White House Report | Tuesday, June 30, 2009

- Bill signings
- Robert Gibbs’ Tuesday press briefing
- President talks on community solutions agenda
- Town-hall meeting on health care in Virginia on Wednesday  Read more

Unemployment up slightly in May

Unemployment ticked up a bit across the Valley in May, though the slight increases were called seasonal by a Virginia Employment Commission economist today.
Waynesboro still has the highest unemployment rate locally, at 9.1 percent, up from the 8.8 percent mark in April, according to VEC data released today. Staunton was up from 6.9 percent in April to 7.0 percent in May. Augusta County went from 6.4 percent in April to 6.9 percent in May. Read more

Ready for some football?

That’s one of the questions that Chris Graham and Jim Bresnahan tackle in their weekly WREL-1450AM sports chat. We’re still a few weeks away from the start of training camp, but the ACC Football Kickoff is just around the corner, and Chris and Jim talk some ACC football, local high-school football, discuss the next steps in the comeback of former Tech QB Michael Vick – and of course get around to Valley League Baseball now at the midway point of the 2009 summer baseball season. Length: 18:56. Read more

Money, money, money

How can you tell that we’re near a supposedly critical political fundraising deadline? By checking your e-mail.
“May I have just five minutes of your time?” one in my in-box yesterday from Republican guberatorial nominee Bob McDonnell asked, then got to the point. “In just 36 hours, I reach one of the last critical benchmarks before the November election – the June 30th fundraising deadline. This deadline is important as it will help set the tone for the remaining four months of the campaign.” Read more

Earth Talk | Insulating paints

Dear EarthTalk: Do insulating paints actually insulate and save energy? If they do, are they environmentally friendly to use?
- Bob Dibrindisi, Easthampton, Mass.
Paint additives that claim insulating qualities have been marketed since the late 1990s, but energy research organizations have not confirmed their insulating value. For its part, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not recommend using paints or coatings in place of traditional bulk insulation. “We haven’t seen any independent studies that can verify their insulating qualities,” the agency reports. The federal government does rate roofing paint for its energy efficiency, but such findings only take into account a substance’s ability to reflect heat off the roof—not its insulating properties per se—to keep the building cooler. Read more

Two Tellys for local video company

Harrisonburg-based DIGICO is now the proud owner of two 2009 Telly Awards.
DIGICO won a silver Telly for a 60-second kiosk video created for Rosetta Stone, the leading language-learning software company in the world, titled “Best Gift.” The video depicts a family using Rosetta Stone software for the first time, and ends with branding animation created specifically for the video.  Read more

A clear direction on energy

We may not yet have a firm grasp on exactly what we need to do to merge the words clean and energy in perfect harmony, even with the 219-212 vote of the House of Representatives on cap-and-trade legislation last week. But we do at least have direction, and considering how much muck was thrown into the works in the environmental arena in the Bush years, movement in the direction of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions has to be considered progress. Read more

Signer looking ahead to political future

I caught up yesterday with Mike Signer, and realize even more now what I like about the guy who I endorsed in his unsuccessful bid to become the Democratic Party lieutenant-governor nominee.
“I’m just calling to say thanks for all of your hard work, and to get your input on what you think I ought to be doing next,” said Signer, who told me that he’s planning to get involved with the Creigh Deeds gubernatorial effort this fall as one way of staying busy, but as for his next step, well … Read more

Wagner planning campaign visit to Waynesboro

Democratic Party lieutenant-governor nominee Jody Wagner will be in Waynesboro on Thursday, July 16, for a meet-and-greet with Valley voters.
Wagner will stop at Chickpea’s restaurant in Downtown Waynesboro for an 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. event.
Wagner served as the state treasurer under Gov. Mark Warner and was Secretary of Finance under Gov. Tim Kaine.
She is challenging incumbent Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling in the Nov. 3 general election.
The public is invited to attend the meet-and-greet.

In the News

- Local News: Street closing in Harrisonburg
- Capitol Hill: Webb, Warner announce health-center grants
- Local News: Wintergreen placing land into preservation
- Local News: BC alum honored for Christian service Read more

Meet the Generals

Waynesboro Generals fans are invited to stay after the home game with Fauquier on Thursday night for a meet-and-greet with Generals players.
Fans are invited to take photos and get autographs for 30 minutes after the game at Fishburne Military School Park at Kate Collins Field.
Tables and chairs will be set up around the bleachers and concessions areas.

Me and Danica … almost

Here was my chance to go one-on-one with Danica Patrick. “I was hoping you could get a mention of this online or in your magazine. If you are available, I wanted to see if you might be interested in coming down for a special event we have on June 25th with Danica Patrick,” the e-mail began, and of course I was intrigued. Read more

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