Here is a link to the Martinsville Bulletin story written about the candidates who showed up for the Virginia State Peach Festival on Friday evening in Stuart's DeHart Park.

Link: http://www.martinsvillebulletin.com/article.cfm?ID=29777 Candidates court voters at festival Sunday, August 21, 2011 By DEBBIE HALL - Bulletin Staff Writer Several candidates in the November election attended the 24th annual Virginia Peach Festival in Stuart, where they sampled peaches and courted voters. Events such as the festival “show the great fabric of our communities and why this is a great place to live, work and raise children,� said state Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Glade Hill, who attended the festival for the first time while campaigning for the seat now held by Sen. Roscoe Reynolds, D-Ridgeway. Jeff Evans, an independent from the Bassett area, also hopes to win that seat. Reynolds said voters also are telling him that they are concerned about the economy and jobs. “And they are worried about what’s going on in Washington. There is so much to be resolved,� Reynolds said. “I hope, as many voters do, that the folks in Washington get their act together and do what needs to be done.� When the economy does turn around, Reynolds said many rural communities — including Patrick County — will be in a good position to attract new business and industries due to the mega industrial parks that are being developed in Henry, Pittsylvania and Carroll counties. He cited articles in Friday’s Martinsville Bulletin on the anticipated opening of RTI International Metals Inc. and the construction of a new building to house ICF International as good news for the area. Patrick County, like many other rural areas, has been hard-hit in the current economy, and many residents are hurting, Stanley said. But “the resilience and pride of our people will never die,� he said, and added both will attract businesses to the area. Job creation is the big concern among voters, Stanley said. Completion of U.S. 58 and building Interstate 73 are important to the area from an economic development standpoint, he said. Reynolds also has been a long-time supporter of that project. Evans said one of the biggest concerns he hears is a criticism of the state’s so-called balanced budget. State officials “used $620 million of our retirement (funds from the Virginia Retirement System) to balance a budget,� he said. “I don’t call that balancing a budget. ... Shuffling funds like that doesn’t make any sense.� If he is successful in November, Evans said he will work to ensure those funds are returned to the VRS and “sponsor a bill so that it will never happen again.� He said voters also have expressed concerns about jobs ad unnecessary regulations on businesses. Both parties have talked about those and other problems, and “now it’s time to do something about it,� Evans said. Overall, Evans said his campaign is “going very well and I'm being received very well� while campaigning. He attributed that to the fact that “people are fed up with both parties,� neither of which will work together “to get things done. Also attending the event were Dels. Ward Armstrong, D-Bassett, and Charles Poindexter, R-Glade Hill, both of whom are running for the 9th District House seat. Armstrong repeated his call for reform to lower electric rates. “Richmond needs to get off its duff and do something about it (high rates)� by giving the State Corporation Commission the discretion it once had on utility rate requests, Armstrong said. Job creation also is a top concern among voters, Armstrong said. “By far, the biggest concern is jobs and the economy,� Poindexter said, and he anticipated work will continue to ensure Virginia is attractive to businesses. State officials have spent $100 million in the last two years to help expand existing businesses and bring in new ones, Poindexter said. Gas and energy costs need to be lowered, he said. He also complained that federal regulations that vehicles get better gas mileage are hurting the situation. Poindexter said has been to Patrick County several times, and he has received a warm welcome each time. (See Martinsville Bulletin for the full story.)