Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Reporter's Notebook

John McDonagh can be contacted at jmcdonagh@vbjusa.com

From Health Care to Hogwarts

National Health Care Reform
I won’t argue for or against the need for a National Health Care System. I do agree the system both on the provider of health services as well as the provider of health insurance have significant shortcomings. Those shortcomings are in fact the reason many businesses, especially small businesses that collectively employ the lion share of our workforce, can’t afford to offer benefits. The solution is not a government run, tax funded and bureaucracy laden program. Use government rather to create the policy necessary for the private sector, providers and insurers, to create the solution. Then hold us accountable to make the necessary changes and fix the parts that keep too many of our citizens without coverage.

CSA

Community Supported Agriculture is a growing part of the local economy and making its way deep into the urban and suburban households. At a dinner meeting last evening our host let us know that most of our meal was coming from her share of a local farm (CSA). Others at the table were also share holders of CSA farmers and talked about the value of having a relationship with the farmer, of knowing how the food is grown and the joy they get in sharing the harvest with neighbors when the bounty is plentiful. Talk about farm to table, this is what buy local is about.

Managing Editor Search

As many of you have no doubt read or heard our Managing Editor, Megan Patrick-Vaughn, has decided to join the staff of Second Step Housing (formerly Y Housing) as an asset manager. While creating a great amount of angst just after she gave her notice our search has resulted in a number of exciting candidates and we hope to make an announcement as to who our next Managing Editor will be in a few days.

Hogwarts

If your family has members in the under 30 years of age demographic then undoubtedly like my family there is keen interest in the release today of the latest installment of the Harry Potter series. Given the numbers expected at the theaters maybe we’ll have our own little stimulus going for the theater owners, area restaurants and coffee shops catering to the before and after movie crowds.

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