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The Governor’s Rural Jobs Council today released the interim report to the governor. The council divided its work into three subcommittees: infrastructure, entrepreneurship and workforce development/K-12 education. The council’s progress and activities are detailed in each subcommittee report.
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As the 2013 General Assembly session draws to a close, the overwhelming majority of Gov. Bob McDonnell’s 2013 legislative agenda passed with strong bipartisan support, leading to the passage of the first sustainable and long-term transportation funding and reform package in 27 years, and sweeping K-12 education reforms. The House of Delegates and Senate of Virginia approved 88 percent of the amended bills the governor sent down.
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As Washington lawmakers throw themselves into comprehensive immigration reform, I say, “Remember the women.” Women constitute more than half of our country’s undocumented immigrant population. They have a huge stake in the new immigration overhaul now being crafted by eight men in the Senate.
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U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, a member of the Armed Services Committee, today announced his first bill, the Troop Talent Act of 2013, at the American Legion Headquarters in Richmond. The bill will help ease the transition of service members from active duty to the civilian workforce by improving the alignment of skills acquired in the military…
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Forensic psychologists and psychiatrists are ethically bound to be impartial, to look only at the evidence before them, when performing evaluations or providing expert opinions for the court. But new research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and Sam Houston State University suggests that the paycheck some courtroom experts receive influences their evaluations.
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U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, toured military bases in Hampton and Virginia Beach today where he discussed the importance of budget certainty for the defense community. In the afternoon, Kaine met with military families in Norfolk to discuss steps to increase support for servicemembers and their families as well as ease the transition from active duty to civilian life and employment.
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March Madness is here, however things are anything but mad at the gas pumps so far this spring. Prices continue to ease for motorists as crude oil prices stabilize and refineries come back online following winter maintenance. The national average price of regular grade gasoline dropped a penny this week to $3.69 Friday. This price is eight cents more than one month ago, but it is 19 cents less expensive than the average price one year ago.
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As we celebrate Women’s History month, we should pay homage to a resolute group of women who deserve recognition during Sunshine Week, another March event. Sunshine Week calls attention to journalists who courageously brought to light information that governmental and other authorities prefer to keep hidden. Their notable ranks include women who have insisted for nearly two centuries on their right to cover the nation’s capital in spite of prejudice against their gender.
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Gov. Bob McDonnell today announced that Shamrock Farms, one of the largest family-owned-and-operated dairies in the U.S., will build a $50 million dairy manufacturing facility in Augusta County. The project will create 60 new jobs. Virginia successfully competed against Maryland and West Virginia for the project.
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U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, praised the passage of a Fiscal Year 2014 budget out of committee. The budget is expected to be voted on by the full Senate in the coming week.
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