Earth Talk: Can Japan do without nuclear energy?

Roddy Scheer

Dear EarthTalk: Were Japan to close all its nuclear plants following the recent damage and radiation leaks from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, what could its energy mix look like? Would it be able to provide all of its power in other ways? – Richard Miller, New York Most experts agree that Japan would…

Virginia schools to promote recycling

Contributors

Virginia Secretary of Education Gerard Robinson and Secretary of Natural Resources Doug Domenech have joined with PepsiCo and Waste Management to encourage K-12 schools in the Commonwealth to participate in the Dream Machine Recycle Rally program in celebration of Earth Week. The Dream Machine Recycle Rally, as one pillar within the broader Dream Machine recycling…

Earth Talk: Two-sided food crisis

Roddy Scheer

Dear EarthTalk: I understand a recent government report concluded that our global food system is in deep trouble, that roughly 2 billion people are hungry or undernourished while another billion are over consuming to the point of obesity. What’s going on? – Ellie Francoeur, Baton Rouge, La. The report in question, the Global Farming &…

Raegan Weber: Setting the record straight

Contributors

Over the past several weeks, there has been great speculation, poor reporting, and gross misrepresentation of the American Legislative Exchange Council’s positions on pension reform and collective bargaining. The erroneous claims have traveled through the blogosphere and grabbed the attention of mainstream media. Unfortunately, due to little or no fact-checking, ALEC’s positions and activities have…

McDonnell takes action on 2011 General Assembly legislation

Chris Graham

Gov. Bob McDonnell has taken action on legislation passed by the General Assembly during the 2011 session. One of the highlights was a veto of legislation (SB 771/HB 1459) that would increase the medical malpractice cap in Virginia from the current $2 million to $3 million. McDonnell said in issuing the veto that raising the…

EMU dedicates new Commons facilities

Contributors

Approximately 200 persons joined together at Eastern Mennonite University Saturday afternoon, March 26, to celebrate a dream of some 10 years coming to fruition. Facilities that comprise “Phase II” of the University Commons building at EMU were dedicated in a brief, upbeat ceremony held in the renovated MainStage Theater at the south end of the…

Robert Hurt: Preserving and strengthening Virginia’s agricultural industry

Robert Hurt

During this past district work week, I traveled to Charlottesville, Danville, South Boston, Altavista, Chatham, Buckingham, and Nelson and talked with constituents there and in the surrounding areas. I heard from students at the University of Virginia and Danville National College, met with many business leaders across the District, and held several constituent roundtables to…

JMU business school moves up in Bloomberg Businessweek rankings

Senior finance major Kelly Maguire knows how important the “Bloomberg Businessweek” rankings are to undergraduate students. Looking back on her decision to come to James Madison University, she said, “I actually used ‘Businessweek’ in my decision process when I was deciding between other schools I had applied to in Virginia.” As a graduating senior she…

Company invests $6 million in new facility in Covington

Contributors

Continental Waste Management LLC will invest $6 million to establish a post-industrial and post-consumer plastic recycling plant in the City of Covington. The company, which will occupy the former AET Film property, will also produce plastic/wood composite products. The project will create 100 new jobs. Virginia successfully competed against North Carolina for the project. “This…

Jim Bishop: Who has disabilities? We all do!

Jim Bishop

“Don’t tell me about your doubts, I’ve got enough doubts of my own. Tell me something you BELIEVE in,” goes a line in a sketch from the late standup comedian Dave Gardner (1926-1983). “Brother Dave” served up a strange mix of offbeat, socially-aware humor delivered in a stream-of-consciousness Southern storyteller style. I was introduced to…