AFP.com Local/State

Climatologist: Snowy winter ‘just one of those things’

  
Column by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

Take solace, folks. The meteorologists can’t explain why it’s snowing all the time, either.

“To a large extent, it’s just one of those things. But one of those things means we don’t fully understand all the dynamics that go on with this, all the atmospheric physics involved,” said Jerry Stenger, the director of the Virginia State Climatology Office at the University of Virginia.

I had Stenger on the line for a segment on The AFP Show news podcast. My question led him to the “one of those things” quote, the thrust of where I was going with the topic being, Surely you guys know what’s going on, right, or is it just one of those things? [Read more...]

Forecast: 5 to 10 inches of snow Tuesday, Wednesday

 
Staff Report
News tips: freepress2@ntelos.net

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Augusta County, Staunton and Waynesboro effective 9 a.m. Tuesday to 4 p.m. Wednesday.

The Greater Augusta region is in line for a possible 5 to 10 inches of snow accumulation due to the storm.

Harrisonburg and Rockingham to our north are in line for a possible 6 to 12 inches of snow from this storm, and the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Md., metro areas could see 10 to 20 inches of snow in the next two days.

Here we go again: Valley braces for another big snowstorm

  
Staff Report
News tips: freepress2@ntelos.net

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for Augusta County, Staunton and Wayensboro beginning Tuesday morning.

The forecast for Tuesday into Wednesday afternoon calls for possible snow accumulations of 5 inches of snow or more.

Harrisonburg and Rockingham County and locales to their north in the Shenandoah Valley are under a Winter Storm Warning with a forecast for 6 to 12 inches of accumulation possible from the upcoming storm.

The Washington, D.C,, and Baltimore, Md., metro areas are in a Winter Storm Warning area with forecast accumulations of 10 to 20 inches possible from the storm.

AFPBusiness.com

Unemployment rate takes unexpected dip

 
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

Don’t get too excited, but the nation’s unemploynent rate made a move in the right direction in January, falling to 9.7 percent from 10.0 percent in December.

“It is important not to read too much into any one monthly report, positive or negative. It is essential that we continue our efforts to move in the right direction and replace job losses with robust job gains,” said Christina Romer, the chair of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, in a statement on the numbers released Friday.

There are still likely to be “bumps in the road ahead,” Romer warned, and the good news today itself came with some of the bumps, the most noticeable being the revised estimate that has the economy losing more than 1 million more jobs due to the recession than had previously been estimated.

But even slightly good news is good news in an economy that was in freefall for months since the start of the recession in December 2007. Today’s figures show employment in manufacturing in general and motor-vehicle manufacturing in particular on the increase for the first time since January 2007, and the unemployment rate that includes all persons marginally attached to the labor force and workers working part-time for economic reasons falling by a full percentage point.

Obama administration proposes $30B small-business loan fund

  
Staff Report
News tips: freepress2@ntelos.net

The Obama administration on Tuesday released plans for a Small Business Lending Fund that will transfer $30 billion from the Troubled Asset Relief Program to a new program supporting small-business lending.

The Fund would divert resources from the big-bank TARP bailout to community banks that have as their core customers small businesses.

Fifth District Congressman Tom Perriello backs the move. [Read more...]

The earnings report for Main Street

  
Column by Prakash Laufer
Submit guest columns: freepress2@ntelos.net

To add insult to injury to working America, in came the earnings reports from Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase. At these mega banks, balance sheets are healthy, profits are up and bonuses for top executives are bigger than ever. JPMorgan Chase just reported $11.7 billion in profits and $26.9 billion in compensation and bonuses. Goldman Sachs made a record-high profit of $13.4 billion in 2009 and is slated to hand out $16.2 billion in compensation and bonuses.

These are some of the same institutions whose predatory and unethically risky actions brought our economy to its knees. But, thanks to billions of dollars in government resuscitation, they seem to be recovering nicely from their near-death experiences.

The “earnings report” for the rest of the U.S., however, includes – drum roll, please – higher unemployment and continued foreclosures, with no relief in sight. It sounds like a raw deal because it is. Big banks and Wall Street financiers ignited the foreclosure crisis, setting our economy ablaze, resulting in the loss of millions of homes and jobs. [Read more...]

AFP.com Op-Eds and Blogs

New nuclear energy is old news

And new projects are already under way, benefitting economies and creating jobs

Column by Jarret Adams
Submit guest columns: freepress2@ntelos.net

Right now, nuclear energy is expanding around the world. According to the World Nuclear Association, there are 50 reactors under construction across the globe and another 130 (and counting) scheduled to come online over the next decade.

The nuclear renaissance is happening.

Today the world demands clean, low-carbon energy sources to prevent further increases in carbon-dioxide emissions. That is why we are seeing increasing interest in nuclear energy as well as renewable technologies such as wind and solar. [Read more...]

Egregious gags to egg you on - and that’s no yolk

  
Column by Jim Bishop
Submit guest columns: freepress2@ntelos.net

A sagacious senior observed, “We are born naked, wet and hungry. Then things get worse.”

Case in point: you’re about to get another punnelling from your Punsylvania pun pal. Don’t look, Ethel!

Too late - may as well grin and bear it, starting with this burning question:

Why is it that one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

And why does it take so little time for a child who is afraid of the dark to become a teenager who wants to stay out all night? [Read more...]

AFP.com Health Desk

Profit motive is necessary for quality health care

 
Column by Donald J. Boudreaux
Submit guest columns: freepress2@ntelos.net

Not long ago my wife, Karol, and I flew from Bucharest to New York City’s JFK airport. We had two hours to connect to our flight to Washington’s Dulles airport. We missed our flight, and herein lies a lesson about today’s raging debate over government’s proper role in health-care markets.

Part of the reason we missed our flight is that, after landing on time at JFK, our plane sat for more than 30 minutes on the tarmac waiting for another jet to clear away from our gate. JFK International Airport is owned by government (the City of New York) and operated, under lease, by a government agency (the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey). Unlike Delta Airlines, the privately-owned and operated carrier that flew us comfortably, safely, and in a timely fashion over the 4,800 miles that separate Bucharest from New York, the government bureaucrats in charge of JFK airport seem to be short on an asset they control: airport gate space. [Read more...]

New regs boost treatment of substance abuse

 
Staff Report
News tips: freepress2@ntelos.net

New regulations requiring private group health insurance plans to offer benefits for treatment of substance abuse disorders that are comparable to benefits for other illnesses will help remove a barrier to treatment for millions of Americans, National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director Gil Kerlikowske said today.

The rules, issued Jan. 29 by the departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury, are expected to be finalized in the spring. They will take effect for plan years beginning on or after July 1, 2010. The rules prohibit group health insurance plans – typically offered by employers – from restricting access to care for mental health or substance use disorders by limiting benefits and requiring higher patient costs than those that apply to general medical or surgical benefits.  [Read more...]

AFP.com Entertainment

‘So You Think You Can Dance’ star to teach benefit workshop in Waynesboro

  
Staff Report
News tips: freepress2@ntelos.net

“So You Think You Can Dance” and “High School Musical 3″ dancer Jaimie Goodwin will be in Waynesboro Saturday, Feb. 6, and Sunday, Feb. 7, to teach a benefit workshop in association with Old Dominion Performance Arts Studio.

Goodwin was a finalist on “So You Think You Can Dance” and a featured dancer in the latest hit movie in the “High School Musical” series.

The benefit workshop will be held at Kate Collins Middle School in Waynesboro. Proceeds will go to Hayley Kudro, a 5-year-old Waynesboro girl and Old Dominion dancer who is battling cancer. [Read more...]

Parkway: Happy 75th!

 
Staff Report
News tips: freepress2@ntelos.net

The Blue Ridge Parkway’s 75th Anniversary is officially here with the advent of 2010. Construction of the 469-mile All American Scenic Byway began Sept. 11, 1935, at Cumberland Knob, near the North Carolina and Virginia border.

A celebration of this special American treasure and its importance as a cultural, historical, and natural resource includes events and activities throughout the year in communities that line the Parkway.

A list of events, which may be searched by community or region or by month, is on line at www.blueridgeparkway75.org and is updated regularly. To date, over 400 events have been identified as part of the year-long celebration. [Read more...]

VaPoliticsToday.com

General Assembly Notebook

- ‘Triggerman rule’ repeal passes House
- McDonnell comments on conservation easement

Edited by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

Repeal of “triggerman rule” passes House: A capital-murder bill sponsored by Del. C. Todd Gilbert, R-15th, passed the Virginia House of Delegates this afternoon by a vote of 74 to 24.

The repeal of the “triggerman rule” ensures that equally guilty co-defendants in a capital homicide will face the possibility of the ultimate punishment. It requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt that accomplices in a capital murder share the premeditated intent of the actual perpetrator.

The existing rule has had a number of implications for Virginia case law in recent years, including a narrowly decided issue in the John Mohammed sniper case. But for the creative efforts of Prince William County prosecutors, who showed Mohammed was acting as a scout to his young cohort’s role as sniper, he never could have been deemed an “actual perpetrator” of the capital murders he ordered and oversaw. [Read more...]

I can’t drive … 70?

Proposal to increase speed limit passes General Assembly

Staff Report
News tips: freepress2@ntelos.net

Gov. Bob McDonnell’s proposal to increase the speed limit in Virginia to 70 mph in rural and less populated areas was approved today by both chambers of the General Assembly.

The measure received broad bipartisan support in both the House and Senate. In the House, State Del. Bill Carrico, R-Galax, carried the bill. State Sen. Steve Newman, R-Lynchburg, patroned the bill in the Senate.

Both bills are identical. Each bill must still be voted on by the other house prior to being sent to the governor’s desk for his signature.

“I thank Del. Bill Carrico and Sen. Steve Newman for their successful advocacy of this important proposal to speed up traffic in rural and less populated sections of Virginia,” McDonnell said in a statement. [Read more...]

VaPoliticsToday.com Blogs

Richmond Reports

Featured: Sen. Creigh Deeds, Sen. Mark Obenshain

Creigh Deeds: Weekly Update
www.creighdeeds.com

The third full week of the General Assembly session ended in unusual fashion. For the first time in recent memory, the General Assembly took a snow day. Granted we have had difficult weather this winter, beginning with the snow storm in the middle of December and continuing with several significant snow events throughout January and into February, but the General Assembly, limited by the constitution to a 60 day session this year, always conducts its work. I read in the newspaper that Lacey Putney, the longest-serving member of the General Assembly, could not remember the legislature ever being snowed out. I ran into a friend who served in the cabinet for Gov. Baliles who remembered a prior incident of a snow day being taken in 1977 or 1978.  [Read more...]

Richmond Reports

Featured: Del. Ken Plum, Del. David Englin

Ken Plum: The LCI takes center stage
www.kenplum.com

Virginia’s formula for funding public schools is very complex. Theoretically the average school district would be funded half by the state and half by local government. In actuality, the split in spending for public schools is closer to 55 percent local government and 45 percent state government because of the state’s failure to fully fund its share. The complexity comes from determining the true cost of education and the ability of local governments to support their own schools. The cost of education is determined by pricing the Standards of Quality (SOQ), the basic state requirements for operating a school. The SOQs relate to staffing, materials, and square footage needed to run a school. All public schools in Virginia including the poorest districts exceed the SOQ standard because the standards are so minimal. The understated standards result in a lower state share of costs. [Read more...]

ACCVirginia.com

Wright’s 25 push UVa. past Clemson

  
Staff Report
UVa. sports: www.virginiasports.com

Senior guard Monica Wright (Woodbridge, Va.) moved into fifth place on the ACC’s all-time scoring list and No. 24 Virginia defeated visiting Clemson, 82-60, Thursday night at John Paul Jones Arena.

With the victory, Virginia improved to 16-6 overall and 5-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Clemson’s record fell to 11-13, 2-6 in the league.

Wright finished with 25 points, bringing her career total to 2,293. Already Virginia’s all-time leading scorer, Wright moved into sole possession of fifth place in the history of the ACC. She passed former North Carolina guard Ivory Latta (2003-07; 2,285 points). Fourth place on the league’s all-time scoring list is occupied by N.C. State’s Linda Page (1982-85; 2,307 points). [Read more...]

UVa. schedule features USC, two I-AAs

 
Staff Report
UVa. sports: www.virginiasports.com

A pair of games against I-AA opponents sandwich a trip to Southern Cal, and then it’s ACC time for Virginia, which released its 2010 football schedule on Thursday.

First-year coach Mike London makes his debut when Virginia kicks off its campaign at home against Richmond on Sept. 4. The game will mark the 30th meeting between the Spiders and Cavaliers in a series that began in 1893. In the last meeting between the teams, the Cavaliers defeated Richmond 16-0 in 2008 at Scott Stadium when London was the Spiders’ head coach.

Richmond finished the 2009 season ranked No. 5 in the final Football Championship Subdivision poll after an 11-2 campaign.  [Read more...]

AFP.com Sports

Sports Roundup

Hot-shooting VMI powers past Pres, EMU women sting Wasps, 10 and 6 from Brown helps Liberty to win

Edited by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

Hot-shooting VMI powers past Pres: A 20-4 run midway through the first half gave VMI a lead it would not relinquish, as the Keydets powered by the Presbyterian College Blue Hose, 97-78, in a Big South contest played Thursday night at Cameron Hall.

After PC sprinted out to a 22-8 lead, a Joe Carr three-pointer at the 13:09 mark launched VMI on the spurt that gave the Keydets the lead for good. The run included twelve unanswered VMI points, and was helped by five Presbyterian turnovers.

VMI (8-14, 3-9) was led by Stan Okoye and Austin Kenon in the victory, as each player notched 23 points. The home team’s 18 three-pointers tied a season-high, and came after the squad misfired on its first eight treys. The Blue Hose were led by Chase Holmes’ 21 points, including 13 in the second half.

2008 Waynesboro High School graduate Nick Gore scored two points in 15 minutes off the bench for VMI. [Read more...]

XLIV

  
Column by Mike Judge
WeekendWatchdog.blogspot.com

Will the Saints go marching in?

Or is the Super Bowl Peyton’s place.

We’ll find out starting at 6:30 p.m. (or a few minutes later) Sunday, when the Saints and Colts meet at Joe Robbie/Dolphins/Sun Life Stadium on CBS. Both teams have already visited the facility and won this season - first time that has ever happened.

Some more fun facts from our friends at http://www.the506.com/. Impress your friends. [Read more...]

AFP.com Video

The Rant | The Winter of Our Discontent

  
Video Essay by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net 

And our discontent - that the city is doing a shoddy job of clearing city streets following winter storms. Which it is.

Keep in mind, AFP editor Chris Graham says in his Rant, that the city is dealing with a still-cramped city budget. And that the people who have been showing up for elections here the past few years have made it clear that they want the city run as a tight ship.

When you’re past cutting fat and muscle and are digging straight into the bone to make ends meet, some things suffer. And since City Council can’t legislate a mild winter, well, this is going to be a problem until the spring. [Read more...]

The perils of obstructionism

 
Video Essay by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

Nice sentiment from Barack Obama in his State of the Union address the other night. Democrats and Republicans need to be more focused on getting things done than on the daily political scoreboard.

The problem is incentives. Republicans have no incentive to work with Obama and Democrats with the apparent success of their obstructionist policy in the polls. Democrats, down the line, will have another kind of incentive if and when the political pendulum swings them back into minority-party status.

Whither our republic, and our ability to keep it? Chris Graham addresses that question in today’s Rant. [Read more...]

AFP.com Podcasts

The AFP on WREL | Cold outside, heating up in the ACC

 
The AFP on WREL
www.wrel.com

Editor Chris Graham joins WREL-1450AM’s “Online with Jim Bresnahan” for their weekly sports chat.

Today the guys discuss:
- Virginia Tech’s thrilling 76-71 comeback win over UVa. last week, and the different directions the two teams took on Sunday on the road in the ACC.
- How the ACC is shaking out this year.
- The freefall that defending national champion North Carolina seems to be in right now.
- Super Bowl XLIV. [Read more...]

The AFP on WREL | Who wants it?

  
The AFP on WREL
www.wrel.com

ACCVirginia.com editor Chris Graham joins WREL’s “Online with Jim Bresnahan” for their weekly sports chat.

Today the guys discuss:
- Super Bowl XVIV, which Chris thinks will be an up-and-down-the-field slugfest.
- The wild and wacky ACC basketball scene, which has developed into a free-for-all without a clear, dominant #1.
- Thursday’s in-state clash between surprising UVa. and a veteran Virginia Tech team that will want to steal one on the road in Charlottesville. [Read more...]

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