Ken Plum: Yesterday’s solution

Ken Plum

A press release from Gov. Bob McDonnell’s office last month proclaimed that a charter school bill the governor signed put Virginia in the “vanguard of the National Charter School Movement.” While a certain amount of hype is to be expected in any press release, this one may have gone over the top. In considering the…

Webb announces nuclear initiative

Chris Graham

Edited by Chris Graham [email protected]   U.S. Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., joined Virginia-based Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Energy Inc. and Bechtel Power Corporation on Wednesday to announce a formal alliance to design, license and deploy the world’s first commercially viable Generation III++ small modular nuclear power plant. Design work for the small modular reactors will…

McDonnell signs charter-school legislation

Chris Graham

Edited by Chris Graham [email protected]   Nine days before Virginia’s new laws take effect, Gov. Bob McDonnell today ceremonially signed legislation that will facilitate the expansion of charter schools in the Commonwealth. The legislation, HB1390, sponsored by Del. Scott Lingamfelter, R-Woodbridge, and SB737, sponsored by Sen. Steve Newman, R-Lynchburg, was part of the governor’s 2010…

Degner to announce in 26th

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected]   Harrisonburg Mayor Kai Degner is throwing his hat into the ring for the soon-to-be-open 26th District seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. “At a time when the General Assembly’s decisions are so severely impacting local government budgets, be it in education, transportation, law enforcement, environmental security, social services…