EMU dedicates new Commons facilities
Approximately 200 persons joined together at Eastern Mennonite University Saturday afternoon, March 26, to celebrate a dream of some 10 years coming to fruition.
Facilities that comprise “Phase II” of the University Commons building at EMU were dedicated in a brief, upbeat ceremony held in the renovated MainStage Theater at the south end of the Commons.
In addition to the 200-seat theater, the new or re-purposed space includes the Lee Eshleman Studio Theater, the Margaret Martin Gehman Art Gallery, the Kenneth A. Longacre, Sr., Advanced Media Lab and the expanded and upgraded Common Grounds Coffeehouse.
“We dedicate a place to remind ourselves that space shapes us,” said Nancy Heisey, EMU vice president and undergraduate academic dean. “We dedicate this space to set it apart, to name our intentions for it, to say why it is particular, and why all the care, planning and construction that went into this place were done in a specific way.”
“When we look around this space, we see something different – reused and renewed space, simple space, space for action and vision, space that is like the forms of human expression and creativity that are essential to our full humanity, the expression and creativity that a liberal arts environment is designed to grow, a space where students, faculty and guests will be invited to dig more deeply into the ideas of others, into ourselves, and into our questions and vocations with all the creative gifts God has given us,” Dr. Heisey told the attendees.
The audience joined in a litany led by Andy Dula, chair of the EMU board of trustees and Student Government Co-Presidents Michael Spory and Ben Bergey. The litany, written by Jay B. Landis, professor emeritus of English, called on God to bless the facilities with the aim “to fulfill the university mission of preparing its students with academic strength and faithful commitment to Christian discipleship, service and peacemaking.”
The ceremony closed with the singing of No. 118 in the Brethren-Mennonite Hymnal, “Praise God from whom.”
Following the program, EMU staff led tours on a rotating basis of the Phase II facilities. Each stop included reflections on how each space will benefit students and the larger community.
Dr. Gehman, 88, professor emerita of art at EMU, was present for the ceremonies and reflected on the gallery named in her honor.
“It’s good to see this space used for the arts and to meet former students who are now in leadership worldwide,” Gehman said. She noted that the gallery occupies the same space where she taught physical education classes many years ago.
The late Lee Eshleman, for whom the “black box” studio theater is named, is a 1986 art graduate of EMU. He was an acting-writer creative partner with Ted Swartz of Harrisonburg as half of the performing duo Ted & Lee for 20 years.
The new advanced media lab, named in memory of the late businessman Kenneth A. Longacre, Sr., of Franconia, Pa., will allow classes to expand from nine to 15 students in each class. The computer pods are set up to encourage collaborative work and enable the critique process.
Kirk L. Shisler, vice president for advancement, said the completion of the $2.5 million project “couldn’t have happened without the strong financial and prayer support of many alumni and friends of the university in the midst of a struggling economy.
“We now have facilities that are as vital and vibrant as the already excellent programs offered in visual arts and communication and theater,” Shisler said. “This is a quantum leap forward for students and the larger community.”
March of Dimes awards grant to Augusta Health Care for Women to improve health of mothers, babies
Expectant moms will have a new option in prenatal care thanks to a grant awarded to Augusta Health Care for Women by the Piedmont/Shenandoah Valley Division of the March of Dimes. The grant of over $40,000 will be used to initiate and support a Centering Pregnancy® Program at AHCFW. This grant is one of many that the March of Dimes has awarded in pursuit of its mission to prevent birth defects and infant mortality.
Developed by Centering Healthcare Institute, Centering Pregnancy® is being offered across the country including University affiliated groups such as the University of Kentucky, Vanderbilt University, University of California and Virginia Commonwealth University. March of Dimes commitment to Centering Pregnancy® is based in part on the results of a study conducted at Yale and Emory Universities which indicated prenatal care provided in this format was found to lower the risk of preterm birth by as much as 33 percent.
“Augusta Health Care for Women has always been a forward thinking group of professionals and is committed to providing access to the most-up-to-date healthcare options of proven effectiveness. Our partnership with the March of Dimes and Centering Healthcare Institute is an integral part of our efforts to aid in healthier moms and full-term babies,” said Angie McMillan, practice manager.
Centering Pregnancy® brings expectant moms and their support partners out of the exam room and into an interactive setting. This innovative, total-care approach not only provides the necessary prenatal medical care, evaluation and monitoring, but also empowering education and emotional support. The program provides the same level of prenatal care provided in the traditional office setting, allows additional time for education about pregnancy related issues, and encourages sharing among participants.
Mothers-to-be will have an initial confirmation of pregnancy appointment with their health care provider and then have the option of traditional one-on-one care or can chose to take advantage of the Centering Pregnancy® Program.
“We will use the March of Dimes grant as seed money to meet our objective of providing mothers and babies with Centering Pregnancy®,” indicated certified nurse midwife Mary Kwiecinski. “We are grateful to those volunteers who support the March of Dimes by participating in events like March for Babies and who donate in other ways. Those donations and participation make this grant possible”, she added.
The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched a campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes website at www.marchofdimes.com or its Spanish language website at www.nacersano.org.
ACLU: Law signed by McDonnell threatens reproductive freedom
Gov. Bob McDonnell has signed a bill requiring the Virginia Board of Health to issue regulations requiring abortion clinics that perform five or more first trimester abortions a month to be categorized as hospitals.
The ACLU of Virginia and other reproductive rights advocates opposed the bill when it was introduced in the General Assembly and have expressed concerns that the ensuing regulations will unconstitutionally restrict access to abortions.
The bill, SB 924 is an example of what is commonly referred to as “targeted regulation of abortion providers,” or TRAP, legislation and is intended to make abortions too expensive for clinics to offer them, or if the costs are passed on to patients, too expensive for women who need them. The Education and Health Committee of the Virginia Senate has routinely voted down such legislation after it passed the House of Delegates. However, this year the TRAP provisions came in the form of a House floor amendment that then went directly to the Senate floor.
“We are disappointed that the governor, like the General Assembly, decided to put politics above women’s constitutional rights and reproductive health,” said ACLU of Virginia executive director Kent Willis. “In signing this bill into law, Governor McDonnell has singled out abortion providers for completely unwarranted and burdensome regulations that could jeopardize the health of women, particularly those who are least able to afford medical care.”
Ultimately, the effect of the law will depend on the regulations promulgated by the Board of Health. The regulations, which will likely include upgrades to facilities and higher standards for staffing and equipment, may require most clinics to undergo unnecessary and costly renovations.
“There is no study or expert medical opinion behind this bill,” added Willis. “Abortions in Virginia, which are already regulated, are safe. Widening hallways, adding equipment and requiring additional staffing, which are the likely requirements of the new regulations, will not make it any safer.”
“Whether or not there will be a legal challenge will depend on what the Board of Health does,” said Willis. “We’ll be closely monitoring how the board proceeds with its deliberations, and while no one in state government is completely immune from politics, we are hopeful that professionalism will ultimately win out over politics.”
The AFP on WREL: Improbable
AFP editor Chris Graham talks Virginia sports with WREL-1450AM’s “Online with Jim Bresnahan.”
The segment begins, naturally, with an examination of the improbable run of Virginia Commonwealth to the Final Four. It’s not a fluke, says Chris, citing data on how VCU has improved markedly in defensive efficiency and shooting from the field.
The Rams can win it all, Chris says. But will they get to Monday’s final and cut down the nets?
A look at the new #1 team in college baseball, Virginia, wraps us up.
Augusta Health named Top 100 hospital
Augusta Health was today named one of the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals® by Thomson Reuters, a leading provider of information and solutions to improve the cost and quality of healthcare.
The 100 hospitals on the list demonstrate high-quality patient outcomes while improving efficiency. The objective, independent research evaluated nearly 3000 hospitals on measures of overall organization performance, including patient care, operational efficiency and financial stability. Augusta Health is the only hospital in Virginia to be named a Top 100 Hospital this year.
“We are delighted to be recognized as one of the 100 Top Hospitals by Thomson Reuters. While this is an extraordinary honor, it is important to remember that this is not really about winning an award; it is about what this award recognizes,” said Stuart Crow, chairman of the Board of Directors of Augusta Health. “It’s about the care and effort that our medical staff, employees and volunteers have provided to our community.”
In addition to being named one of the 100 Top Hospitals, Augusta Health was one of six of the Top 100 hospitals to receive the Everest Award. The Everest Award honors hospitals that have the highest current performance and fastest long-term improvement over five years. The Everest Award winners represent a special group of the 100 Top Hospitals that have set national benchmarks on a balanced scorecard of performance indicators.
“I am in awe of the effort and dedication of our medical staff, employees, volunteers and Board of Directors. Their commitment to our patients and our community is clearly reflected in this award,” added Mary Mannix, FACHE, and CEO of Augusta Health. “I congratulate them all on earning this prestigious recognition. I could not be more proud to call them my colleagues.”
Thomson Reuters estimates that if all hospitals performed at the same level as the 100 Top Hospital award winners, nearly 116,000 additional patients would survive each year, more than 197,000 patient complications would be avoided annually and the expense per adjusted discharge would drop by $462. To recognize the best hospitals in the United States, Thomas Reuters analyses independent public data and objective research methods. Hospitals do not apply for this award and winners do not pay to market it.
Augusta Health is an independent, nonprofit community hospital whose mission is to promote the health and well-being of our community through access to excellent care. One of the 100 Top Hospitals in America, Augusta Health has also been nationally recognized by HealthGrades for clinical excellence and patient safety and received the Foster McGaw Prize for community service. Online at www.augustahealth.com.
UVa. baseball climbs to #1 in national polls
The Virginia baseball team moved to No. 1 in a pair of national polls on Monday, marking the second straight season the program has claimed a No. 1 national ranking. Virginia earned the top spot in the Collegiate Baseball and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls this week.
Virginia also is ranked No. 2 nationally by Baseball America and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) this week; Vanderbilt is No. 1 in each of those polls. Read more
ESPN3 to webcast Virginia spring football game
ESPN announced today it will video stream Virginia’s Orange-Blue Spring Football Game on ESPN3. The contest is slated for Saturday, April 2 at Scott Stadium following the UVa men’s lacrosse team’s game against Maryland that starts at noon. Virginia is one of eight schools currently scheduled to have its spring football game carried by ESPN on one of its broadcast platforms.
The Virginia-Maryland men’s lacrosse match, which will air on ESPNU, will also be webcast on ESPN3. Read more
Longwood lax blows out Detroit
The Longwood University women’s lacrosse team won its third game in a row as they topped visiting National Lacrosse Conference (NLC) foe Detroit-Mercy 20-4 at the Athletics Complex in Farmville Sunday afternoon. Sophomore Jamie Brentlinger|Gambrills, Md. (Arundel) scored a game-high four goals, which also tied her season-high goals scored, on four shots and also collected three ground balls and one draw control. Read more
Electronics firm to set up operation in Waynesboro: Project to create 65 new jobs
PPI/Time Zero Inc., a leading electronic manufacturing services provider of high reliability aerospace, defense, medical and industrial electronics, will invest $1.15 million to establish operations at Solutions Place in Waynesboro. The project will create 65 new jobs within the next year.
Headquartered in Paterson, N.J., PPI/Time Zero is an EMS company providing low-to-medium volume highly customized electronics. With 40 years of service, PPI is known for manufacturing mission critical products supporting aerospace, defense, industrial and medical instrumentation. PPI offers its customers a total solution including design, prototyping, cable and harness manufacturing, turn-key printed circuit board assembly and box build, test, thermal stress screening and end of life manufacturing support.
“The strategic location of this facility, along with the ability for future expansion, will greatly improve our customer service and logistics,” said Dana M. Pittman, president and CEO of PPI/Time Zero. “The company’s solid performance has been driven by successfully executing its organic growth strategy with a focused set of customers and niche market segments. With the support and guidance of the Commonwealth of Virginia, we will accelerate our key initiatives by providing incremental capacity, improved logistics for our customer base and new state of the art process installations.”
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the City of Waynesboro and the Shenandoah Valley Partnership to secure the project for Virginia. Through its Virginia Jobs Investment Program, the Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide funding and services to support the company’s recruitment and training activities.
“The City of Waynesboro is delighted that PPI/Time Zero selected Waynesboro for their expansion,” said Greg Hitchin, director of economic development for the City of Waynesboro. “Waynesboro remains an epicenter of manufacturing excellence and PPI/Time Zero continues that tradition by coming to Solutions Place, a business center with a rich history of producing high-tech electronics.”
“It is our long-term mission to bring more technology jobs to Waynesboro, and I hope that PPI/Time Zero’s tenancy at Solutions Place acts as a catalyst to encourage other successful technology companies to consider our facility,” said Rebecca Polan, director of Solutions Way Management.
Polan said a newly opened Foreign Trade Zone and Solutions Place’s close relationship with Reo Logistics gives Solutions Place tenants a competitive advantage.
“The logistics services that we offer right here on the property through our sister company, Reo Distribution, make us an attractive option for companies who need to manufacture and distribute from the same location,” she said. “We always work with our tenants to make sure they are able to take advantage of all the resources Waynesboro has to offer.”
Pittman said Waynesboro offers a wonderful quality of life for his employees including good schools, affordable housing, a skilled labor force, and access the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, which are just minutes away.
From a business strategy standpoint, the area also puts PPI/Time Zero close to many of its existing and potential clients. While many of its contracts come from the U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security, PPI/Time Zero maintains a diverse client list including such companies as General Electric, IBM, BAE, Hamilton Sundstrand, Eaton, DRS, ITT, L3 and Parker Hannifin.
“The company solid performance has been driven by successfully executing its organic growth strategy with a focused set of customers and niche market segments,” said Pittman. “With the support and guidance of the Commonwealth of Virginia, we will accelerate our key initiatives by providing incremental capacity, improved logistics for our customer base and new state-of-the-art process installations.”
“We are thrilled that PPI/Time Zero, a well-established company that has been successful in New Jersey for the past 40 years, picked Waynesboro for its first Virginia operations,” Gov. Bob McDonnell said. “The location at Solutions Place is ideal due to the infrastructure in place at the facility, as well as the region’s strategic proximity to major interstates and the company’s existing and potential clients. PPI provides invaluable electronic assistance to critical industries like aerospace and defense, as well as medical and industrial markets.”
No radiation impact detected in Virginia
State health officials are paying close attention to radiation levels in the wake of the ongoing nuclear-reactor crisis in Japan, but to date, “none of Virginia’s multiple monitoring systems has detected a level of radioactive material that would pose a public-health concern,” said State Health Commissioner Karen Remley..”
“Recent reports of elevated levels of radioactive material in rainwater in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts have been expected, since radiation is known to travel in the atmosphere,” Remley said, “However, we are not seeing that in any of the monitoring data for the state.”
In addition to the Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) routine radiological monitoring, extensive routine monitoring is already being done in Virginia by the EPA, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Dominion Virginia Power, and the U.S. Military.
VDH is also regularly advising the Secretary of Health and Human Resources and the Governor’s Office on the status of monitoring and levels of radiation detected.
Although short-term elevations such as these do not raise public health concerns and are expected to be relatively short in duration, VDH is taking the following steps to resolve any concerns here in Virginia:
VDH was scheduled to conduct routine quarterly radiological health division monitoring and is moving up that schedule by one week to begin on Monday, March 28. This routine monitoring checks radiation levels in air, drinking water, vegetation and milk at multiple sites throughout the state.
VDH is working with the state’s laboratory to implement the proposed baseline testing plan for rainwater, drinking water, vegetation and milk. Further testing will follow as indicated based upon results of the baseline testing and ongoing monitoring. This is not a new protocol, but a standard VDH response when routine monitoring indicates a need to test further.
VDH is advising residents that the state’s drinking water supplies remain safe, but reminds Virginians out of an abundance of caution they should avoid using rainwater collected in cisterns as drinking water.
Gas prices stabilizing
Prices at the gas pump have seen some stability after a tumultuous past few weeks, though at levels that are still uncomfortable for most.
The national average price of regular grade gasoline was $3.56 Friday, up two cents from a week ago, 37 cents higher than month ago prices and 75 cents higher than year ago prices. Gas prices remain 55 cents below the all-time high of $4.11 a gallon set back in July 2008.
Despite a drop below the $100 mark for two trading session last week, crude oil began the week above the $100 a barrel mark for the third consecutive week following air strikes by U.S. and allied forces in Libya last weekend at the order of the U.N. Security Council. Prices jumped $2 a barrel late last Sunday and reached a two and a half year high Wednesday ($105.75) due to a combination of a weaker U.S. dollar, a stronger stock market and fears of extended conflict in Libya.
Trading remained volatile as investors awaited the next turn of events in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as new developments surrounding Japan’s nuclear crisis. Crude oil settled at $105.40 a barrel Friday. Since mid-February, crude oil has surged more than 20 percent.
In its weekly report, the U.S. Energy Information Administration data showed crude stocks rose 2.1 million barrels to 352.8 million barrels. Gasoline stocks fell by 5.3 million barrels to 219.7 million barrels, some 5 million barrels below a year ago, putting inventories 762,000 barrels below the five year average (just seven months ago gasoline stocks showed a 26.3 million barrel surplus to the five year average). The EIA also noted demand rose 244,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 9.074 million bpd.
“Gas prices have been relatively flat for the past two weeks, in stark contrast to crude oil, which continues to react to daily developments in the Middle East, North Africa and Japan,” said Martha M. Meade, manager of public and government affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “Continued volatility has made it difficult to forecast where gas prices will go in the short term, but if the crude oil market is any indication, we’re likely to see gas prices continue the upward trend that began one month ago. Analysts believe gas prices will reach $3.75 a gallon in April, the typical start of the peak driving season.”
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The AFP on WREL: Improbable
Posted on March 29, 2011 · Leave a Comment
The segment begins, naturally, with an examination of the improbable run of Virginia Commonwealth to the Final Four. It’s not a fluke, says Chris, citing data on how VCU has improved markedly in defensive efficiency and shooting from the field. Read more
Filed under Blogs, Sports · Tagged with afp on wrel, final four, uva #1 baseball, uva. baseball, vcu basketball