The Pulse | ‘Interesting’ week for Kaine, DNC

Chris Graham

The media and Republicans are howling about the gubernatorial-election trainwrecks in Virginia and New Jersey spelling early doom for the agenda of President Barack Obama not even a year into his term. It’s Tim Kaine’s job as Democratic National Committee chairman to put a silver lining in the smoke clouds. I asked Kaine after a…

Stimulus to aid school-construction bond pool

Chris Graham

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine today announced the availability of $119 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act bond authorizations for local school divisions to finance energy-efficiency improvements and renovations, as well as renewable-energy projects for public-school buildings. Projects will be financed through the Qualified School Construction Bond program, and will be selected through a competitive…

Stimulus dollars to go to conservation efforts

AFP

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine today announced the allocation of $40 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to implement the Virginia State Energy Plan (SEP), a blueprint for funding energy-related initiatives throughout Virginia. The funding will help create jobs, encourage energy conservation, and promote alternative energy generation through rebates to residential and commercial…

The Pulse | Kaine team needs to work on its media strategy

Chris Graham

A long-time friend in the local media who covered the Tim Kaine visit to Staunton last week with me for the News Virginian felt, shall we say, slighted at the treatment accorded him by the Kaine traveling party, and called me to get my input on what had transpired. The media folks on hand, including…

Team Coverage | Kaine talks business in Staunton

Chris Graham

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine visited several Downtown Staunton businesses on Thursday on a walking tour that took him to a new downtown restaurant, a music store and the Stonewall Jackson Hotel. AFP editor Chris Graham walked with the governor and filed a column and video report on the quick pit-stop visit to the Queen City.

Kaine jams in Downtown Staunton

AFP

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine took a couple of minutes out of his walking tour of Downtown Staunton on Thursday for a bluegrass jam at Fretwell Bass. The song evokes the Blue Ridge Mountains. Make sure to listen to the lengthy Kaine solo on the harmonica in the middle. Length: 1:57.

Kaine uses Staunton Lowe’s as backdrop to talk energy efficiency

Chris Graham

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine today announced the launch of the Virginia Energy Efficiency Appliance Rebate program, a new program to encourage the purchase of high-efficiency appliances and products. The program will use $15 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment act to provide rebates to residential and commercial consumers on certain qualifying appliances…