"No person under this statute may adopt if that person is a homosexual."

Legislation proposed by Delegate Richard Black (R-Loudon) would add the aforementioned language to the laws governing Virginia's adoption procedures.  The bill (HB2921), currently in the Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee, is the latest salvo in conservatives' ongoing crusade to limit the rights of gay Virginians.

Karl Rove loves the exurbs.  The supposed mastermind of President Bush's victory decided long before November's election that these rapidly-expanding communities contained the ever-elusive persuadable voters that would keep Bush in the White House.

The term exurb was first used in the 1950's to describe the sleepy, rural communities that existed beyond the confines of the traditional suburbs.  New highways and the increasingly-popular automobile allowed workers to venture outside the regional cores of America's metropolises.  And venture they did.  

I'd like to make this the first of a series of diaries summarizing the goings-on in Virginia with emphasis on the 2005 Gubernatorial race and Mark Warner's possible Senate bid.

Today, I'll link to and summarize some recent news articles to get everyone up to speed.