Kindergarten registration around the corner

AFP

The week of March 19 is regional kindergarten registration for the cities of Harrisonburg, Staunton and Waynesboro, and the counties of Augusta, Page, Rockingham and Shenandoah. Smart Beginnings Shenandoah Valley is a local coalition working to improve school readiness in children ages 0-5, and promoting early kindergarten registration is one of the organization’s primary goals….

VDOT awards $409,700 to City of Waynesboro for Safe Routes to School Program

Chris Graham

The City of Waynesboro has received a $409,700 Safe Routes To School grant to make safety improvements near four schools. The Safe Routes To School initiative is a federally funded program administrated by the Virginia Department of Transportation.  It will provide the City of Waynesboro with funding for a total of eight infrastructure projects to…

Ken Plum: Shortchanging the education of our children

Ken Plum

Last week I addressed the House of Delegates to express concern that Gov. McDonnell’s proposed budget short changes the education of our children (http://youtu.be/-VbOv_uJXOU). While the governor is claiming to provide about 500 million new dollars for public education, school boards and superintendents around the Commonwealth are talking about the cuts in programs and teachers…

Creigh Deeds: Session report

Creigh Deeds

The 2012 session of the General Assembly is moving by rapidly.  Deadlines for the submission of bills and budget amendments have long passed, and both houses of the Assembly are in full swing.  There were both good and bad signs of things to come this past week. On the hopeful side, Democrats and Republicans worked…

Schorsch to present lecture/recital

Chris Graham

Ellen Schorsch, pianist, piano teacher and writer, will present a multi-media lecture-recital, sponsored by the Shenandoah Valley Art Center, “Music Inspired by Art and Artists” on Sunday, March 11 at 3 p.m.. at the P. Buckley Moss Museum, 150 P. Buckley Moss Drive in Waynesboro. Schorsch’s program will be accompanied by a power point presentation illustrating…

Chris Graham: A catastrophe in the making

AFP

That’s how I’m describing the budget-wrangling in Richmond that will effectively reduce state spending on K-12 education in Virginia. The moves – forced by Gov. Bob McDonnell’s push on funding for the Virginia Retirement System for public-sector employees – are forcing the hands of local decision-makers. Local government, of course, is where the rubber hits…

McDonnell announces initiative to eliminate state mandates on localities

Chris Graham

Gov. Bob McDonnell, joined by members of the Governor’s Task Force for Local Government Mandate Review, today announced specific legislation to eliminate burdensome state mandates on localities. Today’s announcement is part of a continuing effort to reduce burdensome state mandates on localities. In September 2011, McDonnell announced the creation of the Governor’s Task Force for…