Ken Plum: Virginia’s energy future

Ken Plum

President Barack Obama declared a “Sputnik moment” for our country to recognize the dangers involved in our unquenchable need for oil and the civil unrest that marks the countries that supply us with petroleum. He established as a goal that 80 percent of U.S. energy come from clean generation sources by 2035. Just as engineers…

Google investment will boost Virginia wind industry, JMU expert says

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Virginia’s wind energy industry received a “shot in the arm” this week when Google announced it will invest $200 million in a project to harvest electricity from wind farms off the Mid-Atlantic coast. Dr. Jonathan Miles, director of the Virginia Center for Wind Energy at James Madison University, said Google’s 37.5 percent stake in the…

Ken Plum: Reforming and restructuring Virginia government

Ken Plum

Column by Ken Plum www.kenplum.com   Gov. Bob McDonnell is to be commended for appointing a Commission on Government Reform and Restructuring to “make government simpler and easier to use, more efficient and more effective.” The 30-person commission made up of businesspersons and legislators has an ambitious schedule of completing its initial report in two…

State of the Union: A Virginia perspective

Chris Graham

  Edited by Chris Graham [email protected] Everything you wanted to know about the State of the Union, but were afraid to ask. We have the full texts and videos of President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s Republican response. We also have reactions from Sens. Jim Webb and Mark Warner, congressmen…

Virginia Tech: Grant to train new green workers

Chris Graham

   Staff Report News tips: [email protected] A Virginia Tech-led team of almost 20 partners has won $3.8 million in federal stimulus money to train workers for new, green jobs in the construction industry. The grant is expected to train some 400 workers over two years. “Faculty from the Virginia Tech College of Engineering and College…

Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley: The Perfect Place to Be

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Column by Stan Horst Many of us dream of finding the perfect place to live, Stan Horst found that perfect place when he moved to Central Virginia 20 years ago where he runs Cabin Creekwood, a vacation rental business near Waynesboro with his wife Debbie. Stan say he will never grow tired of the variety…

Tech raises fundraising goal for Herzlich effort

Chris Graham

Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer announced Wednesday that a new goal has been set for the Virginia Tech football team’s fundraising efforts in honor of Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich. “There has been such an overwhelming response from our fans and the community that we want to raise our goal to $9,400,” Beamer said….

Kaine on hand for announcement of new tech business in Rockingham

AFP

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine today announced that Shenandoah Sustainable Technologies, LLC (SST), a Rockingham County based sustainable construction company will add 72 jobs and $600,000 in capital investment throughout Virginia over the next three years. SST specializes in the construction of self-sufficient buildings and the retrofitting of existing buildings. The company serves residential, commercial and…

Carter-Cash collection at Virginia Tech

AFP

Materials related to musicians of the Carter and Cash families, including June Carter and Johnny Cash, are now available at Virginia Tech. The collection, which will be included in the University Libraries’ Special Collections department, includes biographies and memoirs, sheet music, programs from performances and festivals, funeral programs, photographs, newspaper and magazine articles, and other…

Tech to raise funds for BC linebacker

Chris Graham

Head coach Frank Beamer and the Virginia Tech football team announced Thursday a fundraiser to aid Mark Herzlich, a linebacker for Boston College, in his fight with cancer. Team United wristbands will be sold for $1 each this Saturday as the Hokies take on the Miami Hurricanes at 3:30 p.m. Members of the Virginia Tech…