Fighting early release
Column by Del. Rob Bell
www.delegaterobbell.com
Last Saturday, I was very surprised to hear that Gov. Tim Kaine had approved the transfer of a Virginia inmate, Jens Soering, to Germany. Pursuant to the agreement, Soering would be eligible for parole in as soon as two years.
Soering was the University of Virginia student from Germany who in 1985 brutally murdered Derek and Nancy Haysom, his girlfriend’s parents. When his alibi fell apart, he fled the country and was ultimately arrested in England. He was only extradited after the prosecutor agreed to waive the death penalty. A Virginia jury sentenced Soering to two life sentences in 1990. However, pursuant to an international treaty, he was approved for transfer to a German prison.
Since the initial approval was announced, other legislators and I have worked hard to overturn it. Incoming Gov. Bob McDonnell has written a letter to revoke the prior agreement, and it is now before the United States Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. On Friday, we circulated a letter from the Virginia General Assembly asking that the transfer be rejected.
I am hopeful that the transfer will be rejected, and Soering will serve the rest of the sentence he so clearly deserves. Read more
No surprise – House rejects proposed Kaine tax increase
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
A move by House Republican leaders to get outgoing Gov. Tim Kaine’s politically tone-deaf state income-tax increase up for an early vote on the House floor did what it was supposed to do.
The House voted 97-0 on Thursday to reject the proposed 1 percent state income-tax hike that Kaine offered in his 2010-2012 state budget last month.
“I am especially encouraged that the House’s action on this measure was so bipartisan, with the rejection of higher taxes securing strong support from both sides of the aisle,” Republican House Speaker Bill Howell, R-Stafford, said in a statement. Read more
RMH among recipients of waste-to-energy grants
Staff Report
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Gov. Tim Kaine today announced that $10 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act State Energy Program is being awarded for 15 biomass and waste-to-energy projects. These grants will support $110 million in private investments statewide. The Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy administers the ARRA funds for energy-related projects.
One of the grants will go to Rockingham Regional Hospital in Harrisonburg, which will receive $583,848 (of a $876,168 project) to install or retrofit three boilers to heat and provide hot water at the main hospital and Women’s Health Center, all to be fueled by methane gas generated by the nearby landfill.
The project should result in $250,000 per year in energy savings. Read more
Poverty task force presents report
Staff Report
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Gov. Tim Kaine today received the recommendations of Virginia’s Poverty Reduction Task Force, a collection of public- and private-sector partners tasked with making policy recommendations to combat poverty in the Commonwealth.
The task force, co-chaired by Secretary of Health and Human Resources Marilyn B. Tavenner and Richmond attorney Robert Grey, advised that the Commonwealth focus on four primary goals to increase economic stability for approximately 750,000 Virginians – including 250,000 children – living in poverty:
- Invest in early childhood development and education
- Enhance workforce readiness by expanding access to career development programs and employment supports
- Promote savings and asset accumulation
- Expand safety-net opportunities for families in crisis Read more
Sneak Preview: Kaine’s final State of the Commonwealth
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Gov. Timothy M. Kaine will deliver his final State of the Commonwealth Address to the Joint Assembly in Richmond tonight at 7 p.m. The address will be carried on local PBS stations, streaming video will be available on the House of Delegates’ website, and text of the entire address will be available on the governor’s website.
Excerpts of his speech are as follows:
“When I was inaugurated governor in Williamsburg four years ago, I chose a simple motto for my Administration: ‘Virginia Leading the Way.’”
“As I leave office, I can say with confidence: Virginia has achieved that goal. No state in America has enjoyed the success we have seen in recent years. Some of the remarkable forward movement in Virginia has been obscured by the national recession that we saw starting in the Spring of 2007. But, Virginia is well positioned going forward because of our economic, educational, and political leadership.” Read more
The governor’s seal of approval
Westwood Hills Elementary among those honored by Kaine
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Gov. Timothy M. Kaine today announced that 153 Virginia public schools have earned the 2010 Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence. The award is the highest honor under the Virginia Index of Performance incentive program created by the Board of Education in 2007 to advance Governor Kaine’s “competence to excellence” agenda promoting advanced learning and achievement.
Westwood Hills Elementary School in Waynesboro was the only school in the Greater Augusta area on the list.
“My administration has made it a priority to move beyond merely meeting standards to truly encouraging excellent performance in our schools,” said Kaine. “I’m pleased to recognize the many Virginia educators and students whom stepped up the challenge of exceeding the minimum expectations of the Standards of Learning to receive the coveted VIP awards this year.” Read more
Kaine requests disaster assistance related to snow cleanup
Staff Report
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Gov. Timothy M. Kaine today requested federal disaster assistance to reimburse state and local governments for costs associated with the severe winter storm that occurred Dec. 18-20, 2009 and the ensuing power outages.
The governor has requested assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reimburse state agencies and 40 localities for damage to public infrastructure, debris removal, related emergency services and snow removal costs.
“This was a major winter storm event and the Commonwealth incurred significant but necessary costs to keep Virginians safe,” said Kaine. “Federal assistance is available for just such a situation and I hope that the federal government will respond promptly to our request.” Read more
