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I’m proud to report that last week the U.S. House passed an amendment I offered to address early childhood education in rural areas as part of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act. The legislation creates an Early Learning Challenge Fund, which would award competitive grants to states that implement improvements to the state’s early…
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Gov. Tim Kaine today highlighted a second consecutive month of declining unemployment rates in Virginia. The Commonwealth’s August seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 6.5 percent, following rates of 7.1 percent in June and 6.9 percent in July. The August rate makes Virginia fifth lowest among unemployment rates nationally and maintains the Commonwealth’s ranking as…
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I am more and more troubled by how male and female roles in our society have evolved. Clearly, I may just not fully understand and accept these changes, but I want to understand for the sake of my boys. I’m trying to teach them to be men, how to treat women, and to prepare my…
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Gov. Timothy M. Kaine announced today that the Commonwealth will move forward with almost $25 million of green energy projects for state agencies and universities through the Public-Private Educational Facilities Infrastructure Act (PPEA). Funding for the projects will come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and some of the projects will result in renewable…
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Dear EarthTalk: I am considering upgrading some older appliances in my home. Where can I find information on which models are the most energy efficient? – Jonathan Duda, Olivebridge, N.Y. There has never been a better time to upgrade some of those older creaky appliances that are gobbling up much more energy (or water) than…
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Today, the U.S. House passed an amendment offered by Rep. Tom Perriello to the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act that seeks to address geographic disparities in early childhood education. Perriello supported the overall bill, which will expand access to affordable college education, increase early education opportunities, and build on a first-class community college system—while…
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Fall semester 2009 enrollment numbers at Eastern Mennonite University reveal a strong upturn in first-year student numbers. EMU has 219 first-year students enrolled the fall semester compared to 185 last fall. Traditional full-time undergraduate enrollment – first-year through seniors – totals 847 students, compared to 831 last fall.
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Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that environmental nonprofits have been hit hard by the economic downturn, and has this had an impact on their effectiveness? – Bridget W., Bainbridge Island, Wash. Nonprofits of every stripe have been suffering from the economic downturn. In a recent survey of 800 U.S.-based nonprofits, 75 percent reported feeling the…
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Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine researchers have discovered a gene involved with the production of sperm that may contribute to male infertility and lead to new approaches to male contraception. One in six couples trying to conceive a baby is affected by infertility, according to the American Fertility Association – and in about half…
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Remarks from President Obama at fundraising reception for Sen. Arlen Specter THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much, everybody. Please, have a seat. Thank you. It was, first of all, wonderful to meet all of you as we were taking pictures. And I want to say that I am so pleased to be here not only…
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