Democrat warns of cut to health-care safety net in state budget

AFP

At a news conference in Richmond this morning, Del. Bob Brink (D-Arlington), member of the House Appropriations Committee and the Joint Commission on Health Care, outlined the eroding support for vital safety net services in Gov. Bob McDonnell’s proposed budget.  Nearly $5.4 million in aid to various programs is on the chopping block. “Gov. McDonnell’s…

Chris Graham: Breaking down the McDonnell-Romney endorsement

AFP

The cynic’s view could be that Bob McDonnell is jumping on the Mitt Romney bandwagon with his endorsement today of presumptive GOP presidential nomination frontrunner Mitt Romney. If you believe that Romney is not only the frontrunner but the all-but-declared nominee, then the Virginia governor would be guilty of bandwagon-jumping. But then there’s this hard…

McDonnell announces $1.2 million in Farmland Preservation Grants

AFP

Gov. Bob McDonnell announced on Tuesday the distribution of $1.2 million in farmland preservation grants from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to 13 Virginia localities. This is a significant increase from the $100,000 available last fiscal year for state matching funds.  Localities must use the grant monies to preserve farmland within their…

Creigh Deeds: General Assembly Report

Creigh Deeds

The 2012 Session of the General Assembly got off to an inauspicious start. Precedent was ignored and the 60 day session began under the shadow of a lawsuit. A brief explanation: Twice before, houses of the Virginia General Assembly have been evenly divided. In 1996 the Senate was divided, 20 Democrats and 20 Republicans. In…

Federal judge says state ballot-access law likely unconstitutional

AFP

A Richmond federal judge wrote today that the Virginia law requiring that persons who circulate petitions for primary candidates be state residents is likely to be held unconstitutional. The law was challenged by Republican presidential hopeful Rick Perry and three other candidates who were excluded from the Virginia Republican primary ballot when they did not…

Macon stings EMU with late three

AFP

Just when it looked like the Runnin Royals would have the final say, Randolph-Macon turned the tables and won with a three pointer at the buzzer.  For the second time this season, R-MC stole a win with a last second bomb, this time a 74-71 decision in Harrisonburg Wednesday night. Big man Owen Longacre (Telford,…

Local attorney announces run for School Board

Chris Graham

Attorney Linda Schorsch Jones has announced that she will run for the At-Large seat on the Waynesboro School Board in the May 1 general election. A long-time Waynesboro resident, Jones graduated from Stuarts Draft High School in 1982 and from the University of Virginia in 1986, earning a bachelor of arts degree with honors in…

House Dems announce support for health-insurance competition bill

AFP

Today, House Democrats announced their support for legislation to set up a health insurance marketplace in Virginia. Delegates Patrick Hope (D-Arlington) and Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond) are introducing legislation modeled after the recommendations of Governor Bob McDonnell’s Virginia Health Reform Initiative (VHRI). The VHRI was formed to implement the federal health care reform law in Virginia….