Local officials back jobs program

AFP

   Staff Report News tips: [email protected] As U.S. mayors gathered in Washington this week to meet with the Obama administration about unemployment and the economy, Virginia local government officials and community leaders are calling for the creation of a Community Jobs program. The jobs program would provide funding to localities across the country to create…

McDonnell: ‘The education of our children is not a partisan issue’

AFP

   Staff Report News tips: [email protected] Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell used the occasion of the visit of President Barack Obama and United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to the Commonwealth on Tuesday to raise attention to the joint interest of McDonnell and Obama in public charter schools. McDonnell has pledged the full support of…

Sneak Preview: Kaine’s final State of the Commonwealth

AFP

   Staff Report News Tips: [email protected] 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…

Deeds: Work to do to balance state budget

Chris Graham

   Column by Creigh Deeds www.creighdeeds.com Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010 will be the commencement of the 2010 session of the General Assembly. This is the 60-day session when the biennial budget is adopted. This will be a tough time for Virginia government, those responsible for managing it, and those who depend on state services. In…

Charter school debate

Ken Plum

   Column by Ken Plum www.kenplum.com Among the topics that are likely to be fiercely debated this legislative session are revisions to Virginia’s charter-school law. The Center for Education Reform, advocates for expanding charter schools, recently gave Virginia a failing grade on its charter school law (www.charterschoolresearch.com). An idea of what the Center feels is…

Transcript: UVa. welcomes Mike London

Chris Graham

  Staff UVa. sports: www.virginiasports.com CRAIG LITTLEPAGE (director of athletics): Good afternoon, everybody. And we appreciate your taking time to be with us this afternoon to conduct some very important business as it relates to our football program. I want to reiterate the message that Jim brought us from President Casteen. He’s deeply disappointed that…

Restorative justice

Ken Plum

Column by Ken Plum The week of Nov. 15-22 has been designated Restorative Justice Week to draw attention to the important work being done to make offenders take responsibility for their actions and try to repair the harm that they have done. The traditional criminal-justice model of a crime followed by a court conviction and…

David Reynolds | A conservative for Deeds

David Reynolds

This one won’t be easy. Last week’s commentary was a piece of cake. We suggested Jody Wagner for lieutenant governor and Steve Shannon for attorney general. Now for the main event between Bob McDonnell and Creigh Deeds. Writing about the gubernatorial contest last summer would have been easy. A clear picture was seen. There was…