Broadcasting leaders, Sports Director Ryan Rutherford lobby for AM Radio and more

Earlier this week the National Association of Broadcasters hosted the annual State Leadership Conference in Washington DC and Sports Director Ryan Rutherford was given the opportunity to join through the Virginia Association of Broadcasters Best of Best Program.

This year’s event was focused on advocating for four issues affecting broadcasters nationwide including the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, the Local Radio Freedom Act, advancement of NextGen TV, and modernizing media ownership.

Leaders in television and radio broadcasting then went to Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers to discuss how these priorities will affect their constituents and request action.

Members of the Virginia Association of Broadcasters met with representatives from each delegation in the Commonwealth to discuss these issues while tying in personal stories on how these issues have or will impact their stations.

My group visited Congressman John McGuire and spoke with his legislative assistant Joshua Chazez and then the the office of our representative Ben Cline to speak with his Deputy Chief of Staff Nicole Manley.

For more information on each of those topics click the links below:

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here. 

Protesters assemble outside Ben Cline’s offices from Staunton to Winchester

News to know valley graphic created by Royal Broadcasting employee Brooke Greene used by permission

Protesters gathered outside Virginia 6th District U.S. Representative Ben Cline’s Offices from Staunton to Winchester March 4.

The protest began around 1 p.m. and lasted until approximately 3 p.m.

The protest was announced by Harrisonburg’s Democratic Committee on February 25.

Protesters were mostly peaceful with many holding signs.

There were some reports of some people attempting to enter some of the office’s and messages being left in mailboxes.

The signs carried by protesters were complaints that Cline was not communicating with his constituents according to the Staunton news leader.

A gallery of the activity in Staunton from the news leader is here.

Others showed concern with Cline’s alignment with Donald Trump’s policies and concerns over potential cuts to Medicaid, Social Security, and other programs.

Reportedly Cline has not responded to repeated requests for a town hall style meeting.

Many of the signs read Where is Ben Cline?

Cline was not in any of his offices yesterday as he was in Washington DC for the speech President Trump delivered to Congress.

Cline’s Washington’s office issued a statement from the congressman delivered to the River by email.

In that statement Cline wrote that he has always stood for and defended the First Amendment rights of every American, including the right to peacefully assemble and make their voices heard.

The Congressman went on to say that since being reelected last November, he has been hard at work doing what the people of Virginia’s sixth district elected him to do.

That includes fighting for common sense and conservative solutions according to the statement.

Standing with President Trump and supporting efforts like the Department of Government Efficiency to cut waste and save taxpayer dollars, Cline added in the statement.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.

TVRC Hob Nob in the Valley Political meet and greet was a success

Top of Virginia Regional Chamber’s (TVRC) Hob Nob in the Valley Bi-Partisan meet and greet appeared to be a success August 22.

Being a bi-partisan event representatives of all parties running for any kind of office were on hand to talk with community, and business leaders and discuss issues. 

Among the attendees were U.S. Senator Tim Kaine and 6th District U.S. Congressman Ben Cline who both spoke but did not stump.

Former Governor and Current Democratic Senator Kaine noted that he is no stranger to Hob Nobs having attended several. 

The Senator did note that he has never been to one in an airplane hangar before and was rather enjoying the ice cream social type atmosphere.

Republican Congressman Cline also noted the atmosphere of the event as pleasant in a hangar at Winchester Regional Airport-OKV.

Neither man had political stumping in their speeches but they did acknowledge that political bi-partisanship was not unusual in Virginia. 

It seems that all parties will get together regularly to discuss issues concerning the Commonwealth.

This was the second Hob Nob in the valley for the TVRC since the pandemic and according to one mayoral candidate very different from previous events.

More like a chamber meeting and friendly gathering and everyone sitting together and holding friendly conversation according to the candidate.

One surprise that took place during the Hop Nob was the awarding of the 2024 Chamber of Commerce Executive of the year award.

The Virginia Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives awarded TVRC CEO Cynthia Schneider with the coveted award.

Schneider was both surprised and visibly touched by the award given to her in front of the over 200 people in attendance.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here. 

Congressman Cline hosts Agriculture Listening Session

Congressman Ben Cline along with House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson hosted an Agriculture Listening Session with over 50 farmers and other agricultural industry leaders in Weyers Cave.

Groups represented included the Virginia Farm Bureau, Virginia Agribusiness Council and other organizations focusing on the cattle, poultry, dairy, pork, and grain industries.

Virginia’s Sixth District is home to over 8,000 farms, the most in the Commonwealth.

Each year in the state, over 41,500 farms have an economic impact of $82.3 billion.

During the session, participants discussed the upcoming Farm Bill and how it can be used to support local farmers and the industry as a whole.

They also discussed recent federal changes, the reintroduction of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act and commended the work of Virginians in handling the recent avian flu outbreak.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.

Unofficial results show Cline winning the Republican Primary

Unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections in yesterday’s Republican primary show Ben Cline winning the 6 district.

The newly drawn district includes Roanoke, Winchester and the counties of Clarke, Frederick, Shenandoah and Warren.

Cline who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2019 defeated new comer Clear Brook resident Merritt Hale.

The Virginia Department of election’s unofficial results show Cline with over 82 percent of the votes to Hale’s almost 18 percent.

Complete election results will be announced Friday and include mailed ballots that are postmarked by June 21.

If certified Republican Ben Cline will face Waynesboro resident Democrat Jennifer Lewis in the November general election.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.