A Special Event with First Lady Michelle Obama for the Women of Goochland.

You are cordially invited to the home of Judi and Bill Sheppard this Thursday, Feb. 16 at 5:30 P.M. for a special event with the First Lady.  Join us as we work to organize our efforts to re-elect President Obama and send Tim Kaine to the Senate.  Judi is so generous to offer her home to us, so please take advantage of this great opportunity to get together with your fellow Goochland women Democrats.  Please RSVP to molly@goochlanddemocrats.org by Wednesday.  Thanks and we'll see you there!

Our thoughts and prayers are with Matthew Geary's family today, especially his five children.  The former chief deputy in the Richmond Commonwealth's Attorney's Office and candidate for Henrico Commonwealth's Attorney died Sunday.   The Times-Dispatch quoted friends of Matt today, saying he will be remembered as a "tenacious prosecutor... and a good man."

GDC Chair Molly Payne made the front page of the Goochland Gazette today. 

"Just elected, the new chair of the Democratic Party hopes to expand the number of the party faithful in Goochland County.

That’s why Molly Payne was busy stirring up a pot of chili last Friday evening, preparing for the next day’s meeting at the Company 5 Firehouse.

She took over the leadership of the local Democratic Committee last month, replacing former chair Alan Tucker.

Payne, 27, said when Tucker asked her to take the job, she had to think about it awhile before deciding to accept it.

“I took a couple of weeks to think about it,” she said. “A lot of people said it would be a tough job,” she added, referring to the conservative, GOP leaning nature of Goochland.

But Payne, who said she grew up in a diverse, middle-class area in Lansing, Mich., where there was strong union support, sees a strong need for the party in Goochland..."

 Tomorrow, as the country celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's legacy of nonviolent activism, the Goochland County Democratic Committee stands with Sekou Shabaka and the NAACP in strongly condemning the distribution of Klan literature in the county.  The Committee asks the residents of Goochland County, including the Board of Supervisors, Sheriff Agnew, the Goochland County Republican Committee, and the Goochland Tea Party to come together in support of the safety and security of all residents, regardless of race, religion, or nationality, and to stand firmly against the disssemination of hate speech in any form.  It is in no one's interest for Goochland to be known as a locality tolerant of intimidation, ignorance, and fear mongering.  While the KKK fliers have thus far  been excused under the First Amendment, we all have the freedom of speech to denounce them.

We've got a full agenda this Saturday at the Goochland Democratic Committee meeting.  The meeting will be held at 10:00 A.M. at the Goochland Fire House Company 5 at 2710 Fairground Road.  We'll discuss the coming election year, the new Board of Supervisors, and the KKK literature recently distributed in Goochland and Powhatan.  We'll also recap the January 3 BOS meeting, the Governor's budget proposal, and some 7th Congressional District redistricting news.  Come contribute your voice and enjoy some warm chili and cornbread, too!  You won't want to miss it.  

Merry Christmas to all Goochland residents!  God bless our family and friends at home and serving our country abroad.  See you in the Happy New Year.  Here are a few images from around town yesterday.

Visitors wait to see loved ones at the Women's Correctional Facility in Goochland on Christmas Eve.

Phlox blooms early on River Road due to an unseasonably warm December.

Pigeon investigates the big white oak, hundreds of years old, that fell across the road a few weeks ago.

The Committee is excited to launch our new domain name, goochlanddemocrats.org, along with our new blog.  We hope this forum will be a place for Goochland County residents of all political parties to add their voices to an ongoing conversation about local, state, and national issues.  Governments can and will improve with your involvement.  Please be respectful of yourself and others when posting comments.  Welcome!