11:51 a.m.
Has your press ID expired? Fallen
apart? Press ID application and re-
newal forms are posted on the Mem-
bership page at www.vpa.net. Th e
form must be completed, signed by
the publisher and notarized. Th e ap-
plication can be faxed or emailed if
the notary seal is in ink; if it is em-
Need a new press ID?bossed, it must be mailed to VPA.
Photos can be emailed to carolinec@
vpa.net along with the application.
Images must be head-and-shoulder
shots and a minimum of 300 dpi. IDs
are processed by the Virginia State
Police and mailed to the publisher’s
attention.
III. MEMBERSHIP
2. ASSOCIATE
a. Scientifi c, legal, medical, education-
al, religious, fraternal, trade or other publi-
cations which have an average non-adver-
tising content of 25 percent or more, have
been in business for at least one year and
that are published for the public in Virgin-
ia as oft en as four times per year may apply
for associate membership. Th ese publica-
tions include free circulation newspapers,
unless they are required to apply for Active
membership under Section 1f. above.
b. Th e Virginia Associated Press may
also apply for associate membership.
c. An associate member shall pay dues
and shall be entitled to all privileges of
the association except those of voting and
holding offi ce.
PROPOSED CHANGE
TO VPA BYLAWS
Proposed bylaws change:
repeal of one-year rule
for associate membersTh e association’s bylaws currently
stipulate that a publication must issue for
a full year before being eligible for mem-
bership, either active or associate. Th e
VPA Board of Directors has approved a
proposed change to the bylaws that would
repeal this rule for associate members.
VPA members will vote on the bylaws
change at the annual breakfast business
meeting at the Marriott Norfolk Water-
side in Norfolk on Saturday, April 20,
2013, at 8:30 a.m.
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VPA leadership slate announced for 2013-14
Th e 130th meeting of the Virginia Press Association will
convene at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 20, 2013, at the Mar-
riott Norfolk Waterside.
Th e election of offi cers and directors of the Virginia Press
Association/Virginia Press Services, Inc., Board of Directors
for the 2013-14 fi scal year is among the business items to be
taken up during the meeting.
Th e following slate of offi cers has been nominated for elec-
tion:
President: Nicholas J. Cadwallender, Th e Free Lance-Star,
Fredericksburg;
President-Elect: Jay Bondurant, Bedford Bulletin;
Vice President: Eric Lieberman, Th e Washington Post;
Secretary, Anne Adams, Th e Recorder, Monterey;
Treasurer: Michael Stowe, Th e Roanoke Times;
Immediate Past President: Keith Stickley, Th e Free Press,
Woodstock; and
Assistant Secretary/Treasurer: Ginger Stanley, Virginia
Press Association, Glen Allen.
Maria Hileman of Th e Winchester Star has been nomi-
nated for a three-year term, replacing Peter Yates of the Daily
News-Record, who rotates off the board.
Hileman has been a journalist for 38 years and worked at
newspapers in New England and New York before becoming
managing editor of Th e Winchester Star in April 2008. She
served for 10 years as assistant managing editor for projects
and investigations at Th e Day in New London, Conn., and for
fi ve years as metro editor of the Democrat and Chronicle in
Rochester, N.Y. She has received more than 30 national and
regional awards for her work.
Jenay Tate, publisher of Th e Coalfi eld Progress in Nor-
ton, has been nominated for a second three-year term on the
board.
Th ere will also be a membership vote on a proposed VPA
bylaws change at the meeting. Th e association’s bylaws cur-
rently stipulate that a publication must issue for a full year be-
fore being eligible for membership, either active or associate.
Th e VPA Board of Directors has approved a proposed change
to the bylaws that would repeal this rule for associate mem-
bers.
Questions about the Annual Meeting should be directed to
If you are not participating in the network reward programs and would like to begin, or if you
are only participating in one network and would like to participate in both, please contact Adriane
Long, VPS networks coordinator, at (804) 521-7585 or [email protected], for more information.
We are pleased to salute the newspapers that participate in SCAN, 2x2 or both networks, as
listed below.
Westmoreland News: SCAN, 2x2
Wytheville Enterprise: SCAN
Yorktown Crier/Poquoson Post: SCAN, 2x2
Associate Newspapers
Alexandria Gazette Packet: 2x2
Arlington Connection: 2x2
Burke Connection: 2x2
Centre View Northern Edition: 2x2
Centre View Southern Edition: 2x2
Fairfax Connection: 2x2
Fairfax Station/Laurel Hill Connection: 2x2
Fluvanna Review: SCAN, 2x2
Frederick County Report
and Warren County Report: SCAN, 2x2
Great Falls Connection: 2x2
McLean Connection: 2x2
The Metro Herald: SCAN, 2x2
Mount Vernon Gazette: 2x2
The News-Patriot: SCAN
North Fork Journal: SCAN, 2x2
Nuevas Raices: SCAN
Oak Hill/Herndon Connection: 2x2
Reston Connection: 2x2
Rocktown Weekly: SCAN, 2x2
The Shenandoah Journal: SCAN, 2x2
Springfi eld Connection: 2x2
Staff ord County Sun: SCAN, 2x2
Tazewell County Free Press: SCAN, 2x2
Vienna/Oakton Connection: 2x2
Non-Member
Shenandoah Valley Hit: SCAN, 2x2
Vir
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Conference Room Rate $136.00Single/Double
Make your reservations early; contractedrooming block space is limited!
NOTE: Registration with VPA does not takecare of an overnight room with the hotel; roomreservations must be made directly withthe hotel. Reserve your room directly
with the hotel by calling
1-800-874-0264 or 757-627-4200Be sure to ask for the VPA conference rate!
• Members who attend more than one meal event should pay the registration fee.• Spouses/guests not active in the business pay for the events attended but not the registration fee.• NO REFUNDS UNLESS CANCELLATION IS MADE BY NOON ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 2013.• Coming for the banquet only? Attend the afternoon sessions on Saturday after lunch at no charge!
Mail form to: Virginia Press Association,11529 Nuckols Road, Glen Allen, VA 23059
Fax form to: 804-521-7590 or (800) 849-8717
Please note any dietary restrictions, such as food allergies or vegetarian needs:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
IMPORTANT: Registration confirmations are emailed to the contact person to
confirm receipt of your registration. If you do not receive a confirmation, we didnot receive your registration and you are not registered for the conference.Contact Kim Woodward, 804-521-7574, if you do not receive a confirmation five