Scott German: Loss to Southern Miss leaves UVa. with QB quandary

Chris Graham

If suffering a home loss to non-conference foe Southern Mississippi 30-24 was not enough of a blow, the Virginia Cavaliers left Saturday’s game with a question at quarterback. Sophomore signal-caller Michael Rocco threw three interceptions and limped to the sidelines near the end of the first half after being tossed to the ground by a…

Scott German: Virginia has all the right answers

Scott German

Would it be possible for Virginia to erase memories of an ugly 26-14 loss to in state foe William & Mary just two years ago? Would a leader emerge from a duo of quarterback possibilities? How would the Cavalier’s stable of young and raw talent grade out when afforded the opportunity to play for real?…

Ken Plum: Our fair share

Ken Plum

In the decade-long debate on funding transportation improvements, many simple solutions have been offered.  Endless demands for auditing the Department of Transportation resulted in about a dozen audits, none of which alleged waste, fraud, or abuse.  No new funds were identified.  One audit suggested that reserves on projects could be reduced, freeing up money to…

Quake! Virginia hit by 5.8 magnitude temblor

Chris Graham

A magnitude 5.8 earthquake with an epicenter near Mineral in Louisa County was reported on Tuesday, causing tremors as far away as New York, Ohio, and the Carolinas. According to Dr. Alton Dooley, associate curator of paleontology at the Virginia Museum of Natural History, this was one of the largest earthquakes in Virginia’s recorded history,…

JMU releases nonconference hoops schedule

AFP

James Madison men’s basketball head coach Matt Brady revealed the 2011-12 non-conference schedule for the Dukes on Wednesday, featuring the Philly Hoop Group Classic, the UCF Holiday Classic, four additional home dates, a pair of quality road opponents and participation in ESPN BracketBusters weekend. “We’re excited to be adding some top 100-caliber RPI games to…

JMU releases nonconference hoops schedule

AFP

James Madison men’s basketball head coach Matt Brady revealed the 2011-12 non-conference schedule for the Dukes on Wednesday, featuring the Philly Hoop Group Classic, the UCF Holiday Classic, four additional home dates, a pair of quality road opponents and participation in ESPN BracketBusters weekend. “We’re excited to be adding some top 100-caliber RPI games to…

McDonnell announces holiday hoops event to raise money for food banks

AFP

Standing on the Richmond Coliseum court, Gov. Bob McDonnell along with coaches, athletic directors and other officials from eight Virginia universities announced today the Governor’s Holiday Hoops Classic a basketball doubleheader to benefit Virginia’s Food Banks. The Classic will take place in December 2012 and 2013 and feature in-state teams representing the ACC, CAA, MEAC…

Group raises issue with funding for Charlottesville bypass

Chris Graham

On Wednesday, July 20th, the Commonwealth Transportation Board will be asked to sign-off on an expedited and controversial initiative of Virginia Secretary of Transportation Sean Connaughton. “We believe Secretary Connaughton has taken an overly aggressive stance on long-controversial transportation projects, and in doing so, is making major spending decisions without adequate analysis, public input or…

Webb, Warner introduce offshore-drilling legislation

Chris Graham

U.S. Sens. Jim Webb and Mark R. Warner today introduced legislation that would allow oil and natural gas exploration and production off of the Virginia coast. Both senators have consistently supported safe and responsible energy exploration on Virginia’s outer continental shelf. The Virginia Outer Continental Shelf Energy Production Act of 2011 would also expand the…

ACLU suit challenges restrictions on begging on Charlottesville Downtown Mall

AFP

Lawyers for the ACLU of Virginia today filed a lawsuit in U.S. district court challenging a City of Charlottesville ordinance that unconstitutionally restricts begging on the city’s Downtown Mall. Passed in August 2010, the ordinance prohibits the soliciting of persons sitting in outdoor cafes or within 50 feet of the two streets that cross the…