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…

Job creation

Chris Graham

   Column by Sen. Robert Hurt www.roberthurtforcongress.com The first full week of the 2010 General Assembly here in Richmond has now concluded. The week began with the Gov. McDonnell’s first State of the Commonwealth address and the ended with committees getting fully underway in reviewing and taking action on individual legislation. In addition, because of…

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…

Local officials back jobs program

AFP

   Staff Report News tips: [email protected] As U.S. mayors gathered in Washington this week to meet with the Obama administration about unemployment and the economy, Virginia local government officials and community leaders are calling for the creation of a Community Jobs program. The jobs program would provide funding to localities across the country to create…

Tech announces new Foster deal

Chris Graham

  Staff Report Virginia Tech sports: www.hokiesports.com Virginia Tech Director of Athletics Jim Weaver announced Thursday the terms of defensive coordinator Bud Foster’s continued employment agreement. The new agreement will pay Foster $800,000 in deferred compensation if he remains employed at Virginia Tech through the 2014 football season. Should Foster leave prior to the end…

Job creation important to Fifth

Chris Graham

   Column by Tom Perriello www.perriello.house.gov My top priority is supporting job creation in Southside and Central Virginia, and I believe one key part of this will be putting our area at the forefront of the clean energy economy. In the next few decades, we will see a huge boom of energy-related advanced manufacturing, agriculture,…

Democrats introduce ethics reforms

AFP

   Staff Report News tips: [email protected] Democrats from the House of Delegates and Senate joined together today to unveil omnibus legislation reforming Virginia’s Conflicts of Interest statute. The legislation was introduced in response to the ethical problems of former lawmaker and ranking Republican member of the House Appropriations Committee, Phil Hamilton, revealed last year. Hamilton…

Poverty task force presents report

AFP

   Staff Report News tips: [email protected] Gov. Tim Kaine today received the recommendations of Virginia’s Poverty Reduction Task Force, a collection of public- and private-sector partners tasked with making policy recommendations to combat poverty in the Commonwealth. The task force, co-chaired by Secretary of Health and Human Resources Marilyn B. Tavenner and Richmond attorney Robert…

Sneak Preview: Kaine’s final State of the Commonwealth

AFP

   Staff Report News Tips: [email protected] Gov. Timothy M. Kaine will deliver his final State of the Commonwealth Address to the Joint Assembly in Richmond tonight at 7 p.m. The address will be carried on local PBS stations, streaming video will be available on the House of Delegates’ website, and text of the entire address…