The Martinsville Bulletin gave extensive coverage to Brian's recent visit to their city. Here is an excerpt:

Moran said he has been to Southside in good times and bad. On the good side, Moran said, he attended the opening of the Virginia Museum of Natural History.

On the other side, he was with Del. Ward Armstrong (D-Collinsville, who is now House minority leader), after Tultex closed in 2000, putting nearly 2,500 area residents out of work.

“I was very touched ... when Tultex left,” he said, noting that “we did our best in responding” to workers’ needs.

Prompted by Tultex workers who lost their jobs, Armstrong was author and Moran was co-patron (or co-author) of the Textile Workers Relief Act, which was introduced in the 2000 General Assembly session, said Jesse Ferguson, Moran’s communications director. Then-governor Jim Gilmore, a Republican who now is running for U.S. Senate, vetoed the act. It would have increased unemployment benefits and extended health care insurance for a year for anyone who lost a job due to a plant closing related to the North American Free Trade Act (NAFTA).

Moran said Monday that people want to work and provide for their families, and there should be opportunities for them to do that.