Ken Plum: Balancing the state budget

Ken Plum

Adjourning a 60-day legislative session without approving a biennial budget may seem like Washington-style failure to some, but to those who work closely with the process taking more time to balance the budget reflects the realities and limitations of the tremendous task involved.  Contrasted to federal budget-making, there are no continuing resolutions or the ability…

Eastern Mennonite Seminary hires new professor

AFP

David Evans will nurture and push students as they wade into the increasingly diverse religious contexts of the world. The newest member of the Eastern Mennonite Seminary faculty in Harrisonburg, Evans has been named assistant professor of history, mission, intercultural and interfaith studies. Evans brings expertise in cultural analysis and interfaith and intercultural mission from…

Virginia gets big fat ‘F’ on transparency report

AFP

State governments are largely doing a poor job delivering transparency and accountability to their citizenry. Meanwhile, statehouses remain ripe for corruption and self-dealing. This is the discouraging picture that emerges from the State Integrity Investigation, a first-of-its-kind, data-driven assessment of transparency, accountability and anti-corruption mechanisms in all 50 states. In the ranking, not a single…

UVa. women top Richmond in WNIT

AFP

The Virginia women’s basketball team defeated in-state foe Richmond, 68-55, Monday (March 19) in the second round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). The Cavaliers advance to host Appalachian State in the third round on Thursday (March 22) at 7 p.m. at John Paul Jones Arena. With the win, UVa improved to 24-10 overall…

Karen Kwiatkowski: What does Bob Goodlatte really believe?

AFP

Bob Goodlatte tells us the Chesapeake Bay Program Reauthorization and Improvement Act (H.R. 4153) will improve EPA administration and effectiveness by giving states more control. It will not. Does the EPA overreach, cost too much, and use bad science in its pronouncements?  Absolutely!  It’s a government agency, isn’t it?  Beyond this, it’s no mystery that…

Earth Talk: Young farmers needed

Roddy Scheer

Dear EarthTalk: American farmers are an aging population. Is anyone doing anything to make sure younger people are taking up this profession in large enough numbers to keep at least some of our food production domestic? – Beverly Smith, Milwaukee, Wisc. Indeed American farmers as a whole are an aging group today as young people…

UVa. women beat Howard in WNIT in OT

Chris Graham

The Virginia women’s basketball team advanced to the second round of the 2012 Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) with a 59-56 victory over Howard in overtime on Thursday (March 15) night at John Paul Jones Arena. Virginia moves on to host in-state foe Richmond on Monday (March 19) at 7 p.m. With the victory, Virginia…

Senate highway bill includes Warner proposals

Chris Graham

U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., on Wednesday joined colleagues in a bipartisan 74-22 vote to adopt the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), which reauthorizes highway, transit, and safety programs for two fiscal years at current funding levels. The legislation is fully funded and maintains the solvency of the Highway…