Still losing farmland, but not as quickly

Chris Graham

Edited by Chris Graham [email protected]   Good news for farming, sorta, kinda: The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services reported today that loss of farmland to development appears to be slowing in the Commonwealth. According to the recent numbers from the Farmland Information Center, between 1997 and 2002, Virginia lost 81,500 acres of agricultural…

Madeline Ostrander: Protect America’s coasts and waterways

Column by Madeline Ostrander Submit guest columns: [email protected]   Dave Rauschkolb took on the oil industry when it got personal—it threatened his beach and his business. Rauschkolb is not an environmental lawyer or professional Sierra Club-type. He’s an avid surfer and owns a pizza bar on the northwest coast of Florida, within range of the…

McDonnell, Warner, Webb still back drilling

Chris Graham

Virginia’s three top state elected leaders are holding to their support for exploratory oil and natural gas drilling off the coast of Virginia in the wake of the ongoing disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. “We will learn from Louisiana. We will have additional federal regulations. We will have new technology. Once we get some…

Community Foundation announces scholarships

Chris Graham

Edited by Chris Graham [email protected]   The Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge announces awards of nearly $50,000 in scholarships to 38 area students. “We are so excited and thankful to be able to offer these scholarships that potentially open doors that may have otherwise remained closed. By minimizing the financial concerns of these…

Sanford D. Horn: Many villains, no heroes

Column by Sanford D. Horn Submit guest columns: [email protected]   Rahm Emanuel is the opportunist’s opportunist. The Obama administration chief of staff first said “never let a serious crisis go to waste.” Then, this past weekend, Emanuel referred to Congressman Joe Barton’s apology to BP as a “gift,” demonstrative of how the GOP would behave….

McDonnell signs charter-school legislation

Chris Graham

Edited by Chris Graham [email protected]   Nine days before Virginia’s new laws take effect, Gov. Bob McDonnell today ceremonially signed legislation that will facilitate the expansion of charter schools in the Commonwealth. The legislation, HB1390, sponsored by Del. Scott Lingamfelter, R-Woodbridge, and SB737, sponsored by Sen. Steve Newman, R-Lynchburg, was part of the governor’s 2010…

David Toscano: BP and Cuccinelli

Contributors

Column by David Toscano Submit guest columns: [email protected]   Virginia is the model of the citizen legislature. Delegates and senators are not full-time elected officials; most of us have other jobs. The House of Delegates and the State Senate meet for only 60 days during one year and 45 days during the next year. While…