Briefs

Local and VCU

McDonnell Civil War proclamation condemns slavery

In an effort to set right one of the most damaging missteps of his young administration, Gov. Bob McDonnell has issued a more expansive Civil War History in Virginia Month proclamation that is inclusive of Confederate and Union soldiers, black and white, and a condemnation of slavery.

It seeks to atone for the “Confederate History Month” decree McDonnell issued last April that made no mention of slavery. That proclamation set off an avalanche of criticism including from President Barack Obama, who said McDonnell made “an unacceptable omission” by not mentioning slavery.

That proclamation harmed the early administration’s relationships with civil-rights groups at home and briefly dominated the political conversation nationally.

McDonnell said the original proclamation was meant to promote education and tourism; he apologized for the omission and amended the proclamation to include a condemnation of “the evil and inhumane practice.”

He described the omission was one of haste, not heart.

The new proclamation titled “Civil War History in Virginia Month” aims to be more inclusive, and concludes by urging Virginians to participate in commemorations of the war’s 150th anniversary, which could be a big tourism draw for the state.

Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch

Richmond man arrested with 36 pounds of marijuana

A Richmond man is behind bars in Alleghany County, after a sheriff’s deputy found 36 pounds of marijuana in his car.

Riad Rayess, 29, is in the Alleghany Regional Jail facing two felony charges.

According to Sheriff Kevin Hall, Rayess was pulled over for speeding Tuesday night on Interstate 64. The deputy became suspicious after spotting syringes on the ground outside of Rayess’ vehicle.

Hall said the officer’s drug dog led deputies to the marijuana, sealed in a plastic carrier on top of the car.

Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch

Delegates back $1.7 million cut for public broadcasting

The House of Delegates today voted 61-39 to cut state funding for public broadcasting in half for fiscal 2012.

The cut of $1.7 million would raise the 10 percent reduction that lawmakers approved in the winter General Assembly session to 50 percent.

House Democrats used puppets of popular characters like Elmo and Ernie in urging lawmakers to reject the proposed funding cut and keep the spending cut at 10 percent.

Del. Jennifer L. McClellan, D-Richmond, told lawmakers that “giving people access to government who can’t be sitting here in the gallery” is a core function of government.

“If we cut the funding for PBS how are we ever going to find our way to Sesame Street,” added House Minority Leader Ward L. Armstrong, D-Henry County.

Arguing for the cut in funding were Dels. M. Kirkland Cox, R- Colonial Heights, and Bill Janis, R-Henrico.

They argued that public broadcasting is no longer a core function of government.

“We just don’t have the money to do this anymore,” Janis said.

Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch

National and International

Synthetic drugs send thousands to ER

Synthetic substances that mimic marijuana, cocaine and other illegal drugs are making users across the nation seriously ill, causing seizures and hallucinations and even killing some people.

The products are often packaged as incense or bath salts and can be obtained for as little as $10 at many head shops. As more people experiment with them, the results are becoming evident at hospitals: a sharp spike in the number of users who show up with problems ranging from labored breathing and rapid heartbeats to extreme paranoia and delusions. The symptoms can persist for days.

At the request of The Associated Press, the American Association of Poison Control Centers analyzed nationwide figures on calls related to synthetic drugs. The findings showed an alarming increase in the number of people seeking medical attention.

At least 2,700 people have fallen ill since January, compared with fewer than 3,200 cases in all of 2010. At that pace, medical emergencies related to synthetic drugs could go up nearly fivefold by the end of the year.

The chemicals are suspected in at least nine U.S. deaths since last year.

Brief by The Associated Press

Obama says littler short-term help for gas prices

Pitching the promise of energy independence, President Barack Obama cautioned Wednesday that it’s going to be tough to transition from America’s oil-dependent economy and acknowledged there’s little he can do to lower gas prices over the short term.

“I’m just going to be honest with you. There’s not much we can do next week or two weeks from now,” the president told workers at a wind turbine plant. It’s a theme Obama’s struck before as he tries to show voters he’s attuned to a top economic concern with gas prices pushing toward $4 a gallon.

Obama said he wants to move toward “a future where America is less dependent on foreign oil, more reliant on clean energy produced by workers like you.” That will happen by reducing oil imports, tapping domestic energy sources and shifting the nation to renewable and less polluting sources of energy, such as wind, the president says. He has set a goal of reducing oil imports by one-third by 2025.

But the president said it won’t happen overnight and if any politician says it’s easy, “they’re not telling the truth.”

Brief by The Associated Press

Top Libyans said to be very scared

Libya’s former-energy minister said Wednesday that several members of Moammar Gadhafi’s inner circle want to defect, but many are too scared to abandon the dictator fearing the safety of themselves and their families.

Omar Fathi bin Shatwan, who also served as industry minister, told the Associated Press that he had fled by fishing boat to Malta on Friday from the western Libyan city of Misrata.

Shatwan, who left the government in 2007, said he still had contact with some government figures and explained that many feared for their safety. In some cases, their families are under siege, he said.

Shatwan said he had last had contact with Gadhafi in 2006, and had not spoken with the tyrant’s sons since leaving office.

He said he had spent 40 days at his home in Misrata before escaping from Libya, and witnessed Gadhafi’s forces pounding the city with heavy artillery and relentlessly shooting civilians.

He said Gadhafi’s forces — which he said were mainly foreign mercenaries led by a small number of Libyans — had fired on civilians indiscriminately inside Misrata.

Brief by The Associated Press