Last Word

Last Word on sales tax increase, Feb. 28

Sales tax increase I don’t appreciate the sneaky way this tax hike is being motored through to support tourism and another-named slush fund. Please list the names and phone numbers of who we can call in Richmond for York, James City and Williamsburg to let our voices be heard. Thank you. Editor’s...

Last Word on sales tax, Feb. 24

Sales tax increase Instead of a 1 percent sales tax increase to feed the tourism oligarchs, how about an increase to promote affordable housing for the people who do the work that runs the tourism industry in the area? Seems like the Chamber of Commerce, JCC Supervisors and the Williamsburg City...

Last Word on Florida shootings, Feb. 21

Florida shootings A question for Congress: Why is the possession of assault weapons more important than school children's lives? Don't those children have a right, under the Constitution, to live full lives, in liberty and in the pursuit of happiness? I’m in high school and I’m scared to go to...

Last Word, Feb. 17

Shooting in Florida To all those who write in demanding rights to carry in schools, churches and other public places: do you also demand similar rights for convicted criminals, the mentally ill and those with restraining orders? Should they be allowed to build up arsenals of assault weapons? Anyone...

Last Word on harassment, Feb. 14

Looking good To whoever is decorating Lake Powell Road and Brookwood Drive with decorations: They look amazing. Can’t wait to see what you put up for Easter. This is harassment I worked at a big box hardware store. Every day, the male customers would make degrading sexual comments to any of the...

Last Word on workforce housing, Feb. 10

City taxes Here we go again, as the Williamsburg City Council looks to raise taxes after its annual retreat. The city manager can’t offer a specific reason why he anticipates a reduction in revenues from the meal and room taxes. The mayor and council members keep looking for ways to increase our...

Last Word on tourism taxes, Feb. 7

Tax for tourism I think the proposed 1 percent added sales tax for James City, York and Williamsburg is a big crock. It’s a complete, unfair burden to the citizens to have to pay this to fund tourism. Why don’t they keep doing like they’ve been doing? They’ve got taxes on the rooms and meal taxes....

Last Word about CW finances, Feb. 3

Williamsburg budget The Virginia Gazette's recent reporting on the Williamsburg City Council discussions on potential tax increases and the need to add a new position to administer the new Tourism Development Fund is very revealing. If the city ran like a business, as revenues decline, the focus...

Last Word on an angel, Jan. 31

Met my angel I had a very important doctor’s appointment the other day and stopped at a store for water on my way. I got back to my car and it wouldn’t start. I cried because I could not get to the appointment. Then my angel called, “Ma’am, Ma’am.” I looked and she offered me a ride. I had to take...

Last Word on the shutdown, Jan. 27

Williamsburg Inn On Wednesday, Last Word published a comment that said The Williamsburg Inn had been awarded the Forbes Travel Guide Fifth Star. The Inn was awarded the AAA Five Diamond designation in November 2017, one of just 120 hotels in North America to hold this distinction. However, Forbes...

Americans' glass house is cracked; it's time to repair it

The importance of history, language are being swept away

There's more to immigration crisis than fear

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Trump to Declare National Emergency as Senate Passes Spending Package

Good Shot Judy pays tribute to Nat King Cole

Climate Change Will Alter the Colors of the Earth's Oceans

US Job Openings Hit a Record 7.3 Million

Why Fat Is Essential to Your Diet

'The Batman' Gets 2021 Release Date

Local trailblazing judge honored by Dominion, Library of Virginia at award ceremony

Judge and James City County businessman William T. Stone was among seven honorees recently recognized at the annual Strong Men and Women in Virginia History awards. The awards program, now in its seventh year and held by Dominion Energy and the Library of Virginia, honors prominent African Americans...

Court docs: James City County pair charged after police chase

A routine traffic stop for speeding on Feb. 7 became less than routine when the driver of a Dodge Charger drove off after falsely identifying himself to a York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office deputy, according to court documents. Keith Ramon Jenkins, 27, was charged with falsely identifying to a police...

What's open and closed on President's Day

While Feb. 22 would be George Washington’s 287th birthday, on Monday the national holiday to celebrate Washington’s birthday will cause municipal offices and schools across Williamsburg to shutter. James City County In James City County, municipal offices will close Monday and reopen Tuesday, according...

• Pictures: Four iconic portraits and a favored belonging offer rare look at George Washington

Inclement weather delays Ironbound Road paving work

Traffic signals at the intersection of Ironbound and Longhill roads are fully operational, but city engineer Aaron Small estimates the final layer of pavement won't be applied until April at the earliest. Although a base layer of asphalt was applied last month, Small said cold, rainy weather, combined...

Shock as gunman kills 5 at Illinois manufacturing plant: 'I’ve seen it on the news happening someplace else. But never here in Aurora.'

A 15-year veteran of a manufacturing business who was being terminated opened fire inside the company’s Aurora plant Friday afternoon, killing five people and wounding five police officers who responded to the scene, police said. Authorities said the gunman, 45-year-old Gary Martin, of Aurora, ...

• Aurora shooting

How Trump came to declare a national emergency to fund his border wall after months of frustration

President Donald Trump knew that lawmakers were unlikely to ever give him the billions of dollars he wanted to build a wall on the southern border, so in early 2018, he gave aides a directive: Find a way to do it without Congress. It was hardly an easy assignment. The White House had some flexibility...

• President Trump: 'I didn't need to do it... but I wanted to do it faster'

Payless ShoeSource closing all of its remaining stores in U.S. and Puerto Rico

Payless ShoeSource is shuttering all of its 2,100 remaining stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, joining a list of iconic names like Toys R Us and Bon-Ton that have closed down in the last year. The Topeka, Kansas-based chain said Friday it will hold liquidation sales starting Sunday and wind down...

9/11 victim fund will cut payouts by up to 70 percent as claims surge: 'We recognize that this is horribly unfair'

The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund plans to cut future payouts in half — and in some cases by as much as 70 percent — as it struggles with a surge of new claims from those who have gotten sick and the families of those who have died, officials announced Friday. The fund was opened by the...

• 9/11 responders might be sick and not even know why