Gone with the wind

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The budget, voter ID and, yes, clotheslines, in the Senate of Virginia  Column by Mark Obenshain www.markobenshain.com Another week of session is behind us, and although actual budget negotiations still lie ahead, producing a balanced budget remains the matter on everyones mind. The budget will be balanced, of course; the law requires it. The real…

State of the Union: A Virginia perspective

Chris Graham

  Edited by Chris Graham [email protected] Everything you wanted to know about the State of the Union, but were afraid to ask. We have the full texts and videos of President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s Republican response. We also have reactions from Sens. Jim Webb and Mark Warner, congressmen…

Fighting early release

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   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…

McDonnell revokes transfer order in Soering case

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   Staff Report News tips: [email protected] Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell sent a letter to United States Attorney General Eric Holder last night officially revoking the Commonwealth’s consent to the planned transfer of convicted murderer Jens Soering to Germany. Last week, former Gov. Tim Kaine had requested the transfer of Soering, a former University of Virginia…

Challenges ahead for state lawmakers

Chris Graham

  Column by State Sen. Creigh Deeds www.creighdeeds.com The General Assembly convened on Jan. 13. Twenty new members of the House of Delegates were sworn in, reflecting in large part the Republican sweep of the elections in November. Two new senators were sworn in, both vacancies created by the November election. Sen. Ken Stolle from…

RMH among recipients of waste-to-energy grants

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   Staff Report News tips: [email protected] 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…

Poverty task force presents report

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   Staff Report News tips: [email protected] 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…

Petersen: Car-tax cut not a ‘mistake’

Chris Graham

Democrat critical of Kaine on car tax; will push gas-tax index to boost transportation dollars Story by Chris Graham [email protected] Remember how upset Fairfax Democrat Chap Petersen was right after Gov. Tim Kaine proposed last month to replace the car-tax relief program that dates back to the administration of Jim Gilmore with a 1 percent…

IDA taps developer on Western State project

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Staunton Gateway Partners to work with city Staff Report News Tips: [email protected] The Staunton Industrial Development Authority took the next step toward the future redevelopment of the Western State Hospital property by designating a preferred developer for the property and authorizing the company to undertake preliminary development activities. In preparation to acquire and redevelop the…

The right to vote

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Groups urge Kaine to restore voting rights for ex-felons Staff Report News Tips: [email protected] Ten Virginia civil-rights and faith-based groups have joined together to ask Gov. Tim Kaine to issue an executive order that would restore voting rights to most or all of Virginia’s 300,000 individuals who are being denied the right to vote because…