State announces $100K in farmland preservation grants

Chris Graham

Gov. Bob McDonnell today announced the distribution of $100,000 in grants from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to eight Virginia localities. Localities must use the grant monies to preserve farmland within their boundaries through local purchase of development rights programs. PDR programs compensate landowners who permanently preserve their land by voluntarily placing…

UVa. escapes with narrow win over Norfolk State

Scott German

Assane Sene tipped in a missed free throw with five seconds remaining to play Monday evening, and the Virginia Cavaliers survived a nightmarish effort to beat Norfolk State 50-49 here in John Paul Jones Arena. Virginia (8-3), winning for the fifth straight time, was again without the services of leading scorer and rebounder Mike Scott,…

Virginia fights bank scams

Chris Graham

A new program involving state government and a group of Virginia banks and credit unions aims at protecting consumers and financial institutions from fake-check scams. Sixty-one banks and credit unions participating in this effort will hand out a brochure created by Consumer Federation of America about fake-check scams and similar frauds to every consumer who…

Report: Link between sprawl, transportation issues, housing affordability

Contributors

Housing affordability is a critical challenge throughout Virginia—a challenge heightened by the recent recession and continuing economic turmoil, as well as problems with transportation and sprawl development, according to a report released today by Housing Virginia and the Southern Environmental Law Center. In addition to examining these problems, the organizations outline a range of practical,…

VDOT fills senior staff positions

Chris Graham

The Virginia Department of Transportation, in a late-afternoon Friday news dump, made several announcements regarding staff additions, including the hiring of a new chief financial officer, John W. Lawson. The 21-year VDOT veteran will oversee VDOT’s $3.3 billion annual budget and will provide oversight and bring innovation to VDOT’s spending of state and federal resources….

State launches review, extends DMV hours

Chris Graham

Gov. Bob McDonnell and the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee are launching an independent review of the computer-system failures that affected operations at the Department of Motor Vehicles and 25 other state agencies – and Northrop Grumman is picking up the tab. “I have spoken personally with Northrop Grumman CEO Wes Bush. I expressed…

A new year under way at Fishburne

Chris Graham

Fishburne Military School has changed Brian Watkins. “This school works wonders. It really changed me. It changed the way I act, respect, my discipline,” said Watkins, a senior and the new battalion commander, at a ceremony Tuesday marking the first formation of the corps of cadets for the 2010-2011 school year. Watkins, a Fairfax Station…

Challenging nonconference hoops schedule for VCU

Chris Graham

Seven postseason qualifiers and a possible trip to The Mecca of Basketball, Madison Square Garden, highlight the 13-game 2010-11 non-conference schedule for the Virginia Commonwealth University men’s basketball team. “Overall our schedule presents a wide variety of challenging opponents,” head coach Shaka Smart said. “We’ll have the chance to test ourselves in extremely hostile environments…

Jim Bishop: Gettin’ in beachtime, makin’ waves, mullin’ the future

Jim Bishop

Column by Jim Bishop Submit guest columns: [email protected]   “Sittin’ on the dock of the bay, Watching the tide roll away . . .” – Otis Redding (1968) VIRGINIA BEACH – What could be finer than to be in Carolina in the morning? How about poolside in Virginia Beach on a sunny, warm afternoon, alternately…